International Consultant/s to Conduct Technology Need Assessment (TNAs) in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) (multiple posts) (ROSTER)

Result of Service

The TNAs are demand driven and conducted based on the official request received from the LDCs which would suggest the time-frame. The duration of TNAs varies from 5-6 months based on the country context/ while the UN Technology Bank suggests the duration of the consultancy as limited to maximum 6 months. The work input envisaged for the consultancy is up to 45 working days, within the contract duration of 6 months. Deliverables: 1. Stakeholders onboarding process and TNA kick-off– 1 day Task 1.1 Participate in the kick-off workshops 2. Analysis of the STI environment and National System of Innovation SWOT – 8 days Tasks 2.1 Coordinate analysis of relevant data and information sources, including national development plans and strategies, policy documents, information on STI governance structures and arrangements, etc. 2.2 Coordinate consultations with the technical working group and selected STI experts in the country. 2.3 Oversee the preparation of an overview of the STI contextual background and national system of innovation in the respective LDC, including a critical analysis of existing strengths and weaknesses. Deliverable: Drafted report introduction and chapter on overview of the contextual background and STI environment 3. Identification of key development goals and challenges and selection of TNA focus sector(s) – 12 days Task 3.1 Oversee continued desk review, focused specifically on examining development goals and priority needs for smooth graduation that can be addressed through technologies. 3.2 Participate in focus group meetings with the technical working group convened by the national consultant to discuss the development challenges, identify priority development ambitions that can be more effectively addressed through technology and agree on the TNA focus sector(s). 3.3 Revise analysis of findings and coordinating the preparation of the chapter on the priority development goals and challenges and the focal sector of the TNA. Deliverable: Drafted chapter on the priority development challenges and the focal sector of the TNA. 4. Technology Needs Analysis – 10 days Task 4.1 Oversee, in close consultation with the national Consultant, the design and submission of a survey to identify relevant technologies in the focal sector which can effectively contribute to priority development goals; identify those technologies already available in the country and those suitable for transfer. Deliverable: Online or in-person TNA survey questionnaire with list of respondents Task 4.2 Coordinate survey data analysis; draft the relevant technologies long list and prepare technology factsheet for each technology. Deliverable: Technology factsheets (including characteristics, potential of applications, cost, maturity, economic benefits and social benefits) Tasks 4.3 Participate in focus group meetings with stakeholders convened by the national consultant to identify criteria and weights to prioritize technologies and discuss scoring for each technology. 4.4 Finalize ranking of five priority technologies and prepare chapter on technology analysis Deliverable: Drafted chapters on technology analysis 5. STI Review and TNA Report Task 5.1 Prepare the first draft for review by the UN Technology Bank, the relevant line ministry of the respective LDC, and technical working group. Deliverable: First draft of the STI Review and TNA Report, including executive summary, introduction, conclusion, recommendations, and annexes – 6 days Task 5.2 Prepare the second draft based on initial feedback and share with wider stakeholders for comments Deliverable: Second draft of the STI Review and TNA Report generated based on feedback – 2 days Task 5.3 Prepare the 3rd version of the report based on the feedback provided by national stakeholders in readiness for validation Deliverable: Third draft of the STI Review and TNA Report generated based on feedback – 2 days 6. Report finalization Task 6.1 Revise the report based on comments from the validation workshop Deliverable: Final report submitted – 2 days Task 6.2 Prepare 2-page report summary Deliverable: Summary produced – 2 days

Work Location

Remote/ Home-based

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Science, technology, and innovation are key instruments for the socio-economic transformation of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and their sustainable development. For the purposes of this study, technology refers to hardware, technical know-how, technical skills, and software applied to solve development-related challenges. LDCs suffer from deficits in their Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) capacities, absorptive as well as adaptive capacities, and lag substantially behind both emerging and advanced economies. The Doha Programme of Action for the LDCs for the Decade 2022-2031 identifies ‘Leveraging the power of science, technology, and innovation to fight against multidimensional vulnerabilities and to achieve the SDGs’ as a key focus area towards sustainable and irreversible graduation. The objective of this TOR is to develop the substantive and conceptual framework that the international consultant will use to prepare the Technology Needs Assessment (TNA). From the Technology Bank’s perspective, the TNAs are policy tools designed to serve the following purposes: 1. Identify the specific sectors or economic activities in LDCs that require technological input or solutions. 2. Ensure that the technological solutions identified are appropriate and compatible with LDCs’ level of development and are aligned with their national development strategies. 3. Appraise the absorptive capacities of LDCs by reviewing the STI ecosystem in the LDCs, particularly the skills-base, technology policy, and the institutional and regulatory environment governing the national innovation system. The rationale for appraising the local absorptive capacities is to gauge the ability of the country to utilize and learn from transferred technologies and absorb and assimilate the technology locally through adaptation and upgrading. 4. Consult with key national stakeholders, particularly the private sector, to determine the technological needs of LDCs from a wider perspective. 5. Recommend technological solutions and the specific areas where STI-related capacity building is needed and could enable LDCs to address immediate development challenges and narrow the technological gap with more developed economies. Purpose and Scope of Assignment The overarching goal of the consultancy is to review the key development challenges facing the respective LDC and identify technologies that could provide sustainable solutions. In conducting the assessment, the consultant is expected to: (a) examine the national development strategy of the country and the main drivers of growth, industrial development and structural transformation; (b) identify the specific areas (i.e, sectors, economic activities, social concerns, environment-related challenges) where technological solutions could provide remedies to perceived challenges; and (c) identify the technologies and/or technical know-how that the country needs to solve some of its problems. In general, the challenges facing the LDCs are numerous, and they cut across sectors and income levels. Thus, in principle, LDCs need all sorts of technologies (both hard and soft) to tackle immediate challenges and accelerate the development process. However, access to the diverse range of technologies they LDCs need is neither easy not feasible – partly because of the high cost acquiring technologies and partly because LDCs have low-level of absorptive capacities, which limit their ability to absorb, learn, assimilate, and upgrade the acquired technologies. This makes the TNA a useful tool for pinpointing the specific areas where appropriate and relevant technological solutions can be used to help LDCs overcome some of the obstacles to development. In short, the main objectives of the consultancy assignment are: 1. To identify development challenges in the country that can be addressed using technologies, highlighting the role each technology can play in supporting the country in meeting its development goals and priorities. 2. To identify appropriate and relevant technologies that can adequately and effectively address the country’s development challenges, while acknowledging existing STI initiatives in the country and the role of indigenous technologies. 3. To identify barriers and challenges hindering the acquisition, deployment, and diffusion of prioritized and transferred technologies as well as the scale up of existing technologies in the country including indigenous ones. 4. To evaluate the enabling environment and readiness (policies, financing, capacity etc.) for the utilization and application of the prioritized technologies. 5. To present recommendations to strengthen technological development in the country, specifying activities and enabling frameworks to overcome the barriers and facilitate the transfer, adoption, and diffusion of selected technologies in the country. Under the supervision of the UN Technology Bank for LDCs, the international consultant will work closely with a national consultant to undertake the following tasks: a. Analyze national context and science, technology and innovation environment. The review will provide critical insights on the functioning of the National Innovation System (NIS), by looking at the main STI actors, policy framework, the country’s current capacity in terms of innovation capabilities, research and development (R&D), technology scouting, IP systems, engineering, technical and vocational skills, etc. The primary objective for assessing the country’s NIS is to understand the level of technological development of the country and appraise the country’s capacity to utilize and absorb prioritized and transferred technologies. b. Identify, through in-country participatory processes, the respective LDCs overarching development ambitions and goals that can be effectively addressed through application of technology and innovation. The core area(s)/sector(s) of focus for the TNAs (such as health, agriculture, industry, climate and environment, education, etc.) will be selected with the aim to maximize the impact of technology as an instrument to foster structural transformation and smooth graduation from the LDC category, reduce poverty, increase social and economic growth and promote inclusive sustainable development. c. Identify and prioritize technologies for the relevant sectors through a participatory process with a broad involvement of relevant stakeholders and by liaising with stakeholders and experts to analyze how the prioritized technologies can be implemented in the country and how implementation circumstances could be improved by addressing related barriers. For each focus sector, the review will include an analysis of: i) technologies and capacities that are required to achieve specific SDGs, structural transformation, including successful/sustainable graduation from LDC category; ii) policies and programs that are needed to build the required local capacity and support technology transfer and deployment; and iii) best practices that are particularly suitable for replication in the respective LDC in helping to achieve specific SDGs, national transition and development priorities including effective and sustainable graduation from the LDC category. d. Identify and recommend opportunities to strengthen STI capabilities and develop relevant skills, as well as opportunities to improve the utilization of existing capacity-building programmes. e. Ensure that the TNA analysis and recommendations have a lens that focuses on the role of STI in trade, especially towards increasing export diversification and addressing the trade impacts of graduation. Furthermore, ensure that the TNA incorporates gender and youth perspectives in all aspects of the analysis and considers environmental factors such as climate change and biodiversity loss that impact STI within the country. f. Identify opportunities for regional collaboration, as well as among clusters of countries that share common characteristics and challenges, exploring synergies and complementarities. g. Liaise with the UN Technology Bank and with the national consultant involved in the TNA process to coordinate the approach and methodology, analyze and discuss findings, draft and revise chapters and prepare the draft and final TNA report. h. Revise the TNA draft submitted for validation by stakeholders, ensuring that the comments and requests for additional information received from the validation workshop are incorporated appropriately and that the revision is conducted in close consultation with the Technology Bank for LDCs. The consultancy will also include the following activities: ● Organizational audit or Institutional and capacity assessments in what relates to Science, Technology, and Innovation in the country. ● Participate in stakeholder engagements/workshops facilitated by the national consultant. ● Oversee, in close consultation with the national consultant, participatory assessment processes to collect qualitative and quantitative data, including surveys, focus group meetings and interviews. ● Parsing and synthesizing large amounts of information into analytical insights. ● Carrying out high quality research and producing knowledge products. ● Developing policy and action-oriented recommendations in science, technology and innovation. ● Project planning and reporting arrangements, including working in professional teams.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Business Administration, International Development and Trade or related areas is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. At least ten (10) years of working experience in international development, trade, science, technology and innovation, or related area is required. Knowledge of the unique challenges, trends, and best practices in science, technology and innovation (STI), and knowledge of the innovation ecosystems, technological learning and absorption processes and the policy and regulatory environment required for capacity-building in and transfer of science, technology and innovation (STI) is required. Demonstrated experience in conducting research or needs assessments for a specific country, region, sector or technology in focus and/or working on projects of a similar scale and complexity is desirable. Knowledge in qualitative and quantitative research methods, data collection, and data analysis methods and techniques is desirable. Proven ability to gather and synthesize research material from academic and non-academic sources and form sound conclusions is desirable. Experience in conducting interviews, surveys, and workshops to gather input and insights and ability to present findings and recommendations effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences is desirable. Strong analytical writing, presentation and communication skills are desirable. Publications on international development and science technology and innovation (STI) related matters, is desirable. Good understanding of the development challenges facing developing countries, especially the least developed among them (the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), including national development agenda and transition strategy, is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in oral and written English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.