Antecedentes
Project Title
5th Operational Phase of the GEF Small Grants Programme in India
Project Description
This is the Terms of Reference for the UNDP-GEF Midterm Review (MTR) of the full-sized project titled 5th Operational Phase of the GEF Small Grants Programme (PIMS #4515) implemented through the Centre for Environment Education (CEE), which is to be undertaken in 2015. The project started on the 31st October 2012 and is in its third year of implementation. In line with the UNDP-GEF Guidance on MTRs, this MTR process was initiated before the submission of the second Project Implementation Report (PIR). The MTR process must follow the guidance outlined in the document Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects.
The project was designed to ensure a mosaic of land uses and community practices across the rural landscape that provide sustainable livelihoods while generating global benefits for biodiversity conservation, climate change and land degradation. The project will enable a shift away from unsustainable practices by (i) mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into production landscapes and sectors, (ii) promoting energy efficient and renewable energy technologies in rural communities in targeted landscapes in India, (iii) maintaining and improving flows of agro and forest ecosystem services in dry lands of Arid and Semi Arid Regions to sustain livelihoods of local communities and (iv) cross cutting, capacity development and knowledge management.
Deberes y responsabilidades
The MTR team will consist of three independent consultants that will conduct the MTR – one team leader (with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions globally) and two team experts from an institution, usually from India (one with experience on Energy Efficiency, Waste and Climate Change, and another with experience on Biodiversity, Land Degradation and livelihoods).
The MTR team will first conduct a document review of project documents (i.e. PIF, Project Document, Project Inception Report, PIR, Finalized GEF focal Area Tracking Tools, Financial and Administration guidelines used by Project Team, project operational guidelines, manuals and systems, etc.) provided by the Project Team and Commissioning Unit. Then they will participate in a MTR inception workshop to clarify their understanding of the objectives and methods of the MTR, producing the MTR inception report thereafter. The MTR mission will then consist of interviews and site visits (about 10 numbers) to the projects identified from the list of beneficiaries and their locations that will be provided separately.
The MTR team will assess the following four categories of project progress and produce a draft and final MTR report. Along with the draft MTR powerpoint presentation recommendations for PIF GEF 6 shall also be provided.
Project Strategy
Project Design:
- Review the problem addressed by the project; and
- Review the relevance of the project strategy; and
- Review how the project addresses country priorities;
- Review decision-making processes.
Results Framework/Log-frame
Undertake a critical analysis of the project’s log-frame indicators and targets, assess how “SMART” the midterm and end-of-project targets are (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound), and suggest specific amendments/revisions to the targets and indicators as necessary.
Examine if progress so far has led to, or could in the future catalyse beneficial development effects (i.e. income generation, gender equality and women’s empowerment, improved governance etc...) that should be included in the project results framework and monitored on an annual basis.
Progress Towards Results
- Review the log-frame indicators against progress made towards the end-of-project targets; populate the Progress Towards Results Matrix, as described in the Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects; colour code progress in a “traffic light system” based on the level of progress achieved; assign a rating on progress for the project objective and each outcome; make recommendations from the areas marked as “not on target to be achieved” (red);
- Compare and analyse the GEF Tracking Tool at the Baseline with the one completed right before the Midterm Review.
- Identify remaining barriers to achieving the project objective;
- By reviewing the aspects of the project that have already been successful, identify ways in which the project can further expand these benefits;
- Project Implementation and Adaptive Management.
Using the Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects; assess the following categories of project progress:
- Management Arrangements;
- Work Planning;
- Finance and co-finance;
- Project-level monitoring and evaluation systems;
- Stakeholder Engagement;
- Reporting;
- Communications.
Sustainability:
Assess overall risks to sustainability factors of the project in terms of the following four categories:
- Financial risks to sustainability;
- Socio-economic risks to sustainability;
- Institutional framework and governance risks to sustainability;
- Environmental risks to sustainability.
The MTR consultant/team will include a section in the MTR report setting out the MTR’s evidence-based conclusions, in light of the findings.
Additionally, the MTR consultant/team is expected to make recommendations to the Project Team. Recommendations should be succinct suggestions for critical intervention that are specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant. A recommendation table should be put in the report’s executive summary. The MTR consultant/team should make no more than 15 recommendations total. The MTR team will also provide inputs for the PIF (Project Identification Form) for SGP GEF 6 cycle.
Competencias
Functional Competencies:
- Demonstrated skills and experience in conservation project implementation and management;
- Knowledgeable on conservation institutions and projects in the country, conservation issues and priorities, and related policies and legislations particularly in relation to shifting cultivation;
- Demonstrable analytical skills;
- Knowledge of UNDP and GEF.
Core Competencies:
- Demonstrates commitment to UNDP's mission, vision and values;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.
Habilidades y experiencia requeridas
Education:
- Master's degree in Social Sciences, or other closely related field.
Experience:
- Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 10 years;
- Should have experience and familiarity with assessments of policies, strategies and possess sufficient knowledge of land degradation and desertification issues at the national and local levels is necessary;
- Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
- Previous experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
- Experience applying SMART targets and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
- Competence in adaptive management, as applied to all the 5 GEF Thematic Areas, i.e. Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change, Land Degradation, Persistent Organic Pollutants, and International Waters;
- Experience of working with the GEF or GEF-evaluations;
- Experience of working in India;
- Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and all the above stated GEF Thematic Areas; experience in gender sensitive evaluation and analysis;
- Project evaluation/review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset.
Language:
- Writing and communication will be in English, and he/she must have excellent communication skills in English;
- Working knowledge of Hindi is desirable.
Payment Schedule:
- 30% upon submission of the Inception Report;
- 30% on presentation of findings;
- 20% on draft MTR report submission and acceptance;
- 10% upon finalization of the MTR report.
Documents to be submitted:
- Completed Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;
- Personal CV or a P11 Personal History form, 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 approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment; (max 1 page)
- Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total per day consultancy rate (including 09 field visits). All other travel related costs (such as flight ticket, boarding & lodging, etc), will be paid at actual, duly supported with bills, by the shortest and the most economical route and approved by UNDP prior to travel. Expenses for domestic travel - from New Delhi to the project sites and field visits –will paid by UNDP, on reimbursement basis. This will not include personal phone calls internet usage, laundry, minibar and other related personal expenses. This should not be included in the financial proposal.
- If an applicant is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
- The ‘Midterm Review Evaluative Matrix Template’.
Evaluation Criteria:
Cumulative analysis
The award of the contract will be made to the Individual Consultant who has obtained the highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions. Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated.
The offers will be evaluated using the “Combined Scoring method” where:
- The educational background and experience on similar assignmentswill be weighted a max. of 70%;
- Qualification of the Consultant: 20 Marks;
- Relevant work Experience: 20 Marks;
- Proposed Work Plan for undertaking the task: 20 Marks;
- Time Line for completion of the Task: 10 Marks;
- The price proposal will weigh as 30% of the total scoring.
Detailed ToR can be accessed at the following link:
For any clarification please write to manikandan.srinivasan@undp.org specifying subject of ToR in the email.
Notes:
- Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone etc. would not be reimbursed;
- Individuals working with institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of institution for the specific services of individual;
- Please note proposals without financial proposal will not be considered;
- CV and Financial proposal can be clubbed in one file for uploading;
- The consultants must bring his/her own computing equipment.