Background

In accordance with UNDP and GEF monitoring and evaluation policies and procedures, all full and medium-sized UNDP supported GEF financed projects are required to undergo a terminal evaluation upon completion of implementation. These terms of reference set out the expectations for a Terminal Evaluation (TE) of the Biodiversity Conservation in the Multiple Use Forest Landscapes in Sabah, Malaysia (Sabah MFL) (PIMS# 4186).

 

Project Summary

Project title: Biodiversity Conservation in the Multiple Use Forest Landscapes in Sabah, Malaysia

GEF financing: USD 4,400,000

Co-financing: USD 19,500,000

Implementing partner: Sabah Forestry Department (SFD), Malaysia

Project start date: 22 June 2012

Project closing date: 21 June 2018 (original), 21 December 2019 (actual)

 

Objective and Scope:

The Sabah MFL project was designed to institutionalize a multiple-use forest landscape planning and management model which brings the management of critical protected areas and connecting landscapes located in the Yayasan Sabah Sustainable Forest Management License Agreement (SFMLA) area under a common and integrated management umbrella strategy in order to mainstream biodiversity, ecosystem functions and resilience, while enabling ongoing sustainable uses. The 261,264 ha project landscape located in the eastern part of Sabah is a contiguous block that forms an important connecting land mass between three sizeable and renowned protected areas in Sabah. These are: Maliau Basin Conservation Area (58,840 ha), located to the west of the project area; Danum Valley Conservation Areas (43,800 ha) to the east and Imbak Canyon Conservation Areas (16,750 ha) to the north.

The project aims to achieve this objective through delivery of three interconnected components:

  1. An enabling environment for optimized, multiple use planning, financing, management and protected of forest landscapes;
  2. Demonstration of multiple-use forest landscape planning and management system; and
  3. Sustainable financing of protected areas and associated forest landscape areas demonstrated at the pilot site.

An inception workshop in July 2013 and a follow up strategic framework workshop in October 2013 revealed that there had been significant changes in the land use allocations within the project landscape. Stakeholders expressed concern that proposed changes within the project landscape would have major impacts on biodiversity and on the viability of key conservation areas and financing mechanisms that the project had been planning to support.

In response to these changes, a Technical Working Group consisting of government officials and civil society stakeholders was established and subsequently, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between UNDP and Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) on 12 November 2014 on the agreed actions and principles to be adhered with regards to the land use allocations in the project landscape. The midterm review was conducted in April to November 2017.

Relevant project documentation can be referred below:

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 Approach and Method:

An overall approach and method[1] for conducting project terminal evaluations of UNDP supported GEF financed projects has developed over time. The Specialist 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 at http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/guidance/GEF/UNDP-GEF-TE-Guide.pdf, focusing on the biodiversity component of the project. For example,

Outcome 1: State-level system for ensuring no net loss (NNL) of biodiversity from existing forest landscapes, systems for compliance, monitoring and enforcement of multiple use forest regulations, and state and national guidelines and operational policies for multiple-use forest landscape planning, management and conservation.

Outcome 2: Development and implementation of multiple-use forest landscape planning, management and conservation systems within project demonstration area.

A set of potential questions covering each of these criteria can be referred to Annex 4 of the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects. 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 government counterparts, in particular, GEF operational focal point, UNDP Country Office, project team, UNDP-Global Environmental Finance Regional Technical Adviser based in Bangkok and key stakeholders. The evaluator is expected to conduct a field mission to Putrajaya, Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, Malaysia including the following project site in the East of Sabah. Interviews will be held with the following organizations and individuals at a minimum: Sabah Natural Resource Office, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Foundation, Sabah Biodiversity Centre, Sabah Wildlife Department, UNDP Malaysia Country Office, concession holders and local communities. Detailed list of stakeholders will be given upon confirmation of assignment.

The Specialist will review all relevant sources of information, such as the project document, project reports – including Mid-Year Progress Report, Annual Project Report, Project Implementation Review (PIR), project budget revisions, midterm review, progress reports, GEF focal area tracking tools, project files, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the evaluator considers useful for this evidence-based assessment. The project team will provide a list of documents to the evaluator for review.

 

Evaluation Criteria & Ratings:

An assessment of project performance will be carried out, based against expectations set out in the Project Logical Framework/Results Framework (see Project Document), 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. The completed table must be included in the evaluation executive summary.   The obligatory rating scales are in page 34 of the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects.

 

Project Finance/Co-finance:

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 evaluator(s) will receive assistance from the Country Office (CO) and Project Team to obtain financial data to complete the co-financing table below, which will be included in the terminal evaluation report. 

 

Mainstreaming:

UNDP supported GEF financed projects are key components in UNDP country programming, as well as regional and global programmes. 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.

 

Impact:

The evaluators 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.[2]

 

Conclusions, Recommendations and Lessons:

The evaluation report must include a chapter providing a set of conclusions, recommendations and lessons.

 

Implementation Arrangement:

The principal responsibility for managing this evaluation resides with the UNDP CO in Malaysia. The UNDP CO will contract the evaluators and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the evaluation team. The Project Team will be responsible for liaising with the Evaluators team to set up stakeholder interviews, arrange field visits, coordinate with the Government etc. 

[1] For additional information on methods, see the Handbook on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results, Chapter 7, pg. 163

[2] A useful tool for gauging progress to impact is the Review of Outcomes to Impacts (ROtI) method developed by the GEF Evaluation Office:  ROTI Handbook 2009

Duties and Responsibilities

The Biodiversity and Forest Specialist will perform the key tasks as follows:

  • Work with and report to Lead Expert and Evaluator that lead a team comprising of National Expert in Biodiversity & Forest and Environmental Economist who will jointly conduct the Terminal Evaluation.
  • Conduct a document review of project documents i.e. Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) 2016 – 2020 between UNDP and Government of Malaysia, Project Identification Form (PIF), UNDP Initiation Plan, Project Document, Environmental and Social Safeguard Policy (ESSP), Project Inception Report, Project Implementation Reviews, Finalized GEF focal area Tracking Tools, Project Appraisal Committee meeting minutes, Financial and Administration guidelines used by Project Team, project operational guidelines, manuals and systems, etc.; provided by UNDP Malaysia Country Office and Project Team.
  • Prepare the TE inception report detailing evaluation approach and method, evaluation questions and criteria matrix, list of stakeholders, field mission schedule, overall work plan and TE report outline and content.
  • Plan and facilitate in a TE inception workshop during the field mission to clarify their understanding of the objectives and methods of the TE.
  • Conduct field mission with TE team that consist of interviews with stakeholders who have project responsibilities and site visit to the project landscape area in Sabah.
  • Assess the following four categories of project progress based on the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects for requirements on ratings. No overall rating is required.
  • Produce a draft final TE report with TE team members.
  • Plan and conduct the TE concluding workshop.
  • Finalize and submit the TE report to UNDP.

 

Deliverables:

  • TE Inception Report including field mission programme: TE team clarifies objectives and methods of the Terminal Evaluation no later than 4 weeks before the field mission. To be sent to UNDP Malaysia Country Office and project management. Approximate due date: 31 March 2019
  • Planning of Field Mission: 1 - 7 April 2019
  • Field mission: 8 – 18 April 2018
  • PowerPoint Presentation: Initial Findings presented to project management, stakeholders and UNDP Malaysia at the end of the TE field mission. Approximate due date: 19 April 2018
  • Draft Final Report: Full draft report with annexes within 6 weeks of the TE field mission. Approximate due date: 31 May 2019
  • TE concluding workshop. Approximate due date: 15 - 16 July 2019
  • Final Report*: Revised report with annexed audit trail detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final TE report. To be sent to the UNDP Malaysia within 2 weeks of receiving UNDP and stakeholders’ comments and feedback from the TE concluding workshop. Approximate due date: 30 September 2019

*The final TE report must be in English. If applicable, UNDP Malaysia may choose to arrange for a translation of the report into Malay language – the official language more widely shared by national stakeholders.

 

Timeframe

The total duration of the assignment will be 60 working days starting 1 March 2019,  and shall not exceed 7 months from when the Biodiversity and Forest Specialist is hired.

  • 1 – 5 March: Prep the TE Team (handover of project documents);
  • 5 – 25 March: Document review and preparing TE Inception Report;
  • 25 March - 7 April: Finalization and validation of TE Inception Report, and preparation of field mission;
  • 8 – 19 April: Field mission: stakeholder meetings, interviews, field visits;
  • 19 April: Mission wrap-up meeting & presentation of initial findings;
  • 20 April – 31 May: Preparing draft report;
  • 1 June – 14 July: Preparing for TE concluding workshop;
  • 15 – 16 July: Conduct TE concluding workshop;
  • 17 July – 31 August: Incorporating audit trail on draft report/Finalization of TE report;
  • 1 – 15 September: Further feedback and acceptance of TE report by UNDP;
  • 30 September: Expected date of full TE completion.

 

Terms of payment:

The payments will be performance-based and regularly assessed by UNDP Malaysia Country Office. The breakdown of payment is as follow:

  1. 10% upon submission and acceptance of detailed work plan;
  2. 30% upon submission and acceptance of the inception report;
  3. 40% upon submission and acceptance of the 1st draft terminal evaluation report;
  4. 20% upon submission and acceptance of the final terminal evaluation report by UNDP Country Office and UNDP Regional Technical Adviser.

 

Duty Station:

All travel within Malaysia will be arranged and provided by UNDP Malaysia and Project Team except international travel from home base to Putrajaya, Malaysia. Accommodation and meals will be provided for in-country travel.

 

Travel:

  • International travel will be required to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during the field mission;
  • The Basic Security in the Field II and Advanced Security in the Field courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
  • Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director.
  • Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/.

 

Competencies

The Biodiversity and Forest Specialist cannot have participated in the project preparation, formulation, and/or implementation (including the writing of the Project Document) and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.

Functional competencies:

  • Extensive knowledge in biodiversity and ecosystems;
  • Familiar with Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD);
  • Sound analytical and organisational skills;
  • Excellent communication and writing skills.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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
  • Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
  • Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment;
  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.

 

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Master’s Degree or equivalent in conservation biology, ecology, forestry, biodiversity conservation or related fields.

 

Experience:

  • Experience with result-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies for at least 5 years;
  • Experience working with the UNDP or GEF evaluations for at least 3 years;
  • Experience working in Malaysia, South-East Asian or Asia-Pacific region;
  • Technical knowledge in sustainable forest management, forest landscape management, conservation biology and/or landscape ecology for at least 5 years in Malaysia;
  •  Knowledge of land use and forest management policies and institutional framework in Malaysia.

 

Language: 

Excellent command of English.

 

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual applicants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

  1. Completed Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability (Annex 1) provided by UNDP;
  2. Technical Proposal on how your qualifications and experience can lead towards the successful deliverable of this assignment within the required timeframe, and provide a detailed methodology on how you will approach and conduct the assignment;
  3. Financial Proposal (Annex 2) should specify a total lump sum amount including a breakdown of working days, travel and relevant costs using the financial proposal template;
  4. Personal CV including areas of expertise and experience in similar projects and at least three (3) references in the format of UN Personal History Form (P11 form). The UN Personal History Form (P11) is available at: http://www.undp.org.my/uploads/p11%20personal%20history%20form.doc.

 

How to Apply:

  • Kindly download the Letter of Confirmation of interest and availability, Financial Proposal Template, P11 form and General Terms & Conditions mentioned below;
  • Read and agree to the General Terms & Conditions;
  • Click the ‘apply’icon and complete what is required;
  • Scan all documents into 1 pdf folder and then upload;
  • For clarification question, please email to procurement.my@undp.org. The clarification question deadline is three (3) days before the closing. When emailing for clarification questions, please put "MyIC/2018/033" as the subject matter.

 

Forms and General terms & conditions to be downloaded:

  • The UN Personal History Form (P11) is available at:http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/P11%20for%20SC%20&%20IC.doc?download
  • The Letter of Confirmation of Interest at: http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/Letter%20of%20Interest%20_Annex%201.docx
  • The Financial Proposal Template at: http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/MyIC_2018_033%20Financial%20Template.docx
  • The General Terms & Conditions for Individual contract is available at:http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/General%20Conditions%20of%20Contract%20for%20IC.pdf?download
  • The General Terms & Conditions for Reimbursement Loan Agreement is available at:http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/Reimbursable%20Loan%20Agreement%20_%20Terms%20&%20Conditions.pdf?download 

 

Criteria for selection of the best offer:

The award of the contract will be made to the Individual Consultant who has obtained the highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions.  Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. The offers will be evaluated using the “Combined Scoring method” where:

 

a) Technical proposal including educational background and experience on similar assignments will be weighted a max. of 70%. The evaluation criteria are:

  • Experience with result-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies for at least 5 years;
  • Experience working with the UNDP or GEF evaluations for at least 3 years;
  • Experience working in Malaysia, South-East Asian or Asia-Pacific region;
  • Technical knowledge in sustainable forest management, forest landscape management, conservation biology and/or landscape ecology for at least 5 years in Malaysia;
  • Knowledge of land use and forest management policies and institutional framework in Malaysia.

 

b) Financial proposal will weigh as 30% of the total scoring.

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that will consider the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply.