UN consultancy applications: technical and financial proposals

A staff application asks whether a candidate can perform an ongoing role. A consultancy competition often asks for something more specific: how the applicant will deliver named outputs and at what price.

Requirements differ by organization and assignment. Some vacancies collect a daily rate in the application. Others require separate technical and financial proposals, templates, work samples or an email submission after the online form.

Read the terms of reference as a contract outline

List every deliverable, due date, review stage, travel requirement and expected working location. Mark dependencies on the organization, such as access to data, introductions to stakeholders or approval of an inception report.

A broad title can hide a demanding schedule. “Prepare an evaluation” may include design, fieldwork, analysis, validation and a final report in more than one language.

Identify whether payment is tied to time, accepted deliverables or milestones. The terms of reference can also set a maximum working-day estimate without guaranteeing payment for every day.

The technical proposal

A technical proposal explains how the assignment will be carried out. Use the structure requested in the vacancy or template.

Start with a short understanding of the task. Then give methods for each deliverable, sources or stakeholders, quality controls, work sequence and schedule. Identify risks that are specific to the assignment and state a practical response.

Generic descriptions of participation or sustainability do not show a method. For an evaluation, explain sampling, interviews, analysis and validation. For a legal consultancy, identify research and review steps. For software work, describe requirements, architecture, testing and handover at an appropriate level.

Make the workplan consistent with the dates in the terms of reference. If several outputs overlap, show how. Do not quietly extend the contract period.

Past work and samples

Select projects that resemble the subject, product and operating setting. State the client, dates, personal role and output. A list of well-known clients without duties provides little evidence.

When a work sample was created by a team, identify the pages, analysis, design or code personally produced. Obtain permission before sharing non-public material. Redact protected names and data only if the sample remains intelligible and the client permits it.

A public link can disappear. Follow any instruction to upload a copy, and avoid sending a large unsolicited portfolio.

The financial proposal

The vacancy decides whether the price is a daily fee, monthly fee, amount per deliverable or all-inclusive lump sum. Use the required template and currency.

“All-inclusive” often means the proposed amount must cover professional fees and every cost assigned to the consultant, possibly including travel, insurance, communications, equipment and taxes. Read the terms carefully. Do not add separate reimbursable costs that the notice says belong in the lump sum.

If travel is included, price realistic transport, accommodation, local movement, visas and other stated items. If the organization will arrange tickets or pay daily subsistence separately, do not price them again.

For deliverable-based payment, allocate the total across milestones in proportion to work and cash-flow needs. Payment may follow acceptance, so consider the time for organizational review and revision.

The UN does not publish one mandatory global consultancy rate. Subject, seniority, location, market, budget and procurement method vary. A P-grade salary is not an automatic daily-rate formula for a non-staff contract.

Taxes, insurance and equipment

Consultants are generally responsible for their own taxes under the applicable contract and law. Do not label the price “net” unless the template uses and defines that term.

Check requirements for health, accident or travel insurance. Confirm whether the consultant supplies a laptop, licensed software, data connection or specialized equipment.

A home-based label does not eliminate costs. Secure data handling, calls across time zones, translation and occasional travel may still be required.

Submission and evaluation

Complete the official application first. Then follow any additional instruction exactly, including subject line, file names, signature, password protection and deadline.

Some competitions use a combined technical and financial score. The lowest price does not necessarily win, but an unaffordable proposal can lose even with strong qualifications. Other recruitments assess technical suitability first and negotiate or compare fees later.

Do not send financial information where the notice asks for a sealed or separate submission. Separation can protect the integrity of technical evaluation.

Before submission, reconcile method, workplan and price line by line. Every priced activity should have a purpose, and every promised activity should have time and cost assigned.