Procurement Notices

Background:

Myanmar has embarked on a major transition towards democracy, market style economy and peace. Myanmar has low middle-income status (LMIC) and is committed to lifting itself out of Least Developed Country (LDC) status within the next seven years. Following the implementation of the first ever UNDP Country Programme during 2013-2017 and as a key development partner of the government of Myanmar, UNDP will implement a new UNDP Country Programme Document (CPD) for the period 2018-2022, striving to deliver on a large and relevant programme portfolio that is responsive to the main development challenges facing the country.

As part of the review and alignment process of UNDP Myanmar, the Country Office (CO) has significantly strengthened Results-based Management, M&E and reporting of its programmes and projects. Especially project-level monitoring and reporting is stronger and more systematic, relying on a results monitoring system that allows for six-monthly (and quarterly in some cases) reporting against AWP outputs.The focus of the CO’s M&E is still largely on project-level reporting while the Country Programme Document (CPD) outcome and output indicators remain to be more systematically tracked. As such, it is challenging for the Country Office to understand the aggregated progress UNDP is making against higher-level results, and from explaining to external audiences UNDP´s overall contribution to national development priorities. Focusing on the project-level reporting also increases the risk of losing strategic direction and coherence of UNDP´s programming over the multi-year CPD timeframe.

Accordingly, a more robust, integrated M&E system, (where data are captured and aggregated across the CPD programmatic and project areas), combined with properly implemented baseline and end-line data, and a combination of practical, SMART outcome and impact indicators will enable UNDP to build high-level aggregates to inform its contribution and to define better its success in Myanmar. Furthermore, efforts to move M&E from a rather classical UN reporting type approach of M&E into a real-time and innovative type of M&E to support adaptive management and planning processes will also add value in adjusting or refining planning exercises and for informing project stakeholders adequately about achieved results and/or any major changes. The new M&E system should also aim at enabling UNDP to reflect its specific contribution to increased capacities and institutional performances in government institutions and/or to which extent UNDP has led and informed key reform processes in Myanmar and has made difference to people’s lives and well-being.

The Country Programme has two Outcomes Areas:

• Outcome Area 1 - Peace and governance: Sustaining peace through national reconciliation and building an effective democratic State; and
• Outcome Area 2 - Planet and prosperity: Promoting inclusive, resilient and sustainable development and environmental management.

Under Outcome Area 1, there are currently nine projects, focusing on i) Effective public institutions enabled to develop and implement evidence-based policies and systems that respond to the needs of the people; ii) Improved civil service policies and systems, and enhanced strategic human resources management; Mechanisms, institutions and capacities strengthened to sustain peace and social cohesion; and Enhanced accountability, integrity and oversight towards strengthening legitimacy of the state and promoting access to justice and human rights. The Outcome Area 2 has eleven projects (including projects funded by Global Environment Facility, Adaptation Fund and other vertical funds), focusing on i) Promoting inclusive, resilient and sustainable environmental management building upon and leveraging vertical funds and programmes; and ii) Inclusive growth, livelihoods, and employment creation

Objectives of the assignment:

The Individual Consultant (M&E Advisor) will support the UNDP Myanmar CO in reviewing and re-designing a robust, integrated M&E system for the Country Programme and projects. The consultant will contribute to this by focusing on the following tasks: 1) conduct an assessment of the quality and performance of the M&E systems and results frameworks at the programme and project levels; 2) contribute to the CO’s efforts to review/revise project and programme results frameworks; 3) provide recommendations to be discussed and agreed with the CO Management for re-designing M&E frameworks and systems; and 4) develop a M&E strategy, roadmap and action plan to move M&E from a classical UN reporting type approach of M&E into a real-time and innovative type of M&E to support adaptive management, planning processes, and decision making.

Scope of Work:

The Individual Consultant (M&E Advisor) will provide technical assistance focusing on the following areas:

• Review the programme’s and projects’ theories of change and provide observations and recommendations for improvements;
• Assess the quality and relevance of current indicators to measure progress against intended results and outputs;
• Review and map key ‘in-house’ as well as external research and studies for better understanding of situational contexts and baselines; 
• Discuss and hold consultations with the CO Management, programme/project colleagues, key government counterparts and donors as well as key partners and civil society organisations to understand their demands, needs, and expectations vis-à-vis UNDP work and M&E;
• Determine key areas or impact measurement for key UNDP Myanmar’s programmatic outcomes and area-based programmes;
• Set up an overall cohesive programme results framework where project-level frameworks/activities can fit into a family-tree style results framework;
• Advise on appropriate indicators for CPD and projects and how data can be captured and aggregated across the CPD programmatic and project areas to inform UNDP’s contribution and to define better its success in Myanmar;
• Design and define clear roles and responsibilities for supervision, monitoring, evaluation, and communication of assessments, surveys, and results;
• Support the design an integrated, central platform to serve as the central M&E database, including innovative dashboard solutions as well as functional tools and services;
• Identify an appropriate data collection and analytical platform for better M&E in UNDP Myanmar;
• Assess and advise on the required human and financial resources to operationalize the UNDP Myanmar M&E framework and structure;
• Provide directions and suggestions regarding:
  • Monitoring, evaluation, and communication plans to be linked to structured reporting and communication requirements for the donors, relevant Ministries, and the public;
  • Feedback loops to support a ‘lessons learnt” environment where UNDP CO and projects can learn and adapt from the results and assessments; and
  • A mechanism to uptake and communicate M&E data/information (e.g. briefings, result notes, workshops with project stakeholders, etc.).

Duration of assignment:

The period of the assignment will be 15 October – 15 December 2018. During this period, the consultant will spend 21 calendar days in Myanmar, of which 15 will be fee days. Fifteen fee days will be spent home-based for desk reviews and deliverable completion.

Institutional arrangements:

Reporting line:

The Contractor will report to UNDP Team Leader – Strategic Results, Partnership and Innovation with overall supervision from the Deputy Country Director. For management and operational matters, the Contractors will be connected to the relevant CO colleagues.

 Logistical arrangements

• For all international travels:
  • Candidates are requested to include international travel costs from possible origins of travel in the financial proposal and arrange the flight. The travel cost should be based on the economy class fares, with most direct routes.
  • UNDP will provide support for the visa process and reimburse the visa fee, based on the actual receipt.
  • UNDP will provide terminal charges at the rate of US$ 80 per mission.
• For all in-country travels:
  • For in-country missions, UNDP will arrange and cover costs related to all domestic travels – such as transportation(s) between the agreed in-county duty stations and living allowances - in accordance with UNDP’s regulations and policies.
  • UNDP will facilitate security clearances required to travel in-country (if applicable).
• Other logistical matters:
  • The Contractors will arrange for his/her accommodation in the agreed duty stations, and for his/her own transportations from/to accommodation to/from the work places.
  • UNDP will not consider travel days as working days. The above stated working days are exclusive of travel time.
  • The working language of this assignment is English. Interpretations/translations from and to Myanmar language will be provided by UNDP as and when required.
  • The Contractors are expected to use their own computers.
  • UNDP will issue a contract to activate the rendering of service within the period of the Framework Agreement (if applicable).

Deliverables and Payment Schedule:

1. An inception report with preliminary observations
2. An assessment report with reviews of current programme and project results frameworks as well as recommendations for re-designing M&E frameworks and systems for UNDP Myanmar
3. An M&E strategy which includes a roadmap and an action plan to move into a real-time and innovative type of M&E to support adaptive management, planning processes, and decision making. The M&E strategy paper should also include, but not limited to, the following: institutional arrangements (roles and responsibilities); data collection analysis plan; evaluation system and evaluation management; and reporting requirements and dissemination plan.

Payment schedule

Selection method:

The consultant will be selected through a competitive process based on their qualifications and based on the competitiveness of their financial proposal.

Offers will be evaluated based on the combined scoring method, whereby the qualifications of the applicants will be weighted 70% and the financial proposal will be weighted 30%: The formula for scoring will be as follows.

Rating the Qualifications & Writing Sample (Q):

Q Rating = (Total Score Obtained by the Offer / Max. Obtainable Score for qualifications) x 100

Rating the Financial Proposal (FP):

FP Rating = (Lowest Priced Offer / Price of the Offer Being Reviewed) x 100

Total Combined Score:

(Qualifications) x (Weight of Qualifications; 70%) + (FP Rating) x (Weight of FP; 30%)

Total Combined and Final Rating of the Proposal

The contract price is a fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specific duration. Payments will be made upon delivery of outputs in accordance with the delivery and payment schedule.

Core competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Developing People/Coaching and Mentoring & Fostering Innovation and Empowerment;
• Self-Management/Emotional Intelligence;
• Effective Communication skills;
• Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking and Results Orientation/Commitment to Excellence;
• Knowledge Sharing/Continuous Learning.

Qualifications:

Presentation of Offer:

Candidates should present their offer to UNDP in the folowing form:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.