Background
In order to enable coherent cooperation between China and countries in Africa, in particular around the promotion of the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, UNDP China has been funded by the Government of Denmark to develop a South-South cooperation programme. The programme includes two separate projects in collaboration with the Energy Commission in Ghana and the Ministry of Science and Technology in China, as well as the Department of Energy in Zambia and Ministry of Science and Technology in China. UNDP Country Offices in Accra, Beijing and Lusaka support the programme through funding allocation and management.
The programme facilitates exchanges of expertise and technology between China and Ghana and Zambia, building on China's experience within renewable energy deployment, as well as planning and technology development. The programme takes a multi-pronged approach by demonstrating the use of various technology in different contexts and environments. The approach includes: 1) demonstration of renewable energy technology (RET) in various rural and productive sector contexts, 2) building technical capacity and lessons learned with key stakeholders, 3) support legislative and policy processes to reduce barriers to transfer, adoption, and use of RETs, and 4) provide support and mechanisms for South-South cooperation partner governments, private sector and research institutions to create alliances for renewable energy technology transfer.
China Component: One of the project’s objectives is to enhance the capacity for South-South development cooperation between China and countries in Africa within renewable energy transfer that has been developed and tested. The project supports the review and updating of South-South cooperation policies and guidelines. Moreover, a key focus area is to build capacity, enabling China to engage more systematically in South-South cooperation. In addition, the project contributes to climate change mitigation and reduction of poverty by increasing access to renewable energy solutions through enhanced investment and production of RET in Ghana and Zambia within the South-South cooperation framework.
Ghana Component: The project aims to effect off-grid community-based electrification, increase the share of renewable energy and promote the productive uses of energy. At the same time, the project supports broader socio-economic and environmental objectives, most notably poverty reduction through employment generation as well as action on climate change mitigation. The project will create an enabling environment - in Ghana for absorbing new technology and in China for providing it appropriately through South-South cooperation. The project also promotes the production of renewable energy technologies in Ghana with a strong focus on private sector development and inclusion. This is conducive to Ghana’s national development goals and priorities for poverty reduction and provision of energy.
Zambia Component: The project supports access to electricity for rural communities through the creation of an enabling environment to up-scale renewable energy technology deployment by removing market barriers for introduction of improved renewable energy technologies and the strengthening of South-South cooperation between Zambia and China. Zambia has the second largest potential for solar power in the world, currently virtually unused, and an abundance of rivers and water resources in the rural areas. Building on this potential, solar- and hydropower are identified as the most appropriate renewable energy technologies for Zambia and thus consistent with the Chinese development experience. The project will include support for the development of an appropriate regulatory framework for promoting renewable energy in Zambia, the development of financing options for renewable energy, the establishment of demonstration and testing facilities to showcase RET and build capacity.
For specific output and outcome descriptions please see annex 1.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Terminal Evaluation shall examine progress, achievements, critical shortcomings, good practices and lessons learned from the project including project structures and setup. The review shall cover all activities in all participating countries undertaken by the project since its launch in January 2015.
Objectives
The broad objectives of the Terminal Evaluation are as follows:
- Assess if the level of ownership of the project by partners and the level of commitment from participating institutions to engage in i.e. capacity development activities. Assess the relevance and effectiveness of strategies and interventions applied by the project.
- What have been the nature and quality of exchanges between the partner countries under this project, and which specific capacities have partners learnt and adopted from each other?
- What have national institutions in each country learned from the project? Is there any evidence of the project facilitating any change in ways of engaging in South-South cooperation, and if so, how?
- As the project lays emphasis on capacity development, transfer of technology and skills development, assess 1) to what extent capacity development and technology transfer has taken place, and 2) the effectiveness of the strategies and methods it has developed so far.
- Assess the contribution made - and its potential - by the project – to a developing a successful model for South-South cooperation and trilateral cooperation on renewable energy technology transfer and capacity development.
- An assessment or overview of the created enabling environment for future renewable energy technology investments in Ghana and Zambia.
- An assessment of the benefits and disadvantages of this type of development cooperation model, particularly in relation to the wider impact/inspiration for China’s future development cooperation engagements in third countries within internationally established standards and procedures.
Assessment of the sustainability of the programme both in a narrow sense focusing on the continuation of the on-ground developments in Ghana and Zambia and in a broader sense on South-South cooperation.
Competencies
The Terminal Evaluation shall use core components of the standard OECD/DAC Evaluation Criteria for Evaluation of Development Assistance namely: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. At this stage, the criterion on impact, which is a core component of OECD/DAC criteria, is not envisaged for use in this review, although any relevant findings in this regard will be welcome. While the review team will develop and refine detailed questions after an initial briefing at the inception stage, some of the guiding questions that the review ought to take into account will be as follows:
4.2.1 Relevance
- To what extent do the intended outcome and relevant outputs address the central purpose of this project as articulated in the business case, and to what extent are these aligned with priorities of key stakeholders of the Governments of China, Zambia and Ghana?
- Has the project been able to respond to the priority needs in relation to RETT in China, Zambia and Ghana, and if so, how?
- Is there a need and demand for the kind of capacity building, knowledge sharing and exchange at the level of communities and institutions offered by this project in the participating countries? To what extent do the research, knowledge products, tools, guidance and practices developed under this project render themselves to use acceptance and replication at national and regional levels?
4.2.2 Effectiveness
- Is there a clear implementation logic and theory of change underpinning the project that inform outcome, output and activities under this project?
- To what extent has or is the planned outcome being achieved? Are there any additional outcome(s) being achieved beyond the intended outcome?
- How have corresponding results at the output level delivered by the project affected the outcome? What are the challenges to achieving the outcome?
- Has partnership strategy between the countries been effective in contributing to the outcome?
- Is there evidence of South-South exchange and learning from each other through this project within each country (with research institutes for example) and between countries? And what, if any, potential exist for further development in this regard?
- Is the current set of indicators for both outcome and output effective in informing the progress made towards the outcomes? If not, what indicators should be used? Are the progress reports evidence-based and do these track outcomes?
- Assess the knowledge management platforms and initiatives developed so far, and comment on their contribution to the project outcome.
4.2.3 Efficiency
- Were programme resources/funds efficiently applied? What internal factors (design, management, human and financial resources, field delivery capacity etc) and what external factors are affecting achievement of planned results?
- The project has several ‘customers’/primary stakeholders whose active participation and engagement is central to the success of the initiative. Does the project have a system of seeking feedback and views to help it tailor its offerings to different customer needs?
- What M&E system/strategy and quality assurance system have been put in place and how effective are these?
4.2.4 Sustainability
- How strong is the level of ownership of the results by the relevant government entities and other stakeholders?
- What is the level of capacity and commitment from the Government and other stakeholders to ensure sustainability of the results achieved? Has partnership strategy enabled integration and embedding of programme implementation in the government system?
- Does the project have an exit strategy? What will happen at the end of the project with assets such as the demonstration sites and key structures established such as the South-South Centre? What could be done to strengthen sustainability?
Required Skills and Experience
One international consultant will conduct the Terminal Evaluation. The consultant needs prior experience and exposure to projects and evaluations and should not 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’s related activities.
The required qualifications for the international consultant include the following:
Competency:
- Experience with South-South cooperation and project monitoring and review;
- Good understanding of the socio-economic contexts and renewable energy sector of China/Ghana/Zambia;
- Ability and experience in conducting reviews, and delivering high quality reports;
- Familiarity with UNDP and its development projects;
- Excellent communication skills;
- Demonstrable analytical skills;
- Project evaluation/review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset;
Education:
- An advanced degree in energy, environmental science, public policy, international development or other related field.
Experience:
- Work experience in relevant technical areas;
- Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
- Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
Language:
- Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
- Knowledge of Chinese is an asset, but not required.
Selection criteria
- Technical evaluation (including written test, interview, desk review of technical proposal, if any): 70%(includes 20% of Job Related Technical Expertise; 25% of Relevant working experience; 25% of Methodology & Approach to Assignment)
- Financial Evaluation: 30%
UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that will take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply.
Offeror’s Letter and proposal: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1I2ueU9yc06PXMYYsZvTy1OxTNzXMm3qk
Detailed TOR: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qHs7oISw_R_IRdAGnl69aYYA_si9Zk0s