Background

Project Title

Using Strategic Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) to Accelerate the Implementation of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022 (Strategic M&E Project).

Background and Description

In 2017, NEDA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippine country office partnered to strengthen the conduct of evaluations in support of the NEPF. The Strategic Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Project, which is financed by NEDA and implemented with full UNDP country office support, aims to build the capacity of NEDA and select government agencies to conduct evaluations of priority programs, in turn supporting the achievement of the Philippine Development Program (PDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the partnership, UNDP is supporting NEDA in a) commissioning evaluations; b) developing operational guidelines for the NEPF; c) pursuing initiatives to strengthen evaluation capacity; d) facilitating a community of practice on evaluation; and e) leveraging technology and innovation.

In partnership with UNDP and other development partners, NEDA has been conducting the?annual?M&E Network Philippines Forum since 2018 to complement its capacity development efforts, as well as to contribute towards cultivating a community of practice on evaluation. The Forum itself started in 2011, and has provided development practitioners a platform for dialogue and strengthening M&E capacity in the Philippines. Through this Forum, NEDA has convened M&E practitioners and stakeholders in government, development partners, academe, civil society, and private sector to exchange knowledge and experiences and find ways to collaborate on strengthening the practice.? Unfortunately, restrictions against holding large, in-person gatherings due to COVID-19 require UNDP and NEDA to reconsider how the Forum has regularly been held.

In place of the Forum, an extended webinar series, with the provisional theme- Navigating the New Normal: M&E in the 2020s. The Project requires the services of a Community of Practice Manager who shall design and lead organizing the series, as well as strategize how to continue the engagement with webinar participants. One platform that can be utilized for this continued engagement is the Evaluation Portal which was also developed thru the Strategic M and E Project. The Portal serves as the primary repository of all evaluation studies conducted by NGAs and development partners.

Timetable of Deliverables

The consultant is expected to perform the abovementioned works according to the following schedule:

As part of the monthly billing of the Consultant, s/he shall submit a brief accomplishment report, consisting of bullet points on activities conducted and lessons learned.

Governance and Accountability

• The Consultant shall be directly supervised by the Project Coordinator of the NEDA-UNDP Strategic M&E Project, with whom all outputs shall be submitted and through whom all communications shall be coursed or copied;

• The Consultant shall report progress, provide updates, or raise issues to the Project Coordinator on a regular basis. The Consultant is expected to be accessible to the UNDP Project Coordinator via phone, mobile, or internet, and may be asked to report physically to UNDP on an agreed schedule and when required.

• The Consultant may also be required to coordinate with the Strategic M&E Capacity Development Adviser, Institutions and Partnerships Programme Team  Lead, and other officials and staff of UNDP; and with the Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Investment Programming, the Director and staff of the MES, and other officials and staff of the NEDA but through the NEDA-MES;
• In performing his/her functions, the consultant is expected to coordinate, consult, and/or collaborate with members of the Project Management Team, external stakeholders

Expected Duration of the Contract

The Consultant will be hired for 90 person-days spread over a period of nine months from  October 2020 to July 2021.

Duty Station

• In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work of the Individual consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local and national government. During the quarantine period, the IC shall NOT ENGAGE in any meetings or activities OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES. Coordination/meetings shall be done through phone or online communication until such time that the quarantine is lifted, during which this will be STRICTLY a HOME-BASED assignment; NO TRAVEL IS REQUIRED for the IC to complete their abovementioned tasks.

• The Consultant will be based in Manila but should be able to travel to locations of learning activities, consultations, and other engagements within the country, as required, subject to community quarantine guidelines set by the local and national government.

• Similarly, once the community quarantine is lifted, the Consultant may be required to report physically to UNDP on a weekly basis and when physical participation in activities, such as engagement with stakeholders and evaluation of prospective contractors, will be necessary.

• The Consultant is expected to have his/her own workspace, computer, and other facilities.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

• Financial proposals must be expressed as a lump sum “all inclusive” per-person day rate. The term “all inclusive” implies all costs (professional fees, communications, etc.). The price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components.  Please follow UNDP template with breakdown of costs. Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense, and upon award of contract, the consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration.

• The submission of such time sheet may be made immediately after outputs have been submitted and accepted or for each agreed-upon cut-off period.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Senior Adviser, the UNDP Institutions and Partnerships Outcome Lead, and the NEDA Monitoring and Evaluation Staff (MES) Director, and reporting directly and regularly to the Strategic M&E Project Coordinator, the COP Manager shall be responsible for the following:

1. Designing and organizing the webinar series
2. Strategize towards continuing the engagement with webinar participants

In doing so, the Consultant shall undertake the following:

1. Submit an Inception Report, which articulates the Consultant’s understanding of the TOR, provides insight into the interpretation of the provisional theme based on a rapid assessment of needs of participants, and includes a workplan that accounts for all the deliverables and activities under the TOR. The Inception Report should also include an inclusivity strategy which details how the activity can ensure that it is gender inclusive. It should also provide a statement about how, to the extent possible, the activity can promote environmental sustainability.
2. Design the webinar series, drawing inspiration from the provisional theme, “Navigating the New Normal: M&E in the 2020s” that will be held from November to February 2020. This will entail drafting the Program Brief for the series, which shall include the sessions and speakers, key messages and the Communications Plan, and the Implementation Plan. The Implementation Plan details how to drive traffic to the event, and how to ensure that the target number of participants, starting from the pool of regular attendees to the yearly Forums, are met.
3. Organize the webinar series, carry out the implementation plan, and facilitate the webinars
4. Craft an Engagement and Utilization Plan for the M&E Network Page of the Evaluation Portal. Using the traction from the webinar series, the Utilization Plan should detail how to continue the engagement with the webinar participants after the events thru the Evaluation Portal. The Utilization Plan should identify how the community of practice for M&E in the Philippines can be cultivated and sustained in this online platform beyond the engagement.
5. This Plan should include concrete activities that can be implemented given the available resources, such as existing communications support, and the features of the Evaluation Portal.
6. Implement the Utilization Plan to ensure that immediately after the webinar series, there will be follow thru activities and conversation starters for participants of the series.

In performing the abovementioned functions, the Consultant shall be guided by the National Evaluation Policy Framework. Other resources and instruments may also be used as relevant.

Competencies

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling 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 favoritism.

Functional and technical competencies

• Ability to work in a diverse and multi-cultural environment;
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure and to meet strict and competing deadlines;
• Displays analytical judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;

Required Skills and Experience