Background

The Country Programme Document (CPD) for Liberia (2013-2017) was formally adopted by the Executive Board of UNDP in January 2013, signalling the formal start of a new programme cycle. The CPD was anchored on three major programme pillars, namely: i) Sustainable Economic Transformation, ii) Justice, Security and Reconciliation and iii) Inclusive Governance and Public Institutions.

Within the Economic Transformation Pillar, UNDP support has focused on three major programmes that are fully linked to both the UNDAF and the Agenda for Transformation (AfT). These programmes mainly target issues of capacity building for sustainable economic transformation, private sector development, energy and the environment and natural resource management. For the capacity building for sustainable economic transformation programme, it is anchored to support institutional and human capacity at the national and local levels. This programme seeks to target mainly (a) the continued development of capabilities (knowledge, skills, systems, procedures, targeted actions) for managing national implementation modality with emphasis on capacity and institutional support to key strategic institutions like the MFDP, the PPCC, the LRA, LIPA, LISGIS and the IAA. The second programme is the private sector development programme with a major focus of supporting and establishing a strong private sector that will become the engine of growth for the Liberian economy. This programme seeks to target mainly (b) an inclusive and sustainable economic transformation informed by evidence-based macro-economic policy while at the same time promoting access to livelihood, innovative and competitive private sector and efficient natural resource management. The third one is the energy and environment portfolio that is premised on promoting a safe and healthy environment for all. Its main target is to (c) ensure the reduction of green-house gas, reduce deforestration and climate vulnerability, respond to disaster risk management, water governance and accountability and the sustainability of the environment. The key institutions supported under this program include: the EPA which is the lead institution and national designated authority for the global environmental facility. The EPA provides coordination for all environmental activities across government and benefit from capacity and institutional support. The MoT is another institution housing the early warning system project while the MIA is hosting the disaster risk management project. The E and E portfolio is very huge and diverse and draws on different stakeholders for series of activities under its programme.

There is also the EISD which is concerned with the extractive sector and promoting transparency and accountability of natural resources and its management. There are other cros cutting areas like gender, youth initiatives, support to women specific initiatives under key partners. The UNDP SET programmes support national government priorities as defined under the Agenda for Transformation (AfT) 2013 – 2017 and the Liberia Vision 2030. UNDP partners with the Government of Liberia and other development partners including civil society to support the implementation of sustainable economic transformation priorities both within the AfT and the UNDAF.

Duties and Responsibilities

The outcome evaluation will be carried out by an external and local team of evaluators, and will engage a wide array of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including national and local government officials, donors, civil society organizations, academics and subject experts, private sector representatives and community members. 

The outcome evaluation is expected to take a “theory of change’’ (TOC) approach to determining causal links between the interventions that UNDP has supported, and observed progress in economic transformation at national and local levels in Liberia.  The evaluators will develop a logic model of how UNDP economic transformation interventions are expected to lead to improved national and local government management and service delivery. In the case of the economic related outcome for Liberia, a theory of change was not explicitly defined when the outcomes were established. The evaluators are expected to construct a theory of change for the outcome, based against stated objectives and anticipated results, and more generally from UNDPs global economic and capacity development strategies and techniques.

Evidence obtained and used to assess the results of UNDP support should be triangulated from a variety of sources, including verifiable data on indicator achievement, existing reports, evaluations and technical papers, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, surveys and site visits. 

The Consultant will have overall responsibility for the quality and timely submission of the draft and final evaluation report. Specifically he/she  will perform the following tasks:

• Lead and manage the evaluation mission;
• Develop the inception report, detailing the evaluation scope, methodology and approach;
• Conduct the project evaluation in accordance with the proposed objective and scope of the evaluation and UNDP evaluation guidelines;
• Manage the team during the evaluation mission, and liaise with UNDP on travel and interview schedules’
• Draft and present the draft and final evaluation reports;
• Lead the presentation of draft findings in the stakeholder workshop;
• Finalize the evaluation report and submit it to UNDP.

The following steps in data collection are anticipated:

Desk Review

A desk review should be carried out on the key strategies and documents underpinning the economic transformation work of UNDP in Liberia. This includes reviewing the UNDAF and pertinent country programme documents, the midterm review of the UNDAF and UNDP CPD as well as a wide array of monitoring and evaluation documents of economic transformation projects, to be provided by the UNDP country office. 
The evaluators are expected to review pertinent strategies and reports developed by the Government of Liberia that are relevant to UNDPs economic transformation support.  This includes the government’s Agenda for Transformation (AfT), the Liberia Vision 2030, and other national reports, to be made available by the UNDP country office.
The evaluators will examine all relevant documentation concerning the 4 programmes implemented within the sustainable economic transformation area, including project TORs, evaluations, and technical assessment reports.

Field Data Collection

Following the desk review, the evaluators will build on the documented evidence through an agreed set of field and interview methodologies, including:

• Interviews with key partners and stakeholders
• Field visits to project sites and partner institutions
• Survey questionnaires where appropriate
• Participatory observation, focus groups, and rapid appraisal techniques

Deliverables

The following reports and deliverables are required for the evaluation:

• Inception report
• Draft Economic Transformation Evaluation Report
• Presentation at the validation workshop with key stakeholders, (partners and beneficiaries)
• Final Outcome Evaluation report.

Competencies

Functional Competenices

• Sound knowledge of results-based management systems, and monitoring and evaluation methodologies; including experience in applying SMART (S Specific; M Measurable; A Achievable; R Relevant; T Time-bound) indicators;
• Excellent reporting and communication skills

Corporate Competenices

• Strong working knowledge of the UN and its mandate in Liberia, and more specifically the work of UNDP in support of government and civil society in Liberia.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Minimum Master’s degree in economics, political science, public administration, regional development/planning,  or other social science;

Experience

• Minimum 10 - 15 years of professional experience in public sector development, including in the areas of democratic governance, regional development, gender equality and social services.
• At least 5 years of experience in conducting evaluations of government and international aid   organisations, preferably with direct experience with civil service capacity building;

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English, including outstanding writing skills.

Evaluation criteria:

Shortlisting: Education = 4 points : Experience = 6 points; 7 points required for pass to the desk review process

Only shortlisted candidates will be forwarded the UNDP Procurement Notice

Technical proposal (desk review)

• Technical skills, given by qualifications and training record (20 points);
• Overall experience in the provision with the services given above (50 points);
• Adequacy of competencies & skills responding to the Terms of Reference (30 points).

To be qualified candidate should obtain minimum 70% of the total 70 points.

Contract Award

Contract will be awarded to highest scored candidate (technical score + financial scores)/100
Rating will be as follow:

Rating the Technical Proposal (TP):
TP Rating = (Total Score Obtained by the Offer / Max. Obtainable Score for TP) x 100

Rating the Financial Proposal (FP):
FP Rating = (Lowest Priced Offer / Price of the Offer Being Reviewed) x 100

Total Combined Score:
(TP rating) x (Weight of TP, e.g. 70%) + (FP Rating) x (Weight of FP, e.g., 30%)
Total Combined and Final Rating of the Proposal: The higher combined score will be recommended.

Interested candidates are requested to submit in separate files a technical and financial proposal to the email bids.lr@undp.org.

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.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.