Background

This is the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the UNDP-GEF Midterm Review (MTR) of the full-sized project titled Green Technology Application for the Development of Low Carbon Cities (PIMS#4283) implemented through the Ministry of Energy, Science Technology, Environment & Climate Change (MESTECC), which is to be undertaken in April 2019. The project started on June 2016 and is in its third year of implementation. This ToR sets out the expectations for this Mid-Term Review (MTR). The MTR process must follow the guidance outlined in the document Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects (http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/guidance/GEF/mid-term/Guidance_Midterm%20Review%20_EN_2014.pdf).

A team of two independent consultants will conduct the MTR - one team leader (with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions globally) and one team expert from Malaysia.  The consultants cannot 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. 

Objectives:

The objective of the project is to facilitate the implementation of low carbon initiatives in at least five Malaysian cities and showcase a clear and integrated approach to low carbon development. The objective will be achieved by removing barriers to integrated low carbon urban planning and development through 3 components: 1) policy support for the promotion of integrated low carbon urban development, which will enable cities to implement and adopt integrated low carbon urban development plans and programmes; 2) awareness and institutional capacity development, which will expedite appraisal, approval and the implementation of strategic urban development, and ensure cities are aware of planning and implementing low carbon technology applications, and; 3) low carbon technology investments in cities, where there is an increase in investment in low carbon technologies with more low carbon projects implemented. The project is implemented over 5 years in Cyberjaya, Iskandar Malaysia, Melaka, Petaling Jaya, and Putrajaya. It is expected to generate direct GHG emission reductions of 346,442 tCO2eq by End of Project and 2,152,032 tonnes CO2eq over the lifetime of project investment.

The total budget for the project is 4.35 Million USD from the Global Environment Facility. The Implementing Partner of the project is the Ministry of Energy, Science Technology, Environment & Climate Change (MESTECC), with the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) as the executing agency.

The project document and other relevant GEF documents can be downloaded at: https://www.thegef.org/project/green-technology-application-development-low-carbon-cities-gtalcc

Information on the UNDP evaluation process and experience from other countries can be referred to at the Evaluation Resource center at the following link: https://erc.undp.org/

The Detailed Terms of Reference (TOR), including annexes A to F can be downloaded from the following web: http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/Detailed%20TOR.pdf 

Duties and Responsibilities

The MTR will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document and assess early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made in order to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The MTR will also review the project’s strategy and its risks to sustainability.

The MTR will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects (http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/guidance/GEF/mid-term/Guidance_Midterm%20Review%20_EN_2014.pdf). Please refer to the Detailed TOR for a full description of responsibilities, including the following information:

• Introduction;
• Project background information;
• Objectives of the MTR;
• MTR approach and methodology;
• Detailed scope of the MTR;
• Timeframe;
• Deliverables;
• MTR arrangements;
• Team composition;
• Payment modalities and specifications.

Methodology:

The MTR must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The MTR team will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation phase (i.e. PIF, UNDP Initiation Plan, UNDP Environmental & Social Safeguard Policy, the Project Document, project reports including Annual Project Review/PIRs, project budget revisions, lesson learned reports, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the team considers useful for this evidence-based review). The MTR team will review the baseline GEF focal area Tracking Tool submitted to the GEF at CEO endorsement, and the midterm GEF focal area Tracking Tool that must be completed before the MTR field mission begins.  

The MTR team is expected to follow a collaborative and participatory approach ensuring close engagement with the Project Team, government counterparts (the GEF Operational Focal Point), the UNDP Country Office(s), UNDP-GEF Regional Technical Advisers, and other key stakeholders.

Engagement of stakeholders is vital to a successful MTR. Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have project responsibilities, including but not limited to the UNDP GEF Technical Advisor, UNDP Country Office, Implementing Partner and Executing Agency, project team, consultants and key experts in low carbon cities, project stakeholders, local government, Project Board, academia, CSOs and other project partners relevant to the outcome of the Project. Additionally, the MTR team is expected to conduct a field mission to Putrajaya, including project sites in Putrajaya and the Greater Kuala Lumpur region. The final MTR report should describe the full MTR approach taken and the rationale for the approach making explicit the underlying assumptions, challenges, strengths and weaknesses about the methods and approach of the review.

Deliverables and Timeline:

The total duration of the MTR will be approximately 20 working days over a time period of 10 weeks. The tentative MTR timeframe is as follows:

Terms of Payment:

Competencies

• Competence in adaptive management, as applied to climate change mitigation·       
• Demonstrable analytical skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Master’s degree in environmental science, environmental engineering, town planning, engineering, climate change or other closely related field.

Experience:

• More than 10 years working experience in climate change mitigation projects with good knowledge of state-of-the-art approaches and best practices of similar projects;
• Recent experience working with result-based management evaluation methodologies
• Experience in evaluating UNDP/GEF evaluations for climate change mitigation is preferred;
• Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and climate change; experience in gender sensitive evaluation and analysis;

Language:

• Excellent writing and communication skills in English.

How to Apply:

• Kindly download the Detailed Terms of Reference, 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;
• Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment; (max 1 page).
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability, and Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, expressed as a lump-sum cost. The lump-sum should include all costs including the daily fee, international travel costs, and living allowances. Local travel costs relating to the MTR mission will be covered under UNDP Malaysia. The financial proposal should be supported by a breakdown of costs. If an applicant 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 applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. 
• 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_036" as the subject matter.

Forms and General terms & conditions to be downloaded:

http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/MyIC_2018_036%20Letter%20Interest%20and%20Financial%20Template.docx

Important Note:

• This Consultancy position is only accepted online. Email submission is not valid;
• Applicant must READ and ACCEPT the General Terms and Conditions;
• The system DOES NOT accept multiple document upload. Please scan all the documents and save into one (1) PDF file and upload.

Criteria for Evaluation of Proposal: 

Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated.  Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the educational background and experience on similar assignments will be weighted at 70% and the price proposal will weigh as 30% of the total scoring.  The applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score that has also accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract.

Total Points: (Technical Grand Total x 70%) +  (Financial Grand Total 30%)