Consultant: Mid Term Evaluation UNDP-GEF Project (MCD/009/cons/002)

The Prespa Lakes Watershed is shared among the three neighboring countries Albania, FYR Macedonia and Greece. It is considered to be an ecosystem of global significance and has been identified as one of Europe’s major trans-boundary “ecological bricks”. The entire Prespa region hosts unique habitats that are important from both a European and global conservation perspective. The health of the trans-boundary ecosystem can only be maintained in the long run through trans-boundary consensus and effective trans-boundary action. At the same time, effective trans-boundary action is only as good as the ability of each littoral country to effect change within their respective national sectors of the Prespa Lakes basin: to change how protected areas, land, forests, water, fisheries, waste, and small scale wastewater treatment are managed. The project strategy is to catalyse the adoption of ecosystem management practices by stakeholders in the Prespa Basin by mainstreaming ecosystem conservation objectives and considerations into relevant productive sector practices and demonstrating proof of concept by piloting new approaches to mitigate productive sector impacts on the Prespa ecosystem. The project also aims to strengthen the conservation of significant biological diversity and water quality through improved monitoring, targeted research and enabling protected areas to serve as effective refuges for ecosystem health within the Prespa landscape.   The project is implemented under Multiple Execution (MEX) modality, and two national components which are implemented under NEX modality (national execution) are entered as separate projects and linked with the trans-boundary component which is implemented under the DEX modality (direct execution) in parent – child relations (DEX component = parent).

The Project Management Unit for the Macedonian NEX component is based in the city of Resen, within the Prespa Lake Watershed, and is staffed with a Project Manager, one Project Specialist and a Project Assistant, with one additional Project Specialist based in Skopje, the capital of the country. The Project Management Unit for the Albanian NEX component is based in Tirana and is staffed with a Project Manager, a Project Specialist and a Project Assistant. In addition, there is a Local Project Coordinator based in Korcha near to the Prespa Watershed. In GR-Prespa, there is no PMU per se, but the Ministry of Environment -GR has designated the Management Body for the Prespa Protected Area to serve as the project enabling committee to coordinate project-related activities in Greek Prespa. The trans-boundary Unit is staffed by one International Trans-boundary Adviser and a Project Assistant and is based in Resen, MK. Prespa Park Coordination Committee, a trilateral body established by the Governments of the three littoral states, serves as a Project Oversight Committee (Project Board).

The objectives of this evaluation is (a) to identify project design and management issues, (b) assess progress towards the achievement of the targets, the results and impact, and use of resources (c) identify and document lessons learned (including lessons that might improve design and implementation of other UNDP/GEF projects), and (d) to make recommendations regarding specific actions and project adjustments that might be taken to improve the project, and support needed to achieve intended impacts at the end of the project. It is expected to serve as a means of validating or filling the gaps in the initial assessment of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency obtained from monitoring. Special emphasis in the evaluation should be placed on the Transboundary component.
 
Products Expected from the Evaluation

• The consultant should produce an evaluation report with findings, assessment of performance, lessons learned, recommendations, description of best practices both on national (Macedonia and Albania) and trans-boundary levels; as well as an “action list” of particular importance for the project.
• The consultant is expected to spent at least 10 days in the project area on field. 

Scope of Review

The mid-term review will in general assess progress made in Albania and FYR Macedonia i.e. the Prespa Lakes watershed, and contributions made to the Greek part of the Watershed to the extend possible. For this purpose, travel to the project site including the three littoral states (Albania, FYR Macedonia and Greece) will be necessary.
 
Methodology or Evaluation Approach

The evaluation approach will combine methods such as documentation review (desk study); interviews; and field visits. All relevant project documentation will be made available to the team by the project management team, facilitated by UNDP. After studying the documentation the team will conduct interviews with all relevant partners including the key partners and beneficiaries. Validation of preliminary findings with stakeholders will happen through circulation of initial reports for comments or other types of feedback mechanisms.

IMPORTANT: 

Full TOR could be found on the following links:

http://www.undp.org.mk/datacenter/files//HR/TOR%20-Mid%20term%20evaluation%20PrespaFinal.pdf
 
http://www.undp.org.mk/Default.asp?where=focusarea&project=98

Evaluation method:

Cumulative Analyses (70 Technical : 30 Financial offer). Candidate with highest score shall be selected

As a minimum the consultant should have the following competencies:

• Extensive experience with evaluations of GEF funded OP 12 projects or/and International Waters or/and Biodiversity projects (at least 10 years)  
• Experience with evaluation of trans-boundary projects or/and MEX (Multiple Execution) Modality
• Experienced in project cycle management
• Advanced skills in analysis, reporting, facilitation of meetings, and team coordination
• Knowledge of the region and its key development issues or comparable experience in other developing countries shell be an asset
  

As a minimum the consultant should have the following qualifications:

• Advanced degree in their respective fields, or at least 10 years of professional experience in the respective field.