Background
In accordance with UNDP and AF M&E policies and procedures, all regular sized UNDP supported AF financed projects are required to undergo a terminal evaluation upon completion of implementation. These terms of reference (TOR) sets out the expectations for a Terminal Evaluation (TE) of the “Ecosystem Based Adaptation Approach to Maintaining Water Security in Critical Water Catchments in Mongolia” (MON/12/301) project (PIMS #4505).
Project summary:
Project Title: | “Ecosystem Based Adaptation Approach to Maintaining Water Security in Critical Water Catchments in Mongolia” (MON/12/301) project | |||||
AF Project ID: | MNG/MIE/EBA/2011/1 |
| at endorsement (Million US$) | at completion (Million US$) | ||
UNDP Project ID: | 00079875 | AF financing: | 5,069,124 | 4,440778.07 | ||
Country: | Mongolia | IA/EA own: |
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Region: | Asia-Pacific | Government: In kind contributions | 5,000,000 |
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Executing Agency: | Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) | Other: UNDP | 500,000 | 492,062.66 | ||
Other Partners involved: | UNDP | Total co-financing: |
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| Total Project Cost: | 10,569,124 | 4,932,840.73 | ||
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| ProDoc Signature (date project began): | 18 Nov 2011 | |||
(Operational) Closing Date: | Proposed: 31 Dec 2017 | Actual: 31 Dec 2017 |
PROJECT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Mongolia is witnessing significant alterations to water and ambient air temperatures and precipitation patterns. Both the frequency and severity of extreme weather events are increasing. From 1940 to 2007, the annual mean air temperature in Mongolia increased by approximately 2.140C. This is three times higher than the global average. Warming is projected to further increase up to 50C by the end of the 21st century.
To address the additional ecological challenges presented by climate change, there is still an urgent need to conserve and rehabilitate the ecosystem services upon which Mongolia’s rural economy, traditional culture, and rich biodiversity depend. This required a paradigm shift to ensure that the very foundation of human livelihood - ecosystems and their services - is sufficiently resilient to climate change pressure, and to enable communities to adapt to climate change.
The project was designed to maintain ecosystem functions and water provisioning services addressing the needs of critical for survival of rural communities and national economy. The project is implemented at two large landscapes: the Turgen/Kharkhiraa sub-river basin in Altai Mountains and Great Lakes Depression (Altai/GLD) eco-region and the Ulz river basin in the Dornod steppe and Mongol Daurian eco-region.
The target landscapes represent a significant portion of Mongolia’s water resources and encompass an array of representative ecological, social and economic samples in the country, with potential for generating a variety of experiences and lessons. Both eco-regions and watersheds are emblematic of Mongolia’s resilience barriers and concrete adaptation challenges, e.g., over-grazing, riparian disturbance, and over-appropriation. The specific locations were selected because they are: (1) “distinct”, offering two very different ecological zones for establishing EBA practices; (2) “representative” of key climate change challenges; (3) appropriately scaled both in terms geographic size and population to allow for substantial, landscape level improvements within budget constraints; and, (4) strategic in that the locations are priorities for government action and allow for building upon and/or coordinating with on-going programming.
Based on these studies Ecosystem based adaptation (EbA) guidance was prepared on adaptation measures for current and future climate change and variability and associated disaster risks. Adaptation practices and technologies for sustaining social, economic, cultural services provided by ecosystem are introduced in accordance with these recommendations aimed to maintain regional ecosystem resilience at present and in the future.
The main objective of the project is to maintain the water provisioning services supplied by mountain and steppe ecosystems by internalizing climate change risks within land and water resource management regimes. The project is implemented between 2012 and 2017. Geographically, the project covers i) the Altai Mountains and Great Lakes Basin Eco-region; ii) the Eastern Steppe Eco-region; focusing on the Turgen/Kharkhiraa sub-river basin – (Turgen, Ulaangom, Sagil, Bukhmurun, Khovd, Tarialan, Naranbulag soums of Uvs Aimag); and the Ulz River Basin – (Chuluunkhoroot, Dashbalbar, Bayandun, Bayan-Uul, Gruvanzagal, Choibalsan, Sergelen soums of Dornod aimag; Bayan-Adarga, Batnorov, Norovlin soums of Khentii aimag).
The project has three interconnected components:
- Landscape Level integrated land use and water resources monitoring and planning system focused upon reduction of ecosystem vulnerability to climate change developed and under implementation;
- Implementing landscape level adaptation techniques to maintain ecosystem integrity and water security under conditions of climate change;
- Strengthening institutional capacities to support integrated river basin management, its replication and mainstreaming in sector policies;
Upon the request of the Government of Mongolia, UNDP is the Multilateral Implementing Agency (MIE) for this project. The Project is implemented following UNDP’s National Implementation Modality (NIM). The designated Implementing Partner of the project is the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). MET is responsible for implementing UNFCCC and water resource management and holds the responsibility of the senior supplier. MET is ultimately responsible for the timely delivery of inputs and outputs and for coordination of all other Responsible parties including other line ministries, relevant agencies, and local government Authorities. The MET appointed the National Project Director, the chair and members of the Project Board (PB), responsible for making management decisions for the project and plays a critical role in project monitoring and evaluations by quality assuring these processes and products, and using evaluations for performance improvement, accountability and learning.
Duties and Responsibilities
The project was designed to maintain ecosystem functions and water provisioning services addressing the needs of critical for survival of rural communities and national economy. The project is implemented at two large landscapes: the Turgen/Kharkhiraa sub-river basin in Altai Mountains and Great Lakes Depression (Altai/GLD) eco-region and the Ulz river basin in the Dornod steppe and Mongol Daurian eco-region.
The TE will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects.
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.
EVALUATION TIMEFRAME
The total duration of the evaluation will be 27 working days over a time period of 10 weeks according to the following plan:
Activity | Timing/ Number of working days | Completion Date |
Preparation | 3 days: | 3-5 July 2017 |
Evaluation Mission | 12 days: | 30 July -10 August 2017 |
Draft Evaluation Report | 10 days: | 22-31 August 2017 |
Final Report | 3 days: | 6-8 September 2017 |
Tentative Mission Agenda for INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT ON terminal REVIEW
This schedule shall be undertaken from July 30 to August 10, 2017.
No | Activity | Date | Responsible parties/persons |
Arrival in UB | 30 July 2017 | IC | |
Briefing at UNDP CO, Mongolia (also security briefing) | 31 July 2017 | IC/NC, PO UNDP CO | |
Meet at PIU | 31 July 2017 | IC/NC, PIU | |
Interview with relevant parties in Ulaanbaatar city | 31 July -1 August 2017 | PIU/IC/NC | |
Field trip to eastern target area, Ulz river basin. | 2-6 August 2017 | PIU will be responsible for trip and meeting arrangements to and at target sites | |
Field trip to eastern target area, Kharkhiraa/Turgen sub river basin
| 7-10 August 2017
| PIU will be responsible for trip and meeting arrangements to and at the target sites
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Mission wrap up meeting | 10 August 2017 | IC/NC/PIU (All relevant parties) | |
Debriefing UNDP CO, Mongolia | 10 August 2017 | IC/NC, PO UNDP CO | |
Departure | 11 August 2017 | IC |
EVALUATION DELIVERABLES
The evaluation team is expected to deliver the following:
Deliverable | Content | Timing | Responsibilities |
Inception Report | Evaluator provides clarifications on timing and method | No later than 2 weeks before the evaluation mission: 17 July 2017 | Evaluator submits to UNDP CO |
Presentation | Initial Findings | End of evaluation mission: 10 August 2017 | To project management, UNDP CO |
Draft Final Report | Full report, (per annexed template) with annexes | Within 3 weeks of the evaluation mission: 31 August 2017 | Sent to CO, reviewed by RTA, PCU, AF OFPs |
Final Report* | Revised report | Within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft: 8 September 2017 | Sent to CO for uploading to UNDP ERC. |
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
The PIU will provide any necessary logistical support. The project staff will assemble the suggested documents and prepare for the field trip. The evaluation team shall use the project office space. The consultants are expected to bring their own computers/laptops for the written work.
The evaluation consultants should not have participated in the project preparation, formulation, and/or implementation (including the writing of the Project Document) and should not have a conflict of interest with project’s related activities. The national consultant will provide fulltime assistance (logistic, translation, etc.) to the international consultant for all the TE duration in liaison with the PIU and UNDP.
Evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the principles in the UNEG “Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation” to safeguard the rights and confidentiality of information providers including the measures to ensure compliance with legal codes governing areas such as provisions to collect and report data, particularly permissions needed to interview or obtain information about children and young people; provisions to store and maintain security of collected information; and protocols to ensure anonymity and confidentiality.
TEAM COMPOSITION
An evaluation team will be composed of one international and one national evaluator. The consultants shall have prior experience in evaluating similar projects. Experience with AF/GEF financed projects is an advantage. The evaluators selected should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.
Terminal evaluation:
International Consultant/ Team Leader
The Team Leader will have overall responsibility for the work and operation of the evaluation team, including the coordination of inputs from national team member. The Team Leader is responsible and accountable for the production of the agreed deliverables.
The Team Leader is responsible for the following:
- Desk research of existing management plans, survey/research/reports and databases;
- Conduct fieldwork and interview stakeholders, and communities to generate authentic information and opinions;
- Write and compile the information and reports as needed;
- Make a presentation of key findings highlighting achievements, constraints, and make practical recommendations to decision makers and stakeholders;
- Draft and finalize the Evaluation Report.
National Consultant
The national consultant will assist and collaborate with the Team Leader in all e tasks mentioned above including fieldwork, logistic arrangement in cooperation with PIU. Specific tasks are as following:
- Desk review of project materials and databases;
- Fieldwork together with international consultant. Carry out stakeholders’ interview as requested by the team leader and do interpretation work (if necessary);
- Write brief notes or certain parts of the evaluation report as agreed with the team leader;
- Provide inputs either by written or verbally to the presentation, highlighting key findings, achievements and constraints;
- Contribute to draft and final Evaluation Reports;
- Translate the draft and final reports into Mongolian.
APPLICATION AND RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF OFFER
Qualified and interested candidates are requested to apply on-line using this site www.jobs.undp.org
Due to limitation in uploading several documents, applicants are advised to compile all documents into a single attachment and upload the attachment while applying on line.
The following documents will be requested for the positions of international and national consultants:
1. Technical proposal:
- Expression of interest;
- Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate;
- At least three (3) professional references;
- Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
2. Financial proposal:
Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (downloadable from UNDP Mongolia website). The term “all inclusive” implies all cost (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances etc.). If an Offeror 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 Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
While preparing your proposal, kindly note that the standard for all travel authorized by UNDP for individual subscribers is economy class and the UN’s Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rates USD192 for Ulaanbaatar and USD84 for the country side in the project target sites, which should provide indication of the cost of living in a duty station/destination. Individuals on this contract are not UN staff and are therefore not entitled to DSAs. All living allowances required to perform the demands of the ToR must be incorporated in the financial proposal. Travel cost for the evaluation mission to target river basins (in-country) shall be covered by the Project Implementing Unit.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFER
The following method will be used for evaluating offers:
- Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%.
SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS
The UNDP standard method of payment is the output-based all-inclusive lump-sum scheme.
The payment will be made in three installments upon satisfactory completion of the following deliverables:
10% At submission and approval of inception report
50% Following submission and approval of the 1ST draft terminal evaluation report
40% Following submission and approval (UNDP-CO and UNDP RTA) of the final terminal evaluation report
* Condition for payment release: within thirty (30) days from the date of UNDP’s written acceptance of the quality of the outputs.
FOR DETAILED AND COMPREHENSIVE TOR, KINDLY REFER TO UNDP MONGOLIA WEBSITE:
http://www.mn.undp.org/content/mongolia/en/home/operations/procurement.html
Competencies
- Excellent communication skills
- Demonstrable analytical skills
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- A post-secondary/advanced degree (Masters level or higher) in nature& environment science, management and or other closely related field.
Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in climate change adaptation and EbA
- Minimum of 5 years experience evaluations (with UNDP and/or GEF-financed projects is an advantage)
- Experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies
- Technical knowledge in the targeted focal area(s): biodiversity, land use and water management in context of similar climate condition.