Historique

1.Introduction

UNDP Thailand Country Office is looking for a national consultant who will work together with an international consultant in conducting the Terminal Evaluation (thereafter referred to as the “Evaluation Team”).

In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full- and medium-sized UNDP-supported GEF-financed projects are required to undergo a Terminal Evaluation (TE) at the end of the project. This Terms of Reference (ToR) sets out the expectations for the TE of the full-sized project titled Strengthening Capacity and Incentives for Wildlife Conservation in the Western Forest Complex (PIMS 5436) implemented through Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). The project started on the 15 July 2015 and is in its final year of implementation. The TE process must follow the guidance outlined in the document ‘Guidance For Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects’ (Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluation of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects).

2.Project Description 

Situated at the core of the Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM), the Huai Kha Khaeng-Thung Yai Naresuan World Heritage Site (HKK-TY WHS) consists of three contiguous Wildlife Sanctuaries: the Huai Kha Khang (HKK); the Thung Yai Naresuan East (TYE); and the Thung Yai Naresuan West (TYW). Totalling an area of 6,427 km2, the largely intact forest habitats of the HKK-TY WHS provide a protected refuge for approximately half of Thailand’s tiger population.

There are no villages within the HKK, but there are 14 formally recognised enclave villages within the TYW (7 villages) and TYE (7 villages). There are further villages, together with mixed forest-agriculture, in a 5km buffer around the HKK-TY WHS with a particular concentration to the east of HKK where there is an estimated 29 villages. Many of the villagers living in the enclave and buffer villages are dependent on the use of forest resources.

The most significant threats to tiger survival in and around the HKK-TY WHS includes: i) habitat degradation and fragmentation; ii) poaching of the prey that tiger depend on; and iii) poaching of the tigers themselves. These threats are further exacerbated by limited capacity and insufficient resources to effectively plan and administer the wildlife sanctuaries, and limited working relationships with enclave and buffer communities. The project has been organised into three components, and will be implemented over a period of five years.

The first component of the project is directed towards strengthening and scaling up existing best-practice management activities, and developing and testing innovative approaches to enforcement and compliance, in the HKK-TYN WHS. It will strive to reduce the direct threats to tigers and prey, improve effectiveness of wildlife sanctuary management, and enhance the use of data and information to support key management decision-making.

The second component of the project is focused on linking sustainable livelihood development in the enclave and buffer zone villages with specific conservation outcomes, and improving economic links between the buffer zone and enclave villages and the Wildlife Sanctuaries. It will seek to achieve these linkages by promoting incentives (including technical support and grant funding for sustainable livelihood initiatives, ecotourism development and sustainable financing solution (replacing REDD+ Wildlife Premium carbon project) for community-based sustainable forest management, environmentally-friendly agricultural practices, nature-based tourism and education and improved wildlife and habitat protection.

The third component of the project is directed towards raising the awareness in communities living in and around the WHS of the need to conserve, and the importance of protecting, the forest landscapes and associated wildlife. With the iterative recognition in these communities of the intrinsic value of the forest habitats and wildlife, work under this component will assist in strengthening the representation of the buffer and enclave communities in each of the Wildlife Sanctuary’s Protected Area Committees (PACs). With improved community-based representation on the PAC, the project will assist in building the capacity (information, knowledge, skills) of each of the community representatives to assure a constructive and meaningful contribution to the co-management of the WSs. The total cost of investment in the project is estimated at US$31,573,877, of which US$7,339,450 constitutes grant funding from GEF and US$24,234,427 comprises co-financing.

During the startup period after the Project Document was signed on 15 July 2015, the project faced multiple delays due mainly to lengthy settlement of the government’s financial and regulatory systems related to managing the project budget (as part of the NIM modality). It was not until August 2016 when the inception workshop could be held and subsequent work plan and first year budget were approved by the project board. The enactment of the new Public Procurement Act with new required procedures also caused complications to government staff in completing procurement requests due to their unfamiliarity with the new requirements.

In 2018, a mid-term review (MTR) of the project implementation was conducted. It noted many progresses made toward successful achievement of the project indicators while also noted delays and challenges during the start-up period of the project and subsequent procurement issues. The MTR made 15 specific recommendations, focusing on improving M&E capacity of the results framework, financial management/sustainability, livelihoods development in the buffer zone, improved DNP/community relationship, and communication and knowledge sharing, as well as project extension by 6-12 months (in lieu of the time lost during the start-up period) to better realize the project results at a higher quality and impact.

