UNDP Jobs - 21528- Mid-term evaluator

Mid-term evaluator

Location :

Home based with travel

Type of Contract :

Other

Starting Date :

04-Apr-2011

Application Deadline :

06-Mar-11 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Other

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 yr - part time based on days worked for each evaluation

Languages Required :

English French Spanish

Expected Duration of Assignment :

around 6 months

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

Description of the assignment: Establish a Roster of Technically Qualified Consultants to conduct mid-term evaluations for 2011-2012
Project name: Millennium Development Achievement Fund
Period of assignment/services (if applicable): 8 weeks as a total, broken down in phases.

1. BACKGROUND

In December 2006, UNDP and the Government of Spain signed a major agreement to programme €528 million through the UN development system towards key MDG and related development goals. The UNDP-Spain MDG Achievement Fund (MDG-F) seeks to accelerate progress towards attainment of the MDGs in participating countries by supporting policies that promise high impact, scaling-up of successful models, and innovations in development practice.
The Fund operates through UN Country Teams and actively strives to strengthen inter-agency coherence and effectiveness. Substantively the MDG-F will focus on the following eight key development challenges which are widely acknowledged as central to the achievement of MDGs and internationally agreed development goals: Democratic governance; gender equality; basic social needs including youth and employment; economic and private sector development; environment and climate change; conflict prevention and peace building; cultural diversity and development, private sector children and nutrition and gender and women’s empowerment. A robust results monitoring and evaluation framework is under implementation in order to track and measure the overall impact of this historic contribution to the MDGs and to multilateralism.
The MDG-F M&E strategy is based on the principles and standards of UNEG and OEDC/DAC regarding evaluation quality and independence. The strategy builds on the information needs and interests of the different stakeholders while pursuing a balance between their accountability and learning purposes. The strategy’s main objectives are:
1. To learn from and improve joint programmes to attain development results.

2. To determine the worth and merit of joint programmes towards progress in the MDGS, human development and the generation of public policies focusing on its design, process and results.

3. To obtain and compile knowledge and lessons learned obtained from these development interventions and use them as a major input in the process of designing and implementing interventions that aim to have an impact on the MDGs, Paris Declaration principles and One UN.

Under the MDG-F M&E strategy and Programme Implementation Guidelines, each programme team is responsible for designing an M&E system for each joint programme, establishing baselines for (quantitative and qualitative) indicators and a final evaluation with a summative focus.
In addition, for joint programmes lasting more than 2 years, the MDG-F Secretariat is commissioning mid-term evaluations with a formative focus. As well as a total of 9-focus country evaluations (Ethiopia, Mauritania, Morocco, Timor-Leste, Philippines, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Honduras and Ecuador) that have been planned to study more in depth the effects of joint programmes in the context of a country.
The MDG-F Secretariat is seeking a pool of high-qualified consultants to carry mid-term evaluations, prescribed in the MDG-F M&E strategy. The end result of the process will be an approved roster to which UNDP will select the appropriate consultant for specific assignments.

Duties and Responsibilities

2. SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK

The consultants are expected to assess and evaluate different dimensions of joint programmes (design, process and results) based on the terms of reference designed by the MDG-F Secretariat for each one of the 8 thematic windows comprising the MDG-F. Each joint programme will customize these terms of reference, before actual evaluation work starts.
All evaluations will follow a 3 stage process comprising, the review and analysis of documents and archives, the conduction of field work and developing a final draft and a final report of the evaluation, consequently, all evaluations will entail desk review and fieldwork. The missions to conduct fieldwork will typically last 10 to 15 days. When the selection of candidates is completed; the consultants will be offered different assignments, depending on the consultant’s availability and MDG-F needs. To ensure some continuity and further consolidation of results across countries and/or thematic windows, consultants would be expected to conduct more than one evaluation per year trying to specialize in one or various thematic windows.
The usual rapid mid-term evaluation will consist on a systematic and swift analysis of the worth of a joint program based on the scope and criteria enclosed in their specific TOR through a reliable evidence-based yet abbreviated and light process. This will enable to obtain conclusions and recommendations in a period of approximately 3 to 4 months. The rapid mid-term evaluation starts with the customization of TOR for each joint program and finalizes when an improvement plan has been agreed between the Secretariat and the Joint program team and the dissemination activities have been completed. Payments will be disbursed on tranches against products delivered, the first one, upon submission and acceptance by Secretariat of the inception report. A second payment upon delivery and approval of a final draft of the evaluation report. And the balance after delivery and approval of the final report.

Competencies

III. Competencies:
• Conceptual and critical thinking as well as analytical skills
• Conversant in monitoring, evaluation and/or social research methodologies (qualitative/quantitative)
• Extensive knowledge and analytical skills based on studies, research, experience, or occupation in MDG-F one or more thematic areas
• Proficiency in Spanish, English and/or French (written and spoken) will be a requirement depending on the countries where the assignments will take place.
Knowledge on:
• MDGs, Development Effectiveness (Paris Declaration, Accra Agenda for Action) United Nations and other Multilateral Development Actors as well as bilateral donor processes and interventions.
• Evaluation experiences and knowledge within United Nations system will be considered an asset;
• Evaluation experiences and knowledge on countries where MDG-F operates will be considered an asset providing that the independence of the evaluator is not compromised
• Excellent communication skills
• Computer proficiency;

Required Skills and Experience

I. Academic Qualifications:
• A master degree or equivalent on international development, public policy, social science, engineering or related field is a requirement. Further education or a concentration in monitoring and/or evaluation would be an asset.
II. Years of experience:
A combination of 5 years of recognized expertise in:
• Conducting or managing evaluations, assessments, audits, research or review of development projects, programmes, countries or thematic areas and
• Having thematic expertise in, one of the MDG-F windows, international development programmes and or assessing or evaluating one or more of the MDG-F thematic areas; ( youth and employment; economic and private sector development; environment and climate change; conflict prevention and peace building; cultural diversity and development, economic governance, children and nutrition, gender and women’s empowerment).

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:
1. Proposal:
(i) Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work (250 words)
(ii) Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct an evaluation of these characteristics (250 words)
(iii) A current and complete C.V. in English with indication of 3 references as well as the permanent e-mail and phone contact.
• The Secretariat will cross check your previous work experience and expertise
• If shortlisted the Secretariat may ask the applicant to share one or various of his/her previous works to asses competencies and skills of the applicant
• The Secretariat reserves the right to inquire and interview the applicant on their experience and skills
• Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in various evaluation assignments during the next year.
• Not compliance or unsatisfactory delivery of products will be a cause for not continuation or termination of evaluation assignments
• THE MDG-F applies fair and transparent selection process that would take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants.
Due to large number of applicants, we will contact only the shortlisted candidates.
To inquire further for UNDP IC Generic Terms and Conditions, please follow this link:
http://www.undp.org/procurement/operate.shtml#_Conditions_of_Contract

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL
Technically Compliant Candidates will be requested to submit a financial proposal at a later stage. The Secretariat will do cumulative analysis in selecting the best candidate 70% for Technical and 30% for financial.

EVALUATION
2. Cumulative analysis
When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) 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; The Secretariat will do cumulative analysis in selecting the best candidate 70% for Technical and 30% for financial.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation
Criteria Weight Max. Point
Technical
Technical expertise on evaluation 30% 5
Technical expertise on development and specific thematic expertise 30% 5
Proficiency in Spanish, English, French 15% 5
Knowledge on MDGs, Development Effectiveness and UN Reform (Delivering as One) 10% 5
Past experience or relevant thematic experience and/or knowledge on MDG-F countries 10% 5
Evaluation or relevant thematic experience and/or knowledge within the United Nations system 5% 5
The individual consultant/contractor has demonstrated an OUTSTANDING capacity for the analyzed competence. 5
(outstanding)
The individual consultant/contractor has demonstrated a VERY GOOD capacity for the analyzed competence. 4
(Very good)
The individual consultant/contractor has demonstrated a GOOD capacity for the analyzed competence. 3
(Good)
The individual consultant/contractor has demonstrated a SATISFACTORY capacity for the analyzed competence. 2
(Satisfactory)
The individual consultant/contractor has demonstrated a WEAK capacity for the analyzed competence. 1
(Poor)
Further Annexes, information for the Mid-term evaluations can be found at: www.undp.org/mdgf, Resources, Job Oportunities.

Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to the address or e-mail deborah.quintana@undp.org or adan.ruiz@undp.org . The MDG-F will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.