National Consultant (Mid-term evaluation - Senior Specialist)

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UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

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Dili (Timor-Leste)

Consultant

Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 29 Dec 2022 at 23:59 UTC

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Background

A. PROSITION TITLE

The consultant (Mid-term evaluation - Senior Specialist) will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document as well as will identify early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made in order to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The Senior Specialist will also review the project’s strategy and its risks to sustainability.

B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

“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 about 170 countries and territories, including Indonesia, working to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. UNDP supports implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Indonesia, UNDP works with the Government to integrate SDGs into national plan and policies.”

Anchored in the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and committed to the principles of universality, equality and leaving no one behind, the UNDP has issued the UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 as guideline to help countries achieve SDGs by focusing UNDP’s competence and expertise on three sets of development settings:

Eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions.
Accelerate structural transformation for sustainable development by addressing inequalities, transitioning to zero-carbon development & building a more inclusive accountable governance system.
Build resilience to shocks and crises.

In alignment with the UNDP Strategic Plan to reduce inequality, the acceleration of access to electricity using locally available renewable resources is a feasible intervention. Notably, because there are about 2,000 villages in Indonesia without sustainable access to power, and there are 17,000 islands in Indonesia that makes national grid interconnection is costly. The Government of Indonesia has been addressing this challenge by allocating state-owned budgets for rural electrification programme. With current fiscal capacity, meeting the target of national electrification with quality of service remains a big challenge.

UNDP, with funding support from KOICA Indonesia, implements a 4-year project titled “Accelerating Clean Energy Access to Reduce Inequality (ACCESS).” Under overall oversight from UNDP Indonesia, the project will be implemented in Indonesia and Timor-Leste in collaboration with UNDP Timor- Leste. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) and KOICA Indonesia are the implementing partners of the ACCESS project in Indonesia, while the Ministry of State Administration (MSA) and KOICA Timor-Leste are the partners in Timor-Leste.

The ACCESS project's objective is for the poor and most vulnerable communities to have equitable and sustainable access to basic services required for improving livelihoods. In Indonesia, the ACCESS project locations are 23 villages in East Nusa Tenggara, West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and Central Kalimantan Provinces, while in Timor-Leste are 25 villages in Atauro, Bobonaro and Manatuto municipalities.

The expected outputs of the ACCESS project are:

Output 1: Renewable-based power plants build providing sustainable access to electricity for remote villagers in Indonesia with institutional and local capacity in place.

Output 2: Under SSTC between Indonesia and Timor-Leste: solar PV water pumps and Highly Efficient Solar Lamp System (LTSHE) are installed in remote villages in Timor-Leste providing sustainable access to clean water and lighting.

UNDP Indonesia is the implementation partner of KOICA for the ACCESS project. Under overall project management oversight by UNDP Indonesia, the UNDP Timor-Leste is responsible for producing Output two under South-South Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) activities with Indonesia in forms of clean energy technology and technical certification for local operators. For the project implementation, ACCESS project is supported by the Project Management Unit (PMU) in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) and KOICA Indonesia are the counterparts in Indonesia, while the Ministry of State Administration (MSA), KOICA Timor-Leste are the counterparts in Timor-Leste. These counterparts are the project board members expected to steer and provide strategic direction to the PMU.

At the end of the project, with minimum 30% of women as direct beneficiaries and in compliance with social-environmental safeguards, ACCESS is expected to result in access to electricity to at least 20,000 people in Indonesia and Timor-Leste, and access to water to 3,500 people in Timor-Leste from the total installation of about 1.2 Mega Watt decentralized solar-PV power plants, improve the technical capacity of 80 local people and enhance the sustainability of built clean energy infrastructure at the village level by establishment of local energy service institutions. For further details, please refer to annex 1 of the Theory of Change of ACCESS Project and annex 2 of the Basic Project Information.

Duties and Responsibilities

C. SCOPE OF WORK

The MTE team will assess the following four categories of project progress. See the Guidance for Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported1, for extended descriptions.

1.Project Strategy

Project Design:

Review the problem addressed by the project and the underlying assumptions. Review the effect of any incorrect assumptions or changes to the context to achieving the project results as outlined in the Project Document.
Review the relevance of the project strategy and assess whether it provides the most effective route towards expected/intended results. Were lessons from other relevant projects properly incorporated into the project design?
Review how the project addresses country priorities. Review country ownership. Was the project concept in line with the national sector development priorities and plans of the country (or of participating countries in the case of multi-country projects)?
Review decision-making processes: were perspectives of those who would be affected by project decisions, those who could affect the outcomes, and those who could contribute information or other resources to the process, taken into account during project design processes?
Review the extent to which relevant gender issues were raised in the project design
Were relevant gender issues (e.g., the impact of the project on gender equality in the programme country, involvement of women’s groups, engaging women in project activities) raised in the Project Document?
If there are major areas of concern, recommend areas for Results Framework/Logframe:
Undertake a critical analysis of the project’s log frame indicators and targets, assess how “SMART” the midterm and end-of-project targets are (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound), and suggest specific amendments/revisions to the targets and indicators as necessary.
Are the project’s objectives and outcomes or components clear, practical, and feasible within its time frame?
Examine if progress so far has led to or could in the future catalyse beneficial development effects (i.e., income generation, gender equality and women’s empowerment, improved governance etc...) that should be included in the project results framework and monitored on an annual basis.
Ensure broader development and gender aspects of the project are being monitored effectively. Develop and recommend SMART ‘development’ indicators, including sex- disaggregated indicators and indicators that capture development benefits.

2.Progress Towards Results

Review the log frame indicators against progress made towards the end-of-project targets; populate the Progress Towards Results Matrix, as described in the Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, colour code progress in a “traffic light system” based on the level of progress achieved; assign a rating on progress for the project objective and each outcome; make recommendations from the areas marked as “not on target to be achieved” (red).
Identify remaining barriers to achieving the project objective in the remainder of the project.
By reviewing the aspects of the project that have already been successful, identify ways in which the project can further expand these benefits.

3.Project Implementation and Adaptive Management

Management Arrangements

Review overall effectiveness of project management as outlined in the Project Document. Have changes been made and are they effective? Are responsibilities and reporting lines clear? Is decision-making transparent and undertaken in a timely manner? Recommend areas for improvement.
Review the quality of execution of the Executing Agency/Implementing Partner(s) and recommend areas for improvement.
Review the quality of support provided by UNDP and recommend areas for improvement.
Do the Executing Agency/Implementing Partner and/or UNDP and other partners have the capacity to deliver benefits to or involve women? If yes, how?
What is the gender balance of project staff? What steps have been taken to ensure gender balance in project staff?
What is the gender balance of the Project Board? What steps have been taken to ensure gender balance in the Project Board?

Work Planning

Review any delays in project start-up and implementation, identify the causes and examine if they have been resolved.
Are work-planning processes results-based? If not, suggest ways to re-orientate work planning to focus on results?
Examine the use of the project’s results framework/ log frame as a management tool and review any changes made to it since project start.

Finance and co-finance

Consider the financial management of the project, with specific reference to the cost- effectiveness of interventions.
Review the changes to fund allocations as a result of budget revisions and assess the appropriateness and relevance of such revisions.
Does the project have the appropriate financial controls, including reporting and planning, that allow management to make informed decisions regarding the budget and allow for timely flow of funds?

Project-level monitoring and evaluation systems

Review the monitoring tools currently being used: Do they provide the necessary information? Do they involve key partners? Are they aligned or mainstreamed with national systems? Do they use existing information? Are they efficient? Are they cost- effective? Are additional tools required? How could they be made more participatory and inclusive?
Examine the financial management of the project monitoring and evaluation budget. Are sufficient resources being allocated to monitoring and evaluation? Are these resources being allocated effectively?
Review the extent to which relevant gender issues were incorporated in monitoring systems. Stakeholder Engagement
- Project management: Has the project developed and leveraged the necessary and appropriate partnerships with direct and tangential stakeholders?
- Participation and country-driven processes: Do local and national government stakeholders support the objectives of the project? Do they continue to have an active role in project decision-making that supports efficient and effective project implementation?
- Participation and public awareness: To what extent has stakeholder involvement and public awareness contributed to the progress towards achievement of project objectives?
- How does the project engage women and girls? Is the project likely to have the same positive and/or negative effects on women and men, girls, and boys? Identify, if possible, legal, cultural, or religious constraints on women’s participation in the project. What can the project do to enhance its gender benefits?

Social and Environmental Standards (Safeguards)

Validate the risks identified in the project’s most current SESP, and those risks’ ratings; are any revisions needed?
Summarize and assess the revisions made since CEO Endorsement/Approval (if any) to:
- The project’s overall safeguards risk categorization.
- The identified types of risks2 (in the SESP).
- The individual risk ratings (in the SESP).
Describe and assess progress made in the implementation of the project’s social and environmental management measures as outlined in the SESP submitted at CEO Endorsement/Approval (and prepared during implementation, if any), including any revisions to those measures. Such management measures might include Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) or other management plans, though can also include aspects of a project’s design; refer to Question 6 in the SESP template for a summary of the identified management measures.

A given project should be assessed against the version of UNDP’s safeguards policy that was in effect at the time of the project’s approval.

Reporting

Assess how adaptive management changes have been reported by the project management and shared with the Project Board.
Assess how well the Project Team and partners undertake and fulfil reporting requirements (i.e., how have they addressed poorly-rated PARs, if applicable?)
Assess how lessons derived from the adaptive management process have been documented, shared with key partners and internalized by partners.

Communications & Knowledge Management

Review internal project communication with stakeholders: Is communication regular and effective? Are there key stakeholders left out of communication? Are there feedback mechanisms when communication is received? Does this communication with stakeholders contribute to their awareness of project outcomes and activities and investment in the sustainability of project results?
Review external project communication: Are proper means of communication established or being established to express the project progress and intended impact to the public (is there a web presence, for example? Or did the project implement appropriate outreach and public awareness campaigns?)
For reporting purposes, write one half-page paragraph that summarizes the project’s progress towards results in terms of contribution to sustainable development benefits, as well as global environmental benefits.
List knowledge activities/products developed (based on knowledge management approach approved at CEO Endorsement/Approval).

4.Sustainability

Validate whether the risks identified in the Project Document, Annual Project Review/PIRs and the ATLAS Risk Register are the most important and whether the risk ratings applied are appropriate and up to date. If not, explain why.
In addition, assess the following risks to sustainability:

Financial risks to sustainability:

What is the likelihood of financial and economic resources not being available once the project assistance ends (consider potential resources can be from multiple sources, such as the public and private sectors, income generating activities, and other funding that will be adequate financial resources for sustaining project’s outcomes)?

Socio-economic risks to sustainability:

Are there any social or political risks that may jeopardize sustainability of project outcomes? What is the risk that the level of stakeholder ownership (including ownership by governments and other key stakeholders) will be insufficient to allow for the project outcomes/benefits to be sustained? Do the various key stakeholders see that it is in their interest that the project benefits continue to flow? Is there sufficient public / stakeholder awareness in support of the long-term objectives of the project? Are lessons learned being documented by the Project Team on a continual basis and shared/ transferred to appropriate parties who could learn from the project and potentially replicate and/or scale it in the future?

Institutional Framework and Governance risks to sustainability:

Do the legal frameworks, policies, governance structures and processes pose risks that may jeopardize sustenance of project benefits? While assessing this parameter, also consider if the required systems/ mechanisms for accountability, transparency, and technical knowledge transfer are in place.

Environmental risks to sustainability:

Are there any environmental risks that may jeopardize sustenance of project outcomes?

Conclusions & Recommendations

The MTE consultant will include a section in the MTE report for evidence-based conclusions, in light of the findings.

Additionally, the MTE consultant is expected to make recommendations to the Project Team. Recommendations should be succinct suggestions for critical intervention that are specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant. A recommendation table should be put in the report’s executive summary. The MTE consultant should make no more than 15 recommendations total.

Ratings

The MTE consultant will include its ratings of the project’s results and brief descriptions of the associated achievements in a MTE Ratings & Achievement Summary Table in the Executive Summary of the MTE report.

D. EXPECTED OUTPUTS, DELIVERABLES, AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Expected Deliverable/Outputs

Indicative due date

Review and Approvals Required

Percentage of contract

price paid on delivery

Deliverable no. 1

Evaluation inception report (10-15 pages).

The inception report should be carried out following and based on preliminary discussions with UNDP after the desk review and should be produced before the evaluation starts (before any formal evaluation interviews, survey distribution or field visits) and prior to the country visit in the case of international evaluators.

No later than 2 weeks before the Mid-term evaluation mission

National Project Manager

20%

Deliverable no 2.

Evaluation debriefings.

Immediately following an evaluation, UNDP may ask for a preliminary debriefing and findings.

Within 3 weeks of end of Mid- term evaluation mission

National Project Manager

15%

Deliverable no 3.

Draft evaluation report (within an agreed length). The programme unit and key stakeholders in the evaluation should review the draft evaluation report and provide an amalgamated set of comments to the evaluator within an agreed period of time, addressing the content.

Within 3 weeks of end of Mid- term evaluation mission

National Project Manager

25%

E. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

The principal responsibility for managing this MTE resides with the Commissioning Unit. The Commissioning Unit for this project’s MTE is (Project Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst, Technical officers/analysts).

The Commissioning Unit will contract the consultant and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the MTE team. The Project Team will be responsible for liaising with the MTE consultant to provide all relevant documents, set up stakeholder interviews, and arrange field visits.

F. DURATION OF THE WORK

The total duration of the mid-term evaluation will be approximately 35 working days starting on 10 January 2023 to 30 April 2023.

G. DUTY STATION

The duty station/location for the consultant will be in Dili, with field visits to project sites in Ataúro, Bobonaro and Manatuto municipalities. The incumbent is expected to stay 6 nights outside Dili

Travel:

Domestic travel will be required to at least 1 target village in every municipalities, and meetings at the municipality involving stakeholders from other target villages during the MTE mission;

The BSAFE training course must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel; Herewith is the link to access this training: https://training.dss.un.org/courses/login/index.php . These training modules at this secure internet site is accessible to Consultants, which allows for registration with private email.
Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director.
Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/
All related travel expenses will be covered and will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

H. QUALIFICATION OF THE SUCCESSFUL INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR

Recruitment Qualifications

Education

At least Bachelor degree in a field related to Monitoring and Evaluation, Rural Electrification, Environment, Renewable Energy, Climate Change, Sustainable Development, Social Science, or other closely related field from an accredited college or university

Experience and Personal Attributes

Relevant experience with results-based management evaluation methodologies;
Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
Competence in adaptive management, as applied to climate change mitigation, rural development, rural electrification, and/or promotion of sustainable and modern energy services in communities;
Experience working with Environment, Energy, Climate Change, Community Development, Rural Electrification, or other closely related field projects in Indonesia or Southeast Asia;
Experience in relevant technical areas for at least 4 years;
Experience in evaluating rural development projects will be an additional asset;
Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and climate change mitigation and/or promotion of sustainable and modern energy services in communities experience in gender responsive evaluation and analysis;
Experience in conducting interview, stakeholders consultation;

I. SCOPE OF PRICE PROPOSAL OF OFFER

Financial Proposal:

Financial proposals must be “all inclusive” and expressed in a lump-sum for the total duration of the contract. The term “all inclusive” implies all cost (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances etc.);

All living allowances required to perform the demands of the TOR must be incorporated in the financial proposal, whether the fees are expressed as daily fees or lump sum amount.)

The lump sum is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components.

Payment Schedule

20% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the final MTE Inception Report and approval by the Commissioning Unit
40% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the draft MTE report to the Commissioning Unit
40% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the final MTE report and approval by the Commissioning Unit (via signatures on the MTE Report Clearance Form) and delivery of completed MTE Audit Trail

Criteria for issuing the final payment of 40%:

The final MTE report includes all requirements outlined in the MTE TOR and is in accordance with the MTE guidance.
The final MTE report is clearly written, logically organized, and is specific for this project (i.e. text has not been cut & pasted from other MTE reports).
The Audit Trail includes responses to and justification for each comment listed.

In line with the UNDP’s financial regulations, when determined by the Commissioning Unit and/or the consultant that a deliverable or service cannot be satisfactorily completed due to the impact of COVID-19 and limitations to the MTE, that deliverable or service will not be paid.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation and its implications, a partial payment may be considered if the consultant invested time towards the deliverable but was unable to complete to circumstances beyond his/her control.

Payment Method

MTE consultant shall quote an all-inclusive fixed total contract price in IDR for National Consultant, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided for the entire assignment. The term “all- inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the proposed fee submitted in the proposal. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in instalments or upon completion of the entire contract).

J. PRESENTATION OF OFFER