UNDP Jobs - 51920- National Consultant on Mid-Term Review (MTR) of UN

National Consultant on Mid-Term Review (MTR) of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Project ‘Catalyzing Sustainability of Thailand’s Protected Area System’

Location :

Bangkok with expected travel to Chiang Mai, Uthai Thani, Kampaneng Petch, Rayong, Chantaburi and Tarutao Islands in Satoon province, THAILAND

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

25-Jan-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

25 days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

25 days

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

The project aims to overcome barriers to sustainability of Thailand’s protected area (PA) system, by looking into effective management and sustainable financing of protected areas.

The project will also build the confidence and capacities of the PA management authorities and provide them with resources to test innovative PA management and financing schemes. In addition, it will support development of appropriate incentives, establishment of an effective monitoring system, and community participation in conservation efforts.

Systemic barriers will be addressed at the national level, while demonstrations of strengthened PA management on the ground through sustainable financing will be done at demonstration sites. These demonstrations will include, for example, developing novel models of PA management, increased participation by local communities and other stakeholders, and mobilization of diversified revenue sources, supported by improved knowledge-based planning and accounting systems.

Financial management capacity weaknesses and systemic barriers to effective management and budgeting will be addressed at the national level, while demonstrations of strengthened PA management, design of new financing mechanisms, and the increased use of improved models of PA management and co-management will be pursued at the four pilot sites

The project objective is to overcome barriers to effective management and sustained financing of Thailand’s protected area system. The key outcomes of this project are:

Improved governance supports enabling environment for long term PA system;
Institutional and Institutional and individual capacities enhanced;
Revenue generation mechanisms and management approaches are assessed and tested at 5 PA demonstration sites leading to increased funding levels of the PA system;
New models of PA management support effective management of the System.

For the conplete TOR please download from : http://webapp3-docs.undp.org/procurement_notices/notice_doc_19596_52014629.docx.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives:

The MTR will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document, and assess early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made in order to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The MTR will also review the project’s strategy, its risks to sustainability.

Duration of assignment, duty station and expected places of travel:

Contract Duration:

19 January - 27 March 2015 (25 working days).

Duty Station:

Bangkok, Thailand with expected travel to Chiang Mai, Uthai Thani-Kampaneng Petch, Rayong, Chantaburi and Tarutao Islands in Satoon Province (around 10 days during 4-17 February 2014).

Final products:

The evaluation team is expected to deliver the following:

MTR Inception Report:

Description: MTR team clarifies objectives and methods of Midterm Review;
Timing: No later than 2 weeks before the MTR mission;
Responsibilities: MTR team submits to the Commissioning Unit and project management.

Presentation:

Description: Initial Findings;
Timing: End of MTR mission;
Responsibilities: MTR Team presents to project management and the Commissioning Unit.

Draft final report:

Description: Full report (using guidelines on content outlined in Annex B) with annexes;
Timing: Within 3 weeks of the MTR mission;
Responsibilities: Sent to the Commissioning Unit, reviewed by RTA, Project Coordinating Unit, GEF OFP.

Final report:

Description: Revised report with audit trail detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final MTR report;
Timing: Within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft;
Responsibilities: Sent to the Commissioning Unit

Provision of monitoring and progress controls:

The consultant’s outputs will be overseen by the Environment Programme Analyst of UNDP Thailand and GEF Advisor of the UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre in Bangkok.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate your qualifications:

Proposal: Brief proposal with methodological outline (and potentially comments on the TOR), sequencing and timelines to implement the assignment, and initial suggestions on stakeholders to be involved.
Financial proposal: The financial proposal must indicate lump sum professional fee in THB. To submit Financial Proposal, please use Template of Submission of Financial Proposal provided in Annex I.
Personal CV and/or P.11including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.

Annex 1 :Financial Proposal can be downloaded from: http://webapp3-docs.undp.org/procurement_notices/notice_doc_19596_63020110.docx.

UNDP P.11 Form can be downloaded from: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.

GEF Mid-Term Review Terms of Refeerence and Guidance for Conducting Mid-Term Reviews of UNDP-Supported GEF-Financed Projects:

http://webapp3-docs.undp.org/procurement_notices/notice_doc_19596_1015120.docx.

Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability: http://procurement-notices-admin.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=43168.

Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Financial proposal:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;

Technical Criteria weight 70%.

Financial Criteria weight 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 350 technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical 70% , Max. Point 500 points:

Experience related to services : 40% , Max points 200 points;
Written proposal/test AND/OR interview result: 40%, Max points 200 points;
Expertise & Availability: 20% , Max points 100 points.

Financial 30% Max Point 100 points.

Competencies

Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
Strong analytical, reporting, researching and very good report writing skills in English.
Open to changes and able to receive/ integrate feedbacks;
Strong ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
Can work under pressure and tight deadlines;
Proficient use of office IT applications and internet conducting research;
Outstanding presentation and facilitation skills;
Positive attitude to work;
Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
Display culture, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

A Master’s degree in environmental studies, development studies, social sciences and/ or other related fields, or other closely related field.

Experience:

Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least ten (10) years;
Minimum of five (5) years of project evaluation and/or implementation experience in the result-based management framework, adaptive management and UNDP or GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy;
Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
Competence in adaptive management, as applied to Biodiversity;
Experience working with the GEF or GEF-evaluations;
Experience working in Asia will be an asset;
Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and biodiversity, experience in gender sensitive evaluation and analysis.
Project evaluation/review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset.

Language:

Fluent in English.