Terms of Reference

For the recruitment of a

NATIONAL CONSULTANT TO UNDERTAKE A
TECHNOLOGY NEED ASSESSMENT (TNA) IN THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

Description of Individual Consultancy for the Science, Technology and Innovation

assignment: (STI)/Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) of United Republic of Tanzania
Type of Contract: Individual Contract - Local
Location: Home-based, Tanzania
Post Level: National Consultant
Languages required: Swahili, English
Expected Start/End 30 November 2023- 30 April 2024
Date:
Expected Duration of Up to 35 working days within the 5 months contract duration
Assignment:
Supervisor(s): Under the supervision of the UN Technology Bank for LDCs and the
International Seabed Authority, the national consultant will work in
collaboration with an international consultant who will lead the TNA work

1. Introduction

Science, technology, and innovation are key instruments for the socio-economic transformation of the
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and their sustainable development. For purposes of this study, technology
refers to hardware, technical know-how, technical skills, and software applied to solve development-related
challenges. LDCs suffer from deficits in their Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) capacities, absorptive
as well as adaptive capacities, and lag substantially behind both emerging and advanced economies. The Doha
Programme of Action (DPoA) for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2022-2031, adopted during
the first part of the LDC5 conference in March 2022, identifies ‘Leveraging the power of science, technology,
and innovation to fight against multidimensional vulnerabilities and to achieve the SDGs’ as a key focus area
towards sustainable and irreversible graduation AND calls for a new generation of renewed and strengthened
commitments between the LDCs and their development partners, including the private sector, civil society,
and governments at all levels. The DPoA recognizes the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed countries
(UN Technology Bank) as the focal point for the LDCs in the field of science, technology and innovation.
Through partnership with the International Seabed Authority, special emphasis is given to seabed resources,
environmental baseline studies, technology transfer and capacity building, in particular support of LDCs’
existing resource industry.

The oceans and their marginal seas, covering almost 71 per cent of the surface of the Earth, have since
early times played a significant role in the development of humanity. They provide food and resources,
generate oxygen and ensure communication and trade. The dependence of the world population on the ocean
economy has steadily increased over the past 100 years to satisfy the ever-growing needs of humanity. Thanks
to ongoing technological progress and innovation, access to different maritime areas and their resources,
whether living or non-living, has reached new frontiers and opened new prospects. This presents new
challenges and imperatives such as the need to peacefully manage global commons resources and to ensure
equity in access to, and the distribution of benefits from, such resources. These imperatives are also central to
Sustainable Development Goal 14 under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which urges all States
to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. This
includes the application of rigorous and adaptive measures for the protection and preservation of the marine
environment. This is achieved through the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea (UNCLOS), which entered into force in 1994. The States parties to UNCLOS have recognized the
desirability of establishing through it a legal order for the oceans and seas which will facilitate international
communication and promote their peaceful use, the equitable and efficient utilization of their resources, the
sustainable development of their living resources, and the study, protection and preservation of the marine
environment. States also recognize that the achievement of these goals will contribute to the realization of a
just and equitable international economic order which takes into account the interests and needs of humankind
as a whole and, in particular, the special needs and interests of developing countries, whether coastal or
landlocked.
The majority of LDCs are coastal States, while 17 are landlocked. The interests of different LDCs
regarding their rights and benefits under UNCLOS vary widely depending on their geographical location.
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is the organization through which States Parties to
UNCLOS organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities in the Area for the benefit of humankind
as a whole. In so doing, ISA has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from
harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed-related activities. Accordingly, ISA promotes the effective
participation of developing States having due regard for their special interests and needs. ISA is also mandated
to take measures to promote and encourage the transfer of technology and scientific knowledge to developing
States relating to activities in the Area, so that all States parties benefit therefrom (UNCLOS, art.144(1)(b)).
It is in this context that the ISA and the UN Technology Bank have decided to partner for the
implementation of the ‘Building and Developing Capacities of Least Developed Countries in Deep-Sea
related Science, Technology and Innovation in support of Sustainable Development of Blue Emerging
Economies’ Project, with a view of conceptualizing, designing and implementing joint activities to build and
develop the capacities of LDCs in support of the sustainable development of blue emerging economic sectors.

