Background

UNDP works in more than 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. UNDP supports countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results. The ‘Wider Europe: Aid for Trade in Central Asia’ is a regional project that supports countries in the region to harvest the benefits of trade for human development. The Aid for Trade project is part of the Regional Programme for Europe and the CIS (2014-2017) and has since its start in 2014 supported the creation of well over 1000 new jobs. Overall figures of users of the AfT project related activities total over 314 000.

Phase III (2014-2018) of the Aid for Trade project supports national trade and development policies and programmes that prioritise employment and sustainable development in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as focus countries. 

The main objectives of the third phase of the Aid for Trade project are as follows:

• Trade policies that promote human development, particularly in terms of making best use of regional and global trade agreements, as well as best practices (macro);
• Support to SME-oriented business/ trade –support organisations to deliver effective services to businesses, ensuring that businesses have the support they need to grow (meso);
• Direct support to entrepreneurs and small businesses to improve their processing and/or export capacities. The project will support entrepreneurs/farmers through the introduction of new and/or greener technologies, as well as new production methods (micro).

The project also promotes better cooperation between the different countries in the implementation and coordination of different thematic areas.

EVALUATION SCOPE: This evaluation is expected to evaluate the Aid for Trade project in Central Asia (phase III). The evaluation will cover the full implementation period (2014-2018) of the project, all the countries covered, and the clients involved in the project. 

EVALUATION PURPOSE: The main purpose of the evaluation is to assess whether the project has achieved its outputs as well as the intended impact and the overall quality of the implementation. In addition, the project would like to derive lessons learned that will be essential for Phase 4 of the project. The results of this evaluation will be shared with the Project Board, relevant UNDP country offices and national stakeholders. Information specifically targeting the successes and failures of the project is especially sought after.

EVALUATION OBJECTIVES: Assess the extent, to which the project achieved its overall objectives and outputs as identified in the project document and annual working plans:

• Review effectiveness of the overall project interventions, their main achievements, compliance with expanding countries’ needs;
• Review and evaluate the extent to which project outputs have reached the intended clients, including to what extend the outputs have achieved its targets from a macro, meso and micro level as per objectives stated above;
• Assess the likelihood of continuation and sustainability of project outputs and benefits after completion of the project - analyze how far the system of exit policy in the project ensures the sustainability of the project benefits;
• Identify gaps/weaknesses in the project design and provide recommendations as to their improvement; 
• Identify lessons learnt from projects interventions, as well as best practices both from project implementation as well a project management perspective.

Location:  Home-based with travel to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan

Duties and Responsibilities

The evaluation should determine the project’s relevance, performance, results, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and substantiality, including lessons learned and recommendations:

Relevance

• Review the relevance of the project strategy and assess whether it provides the most effective route towards the intended results;
• Review how the project addressed countries’ priorities. Review country ownership. Was the project concept in line with the national sector development priorities and plans of the country?

Effectiveness: measures the manner in which the intended output targets were achieved. Measuring effectiveness involves an assessment of cause and effect in that how far can observable changes be attributed to project outputs. This includes the following steps:

• Measuring change in the observed output and outcome;
• Attributing observed changes or progress towards the project;
• Assessing the value of the change (positive and/or negative).
• How has the activities of the project contributed to gender equality?

Efficiency
Have resources been used efficiently? Have activities supporting the strategy been cost-effective? 

Sustainability: to measure to what extent the benefits of the outputs will continue after the project has ended. Assessing sustainability involves evaluating to what extent the capacity can be maintained.

Gender Equality

• Is gender marker data assigned this project representative of reality?
• To what extent has the project promoted positive changes in gender equality? Were there any unintended effects?
• To what extend does the project contribute to UN_SWAP performance indicators?

Impact, especially from UNDP’s perspective, measures the changes on human development that are caused by the project outputs, specifically for job creation, livelihoods improvements, sales/export increase and facilitating ease of business including capacity development, and access to more efficient and transparent business processes.

Evaluations in UNDP are guided by the principles of human rights and gender equality. As a result, when collecting data, evaluators need to ensure that women and disadvantaged groups are adequately represented. 

The Evaluation Consultant will have overall responsibility for the quality and timely submission of the final evaluation report to UNDP. Specifically, the Evaluator will perform the following tasks:

• Lead and manage the evaluation mission;
• Design the detailed evaluation scope and methodology and approach;
• Conduct the evaluation in accordance with the proposed objective and scope of the evaluation;
• Draft and communicate the evaluation report;
• Finalize the evaluation report in English and submit it to UNDP.

