Antecedentes
Bangladesh was a global leader in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and shaping the discourse for the Post 2015 development, resilience, urban poverty reduction and social protection agendas. In the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) era, UNDP Bangladesh (UNDP) looks to continue to act on its portfolio of programs to achieve the national objectives of Bangladesh and eliminate poverty. It has originated many of the most exciting and innovative solutions to development challenges. UNDP’s mission is to help create open and inclusive civic spaces, within which the government and people are empowered to realize national development goals and fully engage in global sustainable development efforts.
UNDP Bangladesh is supporting the Government to find innovative solutions to its development challenges based on the new Country Programme Document, which began in 2017. A key cross-cutting theme behind UNDP’s work in Bangladesh is institutional development, ranging from environmental resilience to urban development to improved governance.
In the area of improved governance, UNDP and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT: Australia) is partnering with the Government of Bangladesh in significant ways, particularly in improved institutional development in social protection and aid effectiveness. Specifically, Social Protection Policy Support (SPPS) Programme, through expert, evidence-based support, is working with the government to reconfigure the current social security system so that economic growth is achieved in a more inclusive manner, with economic opportunities reaching the rural and urban poor and the protection of vulnerable groups against shocks. The programme will help the government in two areas namely governance of social protection and strengthening of systems. This work includes enacting a national Single Registry Management Information System to improve social protection delivery, improving upon the country’s Grievance Redress System to ensure accountability and transparency, develop holistic Monitoring & Evaluation approaches to measuring social protection outcomes, strengthening Government to Person (G2P) delivery of social protection cash benefits, and identifying knowledge gaps and conducting research to fill such gaps to inform evidence-based policy decision-making. The SPPS Programme is centered around supporting the Government to implement the National Social Security Strategy.
UNDP, DFAT, and the Government of Bangladesh recognize that a coherent and effective social protection system is central to Bangladesh’s future economic and social development, the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has committed itself to a process of reviewing its social protection portfolio and therefore developed a comprehensive social security strategy. The Cabinet Division took the lead role to take forward developing a national strategy and gave responsibility to the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission to lead the process of formulating a NSSS, which is overseen by an inter-ministerial committee, widely called Central Management Committee (CMC) for Social Safety Net Programmes (or Social Security Programmes), convened by the Cabinet Division. This process has yielded a strategy that has been approved by the Cabinet. The NSSS was approved in mid-2015 and on-going reforms have been taking place since.
Phase I of the current SPPS Programme is coming to an in January 2020, and UNDP, in deliberations with development partners has been developing a project document for Phase II. Successes and lessons learned are being examined alongside the NSSS Mid-Term Implementation Review, completed in 2019.
The objective of this assignment, in alignment with UNDP internal policy to conduct final evaluations of all projects is to assess and evaluate the performance of the project against its planned outputs and results and what was actually achieved. There was no mid-term project evaluation completed.
This evaluation will examine, through a policy-lens focus, and in an independent manner, the project’s delivery of objectives in relation to the project document and its intended purpose. It should consider how activities have contributed to advancing, if at all, to the reforms and implementation of the NSSS. The project evaluation will consider effectiveness, efficiency, delivery of outputs, and any support to Government institutions (such as committees, coordination, policy, logistics). The evaluation should consider the entire working period of the project’s duration up until the present time. The assignment should be carried out using a public policy model for evaluation.
The consultant will work with members of the project, relevant GoB members, and other stakeholders to obtain information, including key informant interviews and document reviews
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Assistant Resident Representative to complete the final project evaluation.
Deberes y responsabilidades
GUIDANCE FOR CONDUCTING THE STUDY
The output should be accomplished in line with following guidance notes:
- Preliminary discussions with necessary stakeholders and review of all necessary project documents and outputs completed over the project period;
- The consultant should have a clear understanding of the project design, logic and strategy.
- The primary reference point for the consultant should be: 1) SPPS Project Document; 2) National Social Security Strategy of Bangladesh; 3) project outputs; and 4) project reports to funders.
Non-binding Guidance:
- Relevance and strategic fit of the project
- The extent to which the objectives of a development intervention are consistent with beneficiary requirements, country needs, global priorities and partner and donor policies.
- The extent to which the approach is strategic, and UNDP uses its comparative advantage.
- Validity of project design
- The extent to which the project design is logical and coherent.
- Project progress and effectiveness
- The extent to which the project’s immediate objectives and end of project outcomes were achieved, or are expected to be achieved, taking into account their relative importance.
- Confirm that a documented M&E arrangement is in place
- Validate that the M&E information supports the tracking of progress and assessment of effectiveness.
- Efficiency of resource use
- A measure of how economically resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) are converted into results. This would be based on the overall, total expenditure of the project.
- Validate whether M&E information supports the assessment of efficiency through monitoring both expenditure and the delivery of outputs.
- Effectiveness of management arrangements
- The extent to which management capacities, governance and arrangements put in place supports the achievement of results.
- Impact orientation and sustainability of the project
- The strategic orientation of the project towards making a significant contribution to broader, long-term, sustainable development changes.
- The likelihood that the results of the project are durable and can be maintained or even scaled up and replicated by project partners after major assistance has been completed.
- The extent to which the project was harmonized / aligned with the work of other donors and the partner governments’ systems for the efficient achievement of all end-of-investment outcomes
OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The broader objective of the assignment is to evaluate to what degree has the SPPS project, if at all, through its activities, and from a public policy perspective, advanced the NSSS reform agenda. Also, the aims are to get the views of whether the project has delivered on its agreed upon outputs and outcomes. And, what benefits, if any, has the Government received from having the project exist. The final output should provide an evidence-based and expert based evaluation on the contributions of the project, including both positive and negative results. The consultant should use a mostly qualitative methodology based on key informant interviews and desk reviews, with partial quantitative on delivering against planned results.
SCOPE OF WORK /EXPECTED OUTPUT
Methodology
- The purpose, scope and evaluation questions presented in the different sections should be used by the consultant to determine the most appropriate approach for the present evaluation. The methodology must be developed in line with the evaluation approach chosen and support the answering of evaluation criteria using credible evidence.
- The consultant will prepare an evaluation plan that will operationalize and direct the evaluation. The evaluation plan will refine and elaborate on the information presented in these ToRs to bring greater precision to the planning and design of the evaluation.
Key Tasks
Preliminary
- 1 pre-assignment meeting with the SPPS project team to ensure that all parties are in specific agreement on the details and nature of the assignment, at the SPPS project office in Dhaka.
- 1 work plan, stating planned activities of the evaluation, including key informant interviews and documents for desk review, and timeline for delivery of the draft and final evaluations.
- 1 project briefing meeting with SPPS project team to provide background context and purpose of the project. The consultant should obtain a clear understanding of the project design, logic, and strategy from this meeting.
- At least 10 Key Informant Interviews with NSSS related GoB officials (SPPS project available to support in coordinating the meetings).
- At least 3 Key Informant Interviews with the NSSS project members (must include National Project Director and Project Manager)
- At least 2 Key Informant Interviews with DFAT, DFID officials engaged with the SPPS project
- Desk review of key project documents (see here for more information: http://socialprotection.gov.bd/en/category/publications/)
Effectiveness
- Analysis of the extent to which project contributions achieved outcomes in the Project Document.
- Analysis of project reports to funders and funder responses
- Analysis of project contributions against the Project Document.
- Analysis of institutional support provided by the project to the Government:
- Coordination
- Committees
- Logistical
- Policy
- Advocacy
- Analysis on project’s contribution overall to the NSSS including policy reforms, political economy, and strategic components
- Identification of key achievements, if any
Efficiency
- Analysis of the project’s efficiency
- Value for money in achievement of any results, if any
- To what extent did the project used its resources (human, technical and financial) to achieve its planned results?
- Analysis of program management to ensure timely delivery
Relevance
- Analysis on project’s contribution overall to the NSSS including policy reforms, political economy, and strategic components
- Identification of key achievements, if any
- To what extent did the project contribute to advancing the GoB’s NSSS reform agenda?
- What impact did the project have?
Gender
- The extent to which the project makes a difference to gender equality
- Availability of budget to achieve gender equality results and staff and partners had full access to gender expertise
- Evidence of gender analysis undertaken
Risks
- The extent to which risks were managed with effective controls and mitigating strategies
- Identification of risks and challenges, if any
Lessons learned
- Identify what has worked and what has not, focusing on assessing the relative effectiveness of different types of interventions (which interventions were most effective?) and making comment on the role and value-add of UNDP as a change agent within government systems
- Observations related to the project design and M&E, management and operation of SPPS, and the extent to which they supported the achievement and reporting of results, timely delivery, and management of challenges and risks.
- what has worked and what has not as well as observations related to the project design, management and operation of SPPS
Recommendations
- Recommendations, if any, on programmatic or operations of the project, if the project were to continue from 2020-2025.
Deliverable Guidance
- Prepare a draft evaluation
- Incorporate any relevant changes based on 1 round of feedback, at the discretion of the consultant
- Prepare a final evaluation
DELIVERABLES
The details of the deliverables are as follows:
- Will prepare an evaluation report including all headings under Key Tasks.
- Inception Workplan - 3 days
- Draft Evaluation report - 16 days
- Final Evaluation report incorporating feedback and comments - 5 days
DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTY STATION
The assignment is scheduled for 24 Working (over a period of 1.5 months). The duty station will be home-based with 1 mission to Dhaka, Bangladesh of at least 14 full days.
SUPERVISION, REPORTING AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Assistant Resident Representative. Deliverables must be approved as satisfactory by the UNDP Assistant Resident Representative.
Competencias
Core competencies:
- Excellent communication, reporting, and professional writing skills;
- Critical thinking skills and ability to provide material supported by evidenced bases research;
- Ability to work with a multicultural environment and a multidisciplinary team
- Plans, prioritizes, and delivers tasks on time and produces quality results to meet established goals;
- Demonstrated understanding of social protection themes and concepts;
- Willingness to travel to project site.
Functional Competencies:
- Experience developing professional level reports in technical, but clear English;
- Experience with data collection, evidence assessment and analysis, citations, and policy projects;
- Experience with project evaluations and result based M&E;
- Strong skills and experiences in communicating and presenting evidence and ideas for policy and programmatic interventions;
- Consistent approach of work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates openness to ideas and the ability to manage complexities of the situations.
- Ability to work independently to meet deadlines
Language:
- Excellent oral and written English communication skills, and technical writing and presentation capabilities.
Habilidades y experiencia requeridas
Education:
- Minimum Masters in Public Policy, Public Administration, International Development, Economics, Social Security Administration, Programme Evaluation, Development Management, or related field.
Experience:
- Minimum 15 years experience in conducting review, evaluation, assessment assignments for Government or INGO institutions;
- At least 5 years high level evaluation experience with UNDP / UN agencies or Donor
- Proven work experiences with policy formulation, analysis, evaluation, design, and assessment related to vulnerable and marginalized communities in the South Asian Countries.
- Have experience of conducting at least 3 previous evaluation assignments.
Cumulative analysis-
The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation 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 candidates obtaining a minimum 70% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.
Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks)
- Educational qualification and relevance - 20 marks
- Demonstrated experience in high-level evaluations with emphasis on policy projects - 25 marks
- Overall experience in the provision of services to Government and INGO institutions related to reviews, assessments, expert analysis’, and high-level outputs - 25 Marks
Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks)
All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below. The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:
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.
The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).
Financial Milestone
- 1st Installment (20%): Inception Workplan;
- 2nd Installment (50%): Draft Evaluation;
- Final Installment (30%): Final Evaluation.
DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:
Proposal
- Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
- Personal CV, 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: Financial Proposal has to be submitted through a standard interest and availability template which can be downloaded from the link below:
INPUTS
The consultant will be provided space during the mission to Dhaka, Bangladesh at the Planning Commission, SPPS Office. Internet at the office is available. The consultant is required to have his/her own computer.
Travel and DSA
The consultant is required to arrange their own travel to and from the duty station, and to and from the office during the mission to Dhaka, or to other meeting locations within Dhaka.
DSA for days in Dhaka during the mission should be included in the financial proposal at the prevailing UN DSA rates.