UNDP Jobs - 57455- International Consultant to Undertake the Terminal

International Consultant to Undertake the Terminal Evaluation of the UNDP-GEF Project “Strengthening Capacities to Undertake Environmental Fiscal Reform to Meet National and Global Environmental Priorities”

Location :

Chisinau, MOLDOVA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

14-Jul-2015

Application Deadline :

03-Jul-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

20 working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

July-September 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

In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full and medium-sized UNDP support GEF financed projects are required to undergo a terminal evaluation upon completion of implementation. These terms of reference (TOR) sets out the expectations for a Terminal Evaluation (TE) of the project "Strengthening capacities to undertake environmental fiscal reform to meet national and global environmental priorities".

The project was designed to: build capacities for implementing environmental fiscal reforms (EFR) that will produce increased national and global environmental benefits through the adoption of selected subsidies, fees, fines, taxes and other appropriate fiscal instruments. The reforms will focus on creating conditions, financial incentives and disincentives, and decreased opportunity costs to undertake actions that deliver global environmental outcomes. The expected outcome is that EFR will be adopted as an important element of Moldova's development policy, whereby improved fiscal and financial instruments and their use would strengthen regulatory and other approaches to environmentally sound and sustainable development, with a particular emphasis of meeting obligations under the three Rio Conventions. The project will also contribute to and complement a broader national decentralization reform process, including policy planning at the national level, redesigning of competencies and responsibilities of local and sub-national governments and reforming local government revenue systems. In order to reach Government of Moldova's objective, the project will adopt a focused and comprehensive strategy composed of three main components: Reform of environmentally harmful subsidies, green subsidies, as well as environmental charges within the agricultural and energy sectors, Capacity development for EFR to build consensus among concerned stakeholders, and Component 3: Integration of EFR in local and central planning processes.

The Terminal Evaluation 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.

The objectives of the evaluation are to assess the achievement of project results, and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming.

Evaluation approach and method

An overall approach and method for conducting project terminal evaluations of UNDP supported GEF financed projects has developed over time. The evaluator is expected to frame the evaluation effort using the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, as defined and explained in the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects. A set of questions covering each of these criteria have been drafted and are included with this TOR (Annex C). The evaluator is expected to amend, complete and submit this matrix as part of an evaluation inception report, and shall include it as an annex to the final report.

The evaluation must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The evaluator is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with government counterparts, in particular the GEF operational focal point, UNDP Country Office, project team, UNDP GEF Technical Adviser based in the region and key stakeholders. The evaluator is expected to conduct a field mission to Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, including the following project pilot towns - Ungheni and Telenesti.

Interviews will be held with the following organizations and individuals at a minimum:

UNDP Moldova CO;
Ministry of Environment;
Ministry of Economy;
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry;
Ministry of Finance;
Local Public Authorities from Telenesti and Ungheni towns;
NGO “Ecological Movement of Moldova” and/or other NGO’s.

The evaluator will review all relevant sources of information, such as the project document, project reports – including Annual APR/PIR, project budget revisions, progress reports, project files, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the evaluator considers useful for this evidence-based assessment. A list of documents that the project team will provide to the evaluator for review is included in Annex B of this Terms of Reference.

Evaluation Criteria & Ratings

An assessment of project performance will be carried out, based against expectations set out in the Project Logical Framework/Results Framework (see Annex A), which provides performance and impact indicators for project implementation along with their corresponding means of verification. The evaluation will at a minimum cover the criteria of: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact. Ratings must be provided on the following performance criteria. The completed table must be included in the evaluation executive summary. The obligatory rating scales are included in Annex D.

For additional information on methods, see the Handbook on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results, Chapter 7, pg. 163.

Project Finance

The Evaluation will assess the key financial aspects of the project, including the extent of co-financing planned and realized. Project cost and funding data will be required, including annual expenditures. Variances between planned and actual expenditures will need to be assessed and explained. Results from recent financial audits, as available, should be taken into consideration. The evaluator(s) will receive assistance from the Country Office (CO) and Project Team to obtain financial data in order to complete the co-financing table below, which will be included in the terminal evaluation report.

Mainstreaming

UNDP supported GEF financed projects are key components in UNDP country programming, as well as regional and global programmes. The evaluation will assess the extent to which the project was successfully mainstreamed with other UNDP priorities, including poverty alleviation, improved governance, the prevention and recovery from natural disasters, and gender.

