Historique

BACKGROUND

A. Project Title:

Enhancing Biodiversity Conservation and Sustenance of Ecosystem services in Environmentally Sensitive Areas.

B. Project Description:

This is the for the UNDP-GEFand 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). Guidance for Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects.

The Project was designed to:

Operationalize Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) as a mechanism for mainstreaming biodiversity management into development, in areas of high conservation significance. This will greatly strengthen the country's ability to safeguard biodiversity inside and outside protected areas in special Environmentally Sensitive Areas, through a new land use governance framework. In order to achieve this Objective, the project plans on achieving the two major outcomes; National Enabling Framework Strengthened to Designate and Manage Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) and Biodiversity-friendly ESA management for long term integrity and resilience ensured at two sites in the Kala Oya Region.? ?ESA is an area that is vital for long-term conservation and maintenance of biodiversity and productivity of water, soil and other natural resources that provides ecological, environmental, economic and cultural benefits to a local community.

The Ministry of Mahaweli Development & Environment implements the project in close collaboration with Forest Department, Department of Wildlife Conservation, Land Use Policy Planning Department, Central Environment Authority, Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka, Bio Diversity Secretariat, North Central and North Western Provincial Councils and Provincial Departments of Irrigation and Agriculture in both provinces, alumina, non- government organizations and communities in the project area within proposed sites identified in the Kala Oya river basin. The initial sites are situated towards upper reaches of the river basin and encompasses a large water body (reservoir or tank) called Kala Wewa and covers Palagala, Galnewa, Kakirawa & Ipalogama Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions and in lower part of the basin and encompasses marine area including the Bar Reef and the estuary of the Kala Oya River and covers Wanathawilluwa & Kaluwaragaswewa DS divisions. But the project is now identifying few other sites within basin based on criteria developed through a consultative policy-oriented process.

Devoirs et responsabilités

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

C. Scope of Work and Key Tasks

The MTR team will consist of two independent Consultants as a national and an international that will conduct the MTR – ?International team leader (with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions globally) and one national team expert, from Sri Lanka.?

The MTR team 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 the Project Team and Commissioning Unit. 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 Palagala, Galnewa, Kakirawa & Ipalogama Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions in Anuradhapura district and Wanathawilluwa & Kaluwaragaswewa DS divisions in Puttalam district.

The MTR team 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 (see annex) for requirements on ratings. No overall rating is required.

1. 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 relevance of the project strategy and assess whether it provides the most effective route towards expected/intended results. Were lessons from other relevant projects properly incorporated into the project design?;
• Review how the project addresses country priorities. Review country ownership. Was the project concept in line with the national sector development priorities and plans of the country (or of participating countries in the case of multi-country projects)?;
• Review decision-making processes: were perspectives of those who would be affected by project decisions, those who could affect the outcomes, and those who could contribute information or other resources to the process, taken into account during project design processes?;
• Review the extent to which relevant gender issues were raised in the project design. See Annex 9 of Guidance for Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects for further guidelines;
• If there are major areas of concern, recommend areas for improvement.

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, Time-bound), and suggest specific amendments/revisions to the targets and indicators as necessary;
• Are the project’s objectives and outcomes or components clear, practical, and feasible within its time frame?;
• 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;
• Ensure broader development and gender aspects of the project are being monitored effectively. Develop and recommend SMART ‘development’ indicators, including sex-disaggregated indicators and indicators that capture development benefits.

2. Progress Towards Results

• Review the logframe indicators against progress made towards the end-of-project targets using the Progress Towards Results Matrix and following 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 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 in the remainder of the project;
• By reviewing the aspects of the project that have already been successful, identify ways in which the project can further expand these benefits.

3. 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.

4. 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/team 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/Team 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 total.

D. Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The MTR Consultant/Team shall prepare and submit:

• MTR Inception Report: MTR team clarifies objectives and methods of the Midterm Review no later than 2 weeks before the MTR mission. To be sent to the Commissioning Unit and project management. Approximate due date - (1st of August);
• Presentation: Initial Findings presented to project management and the Commissioning Unit at the end of the MTR mission. Approximate due date - (15th August);
• Draft Final Report: Full report with annexes within 3 weeks of the MTR mission. Approximate due date - (30th August);
• Final Report*: Revised report with annexed audit trail detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final MTR report. To be sent to the Commissioning Unit within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft. Approximate due date - (15th September).

The final MTR report must be in English. If applicable, the Commissioning Unit may choose to arrange for a translation of the report into a language more widely shared by national stakeholders.

