Background

Project Summary
Project Title

Mainstreaming Prevention and Control Measures for Invasive alien Species into Trade, Transport and Travel across the Production Landscape.

Background

The Government of Seychelles (GOS), in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently implementing a programme of mainstreaming biodiversity management, in particular the prevention and control measures for Invasive Alien Species, across the Production Landscape of Seychelles.

Isolated from the continents for 65 million years, the fauna and flora of Seychelles have evolved into unique forms with ancient Gondwanan lineage.  The archipelago is a repository of globally important terrestrial diversity. It is also a storehouse of marine biodiversity.  Seychelles is part of one of the major biodiversity hotspots in the world: Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands.  Its biodiversity is at risk of extirpation, and in some instances outright extinction, from a variety of human induced pressures.  Seychelles faces the typical constraints of a SIDS, with its small land area and population, remoteness from major markets, limited natural resources and environmental vulnerability.  Its most important assets are the truly rare beauty of the environment, and a significant fishery resource including pelagic and various coastal stocks.

Seychelles is typical of remote islands in the ecological susceptibility of its terrestrial biodiversity to IAS.  IAS out-compete and replace indigenous fauna and flora through predation, elimination of natural regeneration, introduction of diseases and smothering by creepers.  Animal IAS, like rats, feral cats and other predators, can be devastating to the avifauna and small fauna, reducing levels of recruitment. IAS also pose a threat of unquantified magnitude to Seychelles’ marine biodiversity.  Most of the terrestrial ecosystems of Seychelles have been heavily affected by certain invasive alien species.  The introduction of IAS into Seychelles has long been associated with trade, agriculture, and movement of people.  The nature of the IAS threat has changed dramatically as a result of the increased trade and movement of people associated with the development of tourism and industrial off-shore fisheries.  This has increased the number of pathways for IAS introductions.  Three sets of barriers are impeding efforts to remediate the threats posed by invasive alien species. These are 1) capacity deficits at the systemic level; 2) limited capacities at the institutional level; and 3) technical capability.

The project Mainstreaming Prevention and Control Measures for Invasive Alien Species into Trade, Transport and Travel across the Production Landscape is expected to contribute to the achievement of the following goal: The functional integrity of the terrestrial and coastal ecosystems is secured now and into the future, thus providing a base for sustainable development.  The project is responsible for achieving the following project objective: Increased capacities to prevent and control the introduction and spread of Invasive Alien Species through Trade, Travel and Transport across the Production Landscape.

The project is divided into three outcomes, namely:

• Outcome 1: Policy and regulatory framework for effective control of the introduction and spread of IAS in place;
• Outcome 2: Strengthened Institutional capacity to prevent and control the introduction and spread of IAS;
• Outcome 3: Improved knowledge and learning capacities to control the introduction, establishment and spread of IAS.

The project was originally planned for five years, but has received a no-cost extension of 18 months, terminating end of June 2014.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective and Scope

Objective:

The TE will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects (2011).   http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/guidance/GEF/UNDP-GEF-TE-Guide.pdf.

The purpose of the evaluation is to:

• Assess overall performance against the project objectives as set out in the Project Document and other related documents;
• Assess project relevance to national priorities, as well as UNDP and GEF strategic objectives;
• Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the project;
• Critically analyze the implementation and management arrangements of the project, including financial management;
• Assess the sustainability of the project interventions and consider project impacts;
• Document lessons and best practices concerning project design, implementation and management which may be of relevance to other projects in the country and elsewhere in the world.

Scope:

The TE should consider and report on the following evaluation issues and criteria:

• Project relevance and consistency with country priorities and the GEF Focal Area;
• Ownership of the project at the national and local levels;
• Stakeholder participation across local levels and partnerships developed through the project;
• Effectiveness in realizing project immediate objectives, planned outcomes and outputs;
• The effects of the project on target groups and institutions;
• The extent to which these have contributed towards strengthening the institutional, organizational and technical capability of the government in achieving its long-term sustainable development objectives (including environmental management goals);
• Sustainability of project achievements and impacts, including financial and institutional sustainability, and an assessment of planned replication and exit strategies;
• Management arrangements, including supervision, guidance, back-stopping, human resources, and the Implementing Agency’s (UNDP) supervision and backstopping; the quality and timeliness of inputs, activities, responsiveness of project management to changes in the project environment and other M&E feedback;
• Financial planning and sustainability, including the timely delivery and use of committed co-financing;
• Efficiency or cost-effectiveness in the ways in which project outputs and outcomes were achieved;
• Adaptive management, including effective use of log-frame, UNDP risk management system, annual Project Implementation Reviews, and other parts of the M&E system, tools and mechanisms as appropriate;
• Evaluate whether project design allowed for flexibility in responding to changes in the project environment;
• Risk management, including the UNDP risk management system within ATLAS, which is also incorporated in the annual PIR.  The evaluator is requested to determine how effectively the risk management system is being used as an adaptive management tool; Risks may be of a financial, socio-political, institutional, operational, environmental (or other) type.

Cross-cutting issues:

Governance:

• How has the project facilitated the participation of the local communities in natural resource management and decision making processes.

