Consultancy for an independent evaluation of the results of the EU-funded EcAp MED III Project (level B)

Result of Service The findings and recommendations from the independent evaluation of the EcAp MED III project will be annexed to the final report of the project.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 4 months

Duties and Responsibilities General Information

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional levels. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. United Nation’s Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy assignment is for the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) – QSR and EcAp Unit, Athens, Greece.

In line with the COP 22 Decision IG 25/19 on PoW 2022-2023 (Antalya, Türkiye, 7-10 December 2021) and the and COP 19 Decision IG 22/7 on the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP) for the Mediterranean Sea and Coast and Related Assessment Criteria (Athens, Greece, 9-12 February 2016), all the Contracting Parties shall implement their respective national monitoring programmes. Accordingly, the Contracting Parties have developed national IMAP-based monitoring programmes addressing the respective IMAP Ecological Objectives (EO) and Common Indicators per each cluster of IMAP, namely Biodiversity and Non-indigenous species (NIS), Pollution and Marine Litter (Eutrophication, Contaminants, Marine Litter), Coast and Hydrography.

Based on the UNEP/MAP Mid Term Strategies (MTS) of 2016-2021 (Decision IG.22/1 – COP 19) and 2022-2027 (Decision IG 25/4 – COP 22), as well as the Programmes of Work (PoW) of 2020-2021 (Decision IG.24/14 – COP 21) and 2022-2023 (Decision IG 25/19 – COP 22), this work has been supported through the EU-financed project “Support to Efficient Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach-based Integrated Monitoring and Assessment of the Mediterranean Sea and Coasts and to delivery of data-based 2023 Quality Status Report in synergy with the EU MSFD (EcAp MED III)”. The EcAp MED III project was launched by the UNEP/MAP in September 2020 and all activities will be completed by 29 February 2024 (i.e. 3 years and 6 months).

Among its activities, the EU-funded project EcAp MED III foresees an independent evaluation to be undertaken towards the end of the implementation period with the objective to assess project findings and to provide recommendations to the project’s executing agencies and national governments involved in project implementation. This review will be based on a well-defined methodology elaborated in the annex to these terms of reference. For this purpose, there is a need to recruit a regional consultant.

The requirement for a consultant

The aim of this consultancy is to undertake and deliver an independent evaluation of the project implementation to assess three key aspects and provide related recommendations: (i) project findings in terms of achievement of results compared with the project’s original objectives and planned outputs, and the effectiveness of implementation; (ii) the project’s relevance to UNEP/MAP Programme of Work and MTS and; (iii) the Sustainability of the project’s results. The evaluation will use the indicators defined in the project log-frame matrix as main background reference to support his/her work. The evaluation will be gender sensitive and assess whether gender equality and gender mainstreaming have been considered and encouraged whenever relevant throughout the project implementation, in line with relevant UN guidelines.

Tasks

Under the overall guidance of the UNEP/MAP Deputy Coordinator and direct supervision of the QSR programme officer, the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1) Prepare a detailed work plan and timetable for the assignment;

2) Prepare a desk-based review of relevant background documentation, inter alia the project document; the annual project reports and their Annexes; key project outputs described in the project document; project reports such as six-monthly progress and financial reports; legal agreements (i.e., Small Scale Financial Agreements, SSFAs and PCAs) with partners and related progress and financial reports; reports of meetings including the Steering Committee meetings; relevant correspondence; etc.;

3) Prepare interview questions in consultation with UNEP/MAP Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator in order to collect information and data regarding the project implementation and results and hold interviews (in presence or online), with the following key personnel: - UNEP/MAP Coordinator/ Deputy Coordinator; - UNEP/MAP Fund Management Officer; - UNEP/MAP QSR Programme Officer - UNEP/MAP EcAp MED III Project Manager - EU Task Manager - UNEP/MAP MEDPOL, SPA/RAC, PAP/RAC, Plan Bleu, INFO RAC Project Officers and Project partners of at least 3 beneficiary countries. In addition to online interviews, the Consultant will timely plan in presence bilateral interviews with the above listed RACs Project Officers and project partners of the Beneficiary Countries in the occasion of the project final event of end January/beginning of February 2024.

4) Assess the collected information and interview results against the original project objectives and outputs as described in the Project Document. The evaluation findings should be based on sound evidence and in-depth analyses. These should be clearly documented in the evaluation report. Information will be triangulated (i.e., verified from more than one source) to the extent possible. When full verification is not possible, the limitations of a single source will be mentioned. Where project objectives or outputs were not implemented, an analysis will be conducted of whether the justifications provided are sufficiently robust. Analyses leading to evaluative judgements should always be clearly described. A set of evaluation criteria to guide the evaluation and assessment of the project is provided in Annex II to the present ToRs.

5) Provide a final consultancy report.

Outputs:

1) Detailed work plan and timetable for the implementation of the assignment (Task 1) 2) A draft evaluation report presenting the initial outcomes of the desk-based review and of the interviews with the project implementing partners as well as with the project partners of the Beneficiary Countries (Tasks 2, 3). 3) Final evaluation report, including a comprehensive presentation of the outcomes of the desk-based review and of the interviews as well as the related assessment based on the evaluation criteria provided in Annex II of the ToR (Tasks 2, 3, 4). 4) A final consultancy report is provided, including mission reports. (Task 5)

Reporting lines

The Consultant will be under the overall guidance of the UNEP/MAP Deputy Coordinator and direct supervision of the QSR programme officer.

Qualifications/special skills The consultant should have:

• An advanced university degree in international development, environmental sciences, law or other relevant political or social science areas is required;
• Minimum 7 years of relevant professional experience especially on the evaluation of national, regional or global programmes or projects is required;
• Knowledge of the UNEP system and if possible of MAP and the Mediterranean region is desirable;

• Good knowledge of data tools, and environmental national, regional and global policies and strategies is an asset.

  Languages - Fluency (oral and written) in English is required.

• Good knowledge of French is an asset.

  No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.