By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

National Consultant for Progress Evaluation of LG Performance

Bratislava

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Bratislava
  • Grade: Consultancy - National Consultant - Locally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Human Resources
    • External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
    • Civil Society and Local governance
    • Governance and Peacebuilding
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Purpose

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide an impartial evaluation of the progress that MEG partner LGs’ achieved in period from 31 March 2017 to 31 March 2018, against the Performance-based Financial Assistance Methodology (hereafter the Methodology). The results of the evaluation will contribute to grounds for the financial assistance to MEG partner LGs that is planned to be implemented in 2018. For this purpose, one National Consultant for Progress Evaluation of LG Performance (hearafter the National Consultant) covering following partner LGs of North-West Cluster: Sanski Most, Velika Kladuša, Bosanska Krupa, Kostajnica, Cazin, Dubica, Prijedor, Gradiška and Bihac will be recruited. In addition, one National Lead Consultant for Progress Evaluation of LG Performance (hereafter the Lead Consultant) directly covering following partner LGs of North-East Cluster: Tuzla, Prnjavor, Teslic, Tešanj, Kalesija, Doboj, Žepce, Gracanica and Gradacac will be recruited.

Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to objectively assess the LGs commitment to reform and sustainable improvement of their performance, through the evaluation of the performance progress made over the referenced 12-month period. This will be done by performing evidence-based assessment of the relevant LGs’ means of verification, and by capturing the achieved improvement of the 15 performance indicator scores in accordance with the Methodology.  Based on the evaluation results, each LG will have access to different amount of funds for co-financing of the priority infrastructure projects.

Background information

Financed by the Government of Switzerland, and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Municipal Environmental and Economic Governance (MEG) Project is a newly-launched 12-year intervention in the domain of local governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Project’s overall goal is defined as follows: Local governments, assigned with appropriate competences and finances, have improved their democratic governance, apply sound public policy and performance management systems, and provide public services in an inclusive, effective and efficient manner, particularly those related to economic and environmental sectors.

The expected concrete improvements the Project will contribute to are clustered in three outcomes, as follows:

  • Outcome 1: Supported local governments apply effective development management systems characterised by stronger oversight of the legislative and greater accountability towards the citizens.
  • Outcome 2: Citizens and businesses in target localities benefit from good quality services provided by LGs in the economic and environmental sectors.
  • Outcome 3: Improved regulatory framework at higher and local government levels.

The Project’s territorial focus is on the North-West part of the country (including Una-Sana Canton and Prijedor region) and the North-East region (the wider Doboj-Tuzla area), covering 18 partner local governments: Bihac, Bosanska Krupa, Cazin, Doboj, Gracanica, Gradacac, Gradiška, Kalesija, Kostajnica, Kozarska Dubica, Prijedor, Prnjavor, Sanski Most, Tešanj, Teslic, Tuzla, Velika Kladuša and Žepce.

The Project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the FBiH Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, the Ministry for Administration and Local Self-Government of Republika Srpska (RS), the RS Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and both entity Associations of Municipalities and Cities (AMCs).

This activity will take place within the local government component of the Project, which aims to establish sound public policy and management systems through improved structures, regulatory frameworks, capacities and attitudes by municipal employees and elected officials. Implementing sound performance management systems implying excelling technical and political performance will serve as an incentive for partner local governments who will be awarded through financial resources (in accordance with the Methodology) for realization of local priorities in the environmental and economic sectors.

Duties and Responsibilities

Performance-based financial assistance methodology for financial support to local governments within the MEG Project is a mechanism for awarding financial assistance (aimed at co-financing priority projects in the environmental and economic sectors) to partner local governments based on their performance results. Thus, the performance-based granting is designed to condition partner local governments’ access to financial support with sound, tangible and measurable performance results, as well as to stimulate partners to strive towards more effective policy management and service delivery. The innovative feature behind this mechanism is that it creates linkages between a partner local government performance and grant funds that a local government will eventually receive, conditioned on their performance.

The evaluation will assess the current state of affairs and the corresponding means of verification, when it comes to the 15 performance indicators and compare it with the baseline evaluation results in accordance with the formulas set in the Methodology.

