Background

In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full and medium-sized UNDP support GEF financed projects are required to undergo a terminal evaluation upon completion of implementation. These terms of reference (TOR) sets out the expectations for a Terminal Evaluation (TE) of the UNDP-GEF project CBPF Priority Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Development to Implement the China Biodiversity Partnership and Framework for Action (PIMS 2902).

The essentials of the project to be evaluated are as follows:

• Project Title: (the UNDP-GEF project CBPF Priority Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Development to Implement the China Biodiversity Partnership and Framework for Action);
• GEF Project ID: (59593);
• UNDP Project ID: (2902); 
• GEF Focal Area: (Biodiversity);
• Executing Agency: (Ministry of Environmental Protection);
• Other Partners involved: (the Government of Italy, The Nature Conservancy, the World Wide Fund for Nature and the UNDP/EU ECBP Programme);
• GEF financing at endorsement (Million US$): (4.5);
• Total co-financing financing at endorsement (Million US$): (18.2); 
• ProDoc Signature (date project began): ( May 14, 2010);
• (Operational) Closing Date (proposed): (March 13, 2016).

China hosts a significant proportion of global biodiversity. Over the past two decades, the Government of China and the Chinese people have taken several steps to conserve this biodiversity. However, important threats to this biodiversity remain. Also, recent socio-economic developments in China present opportunities for new approaches. In response to these challenges and opportunities, the Government of China has initiated the China Biodiversity Partnership and Framework for Action (the CBPF). This new approach to biodiversity conservation is comprised of a Partnership of key national and international stakeholders from Chinese biodiversity conservation community and a Results-oriented “Framework for Action”. This approach greatly increases coordination, integration and strategic impact.

The proposed project aims to directly support the operationalization of the CBPF approach and to support critical initiatives under the Framework for Action. Specifically, this project support is focused into five components:

• An institutionalized mechanism for the biodiversity conservation partnership;
• The planning system and framework for biodiversity conservation;
• Mainstreaming of biodiversity into socio-economic development;
• A mixed enabling framework for government and market based payments for ecological services;
• The integration of biodiversity into climate change adaptation measures.

The project mainstreams biodiversity into priority socio-economic issues (poverty and climate change adaptation), thereby constructing positive links between conservation and sustainable development.

This Project will contribute to the Overall CBPF Goal, which is “A Significant Reduction of the Rate of Biodiversity Loss as a Contribution to Sustainable Development”.

The specific Project Objective is “the development of the national policy and institutional framework, bringing it closer to international best practices”. In order to achieve the project Objective, five inter-related Outcomes need to be secured:

• Outcome 1 is strengthened coordination mechanisms at the central level for biodiversity conservation. This Outcome is directly related to the CBPF. This Outcome underpins all other work in the project and the work of many partner projects;
• Outcome 2 focuses on improving the framework, system and capacity for biodiversity planning. However, for biodiversity planning to be more effective, it should be linked to socio-economic and sectoral planning;
• Outcome 3 focuses on socio-economic and sectoral planning, and ensuring that this planning plays a positive role in biodiversity conservation. In addition, for more meaningful and effective planning, stronger links with the financial and budgetary processes are necessary, and increased financial resources are also required;
• Outcome 4 focuses on raising support for biodiversity in the financial agencies and diversifying funding sources– including the private sector;
• Outcome 5 addresses the critically strategic issue of adapting biodiversity conservation to climate change.

The TE will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects.

The objectives of the evaluation are to assess the achievement of project results, and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming. 

In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full and medium-sized UNDP support GEF financed projects are required to undergo a terminal evaluation upon completion of implementation.

Note: “The evaluation team will be composed of 1 international and 1 national evaluator. The consultants shall have prior experience in evaluating similar projects. Experience with GEF financed projects is an advantage. The international evaluator will be designated as the team leader and will be responsible for finalizing the report. The evaluators selected should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.”

Duties and Responsibilities

Evaluation approach and method

An overall approach and method for conducting project terminal evaluations of UNDP supported GEF financed projects has developed over time. The evaluator is expected to frame the evaluation effort using the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, as defined and explained in the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects (henceforth referred to as “TE Guidance”), available online here: . The evaluator is expected to amend, complete, and submit an Evaluation Criteria Matrix as part of an evaluation inception report, and shall include it as an annex to the final report.  A sample Evaluation Criteria Matrix is available in Annex 4 of the TE Guidance and a template will be provided.

The evaluation must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The evaluator is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with government counterparts, in particular the GEF operational focal point, UNDP Country Office, project team, UNDP GEF Technical Adviser based in the region and key stakeholders. The evaluator is expected to conduct a field mission to Jilin Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Interviews will be held with the following organizations and individuals at a minimum.

The evaluator will review all relevant sources of information, such as the project document, project reports – including Annual APR/PIR, project budget revisions, midterm review, progress reports, GEF focal area tracking tools, project files, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the evaluator considers useful for this evidence-based assessment. A full information package of documents will be provided to the evaluator for review.

Evaluation Criteria & Ratings

An assessment of project performance will be carried out, based against expectations set out in the Project Logical Framework/Results Framework, which provides performance and impact indicators for project implementation along with their corresponding means of verification. The evaluation will at a minimum cover the criteria of: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact.

Ratings must be provided on the following performance criteria:

• Monitoring and Evaluation design at entry;
• Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Implementation;
• Overall quality of M&E;
• Relevance;
• Effectiveness;
• Efficiency;
• Overall Project Outcome Rating;
• Quality of UNDP Implementation – Implementing Agency (IA);
• Quality of Execution - Executing Agency (EA);
• Overall quality of Implementation / Execution;
• Sustainability of Financial resources;
• Socio-political Sustainability;
• Institutional framework and governance sustainability;
• Environmental sustainability;
• Overall likelihood of sustainability.

The completed required Ratings table (as found in the TE Guidance) must be included in the evaluation executive summary.  The obligatory rating scales can be found in the TE Guidance.

Project finance or cofinance

The Evaluation will assess the key financial aspects of the project, including the extent of co-financing planned and realized. Project cost and funding data will be required, including annual expenditures.  Variances between planned and actual expenditures will need to be assessed and explained.  Results from recent financial audits, as available, should be taken into consideration. The evaluator(s) will receive assistance from the Country Office (CO) and Project Team to obtain financial data in order to complete the required Co-financing Table (as found in the TE Guidance), which will be included in the terminal evaluation report.

Mainstreaming

UNDP supported GEF financed projects are key components in UNDP country programming, as well as regional and global programmes. The evaluation will assess the extent to which the project was successfully mainstreamed with other UNDP priorities, including poverty alleviation, improved governance, the prevention and recovery from natural disasters, and gender.

Impact

The evaluators will assess the extent to which the project is achieving impacts or progressing towards the achievement of impacts. Key findings that should be brought out in the evaluations include whether the project has demonstrated: a) verifiable improvements in ecological status, b) verifiable reductions in stress on ecological systems, and/or c) demonstrated progress towards these impact achievements [a useful tool for gauging progress to impact is the 2009 Review of Outcomes to Impacts (ROtI) method developed by the GEF Evaluation Office].

Conclusions, recommendations & lessons

The evaluation report must include a chapter providing a set of conclusions, recommendations and lessons.

Implementation arrangements

The principal responsibility for managing this evaluation resides with the UNDP CO in China. The UNDP CO will contract the evaluators and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the evaluation team. The Project Team will be responsible for liaising with the Evaluators team to set up stakeholder interviews, arrange field visits, coordinate with the Government etc.

Evaluation timeframe

The total duration of the evaluation will be 30 days over a time period of 5 weeks according to the following plan:

• Preparation: 3 days , expected to be completed by: Oct. 12;
• Evaluation Mission: 15 days , expected to be completed by: Oct. 23;
• Draft Evaluation Report:  10 days, expected to be completed by: Nov. 10;
• Final Report: 2 days, expected to be completed by: Nov. 15.

[Note: The final report due date, accommodate for 3 week minimum time delay for circulation, review, and comments of the draft report]

Deliverables

The evaluation team is expected to deliver the following:

• Inception Report: Evaluator provides clarifications on timing and method, No later than 2 weeks before the evaluation mission, Evaluator submits to UNDP CO;
• Presentation: Initial Findings, End of evaluation mission Evaluator submits to project management, UNDP CO;
• Draft Final Report: Full report (which adheres to the template outline found in TE Guidance) with annexes, Within 3 weeks of the evaluation mission, Evaluator submits to CO, who sends to RTA, PCU, GEF OFPs for review;
• Final Report: Revised report, within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft: Evaluator submits to CO for uploading to UNDP ERC.

*When submitting the final evaluation report, the evaluator is required also to provide an 'audit trail' (a template is available in the TE Guidance), detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final evaluation report.

Payment modalities and specifications:

• 10%- at submission and approval of inception report;
• 40%- Following submission and approval of the 1ST draft terminal evaluation report;
• 50%- Following submission and approval (UNDP-CO and UNDP RTA) of the final terminal evaluation report.

Important

Documents to be included when submitting application

All applicants are required to submit a technical proposal and financial proposal with daily rate of professional fees for the expected number of working days, which is included in the template of Offeror’s Letter and proposal  (download the format in below link):

• Please provide Offeror’s Letter and proposal together with your CV while submitting application;
• Please note that the system will not accept the uploading of more than one document so please merge or scan all your documents into one prior to uploading.

In the Offeror’s Letter and proposal, you will be asked to confirm your interest and availability for the assignment, and provide technical and financial proposal.

Technical proposal:

• Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work with example/former experience demonstrating your competencies;
• Provide a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work.

Financial Proposal

Please quote the daily rate for professional fee and others related.

Download Link:

Offeror’s Letter and proposal

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zhov5ekfaty7ncz/Offeror%27s%20letter%20and%20Proposal.doc?dl=0.

or, http://pan.baidu.com/s/1pJ6xCBT.

General Conditions for Individual Contractor

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4euv94xzevkefsm/General%20Conditions%20for%20IC.docx.

or, http://pan.baidu.com/s/1pJ1DKH9.

Evaluation Criteria

Candidates will be assessed based on a cumulative analysis of both the technical and financial proposals, in which:

Technical Evaluation (70):

• Job Related Technical  Expertise(20);
• Relevant working experience(20);
• Methodology & Approach to assignment (30).

Financial Evaluation (30)

Competencies

Functional Comopetencies:

• Strategic technical and intellectual skills in the substantive area with global dynamic perspectives;
• Leadership, innovation, facilitation, advocacy and coordination skills;
• Ability to manage technical teams and engage in long term strategic partnership;
• Entrepreneurial abilities and ability to work in an independent manner;
• Ability to work effectively in a team, with good relationship management skills ;
• Strong managerial and coordination skills, including ability to coordinate the development of large, complex projects;
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a highly complex organizational context;
• Ability to maintain high standards despite pressing deadlines;
• Excellent communication (both oral and written) and partnership building skills with multi-dimension partners and people, skill for conflict resolution and negotiation;
• Excellent writing skills, especially in the preparation of official documents and reports;
• Good communications and writing skills in English;
• Good knowledge of China’s environmental and socio-economic context.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• An advanced degree in conservation, natural resources management, environmental science or related fields, preferably in PA conservation and management.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience including Project development, implementation and evaluation;
• Knowledge of UNDP and GEF, such as GEF policy and practices, GEF project requirements;
• Previous experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
• Technical knowledge in the targeted focal area(s) including biodiversity conservation, agriculture, natural resources co-management, integrated planning, etc.;
• Expertise in economic and social development issues;
• Professional experiences in working in China and with Chinese counterparts would be an advantage.

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

IT Skills:

• Good IT skills.

The evaluators selected should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.