Impact

The evaluators will assess the extent to which the project is achieving impacts or progressing towards the achievement of impacts. Key findings that should be brought out in the evaluations include whether the project has demonstrated: a) verifiable improvements in ecological status, b) verifiable reductions in stress on ecological systems, and/or c) demonstrated progress towards these impact achievements.

Conclusions, recommendations & lessons

The evaluation report must include a chapter providing a set of conclusions, recommendations and lessons.

A useful tool for gauging progress to impact is the Review of Outcomes to Impacts (ROtI) method developed by the GEF Evaluation Office: ROTI Handbook 2009.

Duties and Responsibilities

Team Composition

The evaluation team will be composed of one international and one national evaluator. The consultants shall have prior experience in evaluating similar projects. Experience with GEF financed projects is an advantage. The international evaluator will be designated as the team leader and will be responsible for finalizing the evaluation report. The evaluators selected should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.

Duties and Responsabilties of the Evaluation Team

International Expert:

Desk review of documents, development of draft methodology, detailed work plan and TE outline;
Debriefing with UNDP CO, agreement on the methodology, scope and outline of the TE report;
Interviews with project implementing partner (executing agency), relevant Government, NGO and donor representatives and UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor;
Field visit to the pilot project site (Ungheni and Telenesti) and interviews with local stakeholders;
Elaboration of a summary matrix of the project implementation key findings based on interviews and site visits performed;
Debriefing with UNDP and project implementing partner;
Development and submission of the first TE report draft. The draft will be shared with the UNDP CO, UNDP/GEF (UNDP/GEF RCU Istanbul) and key project stakeholders for review and commenting;
Finalization and submission of the Response Grid;
Finalization and submission of the final TE report through incorporating suggestions received on the draft report;
Supervision of the work of the national expert (during entire evaluation period).

National Expert:

Collection of background materials upon request by International Expert/ TE Team Leader;
Provision of important inputs in developing methodologies, work plans and MTE report outlines upon request by International Expert/ TE Team Leader;
Assistance to the International Expert/ TE Team Leader in desk review of materials;
Assistance to the International Expert/ TE Team Leader in developing the mission agenda and establishing meeting with relevant stakeholders;
Participation in debriefings with UNDP CO representatives, project team and project implementing partners;
Assistance to the International Expert/ TE Team Leader in conducting interviews with relevant stakeholders;
Field visit and assistance to the International Expert/ TE Team Leader in interviewing local stakeholders at project sites;
Assist the International Expert/ TE Team Leader in elaboration of a summary matrix of the project implementation key findings based on interviews and site visits performed;
Assistance to the International Expert/ TE Team Leader in developing the first draft of the TE report. The draft will be shared with the UNDP CO, UNDP/GEF (UNDP/GEF RCU Istanbul) and key project stakeholders for review and commenting;
Elaboration of the Draft Response Grid based on comments made by UNDP CO, UNDP/GEF (UNDP/GEF RCU Istanbul) and key project stakeholders;
Assistance to the International Expert/ TE Team Leader in finalization of the Final Terminal Evaluation Report.

Competencies

Ability to critically analyze issues, find root-causes and suggest optimum solutions;
Ability to interact with a wide range of partners: government officials, development agencies and etc.;
Excellent team working and management skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Public Finance, Environmental management or other related areas;
UNDP Procurement Certification programme.

Experience:

7 years of working experience in providing management or consultancy services to the multi focal area projects, preferably in environmental planning and management;
Experience in monitoring and evaluating environmental projects for UN or other international development agencies (at least one project);
Sound knowledge in results-based management (especially results-oriented monitoring and evaluation);
Experience in GEF multi focal area project design, technical consultancy or evaluation will be an asset.

Language:

Fluent in English both written and spoken;
Knowledge of Russian or Romanian will be a strong asset.

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

Proposal explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
Financial proposal;
Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references or the dully filled Personal History Form (P11).

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 (is the total sum of all financial claims of the candidate for accomplishment of the task with detailed breakdown of expected honorarium, economy class travel and per diem for in-country stay related to up to 6-days mission to Moldova/Chisinau) and the number of anticipated working days. The evaluator shall bare costs for all supplies needed for data collection and data processing including possession of his own personal computer.

Travel

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.

Payment modalities and Specifications

The International consultant will be hired for maximum 20 days under Individual Contract (IC) with maximum 14 days of home-based work and maximum 6 days of mission to Moldova. DSA payments will be made based actual days spent in Moldova in according to local DSA rate.

Kindly click on the link provided for the complete details of the Terms of Reference (TOR) and Application Requirements:http://www.undp.md/jobs/current_jobs/.