UNDP Jobs - 73827- National Consultant to support the terminal evalua

National Consultant to support the terminal evaluation of UNDP/GEF Project “Reducing GHG emissions from road transport in Russia’s medium-sized cities”

Location :

Moscow with mission to Kaliningrad and Kazan, RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

18-Sep-2017

Application Deadline :

08-Sep-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

September - December 2017

Languages Required :

English Russian

Expected Duration of Assignment :

25 working days: 21 w/d in Moscow, 2 w/d in Kaliningrad, 2 w/d in Kazan

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

The project aims to reduce GHG emissions through improved planning and management of the public transport based on efficient monitoring systems and promotion of eco-friendly vehicles. The main outcomes of the project are pilot activities in 5 cities of Russia (Kazan, Kaliningrad, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Rostov-on-Don), supportive federal policies and legislative framework for sustainable transport in the Russian Federation. Also, the project disseminates and helps to replicate successes of the pilot sites, where it supports development and implementation of integrated urban transport strategies. Those include comprehensive travel demand surveys and traffic management plans, regulations for integrated urban planning, enhanced public transport systems, and promoting innovative transport solutions such as public rapid transit and non-motorized transport modes.

The project implementation started in 2013 and the expected project’s closing date is 31 December 2017.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective and scope

This terminal evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP evaluation guidance for GEF financed projects. The objectives of the terminal 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.

The project mid-term evaluation (MTE) took place in late 2015 (final report submitted in early 2016). The final evaluation should assess the extent to which the recommendations of the mid-term review have been taken into account by the project.

The terminal evaluation will explore in detail five major criteria:

Relevance: the extent to which the activity is suited to local and national development priorities and organizational policies, including changes over time;
Effectiveness: the extent to which an objective has been achieved or how likely it is to be achieved;
Efficiency: the extent to which results have been delivered with the least costly resources possible;
Results: the positive and negative, and foreseen and unforeseen, changes to and effects produced by a development intervention. In GEF terms, results include direct project outputs, short- to medium-term outcomes, and longer-term impacts including global environmental benefits, replication effects and other local effects;
Sustainability: the likely ability of an intervention to continue to deliver benefits for an extended period after completion. Projects need to be environmentally as well as financially and socially sustainable.

The following project impacts will be assessed during the terminal evaluation:

Perceptions on the “Situation at the end of the Project”, specifically focusing on how the project has influenced changes in the situation over the course of the project lifetime;
Nature and scale of the policy impact made by the project on federal and regional policies, regulations, institutional arrangements related to increase of low emission vehicles usage and development of SUT projects in Russia, if any, on relevant departments of the government or other policy making bodies;
Extent of effectiveness of capacity building initiatives undertaken under the aegis of the project;
Appropriateness and effectiveness of the institutional arrangement deployed in the project with alternative scenarios, if any;
Details of co-funding, if any, leveraged by the project and its impact on the project achievements;
The effectiveness of monitoring and overseeing systems such as project steering committee and suggestion of improvements, if any, and consideration of how well the project has done adaptive management.

Evaluation approach and method

An overall approach and method for conducting project terminal evaluations of UNDP supported GEF financed projects has developed over time. The criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, as defined and explained in the UNDP guidance for conducting terminal evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed projects are to be used for evaluation. A set of questions covering each of these criteria have been drafted and are to be amended, completed and submitted with the matrix as part of an evaluation inception report, and included as an annex to the final report. The evaluation must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The evaluation team is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with government counterparts, in particular the GEF operational focal point, National Project Director, UNDP Project Support Office, project team, UNDP GEF Technical Adviser based in Istanbul and other key stakeholders. Interviews will be held with the following organizations at a minimum: UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, UNDP-Russia Projects Support Office, Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, administrations of pilot cities (Kazan, Kaliningrad), Federal State Institution “Research Center for Complex Transport Projects of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation”, OJSC “Scientific and Research institute of motor transport”, Moscow Automobile and Road Construction University (MADI), Institute for Transport Economics and Transport Policy Studies of the National Research University "Higher School of Economics", municipal institution " Organizer of passenger transportations" (the largest bus public transport operator in Kazan), administrations of pilot replication cities. The evaluation team should also speak with the key international and national consultants of the project including the international consultant who designed and wrote the project document, the project mid-term evaluator and the project international CTA.

Scope of work

The national consultant will be supporting the international consultant with the terminal evaluation. The national consultant will provide supportive roles in terms of professional inputs, knowledge of local policies, local navigation, translation / language support, etc. The national consultant will report directly to UNDP Russia project support office and follow the guidance of the international evaluator leading the terminal evaluation. The national consultant will focus on the baseline analysis, outlining what other donors/partners are doing, making a clear distinction to what has happened as a result of the project and what has happened from business as usual situation. All reports are to be written in English and all brief descriptions (summaries) - in Russian. The national consultant should provide electronic versions of all the required deliverables.

