Organizations with legal identity and operating locally in a coastal least developed country (LDC) or small island developing states (SIDS), classified as any of the following below, are eligible to apply:

• Small or Medium sized Enterprises (SME)
• Start-up company
• Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
• Community Based Organization (CBO)
• Academic Organization (no research grants please) 

Individuals are not eligible.  

Refer to the Guidance document and videos for the full description.

All eligible entities (private, NGO, etc.) should have an established legal basis in the least developed country/ies (LDC) and/or small island developing states (SIDS) wherein they are based. A proof of business registration will be required upon the online submission of the proposal. 

We will only accept proposals from the following countries:

1. Angola
2. Antigua and Barbuda
3. Bahamas
4. Bangladesh
5. Belize
6. Barbados
7. Benin
8. Cabo Verde
9. Cambodia
10. Comoros***
11. Cuba
12. Democratic Republic of the Congo
13. Djibouti
14. Dominica
15. Dominican Republic
16. Eritrea
17. Fiji
18. Gambia
19. Grenada
20. Guinea
21. Guinea-Bissau***
22. Guyana
23. Haiti***
24. Jamaica
25. Kiribati***
26. Liberia
27. Madagascar
28. Maldives
29. Marshall Islands
30. Federated States of Micronesia
31. Mauritius
32. Mauritania
33. Mozambique
34. Myanmar
35. Nauru
36. Palau
37. Papua New Guinea
38. Samoa
39. Sao Tome and Principe***
40. Senegal
41. Singapore
42. St. Kitts and Nevis
43. St. Lucia
44. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
45. Seychelles
46. Sierra Leone
47. Solomon Islands***
48. Somalia
49. Sudan
50. Suriname
51. Timor-Leste***
52. Tonga
53. Togo
54. Trinidad and Tobago
55. Tuvalu***
56. United Republic of Tanzania
57. Vanuatu
58. Yemen

*** These are the eight (8) SIDS that are also LDCs.
Note: SIDS countries listed above exclude Associate Members of United Nations Regional Commissions.
 

References:
https://sdgs.un.org/topics/small-island-developing-states
https://data.worldbank.org/country/XL

Each proposal will be evaluated based on the following criteria. Please note that proponents must first meet all six (6) eligibility requirements to move forward to the selection and evaluation process. 

Refer to the Guidance document and videos for the full description.

2.1 Brief Summary of the Proposed Project (10 Points)

Provide a brief summary (500 words max.) of the proposed innovation project including the main objectives, the expected outputs, and how it can impact the progress of the blue economy and SDG 14 target 7. This section must provide answers to the following questions:

• What problem is your innovation proposal trying to solve, and how will it do that?
• What results will you achieve?  
• What approach will you use?
• What are the potential impacts of your proposed innovation on blue economy in the beneficiary country(ies)?

Score range:

• 0 = project summary is not applicable for this call
• 10 = project summary highly applicable to this call
• Any Proposal that will not get 5 points or more in this item will not be qualified technically and the proposal will be rejected.

2.2. Innovative and Transformational (20 Points)

Provide description of how the proposed innovation will address the specific SDG Target 14.7 on Blue Economy “by 2030, increase the economic benefits to SIDS and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.”

Explain how this innovation is unique, and what makes it different from existing or similar efforts. You should illustrate here the advantages of this innovation compared to others, and how it is potentially game-changing in meeting the SDG 14.7 target on blue economy.
Make sure that this section will include clear answers to the following questions:

• Why is this proposal innovative compared to existing approaches to promote the blue economy and in solving the specific issue being addressed?
• Has this proposed innovation been tested before? If yes, what added value will the proposed innovation deliver?
• Which features make this proposal stand out?
• What are the potential short-, medium- and long-term impacts and benefits of the innovation to the problem being addressed and the restoration of the ocean’s health if this innovation is successful?
• What can change at the local, national, regional, and international levels if this innovation becomes successful?

Score range:

• 0 = no innovation potential
• 10 = high innovation potential
• Any Proposal that will not get 5 points or more in Innovation Potential will not be qualified technically and the proposal will be rejected.

Score range:

• • 0 = no transformational potential
  • 10 = high transformational potential
  • Any Proposal that will not get 5 points or more in Transformation Potential will not be qualified technically and the proposal will be rejected.

2.3 Technically Feasible (10 Points)

Is the project feasible technically and otherwise (financially, etc.)? Describe the technical approach to be used, the key components required to implement/produce this innovation, and how the proposed innovation will be implemented within the maximum of 6 months. Has this proposed innovation been tested before? At which stage is it (Design stage / Prototyping and testing / Early implementation / Ready for replication and scaling up)?

Score range:

• 0 = not technically feasible
• 10 = high technical feasibility
• Any Proposal that will not get 5 points or more in this item will not be qualified technically and the proposal will be rejected.

2.4 Replicable/Scalable (10 Points)

Is the proposed project easily replicable and scalable? Describe how this can be replicated and scaled-up after this pilot, if supported.

Score range:

• 0 = no replicability/scalability potential
• 10 = high replicability/scalability potential
• Any Proposal that will not get 5 points or more in this item will not be qualified technically and the proposal will be rejected.

2.5 Potential for poverty reduction, livelihood creation (10 Points)

Describe the social and economic development benefits of this innovation. Please specifically refer to how this can reduce poverty, create and secure jobs or livelihoods, to include potential economic benefits for impacted stakeholders and marginalized communities.Will this pilot contribute to poverty reduction, and/or livelihoods creation? How does this make life better for those who depend on healthy ocean ecosystems for their livelihoods, and poverty reduction such as food security, through blue economy approaches, etc.?

Score range:

• 0 = no potential for poverty reduction, and livelihood creation
• 10 = high potential for poverty reduction, and livelihood creation

2.6 Potential for Gender mainstreaming and youth empowerment (10 Points)

Describe how this innovation will support gender mainstreaming to include positive impacts on women and girls, and engage and empower the youth within the targeted beneficiaries. Describe the targeted women and/or youth beneficiaries, and how the innovation project can be beneficial to them. Describe how both men and women stakeholders who depend on healthy ocean ecosystems for their livelihoods, food security, and youth, will benefit from this blue economy approach. How will you measure the impact of your innovation to these beneficiaries?

Score range:

• 0 = no potential for women and girls and youth empowerment
• 10 = high potential for women and girls and youth empowerment

2.7 Outputs and Work Plan (10 Points)

Does this project align with the outputs that are described in the project summary and the technical design approach? Are the steps in logical sequence to achieve the outputs?  Is the timeframe reasonable to complete each step? Is the overall time frame within the six-month limit set for implementation?

Score range:

• 0 = very poor outputs, steps, and work plan 
• 10 = very strong outputs, steps, and work plan
• Any Proposal that will not get 5 points or more in this item will not be qualified technically and the proposal will be rejected.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​2.8 Pilot Project Organizational structure and team expertise and experience (10 Points)

Does the organization structure fit the work to be done for this innovation, outlined in sections 1, 2, and 6 above? Does the proponent and proposed team members and partners have the foundational expertise and experience required to implement the project? What are the qualifications needed and who are in the proponent’s team? 

Score range: 

• 0 = proposed organizational structure and team members does not match the required responsibilities   
• 10 = proposed organizational structure and team members strongly matches the required responsibilities 
• Any Proposal that will not get 5 points or more in this item will not be qualified technically and the proposal will be rejected.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​2.9 Social and Environmental Impact Review (5 Points)

Based on the project descriptions and the expected outputs and activities, are there any potential social and/or environmental risks? Are these risks identified in this completed survey table that was attached to the proposal application forms?

 Score range: 

• 0 = proponent poorly addressed all possible Social and Environmental Risks  
• 5 = proponent fully addressed all possible Social and Environmental Risks 

2.10 Risk register and mitigation of impacts (5 Points)

Based on project description and the proponent existing technical capacity, are the foreseeable risks identified that can potentially hinder and impact the implementation of the proposed innovation? Has the proponent raised these and presented risk mitigation steps in the submitted proposal? 

Score range:

• 0 = The Risk Log poorly address all the proposed project potential risks  
• 5 = The Risk Log fully address all the proposed project potential risks with reasonable mitigation measures to reduce impacts. 

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Applicant must get a total score in the technical and operational evaluation of 70% or more at this stage to be eligible for the Value for the Money Assessment. Any proposals that will not reach the threshold of 70% of the total score will be considered disqualified technically and will not move to the next stage of evaluation.

