Background

Background and context

The Ukraine Early Recovery Programme (ERP) framework loan aims to support multi-sector investment schemes in the municipal and social infrastructure sectors to cope with the consequences of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, as well as the flux of Internal Displaced people (IDPs) to other regions of the country. To effectively implement the Programme in the targeted regions covered by the technical assistance, decentralized Programme Implementation Units (PIU’s) shall be established at the regional level with the PIU in the Donetsk Oblast being responsible for ensuring the necessary managerial and coordination support.

This operation  will cover the following sectors and areas: (i) emergency repairs and energy efficiency interventions in infrastructure used for sheltering; (ii) recovery and reestablishment of water supply and sanitation systems, including network repairs, pumping stations, treatment plants; (iii) recovery and reestablishment of electric power generation, transmission and distribution; (iv) recovery and reestablishment of district heating generation systems, transmission and distribution; (v) recovery of (local, regional and national) roads and railways damaged by the conflict, including affected bridges; (vi) repair and refurbishment of public or community buildings; (vii) emergency repairs and energy efficiency interventions in schools, health centers, hospitals, social center’s, post offices providing financial services and other relevant buildings; and (viii) any other required early recovery interventions necessary for the reestablishment of living conditions and livelihoods, within the limits of EIB eligibility rules.

The project’s operation activities cover the following geographical areas, namely: 

• The conflict-affected areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts under control of the Ukrainian Government;
• The three surrounding oblasts (Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia);
• Specific city councils in other oblasts that are hosting significant influxes of IDPs to help address the increased pressure on social infrastructure and sheltering.

Taking this into consideration UNDP as a Services’ Provider is responsible for managing the Programme at regional level and support the preparation and implementation of the sub-projects at local government levels. To ensure the activities under the mentioned UNDP EIB TA project (hereinafter – the Project) are implemented and monitored effectively and efficiently, UNDP Ukraine seeks for a Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant to perform tasks described below.

Main Objective of the Assignment

It is anticipated that the Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant will develop the Project’s monitoring and evaluation system to be used for assessing the Project’s performance, outputs, outcomes and impact, i.e. M&E system which will serve as a management and monitoring tool of the project. This system will assist to regularly collect, analyze and use the information within the Project about its progress and to compare project objectives with accomplishments and how the objectives were achieved. 

Duties and Responsibilities

?Description of Responsibilities / Scope of Work

The Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant will carry out the following tasks:

1. Review the Project’s Terms of reference, including Logical Framework, and other relevant project documentation and in consultations with the project’s team to identify appropriate M&E indicators; select relevant data and design tools; select appropriate methods and sources for data collection; propose possible platforms (excel, word, web-based, etc.) for the system.
2. Develop the Project’s Monitoring and Evaluation System including M&E Plan and conduct a baseline assessment;
3. Pilot the project M&E system and train the project staff on using it.
4. At the end of assignment develop Final Report clearly describing results of baseline assessment and recommendations for organizing M&E process for the Project.

Deliverables

Proposed payment schedule:

UNDP will pay the negotiated amount in three tranches according to the following payment schedule:

• the first payment (30% of the contract amount) upon successful completion of the Deliverable 1 and approval of the Interim Report #1;
• the second payment (30% of the contract amount) upon successful completion of the Deliverable 2 and approval of the Interim Report #2;
• the third payment (40% of the contract amount) upon successful completion of the Deliverable 3 and approval of the Final Report.

The payments will be processed upon the full completion and acceptance of contractual obligations whereupon the Project Manager signs the certification of acceptance.

Monitoring/Reporting Requirements

The Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant will work under general leadership and direct supervision of the Project Team Leader. The Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant will report on the progress of the work performance each week.  The Final report to be accepted by the Supervisor at the end of the assignment.

Competencies

Competencies

Analytical capabilities:

• Strong technical and analytical capabilities and demonstrated ability to collect, analyze and interpret data;
• Quantitative and qualitative data management skills;

Interpersonal and communication skills:

• Good interpersonal skills and communication skills;
• Ability to work in a team, develop synergies and establish effective working relations;    
• Strong written communication skills to produce external communication materials.

Required Skills and Experience

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor (or higher) Degree in Economics, Development Studies, Business Administration, Public Management, or related fields.
• At least 3 years’ proven experience with Project/Program Monitoring and Evaluation;
• Experience in database management, statistical packages, and spreadsheets will be an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluent in Ukrainian and English languages.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

 Lump sum contract

Working space will not be provided by the Project.

Consultant will rent/use at his/her own expense office space, any equipment and materials that may be required for completion of the task.

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). 

The Consultant will be responsible for all personal administrative expenses associated with undertaking this assignment including office accommodation, printing, stationary, telephone and electronic communications, and report copies incurred in this assignment.

Travel costs

It is expected that during assignment consultant should make at least 3 one-day travels to office of UNDP in Kramatorsk, Ukraine (expenses for travel must be in included into financial proposal)

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.  In general, UNDP should 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 case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

 Evaluation Criteria

UNDP will use a two-stage procedure for evaluating applications with an evaluation of the technical proposal being completed prior to any price proposals are compared. The technical part will be evaluated on the basis of its relevance to the Terms of Reference. The following criteria will be rated as indicated below:

• Education background – 10 points max: Bachelor degree – 5 points; Master degree or higher – 10 points.
• Language proficiency – 10 points max.
• Proven experience with Project/Program Monitoring and Evaluation – 40 points max: 3 years – 30 points, 5 years – 35 points, 10 years and over – 40 points.
• Experience in database management, statistical packages, and spreadsheets – 10 points max.

Maximum available technical score - 70 points.

Evaluation method:

Cumulative analysis

Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight: 70%

* Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% from the maximum available technical score (49 points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.