TERMS OF REFERENCE ‎
Consultancy Announcement #IGFP-1943
 (posted on 15/01/2021)‎

Implementing Entity:‎
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Division for Public ‎Institutions and Digital Government/Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Secretariat

I. Background

The second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held in Tunis on ‎‎16 – 18 November 2005, requested the Secretary-General, amongst other, to convene “a new ‎forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue – the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).  The ‎Internet Governance Forum Secretariat is based in the United Nations Office at Geneva ‎‎(UNOG). The mandate of the IGF, set out in Paragraph 72 of the Tunis Agenda for the ‎Information Society is to discuss the main public policy issues related to Internet governance ‎in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the ‎Internet.

A report produced by the UN General Assembly Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) ‎Working Group on Improvements to the IGF called for the development of more tangible ‎outputs to ‘enhance the impact of the IGF on global Internet governance and policy’. To ‎enrich the potential for IGF outputs, the IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) ‎developed an intersessional programme intended to complement other IGF activities. The ‎outputs from IGF intersessional activities are intended to become robust resources, to serve as ‎inputs into other pertinent forums, and to evolve and grow over time.

The IGF MAG meets online bimonthly, holds two to three face to face meetings and has ‎various working groups set up to forward the work of the IGF. The concept for IGF Dynamic ‎Coalitions (DCs) first emerged at the IGF’s inaugural meeting in Athens in 2006, with a ‎number of coalitions establishing themselves at that time. They are open, multistakeholder ‎groups dedicated to an Internet governance issue or set of issues and offer substantive ways ‎for the IGF community to produce more concrete outcomes. DC’s have the freedom to define ‎their own methodologies; tailored to each theme’s specific needs and requirements.‎

II. Work Assignment

A)‎ Dynamic Coalition Support ‎

Under the supervision of the IGF Programme and Technology Manager of the IGF ‎Secretariat, the consultant will be responsible for carrying out tasks related to hosting ‎and reporting on IGF Dynamic Coalition Coordination Group (DCCG) bi-monthly ‎meetings; keeping the DC section of the web page up to date, including the FAQ’s. ‎Under the incumbent’s responsibility will also be fielding any questions that may arise ‎from the community about DC’s; ensuring that the DC’s adhere to their formation ‎principles and assisting the facilitation of DC sessions at the IGF annual meeting.‎

B) Assist in supporting the IGF - MAG Intersessional work  
‎ 
Working closely with the IGF Secretariat, the individual contractor will provide ‎support to the Secretariat, by writing summary reports of the virtual and face-to-face ‎MAG meetings.  

C) Assist in Supporting the parliamentary track

Working closely with the IGF Secretariat, UNDESA, International Parliamentary Union (IPU) and host country support the parliamentary track by writing meeting summaries, maintaining the parliamentary mailing list, communicating with parliamentary stakeholders and supporting the programme of work for the 2021 cycle, including helping to organize the parliamentary track at the IGF 2021 and related intersessional activities.

D) Produce the IGF2021 thematic stream reports and Chair’s summary
‎ 
Under the overall guidance of the Programme and Technology Manager, and ‎following the same outline and substantive format of the 2020 IGF report‎, The consultant will also be responsible for co-drafting the Chair’s Summary of the ‎annual meeting and the IGF messages that summarizes proceedings, highlighting the ‎main themes and any significant conclusions arising from discussions. Examples of past ‎Chair’s Summaries can be found in the IGF Secretariat’s website at:‎

•           https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/igf-2020-outputs

•           https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/index.php?q=filedepot_download/...‎

III. Duration of Contract ‎

The proposed contract will be for a period of one hundred and eight (108) working days within the period:‎

• 15 February 2021 – 30 December 2021 ‎

IV. Duty Station ‎

There is no specific duty station for this post. The consultant is not required to work on UN ‎premises but must be available for supervisory and review meetings/teleconferences. ‎

V. Travel

The consultant may be required to travel to attend:‎

• ‎Second IGF Open Consultations and MAG meeting tentatively scheduled for (16-18 June 2021).‎
• The 16th Annual Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (6-10 December 2021).‎
• Other Internet governance-related events, as a representative of the DC’s work. 

‎ ‎In this case, air travel and daily subsistence allowance, at the rates established by UN rules ‎and regulations, shall be provided to the consultant.‎

VI. Activities, Expected Outputs, and Delivery Dates:  ‎

A) Dynamic Coalition Support 

a) Work closely with the MAG-appointed facilitators(s) for the Dynamic ‎Coalitions(s) and with the IGF Secretariat, over the course of the contract to ‎ensure that the convening work and preparation of outputs is consistent with the ‎work done by the IGF multistakeholder intersessional teams, including the IGF ‎Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) work. ‎‎(14 days) - Due date, ongoing. 

b) Suggest and advise the DCs on modalities and concrete actions to effectively ‎respond to the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General (in his statement at ‎the annual IGF meetings of 2018-2019, the Secretary-General’s Roadmap on Digital Cooperation and his remarks to the General Assembly ‎on his priorities for 2021): ‎

1. ‎Extend from multistakeholder to multidisciplinary; ‎
2. Create share language and references; ‎
3. ‎Include and amplify the weak and the missing voices ‎
4. ‎Strengthen the Internet Governance Forum to serve as a central ‎gathering point to discuss and propose effective digital policies. ‎(6 days) – Due date, ongoing.

c) ​Monitor and manage the DC discussion lists and carry out meetings using Zoom or ‎other methods set up for the DC’s  coordination meetings and document the process (e.g. by compiling ‎meeting summaries), feeding into the DC output document and the substantive ‎sessions at the 16th IGF. Implement DC coordination committees agreed preparatory work activities, upon ‎approval of the Secretariat.‎ (14 days) - Due date, ongoing.

d) Assist in the preparation and drafting of the best practices for Dynamic Coalitions strategy ‎document (minimum 10 pages in 12 points single space, using preferably the font, ‎‎“Times New Roman”). (10 days) – Due date 1 September 2021

e)‎ Prepare summaries, introductions and background materials that can be used to ‎brief the press and reach out to the wider community ahead of the IGF annual ‎meeting. This also includes populating the dedicated sections on the IGF website ‎and online meeting schedule. (3 days) – Due date, ongoing.

‎B)‎ Assist in supporting the IGF - MAG Intersessional work

a) Working with the UN Department of Global Communications officers assigned to the ‎IGF2021 meeting, assist in preparing content for press briefing packets for ‎distribution to journalists and for posting in the press section of the IGF website on ‎the IGF2021 meeting. ‎(3 days) Due Date: 30 October 2021 

b)‎ Prepare summary reports of the IGF MAG virtual and  Face-to-Face meetings, once approved, post them on the IGF website. ‎(20 days) – Due date ongoing ‎

C) Assist with the Palimentary Track

a) The Parlimentary track was introduced in IGF2019 in Berlin and taking into account that paragraph 93 (c) of the Secretary-General's RoadMap for Digital Cooperation the consultant is requireded to assist in establishing of the parlimentarian track for IGF2021 working with the host country, IPU and parlimentarians (15 days)  Due date on going.

C) Produce the IGF2021 thematic streams reports and Chair’s summary

For the Chair’s summary:‎

a)‎ Together with the other IGF consultants, guided by the Secretariat and in consultation ‎with the host country Chair and incorporating inputs from various session organizers, ‎draft the Chair’s summary of the 16th Annual IGF meeting and IGF messages ‎‎(minimum 8 pages in 12-point font single-spaced). ‎‎(7 days) - Due date: 15 December 2021‎

d)‎ Revise the first drafts of the IGF2021 report based on the comments received from ‎the Supervisor and deliver the final drafts. ‎(2 days) Due date: 20 December 2021‎

For the thematic stream reports:‎

e)‎ Together with the other IGF consultants, guided by the Secretariat and in consultation ‎with the host country Chair and incorporating inputs from various session organizers, ‎prepare draft overviews for each of the main themes in the leadup to IGF2021. The ‎overviews should include:‎

• A concise framing of the theme
• Information about the IGF2021 sessions that will discuss the theme
• A list of the policy questions from sessions related to the theme. ‎(5 days) Due date: 16 November 2021‎​

f)‎ During the week of IGF2021, together with the other IGF consultants, guided by the ‎Secretariat and in consultation with the host country Chair and incorporating inputs ‎from various session organizers develop rolling summaries of the discussions held ‎during the various IGF2021 sessions. The summary should reflect a balanced ‎interpretation of the discussions and map out both the converging and diverging ‎opinions expressed. It should also document if any topic earmarked for further ‎discussion for the 2021 cycle. The descriptions, transcripts and reports of the ‎following IGF2021 sessions should be used as a basis in preparing these reviews:‎

• Main/focus sessions
• Workshops
• Sessions of Dynamic coalitions and National and Regional IGFs ‎
• Open forums
• Best practice forums. ‎(5 days) Due date: 10 December 2021‎

g)‎ Finalize the thematic stream reports, taking into consideration community feedback ‎received on the rolling summaries produced during the IGF2021.‎ (5 days) Due date: 20 December 2021‎

VII.‎ Qualifications, Experience and Skills

1. Master’s degree in international relations, social sciences, ‎development studies, management or other relevant disciplines or equivalent fields, ‎or 8 years of relevant work experience.‎
2. A minimum of 5 years of professional experience, including analytical work related ‎to ICT, Internet governance, public policy-making, development management, ‎participatory governance, capacity building, etc. Considerable related experience ‎drafting high-level reports, meeting summaries, and synthesizing complex ‎information and inputs. ‎
3. Experience working with parliamentarians would be an advantage.
4. Extensive knowledge on the state of Internet governance debate and proven ‎expertise on the broad range of issues related to the Internet governance ecosystem;‎
5. Familiarity with the United Nations system;‎
6. Excellent writing skills in the English language.‎

VIII.‎ Performance Indicators

The performance of the consultant will be measured by:‎

• Level of cooperation with the MAG issue facilitators(s) and other DC coordinators and ‎the IGF Secretariat;‎
• Timely submission of outputs; ‎
• Quality of synthesis and summarizing of the MAG and DC meetings; ‎
• Readability of the outputs; ‎
• Positive feedback from experts. ‎

IX.‎ Terms of Payment

The contractor’s fee will be commensurate with experience.‎

Payments will be initiated upon successful completion or documented progress made on tasks ‎as mentioned in the above Terms of Reference. ‎

The consultant will be paid in three equal instalments upon certification from the Supervisor ‎that the tasks have been satisfactorily carried out as follows:‎

• ‎The first payment will be made 4 months after the contract is signed and the second ‎payment 8 months and last payment will be at the end of the contract once all deliverables have been ‎handed in. ‎

Interested candidates can forward a completed PHP form to the IGF Secretariat at: [email protected]  by 25 January 2021.