Historique

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Afghanistan is comprised of 27 agencies. While each of the UN agencies operating in Afghanistan is pursuing its specific mandate, they all operate under the framework of the Resident Coordinator System and the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), covering the years 2015-2019, and designed on the basis of the diagnostic analysis of Afghanistan as provided by the 2013 Common Country Assessment (CCA). The UNDAF 2015-2019 focusses on five priority areas: 1. Equitable Economic Development; 2. Basic Social Services; 3. Social Equity and Investment in Human Capital; 4. Justice and Rule of Law and 5. Accountable Governance. (These areas are referred to as the Pillars).

Following a review of the previous UNDAF, covering the years 2010-2014, the UN Country Team (UNCT) is keen to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation element of the present UNDAF. The UNCT is currently seeking consultancy support to work with the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) and the UN Monitoring & Evaluation Working Group (M&E WG) in finalising the UNDAF M&E framework.

In addition to this aspect of the M&E work, the UN Communication Group (UNCG) has developed an integrated communications strategy, and is also developing a work plan. All UNCG work will align with, and support, the thematic areas and activities of the UNDAF.

More broadly, the Government of Afghanistan and the UNCT have also discussed capacity building, and how better to strengthen that. The Programme Management Team (PMT) of the UNCT has considered how this can be taken forward from the current basis of various agencies supporting capacity building, but without any shared standards for its measurement or evaluation.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Scope of Work and Deliverables:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to:

• Strengthen the M&E elements of UNDAF 2015-2019 in order to ensure results are measurable, overall UNDAF accountability is improved;
• Support the UNCG in facilitating their development of clear M&E indicators and an M&E plan in their workplan; and
• Support the M&E Group and PMT in developing indicators for capacity building.

Specifically, the consultant is expected to accomplish the following tasks:

Facilitate a review of the M&E component of the UNDAF

• Through consultations with the M&E WG and the UNDAF pillars groups, review the UNDAF Results Matrix to ensure that the indicators are appropriate (output/ outcome level) and populated with relevant, measurable, accurate and up-to-date baseline, targets and means of verification.Special attention will be given to ensure the inclusion of indicators to measure capacity development across the five UNDAF pillars. The review will take into consideration the lessons learned from the review of the UNDAF 2010-2014 and the 2015 Integrated Annual Work Plans (IAWPs);
• Facilitate the compilation of a comprehensive M&E calendar integrating all M&E events required for monitoring and evaluating the UNDAF. Taking the UNDAF Result Matrix as a point of reference, identify data gaps to be addressed and provide key recommendations to facilitate assessment of results;
• Facilitate the development of a corresponding UNDAF M&E Plan, elaborating on the monitoring methods to be used, timing, responsibilities as well as M&E cost.

Review UN Communication Strategy work plan and M&E framework:

• Through consultations with the UNCG, review the Communication Strategy M&E framework, to ensure that the indicators are appropriate (output/outcome level) and populated with relevant, accurate and up-to-date baseline, targets and means of verification.

Facilitate a workshop for the M&E Group outlining best practice in monitoring and evaluating capacity building work.

• Provide the UNDAF pillar members and the UN M&E focal points with hands-on training on M&E and Results-Based Management (RBM);
• UNDAF implementations follow up methods of relation with various UN working groups.

Expected Outputs, Deliverables and Timelines:

Deliverables/Outputs; Estimated Duration to Complete; Review and Approvals Required

• Desk review; 4 working days;
• Review the UNDAF 2015-2019 Results Matrix; 2 working days;
• M&E Calendar; 5 working days; To be shared with and approved by M&E working group and PMT;
• Review the Communications Strategy M&E Framework; 2 working days; to be shared with and approved by Communications Work group and PMT;
• Draft a training package for the M&E focal points; 3 working days;
• Deliver training to the M&E focal points; 3 working days;
• Submission of final report and acceptance by RCO; 5 working days; to be shared with and approved by the RC Office, M&E working group and PMT.

Working arrangement:

Institutional Arrangements

The Consultant will be expected to work in collaboration with the RC Office and relevant UN working groups. The M&E working group shall assist the process at the design, implementation and report stages. It shall also prepare, as far as possible, all necessary documentation for the consultant to complete the desk review in advance. Day-to-day management will be ensured through the RC office in support of the M&E working group.

The specific work arrangement is as follow:

• The consultant shall report to the Head of RCO, M&E working group, Communications focal point and the Programme Management Team;
• Progress will be reported on a weekly basis/on accomplishment of each deliverable, at the start of each week;
• The consultant shall liaise with members of the M&E working group, Communications focal point, and agencies’ focal points in the event of any difficulties securing material from the agencies, and Head of the RCO;
• RCO shall provide local transport, office accommodation and logistical support.
• The consultant will be based in the RC office.

Duration of the Work:

The estimated time for this consultancy is 4 Weeks covering maximum 24 working days, of which at least one week shall be home-based, reviewing documents and preparing final report.

• Desk review;
• Review the UNDAF 2015-2019 Results Matrix;
• M&E Calendar;
• Review the Communications Strategy M&E Framework;
• Draft a training package for the M&E focal points;
• Deliver training to the M&E focal points;
• Final report.

Duty Station

The consultant shall work exclusively at Kabul and one week from home as detailed above.

Price proposal and schedule of payments:

The contractor shall submit a price proposal as below:

Daily Fee – The contractor shall propose a daily fee, which should be inclusive of his professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical health insurance and evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is maximum 24 working days.

The contractor shall propose a Living allowance at the Kabul applicable rate of USD 181 per night for his/her stay at the duty station. The number of nights for which the Living allowance shall be payable under the contract is 21 nights. The contractor is NOT allowed to stay in a place of his choice other than the UNDSS approved places. UNDP will provide MORSS compliant accommodation in Green Village (GV) to the contractor. The payment of GV accommodation shall be made directly to GV by the contractor.

Travel & Visa – The contractor shall propose an estimated lump-sum for home-kabul-home travel (economy most direct route) and Afghanistan visa expenses.

The total professional fee, shall be converted into a lump-sum contract and payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables under the contract in accordance with the schedule of payment linked with deliverables.

Evaluation method and criteria:

The candidates will be evaluated base on a cumulative analysis of technical and financial assessment as follow:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable;
• Relevance of experience/ description of approach/ methodology to assignment and relevance of education; and
• Strong report writing skills.

Technical Criteria-Maximum 70 points:

• Criteria A Report Writing skills- Max 20 Points;
• Criteria B Relevance of experience- Max 30 Points;
• Criteria C Description of approach/methodology to assignment-Max 10 Points;
• Criteria D Interview- Max 10 Points.

Financial Proposal- Maximum 30 Points.

Compétences

• Strong analytical skills to their work, and shall be able to quickly build close working relations with people from a diverse range of cultures;
• Very good understanding of UN programming processes;
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience with M&E and RBM.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• At least a Master’s degree in one of the following: Development, Social Science, Public Administration, Economics or related fields.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in monitoring and evaluation and/or strategic planning, especially related to capacity building;
• Previous experience with “Delivering as One” or UN coherence countries would be advantageous;
• Knowledge and experience with Human Rights Based Approach to Programming (HRBAP) is an asset.
• Previous experience working on M&E frameworks related to communications is an asset;
• S/he should have excellent M&E experience and skills.

Language:

• Excellent knowledge of English.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);
• Personal CV or P11, 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.

Technical proposal:

• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
• A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
• Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II).