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Title

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project (PACC) Midterm Evaluation Consulting Team
Posted
Reference   (Please mention Stopdodo/Environment Jobs in your application)
Sectors Sustainability, Climate, CSR, EMS
Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Water Resources
Location Samoa - Australasia
Type Temporary / Contract / Seasonal
Status Full Time
Level Senior Level
Deadline 10/10/2011
Company Name UNDP
Contact Name Human Resources
Website Further Details / Applications
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Directory Entry : UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. For environmental jobs with UNDP visit their website. Or for more environmental jobs search environmentjobs.com
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Description
The UNDP Samoa Multi-Country Office (MCO) seeks to hire a team of Consultants to conduct a Mid-Term Evaluation of the UNDP/GEF Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Project. Curriculum vitae (CVs) and related experiences of key personnel proposed as part of the evaluation team must form part of the proposal.
 
The Mid-Term Evaluation will take place concurrently with a technical assessment of the outputs delivered to-date by the PACC project. The consultants hired for the MTE are expected to work closely with those involved in the technical evaluation.
 
Mode of application: All candidates must apply as a team through the UNDP Multi-country office in Samoa. Applications must be sent via email to registry.ws@undp.org or procurement.ws@undp.org . All applications should include:
  • Proposed team of consultants for the assignment;
  • CVs of the proposed consultants and letter of justification of their capacity to develop the tasks;
  • A technical proposal;
  • Financial bid.
Project background:
 
The UNDP/GEF PACC project is a four year $13m programme of action, which began implementation in February 2009 with financing from the Special Climate Change Fund. The project is executed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), which works directly with 13 Implementing Partners (typically government entities based in each country that is part of this project). The overall objective of the project is to enhance the capacity of the participating countries to adapt to climate change, including climate variability, in selected key development sectors. SCCF funds are in place to support capacity building and mainstream of climate change adaptation at the national level; and finance practical demonstration of adaptation approaches at the community level. Technical assistance and support, including knowledge codification and dissemination is supported through a regional approach.
 
Specifically, the project is expected to deliver outcomes and outputs that include improved technical capacity to formulate and implement national and sub-national policies, legislation, and costing/assessment exercises. Climate change risks will be incorporated into relevant governance policies and strategies for achieving food security, water management, and coastal development. At the national level, pilot demonstration activities will deliver adaptation benefits in the form of practical experiences in the planning and implementation of response measures that reduce vulnerability of communities to climate change and increase their resilience. These benefits will be integral for future replication and up-scaling, and also to identify larger-scale investment opportunities for climate change adaptation. The project will also foster regional collaboration on adaptation.
 
Expected Project outcomes and outputs:
 
Details pertaining to the project are outlined in a UNDP project document including expected results (outcomes) and anticipated tangible outputs.  The PACC project highlights three main outcomes that are to be achieved:
 
Outcome 1: Policy changes to deliver immediate vulnerability- reduction benefits in context of emerging climate risks implemented.
At the project design stage, the following outputs were identified as the key deliverables:
  • Output 1.1 Sectoral or national policies revised or developed to incorporate climate change risk and resilience aspects;
  • Output 1.2 Develop methodology and tools to assist Pacific Island countries mainstream climate change into their current national development plans and priorities;
  • Output 1.3: Climate change economic tools for evaluation of adaptation options developed and utilized.
Outcome 2: Demonstration measures to reduce vulnerability in coastal areas (Cook Islands, FSM, Samoa and Vanuatu), crop production (in Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands) and in water management (in Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Tonga and Tuvalu) implemented to facilitate measures to assist people and communities to adapt to risks associated with climate change.
This outcome is mainly based on consultations with communities and the national governments to identify the main impacts of climate change and define priorities of action. The implementation of these adaptation strategies aims to increase the resilience of communities to climate change and provide examples that can be scaled up in the future.
The framework of PACC is centered in 3 main areas of action: coastal areas, water management and food security. Each country will define their adaptation strategies within these 3 areas aiming to maximize the direct benefits for communities and individuals.
At the project design stage, the following outputs were identified as the key deliverables:
  • Output 2.1 Development of technical guidelines for the relevant sector in each country;
  • Output 2.2 Demonstration of the adaptation strategies selected in each country.
 
Outcome 3: Capacity to plan for and respond to changes in climate-related risks improved.
This outcome aims to compile all the results of the project, gathering best practices and technical aspects of adaptation to climate change. All this information will be then disseminated to increase the capacity at different levels to define strategies to adapt to climate change. This information at the community level can make an important difference in the capacity of communities to understand risks derived from climate change and have access to a range of actions that can be implemented, increasing their resiliency to climate change.
At the project design stage, the following outputs were identified as the key deliverables:
  • Output 3.1 Technical advice for implementation of national adaptation;
  • Output 3.2 Best practices and lessons exchanged among countries through SPREP;
  • Output 3.3 Project website established and regularly updated.

 

Duties and Responsibilities
Objectives of the Mid-Term Evaluation:
The mid-term evaluation is intended to provide a comprehensive overall assessment at mid-term of the project and provides an opportunity to critically assess administrative and technical strategic issues and constraints. The evaluation should provide recommendations for strategies, approaches and/or activities to improve the potential of the project to achieve expected outcomes and meet objectives within the project timeframe. Findings of this evaluation will be incorporated as recommendations for enhanced implementation of the current project phase as well as for the design of the subsequent project phases.
 
The purpose of the Mid-Term Evaluation is:
  • To assess overall performance against the project objective and outcomes as set out in Project Document and other related documents (this includes assess whether the project design is clear, logical and commensurate with project time-line and resources available);
  • To assess project outputs to date and review planned strategies and plans for achieving the overall outcomes of the Project within the timeframe
  • To assess the substantive effectiveness and efficiency of the project
  • To assess project relevance to national priorities including the extent to which the project is a meaningful response to Climate Change adaptation needs in the Pacific with the potential for significant opportunity to reduce vulnerabilities and enhance resilience of communities across the Pacific;
  • To critically analyze the implementation and management arrangements of the Project
  • To provide guidance for the future Project activities and, if necessary, for the implementation and management arrangements as bilateral and multilateral funds for adaptation in the Pacific increases. This includes consideration of how the present design should be adjusted to take account of the operational experience to-date and planned upscaling of financing for the achievement of outcomes;
  • To list and document initial lessons concerning Project design, implementation and management.
In particular, this evaluation will assess progress in establishing the baseline, achievement of the outcomes and outputs, and identifying any difficulties in project implementation and their causes, and recommend corrective courses of action. Effective action to rectify any identified issues hindering implementation will be a requirement prior to determining whether implementation should proceed. Project performance will be measured based on the quantitative and qualitative indicators defined in the Logical Framework and the Results Framework of the Project Document. The report of the Mid-Term Evaluation will be a stand-alone document that substantiates its recommendations and conclusions.
 
The evaluation will assess in particular:
 
    • Project Design – review the original project intervention strategy including objectives, outcomes, and outputs and assess quality of the design and delivery of planned outcomes. The review should also assess the conceptualization, design, effectiveness, relevance and implementability of the project. The review should also include the updated logical framework matrix which was designed during Project Inception;
    • Project Progress and Impact – assess the achievements of the PACC Project to date against the original objectives, outcomes, outputs and activities using the indicators as defined in the logical framework contained in the Project Document as well as any valid amendments made thereafter. Achievements should be measured against the indicators as described in the log frame;
    •  Project Implementation – assess:
Project management arrangements, i.e., effectiveness of the UNDP (HQ, Regional Centre and Country Office), the Executing Agency for the project (SPREP) and the Project Management Unit (PACC PMU), and Implementing Partner arrangements at the national level; Quality and timeliness of delivering outputs and activities; Financial situation (i.e., budget and expenditure status). Financial audits were done and consultants have access to all audit reports; Cooperation among partners including but not limited to: GEF-supported projects (IWRM)UNDP, Government counterparts,bilateral funded projects when relevant, at the demonstration sites and private companies; as well as those listed in the project document in the stakeholder participation plan as project co-financiers; this will be further specified during the inception visit to Samoa;Responsiveness of project management to adapt and implement changes in project execution, based on partner and stakeholder feedback;.
 
Based on the above points, the evaluation should provide a document of approximately 50 pages indicating what project activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts have been achieved to date, and specifically:
  • Assess the extent of the progress which the PACC Project has made to achieve its objectives and where gaps are evident;
  • Draw lessons from the experiences of the PACC Project, in particular those elements that have worked well and those that have not, requiring adjustments and;
  • Provide recommendations to strengthen the effectiveness, efficiency, impact, implementation, execution and sustainability of the PACC Project.
Expected Deliverables of the Assignment:
 
The Contractor is expected to produce the following main outputs:
  • Inception Note and de-briefing notes;
  • Draft Mid-term Evaluation Report half way through the consultancy;
  • Submission of the draft final report;
  • Final report (which has benefitted from views of UNDP/SPREP etc).

 

Competencies
  • 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.

 

Required Skills and Experience
A consulting team (drawn from International/regional and national pools) with the qualifications outlined below, shall be engaged to undertake the evaluation, working in accordance with the planned schedule. The team has the overall responsibility for collecting documents, completing the desk review prior to the country missions and submitting the interim and final documents and reports. The team leader will sign an agreement with UNDP and will be bound by the terms and conditions set in the agreement.
 
Qualifications:
  • Consultants with academic and professional competencies in fields related to Climate Change; Adaptation/Disaster Management. 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;
  • Substantive experience in socio-economic analysis and evaluation of community involvement;
  • Substantive experience in reviewing and evaluating similar projects, preferably those involving UNDP/GEF or other United Nations development agencies or major donors;
  • Excellent English writing and communication skills. The team must be equipped with own computing equipment;
  • Demonstrated ability to assess complex situations, succinctly distilling critical issues, and drawing forward-looking conclusions and recommendations;
  • Highly knowledgeable of participatory monitoring and evaluation processes, and experience in evaluation of technical assistance projects with major donor agencies;
  • Ability and experience to lead multi disciplinary and national teams, and deliver quality reports within a given timeframe;
  • Familiarity with the challenges developing countries face in adapting to climate change;
  • Familiarity with the Pacific or similar countries; and
  • Excellent human relations, coordination, planning and team work.
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