A Candidate Pool is a qualified, pre-assessed and evaluated, pre-endorsed group of candidates suitable to perform the functions of a substantially similar set of rotational posts in a given job family.
During transportation and storage, all cargo is vulnerable to a range of risks, such as damage, pilferage and theft, breakage, non-receipt of part or an entire consignment. Cargo insurance thus provides protection against potential financial losses resulting from such risks. Business Units should ensure the following: a. Protection for goods subject to risks, including war, strikes, riots and civil commotions.; b. The duration of insurance coverage is sufficient for the period of transportation from “warehouse to warehouse,” including a minimum of 30 days, estimated for storage at the destination site; c. Goods are insured for the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value plus an agreed percentage, generally 10 percent, to reflect the indirect cost to the Business Unit incidental to cover, or replace goods.
A cash flow forecast is a short term projection of cash movement and its implications for the liquidity position of an organization. Depending on the size of the organization and business purpose, the time horizon for the forecast can be daily, (also called daily cash positioning), monthly, quarterly, and annually, on a rolling basis.
Cash Operations is defined as currency notes physically held on a CO’s premises to meet operating needs in a country in which normal banking services are unavailable. COs are sometimes required to operate in a crisis environment where banking facilities are unavailable. In such instances, COs may find it necessary to conduct all financial transactions in cash. Cash Operations create significant financial risk for UNDP, as well as physical security risk for staff who handle the cash.
The Cash Transfer Modalities to be adopted shall be based on the Partner’s Adjusted Risk Rating, which is derived from the results of the micro assessment with due consideration to the specific programming context, with exceptions documented.
A letter of reprimand based on the Respondent’s conduct. A censure does not affect the Respondent’s eligibility to participate in UNDP procurement processes, but it will be an aggravating factor in any future decisions to impose additional Sanctions.
Centralized functions are those functions that will be performed only by the Global Shared Services Unit (GSSU) and UNDP NYHQ through Accounts Division, OIMT or General Operations/ BMS. Refer to POPP on Furniture and Equipment for more details.
Any UNDP staff member governed by the UN Staff Regulations and Staff Rules who submits a request in writing when leaving the service of UNDP is provided a statement relating to the nature of his/her duties and length of service. Upon the staff member's written request, the statement can also refer to the quality of his/her work and official conduct. Such certificates are distinct from reference checks and responses to inquiries from prospective future employers or from other organizations of the United Nations common system. The respective senior manager of the unit/office in which the staff member was last assigned must sign the certificates. For international professionals, the certificate is issued by SAS/OHR Copenhagen.
The certified financial report gives a comprehensive view of how contributions are recorded and utilized, reflecting the operational status, revenue, expenses, and balance of the contributions provided by individual non-programme country donors. The recipients of these reports are these donors and the relevant UNDP country offices.
The individual who manages the Vendor Review Committee (VRC) and its proceedings. The VRC Chairperson reports to the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and is responsible for the issuance of decisions taken by the CPO.
Change control defines how changes to ICT systems and infrastructure can be implemented and released into a live environment. This process exists in the context of ICT governance, as defined in the IM Strategy.
A comprehensive Change Control and Release Management process minimizes risks involved in introducing changes and it becomes a method of communication between stakeholders – the person requesting a change, the Change Control Manager and the team building the change.
A project document may be revised at any time by agreement among the signatories to the document, the donor, UN pooled fund steering committee and/or vertical fund, as relevant, and following consultation with the project board. The purpose of the revision is to make substantive or financial adjustments and improvements to the project. Restrictions apply for GEF- and GCF-financed projects.
The individual values in the Chart of Accounts, which in combination, describe a specific financial activity. With the aid of reporting and query tools, chartfields provide access to accounting data needed for budget control, management reporting, and statutory (or formal and final financial) reporting.
The Chart of Accounts (COA) plays a role in Quantum financial systems for control, budgeting and reporting. The correct use of the COA is critical for accurate financial, management and donor reporting.
Chartered Medical Evacuation Travel (CMET) consists of obtaining highly specialized medical air ambulance services together with, as necessary, professional medical services to evacuate a critically ill staff member or dependent. CMET is to be used for the most critical emergencies and when commercial air transportation by the most direct and economical route (the normal mode for MET) is not sufficient to safeguard the staff member’s life. All Heads of Office should be fully briefed on CMET procedures, have all relevant contact numbers of medical officers, approving officers, International SOS and HQ contacts and are expected to be capable of acting quickly and correctly outside normal working hours.