Evaluation timeframe

The assignment will take place from 1 September to 31 December 2017. The breakdown of the 25 working days of the national consultant is estimated as follows:

Preparation for the evaluation mission, organization and confirmation of the agenda, meetings with key stakeholders, appointments and preparation of the work plan, 3 days, September 2017;
Participation in the terminal evaluation mission and presentation of the mission initial findings together with the international consultant, 10 days, September - early October 2017;
Baseline and Stocktaking Report reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of all project outputs and assessing their relevance and impact, and providing a brief summary for each report produced by the project. Baseline report analyses changes to the baseline situation over lifetime of the project and stocktaking provides a brief summary and review (in English and Russian) of the outputs of the project (max 25-30 pages). Submission for approval of the draft report to the Project team and the Ministry of transport of the Russian Federation, 8 days, end of October 2017;
Expert assistance to the international consultant in reviewing the draft terminal evaluation report in English and providing inputs related to the results of the final evaluation of the project, giving a brief description (summary) of this report in Russian, 2 days, mid of November 2017;
Inputs and contributions to the final terminal evaluation report of the international consultant, giving a brief description (summary) of this report in Russian. Submission for approval of the final terminal evaluation report to the Project team and the Ministry of transport of the Russian Federation, 2 days, end of November/early December 2017.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

Preparation of inception report/work plan for the evaluation team prior to the mission;
Assessment of adequacy of the overall project concept, design, implementation methodology, institutional structure, timelines, budgetary allocation or any other aspect of the project design that the evaluation team may want to comment upon;
Expert assistance to the international consultant in the writing of the draft report in English related to the results of the final evaluation of the project, giving a brief description (summary) of this report in Russian;
Expert assistance to the international consultant in the writing of the final terminal evaluation report, giving a brief description (summary) of this report in Russian;
Preparation of the baseline analysis and stocktaking report (max 25 - 30 pages);
Analysis of the impact of the project activities on the various government institutions responsible for transport in Russia and in particular the extent to which the legal and regulatory framework has been improved as a result of project activities;
Assessment of effectiveness of awareness generation activities with quality promotional packages / awareness material, number of awareness programmes, trainings undertaken and level of awareness created. Quality of documentation, if any, produced under the project like, brochure, etc. should also be considered;

Payment for satisfactory delivery of outputs

The national consultant shall be paid in three installments as follows:

10% Following submission and approval by UNDP PSO of a detailed workplan/inception report prior to the evaluation mission;
55% following completion of the baseline and stocktaking report; following submission and approval by UNDP (National Implementing Partner, UNDP-PSO, UNDP RTA) of the 1st draft terminal evaluation report; following submission of a brief description (summary) of this report in Russian;
35% upon submission and approval by UNDP (National Implementing Partner, UNDP-PSO, UNDP RTA) of the final terminal evaluation report; following submission of a brief description (summary) of this report in Russian.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional competencies:

Strong interpersonal skills, communication skills and ability to work in a team;
Ability to plan and organize work, efficiency in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations;
Strong analytical, research, reporting and writing abilities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

University degree (Masters or equivalent) in an environmental and transport-related fields such as urban and transport planning and development, civil engineering or other relevant fields.

Work experience:

At least 5 years of relevant professional experience related to urban planning and development, urban transport planning and development, sustainable urban transport, green urban development, civil engineering;
Experience with the current national (Russian) urban transport planning policies, legislation and prior knowledge of the political, social and environmental factors and issues related to urban transport planning and management in Russia;
Experience with international projects in the field of urban planning and development, urban transport planning in Russia is an asset;
Experience of working with or for government institutions as well as civil society organizations;

Language:

Excellent spoken and written English and native Russian.

Evaluation procedure

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal. The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive, compliant, acceptable;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical criteria - 70% of the total evaluation (max 70 points):

University degree (Masters or equivalent) in an environmental and transport-related fields such as urban and transport planning and development, civil engineering or other relevant fields (max 5 points);
At least 5 years of relevant professional experience related to urban planning and development, urban transport planning and development, sustainable urban transport, green urban development, civil engineering (max 10 points);
Experience with the current national (Russian) urban transport planning policies, legislation and prior knowledge of the political, social and environmental factors and issues related to urban transport planning and management in Russia (max 10 points);
Experience with international projects in the field of urban planning and development, urban transport planning in Russia is an asset (max 10 points);
Experience of working with or for government institutions as well as civil society organizations (max 5 points);
Excellent spoken and written English and native Russian (max 5 points);
Interview (max 25 points).

Financial criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max 30 points.

Only candidates passing the 70% threshold for the technical proposal will be considered for the financial evaluation. The candidate with the highest score from technical criteria + financial criteria will be selected with the maximum score possible being 100 points.

Conflict of interest

To ensure impartiality and objectivity of the evaluation, as well as to avoid the conflict of interest, UNDP will not consider the applications from the candidates that have had prior involvement in the design, formulation, implementation or evaluation of the above-indicated project.

Application process