Antecedentes

The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is a three-year €13.1 million capacity building program that aims to build the profile, and improve the management, of Development Minerals (industrial minerals; construction materials; dimension stones; and semi-precious stones). The Programme is contributing toward the ACP Framework of Action on the Development of Mineral Resources Sector, endorsed by the ACP Committee of Ambassadors in 2011, the African Mining Vision (AMV), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative also aims at supporting the development of a competitive local private sector in ACP countries, in line with the EU communication "Increasing the impact of EU Development Policy: An Agenda for Change". This intra-ACP program was initiated by the ACP Secretariat, financed by the European Commission and UNDP, and is being implemented by UNDP at the request of ACP Group of States.

'Development Minerals' are minerals and materials that are mined, processed, manufactured and used domestically in industries such as construction, manufacturing, infrastructure and agriculture. Development Minerals are economically important - close to the location where the commodity is mined and include industrial minerals, like gypsum and salt, construction materials, like sand and gravel, dimension stones, like marble and granite, and semi-precious stones, like garnet and tourmaline. In comparison to the metals sector, Development Minerals have closer links with the local economy, and have the potential to generate more local jobs, with a greater impact on poverty reduction. This is partly because the sector is dominated by small and medium scale domestic businesses.

Programme implementation

The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is focused on developing the capacity of the small-scale private sector by targeting individual miners, their professional associations, and the public institutions that support them. The programme is under implementation at both regional and country levels. Regional level activities such as training involve forty (40) countries from the 6 ACP regions; while in-depth support at country level is provided for 6 countries namely: Cameroon, Fiji, Guinea (Conakry), Jamaica, Uganda and Zambia. Training and support is provided in the following thematic areas of importance to the sector: 1) mine and quarry management; 2) environment, health and safety; 3) entrepreneurship skills; 4) market analysis and investment promotion; 5) geo-data and maps design; 6) community relations and addressing grievances.

The programme has completed 24 months of programme implementation, with 12 months of programme implementation remaining. In March and April of 2017, the EU undertook Results Orientated Monitoring (ROM) of the Programme, which consisted of monitoring in five (5) countries, with seventy (70) interviews conducted and thirty-four (34) programme documents analysed. The ROM report was complementary of the implementation of the programme and strongly endorsed continued capacity building in the sector, citing the “large volume of demand and high expectations of various stakeholders”. The report recommended the design of a second phase of the programme.  

The purpose of this consultancy is to build on the results and recommendations of the ROM review to undertake a mid-term evaluation of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme. The review will attempt to understand what worked, what did not, and to document the performance, results and impact. The review will be both backward and forward-looking. It will consider the design and thematic areas of focus, including partnerships to improve the effectiveness and the efficiency of the activities for a potential second phase of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme.

The objective of the consultancy is to:

• Review the achievements, performance, results and impact of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme;
• Based on the review of the first phase of the programme, conceptualize and formulate programme design principles and draft thematic areas of focus for a potential second phase.

Specifically, this consultancy will focus on the: (1) Programme Strategy and Design, (2) Relevance, (3) Assesment of progress towards results, achievements, lessons learnt, (4) Efficiency, (5) forward-looking analysis of lessons learnt and best practices to inform future programming, (6) Recommendations for the design and focus of a potential second phase of the programme.

The program is therefore seeking to recruit an External Evaluation Consultant to conduct this activity.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Scope of work

The evaluation will result in the production of a comprehensive evaluation report with findings, recommendations and lessons learnt, including partnerships in the delivery to enhance programme implementation effectiveness and efficiency,  and recommendations for the design and focus of a potential second phase of the programme.

The main questions to be addressed in this evaluation exercise include the following:

• Were the programme’s actions to achieve the outputs and expected outcomes effective and efficient?
• To what extent has the programme managed to achieve a development impact through the targeted capacity building of public, private, business development and social stakeholders?
• To what extent the development impact achieved can reasonably be attributed to, or be associated to the programme?
• To what extent has the programme managed to engage the Country Working Group to provide implementation guidance and advice on the delivery of the focus country activities?
• To what extent has the programme managed to encourage policy dialogue on Development Minerals among policy-makers at regional, subregional, national and local levels?
• To which extent has the programme managed to encourage South-South cooperation within and across the three ACP regions to facilitate cross-fertilization of ideas as well as knowledge sharing?
• To what extent have lessons learnt from the program at the regional and country-level been synthesized and fed into program implementation activities?
• To what extent is the experience, impact, best practices and lessons learnt at the country and regional levels fed into national and international dialogue on the Development Minerals sector for an enhanced global impact of similar programmes on Sustainable Development?
• To what extent the envisaged partnerships in the implementation of the programme have been effective in the expected achievements in the focus countries?
• To what extent are the results sustainable? Will the outputs lead to benefits beyond the lifespan of the first phase of the programme particularly in the focus countries?
• How  has the programme been able to build sustainable capacity in focus countries in ways that would outlast the programme? 
• How could programme results be further sustainably implemented and expanded, having in mind the contribution of Development Minerals for local, as well as broader country, regional and global development?
• What are possible future priority interventions and general recommendations, which could further ensure sustainability of programme’s achievements?
• Which best practices have been identified that need to be considered for a potential second phase of the programme?
• What aspects of the programme need redesigning and reshaping for a potential second programme phase?
• Which new outcomes and result areas need to be considered in the formulation of a potential second programme phase?
• What is the proposed programmatic and geographic scope of a potential second phase of the programme?
• How can the programme effectively be able to leverage existing partnerships with relevant continental institutions in ways that better coordinate efforts, minimize duplications and scale up impact?

The consultancy will take a broad overview of programme implementation by gathering perceptions, aspirations, feedback and data from relevant program partners and stakeholders for objective analysis and conduct of the evaluation. The evaluation will look to underline the key factors that have either facilitated or impeded programme implementation; and the continued need for knowledge transfer and skills to maintain the momentum of activities already set in motion.

To this end, the evaluation will examine the overall performance and impact of programme components at the mid-point of programme implementation and use the results of the evaluation to inform the design of the potential second phase.

Proposed Methodology

The proposed methodology consists of a preliminary desk review of programme materials and deliverables; a review of existing information relevant to the programme context, followed by two field visits and final evaluation report write-up.

The Consultant is required to assess the ACP-EU Development Minerals Project Document, progress and annual reports, key programme deliverables and other relevant documents including European Union communications and strategy documents  as well as the ACP secretariat’s Framework and strategy documents. A complete document list for review as well as the briefing kit will be prepared by the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme implementation team. 

The Consultant is also expected to meet representatives of the programme partners i.e the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Secretariat and the European Commision (EC) as well as the UNDP programme implementation team in Brussels for an initial briefing, as well as a debriefing at the end of the assignment. This is in addition to the field visit to two (2) of the focus countries implementing the programme.

For this assignment, the Consultant is expected to interview the UNDP programme implementation team, technical specialists of the programme partners (ACP and EC), and the UNDP Country Coordinators in the focus countries targeted for the mid-term evaluation, programme beneficiaries drawn from the key stakeholder groups (based on selection), as well as other relevant stakeholders, as needed.

Through two (2) field missions, the Consultant will meet representatives and programme beneficiaries in target countries from the public, private, business development and social stakeholders as well as the Country Working Groups, so as to obtain critical feedback and information on the implemented initiatives and results at the local level to assess the achieved results, approaches and modalities. During these meetings, it would be important to record and accumulate inputs necessary not only for the programme evaluation, but for potential follow-up interventions in the Development Minerals sector for a potential second phase of the programme.

The Consultant will propose a work plan to be approved by UNDP, the ACP Secretariat and the European Commision (EC). The Consultant is expected to prepare a draft and a final evaluation report.

The expected duration of the assignment is 50 working days (including 2 field trips) during the period 08 January 2018 – 16 March 2018.

TASKS:

It is proposed that the consultancy is divided into 3 principle tasks, which are as follows:

Task 1 – Desk review (will not exceed 10 working days)

Following the initial briefting from the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme implementation team, the ACP Secretariat and the European Commission, the Consultant will conduct a detailed review of all relevant programme documents produced during its implementation. Documentation includes, but is not limited to: programme document; programme annual work plans; programme reports; monitoring and evaluation reports; EU ROM Report; progress reports on implementation of return to work plans; influenced policy documents etc

Upon review of documentation, the Consultant will submit a detailed work plan for the evaluation process, including: a list of interlocutors; tentative dates and locations of visits planned; interview questions and dates for the briefing/de-briefing sessions. During the desk review the Consultant will focus on evaluating the programme baseline, indicators and targets, quality and adequacy of programme approach versus its objectives and the outputs.

Task 2 – Evaluation (will not exceed 30 working days)

Upon approval of the work plan the Consultant is expected to carry out the evaluation of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme, via direct interviews with stakeholders and beneficiaries from the selected focus countries as well as interviews with key regional-level stakeholders. The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme will provide support to the Consultant in organization of meetings and interviews, as necessary. UNDP will provide the consultant in-country logistical, meeting and transportation support and arrange flights and a subsistence allowance for the period of the field missions.

Once the interviews are completed, the Consultant will analyse data and information collected (qualitative and quantitative) and draft an evaluation report including main findings and recommendations for activities to be included in a proposed second phase of the programme. A contextual analysis of the environment in which the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is working in should also be included. The report shall seek to assess programme progress, efficiency and adequacy; process and level of success of existing partnerships and partnership building and ownership over knowledge products and results; the quality of programme deliverables and the development impact of initiatives in the Development Minerals sector resulting from the targeted capacity building; concept of interventions undertaken with local actors in the focus countries in promoting links between Development Minerals and local economic development, improved livelihoods and inclusive sustainable development; partnership building and knowledge sharing within and across countries.

The report should include the data, inputs and analysis, as well as success indicators used, and an overview of the effectiveness of the programme from the perspective of various stakeholders. The evaluation will also capture the efficiency of programme organisation and management. The draft report will contain the positive or negative, intended or unintended, changes brought about by the programme and identify factors which facilitated or impeded the realization of intended objectives.

A briefing session will be organised with ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme implementation team, the ACP Secretariat and the European Commission, so as to present the findings and recommendations of the evaluation report, as well as propose a forward-looking vision for the way ahead.

Task 3 – Submission of the evaluation report (will not exceed 10 working days)

Following the briefing session, the Consultant is expected to prepare an evaluation report, capturing findings and recommendations on both the programme approach, management, and performance. Suggestions and comments gathered during the briefing session will be taken into consideration. Also, any observations that may arise from the evaluation will be incorporated into the final draft.

A draft of the evaluation report will be submitted for feedback and review. The minimum structure of the evaluation report (to be written in the English language) is the following:

• Executive summary;
• Introduction;
• Methodological approach;
• Evaluation findings;
• Lessons learnt;
• Recommendations for future programme interventions;
• Conclusions;
• Relevant annexes.

Deliverables and timeliness

The following deliverables are expected:

Task 1: Desk review - Up to 10 working days

• Initial telephone briefing from the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme implementation team, ACP Secretariat and EC is conducted (Skype session is also possible);
• Desk review of documentation is performed and the Consultant is fully aware of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme;
• The evaluation work-plan is submitted by the Consultant.

Task 2 – Evaluation - Up to 30 working days

• Interviews with ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme partners, key stakeholder groups and programme beneficiaries in the selected focus countries; 2-3 site visits are conducted in the selected focus countries and qualitative, as well as quantitative information is collected by the Consultant as main inputs for the evaluation;
• The draft evaluation report is submitted;
• Briefing and validation session with the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme implementation team, EC and ACP Secretariat is conducted.

Task 3 – Submission of final programme evaluation report - Up to 10 working days

• The final evaluation report is submitted in English (and a translation will be made by UNDP into French);
• Recommendations provided by the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme implementation team, EC and ACP Secretariat are embedded and the evaluation report is submitted.

Intellectual Property:

All information pertaining to this programme as well as outputs produced under this contract shall remain the property of the UNDP who shall have exclusive rights over their use. Except for purposes of this assignment, the products shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in whatever format without written permission of UNDP in line with the national and International Copyright Laws applicable.

Competencias

Corporate competencies:

• Commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age differences.
• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional competencies:

• Demonstrates professional competence to meet responsibilities and post requirements and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Results-Orientation: Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals, generates innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations;
• Communication: Excellent communication skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts and Guidelines, both orally and in writing, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences;
• Team work: Ability to interact, establish and maintain effective working relations with a culturally diverse team;
• Client orientation: Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with national partners and stakeholders and pro-activeness in identifying of beneficiaries and partners’ needs, and matching them to appropriate solutions.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, natural resource management, economics, public administration, project management, development or related field.

Experience

• At least 10 years of extensive project/programme evaluation experience, where evaluation of relevant thematic interventions is considered to be an asset.
• Knowledge and professional experience in the area of minerals development and/or artisanal and small scale mining (ASM) policy and practice;
• Familiarity with key public documents, strategies, trends and practices related to minerals development and/or artisanal and small scale mining (ASM) both regionally and globally;
• Experience in one or more of the following areas an asset: environment, health and safety, socio-economic assessment, law and policy, market and value-chain analysis, enterprise development, financial inclusion, women and youth empowerment, public-private dialogues, capacity building of local communities and local authorities, NGOs and civil society organizations in mining and sensitive conflict prone areas; 
• Proven analytical skills and ability to conceptualize and write concisely and clearly;
• Proven communication skills, and ability to interact with multiple actors including government representatives, donors and other stakeholders.

Language

• Fluency in English and French (both oral and written) is required;

Other:

• Excellent computer skills (MS Office applications) and ability to use information technologies as a tool and resource.

Application Submission Process:

The application submission is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications:

Step 1: Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications in UNDP job shop (Please note that only 1 (one) file can be uploaded therefore please include all docs in one file):

• 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 (the template can be downloaded from this link: http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc
• An updated curriculum vitae
• Sample of previous Mid-term evaluation report (or if not available a final evaluation report) drafted by the candidate

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal

Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals in US Dollars for this consultancy to procurement.be@undp.org using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780. The proposals should be sent via email with the following subject heading: “Financial Proposal/LVMM - External Evaluation Service Consultant"  by latest December 12th, 2017. Proposals to be received after the deadline will be rejected. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown. The term ‘all-inclusive” implies that all costs (monthly professional fees, travel related expenses if applicable, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal. 

NB: The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme will cover the cost of flights and daily subsistence allowance (DSA) during the field travel to the selected focus countries and to Brussels.

Application Evaluation Process

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will 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 technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight: [70%]

Financial Criteria weight:  [30%]

Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 70% on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 100 points:

• At least 10 years of extensive project/programme evaluation experience, where evaluation of relevant thematic interventions is considered to be an asset (corporate, UN, NGOs) is required; – 10 points;
• Excellent knowledge and professional experience in the area of minerals development and/or artisanal and small scale mining (ASM)policy and practice; – 20 points;
• Advanced knowledge of key public documents, strategies, trends and practices related to minerals development and/or artisanal and small scale mining (ASM) both regionally and globally;– 15 points;
• Experience in one or more of the following areas an asset: environment, health and safety, socio-economic assessment, law and policy, market and value-chain analysis, enterprise development, financial inclusion, women and youth empowerment, public-private dialogues, capacity building of local communities and local authorities, NGOs and civil society organizations in mining and sensitive conflict prone areas; - 15 points;
• Advanced understanding of data-collection methodologies and data analysis process; - 15 points;
• Interview inclusive of sample of previous mid-term evaluation report drafted by the candidate; and project proposal prepared by the candidate – 20 points
• English and French language proficiency – 5 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

UNDP is applying fair and transparent selection process that would take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their price proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores. Please go the following link for the General Conditions of Individual Contracts: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf

UNDP retains the right to contact references directly.

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

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.