Call for Proposals to develop a guideline for strengthening the integration of local-level data and evidence into national SDG monitoring and reporting systems

Introduction / Background

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the permanent co-chair of the Local2030 Coalition and the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system, and it works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty.

About the Local2030 Coalition

The Local2030 Coalition is the United Nations system platform to accelerate the localization of the 2030 Agenda, enhancing coherence, efficiency, and the impact of UN action. Fifteen UN entities drive the Coalition, co-chaired by UN-Habitat and UNECE, ensuring that the UN system is equipped to articulate global goals and national policies in ways that reflect local contexts, needs, and priorities, while securing a single, powerful UN approach to localization. Through its five constituencies — national governments, local and regional governments, civil society and academia, the private sector, and youth — the Local2030 Coalition is also a bridge between the United Nations and local development stakeholders, co-creating solutions for systemic transformation, with a focus on those furthest behind. One of the Coalition’s key workstreams is strengthening monitoring, reporting and accountability for SDG localization, including ensuring that local progress is visible in, and systematically shapes, global and national accountability frameworks — a challenge that goes to the heart of how to track SDG progress.

The Opportunity

The purpose of the Call for Proposals is to solicit proposals from interested institutions and/or researchers to develop a guideline for strengthening the integration of local-level data and evidence into national SDG monitoring and reporting systems, while strengthening coherence between national and local SDG review processes. National SDG reporting plays a central role in tracking progress towards the 2030 Agenda and informing policymaking and accountability. For national reporting to provide a comprehensive picture of SDG progress, it needs to be informed by evidence and perspectives from different levels of government, including data, experiences, and priorities from municipalities and other local stakeholders. Strengthening the links between local and national reporting can help ensure that national SDG reporting better reflects territorial realities, captures progress and disparities across different contexts, and supports more effective policymaking and accountability.

What we are Seeking

The selected organization will provide technical and advisory services for the development of one guideline on strengthening the integration of local-level data and evidence into national SDG monitoring and reporting systems, while strengthening coherence between national and local SDG review processes. The scope of work will be implemented through four interconnected phases, followed by finalization of the guideline.

• Desk Review, Comparative Analysis and Analytical Framework
• Stakeholder and Initiatives Mapping, Engagement and Systematization
• Development of the Draft Guideline
• Validation and Finalization
• Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

Total estimated cost: USD 40,000 | Total level of effort: 100 working days

Format and requirements for proposals

Interested applicants are invited to submit a technical and financial proposal demonstrating their capacity and proposed approach to delivering the assignment.

Technical proposal

• Organizational profile: Brief profile of the company/organization, including areas of expertise, relevant certifications or accreditations, and experience relevant to the assignment.
• Relevant organizational experience: Description of comparable assignments, with emphasis on national SDG monitoring and reporting, VNRs/VLRs integration, local-level data and evidence, multilevel governance and development of guidance for governments or international organizations. At least two relevant samples of previous work should be provided where possible.
• Proposed team: List of proposed personnel and roles, accompanied by CVs demonstrating qualifications and relevant experience. The proposal should identify the Team Lead and clearly describe allocation of responsibilities and level of effort.
• Methodology and workplan: Detailed description of the proposed methodology, analytical approach, stakeholder mapping and consultation methods, systematization of experiences, development and validation of the guideline, quality assurance, and workplan. The proposal should demonstrate completion within five months and 100 working days.
• References: Contact details for at least three professional references for the organization or relevant proposed personnel, as appropriate.

Financial proposal

A financial proposal indicating an all-inclusive fixed lump-sum amount, supported by a clear breakdown of costs by deliverable and level of effort. The financial proposal should include all costs necessary to complete the assignment. No financial information should be included in the technical proposal.

Instruction to Applicants

• Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered.
• Applicants shall submit their proposal by email until the specified deadline to the attention of Francine Melchioretto and David Grobe, francine.melchioretto@un.org and david.grobe@un.org
• Proposals and accompanying documents submitted to a different email address will not be considered.
• Any clarification queries and correspondences should be sent by email.
• Proposals failing to provide the requested information will be disregarded.
• All costs must be in USD.
• The proposal language should be in English.

Contact Information

Should you require further clarification on the call, please contact Francine Melchioretto, Programme Management Officer, Local2030 Coalition, UN-Habitat, @francine.melchioretto@un.org