UNDP Jobs - 80757- Project Evaluator

Project Evaluator

Location :

Tbilisi, with one (seven day) mission to Achara, GEORGIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

13-Sep-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

17 days w/days, during 24 September - 15 December 2018

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 was designed to enhance the management effectiveness, biogeographical coverage and connectivity of Protected Areas of the Achara Autonomous Region of Georgia in order to better conserve the globally unique Colchic Forests (temperate rainforest). The area is of biodiversity importance because of the humid Pliocene flora refugium, high proportion of narrow-ranged (local endemic) plants, high percentage of endemic, as a well-known bottle-neck for migratory birds.

The project supports the government to bring about the functional operation of the recently gazetted Machakhela National Park which will form the last link in a chain of 4 protected areas established to conserve the Colchic forests of the region (i.e. Kintrishi, Mtirala and Machakhela in Georgia and Jamili in Turkey). Additionally, the project helps to build management effectiveness and sustainability of all the protected areas in this chain in Achara and help establish transboundary links with the Jamili Biosphere Reserve in Turkey.

It further supports the Georgian Agency for Protected Areas (APA) and the target PA Administrations to improve financial planning, better integrate local communities into protected areas management and build capacity for applying, adaptable and participatory approaches most likely to achieve long term conservation and sustainable local rural livelihoods.

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.

The evaluation team is expected to frame the evaluation effort using 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.

The TE will be conducted according to the Terminal Evaluation Terms of Reference (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PmELwEORQEfM8EjiKxIYv8mLCsLfJG8Q), which has been developed according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

The National Project Evaluator will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager. The evaluation team will be composed of 1 international evaluator (team leader) and 1 national evaluator. The duties and responsibilities of National Evaluator include:

Collection of background materials and data upon request by Terminal Evaluation Team Leader;
Provision of important inputs in developing methodologies, work plans and TE report outlines;
Working with the project team to agree on the relevant stakeholders that the TE team should meet, ensure a realistic timetable and make necessary arrangements for meeting with the stakeholders;
Desk review of materials and verifying quality of outputs in Georgian;
Participation in briefings with UNDP CO representatives;
Assistance to the TE Team Leader in conducting interviews with relevant stakeholders and debriefing the TE Team Leader following interviews to provide contextual information as necessary;
Field visit and assistance to the TE Team Leader in interviewing local stakeholders at project sites, with debriefing the TE Team Leader as previously stated;
Participation in debriefing with UNDP CO and project implementing partners;
Assistance to the TE Team Leader in developing the first draft of the TE report. The draft will be shared with the UNDP CO, UNDP/GEF (UNDP/GEF RCU Istanbul) and key project stakeholders for review and commenting.
Assistance to the MTR Team Leader in finalization of the Final Terminal Evaluation report;
Provide translation/interpretation services for the Team leader, as needed.

Deliverables:

Deliverable: Clearance of Inception report by UNDP CO and Presentation after Completion of the Field mission; Description: Inception report: TE team clarifies objectives and methods of Terminal Evaluation. Presentation: initial findings of the evaluation mission; Timing: End of evaluation mission (Inception report to be cleared before evaluation mission); Responsibilities: To project management, UNDP CO and APA

Deliverable: Submission and Approval of the 1st draft Terminal Evaluation report; Description: Full report with annexes; Timing: Within 3 weeks of the evaluation mission; Responsibilities: Sent to CO, reviewed by RTA, PCU, GEF OFPs, Project Implementing Partner (APA)

Deliverable: Submission and Approval of Final Terminal Evaluation Report; Description: Revised report; Timing: Within 2 weeks of receiving UNDP and stakeholder comments on draft; Responsibilities: Sent to CO for uploading to UNDP ERC.

Payment modality:

The payment of a lump sum will be made in 3 instalments:

40% of payment upon approval of the Inception Report and completion of the field mission
40% upon submission of the 1st draft Terminal Evaluation report
20% upon finalization of the TE report

Acceptance of deliverables by UNDP Georgia will be made after quality certification of the deliverables by UNDP CO.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Demonstrated commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
Sensitivity and adaptability to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age;
Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Technical Competencies:

Strong analytical skills;
Excellent team working skills;
E-literacy.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

At least Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Biodiversity Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Management or other related areas (minimum qualification requirement: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent - 10 points, higher - additional 5 points).

Experiences:

At least 3 years of experience in providing consultancy or management services to the environmental projects preferably in biodiversity conservation, protected areas management or financing (minimum qualification requirement: 10 points);
Experience in monitoring and evaluating of international development agencies’ projects, preferably in protected areas and/or biodiversity conservation in the region/country (minimum qualification requirement: 15 points; experience in PA’s and/or biodiversity conservation - additional 5 points);
Experience in monitoring and evaluating of UNDP/GEF projects will be an asset (5 points).

Language requirements:

Fluency in Georgian and English both written and spoken and technical writing skills in English.

Evaluation:

Offerors will be evaluated against a combination of technical and financial criteria. Technical criteria consist of a desk review and an interview. Offerors passing 70% threshold of maximum obtainable scores 50 points as a result of the desk review, i.e. obtaining minimum 35 points, will be short listed and invited for an interview. Those offerors passing 70% threshold of maximum obtainable scores i.e. obtaining minimum 49 points as a result of the technical evaluation (desk review and interview) will be shortlisted and requested to provide financial proposal.

Financial Proposal:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount.