Procurement Notices

In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full- and medium-sized UNDP-supported GEF-financed projects are required to undergo a Terminal Evaluation (TE) at the end of the project. This Terms of Reference (ToR) sets out the expectations for the TE of the full-sized project titled Promotion of Low Carbon Urban Transport Systems in the Philippines (PIMS #5304) implemented through the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The project started on the 16th of November 2017 and is in its 5th year of implementation. The TE process must follow the guidance outlined in the document ‘Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects’.

The project was designed to create an enabling environment for the commercialization of low carbon urban transport systems (e.g., electric and hybrid vehicles) in the Philippines. The project aims to do this through 1) effective enforcement of policies and support provided for the promotion of low carbon modes of transport; 2) adopting and implementing low carbon transport plans and/or programs in major cities; 3) increasing private sector participation in the widespread deployment and commercialization of low carbon transport systems; and 4) increasing private sector investment in low carbon transport systems. The project is being implemented through the Department of Transportation under a National Implementation Modality.

The TE report will assess 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 programming. The TE report promotes accountability and transparency and assesses the extent of project accomplishments.

The findings shall be acted upon by UNDP, DoTr, and other relevant government agencies and stakeholders. The findings and any other relevant lessons and recommendations is expected to contribute to the internal programming of UNDP and to existing and emerging national policy considerations, including but not limited to the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and other relevant and emerging policies and considerations such as energy transition and other sustainable development policy trajectories.

Description of Responsibilities 

TE APPROACH & METHODOLOGY

The TE report must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable, and useful.

The TE team, composed of 1 international and 1 national consultant, will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation phase (i.e., PIF, UNDP Initiation Plan, UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure/SESP) the Project Document, project reports including annual 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 evaluation. The TE team will review the baseline and midterm GEF focal area Core Indicators/Tracking Tools submitted to the GEF at the CEO endorsement and midterm stages and the terminal Core Indicators/Tracking Tools that must be completed before the TE field mission begins. 

The TE team is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with the Project Team, government counterparts (the GEF Operational Focal Point), Implementing Partners, the UNDP Country Office(s), the Regional Technical Advisor, direct beneficiaries, and other stakeholders.

Engagement of stakeholders is vital to a successful TE. Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have project responsibilities, including but not limited to executing agencies, senior officials and task team/component leaders, key experts and consultants in the subject area, Project Board, project beneficiaries, academia, local government and CSOs, etc. Additionally, the TE team is expected to conduct field missions to the Philippines, including the following project sites:

UNDP Philippines Country Office: 15th Floor, North Tower, Rockwell Business Center Sheridan, United corner Sheridan Streets, Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City;

Department of Transportation Office: The Columbia Tower, Brgy. Wack-wack, Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City/ Apo Court Along Sergio St., Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga;

Project pilot cities of Baguio, Sta. Rosa, Iloilo, and Pasig.

The specific design and methodology for the TE should emerge from consultations between the TE team and the above-mentioned parties regarding what is appropriate and feasible for meeting the TE purpose and objectives and answering the evaluation questions, given limitations of budget, time and data. The TE team must use gender-responsive methodologies and tools and ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as other cross-cutting issues and SDGs are incorporated into the TE report.

The final methodological approach including interview schedule, field visits and data to be used in the evaluation must be clearly outlined in the TE Inception Report and be fully discussed and agreed between UNDP, stakeholders, and the TE team.

The final report must describe the full TE approach taken and the rationale for the approach making explicit the underlying assumptions, challenges, strengths and weaknesses about the methods and approach of the evaluation.

DETAILED SCOPE OF THE TE

The TE will assess project performance against expectations set out in the project’s Logical Framework/Results Framework (see ToR Annex A). The TE will assess results according to the criteria outlined in the Guidance for TEs of UNDP-supported GEF-financed Projects. (The scope of the TE should detail and include aspects of the project to be covered by the TE, such as the time frame, and the primary issues of concern to users that the TE needs to address.

The Findings section of the TE report will cover the topics listed below. A full outline of the TE report’s content is provided in ToR Annex C.

The asterisk “(*)” indicates criteria for which a rating is required.

Findings

1. Project Design/Formulation
2. National priorities and country driven-ness
3. Theory of Change
4. Gender equality and women’s empowerment
5. Social and Environmental Standards (Safeguards)
6. Analysis of Results Framework: project logic and strategy, indicators
7. Assumptions and Risks
8. Lessons from other relevant projects (e.g. same focal area) incorporated into project design
9. Planned stakeholder participation
10. Linkages between project and other interventions within the sector
11. Management arrangements

      2. Project Implementation

• Adaptive management (changes to the project design and project outputs during implementation)
• Actual stakeholder participation and partnership arrangements
• Project Finance and Co-finance
• Monitoring & Evaluation: design at entry (*), implementation (*), and overall assessment of M&E (*)
• Implementing Agency (UNDP) (*) and Executing Agency (*), overall project oversight/implementation and execution (*)
• Risk Management, including Social and Environmental Standards (Safeguards)

      3. Project Results

• Assess the achievement of outcomes against indicators by reporting on the level of progress for each objective and outcome indicator at the time of the TE and noting final achievements
• Relevance (*), Effectiveness (*), Efficiency (*) and overall project outcome (*)
• Sustainability: financial (*), socio-political (*), institutional framework and governance (*), environmental (*), overall likelihood of sustainability (*)
• Country ownership
• Gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Cross-cutting issues (poverty alleviation, improved governance, climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster prevention and recovery, human rights, capacity development, South-South cooperation, knowledge management, volunteerism, etc., as relevant)
• GEF Additionality
• Catalytic Role / Replication Effect
• Progress to impact

Main Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Lessons Learned

• The TE team will include a summary of the main findings of the TE report. Findings should be presented as statements of fact that are based on analysis of the data.
•  The section on conclusions will be written in light of the findings. Conclusions should be comprehensive and balanced statements that are well substantiated by evidence and logically connected to the TE findings. They should highlight the strengths, weaknesses, and results of the project, respond to key evaluation questions, and provide insights into the identification of and/or solutions to important problems or issues pertinent to project beneficiaries, UNDP and the GEF, including issues in relation to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Recommendations should provide concrete, practical, feasible and targeted recommendations directed to the intended users of the evaluation about what actions to take and decisions to make. The recommendations should be specifically supported by the evidence and linked to the findings and conclusions around key questions addressed by the evaluation.
• The TE report should also include lessons that can be taken from the evaluation, including best practices in addressing issues relating to relevance, performance and success that can provide knowledge gained from the particular circumstance (programmatic and evaluation methods used, partnerships, financial leveraging, etc.) that are applicable to other GEF and UNDP interventions. When possible, the TE team should include examples of good practices in project design and implementation.
• It is important for the conclusions, recommendations and lessons learned of the TE report to incorporate gender equality and empowerment of women.

The TE report will include an Evaluation Ratings Table, as shown below:

ToR Table 2: Evaluation Ratings Table for Promotion of Low Carbon Urban Transport Systems in the Philippines

TIMEFRAME

The total duration of the TE will be approximately 35 working days between 20 December 2022 to 5 March 2023. The tentative TE timeframe is as follows:

Options for site visits should be provided in the TE Inception Report.

TE DELIVERABLES

*All final TE reports will be quality assessed by the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (IEO).  Details of the IEO’s quality assessment of decentralized evaluations can be found in Section 6 of the UNDP Evaluation Guidelines.[2]

TE ARRANGEMENTS

The principal responsibility for managing the TE resides with the Commissioning Unit. The Commissioning Unit for this project’s TE is the UNDP Philippines Country Office through the Programme Analyst of the Climate Action Programme Team and RBM Analyst of the Results and Quality Team.

The Commissioning Unit will contract the evaluators and ensure the timely provision of per diems and travel arrangements within the country for the TE team. The Project Team will be responsible for liaising with the TE team to provide all relevant documents, set up stakeholder interviews, and arrange field visits.

An Evaluation Reference Group (ERG) shall be formed composed of principal representatives from project stakeholders (government partners, donor, representatives from the Project Board) that will perform an advisory role throughout the process. The ERG shall ensure that evaluation standards as provided by the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) are adhered to, including safeguarding transparency and independence; advise on the relevance and appropriateness of questions; and support and provide input into the development of the management responses and key actions.

SCOPE OF WORK

A team of two independent evaluators will conduct the TE – one team leader (international, with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions) and one team expert (national).

The National Consultant will be working with an international consultant who will lead TE team and will be mainly responsible for initiating and managing the TE process and leading the overall design and writing of the TE report, maintaining the integrity and independence of the process in accordance with the UNDP-GEF guidelines.

The National Consultant will provide support to the team leader/international consultant and serve as the subject matter expert at the national level. S/he will assess emerging trends with respect to regulatory frameworks, budget allocations, capacity building, and work with the Project Team in developing the TE itinerary, among others. S/he should have a strong background on the subject and will mainly be responsible for studying the dynamics among stakeholders and how it affects project performance, progress and results achievement, and potential development pathways for the country, highlighting gains, uncovering gaps, and proposing appropriate corrective measures that the project can take.

The evaluator(s) cannot have participated in the project preparation, formulation and/or implementation (including the writing of the project document), must not have conducted this project’s Mid-Term Review and should not have a conflict of interest with the project’s related activities.  

Competencies :

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN mission, vision, values, and ethical standards
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Promotes UNDP's agenda in meetings

Other Competencies

• Ability to work in close collaboration with a group of national and international experts, to meet strict deadlines and plan the work according to priorities;
• Demonstrates capacity to plan, organize, and execute effectively;
• The initiative, good analytical skills, mature judgment, and ability to work under tight schedule while respecting deadlines achievement, ethics, and honesty;
• Ability to establish effective working relations in a diverse environment
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Builds strong relationships with internal and external clients;
• Demonstrated ability to function in a team environment and to deal with a complex multi-stakeholder environment
• Good ability to use information and communication technologies as tools and resources;
• Excellent written communication and presentation/public speaking skills focus on results, ability to interact productively in a teamwork environment

Qualifications :

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFER AND QUALIFICATIONS OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

The Offers received will be evaluated using a combined scoring method - where technical proposal will be weighted 70 points and combined with the price offer,  which will be weighted  30 points. 

The CV will be reviewed using the criteria below. Only offerors who will obtain a minimum of 70% or 49 out of 70 obtainable points will be shortlisted and considered for evaluation of financial proposal.

Education

• Master’s degree in transportation studies, environment, economics, statistics, social sciences, development studies, engineering, management, or other closely related field  or other closely related field;

(14 points for Master’s, 20 points for PhD)

Experience

• At least 5 years relevant experience with results-based management evaluation methodologies; application of SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios; remote evaluation and project evaluation/review experiences within the United Nations system will be considered an asset

(11 points for 5 years of experience, additional point for each additional year; maximum of 15 points)

• At least 3 years of specific experience in conducting gender-sensitive evaluations/analyses, or other specific gender-related work in the thematic areas mentioned above;

(7 points for 3 years of experience, additional point for each additional year; maximum of 10 points)

• At least 5 years of relevant experience and demonstrated competence in adaptive management, as applied to climate change, energy, infrastructure, transport, and/or technology (i.e. climate change mitigation, decarbonization/emissions reduction, technology incubation and transfer, commercialization, market development, and sustainability in relation to the transportation sector)

(11 points for 5 years of experience, additional point for each additional year; maximum of 15 points)

• Experience working in at least 5 evaluations in the Philippines; Experience in project evaluation/review with at least 2 GEF projects or projects within the UN system

(7 points for 5 evaluations, additional point for each additional evaluation; Additional 2 points for every UN or GEF evaluation; maximum of 10 points)

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Filipino (pass/fail)

EVALUATOR ETHICS

The TE team will be held to the highest ethical standards and is required to sign a code of conduct upon acceptance of the assignment. This evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the UNEG ‘Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation’. The evaluator must safeguard the rights and confidentiality of information providers, interviewees and stakeholders through measures to ensure compliance with legal and other relevant codes governing collection of data and reporting on data. The evaluator must also ensure security of collected information before and after the evaluation and protocols to ensure anonymity and confidentiality of sources of information where that is expected. The information knowledge and data gathered in the evaluation process must also be solely used for the evaluation and not for other uses without the express authorization of UNDP and partners.

DURATION OF WORK AND DUTY STATION

Duty station is in Metro Manila. The expected duration of the assignment is 35 person-days between 20 December 2022 and 15 March 2023, unless revised in a mutually agreed upon timetable between the Consultant and UNDP.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, all work and travel of the Individual consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local and national government. Field work, trainings, meetings, and coordination shall be done in compliance with community quarantine policies.

SCOPE OF PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT

The Contractor should send the financial proposal based on a lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs identified below. The total amount quoted shall be “all inclusive” (professional daily fees X number of days, communications, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor should be factored into the final amount submitted in the proposal. Travel, as deemed relevant by UNDP and compliant with government guidelines on community quarantine, will be arranged and paid for by UNDP and should not be included in the financial proposal.

Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense, and upon award of contract, the Contractor must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration

The contract price will be fixed output-based price. Any deviations from the output and timeline will be agreed upon between the Contractor and UNDP.

Payments will be done upon satisfactory completion of the delivery by target due dates. Outputs will be certified by the Commissioning Unit prior to release of payments.

• 20% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the final TE Inception Report and approval by the Commissioning Unit
• 40% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the draft TE report to the Commissioning Unit
• 40% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the final TE report and approval by the Commissioning Unit and RTA (via signatures on the TE Report Clearance Form) and delivery of completed TE Audit Trail

Criteria for issuing the final payment of 40%[3]:

• The final TE report includes all requirements outlined in the TE TOR and is in accordance with the TE guidance.
• The final TE report is clearly written, logically organized, and is specific for this project (i.e. text has not been cut & pasted from other TE reports).
• The Audit Trail includes responses to and justification for each comment listed.

TOR ANNEXES

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13EQWdUsB8xldw02hQm_T7iPu2Xo1Rdf5/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=114105608584429205553&rtpof=true&sd=true

1. ToR Annex A: Project Logical/Results Framework
2. ToR Annex B: Project Information Package to be reviewed by TE team
3. ToR Annex C: Content of the TE report
4. ToR Annex D: Evaluation Criteria Matrix template
5. ToR Annex E: UNEG Code of Conduct for Evaluators
6. ToR Annex F: TE Rating Scales
7. ToR Annex G: TE Report Clearance Form
8. ToR Annex H: TE Audit Trail

APPLICATION PROCESS[4]

Recommended Presentation of Proposal:

1. Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template[5] provided by UNDP;
2. CV and a Personal History Form (P11 form[6]);
3. Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment; (max 1 page)
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price and all other travel related costs (such as flight ticket, per diem, etc), supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template attached to the Letter of Confirmation of Interest template. If an applicant 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 applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

Offerors must upload in one (1) file the documents mentioned above.

Templates for a) P11 Personal History Form and b)  Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal (Annex 2) are available through the link below. UNDP General Terms and Conditions for Individual Contractors  are also available:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vB63DIM-ogrwNGNyj22jBaQnYP6k7p4f?usp=sharing

Incomplete submission of required documents may result in disqualification.

Please see the deadline of submissions above.

UNDP Jobs Link UNDP Jobs - 110575- National Consultant for the Terminal Evaluation th

Because of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.