In all cases, financial support to partner LGs under the performance-based grant methodology will be exclusively used for realisation of capital investment priorities originating from development strategies, in the economic and environmental sectors.

Assessment methodology and performance indicators

The assessment methodology for the performance-based financial assistance is based on several main parameters that allow measuring progress achieved by LGs during the 12-month period.

The assessment methodology is engineered around the following main parameters:

  • Governance areas in focus;
  • Performance indicators;
  • Measurement scale;
  • Indicator’s weight;
  • Source of data.

Each of these is further explained and presented in detail within the Performance-management assessment matrix which is integral part of the Methodology, available at the following link.

The Methodology focuses on 4 specific governance areas: 1) development management and municipal employees’ performance; 2) accountability and participatory decision-making; 3) water governance and 4) economic governance.

Progress in each of the governance areas will be tracked based on performance indicators. Specifically, there are between two and five indicators within each focus area, comprising a set of 15 indicators in total.

Subsequently, for each indicator there is a measuring scale ranging from 0 to 3, detailing possible achievements based on which progress will be measured. Depending on the result achieved by the local government against the measuring scale, a relevant score will be assigned, also based on the 0 – 3 scale, where the result of “0” indicates that no/limited progress against the relevant indicator is in place, while “3” is the desired progress and state of play.

The methodology also envisages defining concrete and tangible source of data, which will serve as the means of verification when conducting the performance evaluation. To the maximum extent possible, the methodology seeks to ensure the use of formal and publicly available documentation, statistics and avoiding parallel data collection systems.

The Consultant for Progress Evaluation of LG Performance will be directly supervised by the Lead Consultant and MEG Project Team will provide full logistical support during the consultancy.

More specifically, the Consultant will have the following tasks: 

Task 1 – Desk review

Following the initial meetings with the MEG Project Team, the Consultant will get him/herself familiar with the MEG Performance-based Financial Assistance Methodology, and the results of the baseline evaluation performed in 18 MEG partner LGs in March 2017. The Consultant will provide limited assistance to the Lead Consultant in preparation of the proposed work-plan and the proposed structure of the LG Progress Evaluation Report for review and approval. The workplan and the evaluation report will include evaluation of all 18 partner LGs. The Consultant remains directly responsible for the evaluation results of the nine LGs[1] of the North-West Cluster.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by March 1, 2018 and the level of effort will not exceed 2 expert days. 

Task 2 – Field Visits to nine LGs

Upon the approval of the work plan and the structure of the LG Progress Evaluation Report by the MEG Project Team, the Consultant is expected to carry out the LG Progress Evaluation in the 9 LGs of the North-West Cluster based on the approved work-plan. MEG Project Team will provide support to the Consultant in organization of the meetings and collection of the relevant means of verification. Depending on the availability, the Consultant may be accompanied by the Project Team in the field visits to nine LGs of the North-West Cluster. The field visits will enable collection of the required set of the relevant means of verification and hence facilitate timely and successful completion of the LG Progress Evaluation Report. The means of verification that, from rational reasons, cannot be presented and submitted by LGs during the evaluation field may be sent (and accepted) via email until the date agreed with the Consultant. However, the date should not be set later than 30 March 2018.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by March 30, 2018 and the level of effort will not exceed 5 expert days. 

Task 3 – Report on Progress Evaluation of LG performance

The draft evaluation report prepared by the Lead Consultant and the Consultant will be submitted to the Project Team for initial review. A briefing session between the team of consultants and representatives of the UNDP and MEG Project Team will be organized, to present the preliminary evaluation results and recommendations of the LG Progress Evaluation Report.

Based on the approved structure of the LG Progress Evaluation Report, and inputs received from the Project Team, the Lead Consultant, with the assistance of the Consultant, will finalize and submit the overall LG Progress Evaluation Report for all 18 partner LGs. However, the Consultant will be solely responsible to, under the guidance of the Lead Consultant, prepare and provide inputs, evaluation results, recommendations and relevant means of verification for the evaluation report for the nine LGs of the North-West Cluster.  The Report will be prepared in both English and BHS.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by April 10, 2018 and the level of effort will not exceed 3 expert days. 

[1] Sanski Most, Velika Kladuša, Bosanska Krupa, Kostajnica, Cazin, Dubica, Prijedor, Gradiška and Bihac

The following deliverables are expected:

Task 1 – Desk review:

  • Participated in the initial meetings with the Project Team; Demonstrated full understanding of the MEG Performance-based Financial Assistance Methodology, and the results of the baseline evaluation performed in 18 MEG partner LGs against 15 performance indicators in March 2017; Provided limited assistance to the Lead Consultant in preparation of the proposed work-plan and proposed structure of the Progress Evaluation Report of LG performance - March 1, 2018  (up to 2 days);

Task 2 – Field Visits to nine LGs:

  • Completed field-visits to nine LGs of the North-West Cluster; Conducted LG progress evaluation and data analysis based on the approved work-plan for 9 LGs - March 30, 2018  (up to 5 days);

Task 3 – Report on Progress Evaluation of LG Performance:

  • Provided assistance to Lead Consultant in preparation of the draft evaluation report for the Project Team for initial review; Participated in a briefing session organized with representatives of the UNDP and MEG Project Team, so as to present the preliminary evaluation results and recommendations of the LG Progress Evaluation Report; Provided inputs, evaluation results, recommendations and relevant means of verification for the evaluation report for the nine LGs of the North-West cluster; Provided limited assistance to Lead Consultant in the process of finalization of the LG Progress Evaluation Report in both English and in BHS for all 18 LGs, based on integrated findings, conclusions and recommendations from baseline data and field visits - April 10, 2018 (up to 3 days);

Competencies

Corporate Responsibility and Teamwork:

  • Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Plans, prioritizes and delivers tasks on time;
  • Strives for and promotes excellence in performance continually;
  • Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others;

People Skills:

  • Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds;
  • Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others;
  • Builds trust and engenders morale by displaying open, transparent and credible behavior;
  • Respects individual/cultural differences; utilizes diversity to foster teamwork;
  • Ensures others’ understanding of, involvement in, and adaptation to a change process.

Partnering and Networking:

  • Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;

Results-Orientation:

  • Plans and ensures quality results to meet established goals.

Communication:

  • Formulates written information clearly and persuasively;
  • Shares information openly with co-workers and partners while using discretion to protect confidences;
  • Presents information in a clear and articulate manner.
  • Job Knowledge and Expertise:
  • Sound knowledge of the M&E,
  • Proven expertise in results-based management systems,
  • Proven expertise in results-based management systems evaluation methodologies in the area of local governance;
  • Strong analytical skills;
  • Strong presentation skills;
  • Strong leadership skills;
  • Advanced writing skills,
  • Strong facilitation and coordination skills;
  • Executes day-to-day tasks systematically and efficiently;
  • Initiative and sound judgment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

  • Advanced university degree in economics, social science, policy, public administration or related field.

Experience: 

  • At least 5 years of participatory evaluation expertise and experience, where evaluations in the area of local governance and economic development in BiH are considered to be an asset;
  • General understanding and knowledge of the political and administrative context in BiH;
  • Proven analytical skills and ability to conceptualize and write concisely and clearly;
  • Proven communication skills and ability to interact with multiple actors including government representatives, donors and other stakeholders.

Language requirements: 

  • Fluency in English language and languages of BiH people.

Other: 

  • Excellent computer skills (MS Office applications) and ability to use information technologies as a tool and resource.
  • Sound quantitative and mathematical skills.

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysisWhen using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, andb) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

  • * Technical Criteria weight-70%
  • * Financial Criteria weight- 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points for technical criteria assessment would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Applicants are required to submit an application including:

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

  • For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 62 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
  • Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.

Technical criteria: 

  • Participatory evaluation expertise and experience, where evaluations in the area of local governance and economic development in BiH are considered to be an asset - Weight:30%, Maximum points:30;
  • Proven expertise in results-based management systems (RBMS) and RBMS evaluation methodologies in the area of local governance - Weight:15%, Maximum points:15;
  • Sound knowledge of the M&E - Weight:15%, Maximum points: 15;
  • Previous experience in work with UNDP’s local governance projects - Weight: 10%, Maximum points: 10;

Financial criteria: Weight:30%, Maximum points: 30; 

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: