Historique

Kosovo Government institutions did not show commitment to the implementation of strategies and legislation targeted to the vulnerable groups. Even though the existing legislation and mid-term strategies are in place, they failed to implement or functionalize them. Beside this fact, municipalities did not draw a financial budget regarding this important issue. As a result, vulnerable groups in Kosovo are left behind by central government and local institutions. Government approved this implementation of strategies and ignored it by making it non-functional. Roma, Ashkanli and Egyptian (RAE) communities, people with disabilities, extremely poor and social assistance groups as well as many other vulnerable groups are facing huge problems with this strategic implementation, even though the law is approved. Discrimination toward these groups should be changed into equal access for everyone and everywhere. Enormous percentage of un-educated, discriminated, social assistance people should be minimized by social inclusion. 
For addressing this concern, UNDP Kosovo, particularly its Policy, Research, Gender and Communication (PRGC) Unit considered that it is necessary to prioritize and work on the “capacity development of vulnerable group organizations for monitoring and evaluating strategies and legislation targeted to them”. Under this priority area, PRGC Unit intends to decrease vulnerability and human security risks that different vulnerable groups are facing. We believe that, this could be done through increasing vulnerable group’s capacities to monitor the implementation of the strategies and legislation targeted to them - as well as, through supporting the institutions to better implement exiting strategies and legislation targeted to vulnerable groups. After careful review of the vulnerable group strategies and legislation, a detailed project will be designed. The project will target vulnerable groups living in Kosovo as well as adequate, civil society organizations (CSO), ministries and municipalities that will help those groups in cooperation with UNDP. The project intends to provide professional advices to the vulnerable groups and CSO for monitoring the implementation of strategies and legislation targeted to them. Simultaneously, support central and local governments, on accomplishing their legal responsibilities vis-a-vis vulnerable groups as well as provide on-job trainings of both local and central level institutions, involved in the implementation of the existing strategies. Through this reinforcement, the frameworks will be expanded and redefined gradually, shifting the focus from approving the legislation and drafting of strategies - toward pro-active implementation. There are  many criteria for vulnerability; people with disabilities, refugees and IDPs, ethnic or religious minorities, old age populations’, single parents, former combatants etc. Even though not all of them are equally vulnerable and can equally benefit from the existing strategies and legislation; yet, we consider that at least the most affected ones will benefit from capacity development initiatives on monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of existing strategies and legislation targeted to them - which will be a major expected outcome of the project. 
The project is expected to have two major priority areas:
Capacity development of local level and central government to deal with vulnerable groups through implementation of the existing strategies and legislation targeted to them 
Capacity development for vulnerable group organizations to monitor the implementation of strategies and legislation - through rising the level of awareness, regarding their rights as well as duties and responsibilities of the institutions vis-a-vis these groups. 
These are seen as intrinsically linked to the Governments’ commitments to meeting the Millennium Development Goals and social inclusion criteria for EU membership. Thus, addressing vulnerability by the project is strictly linked to the process of European Integration that represents the single most important developmental priority of Kosovo in the forthcoming period. For that purpose capacity of Good Governance Office and selected municipalities will be improved. 

Devoirs et responsabilités

Reviews and evaluate the policies, legislation and government strategies targeted to the vulnerable groups in Kosovo. In addition, produce concrete recommendations and guidelines on; how identified gaps and problems of the implementation of existing legislation and strategies, could be addressed and solved through a detailed project document. 

Objective
The overall objective of the evaluation is to make an assessment on the policies, legislation and government strategies related to the vulnerable groups in Kosovo. Additionally, to investigate and evaluate the overall importance and demand for the implementation of existing policies among main stakeholders, Kosovo Government, International Organizations/Actors, donor community, CSO’s and media. 

The Expert on Demand will be expected to organize and facilitate meetings which should target Kosovo Government and its ministries, the NGO community, International Organizations working in Kosovo as well as other clients or potential implementers of these policies.

He/she will be expected to write a report regarding the meetings held and overall feedback regarding the impact, importance, usefulness, and demand for the vulnerable group strategies and legislation.
The activity is funded by the Czech-UNDP Trust Fund within the Expert on Demand scheme and its aim is to transfer lessons learnt, know-how and good practices from Czech transition to democracy and market economy.

Expected Outputs

• Provide a detailed report which reviews and evaluates the policies, legislation and government strategies targeted to the vulnerable groups in Kosovo;
• Provide concrete recommendations and guidelines on; how identified gaps and problems of the implementation of existing legislation and strategies, could be addressed and solved through a detailed project document. 

Issues to be studied 

Impact 

• Assess the overall impact of the existing strategies for vulnerable groups on the ground, in the work of our main stakeholders, (Kosovo Government, International Organizations/Actors, donor community and CSO’s and media).

Efficiency

• Assess whether the limited resources of the budget have been efficiently used to meet the results and contribute to the objectives of particular strategies and policies.

Relevance 

• Review the policies, legislation and government strategies related to the vulnerable groups in Kosovo;
• Review relevance vis-a-vis Government’s political and democratization related plans;
• Review how and the extent to which the existing strategies and legislation has influenced national level policymaking to produce and implement democratically fit policies related to the vulnerable groups in Kosovo;
• Critically appraise the cooperation, coordination and efficiencies achieved through the close cooperation of the Kosovo Government and other Public Institutions, and list any issues or processes requiring change or improvement;
• Map the similar and relevant activities implemented by others, with special emphasis on how different development partners implement same active measures using different methodologies and propose how such differences can be streamlined to improve overall impact by donor agencies. Make constructive comparison and any recommendations in terms of methodology used and implementation process in general. Assess potential areas for cooperation between agencies/institutions aiming at increasing impact in a cost effective way;
• Take into account the opinions of other driving forces concerned by the existing policies, legislation and strategies, beneficiaries, Government/Municipalities, NGO’s and vulnerable groups living in Kosovo.

Recommendations

The expert needs to make set of recommendations on how impact can be enhanced in future, including:

• Analyze from a strategic standpoint the opportunity cost of the potential Project, by adopting a forward-looking approach that seeks to compare the current implementation activities with those of similar actors and generating alternative options that the project should consider moving towards.

Methodology

Desk Phase

UNDP will provide electronically the Expert on Demand with a maximum number of relevant documents. The expert will study the documents as a preparation for this assignment.

Field visits 

Site visit will be organized with interviews (individual and group) to develop further intelligence on operations, management, decision-making and implementation arrangements in order to identify relevance of the topic. Field visits will additionally include interviews with Kosovo Government officials, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, different municipalities, vulnerable groups and both NGOs that deals with monitoring of legislation as well as other donor agencies involved in relevant area of work. 

Reporting

Based on desk review and field visit the Expert on Demand will produce a meaningful and comprehensive report to the Policy, Research, Gender and Communication Unit. 

Scope of Work

In the course of achieving this objective and delivering this output, the Expert on Demand will undertake: 

Desk Phase (October 2014)

• Comprehensive desk review of various sources, relevant legislation, strategies, etc; 

2 Field visits (October 2014)

• Fieldwork in Kosovo: discussions with key national and international interlocutors and stakeholders and UNDP;

First Draft report (November 2014)

• Based on desk research and field visits, the evaluator will provide a draft report to UNDP. Comments will be provided within 5 working days. 

Final report (November 2014)

• A final report will be prepared by the evaluator 10 days after the feedback;
• A brief mission report will be submitted to the Czech-UNDP Trust Fund.

Report Structure

• Executive summary 
• Introduction 
• Methodology 
• Assessment 
• Conclusions and Recommendations

The report will be no more than 30 pages in length. Annexes may be added.
Report will be made available in English.

Management of the Assignment

The overall responsibility for managing the Expert on Demand will be with the UNDP/Policy, Research, Gender and Communication Unit (PRGC). PRGC will provide support to the evaluator, such as providing the contacts of the key partners and will work closely with the Expert on Demand to provide required information.

Evaluation: transparency and learning

Bearing in mind sensitivities, it is important that the Expert on Demand consider the review/evaluation as a learning and capacity building exercise in itself. They will provide feedback to all those who will contribute to the evaluation (UNDP, other stakeholders, Government/Ministries/Municipalities, etc). This may not necessarily entail detailed information meetings but sufficient for stakeholders to know that the project is for information sharing and local learning, not simply a bureaucratic/technical exercise associated with donor supported initiatives.

Compétences

Corporate competencies:

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Academic Qualifications/Education

• University degree at the post-graduate/master level in social sciences is required with preference given to those with a background in Law;

Experience: 

• Experience in the evaluation and review of policies, legislation, government strategies (proven at least one similar assignment); 
• Experience related to public policies in Czech Republic; working experience from Western Balkans countries will be an asset (at least 3 assignments)
• Experience in analytical and drafting work;
• Knowledge, understanding, and experience of UNDP activities will be considered an asset;
• Experience in the usage of computer software is required.

Language skills: 

• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English;
• Knowledge of Albanian or Serbian is an asset.

Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.
The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. 

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points:

• Criteria A (Education) – max points: 5;
• Criteria B (Experience in the evaluation and review of policies, legislation, government strategies) – max points: 10;
• Criteria C (Experience related to public policies in Czech Republic; working experience from Western Balkans countries will be an asset) – max points: 10;
• Criteria D (Analytical and drafting skills) – max points: 5;
• Criteria E (Language skills) – max points: 5.

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 points

Application procedures

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work (if applicable). Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application. 
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc ); please upload the P11 instead of your CV. 
• Financial Proposal* - specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days, travel, per diems and any other possible costs).
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. 

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner. 

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org
General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.