International Consultancy to undertake the Mid Term Review of, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Closing date: Monday, 9 November 2015

International Consultancy to undertake the Mid Term Review of

Location : Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Application Deadline : 09-Nov-15

Additional Category

Management

Type of Contract : Individual Contract

Post Level : International Consultant

Languages Required : Arabic English

Background

In early 2011 UNDP commissioned an evaluation of its work in the United Arab Emirates covering the previous two programming cycles from 2002 to 2011. This assessment of development results (ADR) concluded that while UNDP support to the country was well appreciated by many partners in the past, UNDP impact and performance had fallen off in recent years. This was a result of the lack of continuity and stability in management, the absence of regular and predictable resources for programming, an inability on the part of UNDP to attract and retain national staff owing to the highly competitive market place and the increasing reliance of the Government on consulting firms rather than United Nations technical assistance.

The current country programme document (CPD) for the United Arab Emirates is the result of unprecedented dialogue between UNDP and the Government both at the national and emirate levels. This new CPD is aligned with national priorities as outlined in the United Arab Emirates Strategy 2011-2013 and Vision 2021. A national consultation workshop was held in December 2011 with the broad participation of federal and local governments, foundations, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions during which initial endorsement of the CPD was received.

The CPD (2013-2017) was approved by the Executive Board in 2012. The objective of UNDP country programme 2013-2017 is to support the country's strategic goal of becoming 'among the best countries in the world in 2021'. Relevant national priorities include achieving a cohesive society, sustainable environment, competitive knowledge economy, and strong global standing. To that end, the new country programme will focus on the four programmes detailed below and include the crosscutting priorities of capacity development for institutions and individuals; global partnerships for sharing knowledge and technical expertise; private-public partnerships for accelerated regional development; and gender equality and women's empowerment.

A major challenge for UNDP programming in the UAE and implementation of its CPD targets is current funding modality. One of the challenges in an NCC country, is that there is a need mostly in the northern Emirates, but local governments rarely have resources to fund priority projects in partnership with UNDP. This may be addressed by agreeing with the government of UAE to allocate agreed funding towards UNDP CPD from central resources, with allocations decisions made jointly by UNDP and the government. The challenge in the resource rich Emirates such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi is competition from international private sector consultancy firms. UNDP must offer high quality expertise to address this challenge.

With such challenges in mind, the country office (CO) is continuing to target its interventions around the areas identified in the current country programme while exploring innovative ways to secure funding for initiatives in support of the UAE vision 2021.

Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose of the Review

Consistent with UNDP policy guidance all outcomes to which UNDP is contributing through aligned activities and planned outputs must be monitored. The mid-term review is an opportunity to monitor the strategic course, relevance and effectiveness of the implementation of the country programme. The exercise allows UNDP CO to engage key stakeholders to discuss achievements, lessons learned and adjustments required in response to an evolving development landscape and changing national priorities. The exercise will allow UNDP to make any changes to the strategic direction of the country programme, as well as the allocation of resources, ensuring it is aligned to national priorities and responsive to national demand.

Objective and Scope

The objective of the mid-term review is to comprehensively assess the progress in achieving the results of the country programme, its relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of strategies in the light of the development priorities of UAE. Specifically the review will assess

1. The relevance and strategic positioning of UNDP support to UAE on the abovementioned priority areas.
2. The frameworks and strategies that UNDP has devised for its support to UAE government, including partnership strategies, and whether they are well conceived for achieving the planned objectives.
3. The progress made towards achieving the outcomes, through specific projects and advisory services, and including contributing factors and constraints.
4. The progress to date under these outcomes and what can be derived in terms of lessons learned for future UNDP support to the priority areas of re-positioning and re-focusing of the CPD within the current UAE's development context, and in light of UNDP's new strategic plan

Questions Guiding the Review

The review seeks to answer the following questions, focused around the evaluation criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, strategic positioning and relevance and in the promotion of UN values.

Relevance

The extent to which the programme designed and implemented were suited to national priorities and realities

• To what extent are the objectives of the programme still valid;
• Is the programme consistent with the national goals and the attainment of its objectives;
• Has the project been appropriately responsive to legal, economic, social, institutional, etc., changes in the country;
• To what extent is UNDP's engagement in the concerned areas support a reflection of strategic considerations, including UNDP's role in the particular development context in UAE and its comparative advantage vis-a-vis other partners;
• To what extent has UNDP's selected method of delivery been appropriate to the development context;
• Has UNDP been influential in national debates on SDGs; Democratic Governance; Environment and Sustainable Development, youth and gender issues and has it influenced national policies or legal reforms;
• To what extent have UN reforms influenced the relevance of UNDP support to UAE especially in these sectors;

Effectiveness

the extent to which the programme has achieved its intended outcomes and planned results.

• To what extent has the CPD is being able to deliver against its outcomes and planned results;
• In which areas does the project have the greatest achievements- Why and what have been the supporting factors and how can the project build on or expand these achievements;
• In which areas does the project have the least achievements- What have been the constraining factors and why? How can they be overcome;
• What, if any, alternative strategies would have been more effective in achieving the project's objectives;
• Has the project made strategic use of coordination and collaboration with other national institutions and with other donors in the country/region to increase its effectiveness and impact;
• What concrete successes in policy formulation, advice and coordination have been achieved, where applicable;
• How useful has the knowledge and skills transfer proven to be so far;
• How effectively has the CPD been structured and how has the surrounding structure in which the CPD operates affected its delivery;
• How well have the two coordinating structures established effective relationships with other implementing partners? How could these be improved going forward;
• How can the effectiveness of support to the CPD be strengthened going forward?

Efficiency

The measurement of the outputs in relation to the inputs.

• Has the implementation strategy and execution been efficient and cost effective;
• Has there been an economical use of financial and human resources;
• Have resources (funds, human resources, time, expertise, etc.) been allocated strategically to achieve outcomes;
• What/How is the quality of expertise provided to the partner government institutions?
• Have resources been used efficiently and as planned;
• Have activities supporting the strategy been cost-effective? If not, why? In general, do the results achieved justify the costs and could the same results be attained with fewer resources;
• Were the results delivered in a reasonable proportion to the operational and other costs;
• Have project funds and activities been delivered in a timely manner;
• How has the steering or advisory committee contributed to the success of the project;
• Does programme/project governance facilitate good results and efficient delivery? Is there a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities by all parties involved;
• Are the monitoring and evaluation systems in place helping to ensure effective and efficient programme/project management?

Sustainability

• Will the outputs delivered so far by the programme be sustained by national capacities? If not why;
• Has the programme/outputs generated the buy- in and credibility needed for sustained impact;
• Do the UNDP interventions have well designed and well planned exit strategies;
• What could be done to strengthen exit strategies and sustainability;
• What changes if any should be made in the current partnership (s) in order to promote long term sustainability?

Strategic relevance and responsiveness

• To what extent has UNDP leveraged national development strategies with its programmes and strategy;
• What approaches have been used to increase its relevance in the country;
• Is there appropriate balance between upstream and downstream interventions;
• What are critical gaps in UNDP programming;
• To what extent has UNDP anticipated and responded to significant changes in the national development contest;
• What are the missed opportunities in UNDP programming?

Partnerships and coordination

• To what extent has UNDP leveraged partnerships within the UN system, government, regional/international development partners, civil society and the private sector;
• Has the partnership strategies been appropriate and effective;
• To what extent has UNDP coordinated its operational activities with other development partners and stakeholders;
• Are there current or potential overlaps with existing partners' programme;
• Where resource mobilization efforts made to meet programme requirements
• How have partnerships affected the progress towards achieving the outputs and outcomes?

Promotion of UN values

• To what extent has UNDP supported national efforts in the achievement of SDGs;
• To what extent have the UNDP programme addressed the issues of social and gender equity, as well as the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups?

The questions will be refined and finalized after consultation with the consultants and reference group.

Scope

The review will be conducted between from mid-November 2015 to mid-January 2016 with a view to enhancing current programmes while providing strategic direction and inputs to the next UNDP programme to start in 2016.

The review will undertake a comprehensive analysis of the UNDP programme portfolio and activities during the period under review specially examining UNDP's contribution to national development results across the country. It will assess key results, specifically outcomes anticipated and unanticipated, positive and negative, intentional and unintentional and will cover

Questions Guiding the Review

The review seeks to answer the following questions, focused around the evaluation criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, strategic positioning and relevance and in the promotion of UN values.

Relevance

The extent to which the programme designed and implemented were suited to national priorities and realities:

• To what extent are the objectives of the programme still valid;
• Is the programme consistent with the national goals and the attainment of its objectives;
• Has the project been appropriately responsive to legal, economic, social, institutional, etc., changes in the country;
• To what extent is UNDP's engagement in the concerned areas support a reflection of strategic considerations, including UNDP's role in the particular development context in UAE and its comparative advantage vis-a-vis other partners;
• To what extent has UNDP's selected method of delivery been appropriate to the development context;
• Has UNDP been influential in national debates on SDGs; Democratic Governance; Environment and Sustainable Development, youth and gender issues and has it influenced national policies or legal reforms;
• To what extent have UN reforms influenced the relevance of UNDP support to UAE especially in these sectors;

Effectiveness

the extent to which the programme has achieved its intended outcomes and planned results.

• To what extent has the CPD is being able to deliver against its outcomes and planned results;
• In which areas does the project have the greatest achievements- Why and what have been the supporting factors and how can the project build on or expand these achievements;
• In which areas does the project have the least achievements- What have been the constraining factors and why? How can they be overcome;
• What, if any, alternative strategies would have been more effective in achieving the project's objectives;
• Has the project made strategic use of coordination and collaboration with other national institutions and with other donors in the country/region to increase its effectiveness and impact;
• What concrete successes in policy formulation, advice and coordination have been achieved, where applicable;
• How useful has the knowledge and skills transfer proven to be so far;
• How effectively has the CPD been structured and how has the surrounding structure in which the CPD operates affected its delivery;
• How well have the two coordinating structures established effective relationships with other implementing partners? How could these be improved going forward;
• How can the effectiveness of support to the CPD be strengthened going forward?

Efficiency

The measurement of the outputs in relation to the inputs.

• Has the implementation strategy and execution been efficient and cost effective;
• Has there been an economical use of financial and human resources;
• Have resources (funds, human resources, time, expertise, etc.) been allocated strategically to achieve outcomes;
• What/How is the quality of expertise provided to the partner government institutions?
• Have resources been used efficiently and as planned;
• Have activities supporting the strategy been cost-effective? If not, why? In general, do the results achieved justify the costs and could the same results be attained with fewer resources;
• Were the results delivered in a reasonable proportion to the operational and other costs;
• Have project funds and activities been delivered in a timely manner;
• How has the steering or advisory committee contributed to the success of the project;
• Does programme/project governance facilitate good results and efficient delivery? Is there a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities by all parties involved;
• Are the monitoring and evaluation systems in place helping to ensure effective and efficient programme/project management?

Sustainability

• Will the outputs delivered so far by the programme be sustained by national capacities? If not why;
• Has the programme/outputs generated the buy- in and credibility needed for sustained impact;
• Do the UNDP interventions have well designed and well planned exit strategies;
• What could be done to strengthen exit strategies and sustainability;
• What changes if any should be made in the current partnership (s) in order to promote long term sustainability?

Strategic relevance and responsiveness

• To what extent has UNDP leveraged national development strategies with its programmes and strategy;
• What approaches have been used to increase its relevance in the country;
• Is there appropriate balance between upstream and downstream interventions;
• What are critical gaps in UNDP programming;
• To what extent has UNDP anticipated and responded to significant changes in the national development contest;
• What are the missed opportunities in UNDP programming?

Partnerships and coordination

• To what extent has UNDP leveraged partnerships within the UN system, government, regional/international development partners, civil society and the private sector;
• Has the partnership strategies been appropriate and effective;
• To what extent has UNDP coordinated its operational activities with other development partners and stakeholders;
• Are there current or potential overlaps with existing partners' programme;
• Where resource mobilization efforts made to meet programme requirements
• How have partnerships affected the progress towards achieving the outputs and outcomes?

Promotion of UN values

• To what extent has UNDP supported national efforts in the achievement of SDGs;
• To what extent have the UNDP programme addressed the issues of social and gender equity, as well as the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups?

The questions will be refined and finalized after consultation with the consultants and reference group.

Competencies

Methodology and Approach

It is expected that MTR will use an appropriate range of data collection and analysis methods to come up with findings, conclusions and recommendations for the questions mentioned above. The review exercise will be wide-ranging, consultative and participatory, entailing but not limited to a combination of comprehensive desk reviews, interview, focus groups and field visits as appropriate.. While interviews are a key instrument, all analysis must be based on observed facts to ensure that the review is sound and objective. On the basis of the foregoing, the consultants will elaborate on the method and approach in a manner commensurate with the assignment at hand and reflect this in the inception report; which will subsequently be approved in consultation with key stakeholders.

• Validation Mechanism: The team will use a variety of methods to ensure the validity of the data collected. In addition to systematic triangulation of data sources and data collection methods and tolls, the validation of data will be sought through regular exchanges with the UNDP CO programme staff as well as with Implementing Partners. A validation seminar is planned to be conducted with national partners before the actual completion of the MTR;
• Stakeholder Participation: The MTR will adopt an inclusive and participatory approach, involving a broad range of partners and stakeholders. A stakeholders mapping will be performed in order to identify both UNDP's direct and indirect partners. These stakeholders may include representatives from the government, civil-society organizations, the private sector, UN organizations, other multilateral and bilateral organizations, and most importantly, the beneficiaries of the programme.
• Management and Conduct of the MTR

UNDP CO will help the consultant for liaison, coordination and any other kind of support to conduct and complete the review. The UNDP Programme Team will be the focal persons for the review exercise. In order to ensure a smooth review process and involvement of relevant stakeholders, the UNDP CO will provide the necessary support including:

• Compilation of documents and background materials for the review team
• Stakeholder mapping of the main partners
• List of Atlas projects
• Preliminary Itinerary of field visit/meetings and appointments
• Preliminary list of stakeholders to be consulted during the MTR
• Linking and liaising within UNDP CO as well as with Implementing Partners and other stakeholders

The MTR Consultant will be facilitated by Operation and Programme units for other logistical support along the process.

MTR Process

The review will unfold in three phases, each of them including several steps as outlined

i. Design phase

• Document and desk review (review of all relevant documents (project documents and reports regarding the CPD 2013 -2017);
• Stakeholder mapping (a mapping of stakeholders relevant to the CPD. The mapping exercise will include government and will indicate the relationships between different sets of stakeholders) ;
• Finalization of the list of evaluation questions;
• Development of data collection and analysis strategy as well as concrete work plan for the field phase.

At the end of this phase, the consultant shall produce an Inception report, displaying the results of the above mentioned steps and tasks and the Timeline to complete the MTR.

ii. Field phase

After the design phase, the consultant will undertake an in-country mission of 12 working days to collect and analyze the data required in order to answer the final evaluation questions, consolidated during the design phase. At the end of the Field phase, the Review team will provide the UNDP CO with debriefing presentation on the preliminary results of the review, with a view to validating preliminary findings and testing tentative conclusions and/or recommendations.

iii. Synthesis phase

During this phase, the consultant will continue the analytical work initiated during the field phase and prepare a first draft of the MTR report, taking into account comments made by the UNDP CO and at the debriefing meeting. The first draft of the report will be submitted to the Resident Representatives for comments in writing. Based on the comments, the second draft of the report will be prepared. The second draft will be presented in country at validation seminar, which should be attended by the key programme stakeholders, including Implementing Partners, and UNDP staff. The final report will be drafted shortly after the validation seminar, taking into account comments made by the participants.

