UNDP Jobs - 72169- Mid Term Review of Adapt Plan Project

Mid Term Review of Adapt Plan Project

Location :

Lilongwe, MALAWI

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

12-Jun-2017

Application Deadline :

22-May-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

30 working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

30 working days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

This is the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the UNDP-GEF Midterm Review (MTR) of the full-sized project titled, Implementing Urgent Adaptation Priorities through Strengthened Decentralised and National Development Plans-ADAPT PLAN. The project is implemented by the Government of Malawi, through the Environmental Affairs Department in the Ministry of Natural Resources Energy and Mining with support from Global Environment Facility (GEF)-Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), which is to be undertaken in year 2017. The project started September 2014 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 second Project Implementation Report (PIR). This ToR sets out the expectations for this MTR. The MTR process must follow the guidance outlined in the document; Guidance for Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects.

The project was designed to:

Respond to barriers to the effective implementation of the policy and mainstreaming of adaptation into development planning.
To establish and then demonstrate the institutional framework required to mainstream adaptation into development planning at national and local levels, beginning with 3 line ministries (Agriculture, Water and Forestry) and 3 case study districts (Nkhata Bay, Ntcheu and Zomba).
To establish adaptation indicators that will be used by the appropriate parties at local and national level to determine the level of finances to be allocated to planned activities, thereby incentivizing active incorporation of adaptation and climate proofing and enabling implementation of Malawi Growth Development Strategy (MGDSII/III).

Project goal will be realized through three (3) interlinked components that address barriers to the effective implementation of the policy and mainstreaming of adaptation into development planning, which are:

Outcome 1: Strengthened awareness and ownership of adaptation and climate risk reduction processes at local level
Outcome 2: Diversified and strengthened livelihoods for vulnerable people in target areas
Outcome 3: Mainstreamed adaptation in broader development frameworks at country level and in targeted vulnerable areas

Duties and Responsibilities

The MTR will be conducted by an independent consultant with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions globally. The consultant 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 EAD and UNDP Project Team. 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 Nkhata, Ntcheu and Zomba districts.

The MTR consultant 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 for requirements on ratings. No overall rating is required.

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 relevanced of the project strategy and assess whether it provides the most effective route towards expected/intended results.
Review how the project addresses country priorities
Review decision-making processes

Results Framework/Logframe:

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, Timebound), 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.

Progress Towards Results

Review the logframe indicators against 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.

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

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 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 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.

Competencies

The selection of consultants will be aimed at maximizing the overall “team” qualities in the following areas:

Competence in adaptive management, as applied to Climate Change Adaptation;
Excellent communication skills;
Demonstrable analytical skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

A Master's degree in Geography, Environment, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or other closely related field.

Years of experience:

Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 7 years;
Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and climate change vulnerability and adaptation; experience in gender sensitive evaluation and analysis;
Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
Experience working with the GEF or GEF-evaluations;
Project evaluation/review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset;
Experience working in Southern Africa/Malawi.

Language:

Fluent in English.

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.

Financial Proposal

This will be a lump sum contract. Financial proposals must be “all inclusive” and expressed in a lump-sum for the total duration of the contract. The term “all inclusive” implies all cost broken down into (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communication, etc.);

Note: Payments will be based on invoices on achievement of agreed milestones i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and certification of acceptance by the UNDP. The applicant must factor in all possible costs in his/her “All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee/Daily Fee” financial proposal including his/her consultancy and professional fee, honorarium, accommodation, communication cost such as telephone/internet usage, printing cost, ad-hoc costs, stationery costs, and any other foreseeable costs in this exercise. UNDP (project) will provide transportation for field travel, however the consultant is responsible for covering their accommodation/meals/incidental expenses for such travel. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consultant.

The lump sum is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consultant.

Schedule of Payments:
20% of payment upon signing of contract
30% approval of the MTR Inception Report
40% upon submission of the draft MTR Report
10% upon finalization of the MTR Report

Evaluation:
Technical:
Criteria A: Professional experience:

A Master’s degree in Geography, Environment, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or other closely related field;
A minimum work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 7 years;
Experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
Competence in adaptive management, as applied to Climate Change Adaptation;

Criteria B: Contextual experience and proven skills;

Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and climate change vulnerability and adaptation;
Experience in gender sensitive evaluation and analysis research or academic and consultancy experience, with practical knowledge in Climate change and working on climate change policies and strategies, experience working with the GEF or GEF-evaluations
Experience working in LDC especially Southern Africa/Malawi;

Criteria C: Technical Proposal

Soundness of methodology proposed and schedule in technical proposal; 30 points

Financial: Cost-effectiveness 30 points

Proposal should be submitted through the following email address: procurementmw@undp.org no later than 22nd May 2017, at 5pm Malawi local time.

The documents can be seen on the link below:

http://procurement-notices-admin.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=37414&view=admin

Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to the address or e-mail indicated above. [The procuring UNDP entity] will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.