Background

1. Background

1. Project summary

1. Brief context

Iraq has been suffering decades of violence and armed conflict, which intensified from 2014 with the invasion of IS. On 9th Dec 2017, after government forces gained control of the remaining territory on the border with Syria, former Prime Minister al-Abadi announced the victory over IS. With this, a hopeful new chapter has started for Iraq. Post-IS, attention turns to (i) rebuilding of communities and stabilization of liberated areas and (ii) developing a sound basis for long-term sustainable economic and social development of the country. Successful restoration of territorial control by the Government of Iraq renewed the opportunity to build an inclusive and accountable political system that serves all communities, regions, and beliefs, preserves the country's diversity, and enhances its democratic order. Asserting such a political system is essential to rebuilding the trust between the people and their Government and to avoiding a return to divisive sectarianism and radicalization of youth.

The institutional challenges are also manifested in the form of inefficient institutional performance due to a weak administrative system and low staff productivity, and financial and administrative corruption. The weak institutional capacity has, in turn, contributed to the inability to address the development constraints facing the country. Weak institutional performance is partly the result of the protracted conflict in Iraq. Among the underlying causes are endemic corruption, which siphons funds away from development and security priorities, and mismanagement of national assets and resources

Iraqi and international efforts to stabilize liberated areas have achieved significant progress – with over 3.8 million Internally Displaced People (IDPs) having already returned to their areas of origin, mostly in a peaceful and orderly manner. Recent returns have been recorded mainly in the four governorates of Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, and Anbar. Nevertheless, much remains to be done to assist the remaining 2.05 million IDPs (of which 1.5 million are living outside camps) – as well as to support the return to the normal life of the millions of returnees and host populations. The IDP return process remains dynamic – with new and secondary displacements being recorded because of limitations in the shelter, basic services, education and healthcare services, and livelihoods opportunities as well as security concerns.

The poor management of Iraq’s immense oil wealth – along with the need for public finance reforms, improved accountability, fiscal transparency, and effective anti-corruption measures – are among the key constraints facing the country. Competition over the control of resources has exacerbated ethnic and sectarian divisions, with an ensuing deterioration in governance, security and state legitimacy.

Dominance of the public sector in the Iraqi economy has prevented the emergence of a vibrant private sector and the associated job creation necessary for enhancing the welfare of all Iraqis. Focus on state-owned enterprises discourages entrepreneurship, private sector development, and diversification – while the weakness of the private sector prevents it from being an engine of employment for youth.

1. APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCESS AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

Interested qualified and experienced individual consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications and interest:

1. Letter of Confirmation of interest and availability using the template provided by UNDP.
2. Most Updated Personal detailed CV including experience in similar assignment and at least 3 references.
3. Standard UN P11 Form (“CV Form”)
4. A detailed methodology on how the candidate will approach the consultancy and
5. Two samples of relevant project evaluation reports conducted/authored within the past three years.

Note: Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application system only allows to upload maximum one document.

**Failure to submit the above-mentioned documents or Incomplete proposals shall result in disqualification

Relevant form related to this tender can be found in the below link:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=83193

Duties and Responsibilities

The MTE will generate evidence of progress and challenges, helping to ensure accountability for the implementation of the LADP III project, as well as identifying and sharing knowledge and good practices during the remaining period.

Overall, the standard Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) evaluation criteria [1] will be the framework for the MTE. However, the focus will be on six criteria (relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, Impact, and sustainability), reflecting the timing, objectives, and scope of the MTE. Evaluation questions will be refined during the inception period of the MTE, in close consultation with the LADP III team and selected key stakeholders.

1. Relevance: the extent to which LADP III project strategy, proposed activities and expected outputs and outcomes are justified and remain relevant to beneficiaries’ needs, country’s policies, and donor’s priorities. More specifically, the relevance of the project should be assessed through the following guiding questions:

• To what extent are the project interventions (i.e., the major activities) relevant to the needs of the recipients? To what extent are these interventions addressing/meeting the needs of target beneficiaries?
• To what extent do the interventions remain relevant to the profile of project target beneficiaries?
• To what extent are the interventions contextually relevant for the geographic locations where the project interventions are being implemented?
  1. Coherence: looks at the extent to which other interventions (particularly policies) support or undermine the intervention, and vice versa. More specifically, the coherence criteria of the LADP III project should be assessed through the following guiding questions:
• To what extent is the project coherent internally, especially considering the two implementing partners (UNDP and UN-Habitat) and the interlinkages within and between their respective result areas?
• To what extent is the project coherent externally (strategically and operationally), especially considering national level priorities, other EU-funded projects interventions and those of other donors active in the recovery, stability and decentralization arena in Iraq?
  1. Effectiveness: looks at the extent to which expected outputs and outcomes of the LADP III project are expected to be achieved. It also includes those actual or potential factors contributing to or are likely to detract achievement of the desired results and objectives. More specifically, the effectiveness of the project should be assessed through the following guiding questions:
• What variations are there (if any) in the implementation of quality of the interventions? What works well, what does not, and why?
• What are the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of the results so far? How have barriers and bottlenecks been addressed? To what extent have the barriers/bottlenecks been reduced or mitigated?
• Is the project responding to contextual opportunities? How are the current interventions (strategies) adapting to emerging trends to be more impactful?
• To what extent are the needs and expectations of target beneficiaries being met to ensure sustainable recovery and employment?
  1. Efficiency: the extent to which LADP III project resources (funds, expertise/human resources, time, etc.) are optimally used and converted into intended outputs. More specifically, the efficiency of the project should be assessed through the following guiding questions:
• How efficient is the functioning of the project management, technical support, administrative, procurement and financial management procedures? To what extent have the project management structure and allocated resources been efficient in achieving the expected results?
• To what extent has the project implementation been efficient and cost-effective?
• To what extent have project funds and activities been delivered in a timely manner?
• What is the visibility and communications strategy adopted by the project? Has it been cost-effective in terms of promoting the project and its achievements?
• How is the project keeping track of project progress on expected outputs and outcomes? Does the monitoring and evaluation system put in place allow for continuous collection and analysis of quality and segregated data on expected outputs and outcomes?
  1. Impact:  looks at the extent to which LADP III project generated or is likely to bring differences at different levels directly or indirectly, positive, or negative, intended, or unintended or higher-level effects. Focus will on the changes/effects resulting from the project to strengthen resilience of sub-national authorities in the target governorates especially in relation to the reform agenda and decentralization in Iraq. More specifically, the impact of the project should be assessed through the following guiding questions:
• To what extent are there actual/potential benefits and negative effects (if any)? What actions could be taken to reverse any non-achievement?
• What are the key achievements of the project in terms of policy, practice, and behavior change? What are main obstacles to achieving policy, practice, and behavior change? 
• What countermeasures were taken against the unanticipated developments (if any) that affected the quality of the implementation?
• To what extent are the project benefits felt or is likely to be felt at national and sub-national levels?
  1. Sustainability: analyzes whether benefits of an activities of LADP III project are likely to continue after donor funding has been withdrawn. The project needs to be environmentally and financially sustainable. More specifically, sustainability of the project should be assessed through the following guiding questions:
• To what extent are sustainability considerations (environmental footprint, mitigation measures, maintenance, etc.) being integrated into project implementation?
• What components or which interventions of the project are likely to be sustainable and scalable? Why or why not?
• What policy, strategy, partnership, managerial and financial changes are needed to sustain and scale project services and interventions?
• To what extent are the project design strategies and components probable to produce sustainable impact after project duration? if not, how best can these be adjusted during the remaining phases?

