Mid Term Evaluation and Technical Review of the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project (PACC)

UNDP Samoa Multi-country Office (MCO) seeks to hire a Team of Consultants to undertake 2 interrelated evaluations:

• Mid Term Evaluation
• Technical Review.

The Mid-term Evaluation is a standard project monitoring procedures covering both operational and technical aspects, while the Technical Review aims at providing further insight to the community-based adaptation component of this regional project, deliver technical assistance to the design, implementation, and monitoring of climate change risk management practices/measures (referred to herein as demonstration activities) under the UNDP/GEF/AusAid/SPREP Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Project.

The two evaluations will take place simoultaneously and the consultants must ensure coordination of analysis and results to enhance the quality of the final reports. These two evaluations will also have to coordinate with the Gender analysis that will be taking place at the same time.

 The Request for Proposal can be obtained by visiting:  

• http://www.undp.org.ws/Portals/12/Working%20with%20us/Job%20Opening/Final-RFP-PACC-MTE-March2012.pdf

Applicants should submit bids electronically to:     

•  procurement.ws@undp.org

Proposal - Required Components:

The Proposal shall comprise the following components:

• Proposal submission form (Annex IV of the Request for Proposal)
• Technical Proposal, including documentation to demonstrate that the Offeror meets all requirements of the Terms of Reference (Annex III of the Request for Proposal).
• Financial Proposal. Completed in accordance with clauses 8 and 9 in Annex V of the Request for Proposal

The following must be placed in the subject line of the emails when submitting your proposals:

• RFP Services for the Mid Term Evaluation and Technical Review of the PACC Project-Technical Proposal – [Offerors name]
• RFP Services for the Mid Term Evaluation and Technical Review of the PACC Project-Financial Proposal – [Offerors name]

The team of consultants will be responsible for undertaking the Mid Term Evaluation and the Technical Review of the PACC Project.

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) policy of the UNDP/GEF at the project level, has four objectives including to: 

• Monitor and evaluate results and impacts
• Provide a basis for decision making on necessary amendments and improvements.
• Promote accountability for resource use
• Document, provide feedback on, and disseminate lessons learned

The technical evaluation will include a sound analysis of the (i) process that led to the selection of particular project interventions (including policies and measures) to promote/facilitate climate change risk management; (ii) efficacy and quality of the methodologies to be applied/used to determine the optimal mix of policies and measures (for example, assessment of vulnerability, socio economic impact analysis, cost benefit analysis etc.). (iii) impact of the introduced policies and measures (against a baseline) including documentation of the perceived benefits (or absence of) to island communities;(iv) quality of engagement and support provided to communities directly and indirectly affected by the introduction of policies/measures including of efforts undertaken to build their capacity for determining priority interventions;; (vi) qualitative rating (and justification) of the improved resilience of communities as a result of project specific interventions to relevant anticipated climate change impacts as outlined in the approved project document, and (vii) the impact of additional resources on project management and up-scaling and replication of demonstration activities.

• Demonstrated knowledge and skills to develop environment and climate change project evaluation
• Good understanding of climate change adaptation and development issues in the Pacific
• Experience in coastal adaptation, food security and water management and protection measures and related policy and planning processes
• Sound knowledge on project and logical framework development and analysis
• Familiarization with GEF/UNDP project procedures highly desirable
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to work under pressure and to establish and maintain effective work relationships with people of different backgrounds
• Excellent communication skills, reporting with ability to express ideas clearly, concisely and effectively, both orally and writing
• Computer literacy in full Microsoft Office Package and web browser capability
• Ability to take initiative and to work independently as part of a team

A consulting team (drawn from International/regional and national pools) with the following qualifications shall be engaged to undertake the assignment. The team has the overall responsibility for collecting documents, completing the desk review prior to the country missions and for submitting the interim and final documents and reports. The team leader will sign an agreement with UNDP and will be bound by its terms and conditions set in the agreement.

The team will ideally include a minimum of three experts with sound background on adaptation to climate change in the sectors of: water management, food security and coastal management.

The team will have to split for the individual country visits and it would be advisable to organize these visits according to the expertise of the members of the team.

Qualifications:

• International/regional consultants with academic and professional competencies in sectors such as agriculture, water and coastal management and fields related to Climate Change Adaptation
• The team leader should have a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience and other team members should have a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience
• Over 10 years of experience in assessing and supporting community-based development and related institutional processes 
• Excellent English writing and communication skills. The team must be equipped with own computing equipment; 
• Ability to assess complex situations, identify critical issues, and derive appropriate conclusions and recommendations.
• Highly knowledgeable of participatory monitoring and evaluation processes, and experience in evaluation of technical assistance projects
• Ability and experience to lead multi disciplinary and national teams, and deliver quality reports within a given timeframe
• Familiarity with the challenges developing countries and small island states face in adapting to climate change
• Excellent in human relations, coordination, planning and team work.