Promotion of gender equity:

• Has the project considered gender sensitivity or equal participation of man and women and boys and girls in decision making processes;
• Capacity development of participants and target beneficiaries, communications and use of technology.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The evaluator conducting the TE for this Project will be an international consultant with in depth understanding of UNDP and GEF projects, including evaluation experience.  S/he will be responsible for developing the evaluation methodology, conducting the evaluation and delivering the key products expected from the evaluation.  The evaluator will work with a small consultative group from PCU and UNDP Seychelles.  The evaluation exercise will be supported and facilitated by the Project Manager and International Technical Advisor to the project, in conjunction with Programme Coordination Unit and UNDP Seychelles.  The consultant will sign an agreement with UNDP to undertake the Biosecurity Project TE and will be bound by its terms and conditions set out in the agreement;
• The evaluator selected for the assignment should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have any conflict of interest with project related activities;
• See Detailed TOR on the link http://www.mu.undp.org/content/mauritius_and_seychelles/en/home/operations/procurement/.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UNs values and ethical standards;
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

• Operational effectiveness;
• Solid knowledge of financial and human resources management, contract, asset and procurement, information and communication technology, general administration;
• Ability to lead business processes re-engineering, implementation of new systems (business Management and Leadership;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Shows mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
• An understanding of local application of commitments to international conventions, and how local actions contribute to global benefits, is crucial;
• Demonstrated ability to assess complex situations, succinctly distil critical issues, and draw forward-looking conclusions and recommendations;
• Ability to deliver quality reports within the given time.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• An MSc (minimum requirement) or higher degree in Environment, Natural Resource Management or related fields, and adequate experience in the management, design and/or evaluation of comparable natural resources management projects.

Experiences:

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant working experience is required;
• In-depth understanding of land and environment issues in tropical/subtropical and island environments (particular experience with Small Island Developing States and in the Western Indian Ocean is an advantage);
• Prior experience in the evaluation of international technical assistance projects with major donor agencies, including UNDP-GEF projects.

Language:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Good knowledge of French is advantageous.

Evaluation timeframe:

• The total duration of the evaluation will be 30 working days over approximately 8 weeks according to the following plan (for details see Annex 4):  Expected date of contract 20 September 2014.

Activity: Preparation;
Timing: 3 days;
Completion date: September 23rd.

Activity: Evaluation Mission to Seychelles;
Timing: 15 days;
Completion date: October 22nd.

Activity: Draft Evaluation Report;
Timing: 8 days;
Completion date: October 30th.

Activity: Final Report;
Timing: 4 days;
Completion date: November 19th.

TE is expected to deliver the following:

Deliverable: Inception Note.
Content: Evaluator clarifications on timing and method.
Timing: No later than 1 week before the evaluation mission.
Responsibilities: Evaluator submits to UNDP CO.

Deliverable: Presentation.
Content: Initial Findings.
Timing: End of evaluation mission.
Responsibilities: To project management, UNDP CO.

Deliverable: Draft Final Report
Content: Full report, (per annexed template) with annexes
Timing: Within 2 weeks of the evaluation mission
Responsibilities: Sent to CO, reviewed by RTA, PCU, GEF FPs

Deliverable: Final Report.
Content: Revised report.
Timing: Within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft.
Responsibilities: Sent to CO.

An outline for the final report is given in Annex 5.

Evaluator Ethics:

• Evaluation consultant will be held to the highest ethical standards and are required to sign a Code of Conduct (Annex 6) upon acceptance of the assignment. UNDP evaluations are conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the 2008 UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluations.

Scope of Price Proposal

A financial proposal has to be submitted by offerors which specifies:

• Daily Fee. The Daily fee should be all inclusive1. The term “All inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consummables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources. For information only, the UN Daily Subsistence Allowance at the duty station is 363 USD as August 2014.
• An IC Time Sheet must be submitted by the Contractor, duly approved by the Individual Contractor’s supervisor, which shall serve as the basis for the payment of fees (as per template)

Payment modalities and specifications:

%: 20%.
Milestone: At contract signing   due date Sep 2014.

%: 50%.
Milestone: Following submission and approval of the 1st draft terminal evaluation report  Oct 24th 2014.

%: 30%.
Milestone: Following submission and approval (UNDP-CO and UNDP RTA) of the final terminal evaluation report  ( no date defined yet until RTA respond).

• DSA 15 days in the field (Seychelles): Due Sep 2014;
• Prior to the final payment, sign-off is required as per Annex 7.

Recommended Presentation of Offer:

Applicants are requested to apply online http://jobs.undp.org. Individual consultants are invited to submit applications as below below requirements.

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
• Financial Proposal supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  All Applicants will be requested to submit a price offer indicating their proposed daily fee rate for the assignment.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer:

Following UNDP procurement rules, both technical competence (70%) and the consultant daily fee rate (30%) will be taken into account in the selection process.  The Technical Evaluation will be based on the following Evaluation Criteria.

• Masters or equivalent in Environmental sciences or agricultural sciences, environmental management: 20 marks;
• 5 years minimum field  experience in project development and/or evaluation and/or implementation  preferably in the field of Biosecurity/Biodiversity: 20 marks;
• Minimum of 5 Project Evaluations of which 3 must be GEF related: 20 marks;
• Experience and skills in multi-stakeholder and participatory approaches in project management especially in SIDS: 20 marks;
• Proficiency in English and workable knowledge of French: 10 marks;
• Knowledge of UNDP and GEF projects evaluations and procedures an advantage: 10 marks;
• Total: 100 marks.

Qualified women and members of social minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Important note:

• Interested offeror is strongly advised to view the general terms and conditions of IC and  templates to be included when submitting offer from the CO website at http://www.mu.undp.org/content/mauritius_and_seychelles/en/home/operations/procurement/;
• Interested offerors above the age of 62: UNDP regulations require, at their own cost, to undergo a full medical examination including x-rays. Medical evaluation documentation does not need to be submitted with the other requested documents listed above, but will be requested should the candidate be chosen;
• Interested offeror is required to submit application via UNDP jobsite system, because the application screening and evaluation will be done through UNDP jobsite system;
• Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file. Your on-line applications submission will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary.