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Title
Consultant: Final Evaluator of the project: Conservation of biological diversity of Carpathian Mountain grasslands in the Czech Republic through targeted application of new EU funding mechanisms
Posted
Reference
(Please mention Stopdodo/Environment Jobs in your application)
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The objective of this project was to strengthen suitable management and farming on sites of floriferous mountain grasslands (meadows and pastures) with globally significant biodiversity in two protected areas (hereinafter the CHKO) in the Carpathian Mountains in the Czech Republic – i.e. the Beskydy mountains and the White Carpathian mountains.
The project dealt with this objective based on demonstration, especially by proposing the targeted subsidy from the newly available opportunities for EC funding for integrated development of rural areas (especially the supportive payments from CAP and from grants of the LIFE Nature programme), and by wide-range availability of the lessons learned and the best methods for replicating it in the entire system of the Czech CHKOs and in the Carpathian region as a whole.
The project selected the priority sites for conservation of mountain grassland biodiversity in two CHKOs, and specified suitable measures for the management and farming required for them. Where appropriate, the project supported farming (grazing, mowing or their combinations) based on the owners or users of the land – mountain grassland biotopes, using the newly available mechanisms of EC subsidies (especially the supportive payments from CAP and from grants of the LIFE Nature programme).
From this point of view, the project was designed in order to test and verify the assumption that the existing and the future mechanisms of EC subsidies, if they are focused correctly, shall sufficiently compensate the increased additional costs arising to the land owners or users during management of worse accessible grassland sites with high biodiversity. This should better motivate the land owners and users to participate in plans made by protected area administrations for management and farming on mountain grasslands.
The GEF funding focused on creating the initial capacity for determination of the most precious regions of mountain grasslands, gaining and sharing the expertise in organizing the EC funding for projects focused on grassland management, monitoring of outputs of this management and dissemination of knowledge among persons participating in mountain grassland management.
The project provided practical results enabling thus fine adjustment of the EC subsidy mechanisms at the national level and strengthening possibility of their use for mountain grassland conservation.
From the point of view of the design and implementation of the project, the key partners of the project were:
Ministry of the Environment as Executing Agency
Ministry of Agriculture
Agency for Nature Conservation and Land Protection in the Czech Republic
Beskydy Protected Area Administration
White Carpathians Protected Area Administration
Research Institute of Agricultural Economics
Association of Sheep and Goat Farming in the Czech Republic
Local Branch of the Czech Union for Nature Conservation in the White Carpathians
Local Branch of the Czech Union for Nature Conservation Salamandr
Partnership Foundation
UNDP/GEF Regional centre for Europe and CIS (Bratislava)
GEF Secretariat who does not participate in the project implementation; nevertheless the Final Evaluation Report which is to be prepared within this Terms of Reference will be submitted to it.
The project implementation body was FOA – the Fund for Organic Agriculture.
The project objective as defined in the Project Document:
Strengthening of preservation of the globally significant species management at sites of mountain meadows (meadows and pastures) rich in species in two protected areas in the Carpathians.
Outputs are associated with this objective are presented in Project Logical Framework in Annex 1.
The project was planned for three years and implemented from 1 October 2005 to 31 December 2008.
Duties and Responsibilities
The purpose of the Evaluation is:
To assess overall performance against the Project objectives as set out in Project Document and other related documents
To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the Project
To critically analyze the implementation and management arrangements of the Project
To assess the sustainability of the Project’s interventions.
To list and document initial lessons concerning Project design, implementation and management
To assess Project relevance to national priorities.
PRODUCTS EXPECTED FROM THE EVALUATION:
The key product expected from this final evaluation is a comprehensive analytical report in English that should, at least, include the contents as indicated in Annex 2 of this TOR.
The Report of the Final Evaluation will be stand-alone document that substantiates its recommendations and conclusions. The report will have to provide to the GEF Secretariat complete and convincing evidence to support its findings/ratings.
The Report will include a table of planned vs. actual project financial disbursements, and planned co-financing vs. actual co-financing in this project, according the table attached in Annex 3 of this TOR
The Report will be supplemented by Rate Tables, attached in Annex 4 of this TOR.
The length of the mid-term evaluation report shall not exceed 30 pages in total (not including annexes).
Competencies
A team of independent experts will conduct the evaluation. The evaluators selected should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.
The evaluation team will be composed of one International Consultant or Team Leader and one National Consultant. The consultants shall have prior experience in evaluating similar projects. Former cooperation with GEF is an advantage.
Team Qualities:
Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
Recent knowledge of the GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy;
Recent knowledge of UNDP’s results-based evaluation policies and procedures
Competence in Adaptive Management, as applied to conservation or natural resource management projects;
Familiarity with protected area policies and management structures in the Czech Republic;
Demonstrable analytical skills;
Experience with multilateral or bilateral supported conservation projects;
Project evaluation experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset;
Individual consultants are invited to submit applications together with their CV for these positions. Joint proposals from two independent evaluators are welcome. Or alternatively, proposals will be accepted from recognized consulting firms to field a complete team with the required expertise within the evaluation budget.
If individual evaluators are selected, UNDP will appoint one Team Leader. The Team Leader will have overall responsibility for the delivery and quality of the evaluation products. Team roles and responsibilities will be reflected in the individual contracts.
Required Skills and Experience
Recognized expertise in the management and sustainable use of wetlands in temperate ecosystems;
Excellent English communication skills, (the National Consultant also good Czech communication skills)
Work experience in relevant areas for at least 10 years;
Application procedures
FULL TERMS OF REFERENCE INCLUDING ANNEXES CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE
Applicants are requested to apply online through this page by 22 June 2009.
Individual consultants are invited to submit applications together with their CV for these positions. Joint proposals from two independent evaluators are welcome. Or alternatively, proposals will be accepted from recognized consulting firms to field a complete team with the required expertise within the evaluation budget.
If individual evaluators are selected, UNDP will appoint one Team Leader. The Team Leader will have overall responsibility for the delivery and quality of the evaluation products. Team roles and responsibilities will be reflected in the individual contracts.
Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit price offer indicating the total cost of the assignment (including the daily fee, per diem and travel costs, preferably according the template attached in Annex 6)