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3. Value for The Money Assessment to the proposed Itemized budget (10 Points)

The evaluation panel will review the itemized budget for all proposals that passed the technical and operation evaluation threshold (70% of the total technical score) to make sure all costs and rates are reasonable compared to the market prices and the UNDP norms. The panel with review and assess the itemized budget to answer the following questions:

• Will be Is the requested (monthly) itemized budget within the maximum approved amount of $40,000 USD?
• Do the proposed costs represent fair Value for Money?
• Are the proposed staff/consultant daily rates within the UNDP accepted limit and do they correspond to the qualifications of the proposed candidates? While local rates may be lower, the maximum cannot go above the International Consultant Individual Contracts Guidelines Benchmark Prices:
  • Junior Specialist: 200/- -- 350/-
  • Specialist: 350/- – 650/-
  • Senior Specialist: 650/- – 1,350/-
• Are proposed reimbursable costs supported by three listed published costs for identical items/service?
• Are the proposed costs within the current market price range for identical item/service? Use the internet search to get more information about the market prices for these services.
• The OIC will check these costs through a market search using internet and other sources of information with the support of the UNDP Country Offices in the beneficiary country

Score range:

• 0 = The proposed itemized budget does not match the UNDP procurement regulations
• 10 = The proposed itemized budget fully matches the UNDP procurement regulations

The proponent must get at least 7 points or more in Value For the Money assessment to be considered for the final award of the contract.

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For all proposals scoring 70 points or higher for technical evaluation, and 7 Points or higher for value-for-money assessment, based on available budget, preference will be given to proposals from SIDS countries that are also LDCs, with an additional 10 points. All proposals that will pass the technical evaluation and the Value For the Money evaluation thresholds will be ranked based on the total score for both technical and VFM and contracts will be awarded to the highest ranked proposals that will fit the allocated budget for this call (400,000 USD in total).

The online application requests information on co-financing but this is not mandatory. Indicate the amount, if available, or NONE if not applicable. Proponents are not required to bring additional co-financing. However, having a co-financing by the proponent will be an asset when evaluating the proposals.

The proposals for UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge Call for Proposals must relate to the announced theme for the ongoing call, which will be one or more of the indicators for SDG 14. The theme for the ongoing 4th Call is SDG 14 target: by 2030 increase the economic benefits to SIDS and LDCs from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.

The deadline for online submission is 28 August 2023, 23:59 Central European Summer Time.

The call for proposals is a competitive process, and due to a large number of applicants and procurement processes and rules, this is not possible.

For the Call 4, the answer is no. We will only accept one proposal per organization.

You may edit and modify your online proposal form up until the 28 August 2023 deadline. After that date, all applications will be considered final and the online form will no longer be editable.

To edit your online proposal, use the link provided in the submission confirmation email.

UNDP anticipates the announcement of its Call 4 Ocean Innovators by the end of the fourth quarter of 2023. Please note that only shortlisted proponents will be contacted. Those who submitted proposals will receive general updates regarding key selection stages. 

Visit the UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge website and social media accounts (Twitter  I  Facebook  I  LinkedIn), and subscribe to the OIC Quarterly Newsletter for the latest updates and announcements.

Eligible items include project staff costs, consultant fees, travel, equipment, communications, publications/other media, meetings, training, audits.  All payments are made on deliverables, not in advance.

Overhead costs, such as those associated with academic research, are not eligible for OIC support.

The UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge is a deliverable-based contract and therefore requires satisfactory completion of deliverables, submitted and approved to effect payment to innovators. These deliverables are the reports that will enable the OIC Management to follow up the progress in implementing the innovation, and to assess the overall status of the project. In many cases, the reports are baseline or progress reports, in preparation for the final report or final output. In others, these are reports on trainings, or workshops, or analyses conducted. The reporting requirements and deliverables depend on the proposed project outputs and workplan of each innovator.

Innovators will also share monthly progress notes, which briefly outline (in bullet points) the monthly accomplishments, the anticipated activities for the coming month, challenges encountered and proposed solutions. This monthly note should not exceed two pages maximum.

At the end of the project, a final report will also be required to summarize the innovation project, emphasizing the main output/outcomes, impacts, replicability and sustainability plans.

Yes, solutions from outside the local country can be brought in through the innovation project. "Innovation" can include both truly new approaches, or the transfer or adaptation of existing proven approaches to new contexts and/or locales.

However, please note that the innovator must have an established legal basis in the least developed country/ies (LDC) and/or small island developing states (SIDS) wherein they are based, and where they will implement.

Please also note that bringing solutions from outside the local country must take into consideration the possible impacts of these proposed solutions on the existing local socio-economic and environmental conditions.

Yes, applications from Cook Islands, and Niue are eligible for the UNDP 4th Ocean Innovation Challenge Accelerated Blue Economy Edition.

Due to internal procurement rules, in the eligibility section of the online form (Online proposal submission form), please indicate your beneficiary country and/or organization country location as ‘SAMOA’, as this is the UNDP Multi-Country Office that provides support to Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau. And in the Proposal Section of the form, please clarify your beneficiary country as Cook Islands, or Niue.

The character limits in the online form include spaces, line breaks and punctuations.

You may contact us by email (oic.info@undp.org) for any problems or questions.