Background

In accordance with UNDP and Global Environment Facility (GEF) Monitoring and Evaluation 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: ``Enhancing Climate Resilience of the Vulnerable Communities and Ecosystems in Somalia’’ (PIMS # 5268).

Project Description

The project is currently implementing National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) priority interventions to enhance climate change resilience of the vulnerable communities and ecosystems in Somalia which aims to minimize climate change impacts and strengthen adaptive resilience capacity at national and regional levels (Somaliland, Puntland and Southern Central Somalia).

The Project Objective is enhanced resilience and improved adaptive capacity of vulnerable Somali communities in pilot areas, and the ecosystems on which they depend, to the adverse impacts of climate change. As set out in the Project Document, this Objective is to be reached through two components.

Component 1 is enhancing policies, institutional frameworks and government capacities. The planned Outcome under Component 1 is “policies, plans and tools reviewed, revised, developed, adopted and implemented by government to mainstream and enhance adaptive capacity and mitigate the risks of climate change on vulnerable communities and critical ecosystem services”.

Component 2 is piloting ecosystem-based adaptation strategies. The planned Outcome under Component 2 is “models of community and ecosystem resilience developed and implemented in pilot areas selected in consultation with government and community stakeholders”.

In summary, Component 1 deals with national capacity, whereas Component 2 deals with local communities, community vulnerability and demonstrating models.

The project’s Theory of Change sets the foundation to mainstream Climate Change Adaptation and Natural Resource Management into Somalia’s nascent national and community governance structures. Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) Financing was used to support ministries, districts, NGOs/CBOs to integrate climate change risks into natural resource management and disaster preparedness. Climate risk management were institutionalized from national to local levels. CBOs were revitalized to take the lead on implementing community-based ecosystem-based flood preparedness and other adaptation measures. To support community-led activities, water is captured using small scale infrastructure and flood impacts are reduced with water diversion techniques and reforestation. With 73% of the population under 30 years of age, youth were sensitized with climate change knowledge so that they can serve understaffed ministries and support CBO efforts on-the-ground. Furthermore, the project empowered women to market and scale-up distribution of adaptation technologies to have an improved asset base. With such activities aimed to support resilience to climate change, in conjunction with other on-going initiatives of relevance outlined in this project document, LDCF resources are expected to also build governing and planning capacities at the national and district levels and to enhance the adaptive capacity of vulnerable populations throughout Somalia.

A range of implementation modalities were used by the project to implement on-ground water harvesting, ecosystem-based adaptation structures and emergency response activities. At the federal level, the project worked closely with the Office of Environment, Office of the Prime Minister (OP), as the main focal point in decision making and coordinating activities of the implemented UNDP/GEF/LDCF project. Somaliland Ministry of Environment and Rural Development (MoERD) and Puntland Ministry of Environment, and Climate Change (MoECC) were also engaged in the implementation of activities under UNDP/GEF/LDCF project. Similarly, the two disaster management agencies in Puntland and Somaliland were also involved in the execution of disaster preparedness and emergency response interventions under the UNDP/GEF/LDCF and drought projects. Private sectors were engaged by the government institutions as well as UNDP direct contracting to implement water Infrastructures and ecosystem-based structures in Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, Hir-Shabelle, and South West State.

The project also engaged with local and international civil society organizations from the platform of NGO Consortium for Somalia. This was part of assessments of drought situation and recommending on response mechanisms.  Also, IOM was sub-contracted by UNDP to implement disaster response and drought intervention in Southern Central Region of Somalia.

The project has an implementation period of four years, having started in January 2015 with the holding of Inception Workshop. TE is to cover the entire Programme, and 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.

Scope of Work

The Terminal Evaluation will be carried out by an International Consultant in collaboration with two national consultants. The review 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 (See Annex A).

The Overall Scope of the terminal evaluation is to assess the achievement of project results, outcome impacts, and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Specific Tasks of the International Consultant are:

• Assess project performance against the evaluation criteria: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact.
• 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) adaptive resilience of vulnerable communities to the adverse impact of Climate Change., b) the transfer and adoption of adaptation technologies to increase the productivity of farmers and pastoralists c) the adaptive capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change, including variability, at local and regional levels
• Provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful by conducting a field mission to Somaliland, Puntland, and Mogadishu.
• Review all relevant sources of information, such as the project document, project reports – including Annual PRs, project budget revisions, midterm review, project files, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the evaluator considers useful for this evidence-based assessment
• 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.
• Develop, test and apply survey questionnaires. A representative random sample of the target population should be interviewed to assess outcomes and establish impact of the project interventions in line with log frame indicators. The project is putting a strong emphasis on the need to collect information’s on outcome indicators
• Design and conduct focus group discussions with relevant community members, both male and female, to assess implementation experiences and effectiveness, document successes, challenges and lessons learned, and develop recommendations for improvement.
• Carry out key informant interviews i.e. consultations with key project stakeholders, including field staff and partners. Guidance on appropriate stakeholders will be provided by project and Country Office staff.
• Collate and analyse data.
• Amend, complete and submit the evaluation questionnaire under Section C below as part of an TE inception report, and shall include it as an annex to the final report.
• Present initial findings to UNDP Somalia Resilience and Climate Change Portfolio, Manager
• Draft final terminal Evaluation Report
• Share revised Final Terminal Evaluation Report with the all stakeholders reviewed inputs.

The outline of the Evaluation report is attached as ANNEX C, Clearance form attached as ANNEX D, while the TE Report audit trail is as ANNEX E.

Evaluation Criteria and Ratings

An assessment of project performance will be carried out, based against expectations set out in the Project Logical Framework/Results Framework attached as ANNEX F, 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.  The Evaluation questions are reflected as ANNEX G. Also, the obligatory rating scales is appended as ANNEX H.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The International Consultant is expected to deliver the following:

Inception Report where the evaluator provides clarifications on timing and method to be completed no later than 2 weeks before the evaluation mission – 4 working days.

Presentation of initial findings to be completed at the end of the evaluation mission – 20 working days

Draft terminal Evaluation Report, where the evaluator provides the full report (per annexed template) with annexes to be completed within 3 weeks of the evaluation mission – 5 working days.

Final Terminal Evaluation Report, where the evaluator provides the revised report and should be completed within 1 week of receiving UNDP Comments on the draft report – 5 working days.

When submitting the final evaluation report, the evaluator is required also to provide an 'audit trail', detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final evaluation report.

Institutional Arrangements

The principal responsibility for managing this evaluation resides with the UNDP County Office in Somalia. The UNDP CO will contract the evaluators and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the evaluation team. The consultant shall work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Resilience and Climate Change, Portfolio Manager. The Project Team will be responsible for liaising with the Evaluators team to set up stakeholder interviews, arrange field visits, coordinate with the Government counterparts including Office of Environment, Office of Prime Minister-Federal Government of Somalia, Somaliland Ministry of Environment and Rural Development, Somaliland Ministry of Water Resources, Somaliland National Agency for Disaster and Food Reserves, Puntland Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Puntland Humanitarian Agency for Disaster Management International Office of Migration (IOM) , Kenya Forest and Research Institute, Hargeisa Water Agency, and Somaliland Amoud University.

Duration of the Work

The total duration of the evaluation will be 34 working days and shall be completed within 2 months according to the following plan:

Preparation/Inception report- From 16 June 2019 to 19 June 2019 – 4 working days

Evaluation Mission – From 20 June 2019 to 17 July 2019 – 20 working days

Draft Evaluation Report – From 18 July 2019 to 24 July 2019 – 5 working days

Final report – From 25 July 2019 to 31 July 2019 – 5 working days

Duty Station

Home based with frequent travel to other regions including Somaliland, Puntland and Mogadishu. On weekly basis the terminal evaluator will report to the UNDP Somalia Portfolio Manager while keeping informed on the overall progress and achievements.