Timeline and schedule (tentative)

The evaluation will commence in first quarter of 2019. The duration of the assignment is up to 26 working days including site visits and writing of the final report. It is expected that three countries are to be visited in person.

Activity 1: Desk review of relevant reports, Evaluation design, methodology and detailed work plan
Estimated work input: 3 days
Location: Home- based
Responsible Party: International Consultant

Activity 2: Initial briefing
Estimated work input: 1 day
Location: Home-based
Responsible Party: UNDP IRH, International consultant 

Activity 3: Consultations, meetings as well as in-person interviews related to the evaluation including relevant partners
Estimated work input: 14 days (Four days per country, 2 days for IRH & board (online))
Location: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and home-based
Responsible Party: UNDP, International consultant 

Activity 4: Preparation of draft evaluation report and recommendations
Estimated work input: 4 days
Location: Home based
Responsible Party: International consultant, UNDP

Activity 5: Finalization of evaluation report and recommendations incorporating additions and comments provided by project staff, IRH and UNDP COs and submission of the final evaluation report 
Estimated work input: 4 days
Location: Home based
Responsible Party: International consultant, UNDP

Deliverables
Deliverable 1 (week 1)

• Evaluation inception report (prior to start of in-country evaluation mission)

Deliverable 2 (week 5)

• In-country evaluation mission report, as well as online interview with IRH and the board. Consultant is not expected to travel or work during week 3+4, as during this time the project will collect survey data as per survey developed by the consultant, week 2 is for comments on the evaluation report

Deliverable 3: (week 7)

• Draft evaluation report in line with the UNDP corporate standard that can be found in annex 7 (http://web.undp.org/evaluation/handbook/documents/english/pme-handbook.pdf) of the UNDP evaluation guidance. Week 8 is time for UNDP to provide comments on the evaluation report

Deliverable 4 (week 10)

• Final draft evaluation report with comments incorporated (structure of the report annex 1)

Payment schedule: 

• Payment 1: 30% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 1, date: 2 weeks after the start of the contract
• Payment 2: 20% upon confirmation by the Certifying of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 2, date: 7 weeks after the start of the contract
• Payment 3: 20% upon confirmation by the Certifying of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 3, date: 9 weeks after the start of the contract
• Payment 4: 30% upon confirmation by the Certifying of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 4, date: 10 weeks after the start of the contact 

Competencies

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

Functional competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Minimum Master’s Degree in a subject related to socio-economic development

Experience: 

• Minimum 10 years of professional expertise in international development co-operation in programme/project management and impact assessment/evaluation; 
• Minimum 6 years of experience in conducting evaluations including around UNDP thematic areas of rural development and productive capacities; 
• Professional experience in the CIS region, especially Central Asia, regarding local development or private sector development.

Language skills: 

• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English and Russian. 

Evaluation of Applicants

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 should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and b) having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. 

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points:

• Criteria A (Education) – max points: 2
• Criteria B (Experience with international development co-operation in programme/project management and impact assessment/evaluation) - max points: 5
• Criteria C (Experience in evaluation around UNDP thematic areas of rural development and productive capacities) – max points: 6
• Criteria D (Experience in the region in local development or private sector development) – max points: 6
• Criteria E (Methodology) - max points: 5
• Criteria F (Interview- Russian language)- max points: 2
• Criteria G (Interview- Capacities in conducting evaluations)- max points: 5
• Criteria H (Interview- Communication skills)- max points: 4

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 points

Only candidates who will receive min. 70% of points in desk review (criteria A-E) will be invited to interview. Only candidates who will get min. 70% of points in technical evaluation (criteria A-H) will be considered for financial evaluation.

Application procedures

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application. 
• A brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work including plan of missions and locations to be visited in each country
• Filled P11 form or CV including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees  (blank form can be downloaded from: http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc)
• Offeror’s Letter (blank template can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/2KO1okS).
• Financial Proposal* in USD - specifying a) total lump sum amount for the professional fee for tasks specified in this announcement and b) travel costs for the missions (including a) airticket to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan  and b) living allowances for 4 days in each country) In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Per diems cannot exceed maximum UN daily allowance rates (http://icsc.un.org/rootindex.asp) and consultants are encouraged to bid lower amount to make their offers more competitive. Travel required for this assignment is as below: 
  - 4 days to Uzbekistan, including travel to Namangan region
  - 4 days to Kyrgyzstan, including travel to Osh, and/or Jalalabad, and/or Naryn
  - 4 days to Tajikistan, including to Sughd and/or Khatlon region

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). 

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner. 

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Annexes: https://www.dropbox.com/s/052jeayvbqovk7l/Annexes-%20ToR-%20Evaluation.docx?dl=0