As part of the CO’s evaluation plan, this FE is being conducted to provide an assessment of the achievement of project results against what was expected to be achieved and draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP and GCF programming. 

The FE report promotes accountability and transparency and assesses the extent of project accomplishments. Results and recommendations of the FE will be used by GCF, UNDP and national stakeholders for designing other relevant interventions in the future, ensuring national ownership and sustainability of project results. In addition to that, lessons learnt and recommendations from this FE will be used by the country programme board during its annual review and final review of the country programme (2024-2028), for proper adjustments and improvement of other project/programme design, implementation and evaluation.

In assessing implementation of the project and its alignment with FAA obligations and the UNDP project document, the FE will take into consideration assessment of the project in line with the following evaluation criteria from the UNDP Evaluation Guidelines, GCF IEU TOR (GCF/B.06/06) and GCF Evaluation Policy, along with guidance provided by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), and the UNDP Evaluation Guidelines.

Questions should be grouped according to the six OECD-DAC evaluation criteria: (a) relevance; (b) coherence, (c) effectiveness; (d) efficiency; (e) impact and (f) sustainability. Additional evaluation criteria can be assessed, as applicable.

1.       Relevance, effectiveness and efficiency

2.       Adaptive management

3.       Stakeholder Participation

4.       Monitoring & Evaluation

5.       Accredited Entity (AE) oversight and Executing Entity (EE) execution

6.       Risk Management, including Social and Environmental Standards

7.       Coherence in climate finance delivery with other multilateral entities

8.       Gender equity

9.       Sustainability

10.   Country ownership

11.   Innovativeness in results areas - extent to which interventions may lead to paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate resilient development pathways

12.   Replication and scalability – the extent to which the activities can be scaled up in other locations within the country or replicated in other countries (this criterion, which is considered in document GCF/B.05/03 in the context of measuring performance could also be incorporated in independent evaluations)

13.   Unexpected results, both positive and negative.

14.   Progress to Impact

Please also refer to the GCF Investment Criteria (Impact Potential; Paradigm Shift Potential; Sustainable Development Potential; Needs of the Recipient; Country Ownership; and Efficiency and Effectiveness) as complementary evaluation criteria.

In the Funding Proposal package, an economic analysis is included in which a stream of benefits expected to be generated from the project is presented. Collect verifiable, quantifiable benefits from the project and compare with the ex-ante economic analysis.

The final evaluation process will begin at least three months before operational closure of the project in 1^st August 2025, allowing the evaluation mission to proceed while the project team is still in place, yet ensuring the project is close enough to completion for the evaluation team to reach conclusions on key aspects such as project sustainability. The consultants to be hired to undertake the assignment will be independent of the organizations that were involved in designing, executing or advising on the project.

 The FE report will be consulted with the Project Board and approved by both UNDP Bhutan Country Office and the UNDP Climate and Vertical Fund Hubs. The FE report will be published in English on the UNDP Evaluation Resource Center (ERC).