| Description |
CONSULTANT: SGP EXECUTION ARRANGEMENT AND GRADUATION POLICY FOR GEF-5 | | Location : | home-based with some travel to New York | | Application Deadline : | 24-Dec-08 | | Additional Category | Management | | Type of Contract : | SSA | Languages Required :
| English | Starting Date :
(date when the selected canditate is expected to start) | 12-Jan-2009 | | Duration of Initial Contract : | 4 months | | Background | The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) was launched in 1992 with UNDP as the Implementing Agency and UNOPS as the Executing Agency. The SGP provides grants of $50,000 maximum to develop community-level projects implemented by CBOs and local NGOs that are designed to help reduce threats to the global environment. The programme is also tasked to strengthen positive working relationships between civil society, government and donor agencies and build partnerships and networks with CBOs and NGOs at country and global levels. SGP also gather and communicate lessons learned to inform policy-making and improve the development practice of government and donor institutions.
SGP is now a programme with 109 participating countries that is expected to increase to 124 countries by 2009. As a country-driven programme, each country has a National Steering Committee or National Focal Group of from 7 to 15 members from civil society, government, academe, private sector and the UNDP Country Office. Each would also have a National Coordinator supported by a Program Assistant or a National Focal Person linked to a Subregional Coordinator. A Country Program Strategy guides each country’s grantmaking although global oversight is provided by a Central Programme Management Team of eight supported by a UNOPS cluster that manages the program’s administrative and financial matters. Strategic coordination with the GEF Secretariat and the other GEF IAs and EAs is provided through a GEF SGP Steering Committee. Over the years more than 10,000 projects have been supported with grantees networked into the program. Minimum funding requirements have grown to around $50 million per year. The SGP is thus a complex program covering more than 200 staff members globally and more than 700 high government officials, civil society leaders, academic experts, and donor representatives as National Steering Committee members within a country-driven multisectoral governance structure and with program strategies adapted to more than a hundred unique country situations.
In the April 2008 GEF Council Meeting, the Small Grants Program: Follow-up to the 2007 Joint Evaluation paper was presented. The Council reviewed this paper, commended the work that was done, and approved the request for additional funds for SGP management costs. It also decided that: “Regarding alternative execution arrangements for SGP in GEF-5, Council requested the SGP Steering Committee and UNDP, in consultation with all appropriate stakeholders, to develop detailed options for Council review in June 2009”.
The paper also looked into issues and considerations regarding a “graduation” policy for SGP. The 2007 Independent Evaluation of the SGP noted the possible loss and disadvantage to the overall GEF of a graduation policy. The April 2008 SGP paper also noted critical legal and accountability issues and proposed that 10 SGP countries from mature and middle income countries initiate the graduation process. It was also proposed that LDCs and SIDS not be considered priority candidates for graduation as they require special attention. Thus further review is needed to present to the GEF Council a clearer definition of and policy for SGP graduation of country programs. | Duties and Responsibilities | Objectives
The objective of this consultancy is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the optimum arrangement for the execution of the Small Grants Programme taking note of the critical institutional and financial aspects for the programme’s execution. The consultancy would also detail out the stringent criteria for the graduation process, taking into account all legal and accountability dimensions, and the business plan for sustaining the utilization of built capacity in graduated country programs. The consultancy report should provide analytical input and recommendations on execution arrangements for the SGP and its graduation policy to the GEF Council Meeting in June 2009. It shall also provide quality support and assurance to the entire process of consultations required for the development of the report.
Methodology
Under the overall supervision of the UNDP/GEF Office, the consultant shall work with the SGP Central Programme Management Team (CPMT). The consultant shall review relevant documents. S/he shall also provide support as needed in consultations with key stakeholders on the execution modality and graduation policy for GEF5 of SGP. A country-by-country analysis as well as a global consolidated analysis would be vital in deepening the analytical content of the consultancy and report. The consultant will provide presentations and reports as per the agreed timeline. Scope of Work on SGP Execution in GEF-5:
SGP needs assessment - Assess the programme’s institutional challenges;
- Identify criteria for sustaining SGP program success and reputational integrity
Assessment of execution arrangements - Identify the minimum execution requirements for SGP
- Conduct comparability assessment with other similar programs
- Characterize the execution arrangements for review
- Compare these execution arrangements
- Identify and assess the financial and legal accountability of relevant stakeholders in shifts to alternative execution arrangements
Identify optimum execution arrangement - Detail the optimum execution arrangement
- Lay-out needed actions to implement the arrangement for GEF-5
Scope of Work on Graduation Policy
Assess the institutional aspects of graduation options - Identify the potential impacts on SGP of graduation policy options
- Assess the risks for SGP of the graduation policy options (e.g. legal and accountability dimensions, risks to SGP integrity, global programme coherence, etc.)
Identify the optimum graduation policy - Develop the detailed criteria for prioritization and phasing of country programme graduation
- Lay-out the graduation process
- Identify the actions needed by SGP stakeholders at the global and country levels for implementation of the graduation policy in GEF-5
Work Schedule - Jan. 12, 2009 - Briefing from SGP CPMT and UNDP-GEF (New York)
- Jan. 13 -16, 2009 - Initial information and data gathering (New York)
- Jan. 23, 2009 - Inception Report presentation including refined report outline (New York)
- Jan. 26 – Feb. 27, 2009 - Data gathering, analysis and consultations with Stakeholders (home based with support from CPMT)
- March 31, 2009 - First Draft Report (with teleconference discussion)
- April 21, 2009 - Deadline for first round of comments from all members of the SGP Steering Committee and UNDP
- May 4, 2009 - Revised Final Draft circulated for further review by SGP Steering Committee and UNDP
- May 15, 2009 - Submission for Council posting
- Jan. 12, 2009 - Briefing from SGP CPMT and UNDP-GEF (New York)
| Competencies | - Strong skills in strategic planning and policy development
- A good understanding of grant making in developing country context
- Knowledge of the multilateral development field including project and program implementation requirements of donors
- Knowledge of innovative global financing arrangements
- A good understanding of NGO financing and resource mobilization work
- Excellent English language oral and written communication skills
- Have skills in providing support to as well as in managing consultations
| Required Skills and Experience | - 7 years of relevant experience at the national and international level
- Master’s Degree or PhD in relevant fields such as in Social and Political Sciences, International Development, Environmental Management
- Actual management experience of global or multi-country programs is an asset
- Done research, evaluation or reviews of various project or program execution modalities
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