| Overview : This is the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the UNDP-GEF Midterm Review (MTR) of the full-sized project titled Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Land-use Regulation and Management at the Municipal Scale (PIMS 4719) implemented through the South African National Biodiversity Institute, which is to be undertaken in 2017. The project started on the 10 March 2015 and is in its third year of implementation. In line with the UNDP-GEF Guidance on MTRs, this MTR process was initiated before the submission of the second Project Implementation Report (PIR). This ToR sets out the expectations for this MTR. The MTR process must follow the guidance outlined in the document Guidance For Conducting Midterm Reviews of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/guidance/GEF/mid-term/Guidance_Midterm%20Review%20_EN_2014.pdf The MTR must provide evidence based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The MTR team will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation phase (i.e. PIF, UNDP Initiation Plan, UNDP Environmental & Social Safeguard Policy, the Project Document, project reports including Annual Project Review/PIRs, project budget revisions, lesson learned reports, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the team considers useful for this evidence-based review). The MTR team will review the baseline GEF focal area Tracking Tool submitted to the GEF at CEO endorsement, and the midterm GEF focal area Tracking Tool that must be completed before the MTR field mission begins. The MTR team is expected to follow a collaborative and participatory approach[1] ensuring close engagement with the Project Team, government counterparts (the GEF Operational Focal Point), the UNDP Country Office(s), UNDP-GEF Regional Technical Advisers, and other key stakeholders. Engagement of stakeholders is vital to a successful MTR.[2] Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have project responsibilities, including but not limited to Department of Environmental Affairs, Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, Ezemvelo KwaZulu Natal Wildlife, Ehlanzeni District Municipality, uMgungundlovu District Municipality, Drakenstein District Municipality, NCT Forestry Cooperative Ltd and World Wildlife Fund-South Africa; executing agencies, senior officials and task team/ component leaders, key experts and consultants in the subject area, Project Board, project stakeholders, local government and CSOs, etc. Additionally, the MTR team is expected to conduct field missions to (Pretoria, Cape Town), including the following project sites (in Amathole, Cape Winelands, uMgungundlovu and Ehlanzeni District Municipalities). The final MTR report should describe the full MTR approach taken and the rationale for the approach making explicit the underlying assumptions, challenges, strengths and weaknesses about the methods and approach of the review. |
