| Description |
CONSULTANT: TERMINAL EVALUATION OF UNDP/GEF WETLAND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE IN CHINA PROJECT | | Location : | Beijing, CHINA | | Application Deadline : | 27-Nov-08 | | Type of Contract : | SSA | | Post Level : | SSA | Languages Required :
| | Starting Date :
(date when the selected canditate is expected to start) | 15-Jan-2009 | | Duration of Initial Contract : | Four working weeks including travel times | | Background | China has over 24 million hectares of some of the world’s most important and unique natural wetlands, supporting an extremely wide range of globally important biological diversity. In addition to being habitats for endangered or endemic plants and animal, they act as crucial staging and breeding areas for migratory bird populations, including many globally threatened species, in the East Asian-Australasian and Central Asian flyways. The use of these wetlands also supplies rice, protein, medicine, energy and raw materials for local communities. However, barriers to effective conservation of global wetland biodiversity remain. These include: i) a lack of integration of wetland management and biodiversity conservation into development planning; ii) no institutional mechanisms for multi-sectoral wetland management; iii) limited awareness of wetland values and functions at all levels; iv) lack of examples of sustainable development of wetland resources and involvement of local communities; and v) lack of technical capacity at national and local levels to manage and conserve wetlands and their biodiversity. The proposed project will remove these barriers at four demonstration project sites with high global biodiversity importance in four areas (Sanjiang Plain, Ruoergai Marshes, Yancheng Coast and Dongting Lakes). Each represents a different ecosystem and are, collectively, representative of China as a whole. A national coordination component will also ensure that lessons learned from this project will be appropriately transferred to other wetlands throughout the country. GEF support will be closely allied with new Government programmes that conserve biodiversity and ensure locally sustainable development. Launched in 2000, the project had two objectives: 1) to ensure conservation of globally significant wetland biodiversity at four demonstration project sites, and 2) to incorporate wetland biodiversity conservation into national conservation plans, legislation and processes. Under objective 1, biodiversity conservation will be enhanced and alternative management strategies will be demonstrated at each of the four project sites, and objective 2 included a mechanism for coordination and dissemination of project results, training and awareness. The mid-term evaluation of the project held in late 2002 concluded that the project was not producing the expected impacts, and identified several problems, including poor original design, management deficiencies, a narrow institutional (executing agency) focus that led to failure to tackle the underlying causes of loss of wetland function. The evaluation team proposed detailed changes in the work programme shifting the emphasis away from nature reserves to the wider, landscape level, and urged that project management be strengthened, linked more effectively with government programmes on wetlands and delegated as far as possible to the project sites and provinces. In response to the findings of the mid-term evaluation, the project was reformulated with a revised objective - to establish wetland biodiversity conservation as a routine consideration in national, provincial and local government decision making and action. Four outcomes are identified in the reformulated project – 1) Wetland biodiversity conservation is a routine consideration in government decision making and action at national level; 2) Government agencies in Heilongjiang province routinely consider wetland biodiversity conservation in decision making and action; 3) Government agencies at local levels (primarily in Sanjiang Plain, Ruoergai Marshes, Yancheng Coast and Dongting Lakes) take into account wetland biodiversity conservation in decision making and action at four wetland sites, and 4) Improved processes of monitoring and evaluation, and collection, analysis, use and sharing of information, knowledge and experience in wetland biodiversity conservation. The reformulated project was approved by the GEF Council in April 2005 and launched in June 2005. Originally designed to be completed at the end of 2007, the reformulated project was extended to be finished at the end of 2008. The Implementing Partner of the project remained to be State Forestry Administration (SFA), with the Vice Administrator chairing the Project Steering Committee (PSC) consisting of seven ministerial level agencies in addition to SFA and UNDP. The GEF Wetland Project Office (GEFWPO) conducts day-to-day management of the project, supported by an international member (Chief Technical Adviser) who worked full time for the first 18 months and a national member (National Chief Technical Advisor) for the remaining months of the project. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is responsible for providing technical assistance and other services as agreed with SFA. UN Volunteers are also engaged in four demonstration sites to provide on-the-job trainings and assistance to management staff at local levels. In order to enhance the project quality assurance, a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was mobilized to review the progress of the project and report to PSC. TAG is also requested by the project to make an internal project terminal evaluation from September to November of 2008, which will be distributed to members of the PSC and the independent terminal evaluation team. | Duties and Responsibilities | This assignment will provide a comprehensive and systematic account of the performance of UNDP/GEF Wetland Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in China Project (hereinafter referred to as Wetland Project) by assessing its design, process of implementation, achievements vis-a-vis project objectives endorsed by the GEF including any agreed changes in the objectives during project implementation and any other results. Despite the Wetland Project goes over Phase III and Phase IV of the GEF, the terminal evaluation will use the strategies of biodiversity portfolio in GEF Phase IV as a benchmark for its review. The assignment will also synthesize lessons that may help improve the selection, design and implementation of future GEF activities.
Scope of Services
Under the guidance and support of UNDP CO and UNDP Regional Center, the terminal evaluation team will present a comprehensive and balanced appraisal of project results by using the project document and other information generated by the project including baseline and information generated by its M&E system, and to seek necessary contextual information to assess the significance and relevance of results. The evaluation should be done in line with GEF Guidelines for Implementing and Executing Agencies to Conduct Terminal Evaluations. Scope of assessment includes:
1, Achievement of outputs and outcomes, and ratings for targeted objectives and outcomes - review and summarization of project outputs as a basis for evaluating achievement of project outcomes;
- assessment of project outcomes in accordance with project monitoring indicators established in the project document;
- assessment of project outcomes in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency as defined in the GEF Guidelines;
- assessment and explanation of variances between planned and actual results;
- assessment of project contribution to national development goals and strategies;
- assessment of assumptions or risks in the project design that subsequently affected project implementation;
- assessment of project achievements using reliable, representative measures of results that can be objectively verified.
2. Sustainability of project outcomes and ratings; - assessment of project designed measures or strategy for sustaining project results;
- review of policy and enabling environment factors that provide support for sustaining project results;
- review of institutional capacity for sustaining project results;
- consideration of financial and technical resources required for sustaining results
3. Describe any catalytic role or replication effect of the project 4. Monitoring and evaluation systems. The terminal evaluation report will include separate assessments of the achievements and shortcomings of the project M&E plan and of implementation of the M&E plan. In accordance with the GEF Guidelines, the following assessments will be undertaken by the evaluation team: - the existence and quality of the M&E Plan, including baseline conditions, methodology and roles and responsibilities;
- the extent to which M&E were sufficiently budgeted and funded during project preparation and implementation;
- the effectiveness of monitoring indicators from the Project Document for measuring progress and performance;
- compliance with the progress and financial reporting requirements/schedule, including quality and timeliness of reports;
- discussion with participants the value and effectiveness of the monitoring and evaluation reports and process;
- follow-up action, or adaptive management, taken to respond to monitoring and evaluation reports;
5. Process that affected attainment of project results. The following issues affecting project implementation and attainment of project results shall be considered by the evaluation team: - preparation and readiness. This includes questions such: were the project objectives and components clear, practicable and feasible within its timeframe? Were lessons from other relevant projects properly incorporated in the project design?
- Country ownership/drivenness.
- Stakeholders involvement;
- Financial planning;
- Implementing/Executing Agency supervision and backstopping;
- Co-financing and project outcomes and sustainability;
- Delays and project outcomes and sustainability.
6. Lessons and recommendations. The evaluation team will present lessons and recommendations in the terminal evaluation report on aspects related to factors that contributed or hindered attainment of project objectives, sustainability of project benefits, innovation, catalytic effect and replication, and project monitoring and evaluation.
Requested Evaluation Activities (Methodologies):
In accordance with the GEF Guidelines for Implementing and Executing Agencies to Conduct Terminal Evaluations, the evaluation team will undertake the following activities and methods to assess the achievements of the project: 1. Review of background material and preparation of a tentative evaluation plan to be agreed with UNDP CO and WPO/SFA; 2. Desk review of documents provided by UNDP CO and project staff. Under most circumstances, the team will use the information generated by Wetland Project Document including baseline and information generated by the M&E framework. If necessary, contextual information should be sought to assess the significance and relevance of the results. 3. Interviews and discussions with relevant stakeholders including: - China Ramsar Convention Implementation Center of SFA;
- UNDP CO, UNOPS and UNV representatives;
- Project management staff at national and local levels;
- Technical Advisory Group;
- China GEF Operational Focal Point;
- Subcontractors who provide technical services to the project; and
- Local stakeholders of the project.
4. Field visits to the selected project sites. At least two sites should be visited. 5. Debriefing at the UNDP CO on the preliminary findings after the meetings and visits with participation of key stakeholders; 6.Preparation and finalisation of evaluation report by incorporating any additional comments from the UNDP CO and SFA Outputs
The consultant team are expected to deliver the following outputs: - An evaluation report, containing general information about the evaluation as well as the assessment results of scopes of services as provided in Section 3 of the TOR, to be submitted to UNDP CO and WPO/SFA within six weeks from the date when the consultants are contracted. The documents should be submitted in electronic format.
- Presentation of findings to UNDP CO and Wetland Project key stakeholders in a wrap-up meeting in UNDP CO.
Duration of the Contracts
The assignment will last for four work weeks, including travel time required. The consultant will primarily work in Beijing with field visit to Harbin (Heilongjiang), Sanjiang Plain (Heilongjiang), Yancheng (Jiangsu), Yueyang (Hunan), Ruoergai (Sichuan) and Maqu (Gansu) of the project. The consultant will meet with government officials, project participants, and other stakeholders in order to evaluate the project implementation and impact. The travel schedule and logistics will be developed by UNDP CO in consultation with WPO/SFA.
Payment Schedule - 30% of the total amount due the consultant will be paid upon signature of the contract for mobilization.
- The remaining 70% is payable upon acceptance by UNDP CO of the evaluation report in its final form.
Start of the Assignment: Mid January 2009
Documents to be Provided by UNDP Country Office to the Evaluation Team: - Project document (original and reformulated);
- Mid-Term Evaluation Report;
- Project implementation reports (PIRs);
- Reports of Technical Advisory Group and CO monitoring visits;
- Project internal evaluation report prepared by GEFWPO;
- Project internal evaluation report completed by Technical Advisory Group; and
- GEF Evaluation Office Guidelines for Implementing and Executing Agencies to Conduct Terminal Evaluations.
| Competencies | The terminal evaluation team will consist of an international consultant and a national consultant. All the international and national consultants are expected to have relevant academic qualification and evaluation experiences. In addition, it is desired that the international and national consultants have as many as possible the following competencies: - Project development, implementation and evaluation experience;
- Familiarity with natural resources management in particular wetlands;
- Expertise in economic and social development issues;
- Knowledgeable about the relevant policies of the GEF;
- Good communications and writing skills in English;
- Knowledge of capacity building concept and process in particular mainstreaming of environment into economic decision making process;
- Knowledge of GEF projects and project requirements;
- Professional experiences in working in China and with Chinese counterparts will be a plus
| Required Skills and Experience | In addition, it is desired that the international consultant have the following qualifications: - Higher education in the field of environment and economy;
- Over 10 years experiences of project development, implementation and evaluation experience;
- Previous experiences with formulation and evaluations of GEF projects;
- Expertise in economic and social development issues;
- Good communications and writing skills in English;
- Team work spirit
- Professional experiences in working in China and with Chinese counterparts will be a plus
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