E. Institutional Arrangements [MTR]

The principal responsibility for managing this MTR resides with the Commissioning Unit. The Commissioning Unit for this project’s MTR is UNDP Sri Lanka Office.

The commissioning unit will contract the Consultant and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the MTR team. The Project Team will be responsible for liaising with the MTR team to provide all relevant documents, set up stakeholder interviews, and arrange field visits.

F. Duration of the Work

The total duration of the MTR will be approximately (22 days) over a time period of (08 of weeks) starting 16th July 2018, and shall not exceed five months from when the consultant(s) are hired. The tentative MTR timeframe is as follows:

• (28 June 2018)- Application closes;
• (25 June 2018)- Selection of MTR Team;
• (3 July 2018)- Prep the MTR Team (handover of project documents);
• (16 July 2018)- 04 days: Document review and preparing MTR Inception Report;
• (03 August 2018)- 02 days: Finalization and Validation of MTR Inception Report- latest start of MTR mission;
• (6-15 August 2018)- 10 days: MTR mission - stakeholder meetings, interviews, field visits;
• (15 August 2018)- Mission wrap-up meeting & presentation of initial findings- earliest end of MTR mission
• (16-18 August 2018)- 03 days: Preparing draft report;
• (25th-? -30th August 2018)- 1 days: Incorporating audit trail on draft report/Finalization of MTR report (note: accommodate time delay in dates for circulation and review of the draft report);
• (30th August 2018)- Preparation & Issue of Management Response;
• 6th September 2018)- (optional) Concluding Stakeholder Workshop (not mandatory for MTR team);
• (15th September 2018)- 02 days: Expected date of full MTR completion.

The start date of Contract is 16th July 2018.

G. Duty Station

Homebased with field travel to Palagala, Galnewa, Kakirawa & Ipalogama Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions in Anuradhapura district and Wanathawilluwa & Kaluwaragaswewa DS divisions in Puttalam district.

Travel:

• Travel will be required to Sri Lanka during the MTR mission;
• The Basic Security in the Field II and Advanced Security in the Field courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
• Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/
• All related travel expenses will be covered and will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents.

Compétences

Consultant Independence:

The Consultant 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 related activities.

Qualifications et expériences requises

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPIERIENCE

H. Qualifications of the Successful Applicants

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

• Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies (75 marks);

• Experience focused on providing the technical context and local Biodiversity issues (75 marks);
• Competence in adaptive management, as applied to Biodiversity (50 marks);
• Experience working with the GEF (100 marks);
• Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 10 years (150 marks);
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and Biodiversity; experience in gender sensitive evaluation and analysis (100 marks);
• Excellent communication skills (50 marks);
• Demonstrable analytical skills (50 marks);
• Project evaluation/review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset (50 marks);
• A Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management/ Environment Management, or other closely related field (100 marks).

APPLICATION PROCESS

I. Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Financial Proposal:

• 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 (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances etc.);

For duty travels, the UN’s Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rates for Sri Lanka, which should provide indication of the cost of living in a duty station/destination (Note: Individuals on this Contract are not UN staff and are therefore not entitled to DSAs.? All living allowances required to perform the demands of the ToR must be incorporated in the financial proposal, whether the fees are expressed as daily fees or lump sum amount.)

• The lump sum is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components.

Schedule of Payments:

10% of payment upon approval of the MTR Inception Report;

30% upon submission of the draft MTR Report;

60% upon finalization of the MTR Report.

Or, as otherwise agreed between the Commissioning Unit and the MTR team.

J. Recommended Presentation of Offer

a) Completed Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;

b) Personal CV or a P11 Personal History form, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;

c) Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment - (max 1 page);

d) Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.If an applicant is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. See Letter of Confirmation of Interest template for financial proposal template.

Incomplete applications will be excluded from further consideration.

K. Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The award of the contract will be made to the Individual Consultant who has obtained the highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions. Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. The offers will be evaluated using the “Combined Scoring method” where:

a) The educational background and experience on similar assignments will be weighted a max. of 70%;

b) The price proposal will weigh as 30% of the total scoring.

To view the full Terms of References of the MTR, templates for the Financial Proposal (J – a) and the P11 Personal History Form (J – b), please follow the following links:

ESA_MTR TOR_Local Expert_Complete:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RNun51eJn0ZicJ4NoQ5TDWMcncq2R08y/view?usp=sharing

P11_Personal History Form:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ESJWl-riUKJTJPN5xN4Ygz8jhgofZRJl/view?usp=sharing

Template for Confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwEfaE476ZX6GLmbpxIsygzlLIqmW5IW/view?usp=sharing