The main objective of the project is to create the enabling conditions for LDCs to:

1) Better understand the rights recognized to them under UNCLOS which should support the sustainable
development of blue emerging economic sectors aligned with their respective national socio-
development priorities;
2) Effectively engage in the global ocean governance processes including the activities of ISA through
increased marine scientific, technical and legal capacities;
3) Recognize and identify specific measures to facilitate the participation of women scientists from LDCs
with deep-sea related skills in research and technology-oriented programmes and activities.

Within the scope of the project;

The objective of this ToR is to develop the substantive and conceptual framework that the international
consultant will use to prepare the Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) of Tanzania with a focus on blue
economy sectors, including emerging ones. From the Technology Bank’s perspective, the TNAs are policy
tools designed to serve the following purposes:
 1. Identify the specific sectors or economic activities in LDCs that require technological inputs or
solutions.
2. Ensure that the technological solutions identified are appropriate and compatible with LDCs’ level of
development and are aligned with their national development strategies.
3. Appraise the absorptive capacities of LDCs by reviewing the STI policy in the LDCs, particularly the
skills-base, technology policy, and the institutional and regulatory environment governing the national
innovation system. The rationale for appraising the local absorptive capacities is to gauge the ability
of the country to utilize and learn from transferred technologies and absorb and assimilate the
technology locally through adaptation and upgrading.
4. Consult with key national stakeholders, particularly the private sector, to determine the technological
needs of LDCs from wider perspective.
5. Recommend technological solutions and the specific areas where STI-related capacity building is
needed and could enable LDCs to address immediate development challenges and narrow the
technological gap with more developed economies.

The Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) for Tanzania will look specifically at technological gaps
and needs in the blue economy and related sectors of the economy.

Tanzania’s coastal resources are of immense strategic importance to many social and economic sectors
such as shipping, fishing, tourism, trade, agriculture, settlements and industrial developments. Nearly 16
million people live along coastal zones of Tanzania and rely on coastal resources for their livelihood.
Concomitantly, STI in Tanzania’s mining sector provides a unique opportunity to transpose and thereby scale
STI to the blue economy and deep-seabed related activities. Given Tanzania’s experience in mineral resources
and its positioning to further develop its blue economy, synergies between these sectors can support in
developing sustainable ocean-based industries and engagement in deep-seabed related matters.
Thus, the TNA will provide a timely contribution to ocean-related policy and strategy development, along with
informing actions to accelerate the achievement of the national development agenda and SDGs. The TNA will
also aim to identify a set of STI capacity building priorities that will provide a valuable guide to bilateral
donors, multilateral and regional development banks, foundations, NGOs and the private sector (e.g.,
Chambers of Commerce and Industry, ICT/telecommunications, accelerators, incubators etc.) in their STI-
related interventions in Tanzania.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The overarching goal of the consultancy is to review the key development challenges facing
Tanzania’s and identify technologies that could provide sustainable solutions particularly in blue economy
sectors, including emerging ones. In conducting the assessment, the consultant is expected to: (a) examine
the national development strategy and the main drivers of growth, industrial development and structural
transformation; (b) identify the specific areas (i.e, sectors, economic activities, social concerns, environment-
related challenges) where technological solutions could provide remedies to perceived challenges; and (c)
identify the technologies and/or technical know-how that the country needs to solve some of its problems. (d)
have a specific focus on the blue economy in each of the assessment areas (a., b., and c).
In general, the challenges facing the LDCs are numerous and they cut across sectors and income
levels. Thus, in principle, LDCs need diverse technologies (both hard and soft) to tackle immediate
challenges and accelerate the development process. However, access to the diverse range of technologies
they need is neither easy nor feasible – partly because of the high cost acquiring technologies and partly
because LDCs have low-level of absorptive capacities, which limit their ability to absorb, learn, assimilate,
and upgrade the acquired technologies. This makes the TNA a useful tool for pinpointing the specific areas
where appropriate and relevant technological solutions can be used to help LDCs overcome some of the
obstacles to development.

More specifically: to inform the development of the TNA with a particular focus on coastal, ocean and deep-
sea resources, as well as other social and economic sectors that are affected from coastal resources such as
shipping, fishing, tourism, trade, agriculture, industry, by conducting beneficiary and stakeholder consultations
and to deliver country-level and regional analysis of findings.
In this respect, the TNA is expected to address the whole blue economy ecosystem: sectoral and cross-sectoral
economic activities based on or related to the oceans, seas and coasts, as well as marine-based and marine-
related activities.

The TNA work for Republic of Tanzania will be delivered by team of two experts/consultants. While the
international consultant (with TNA and cross-sectoral expertise) will deliver on developing the methodology,
approach, framework of the TNA and identify/analyze nationwide priority sectors; the national consultant
(with ocean expertise) is expected to provide a more specialized input by addressing the blue emerging
economies, the deep sea and ocean related resources and sectors, aiming to inform the development of a
coherent and integrated national strategy for science, technology and innovation development.

In short, the main objectives of the consultancy are:

1. To identify, engage and consult stakeholders to identify development challenges in the country,
including in relation to emerging blue economy sectors such as marine minerals, that can be
addressed using technologies, highlighting the role each can play in supporting the country in
meeting its development goals and priorities.

2. To engage stakeholders to identify and build consensus on priority technologies that can adequately
and effectively address the country’s development challenges, including in emerging blue economy
sectors, while acknowledging existing STI initiatives in the country and the role of indigenous
technologies and knowledge.

3. To engage and consult stakeholders to identify barriers and challenges hindering the acquisition,
deployment, and diffusion of prioritized technologies as well as the scale-up of existing technologies
in the country including indigenous ones.
4. To identify opportunities for transposing STI knowledge and tools from other sectors to the blue
economic sectors including deep-sea activities.

Under the supervision of the UN Technology Bank for LDCs and in close cooperation with the
International Seabed Authority, the national consultant will work closely with the lead consultant
(international consultant) to undertake the following tasks:

a. Gather the latest available data and documents to inform the national context and science, technology
and innovation environment with a view to identify key capacities and priority needs relevant and
 applicable to the development of blue economy sectors, particularly emerging ones and deep-sea
activities (prospecting, exploration and exploitation)., including evidence on the country’s current
technological gaps and capacity in terms of innovation capabilities, research and development (R&D),
engineering, technical and vocational skills, etc. Special emphasis should be laid on Tanzania’s blue
economy and mineral resource sector.
b. Lead the coordination of in-country participatory processes to identify Tanzania’s overarching
development ambitions and goals that can be effectively addressed through application of technology
and innovation. The core areas of focus for the TNAs (blue economy, marine affairs, and related
sectors of the economy) will be analyzed with the aim to maximize the impact of technology as an
instrument to foster structural transformation, reduce poverty, increase social and economic growth
and promote inclusive sustainable development.

c. Lead the coordination of in-country participatory processes to identify and prioritize technologies for
the relevant sectors including emerging blue economy sectors such as deep-sea activities. The process
should involve a broad range of relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, aiming to analyze
how the prioritized technologies can be implemented in the country and how implementation
circumstances could be improved by addressing related barriers.
d.
e. Ensure that collected data and evidence are adequate to inform analysis and recommendations on the
role of STI in resource trade, especially towards increasing export diversification and addressing the
trade impacts of graduation.
f. Ensure that the TNA incorporates diverse and balanced perspectives including gender and youth
perspectives in all aspects of the analysis and considers sustainability and environmental factors such
as, climate change and biodiversity loss that impact STI and the blue economic sectors within the
country.
g. Ensure that the TNA incorporates gender disaggregated data with a view to analyse the opportunities
and barriers for the participation of women in STI initiatives and in ocean affairs, blue economy
sectors and other sectors of focus, also taking into account the methodology and findings of the report
issued in 2022 by ISA and UN-OHRLLS, “Empowering women from LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS in
deep-sea research”1.

h. Liaise with the UN Technology Bank programme staff, with the International Seabed Authority and
with the lead consultant (international consultant) involved in the TNA process to coordinate the
approach and methodology, analyze and discuss findings, draft and revise chapters and prepare the
draft and final TNA report.

i. Pursue close cooperation and coordination with the international consultant throughout the
assignment, to ensure that the TNA analysis and recommendations are consistent and has an
orientation on ocean and blue economy as complementary to the project ‘Building and Developing
Capacities of Least Developed Countries in Deep-Sea related Science, Technology and
Innovation in support of Sustainable Development of Blue Emerging Economies’.

1
https://www.isa.org.jm/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Empowering_Women_WIDSR_Report_Web.pdf
The consultancy will also include the following activities:

● Facilitating stakeholder engagements/workshops.

● Coordinating participatory assessment processes to collect qualitative and quantitative data,

including surveys, focus group meetings and interviews.

● Parsing and synthesizing large amounts of information into analytical insights

● Carrying out high quality research and producing knowledge products.

● Project planning and reporting arrangements, including working in professional teams.

