UNDP Jobs - 50513- International Consultant

International Consultant - Project Document Reviewer

Location :

Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

31-Oct-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 weeks (with 3 weeks in Malaysia and 3 weeks home-based)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Until 1 January 2015

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

BSEEP has for its goal the reduction in the annual growth rate of GHG emissions from the Malaysia buildings sector. The project objective is the improvement of the energy utilization efficiency in Malaysian buildings, particularly those in the commercial and government sectors, by promoting the energy conserving design of new buildings and by improving the energy utilization efficiency in the operation of existing buildings. The realization of this objective will be facilitated through the removal of barriers to the uptake of building energy efficiency technologies, systems, and practices. The project is in line with the GEF’s climate change strategic program on Promoting Energy Efficiency in Residential and Commercial Buildings (SP-1). It is comprised of activities aimed at improving energy efficiency and promoting the widespread adoption of energy efficient building technologies and practices in the Malaysian buildings sector.

Specifically, the proposed project will reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 581.1 ktons CO2 per year (or cumulative total of about 1,421.3 ktons CO2) by end of the project. This represents about 4% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the magnitude of CO2 emissions under a business-as-usual scenario13. Five years after the project end, CO2 emissions are forecast to be about 7.2% lower in annual emissions if there will be no BSEEP.

The expected outcomes of the project are the following:

Outcome 1: Clear and effective system of monitoring and improving the energy performance of the building sector;
Outcome 2: Implementation of, and compliance to, favorable policies that encourage the application of EE technologies in the country’s buildings sector;
Outcome 3: Availability of financial and institutional support for initiatives on EE building technology applications;
Outcome 4: Enhanced awareness of the government, public and the buildings sector on EE building technology applications;
Outcome5: Improved confidence in the feasibility, performance, energy, environmental and economic benefits of EE building technology applications leading to the replication of the EE technology application demonstrations.

Outcomes and Outputs of the BSEEP are as in Annex A. BSEEP is Nationally-Executed (NEX) by the Malaysian Government and JKR is the appointed executing agency. The Project Document and other relevant GEF documents can be downloaded from the following weblink: http://www.thegef.org/gef/sites/thegef.org/files/repository/11-30-09%20ID3598%20 %20Council%20letter.pdf Information on project can be viewed at www.jkr.gov.my/bseep

The project has just completed its Mid-Term Review and UNDP is currently in the final due-diligence process for uploading the report to the Evaluation Resource Center (ERC) website.

More info at
http://www.gefweb.org/MonitoringandEvaluation/MEAbout/meabout.html
http://www.undp.org/gef/undp-gef_monitoring_evaluation/undp-gef_monitoring_evaluation.html
http://www.jkr.gov.my/bseep.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:

The consultant is expected to review the project framework and the targets, the sources of data used for baseline and tacking and finally to recommend any new activities (or to re-validate the current activities) for the purpose in ensuring that the project activities remains relevant to the government of Malaysia, GEF and UNDP. The scope of work for the consultancy will include, but not limited to, the following activities:

Review the project framework and recommend revision to the activities (if necessary) – To analyse and review the project activities in achieving the project goals and objectives at the end of the project period. It is expected that the relevancy of the project’s Logical Framework Analysis and design will be revisited and reconfirmed in view of the relevant changes happening in Malaysia which can affect the performance of the project. With assistance of the project team, the consultant is expected to lead and facilitate a series of stakeholders’ discussion with objective of reviewing the current project activities. In case if revision is desirably needed, the consultant is expected to recommend the possible activities (and with sufficient justifications) that can yield the expected results by the end of the project period;
Identify the current Sources/Means of Verification (and assumptions) and recommend the new Sources/Means of Verification of Verification (or revalidate the current sources if they still viable) – It is extremely crucial for the project to identify its sources of data/information clearly as they will be used for monitoring the Goals, Objectives Outcome and Activities targets of the project document. In case there is a new source of data/information identified (or if the same sources are being used), the consultant is expected to propose the use of the new sources (with sufficient justifications and verification) and to determine its viability of sustaining the sources for the purpose of tracking the movements for Project Implementation Review 2015 and 2016 and finally the Terminal Evaluation reporting at the end of 2016;
Assess and recommend the feasibility of achieving the required targets – Upon confirming the new project framework and the sources of data/information as in the above, it is expected that the consultant to propose the use of a new set of targets (or continue to use the current ones instead incase if they still feasible) with high degree of probability that the proposed targets will be achievable upon effective and efficient project execution until the end of the project period.

Justification on the proposed new changes is expected to be delivered together.

In executing the above activities, the consultant is expected to be aware of the below:
UNDP and GEF’s guidelines and reporting requirements:

On whether the project design allowed for flexibility in responding to internal and external changes in the project environment;
On whether difficulties and barriers, which were not expected at the start of the project, are identified and the approaches for the solutions are considered and implemented effectively especially in the proposing the new activities and targets;
On whether the project components and activities were logically designed as to content and time frame commensurate with the human and financial resources that were made available especially the capacity of the Implementing Agency;
Understanding and reviewing the risks (critical or non-critical) that will affect the achievement of the annual targets and the performance of the project.

Deliverables and Timeline

Inception Report or Submission of Work plan (10%, Within 5 days of signing of the contract);
Upon Satisfactory Submission of the Draft Report of the review and revalidation on the proposed changes to the project framework (30%, Within 4 weeks);
Upon Satisfactory Submission of the Draft report of the proposed changes (or re-validation) of the data/information sources and Annual Targets (30%, Within 4 weeks);
Upon Satisfactory Submission of the Final Report which consists of the finalized Project Framework, the sources and the Annual Targets (30%, Within 6 weeks).

Payments of the deliverables will be made upon satisfactory approval of UNDP Regional Office in Bangkok and UNDP Country Office.

Methodology

The consultant will review relevant project documents and reports related and conduct focused individual/group discussions on topics and issues that relate to the implementation and impact of the project. It is expected that the person is to become well versed as to the objectives, historical developments, institutional and management mechanisms and project activities. More specifically, the review will be based on the following sources of information:

Review of documents;
Structured interview with selected project partners;
Site visits to specific projects, for the purpose of understanding the context of the project M&E.

Key documents to be reviewed are as below:

The latest Mid-Term Review report (will be shared upon contract signing);
The latest Project Implementation Report;
Project Initial Form (PIF);
UNDP/GEF BSEEP Project Document;
Inception Report;
All output reports and documents produced under BSEEP;
Minutes of Project Steering Committee Meetings and National Steering Committee meetings;
Amendments to the inception report (if any);
Review/evaluation report.

The evaluation team shall meet and interview the following:

National Project Director;
National Project Manager;
Finance Assistant;
Project Executive;
Component Managers (all) if any;
Key government stakeholders in building energy efficiency (i.e. EPU International Cooperation, EPU Energy, MEGTW, Energy Commission, Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA));
Other sections/departments in the Implementing Partner relevant to BSEEP;
Representative from the Industry association;
Representative from the academia relevant to BSEEP;
Selected members of the NSC meeting;
Consultants;
Participating industries / demonstration sites;
Other project partners relevant to the outcome of the project.

Duration

The total duration of the review will be 6 weeks with 3 weeks in Malaysia and 3 weeks home-based.

Implementation Arrangements

The principal responsibility for managing this review resides with the UNDP Country Office (UNDP CO) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with close consultation with UNDP Regional Center in Bangkok. The UNDP CO will contract the consultant and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the review team. The BSEEP project team (based at JKR office) will be responsible for coordinating and liaising with the review team to set up stakeholder interviews, arrange field visits with missions to relevant project sites.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposal:

Interested individuals must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal on how your qualifications and experience can lead towards the successful deliverable of this assignment within the required timeframe, and provide a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the assignment;
Financial Proposal as provided. Alternatives are allowed; For Financial proposal template, it is available at: http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/MyIC_2014_057%20Annexes%20I-IV.doc;
Personal CV including areas of expertise and past experience in similar projects and at least three (3) references in the format of UN Personal History Form (P11 form). The UN Personal History Form (P11) is available at:http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/P11%20for%20SC%20&%20IC.doc

Note:

Please scan, save and upload all documents (proposals and P11 Form) into one PDF file. (The system does not allow more than 1 attachment);
For clarification question, please email to procurement.my@undp.org. The reference number is MyIC_2014_057.

Competencies

The position will require the below competencies level:

Results orientated and accountability;
Capacity in planning and organizing;
Communication and trust;
Client orientation;
Organizational development and innovation.

Required Skills and Experience

The consultants will be responsible for the delivery, content, technical quality and accuracy of the evaluation report, as well as the recommendations. The consultants will not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation, previous evaluation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.
The person should ideally have the following competencies and attributes:

Education:

Tertiary education in building science, engineering or in relevant climate change mitigation;
Post-graduate or with relevant professional qualification is preferred.

Experience

More than 10 years of working experience in project management and evaluation with a good knowledge of the state-of-the-art approaches and international best practices of similar projects;
Experience with UN / UNDP / GEF result-based management evaluation methodologies. Project evaluation experiences within UNDP/GEF in Climate Change mitigation projects will be preferred;
Experience applying Logical Framework Analysis and SMART indicators, project design, reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
Competence in project Adaptive Management;
Familiar with project management and financial framework including output/outcome and impact analysis;
Demonstrated analytical skills.

Language:

Excellent English writing and communication skills.