Background

The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2016 – 2020 was developed through an inclusive and participatory process led by the Government of Maldives and the United Nations in Maldives in consultation with civil society and development partners. The UNDAF embodies the following four strategic focus or outcome areas to respond to national needs and make use of the United Nations’ comparative advantages.

1. Youth and Children
2. Gender
3. Governance
4. Environment and Climate Change

These outcome areas serve as a mutual accountability framework among the Government, other partners and the United Nations. While eleven UN agencies are signatory to the UNDAF, ten UN agencies participated in the operationalization of the UNDAF through rolling biennial Joint Work Plans. This process was led by four co-chairs each from the UN and Government lead agencies in the UNDAF outcome areas with advice from the UNDAF Joint Steering Committee, co-chaired by Foreign Secretary of the Government and the UN Resident Coordinator with strategic support from UN Country Team (UNCT) and technical support from a UN Technical Taskforce (UNTT). Throughout the UNDAF cycle, annual reviews of the Joint Work Plans were undertaken by the Outcome Groups on the results achievement and the financial utilization. Based on these reviews, annual One UN Results Reports have been compiled and presented to the Government of Maldives and published in the UN Maldives website.

Although formal UNDAF Mid-Term Review no longer mandatory by the UN Development Group (UNDG), in April 2018 UNCT commenced a light Stock-Taking Review (STR) of the UNDAF at the mid-way of the UNDAF implementation citing the importance of monitoring and evaluation of the progress. Based on the findings of the annual reviews and the STR, UN agencies will engage a national consultant to conduct the Final UNDAF Evaluation which will cover the first three years of UNDAF implementation (January 2016-December 2018). The consultancy will build on the annual reviews of the Joint Work Plans, STR and the UN agency programmatic reviews and provide valuable analytical inputs by drawing key lessons learned from the implementation of the UNDAF 2016-2020 into the ongoing UN programmes and the formulation of the next UNDAF.

Purpose

The final evaluation of the UNDAF 2016-2020 will support greater learning about what worked, what did not work and why, in the context of the UNDAF in the Maldives. This evaluation will provide important information for strengthening the programming and results at the country level, specifically informing the planning, decision-making and improving the next programme cycle. Evaluation will cover both results (outcomes and outputs) and management processes/results.

Objectives

Assess the progress in achieving 2016-2020 UNDAF Outcomes and Outputs through the following:

• Evaluation of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability of UNDAF implementation and the contributions towards achievements of UNDAF results from 2016 to 2018
• Review the strategies and interventions used and the contributions towards national development through the UNDAF results
• Assess effectiveness of Gender Mainstreaming, Human Rights Based Approaches, Results Based Management and Environmental Sustainability in UNDAF implementation, including support to the recommendations of Universal Periodic Review for the Maldives;
• Gauge the added value of UNDAF for cooperation among individual UN agencies;
• Assess the extent to which the UNDAF was able to create national ownership in the UNDAF process
• Assess the contributions towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Elaborate on the factors that have affected the UN's contribution (the challenges and how they were overcome or why they were not overcome); and
• Account the lessons learnt from the experiences of the current programming cycle, and identify issues and opportunities emerging from the implementation of the current UNDAF

Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the UNDAF planning, programming and implementation processes, highlighting achievements, major challenges and lessons learned across the following areas:

• Management Arrangements;
• Operational Support
• Partnerships/Collaboration;
• Communications;
• M&E; and
• Funding/Resource Mobilization;

Generate a set of clear, strategic, forward-looking, actionable and programmatic recommendations for the UNDAF stakeholders based on the key lessons from current and past cooperation to strengthen the design of the next UNDAF. These recommendations should also be informed by the latest UN Development Group (UNDG) guidance and best practices observed in other UN programme countries.

Duties and Responsibilities

The UNDAF Evaluation is the last step of the UNDAF cycle that was conceptualized at the beginning of the 2016-2020 programme cycle. It is an external, participatory, and iterative learning exercise to be undertaken by an independent consultant. This evaluation will take place from February 2019 to April 2019 for a maximum of sixty (60) days).

It takes place in the penultimate year (2019) of the UNDAF cycle and builds on UNDAF annual reviews, STR as well as major studies and evaluations of country programs that have been completed by individual agencies between 2016 and 2018. As the ability to assess achievement of UNDAF outcomes will to a large extent depend on the completeness and quality of reviews and evaluations of the individual agency country programmes, it is important that individual agency reviews and evaluations address the contribution of their interventions to UNDAF outcomes.

The UNDAF Evaluation is commissioned and managed by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office under the guidance of the UN Country Team (head of agencies). To the greatest extent possible, the Government and implementing partners’ participation and input in this exercise is vital. The UNDAF Evaluation involves stakeholders such as the UN staff, implementing partners in the Government as well as CSOs and development partners. Stakeholder participation is essential and should be sought from the beginning of the process through a series of meetings and consultations and possibly through the organization of an UNDAF Steering Committee Meeting convened at the end of the UNDAF Evaluation process. The purpose of the UNDAF Steering Committee meeting is to validate and refine findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation.

Methodology

The UNDAF Evaluation consultant shall define the specific evaluation strategies, data collection methods and required evaluation tools based on the 2017 UNDAF guideline and companion guidance on monitoring and evaluation . An Evaluation Plan will be developed accordingly.

Data collection – the UNDAF Evaluation will use a multiple method approach, which could include the following: desk reviews of reference materials, interviews with relevant/key stakeholders (i.e. Government entities, CSOs, private sector partners, development partners).

Stakeholder participation – the UNDAF Evaluation will be conducted in a participatory manner, ensuring the involvement of key stakeholders in all phases of the evaluation.

Validation – findings will be supported with evidences. Triangulation will be used to ensure that the information and data collected are valid. A report will be prepared including identified constraints, lessons learned and challenges in relation to the priority interventions as well as specific recommendations made both to the UNCT and to individual agencies.

Timeline and Expected Deliverables

The UNDAF Evaluation consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables:

• Output 1: Inception Report & PowerPoint Presentation, including evaluation work plan – this defines the specific evaluation design, tools and procedures, specific dates for key tasks, activities and deliverables; the Inception Report briefly describes the consultant’s understanding of the issues under review including a review framework and detailed work plan. It refines the overall evaluation scope, approach, design and timeframe, provides a detailed outline of the evaluation methodology;
• Output 2. First Interim Report & PowerPoint Presentation & Stakeholder meetings
• Output 3. Validation Meeting, Final Report & PowerPoint Presentation

Duty Station, Modality of Work & Payment Schedule

The place of assignment is Male’, Maldives. The consultant will have a temporary office in the RCO with access to relevant staff and documentation from UN agencies. The evaluation is expected to take place between February to April 2019 with the consultant engaged for maximum of 60 (sixty) working days. There is no foreseen local travel during the duration of the Contract.

Fees shall be paid based on achievement of the deliverables and following tranches:

To disburse the appropriate payments as they come due, the RC will first certify acceptability of deliverables and authorize payment.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UN/UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to conduct research and analysis and strong synthesis skills
• Builds strong relationships with stakeholders, focuses on impact and result for the stakeholders and responds positively to critical feedback; consensus-oriented
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Regional and National Knowledge is highly desirable
• Ability to write reports particularly for International Funded project
• Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict resolution

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree (Masters and equivalent) in development studies, economics, international relations, or related field; PhD an asset.

Experience

• Advanced university degree (Masters and equivalent) in development studies, economics, international relations, or related field; PhD an asset.
• 10 years of relevant professional experience is highly desirable, including previous substantive involvement in evaluations and/or reviews at programme and/or outcome levels in related fields with international organizations, preferably in Delivering as One (DaO) countries.
• Excellent knowledge of the UN system and UN common country programming processes;
• Specialized experience and/or methodological/technical knowledge, including some specific data collection and analytical skills, particularly in the following areas: understanding of human rights-based approaches to programming; gender considerations; environmental sustainability, Results Based Management (RBM) principles; logic modelling/logical framework analysis; quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis; participatory approaches;

• Previous experience in UNDAF or related evaluation process and practical experience in the middle-income/South Asian/SIDS and/or knowledge of the development issues in these countries is an asset;
• Excellent report writing skills as well as communication and interviewing skills
• Consultant should not have engaged in design or implementation of the UNDAF or agency programmes

Language requirements

• Excellent written and spoken English;

Application Documents

• The application must include a letter of interest to undertake this task, the CV and a financial proposal (indicating the daily fee (in MVR). The CV must capture all past related work experiences. Interested parties are requested to quote an all-encompassing daily fee for their services.
• The applicant must also submit the reference letters from past supervisors/clients. 
• Please combine all the documents into one single file, as the system will allow for only one document to be uploaded.
• We will only accept online applications