Website United Nations World Food Programme
1. INTRODUCTION
On 19 November 2015, the UN and the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) jointly signed the Zambia-United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework 2016-2021 (“the Partnership Framework”). The Country Analysis (CA) for Zambia, jointly produced by the GRZ and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), provided the analytical base for the Partnership Framework, which replaced the previous UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) when it expired at the end of 2015 and sought to incorporate the concepts of the new Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. Among other things, the CA sought to ensure alignment of UN efforts with national development priorities and internationally agreed goals, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Partnership Framework, therefore, formalizes the UN collaboration with the Government and governs the work of the UN towards sustainable development from 2016 to 2021. It fully reflects the high ambition of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, and is premised on an integrated multi-sectoral and partnership approach to development covering stakeholders such as the public sector and the private sector, the UN, the international financial institutions, bilateral partners, civil society, academia and communities.
The Partnership frameworks aims to achieve eight outcomes, under three broad pillars namely: Inclusive Social Development; Environmentally Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development and Governance and Participation. These are aligned to Zambia’s Vision 2030.
Under the framework, UN agencies operating in Zambia are expected to bring their collective technical expertise and other resources together to provide support within successive strategic Joint Annual Work Plans. With an estimated budget of USD 800 million, the Partnership Framework is being implemented through multi-sectoral Result Groups , each chaired by a UN Head of Agency.
While the Partnership Framework represents an agreed partnership between GRZ and the UN in Zambia, GRZ, as part of its national development planning process and ensuring progress towards the Vision 2030, has formulated the 7th National Development Plan (7NDP), which was launched in June 2017. Developed under the theme, “Accelerating Progress Towards the Vision 2030 without leaving anyone Behind”, the 7NDP represents a shift from a sectoral and silo-approach to an integrated and multi-sectoral approach, in line with the demands of the SDGs agenda. GRZ has mainstreamed the SDGs in the 7NDP. The UN provided technical and financial support to develop the 7NDP and in ensuring that it is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other global commitments. The 7NDP represents a key development policy document to guide Zambia’s resource mobilization efforts as well as spending between 2017 and 2021.
To support the implementation of the 7NDP, new coordination arrangements have been established by GRZ. These include the National Development Coordinating Committee (NDCC), Cluster Advisory Groups (CAGs), Technical Working Groups (TWGs), Provincial Development Coordinating Committees (PDCCs), and District Development Coordinating Committees (DDCCs), as well as Ward level development committees.
Given the complexity of the development agenda as outlined in the 7NDP and the SDGs, and the multiplicity of the structures set up to coordinate and support implementation, it is worth noting that in addition to making financing available, success in delivering transformational development will depend on effectiveness and efficiency of the coordination and delivery mechanisms. Therefore, there is a need to continuously iterate the coordination and delivery mechanisms between the Partnership Framework and the 7NDP to ensure they remain relevant and operate efficiently and effectively.
2. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MTR
Purpose
The Government of Republic of Zambia and the UN Country Team propose to undertake a Mid–Term Review (MTR) of the Partnership Framework in 2018 as indicated in the Partnership Framework M&E plan. The purpose of the Review is to serve as the basis for improving coordination and delivery of the Partnership Framework as aligned to the 7NDP in meeting Zambia’s development agenda.
The key objectives of the MTR are to;
- Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the Partnership Framework’s coordination and management structures;
- Ascertain the Partnership Framework’s effectiveness and progress made towards outcomes, as well as identify and articulate factors explaining the progress;
- Assess the relevance and strategic alignment of the Partnership Framework and its coordination structures to the 7NDP; and
- Document best practices, lessons learnt and make recommendations with respect to the above objectives.
Based on the objectives above, two types of evaluation approaches are expected to be employed, namely: Process evaluation and Outcome evaluation.
On the one hand, process evaluation will focus on assessing how and in what ways the Partnership Framework is working, and for whom. It will provide opportunities for feedback and reflection amongst stakeholders, including UN agencies and government in order to inform the ongoing implementation for iterative design of the Framework. The process evaluation approach will also assess whether the use of resources is proving to be effective and efficient, and whether the systems and capacities to support implementation of the Partnership Framework are appropriate for achieving intended results. The approach will also help answer whether the results achieved in terms of building partnerships/alliances/networks/coalitions are sustainable, and the extent to which the Partnership Framework is contributing towards transformative development in Zambia.
On the other hand, outcome evaluation will assess how and in what ways the Partnership Framework is contributing to immediate changes in policies, practices, ideas and attitudes, and if there have been any negative or unexpected effects created by the Partnership Framework. The approach should also help in identifying the mechanisms that have contributed to or worked against programming effectiveness and successful change.
3. QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED BY THE MID-TERM REVIEW
Based on the above objectives, below are the four key evaluation questions and suggested sub-questions to be answered by the review:
3.1 How effective are the coordination and management arrangements of the Partnership Framework?
- Are the management and governance arrangements of the Partnership Framework fit for purpose? Is there a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities of the structures by all parties involved?
- Is there adequate administrative, technical and other support within the UN in Zambia (resident and non-resident UN agencies), regional offices and headquarters to implement the Partnership Framework? Are the available technical and financial resources adequate to deliver the planned development outcomes? If not, what other kind of resources may be required?
- How effectively have the UN and stakeholders undertaken planning and monitored performance and results? Is a monitoring and evaluation system in place and how effective is it? Is relevant information systematically collected and collated? Is the data disaggregated by, for example, gender or by other relevant criteria , bearing in mind the UNDG principles for integrated programming ?
- To what extent are the UNDG programming principles adhered to in the implementation of the Partnership Framework? How could adherence to the principles be strengthened?
- To what extent has the Partnership Framework furthered gender mainstreaming in programming by the UN and the Government of the Republic of Zambia? How well do the current mechanisms in both Government and UN address and promote gender equality and how can the UN support for gender mainstreaming be strengthened?
- How responsive has programming under the Partnership Framework been to changing and emerging development priorities such as the humanitarian development nexus?
- How effective have the Partnership Framework coordination structures been in strengthening collaboration with stakeholders such as private sector, CSOs, philanthropy sector, media with regard to planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and dissemination of results of interventions under the Partnership Framework?
- To what extent has the Partnership Framework contributed to creating or strengthening synergies among UN agencies and programming?
- What difference did the Partnership Framework make to the UN’s work, working methods and development outcomes in Zambia? Does the UN in Zambia work differently under the Partnership Framework than it did under UNDAF?
3.2 What has been the Partnership Framework’s effectiveness and efficiency in the realization of sustained development outcomes?
• Effectiveness:
- What is the progress towards the Partnership Framework outcomes (based on progress indicators)?
- What have been the main contributing and challenging factors in making progress towards the development outcomes envisioned in the Partnership Framework?
- Is the Partnership Framework progressively contributing to creating or strengthening an enabling environment (implementation arrangements, systems, policies, people’s attitudes, etc.) for successfully realising the envisioned development outcomes? Is the Partnership approach strengthening rights-holders’ participation and duty-bearer’s accountability? Is it contributing to increased knowledge and demand of human rights among the most vulnerable populations and reinforcing capacities of duty bearers to respect, protect and guarantee these rights?
- What, if any, are the identified or perceived unintended outcomes of the Partnership Framework? What external socio-economic and political factors explain the outcomes?
• Efficiency:
- How efficiently have UN agencies allocated and deployed resources (human resources, time, expertise, funds etc.) for the implementation of the Partnership Framework?
- To what extent are the joint workplans under the Partnership Framework developed and implemented on time? How are the joint workplans derived and costed?
- To what extent are agency work plans derived from Result Group Joint Work Plans?
- To what extent and how are the resources needed to implement the Joint Work Plans jointly mobilised?
• Sustainability:
- Has the UN through the Partnership Framework started building the capacity of people and national institutions or strengthened an enabling environment (laws, systems, policies, people’s skills, attitudes etc.) to assure continued positive/transformational change?
- In what ways is the partnership approach transforming the way the UN and the Zambian government work?
- To what extent are the transformational aspects of the partnership approach visible within the UN and the Zambian government? What steps need to be taken to enhance the sustainability of positive/transformational change resulting from the implementation of the Partnership Framework?
3.3 What is the relevance and strategic alignment of the Partnership Framework to the 7NDP?
- How relevant and aligned is the Partnership Framework (its vision, development priorities and implementation and coordination mechanisms) to the to the 7NDP and its management and coordination structures?
- How can the UN best use its comparative advantage and effectively support the evolving implementation structures and programming under the 7NDP?
- How can the UN’s comparative advantage be leveraged to complement and support Zambia’s financing for development outcomes envisioned under the 7NDP, including operationalisation of the Means of Implementation Sub-Committee? What benefits can the UN derive from partnering with the Government under the Means of Implementation Sub-Committee?
- How best can the UN contribute to creating an enabling environment for the success of the multi-sectoral partnership approach under the 7NDP?
3.4 What are the best practices, lessons learnt and recommendations
- What good practices can be learned from the implementation of the Partnership Framework that can be applied going forward or for future frameworks?
- What should be avoided going forward?
- What are the recommendations with respect to the three main questions above?
4. SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY OF THE REVIEW
The mid-term review will be carried out in a transparent and participatory manner, including consultation with a broad range of stakeholders in the UN, government ministries and agencies, other development agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders as necessary. The review will be guided by UN Evaluation Group Norms and Standards.
The review will employ both desk and field research. The desk research will, among other things, assist the reviewing team to understand the Partnership Framework and its specifics, as well as serve as the basis for assessing the processes. Desk research information sources will include the Partnership Framework document and results framework, the country analysis, annual work plans and annual progress reports from the results groups and other relevant structures. Reviews or evaluations of agency supported programmes will feed into the MTR. Other key documents will include the 7NDP volumes 1 and 2, and related documentation.
The field research will involve interviews with the Partnership Framework partners and stakeholders including UN agencies, pillar and results group chairs and technical members, , as well as representatives from government, cooperating partners, CSOs and the private sector. Data collection instruments such as open and semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires will be used to guarantee the availability of both quantitative and qualitative evidence, where available and necessary.
a synthesis and analysis of data from regular programme monitoring reports. Interviews with beneficiaries and local partners using participatory approaches will be strongly encouraged.
To effectively use the limited time, consultants may apply quota sampling and use other time and financial resource efficient data collection methodologies. The participation of specific interest groups such as women and women organizations, youth and youth organisations, among others, should also be guaranteed during the field research. The consultants will be required to work with the MTR Reference Group in identifying and drawing up a list of respondents.
5. PROCESS OF THE MTR
The Partnership Framework MTR will be an external, participatory, and iterative learning exercise. It will take place from June – September 2018 and will build on the previous Partnership Framework Annual Reviews. The total duration of the assignment is 60 working days.
The MTR will be jointly commissioned and managed by the UNCT (Heads of UN Agencies) and the Government of Zambia. The review will engage wide range of stakeholders, including the UN, government, civil society and cooperating partners. Stakeholder participation is essential and will be sought from the beginning of the process through a series of meetings and possibly through the organisation of a Validation Workshop towards the end of the MTR process. The purpose of the workshop will be to validate and refine findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation.
6. DELIVERABLES
- Inception report outlining (2 weeks after signing of agreement):
- The consultant’s understanding of the ToRs and the assignment,
- Evaluation design including criteria, scope, key evaluation questions, methodology, data collection methods and tools, timeframe and proposed respondents
- First draft MTR report shared and presented to the MTR Reference Group
- Second draft MTR report, addressing comments from the MTR Reference Group, presented at a validation workshop with stakeholders
- Final draft MTR report presented to the MTR Reference Group and UNCT, fully incorporating feedback from validation workshop and complemented with an action plan for the implementation of recommendations.
- The report should have the following proposed structure:
- Cover page with key project and evaluation data
- Executive Summary
- List of Acronyms
- Description of the Partnership Framework
- Purpose, scope and clients of the evaluation
- Methodology
- Clearly identified findings for each criterion and question
- Conclusions
- Recommendations
- Lessons learned and good practices
- Annexes: – TOR, List of meetings and interviews, any other relevant documents
- Final MTR report shared with the UNCT, as well as a brief 4-page summary document and power point presentation of the key findings and recommendations to be used for sharing with stakeholders
7. MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION
The MTR will be commissioned and overseen by the UNCT and the Government (Ministry of National Development Planning). A MTR Reference Group with members drawn from the UN and Government will be established to guide the evaluation process at the design, implementation and report stages. The Reference Group will approve the Inception Report and facilitate the preparation of a substantive programme of consultations, discussions and interviews and ensure quality control of the entire process. The Reference Group Secretariat will ensure regular communication and liaison between the consultancy team, Reference Group, UNCT and other relevant structures. Necessary further technical expertise from UN agencies will be availed as appropriate, including from the M&E Working Group.
The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) will provide the consultancy team with relevant background documents for the desk review, compile contact details for partners and stakeholders to be interviewed, facilitate the making of appointments by drafting introductory letters, as well as facilitate overall logistical arrangements, including for the validation workshop. On the Government side, the Ministry of National Development Planning (MNDP) will coordinate the participation and inputs of key ministries and other institutions in the MTR. The consultancy team will be responsible for arranging all interviews and consultations with partners and stakeholders.
8. PROPOSED TIME FRAME
Date Activity Responsibility
July Week 1 – 2: Home based- Activity (by Reference Group, Consultancy team)
- Initial briefing with consultancy team
- Desk Review and development of Inception Report
July – August Week 3 – 6: In country- Activity ( Consultancy team and Reference Group)
- Presentation of Inception Report to the Reference Group
- Undertake data collection (consultations, interviews, surveys)
August – September Week 7 – 9: In country- Activity by (Consultancy team)
- Analysis of data
- Report writing
- First draft report presented to Reference Group and revised based on comments
Week 10: In country- Activity by (Consultancy team/GRZ/UN)
- Presentation of the second draft report at validation workshop with stakeholders
- Presentation of final draft to UNCT and Reference Group
September – October Weeks 11 – 12: Home based Activity by (UNCT/MNDP)
- Submission of final report, summary document and power point to UNCT, GRZ and Reference Group
9. COMPOSITION AND QUALIFICATIONS OF CONSULTANCY TEAM
Composition of the consultancy team
It is anticipated that the consultancy team will be composed of a Senior International Consultant, who will be assigned the responsibility of Team Leader, and a National Consultant. The Team should have proven record of conducting complex evaluations.
Roles and qualifications of the Consultancy Team
Specific roles of the Team Leader
- Formulation of technical and financial proposals
- Lead the consultancy team, ensure that review is conducted in a timely manner and assume overall responsibility of deliverables and quality of the work
- Act as the main contact point between the consultancy team and the MTR Reference Group and RCO in all issues relating to the MTR, ensuring a participatory process
- Lead the development and implementation of a robust and appropriate evaluation methodology, supervise and contribute to data collection and analysis
- Lead the drafting of the draft and final MTR reports, including a proposed action plan, incorporating comments from all stakeholders Ensure that the final MTR report is completed within the established timeframe and submitted to MTR Reference Group and RCO
- Present the MTR results and recommendations to MTR Reference Group, UNCT and other identified stakeholders
Specific roles of the National consultant
- Follow the tasks assigned by the team leader
- Contribute to data collection, analysis and report writing
- Arrange and schedule all interviews and consultations needed
- Participate in all meetings as per guidance provided by the Team Leader
- Record all comments on the MTR report and participate in the report revision process
Qualifications of Team Leader:
- Master’s degree in a relevant field – social sciences, development studies, international development or similar
- Minimum 15 years of experience in programme development, planning, management, implementation and evaluation in the context of international development, working experience with the UN Development System is an advantage
- Extensive experience in leading evaluations of UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF/Partnership Framework), or similar multilateral development programmes
- Previous experience in leading multi-stakeholder processes in Africa, including experience in working with Government counterparts at the senior and technical levels
- Strong research, analytical, writing and communication skills
- Sound leadership and organizational skills; demonstrated experience in managing and leading evaluation teams
- Strong knowledge and understanding of the UN system and UN principles, values, goals and approaches, including human rights, gender equality, results-based management and the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as of UN Evaluation Group guidelines for evaluations
Qualifications of National Consultant:
- Master’s degree in a relevant field – social sciences, development studies, international development or similar
- Minimum 10 years of experience programme development, planning, and implementation in the context of international development, working experience with the UN Development System is an advantage
- Previous experience in conducting evaluations of development programmes
- Strong research and analytical skills, excellent writing skills and knowledge of research methodology
- Knowledge of the Zambian development context
10. DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:
- A technical proposal (Not more than 5 pages) providing a brief methodology on how you will
approach and conduct the work. - A financial proposal as outlined in point 11 below.
- Most recent CV showing clearly experience in similar assignments and at least 3 references;
- Certified copies of academic and professional certificates and other relevant documents.
11. FINANCIAL PROPOSAL
- The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, inclusive of all costs that could possibly be incurred by the consultant (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consumables etc).
- The financial proposal will provide a breakdown of this lump sum amount
13. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Interested candidates are invited to submit a proposal (technical and financial), together with CVs of each member in the proposed consultancy team and other relevant supporting documents to the following address:
The Head of Human Resources, United Nations World Food Programme Zambia P.O. Box 37726 Lusaka, Zambia Or; delivered by hand at WFP Offices (tender box) Plot # 10/4971, Tito Road Rhodespark, Lusaka, Zambia.
SEALED ENVELOPES SHOULD BE MARKED CONFIDENTIAL MID-TERM REVIEW (MTR) OF THE ZAMBIA-UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK (2016-2021)
Please ensure that you mention www.gozambiajobs.com as the source of this job advertisement.
The deadline for submission of the application is Sunday 29th July 2018 (Midnight Zambian Time).
This position is open to Zambian nationals only.