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications and competencies required for the consultant

• An advanced degree in social sciences, political science, economics and related fields;
• Knowledge and expertise on development aspect of the country;
• Significant knowledge and extensive experience of complex evaluations in the field of development for UN agencies (Preferably UNDP) and/or other international organizations;
• Strong analytical and research skills with sufficient understanding of survey design, quantitative/qualitative methods and data analysis;
• Familiarity with UN (preferably UNDP) evaluation guidelines and processes is a plus;
• Excellent written and spoken English. Good command of Arabic would be an asset. Writing skills that include an attention to detail as well as a grasp of conceptual frameworks;
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, teamwork, and competency to operate in a multi-cultural and diverse environment;
• Public sector management experience;
• Familiarity with the region and the country is a bonus;

Duration of contract

Duration of contract is set at 20 working days spread over 2 months. Workdays will be distributed between the date of contract signature and final approval.

Scope of Price Proposal

A financial proposal has to be submitted by offerors which specifies:

1. Daily Fee. The Daily fee should be all inclusive1. The term 'All inclusive' implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources. (For information only, the UN Daily Subsistence Allowance at the duty station is 370 USD as of October 2015)
2. An IC Time Sheet must be submitted by the Contractor, duly approved by the Individual Contractor's supervisor, which shall serve as the basis for the payment of fees (as per template)

Payment Schedule

• 20% payable upon submission of proposed methodology/work plan and Inception Report
• 40% upon submission of First Draft MTR Report
• 40% upon satisfactory completion of assignment and endorsement of MTR by UNDP CO

1. Proposed Work plan and Indicative Timeline

It is planned that the MTR starts mid-November, and shall expire on the satisfactory completion of the services of the services described above by mid-January.

The following schedule of activities is only illustrative, and a final timeline will need to be refined and presented by the Team Leader to the Reference Group: TIMELINE

ACTIVITY

November 2nd - November 12th

Recruitment (Advert on UN Jobs website)

November 12th - November 16th

Finalization and Selection of Candidate

November 16th - November 21st

Contract Signature and Desk Review

November 22nd - December 16th

In country Mission (including Inception W/shop and presentation of findings)

December 16th - December 26th

Submission of Draft report and comments from stakeholders

December 26th - January 18th

Final Submission of Report

Application process

Applicants are requested to apply online .Individual consultants are invited to submit applications & below requirements.

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;

2. Personal CV and P11 (both), indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references. Candidates not submitting P11 will not be considered.

3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;

4. Financial Proposal supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.

All Applicants will be requested to submit a price offer indicating their proposed daily fee rate for the assignment, based against the above stipulated evaluation schedule. Following UNDP procurement rules, both technical competence (70%) and the consultant daily fee rate (30%) will be taken into account in the selection process. Qualified women and members of social minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Educational Qualifications

Higher Degree in Economics, Social or Political Sciences or related fields

Content Knowledge

Must have experience in SDGs, Environment and Developmental aspects of the country.

Evaluation Experience

Must have prior evaluation experience with UN or similar agencies

Background

Public Management experience background is preferred with demonstrated ability to work in a diverse environment

Report writing Skills

Report writing skills

Proficiency in English.

Fluency in English is required.

Arabic would be an Advantage

Total

15 MARKS

30 MARKS

25 MARKS

20 MARKS

5 MARKS

5 MARKS

100 MARKS

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS November 9th, 2015.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=61437