Most of the recommendations have been responded with actions, although those relating to project sustainability and capacity strengthening will require more time and be greatly benefited by the 12-month project extension.

A 12-month project extension was granted to enable the project to continue working on targeted activities to ensure successful achievement of its project objective and respective outcomes. The extension period compensates the multiple delays and slow start-up in the first year of the project (2015-2016). It also enables the project more time to fully achieve project financial sustainability and capacity strengthening objectives. The extension was endorsed by the project board on 29 November 2019.

Since 2020, the prolonged strict COVID-19 lockdown has significantly impacted the project implementation. Activities at the project locations have been postponed as all national parks had been temporarily closed and unauthorized people were not allowed to access the parks. Trainings have been delayed due to the shut-down of the training sites in the protected areas.

3.TE Purpose

The TE report will assess the achievement of project results against what was expected to be achieved, and draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming. The TE report promotes accountability and transparency, and assesses the extent of project accomplishments.

The project is entering to the final phase of implementation. The project end date is on 14 July 2021.  The Implementing Partner (DNP), Project Board members, and UNDP Thailand Country Office will use the project’s evaluation results to ensure effectiveness of exit strategy during the 12-month project extension and take away key recommendations to embed into the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP).

Further to this, the objectives of the evaluation will be to:

• assess the achievement of project results supported by evidence (i.e. progress of project’s outcome targets)
• assess the contribution and alignment of the project to relevant environmental management plans or climate and biodiversity management policies
• assess the contribution of the project results towards the relevant outcome and output of the Country Programme Document for Thailand (2017-2021) and recommendations on the way forwards
• assess any cross cutting and gender issues
• assess impact of the project in terms of its contribution to, or enabled progress toward reduced environmental stress
• examination on the use of funds and value for money and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming

The TE will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects.

Devoirs et responsabilités

1.TE Approach & Methodology

The TE must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful.

The TE team will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation phase (i.e. PIF, UNDP Initiation Plan, UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure/SESP) the Project Document, project reports including annual PIRs, project budget revisions, lesson learned reports, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the team considers useful for this evidence-based evaluation. The TE team will review the baseline and midterm GEF focal area Core Indicators/Tracking Tools submitted to the GEF at the CEO endorsement and midterm stages and the terminal Core Indicators/Tracking Tools that must be completed before the TE field mission begins. 

The TE team is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with the Project Team, government counterparts (the GEF Operational Focal Point), Implementing Partners, the UNDP Country Office(s), the Regional Technical Advisors, direct beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

Engagement of stakeholders is vital to a successful TE. Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have project responsibilities, including but not limited to; executing agencies, senior officials and task team/component leaders, key experts and consultants in the subject area, Project Board, project beneficiaries, academia, local government and CSOs, etc.  Additionally, the national TE consultant may require conducting field mission to Huai Kha Khaeng-Thung Yai (HKK-TY) World Heritage Site (WHS) and its buffer areas in Uthai Thani Province (depending on travel restriction on COVID-19).

Interviews will be held with the following organizations and individuals at a minimum:

List of Stakeholders

Bangkok

• UNDP Thailand Country Office
  • Biofin Programme Manager
  • Youth development programme leader
  • Accelerator Lab – Head of Experiment
• Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (Implementing Partner)
  • DNP Deputy Director General, Mr. Prakit Wongsriwattanakul
  • Director of Wildlife Conservation Office, as the Project Director – Mr. Sompong Thongseekhem
  • Chief of Wildlife Research Division, Mr. Saksit Simcharoen
  • Chief of SMART Operation Center, Ms. Chatwarun Angkaew
• Director of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS – Thailand), Mr. Anak Pattanapibul
• Team Leader on Sustainable Financing for wildlife conservation – Ms. Orapan Na Bangchang

Project Site

• Superintendent of Huai Kha Kaeng Wildlfie Sanctuary
• Superintendent of Tungyai Naresuan – East
• Superintendent of Tungyai Naresuan - West
• Chief of Huai Kha Kaeng Wildlife Breeding Station
• Chief of Khao Nang Ram Wildlife Research Station – Mr. Somphot Duanchantrasiri
• Deputy Superintendent of Huai Kha Kang Wildlife Sanctuary: Environment Education in the buffer zone areas, Mr.
• Director of HKK/TYN World Heritage Management – Ms. Weraya Ochakul
• Royal Forest Department, Regional office 4 for Forest Resources management – Mr. Kraisorn Wiriya
• Secretary General of Seub Foundation – Mr. Panudej Kerdmali
• Chairman of Rabbit in the Moon Foundation – Mr. Charnchai Bhindusen
• Kasetsart University Team Leader on Wildlife Tourism – Mr. Nunthachai Pongpattananurak
• Kasetsart University Team Leader on Network Centric Operation System – Mr. Anan Phonpoem
• Member of the Parliament, Uthai Thani province – Mr. Chada Thaiset
• Community leaders – Wildlife Friendly Community

The specific design and methodology for the TE should emerge from consultations between the TE team and the above-mentioned parties regarding what is appropriate and feasible for meeting the TE purpose and objectives and answering the evaluation questions, given limitations of budget, time and data. The TE team must, however, use gender-responsive methodologies and tools and ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as other cross-cutting issues and SDGs are incorporated into the TE report.

The final methodological approach including interview schedule, field visits and data to be used in the evaluation should be clearly outlined in the inception report and be fully discussed and agreed between UNDP, stakeholders and the TE team.

(Note: The TOR should retain enough flexibility for the evaluation team to determine the best methods and tools for collecting and analysing data. For example, the TOR might suggest using questionnaires, field visits and interviews, but the evaluation team should be able to revise the approach in consultation with the evaluation manager and key stakeholders. These changes in approach should be agreed and reflected clearly in the TE Inception Report.)

The final TE report should describe the full TE approach taken and the rationale for the approach making explicit the underlying assumptions, challenges, strengths and weaknesses about the methods and approach of the evaluation.

In case that the International TE consultant cannot enter to Thailand due to the COVID-19 VISA

protocol, the TE team should develop a methodology that reflects the adaptive management. It

includes remote interview methods and extended desk reviews, data analysis, surveys and evaluation questionnaires. This should be detailed in the TE Inception Report and agreed with the Commissioning Unit.

If all or part of the TE is to be carried out virtually then consideration should be taken for stakeholder availability, ability, or willingness to be interviewed remotely. In addition, their accessibility to the internet/computer may be an issue as many governments and national and pilot site counterparts may be working from home. These limitations must be reflected in the final TE report.

1. Detailed Scope of the TE

The TE will assess project performance against expectations set out in the project’s Logical Framework/Results Framework (see TOR Annex A). The TE will assess results according to the criteria outlined in the Guidance for TEs of UNDP-supported GEF-financed Projects (Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluation of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects). The Findings section of the TE report will cover the topics listed below.

A full outline of the TE report’s content is provided in ToR Annex C.

The asterisk “(*)” indicates criteria for which a rating is required.

Findings

1. Project Design/Formulation

• National priorities and country driven-ness
• Theory of Change
• Gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Social and Environmental Safeguards
• Analysis of Results Framework: project logic and strategy, indicators
• Assumptions and Risks

• Lessons from other relevant projects (e.g. same focal area) incorporated into project design
• Planned stakeholder participation
• Linkages between project and other interventions within the sector
• Management arrangements

1. Project Implementation

• Adaptive management (changes to the project design and project outputs during implementation)
• Actual stakeholder participation and partnership arrangements
• Project Finance and Co-finance
• Monitoring & Evaluation: design at entry (*), implementation (*), and overall assessment of M&E (*)
• Implementing Agency (UNDP) (*) and Executing Agency (*), overall project oversight/implementation and execution (*)
• Risk Management, including Social and Environmental Standards

1. Project Results

• Assess the achievement of outcomes against indicators by reporting on the level of progress for each objective and outcome indicator at the time of the TE and noting final achievements
• Relevance (*), Effectiveness (*), Efficiency (*) and overall project outcome (*)
• Sustainability: financial (*), socio-political (*), institutional framework and governance (*), environmental (*), overall likelihood of sustainability (*)
• Country ownership
• Gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Cross-cutting issues (poverty alleviation, improved governance, climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster prevention and recovery, human rights, capacity development, South-South cooperation, knowledge management, volunteerism, etc., as relevant)
• GEF Additionality
• Catalytic Role / Replication Effect
• Progress to impact

1. Main Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Lessons Learned

• The TE team will include a summary of the main findings of the TE report. Findings should be presented as statements of fact that are based on analysis of the data.
•  The section on conclusions will be written in light of the findings. Conclusions should be comprehensive and balanced statements that are well substantiated by evidence and logically connected to the TE findings. They should highlight the strengths, weaknesses and results of the project, respond to key evaluation questions and provide insights into the identification of and/or solutions to important problems or issues pertinent to project beneficiaries, UNDP and the GEF, including issues in relation to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Recommendations should provide concrete, practical, feasible and targeted recommendations directed to the intended users of the evaluation about what actions to take and decisions to make. The recommendations should be specifically supported by the evidence and linked to the findings and conclusions around key questions addressed by the evaluation.
• The TE report should also include lessons that can be taken from the evaluation, including best and worst practices in addressing issues relating to relevance, performance and success that can provide knowledge gained from the particular circumstance (programmatic and evaluation methods used, partnerships, financial leveraging, etc.) that are applicable to other GEF and UNDP interventions. When possible, the TE team should include examples of good practices in project design and implementation.
• It is important for the conclusions, recommendations and lessons learned of the TE report to include results related to gender equality and empowerment of women.

The TE report will include an Evaluation Ratings Table, as shown below (or see Annex F).

ToR Table 2: Evaluation Ratings Table for “Strengthening Capacity and Incentives for Wildlife Conservation in the Western Forest Complex” Project (Pleaes refer to ToR).

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The TE consultant/team shall prepare and submit:

*The final TE 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.

All final TE reports will be quality assessed by the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (IEO).  Details of the IEO’s quality assessment of decentralized evaluations can be found in Section 6 of the UNDP Evaluation Guidelines.

Institutional Arrangement

Commissioning Unit for this project’s TE is UNDP Thailand Country Office.  The Commissioning Unit will contract the evaluators and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the TE team, if the travel is permitted. The Project Team will be responsible for liaising with the TE team to provide all relevant documents, set up stakeholder interviews, and arrange field visits.

The UNDP Thailand Country Office and Project Team will provide logistic support in the implementation of remote/ virtual meetings if travel to project site is restricted. An updated stakeholder list with contact details (phone and email) will be provided by the UNDP Thailand Country Office to the TE team.

Duration of the Work

15 April 2021 – 25 June 2021 (up to 35 working days).

Duty Station

Bangkok with travel to Uthai Thani and Kanchanabuti or Tak Province, Thailand

Compétences

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Educational Qualifications

• At least a Master’s degree in a discipline relevant to Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Development Studies, Economic or other closely related field (5 points);.

Experience

• Minimum of two (2) years of supporting project evaluation and/or implementation experience in the result-base management framework, adaptive management (25 points);
• Previous experiences in project evaluation/project design/implementation in relevant thematic areas (i.e. wildlife conservation, species conservation, community-based management, livelihood, sustainable utilization, environmental conservation, land use planning, ecology) (25 points);
• Proven experiences in field level data collection with adequate knowledge of data collection tools and experience with implementing evaluations remotely (10 points);
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and biodiversity, experience in gender sensitive evaluation and analysis (5 point);
• Proven communication, facilitation, and writing skills;
• Evaluation skills, including conducting interviews, focus group discussions, desk research, qualitative and quantitative analysis;
• Excellent command of English both writing and speaking;
• Familiarity with Thailand national development policies, programs and projects;
• Some project management experience in biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization would be an advantage;
• Some knowledge of UNDP or GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy would be an advantage.

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The contract will be based on Lump sum

The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

• Deliverable 1 – a completed submission of a final TE Inception Report: 20% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 2 – a completed submission of a draft TE report: 40% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 3 – a completed submission of a Final TE Report: 40% of total contract amount

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent.   

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology;

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%) *and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced qualified proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

• Only those applications which are responsive, compliant and accept in general condition will be evaluated;
• For those who passing technical and interview evaluation above, offers will be evaluated per the Combined Scoring method:

a.   Technical and Interview (70%)

b.   Financial Evaluation (30%)

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of education - Max 5 points;
• Criteria 2: Experience of supporting project evaluation and/or implementation experience in the result-based management framework, adaptive management - Max 25 points;
• Criteria 3: Experience in project evaluation/project design/implementation in relevant thematic areas (i.e. wildlife conservation, species conservation, community-based management, livelihood, sustainable utilization, environmental conservation, land use planning, ecology) - Max 25 points;
• Criteria 4: Experience in in field level data collection with adequate knowledge of data collection tools and experience with implementing evaluations remotely - Max 10 points;
• Criteria 5: Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and community-based management – Max 5 points;

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of total 100 points in technical evaluation) would be considered for Interview and Financial Evaluation respectively.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• Personal CV or a Personal History Form (P11) 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.
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: If an Offeror 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 Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
• 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)

*Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The shortlisted candidates may be contacted and the successful candidate will be notified.*

To download form and related documents, please follow the link below:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=76509