3. Key Tasks and Deliverables

The following table provides an overview of the key tasks to be conducted by the national TNA
Expert/Consultant.

Tasks Deliverables Working days*

1. Stakeholders onboarding process and TNA kick-off

1.1. Participate in the kick-off workshop. Meeting minutes 1 day

2. Analysis of the STI environment and National System of Innovation

2.1. Identify information sources, collect and Short report (5-10 pages) 8 days
summarize relevant data to analyze the country’s level summarizing the main
of STI development, including appraising absorptive findings on the national STI
capacity and technological gaps, etc. environment
2.2 Conduct consultations with the technical working
group and selected STI experts in the country.
2.3 Prepare a short report to inform the drafting of the
TNA chapter on the STI contextual background in
Tanzania.
3. Identification of key development goals and challenges and selection of TNA focus sector(s)

3.1 Moderating focus group meetings with the Meeting minutes 10 days
technical working group to discuss the development
challenges, identify priority development ambitions
that can be more effectively addressed through
technology and agree on the TNA focus sector(s).
 3.2 Analyzing the findings and preparing chapter on Short report (5-10 pages)
the priority development goals and challenges and the summarizing the main
focal sector of the TNA. findings on the priority
development challenges
and the focal sector of the
TNA.
4. Technology Analysis

4.1 Design and submit a survey to identify relevant Online or in-person TNA 10 days
technologies in the focal sector which can effectively survey questionnaire with
contribute to priority development goals; identify those list of respondents
technologies already available in the country and those
suitable for transfer; analyze survey data.
4.2 Conduct focus group meeting to identify criteria
and weights to prioritize technologies and discuss Meeting minutes
scoring for each technology.
4.3 Prepare a short report to inform the drafting of the Short report (5-10 pages)
TNA chapter on technology analysis; finalize the summarizing the main
ranking of five priority technologies, in close findings on the technology
consultation with the international consultant. needs analysis.
5. STI Review and TNA Report

5.1 In collaboration with the international consultant, 5 days

contribute to the preparation of the first draft for
review by the UN Technology Bank, the International
Seabed Authority, Tanzania DTI, and technical
working group.
5.1.1. Integrate the analysis and findings (of ocean
related sectors) with the analysis and findings (of other
primary sectors defined for the country) of the
international consultant to ensure a consistent and
comprehensive TNA Report

6. Validation of the report

6.1 Participate in the validation workshop Meeting minutes 1 day

* A combined total of up to 35 working days to get the work fully completed. Some activities can be done
simultaneously.

4. Payments:
# Deliverable % of the payment
1 Approved short report summarizing the main findings on the national STI 30%
environment
2 Approved short report summarizing the main findings on the priority development 40%
challenges and the focal sector of the TNA.
 3 Approved short report summarizing the main findings on the technology needs 30%
analysis.
Total 100%

5. Relevant Experience and Qualifications

● An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Geology, Marine

science/technology, Mineral Resources, Economics, Business Administration, International
Development and Trade, or related areas. A first-level university degree in similar fields in
combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the
advanced university degree.
● A university degree (Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree or equivalent) in maritime studies; marine,
ocean, fisheries, aquaculture. geological sciences, or related areas is desirable.
● At least five (5) years of working experience on marine, coastal, ocean, (deep-sea) resources and
sectors; or related area is required.
● At least five (5) years of working experience in international development and trade, science,
technology and innovation, or related area is required.
● Knowledge of blue emerging economies and technologies and key issues/policies in ocean, deep-
sea and related sectors fields is required.
● Experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods, data collection, and data analysis
techniques is required.
● Knowledge of technologies and key issues/policies in science technology and innovation is
required.
● Good understanding of local context, including national development agenda and transition
strategy, and well-established networks in the country is required.
● Strong analytical writing and communication skills in English and native language are required.
● Publications on international development related matters are desirable.

6. Working Arrangements and Reporting Line

● The Consultant will report directly to the UN Technology Bank and but work in close collaboration
with the International Seabed Authority and the international consultant.
● The consultant will be contracted for up to 35 working days and remain available to complete the
deliverables within the agreed duration.
● The Consultancy lump sum fee will be all-inclusive.
● All reports to be submitted to UN Technology Bank in soft copies in English.

7. Languages

Fluency in oral and written English is required.

8. Intellectual Property Rights

All information, results and products of the TNA will be considered as the property of the UN Technology
Bank (UNTB) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA).