DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT FOR R&V ATLAS

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

In the Dominican Republic, GGGI is working with the Emergency Operations Center (COE, by its Spanish acronym), the National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanisms (CNCCMDL, by its Spanish acronym) and the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD, by its Spanish acronym) in strengthening the country’s Early Warning Systems. This consultancy is embedded in a wider project that includes: 1) the design of a framework for a Multi-Hazard Early Warning System; 2) the development of the Risk and Vulnerability towards Emergencies Atlas and; 3) the strengthening of Alerta-COE smartphone app.

The objective of the assignment is to assist in the development of a pilot Risk and Vulnerability Atlas dedicated to emergency response based on Geographical Information System (GIS), creating an online platform that will host the Atlas. The prioritised risks include but are not limited to: flooding due to hydrometeorological events, seismic, tsunamis, fire, and epidemic. The consultant will be in charge of developing an impact registry and integrate information into an online platform for the Atlas.

The Risk and Vulnerability Atlas will serve as a strategic and operational tool for disaster risk preparedness and response. This atlas will provide a detailed visualization and comprehensive analysis of disaster risk in different territorial demarcations, with the intention of reaching the infra-municipal level, facilitating informed decision-making and the implementation of effective prevention, mitigation and emergency response measures. In addition, it seeks to ensure an efficient flow of information between the different entities and sectors, improving the effectiveness of warning processes and decision making, and ensuring that all stakeholders have accurate and updated data to act in a coordinated and timely manner within the framework of the National Early Warning Policy and the international frameworks to which the Dominican Republic is committed. 

The consultancy must carry out at least the following activities:

1. Develop a georeferenced registry of historical impacts of the prioritized risks, including hazard type, exposure and socio-economic variables. To be able to conduct this registry the consultant must define the data collection methodology, design the registry’s structure and collect information through a variety of methodologies which should prioritize local data and include UNDRR DesInventar Sendai as inputs, as well as information from interviews and workshops with experts and institutions’ representatives. Essentially, the goal is to have a registry of historical impacts in order to prioritize risks in highly exposed areas.
2. Assess current CNCCMDL hardware and software capabilities to host the Atlas and propose any further technological requirements.
3. Develop an online GIS platform that contains the pilot zones (Gran Santo Domingo and Santigo de los Caballeros) for the Risk and Vulnerability towards Emergencies Atlas. To be able to achieve this activity, the consultant must define the Atlas’ functionalities, design its architecture and interface, and integrate the previously generated layers of information, among others. The platform must be tested and deployed in the working environment (available at counterpart infrastructure) and feedback of users integrated in the final product.
4. Facilitate training and feedback workshops for the Atlas’ users. To be able to complete this activity, the consultant must prepare training materials and feedback collection tools. GGGI team will and coordinate the logistics regarding the training and feedback workshop.
5. Develop an operational manual for the Atlas’ users.
6. Create an online repository with training materials.

DELIVERABLES

Under direct supervision of the Risk and Vulnerability Officer and in close collaboration with the GGGI country team, the consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

• Deliverable 1. Detailed workplan. It should contain a detailed description of activities to be conducted during the consultancy, indicating data sources and needs, milestones and identified barriers.

• Deliverable 2. Geodatabase with a registry of historical impacts. For each prioritized risk type, including hazard, exposure, and vulnerability (sensibility and response capability) for two pilot areas. The output should be a Geodatabase with shapefiles and tables. If images are used, they should be included in the geodatabase, in geoTIFF format.

• Deliverable 3. Current technological capabilities assessment. Report of current capabilities assessment, including scalability, potential performance (page load times, responsiveness of map interactions, and overall user experience), data storage and management (considering database requirements, backup strategies, and if cloud storage solutions are required), bandwidth and data transfer and integration requirements.

• Deliverable 4. Platform design report. Work document of the functionalities, architecture and interface of the Risk and Vulnerability towards Emergencies Atlas online platform. Including a flow chart that indicates base layers and other layers that can be activated.  It is important to note that work will be done while promoting interconnectivity of the platform to be developed with existing initiatives, and to generate data and processes that will be useful for the development and strengthening of both these initiatives and future uses.

• Deliverable 5. Prototype online platform of the Risk and Vulnerability towards Emergencies Atlas. The platform should display layers of previously generated information integrated with real-time data from national surveillance systems. The platform should be tested internally before being implemented in the working environment. The atlas will be developed using ESRI software and hosted on the CNCCMDL server.

• Deliverable 6. Workshop report and training materials on the Atlas operation and uses. The consultant should facilitate training workshops for the Atlas’ users. Before the training the consultant should write out the objectives and agenda for the training. After delivering the workshops, the consultant will write a report including learning outcomes and attach the list of participants and training materials.

• Deliverable 7. Operational manual for the Atlas’ users. This manual should contain detailed instructions on how to navigate the online platform to run the different functionalities of the Atlas.

• Deliverable 8. Final online platform of the Risk and Vulnerability towards Emergencies Atlas. Feedback from users should be integrated into the final product of the Atlas. Additionally, the platform should contain an online repository of all training materials, manuals and relevant documents (e.g. technical reports). The consultant must document all processes and methodologies used in the development of the Atlas and platform, and provide all source code, scripts, geoprocesses, geodatabases, metadata structure and technical documentation necessary for the continuity of the project.

All deliverables will be developed in Spanish. Reports, manuals and work documents should include an executive summary in English. All reports will be delivered in Microsoft Word. Featured diagrams should be editable in MS Office. Additional information listed in the annexes can be delivered in different formats after agreement with the Risk and Vulnerability Officer. Furthermore, all reports must compel with GGGI formatting guidelines. Draft reports will be submitted for a two-week review period on behalf of GGGI team and counterparts. Feedback must be integrated into the final reports. All data generated must be hosted at the CNCCMDL facilities. If, for any reasons data is generated or hosted elsewhere, the appropriate continuity of access must be guaranteed.

The consultant should meet the following requirements:

• Professional with a Mataster’s degree in geographical information systems, computer science, systems engineering, or natural sciences, engineering (e.g. climate change, environmental), biology, geology, geography, environmental science with a strong GIS component.
• At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in the field of geographical information systems.
• At least two (2) years of professional experience related to Geographical Information Systems including the development of online platforms and integrating real-time data.
• Experience working with LAC countries’ public sector institutions or international organisations.
• Experience in conducting risk and vulnerability assessments is highly desirable.
• Experience designing and conducting stakeholders’ consultation processes is an advantage.
• Fluency in English and Spanish.
• Strong skills in assertive communication.
• Ability to produce deliverables with minimal supervision.
• (Preferably) Solid understanding of the concepts of risk management, green growth and/or sustainable development in the context of developing countries, sectoral issues and policy and regulatory approaches in developing and emerging countries, and recent developments and global trends in expertise.
• Exceptional analytical and quantitative skills, along with strong synthesis and strategic thinking skills.

Candidates’ suitability for the consultancy will be assessed based on CV and cover letter. Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted. Pre-selected candidates will be asked to submit an example of a previous report related to risk and vulnerability management, preferably addressing early warning systems development. The report might be in Spanish or English. After a period of no longer than two weeks pre-selected candidates will be notified whether they are invited to an interview. The final decision will be notified in no longer than a week from the interviews.

Date to close is Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered Application. Cover Letter, and CV must be sent in English. A consortium, or a firm may not be engaged for the individual consultant assignment.