Background
Offeror's letter & detialed TOR download link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Kl4-eqD5mZlLdERtvvOd69du6Y4DtuKe?usp=sharing
Project title: Accelerating the Development and Commercialization of Fuel Cell Vehicles in China
Project Description
This is the Terms of Reference for the UNDP-GEF Midterm Review (MTR) of the full -sized project titled Accelerating the Development and Commercialization of Fuel Cell Vehicles in China implemented through the Ministry of Science and Technology of People’s Republic of China/UNDP China Office, which is to be undertaken in late 2019. The project started on 16 November 2016 and is in its third year of implementation. In line with the UNDP-GEF Guidance on MTRs, this MTR process was initiated before the submission of the third Project Implementation Report (PIR). The MTR process must follow the guidance outlined in the document Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects (see Annex).
The project’s objective is to facilitate commercialization of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in China. It will achieve this through a multi-pronged strategy that will enable China to (a) “leapfrog” in its FCV durability/performance improvements and cost reductions far beyond what would be achieved in the baseline scenario and (b) get many more FCVs on the road by end of project than would occur in the baseline scenario.
The strategy will consist of components covering the areas of: (1) FCV and FC technology improvement/cost reduction (raising technical abilities and international sourcing connections of China’s FCV manufacturers, raising technical abilities of its FCV component manufacturers, and demonstrating 109 FCVs across 4 demo cities); (2) hydrogen production and hydrogen refuelling stations (introducing in China renewable energy-based hydrogen production of substantial scale and demonstrating at least 4 hydrogen refuelling stations with varied business models); (3) policy (covering national FCV Roadmap, standards and certification, expedited approval processes, and stabilized and expanded incentive policies, including two policy pilots); (4) awareness and information dissemination (addressing the general public, government officials, etc. and ensuring replication); and (5) capacity building (covering FCV and hydrogen refuelling station O&M and the financial sector’s knowledge of and ability to assess investments and loans in FCV-related areas).
Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of Work and Key Tasks
The MTR team will consist of two independent consultants that will conduct the MTR - one team
leader (with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions globally) and one team expert from China.
The MTR team will first conduct a document review of project documents (i.e. PIF, UNDP Initiation Plan, Project Document, ESSP, Project Inception Report, PIRs, 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 the Project Team and Commissioning Unit. Then they will participate in a MTR inception workshop to clarify their understanding of the objectives and methods of the MTR, producing the MTR inception report thereafter. The MTR mission will then consist of interviews and site visits to 5 pilot cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Foshan and Yancheng involved in the implementation while also planning tentative visits to Zhangjiakou and Changshu, which are applying for becoming additional pilot cities.
The MTR team will assess the following four categories of project progress and produce a draft and final MTR report. See the Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects (Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects), for requirements on ratings. No overall rating is required.
1. Project Strategy
Project Design:
- Review the problem addressed by the project and the underlying assumptions. Review the effect of any incorrect assumptions or changes to the context to achieving the project results as outlined in the Project Document.
- Review the relevance of the project strategy and assess whether it provides the most effective route towards expected/intended results.
- Review how the project addresses country priorities regarding the advancement of new energy vehicles
- Review decision-making processes
Results Framework/Logframe:
- Undertake a critical analysis of the project’s logframe indicators and targets, assess how “SMART” the indicators are (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound), and suggest specific amendments/revisions to the indicators as necessary.
- Assess how realistic are the mid-term and end-of-project targets for each indicator, as well as the actual realized values as of the mid-term. Recommend adjustments to the EOP target, if necessary. This is on assumption that the current indicators are retained.
- Undertake a critical analysis of the project’s logframe indicators and targets, assess how “SMART” the midterm and end-of-project targets are (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound), and suggest specific amendments/revisions to the targets and indicators as necessary.
- Examine if progress so far has led to, or could in the future catalyse beneficial development effects (i.e. income generation, gender equality and women’s empowerment, improved governance etc...) that should be included in the project results framework and monitored on an annual basis.
2. Progress Towards Results
- Review the logframe indicators as to the progress made towards the end-of-project targets; populate the Progress Towards Results Matrix, as described in the Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects; colour code progress in a “traffic light system” based on the level of progress achieved; assign a rating on progress for the project objective and each outcome; make recommendations from the areas marked as “not on target to be achieved” (red).
- Compare and analyse the GEF Tracking Tool at the Baseline with the one completed right before the Midterm Review.
- Identify remaining barriers to achieving the project objective.
- By reviewing the aspects of the project that have already been successful, identify ways in which the project can further expand these benefits.
3. Project Implementation and Adaptive Management
Using the Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects; assess the following categories of project progress:
- Management Arrangements
- Work Planning
- Finance and co-finance
- Project-level monitoring and evaluation systems
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Reporting
- Communications
4. Sustainability
Assess overall risks to sustainability factors of the project in terms of the following four categories:
- Financial risks to sustainability
- Socio-economic risks to sustainability
- Institutional framework and governance risks to sustainability
- Environmental risks to sustainability
The MTR consultant/team will include a section in the MTR report setting out the MTR’s evidence-based conclusions, in light of the findings.
Additionally, the MTR consultant/team is expected to make recommendations to the Project Team. Recommendations should be succinct suggestions for critical intervention that are specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant. A recommendation table should be put in the report’s executive summary. The MTR consultant/team should make no more than 15 recommendations total.
Competencies
Expected Outputs and Deliverables
The MTR consultant/team shall prepare and submit:
- MTR Inception Report: MTR team clarifies objectives and methods of the Midterm Review no later than 1 week before the MTR mission. To be sent to the Commissioning Unit and project management. Approximate due date: 3 September 2019
- Presentation: Initial Findings presented to project management and the Commissioning Unit at the end of the MTR mission. Approximate due date: 16 September 2019
- Draft Final Report: Full report with annexes within 1 week of the MTR mission. Approximate due date: 23 September 2019
- Final Report*: Revised report with annexed audit trail detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final MTR report. To be sent to the Commissioning Unit within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft. Approximate due date: 30 September 2019
*The final MTR report must be in English. If applicable, the Commissioning Unit may choose to arrange for a translation of the report into a language more widely shared by national stakeholders.
Required Skills and Experience
The selection of consultants will be aimed at maximizing the overall “team” qualities in the following areas:
- Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies (5%);
- Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios (5%);
- Competence in adaptive management, as applied to energy, decarbonization, especially in relation to the automotive industry; fuel cell related technology or commercialization expertise a strong asset (5%);
- Experience working with the GEF or GEF-evaluations (20%);
- Experience working in Asia, especially in China (5%);
- Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 5 years (5%);
- Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender sensitive evaluation and analysis (15%);.
- Excellent communication skills (10%);
- Demonstrable analytical skills (10%);
- Project evaluation/review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset (10%);
- A Master’s degree in engineering, environmental management, industrial development, or other closely related field (10%).
Consultant Independence:
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.
Evaluation Criteria
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:
- Technical evaluation - 70%; (includes 20% of Job Related Technical Expertise; 25% of Relevant working experience; 25% of Methodology & Approach to Assignment)
- Financial Evaluation - 30%.
UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that will take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply.