Background

1. Background
 
The growing emphasis on aid effectiveness stems from the realization that producing good “deliverables” is simply not enough. Efficient or well-managed development projects and outputs will lose their relevance if they yield no discernible and sustainable improvements in development conditions, and ultimately in people’s lives. In order to strengthen its contribution to development results, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as one of the major international development agencies has adopted results-based management (RBM) as its management philosophy.
 
As part of its efforts in enhancing RBM, UNDP has shifted from traditional project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to results-oriented M&E, especially outcome monitoring and evaluation that cover a set of related projects, programmes and strategies intended to bring about a certain outcome. An outcome evaluation assesses how and why an outcome is or is not being achieved in a given country context, and the role that UNDP has played. Outcome evaluations also help to clarify underlying factors affecting the situation, highlight unintended consequences (positive and negative), recommend actions to improve performance in future programming, and generate lessons learned.
 
2. Description of the Outcome to be evaluated
 
The Republic of Azerbaijan is in the process of becoming more integrated into global environmental management structures. It has ratified or acceded to 17 international environmental conventions, and participates in a number of regional initiatives. National commitment to sustainable development is expressed in the national development strategy - State Programme on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development (SPPRSD), aligned with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - and sectoral programmes (for the full list of energy and environment related programmes please see Section H).
 
However, Azerbaijan still continues to experience problems in the field of environmental protection and natural resources management. Growing pollution, oil contamination, desertification and land degradation, biodiversity losses, industrial and municipal waste, climate change and water issues in the transboundary context represent challenges to the sustainable development of the country.
 
UNDP assists the Government of Azerbaijan to address these problems through its Country Programme (CP) covering 2005-2010. In the CP framework UNDP concentrates its environmental assistance under Outcome 2.8 (UNDAF): National environmental protection and natural resource management improved.
 
The outcome coversthree main areas:
  • Biodiversity, climate change and land management: support to implementation of the Government’s Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the fulfillment of selected commitments to the Convention to Combat Desertification, and UNFCCC.
  • Waste management: support to the design of a long-term national programme of waste cleanup, monitoring, and management.
  • Management of international waters: building on existing sub-regional initiatives for the Caspian Sea and the Kura-Araz river basin, support to the Government’s efforts to create a proper system of managing international waters.

The list of outputs and projects contributing to the outcome is provided in Annex 1.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Objective and Scope of the Evaluation
 
The objective of the evaluation is to assess the progress towards Outcome 2.8, and the extent to which UNDP has contributed to this outcome through its project and non-project activities. The evaluation will consider the scope, relevance, efficiency and sustainability of UNDP support. Based on this assessment, the evaluation will make recommendations on how UNDP could improve the prospects of achieving the selected outcome through adjusting its programming, partnership arrangements, resource mobilization strategies, working methods or management structures. The results of the outcome evaluation will be used for re-adjusting the interventions during the remaining period of the current CP (as necessary) and guiding future programming of a similar nature. 
 
Specifically, the outcome evaluation should address the following issues:
 
Outcome analysis
  • Are the stated outcome and indicators appropriate for the development situation in Azerbaijan
  • What and how much progress has been made towards the achievement of the outcome (including contributing factors and constraints)
  • What are the main factors (positive and negative) that affect achievement of the outcome
  • Are UNDP’s contributions to the achievement of the outcome appropriate, sufficient, effective and sustainable
  • Are the monitoring indicators appropriate to measure achievement of the outcome or is there a need for improvement

Output analysis

  • Are the UNDP outputs relevant to the outcome
  • What progress was made in terms of the achievement of UNDP outputs (including an analysis of both project activities and soft-assistance activities[1])?)
  • What are the key outputs that have been or that will most likely be produced by UNDP to contribute to the outcome
  • What are the factors (positive and negative) that affect the accomplishment of the outputs

Output-outcome link

  • Can UNDP’s outputs or other interventions be credibly linked to the achievement of the outcome (including the key outputs, projects and soft assistance that contributed to the outcome)
  • What has been the role of UNDP soft assistance activities in helping achieve the outcome

Resources, partnerships and management analysis

  • Is UNDP’s resource mobilization strategy in this field appropriate and likely to be effective in achieving the outcome
  • Is UNDP’s partnership strategy in this field appropriate and likely to be effective in achieving the outcome
  • Are UNDP’s management structures and working methods appropriate and likely to be effective in achieving the outcome
  • Overall, assessment of the scope, relevance, efficiency and sustainability of UNDP’s resource mobilization, partnership and management arrangements in achieving the outcome.
Recommendations and lessons learnt
  • Based on the above analysis, how should UNDP adjust its programming, partnership arrangements, resource mobilization strategies, working methods and/or management structures to ensure that the proposed outcome is fully achieved by the end of the CP period
  • Provide recommendations on how the programme can most effectively continue to support the Government and civil society in improving environmental management efforts in a medium to long-term perspective.
  • Assess possible links to other existing UNDP programmes and those of other UN Agencies.
  • Summarize the main lessons from the outcome evaluation that may have universal validity.
2. Products Expected from the Evaluation
 
The key product expected from the outcome evaluation is a comprehensive analytical report in English that should, at least, include the following content (please refer to Annex 2 for the suggested format of the report):
  • Executive summary
  • Introduction
  • Description of the evaluation methodology
  • An analysis of the situation with regard to the outcome, the outputs, resources,  the partnership, management and working methods strategy
  • Key findings (including best practice and lessons learned)
  • Conclusions, including rating on progress towards the outcome and progress towards outputs, and recommendations for future programme implementation
  • Annexes: TOR, people interviewed, documents reviewed, etc.
3. Methodology /Evaluation Approach
 
Overall guidance on outcome evaluation methodologies is provided in the UNDP Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluation for Results and the UNDP Guidelines for Outcome Evaluators.
 
Based on these guiding documents, and in consultation with UNDP Azerbaijan, the evaluator is expected to develop a suitable methodology for this outcome evaluation. While deciding on the specific evaluation methodology is the responsibility of the evaluation consultant, the following elements should be taken into account for the gathering and analysis of data:
  • Desk review of relevant documents;
  • Discussions with the UNDP Azerbaijan Senior Management and programme staff;
  • Interviews with and participation of partners and stakeholders; and
  • Site visits to selected key projects as necessary.
4. Tasks and Responsibilities of the Evaluation Consultant  
 
The Evaluation Consultant will have the overall responsibility for the evaluation. His/her responsibilities shall include (but are not limited to) the following:
  1. Lead and manage the evaluation mission;
  2. Design the concrete evaluation approach/methodology and specific action plan for the outcome evaluation;
  3. Conduct the outcome evaluation based on the prescribed guidelines and approved methodology and action plan;
  4. Conduct consultations and interviews with key partners from implementing agencies, projects, donors, international organizations and local NGOs active in the area of Energy and Environment;
  5. Document  and consolidate findings;
  6. Draft and present the initial evaluation report to UNDP Azerbaijan for comments;
  7. Finalize the evaluation report in English and submit it to UNDP.
 5. Implementation Arrangements, Timeframe and Reporting
 
To facilitate the outcome evaluation process, UNDP Azerbaijan will set up an Evaluation Focal Team (EFT). The EFT will assist in connecting the evaluation consultant with the senior management, key stakeholders and provide both substantive and logistical support to the consultant, ensure organization of meetings/site visits and comment on the draft evaluation report. The team will include the Assistant Resident Representative (ARR)/Head of Poverty and Environment Cluster, Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Point and one staff member from the Operations Unit. The ARR with support of the EFT members will assist the evaluator to develop a detailed plan for the evaluation; organize meetings and conduct site visits; and identify key partners for interviews by the evaluation consultant. However, the consultant will be fully independent and will retain flexibility to determine the best approach in collecting and analyzing data for the outcome evaluation.
 
The evaluation will be conducted for 19 days in the period from 24 November 2009 to 20 January 2010.

Competencies

  • Professional maturity, high ethical values and strong analytical skills
  • Ability to communicate effectively 
  • Skills in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations

Required Skills and Experience

  • University Degree, preferably in environmental management, sustainable development, or other related fields;
  • At least five years of work experience in the field of environmental management, preferably in areas related to the climate change, alternative energy, land management;
  • Substantive experience in programme/outcome/project evaluation and proven knowledge about results-based management; 
  • Familiarity with or exposure to a variety of development organizations including UN, government agencies, private donors, NGOs and academia;
  • Familiarity with and previous experience in the CIS countries will be an asset;
  • Fluency in English; working knowledge of Russian will be an asset;
  • Strong analytical, writing, presentation and interpersonal skills.