Schedule of Payment

UNDP shall pay the Individual Contractor upon certification by the Resilience and Climate Change, Portfolio Manager that services have been satisfactorily performed and outputs delivered.

Inception Report– 4 working days (11.7%)

Presentation of initial findings - 20 working days (58.8%)

Draft terminal Evaluation Report– 5 working days – (14.7%)

Final Terminal Evaluation Report – 5 working days – (14.7%)

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Achieving results
• Being accountable
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen
• Thinking analytically and strategically
• Ability of Working in teams/self-management
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks
• Results oriented, strong team player
• Comprehensive knowledge of MS Office (Word and Excel)?and use of internet
• Work in an organized and concise manner
• Plans, prioritizes and delivers tasks on time
• Excellent drafting and analytical skills
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors
• Remains calm, in control even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities

Values

• Integrity
• Commitment to UNDP and the UN system
• Embracing diversity

Required Skills and Experience

The evaluation team will be composed of three evaluators (One international consultant and two national consultants. Working in Collaboration with the International Consultant, one national consultant would cover Puntland and Somaliland while the other will cover Federal Government, Galmudug, Hir-Shabelle and South West State. International consultant will prepare an action plan for the nationals for data collection, stakeholders’ meetings and initial analysis of the information collected and will responsible in finalizing the 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.

The International Evaluator should present the following qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master's or PHD) in natural sciences, natural resource and enviromental management, development studies, economics, climate change mitigation and adaptation or any other related discipline.
• Over 10 years of relevant professional experience in environmental sciences, mitigation and adaptation to Climate Change, disaster risk management or related field;
• Experience of leading evaluations/reviews teams for GEF projects
• Substantive and proven experience of conducting terminal reviews in least developed countries context
• Recent experience on result-based management evaluation
• Vast experience of integrated watershed management and sustainable land management
• Experience of ecosystem-based adaptation and GIS mapping and remote sensing of rangelands
• Substantive and proven experience with terminal evaluation/review of donor driven projects (preferably GEF, GCF, or UN and other Intergovernmental projects)
• Excellent English communication skills, Computer literacy and Somali language would be an added asset

The Consultant Code of conduct is appended as ANNEX I.

Recommended Presentation of Offer:

The application must include the following documents in ONE SINGLE PDF DOCUMENT:

Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (See attachment);

Personal CV indicating all experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to) as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references;

Technical Proposal:

Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;

A brief methodology not exceeding five pages on how you will approach and complete the assignment.

Financial Proposal:

To assist UNDP in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount, including a daily fee for the tasks and any other costs (if any) in separate lines as per the template provided (Annex II).   Please do not include costs related to mission travel during the assignment as these will be borne by UNDP.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Applicants will be evaluated based on the combined scoring method using the 70%-30% distribution whereby

the technical proposal will be weighted at a maximum of 70% and combined with a price offer which will be

weighted at 30%.

A two-stage procedure will be used to evaluate offers whereby the technical evaluation will be completed

prior to price comparison. Only applicants obtaining a minimum of 49 points in their technical score will be considered for the financial evaluation.

Technical Qualification Evaluation Criteria: (70% of total evaluation; Maximum 70 points)

A minimum of a master’s degree in relevant discipline(s) such as natural sciences, environmental management, development studies, economics, climate change or related discipline – 10 points

Assessment of the technical proposal – methodology and approach to complete the assignment; Quality of writing and of the presentation = 15 points

Experience and knowledge of the assignment:

Over 10 years’ experience related experience in environmental sciences, mitigation and adaptation to Climate Change, disaster risk management or related field; = 10 points

Experience of integrated watershed management and sustainable land management    = 10 points

Experience of ecosystem services-based adaptations and planning= 5 points

Experience of leading evaluations/reviews teams for GEF projects=10 points

Knowledge of GIS mapping and remote sensing of rangelands at (sub)national level = 5 points

Proven experience of conducting terminal reviews in least developed countries context= 5 points