1. Cross-cutting themes looks at the extent to which LADP III project has endeavored to reflect gender mainstreaming for equality and inclusion of all diverse groups to “leave no one behind” through a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA). More specifically, the extent to which the LADP III project is applying a cross-sectional lens should be assessed through the following guiding questions:

Human Rights:

• To what extent were groups with diverse identities considered during the design, implementation, and monitoring phase? Persons with differing characteristics should be considered based on their socio–economic class, political ideology, religious identity/ethnicity, physical ability, and other disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
• To what is the project promoting a rights-based approach for all groups of persons, especially to promote international laws and commitments made by Iraq?
• What are the avenues for improvements in promoting human rights standards across similar interventions in future?

Gender

• To what extent has gender been mainstreamed within the design, implementation, and monitoring of the project? 
• To what extent has the project promoted changes in gender equality and advanced the empowerment of women? Are there any unintended effects and what were its impact on the project and the community of engagement?
• What are the avenues for improvement in considerations for gender and its intersectional effects across the project?

Disability

• Were persons with disabilities consulted and involved in project planning and delivery?
• What barriers are persons with disabilities facing during the project delivery?
• Was a twin-track approach adopted?[2].

The above MTE guiding questions will be further refined by the consultant and jointly agreed with UNDP and UN-Habitat stakeholders.

[1] https://www.oecd.org/dac/evaluation/revised-evaluation-criteria-dec-2019.pdf

[2] The twin-track approach combines mainstream programmes and projects that are inclusive of persons with disabilities as well as programmes and projects that are targeted towards persons with disabilities. It is an essential element of any strategy that seeks to mainstream disability inclusion successfully. Also, see chapter 9 of the Technical Notes. Entity Accountability Framework. UN Disability and Inclusion Strategy: https://www.un.org/en/disabilitystrategy/resources

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Knowledge on UNDP programming principles and procedures, the UN evaluation framework, norms, and standards; human rights-based approach (HRBA).
• Demonstrates commitment to the UN values and ethical standards.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly and with impartiality.
• Good communication, presentation and report writing skills including proven ability to write concise, readable, and analytical reports and high-quality publications in English.
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
• Flexible and responsive to changes and demands.
• Client-oriented and open to feedback.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Demonstrates good knowledge of the Iraq economic issues, challenges, and opportunities.
• Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to overall reform interventions.
• Develops deep knowledge in practice area.
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills 
• Networks in Government, NGOs, and private sector.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Planning and organizing: Identifies priority activities and assignments; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary and, uses time efficiently.
• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and, exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors’ language, tone, style and, format to match the audience and, demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Client orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect.
• Quality of deliverables: Professional skill required for delivering outputs will be assessed.
• Satisfactory and timely deliverables: Satisfactory and timely completion of tasks and submission of the deliverables within the provisions of deliverables and outputs above.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Minimum of Masters’ degree in Law, Governance, Development Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, Public Administration, or any other field relevant to the assignment.

Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in conducting evaluations of stabilization, crisis response and recovery, development, or social transformation projects in post-conflict environments.
• At least 10 years of experience in the design and implementation of evaluations and utilization of Results-Based Management (RBM) and participatory Monitoring and Evaluation methodologies.
• Experience in data collection, development, and implementation of assessment and evaluation instruments, and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data is essential.
• Experience in conducting project/programme evaluations with the UN or other international organizations especially in the Arab region is essential.
• Excellent report writing skills, supported by sample of similar project/programme evaluation reports, is essential.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills and proven ability to draft recommendations stemming from key findings is an added advantage.
• Experience using ICT equipment, office software packages and online meeting software is an added advantage.
• Proven experience in implementing project evaluations remotely.

1. APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCESS AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

Interested qualified and experienced individual consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications and interest:

1. Letter of Confirmation of interest and availability using the template provided by UNDP.
2. Most Updated Personal detailed CV including experience in similar assignment and at least 3 references.
3. Standard UN P11 Form (“CV Form”)
4. A detailed methodology on how the candidate will approach the consultancy and
5. Two samples of relevant project evaluation reports conducted/authored within the past three years.

Note: Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application system only allows to upload maximum one document.

**Failure to submit the above-mentioned documents or Incomplete proposals shall result in disqualification

Relevant form related to this tender can be found in the below link:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=83193