Used to establish a hierarchical structure, which visually represent a set of summarization rules for a particular chart field. For instance, a tree for account code 11000 (Cash and Near Cash) would have as components accounts 11005 and 11006 that would roll up to a total for reporting in code 11000.
According to Rule 121.01 paragraph (a) of the UNDP Financial regulations and Rules (as amended on January 1, 2012), the Chief Procurement Officer of UNDP is accountable to the Administrator for all procurement functions of UNDP for all its locations, except for those procurement actions governed by paragraph (c). The Chief Procurement Officer may further delegate authority to staff at headquarters and other locations, as may be appropriate in fulfilling the purposes of these rules.
Circumventing thresholds for undertaking formal solicitations and for review by procurement review committees occurs by splitting orders, establishing long-term agreements that have no total value, and estimating costs below real costs to bring in low-value contracts that are later adjusted. When extending or amending contracts, determine the contract history and current cumulative contract amount, and justify why the contract is being extended or amended.
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), is defined as a non-profit organization, group or institution that operates independently from a government and has humanitarian or development objectives.
The Clean-Up of the Accounts Payable (AP) refers to an exercise that ensures that there are no pending vouchers with an accounting date on or before the month end date.
The clean-up of POs requires that all pending purchase orders with budget date on or before the month-end date to be reviewed. The goal is to ensure that there are no old pending purchase orders. If there are, it will create inconsistencies between reports from Budget Control, Projects and the GL.
Projects should be closed in a timely manner to manage fiduciary risk, meet donor expectations, avoid costly extensions and enable the timely transfer of assets for the sustainability of results. Closing a project requires assessing overall performance, quality and lessons learned, and necessary handover to ensure sustainability.
Closed trust funds have in the past been created in agreement with a single donor and the contributions to the trust fund were restricted to that donor. The trust fund donor agreement also served as the terms of reference for the trust fund. Closed trust funds are now discouraged and cost sharing agreements should be used instead.
Typically third party, contracted service that provides computing services along with the underlying technical architecture (e.g., servers, storage, networks) to enable convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. Cloud computing has five essential characteristics: on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service.
Act or omission that impairs or harms, or threatens to impair or harm, directly or indirectly, any party or the property of the party to improperly influence the actions of a party.
Collusion between UNDP staff members or between UNDP personnel and suppliers could involve kick-backs or bribes, resulting in UNDP personnel manipulating the process, such as by restricting the list of suppliers. It is critical not to allow personnel to operate alone in many steps of the procurement process, especially in evaluation of and negotiations with suppliers.
It is an arrangement between two or more parties designed to achieve an improper purpose, including influencing improperly the actions of another party.
The UNSMS Commercial Air Travel Safety Policy provides a framework to enable due consideration of aviation safety factors in the selection of commercial air operators for undertaking official travel. For the purpose of these guidelines, aviation safety factors must be
A Commercial Lease is an exchange contract between UNDP and a private company, In exchange for the usage of the asset, the landlord/lessor receives a payment or series of payments. Commercial Leases are generally contracted for office space and, in certain cases, for different types of equipment.
A legal obligation arising from a contract, agreement or other form of undertaking by UNDP or based on a liability recognized by UNDP, either against the resources of the current year in respect to UNDP programme activities or against the current budget period in respect to the institutional budget
Common services are provided to several UN agencies resident in a given country, on the basis of mutual agreement between resident UN agencies on which agency will manage the common services. Example of services includes provision of office space, janitorial, travel, ICT, security, administration of UN clinic and related services.
In the event of illness or injury attributable to the performance of official duties, a staff member is entitled to compensation as prescribed in Appendix D to the Staff Rules. In the event of the staff member's death in consequence of such illness or injury, his/her surviving spouse, child, or secondary dependant is entitled to compensation as prescribed in Appendix D to the Staff Rules. No benefit or compensation is payable in respect of illness, injury, or death resulting from serious and willful misconduct on the part of the staff member concerned.
Confidential information means:(i) Information received from or sent to third parties, with an expectation of confidentiality;(ii) Information whose disclosure is likely to endanger the safety or security of any individual, violate his or her rights, or invade his or her privacy; (iii) Information whose disclosure is likely to endanger the security of Member States or prejudice the security or proper conduct of any operation or activity of the organization; (iv) Information covered by legal privilege or regulatory proceedings, or that subjects the organization to an undue risk of litigation, or is related to internal audit reports and investigations; (v) Internal inter-office or intra-office documents, including e-mails and draft documents; (vi) Commercial information, if disclosure would harm either the financial interests of the organization or those of other parties involved; (vii) Information which the organization believes would, if disclosed, seriously undermine the policy dialogue with Member States or implementing partners; and (viii) Other kinds of information which, because of its content or the circumstances of its creation or communication, must be deemed confidential.
Any input into the procurement process by a party with vested interests in the outcome creates a conflict of interest. Conflicts can be actual, perceived or potential.
Consequence is the effect that may result from a risk being materialized. There might be several consequences of a risk, including cascading effects. Often, the total impact of a risk is broader than the sum of all its consequences.
A consultant is an individual who is a recognized authority or specialist in a specific field, engaged by the United Nations under a temporary contract in an advisory or consultative capacity to the Secretariat. A consultant must have special skills or knowledge not normally possessed by the regular staff of the Organization and for which there is no continuing need in the Secretariat. The functions of a consultant are results-oriented and normally involve analysing problems, facilitating seminars or training courses, preparing documents for conferences and meetings or writing reports on the matters within their area of expertise on which their advice or assistance is sought.
The legal instrument that will be signed by and between the UNDP and the successful Offeror/Proposer, all the attached documents thereto, including the General Terms and Conditions (GTC) and the Appendices.
Under a project, a contract is an agreement between the implementing partner and another institution, private firm, individual or NGO to carry out specific activities, or to provide specific goods or services. Contracting is used where the parties agree that it would be the most cost-effective way of achieving the desired results.
Used for the recording of contributions. Information will be entered relating to the agreement and the necessary accounting information to ensure that revenue is recorded in the General Ledger and reflected correctly in UNDP accounts.
Cash or in-kind resources (the latter being in the form of goods, services, or real property) provided to UNDP. Contributions are used to cover UNDP programme activities as well as programme support, management and administration, and support to operational activities of the United Nations, including costs associated with the administration of contributions received for special purposes; costsharing - a co-financing modality under which contributions from Other resources can be received as a supplement to Regular resources for specific UNDP programme activities, under the relevant cooperation framework.
UNDP has an agreement with CITIBANK N.A to issue UNDP Corporate Purchasing Master Cards to UNDP Operations staff (usually the individual who maintains the purchasing card account and responsible for approving low value purchases within the office. While each card is issued in the cardholder’s name the Card remains the property of UNDP and is only to be used for official purchases. Even though the Cardholder’s name appears on the card, this does not affect the cardholder’s credit history nor is there a requirement for the cardholder to use any personal information in activating the card.
Corruption or corrupt practice is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting, directly or indirectly, anything of value to influence improperly the actions of another party
Cost recovery refers to the requirement for the organization to recover costs from other resources that are not directly linked to providing the required organizational structures for projects and programmes. The fundamental aim of cost recovery is to achieve a proportional funding of organizational costs between regular and other resources. This demands that UNDP must avoid using regular resources to subsidize activities funded from other resources, including the use of regular resources to cover costs related to the management and support of programme activities funded by other resources. The fundamental principle and benefits of the application of the cost recovery methodology contribute to a more equitable sharing of costs of management activities between regular and other resources. By funding qualified development effectiveness activities, where appropriate,
Cost-sharing agreements are financing instruments from donor partners that stipulate conditions for receipt, administration, use and reporting of resources for specific UNDP activities. UNDP has standard agreement templates for governments, United Nations entities, the private sector, non-governmental and civil society organizations and foundations. UNDP has also concluded specific templates with major funding partners.
Allows donors to earmark their contribution to a project whose terms of reference falls within the broader trust fund terms of reference. From a donor’s perspective, the advantages of “cost sharing within a trust fund” include separate reporting of their contribution and the possibility of refunding resource balances to the donor rather than to the general resources of the trust fund. Replaced sub-trust funds.
Immediately following the onset of any crisis, the RR will appoint the members of the COCRT based on the needs of the situation at hand. Generally, the COCRT will be comprised of UNDP CO staff members from key operations and programme units. The COCRT is responsible for day-to-day support to the Resident Representative and CO senior managers in all implementation aspects of UNDP’s crisis response.
In the absence of a UNDSS Security Adviser, the DO, in consultation with UNDSS and the staff member’s employing organization, will appoint an international staff member to act as Country Security Focal Point (CSFP) for the SMT. CSFPs are accountable to the DO, through their head of agency, for the security-related responsibilities, in accordance with their respective letters of appointment. UNDP security professionals cannot, due to their dedicated responsibilities to UNDP, be appointed as Country Security Focal Points. The CSFP is a separate and distinct multi-agency role, as compared to the Agency Country Security Focal Point, which has dedicated UNDP security responsibilities. UNDP International staff members may be appointed to act as CSFPs.
Resources are primarily used in response to sudden crises but can also support, if justified, responses to escalating situations in protracted crises. They are to be used in conducting or participating in needs assessments (e.g. Multi-Sector Initial Rapid Assessment, Post Disaster Needs Assessment, Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment), coordinating the response, and establishing early recovery frameworks and other tools for recovery planning.
The Crisis Board is a temporary senior-level decision-making body that provides strategic direction to UNDP support for crisis response and recovery programming for all Level 2 and 3 crises and, exceptionally, for Level 1 crises. The Crisis Board executes temporary authority in all aspects of UNDP corporate response to crisis, including response objectives and key messages, response level, funding allocation decisions,5 deployments, SURGE plan endorsement, recovery programme endorsement and gender considerations.
Criteria for determining crisis complexity include: Multi-layered emergency, multiple countries affected, multitude of actors, humanitarian access or lack thereof and security risks to staff.
The Crisis Management Support Team (CMST) is a temporary, working-level forum that implements the Crisis Board decisions and provides dedicated programme, operations and advocacy support to COs responding to Level 2 and 3 crises and, exceptionally, for Level 1 crises. The CMST engages Central and Regional Bureaux personnel in HQ and the Regional Hubs, with a standing membership from each Bureau. The CMST is led by a CMST Coordinator, who is named by the Crisis Board. The CMST Coordinator manages the technical inputs of the team while coordinating cross-cutting issues.
Crisis response is broadly defined by UNDP as a response to sudden-onset and escalating protracted crises, conflict and disasters. The purpose of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Immediate Crisis Response is to provide a robust institutional and operational framework so that critical decisions and actions can be taken quickly in response to crisis situations.
A critical record is a document that, regardless of the storage media, must be protected from damage or destruction to ensure auditability and continuity of critical business functions and information flows. If a critical electronic record has an electronic signature, the critical record must be retained along with its electronic signature and any other associated records necessary to prove the authenticity of the signature (e.g. digital certificate of a digital signature). Records should be retained in accordance with the Record Retention, Data Security and Contingency Policy and with the Record Management Guidelines.
While international competition is the preferred mode of procurement in UNDP, national competition may be allowed when the value of the requirement is less than US $200,000, and when any one or any combination of the following circumstances also exists: a. The required goods/services/works are available locally at about the same or lower prices compared to those of comparable quality from the global market. b. The requirement is for construction works that are expected to be geographically scattered in various parts of a country and intensive in the use of local labour, and the country has a sufficient base of contractors with the qualifications and competence needed to complete the works. c. Services needed require a substantive depth of knowledge and understanding of the local environment, culture, language, socio-political dynamics or national systems that an international entity will probably not possess. d. There is a very low probability that an international entity will be interested in submitting an offer or partnering with national entities, so that the administrative and financial costs of opening to the international market will not yield any benefit.
Responsibility for NIM projects rests with the government, as reflected in the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement signed by UNDP with the government, and with the implementing partner, as agreed in the country programme action plan or United Nations development assistance framework action plan and respective annual work plan.
The National Personnel Service Agreement (“NPSA”) is a legal instrument, in the form of a contract modality, established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in order to engage the services of individuals to provide a time-limited service to UNDP under a service-based contract. The effective date of entry into force of this policy is 1 June 2021, from which date it will replace the Service Contract modality. This new modality has two key objectives: On the one hand it aims to provide UNDP with a comprehensive, flexible and cost-effective contractual framework which responds to project, programme, operational and administrative, requirements. On the other, the NPSA will provide for attractive, stable and fair conditions of employment which ensure that UNDP is able to attract, select and retain the services of skilled, high-performing individuals. Individuals engaged under this instrument have the status of National Personnel Service Agreement Holders and are engaged in recognition of their skills and expertise in order to deliver on identified functional requirements. These individuals are not UNDP staff members, but are instead considered part of UNDP’s personnel and, as such, are not governed by or subject to the United Nations’ Staff Regulations and Rules. Nor is this contract modality governed by national legislation in countries where UNDP operates. Given that the services covered by the NPSA may only be provided by natural and not legal persons (e.g. duly formed/registered companies), as well as by non-incorporated partnerships, the NPSA falls within the overall scope of UNDP’s Human Resource management framework.
An information safeguarding strategy where user gets access only to the data that is clearly required for him/her to carry his duty. In other words it is a demonstrable and recognized purpose (business need) for accessing specific information.
The purpose of the night differential is to compensate staff members performing night-time duty functions. Hours of Night-Time Duty. For staff members stationed in: a) Headquarters duty stations, night-time duty hours are between 6:00 pm and 9:30 a.m. b) Non-headquarters duty stations, night-time duty hours are established by the Resident Representatives (RR), following interagency consultation.
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is defined as a non-profit organization, group or institution that operates independently from a Government and has humanitarian or development objectives. If a NGO is designated to implement a UNDP project, the NGO must have the legal status to operate in accordance with the laws governing NGOs in the programme country.
The non-reimbursable loan of persons from Partner Entities is permissible, subject to the provisions of Financial Regulation 5.07 and applicable procedures of the Office of Human Resources and this policy. A non-reimbursable loan is defined as a loan of the services of a person without any cost to UNDP for his or her salary or remuneration, allowances, medical, dental and life insurance or other benefits.
Positions not subject to rotation and include the majority of other IP positions which still have a mobility requirement. There is also a small number of highly specialized positions whose incumbents do not have a mobility requirement (e.g. Comptroller, Treasurer, certain positions in the Executive Office etc.).
Not allowed, not supported – Components or systems that have known compatibility issues or which have not been tested in standard UNDP environment. Not allowed or not supported components or system will not be serviced through normal UNDP ICT support channels. Not allowed and not supported systems are considered as non-compliance. Offices are not allowed to deploy, use or maintain such components or systems.
Rank-in-post is a system by which staff are graded and paid for their expected contribution. Rank-in-post means that a serving staff member who is competitively selected for a post classified and budgeted at a higher level, for an expected period of one year or longer, is automatically promoted to that higher level immediately upon assumption of the higher level duties. There are no qualifying periods and no seniority requirements and no promotion bodies to recommend approval. Only candidates meeting the pre-defined requirements for a post as per the job description can be selected. Rank-in-post is based on standardized classification of jobs and transparent recruitment and selection processes, with oversight exercised by the relevant Compliance Review Bodies i.e. Compliance Review Board (CRB) or Compliance Review Panel (CRP) . Hiring units will be responsible for strictly complying with the corporate procedures on classification, recruitment, reassignment and selection, to ensure that only candidates with “the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity” as required by the Charter of the United Nations and who possess the right skills, experience and competencies required for the properly classified and budgeted posts are selected.
DAP can be used on all means of transport. The seller clears the goods for export when the goods are placed at the disposal of the buyer on the arriving means of transport and the goods are ready for unloading at the named place of the destination. All risks to that point are for the account of the seller. The Buyer must pay costs of unloading and import formalities.The Receipt date is the date when the goods have arrived at the specified place, whether they are unloaded from the forwarder’s truck, vessel or other means of transport. This is the date at which the ownership for the goods procured is transferred to UNDP.
The FOB is commonly used in the sale of bulk commodity cargo such as oil, grains and ore. In FOB, the seller clears the goods for export and is responsible for the costs and risks of delivering the goods on the ship at the named port. Carriage to be arranged by the buyer. Buyer pays for the cost of pre-shipment inspection, except if the inspections are required by the country of export. The Buyer pays all costs associated with securing documentation originating in the country of export as required for import. The Receipt date is the date when the goods are placed on board the vessel, because on that date the risk is transferred from the supplier to UNDP
Components or systems described as recommended are considered as the primary options when designing or specifying a new system. Not complying with recommended options, while complying with accepted or supported options is not considered as non-compliance.