Consultant: Terminal Evaluation of UNDP/GEF Wetland Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in China Project

Duties and Responsibilities:

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.

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

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

Closing Date: