Background
To address the impacts of climate change on food security, two initiatives – one global and one regional, were implemented in 2013. First, the Climate Change Adaptation Facility (CCAF) was established by Canada in partnership with UNDP. This facility incorporates six national projects that scale up or extend projects previously supported by the Global Environment Facility’s Least Developed Countries Fund (GEF/LDCF). The CCAF projects are being undertaken in Cambodia, Cape Verde, Haiti, Mali, Niger and Sudan. They all similarly aim to strengthen resilient approaches to agriculture and water management, with an emphasis on gender-sensitive approaches.
In 2014, a global component of the CCAF was launched, which aims to promote south-south cooperation and enhance understanding about initiatives that address adaptation, especially the gender dimensions. This global component has three outcomes: i) establishing cooperation and communication among the six national projects, ii) enhancing effective knowledge management on the experiences and lessons emerging from this portfolio, and iii) ensuring that results related to gender are documented and shared to inform broader adaptation processes. In accordance with UNDP M&E policies and procedures, UNDP supported projects are required to undergo a terminal evaluation upon completion of implementation. These terms of reference (TOR) set out the expectations for a Terminal Evaluation (TE) of the global project: Canada-UNDP Climate Change Adaptation Facility.
Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of work:
The Terminal Evaluator (TE) will only cover the global component of the CCAF:
- This global component has three main outcomes: Global coordination of CCAF portfolio of climate change adaptation projects is operational and visible;
- Global knowledge management of climate change adaptation experiences and lessons emerging from CCAF portfolio of projects is enhanced and effective;
- Gender results from CCAF project portfolio inform broader adaptation processes.
To fulfill these outcomes, the project was involved in three areas of activities, including: i) establishing cooperation and communication among the six national projects, ii) enhancing effective knowledge management on the experiences and lessons emerging from this portfolio, and iii) ensuring that results related to gender are documented and shared to inform broader adaptation processes.
Given that this project is building on and scaling up GEF-LDCF projects, this first phase of the project will also be considered during the evaluation. In addition, the TE for this global component of the CCAF will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP as reflected in the ‘UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects’ , henceforth referred to as ‘TE Guidance’. An overall approach and method for conducting project terminal evaluations of UNDP supported projects can be found in Handbook on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results.
The objectives of the evaluation are to assess the achievement of project results, and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming. This would include both an internal-focused document evaluating the project itself, as well as an external document which promotes the benefits of the project and provides results, lessons learned and concrete recommendations for ensuring continuity of its approach.
The evaluator is expected to frame the evaluation effort using the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, as defined and explained in the TE Guidance. A set of questions covering each of these criteria will be provided to the selected evaluator. The evaluator is expected to amend, complete and submit this matrix as part of an evaluation inception report, and shall include it as an annex to the final report.
The evaluation must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The evaluator is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with all project stakeholders (at the global, regional and national levels). The evaluator shall interview at minimum: Team Leader and Senior Technical Advisor for Climate Change; CCAF Project coordinator; UNDP Gender Specialist ; Regional Technical Advisors covering each of the six national projects; other regional and global UNDP staff engaged in the implementation of the project (e.g. gender focal points, communications focal points); project team and Country Office focal points from each of the six national projects; Government counterparts in the six CCAF countries.
The consultant will review all relevant sources of information (which will be provided by UNDP), such as the project document, project reports – including annual reports, project budget revisions, project files, knowledge products, and any other materials that the evaluator considers useful for this evidence-based assessment.
An assessment of project performance will be carried out, based against expectations set out in the Project Logical Framework/Results Framework, 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. Ratings must be provided on the following performance criteria:
- Monitoring and Evaluation design at entry
- Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Implementation
- Overall quality of M&E
- Relevance
- Effectiveness
- Efficiency
- Overall Project Outcome Rating
- Quality of UNDP Implementation – Implementing Agency (IA)
- Quality of Execution - Executing Agency (EA)
- Overall quality of Implementation / Execution
- Sustainability of Financial resources
- Socio-political Sustainability
- Institutional framework and governance sustainability
- Environmental sustainability
- Overall likelihood of sustainability
The completed Required Ratings table (as found in the TE Guidance) must be included in the evaluation executive summary. The obligatory rating scales can be found in the TE Guidance.
The evaluation will 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. Results from recent financial audits, as available, should be taken into consideration.
The evaluation will assess the extent to which the project was successfully mainstreamed with other UNDP priorities, including poverty alleviation, improved governance, the prevention and recovery from natural disasters, and gender.
The evaluator will 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) verifiable improvements in ecological status, b) verifiable reductions in stress on ecological systems, and/or c) demonstrated progress towards these impact achievements [a useful tool for gauging progress to impact is the 2009 Review of Outcomes to Impacts (ROtI) method developed by the GEF Evaluation Office].
The evaluation report must include a chapter providing a set of conclusions, recommendations and lessons. One focus of this section should be on how the model presented by the CCAF global component is effective at complementing the broader UNDP national project portfolio, and how this could potentially be replicated or scaled up.
Expected outputs and deliverables:
The evaluator is expected to deliver:
Evaluation Report: This report will apply the above criteria to do an in-depth analysis of the project, its deliverables and impact. It will be targeted primarily at internal audiences and the donor to understand the results of the project:
- Inception Report: with detail methodology and approach of the Terminal Evaluation process. To be delivered two weeks after contract signature;
- Presentation of Initial Findings: Once all interviews and research have been completed, within three weeks of submission of Inception Report;
- Draft Final Report: Full report as per required template and including annexes. To be delivered by within one month of the presentation of initial findings;
- Final Report: Revised report including an ‘audit trail’, detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final evaluation report. To be submitted within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft.
Results and Recommendations Report: This report will be external-facing, and focus primarily on the results/impact achieved by the project, lessons learned, and recommendations for how this approach could be expanded or replicated in future work:
- Inception Report: Evaluator submits a concept note, including timing and methodology. To be delivered within three weeks of contract signature
- Presentation of Initial Findings: Once all interviews and research has been completed, within one month of Inception Report;
- Draft Final Report: Full report as per required template and including annexes. To be delivered by within one month of presentation of initial findings;
- Final Report: Revised report to be submitted within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft.
Both reports shall be written in English and according to the provided outlines. All outputs will be reviewed and approved by CCFA project manager
Payment schedule:
Evaluation Report:
- Inception Report: 5%
- Presentation on initial findings: 10%
- First Draft Terminal Evaluation Report: 15%
- Final Terminal Evaluation Report; within one week of receiving UNDP comments on draft: 20%
Results and recommendation Report:
- Inception Report: 5%
- Presentation on initial findings: 10%
- First Draft Terminal Evaluation Report: 15%
- Final Terminal Evaluation Report; within one week of receiving UNDP comments on draft: 20 %
Information on Working Arrangements:
- The consultant will work from home;
- The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
- All templates and log frame will be provided by UNDP;
- The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
- The consultant will be supervised by the CCAF Project Manager;
- The consultant will report weekly via email and skype calls to the Supervisor;
- Payments will be made upon satisfactory delivery of outputs and submission of a certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor on outputs delivered.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UN/UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Functional Competencies:
- Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
Communication:
- Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
Teamwork:
- Ability to work in a team, good decision-making skills, communication and writing skills;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
Professionalism:
- Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict resolution skills;
- Capability to work effectively under deadline pressure and to take on a range of responsibilities;
- Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in climate change, international development, natural resource management, or a related field (max 20 points).
Experience:
- Minimum seven years of relevant professional experience in project evaluation (max 20 points);
- Knowledge of/experience with UNDP monitoring and evaluation policies and procedures (max 10 points);
- Previous experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies (max 10 points);
- Experience in climate change adaptation is desirable (max 5 points);
- Experience with evaluating GEF financed projects is an advantage (max 5 points).
Language:
- Fluency in written and spoken English and French is required (max 10 points);
- Good knowledge of Portuguese is an asset (max 5 points).
Evaluation Method:
- Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. Incomplete applications will not be considered;
- Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the technical criteria will be weighted at 70% and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;
- The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max 85 points] and methodology [max 5 points]) will be based on a maximum 90 points. Only the top 3 candidates that have achieved a minimum of 63 points from the review of the technical criteria will be deemed technically qualified and considered for financial evaluation;
- Financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;
- The financial proposal shall specify a lump sum fee, including breakdown per deliverable as outlined above. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of the fee (including number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment).
- Applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract.
Documentation to be submitted:
- Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) to be downloaded from the below link;
- Proposed Methodology for the Completion of Services. The applicant must describe how s/he will address/deliver the demands of the assignment, providing a short high level description of the Implementation Plan and anticipated number of work days;
- Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application.
Kindly note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach).
UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.
General Conditions of Contract for the ICs: