[governance-vn] UNDP Jobs: International Consultant – End of Project Review

[Vern Weitzel]

International Consultant – End of Project Review
Publish Date: 03-Dec-2008


The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is looking for the highly 
qualified and experienced international candidates for the consultancy 
assignment – End of Project Review.

Attached are the Terms of Reference.

A letter of motivation in English indicating the position applied for together 
with completed UN Personal History Form (P11) should be sent to the following 
address:

Human Resources Unit
UNDP Ha Noi,
25-29 Phan Boi Chau Street OR
Email: registry.vn at undp.org

Only short–listed candidates whose applications respond to the criteria in the 
Terms of Reference will be contacted.

Deadline for submissions: Wednesday 05:00 PM | 17-Dec-2008



  1
UNDP- DFID STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE (SPI)
End of Project Review
TERMS OF REFERENCE

I. Areas of focus for the End of Project Review:

The review will be based on the Project Framework, and will focus on assessing 
the impact
of the SPI with respect to the Goal and Purpose identified in the framework. 
Consequently
the review will assess the results of the SPI against the following sections of 
the Framework:

Goal:
To enhance the effectiveness of the UN system in supporting Vietnam in achieving 
the VDGs
and the MDGs
‐ DFID and UNDP working in more joined ways on issues of common interest
‐ UN agencies working in more joined up ways
‐ Rapid progress toward achieving the VDGs and the MDGs
Purpose:
To support UNDP in broadening and deepening its focus on the reform process in 
Vietnam
for sustainable poverty reduction in line with Government‘s development strategy 
five year
plan, and the CPRGS.
‐ UNDP using its comparative advantage to push for politically sensitive reform
‐ UNDP supporting more transformation projects
‐ UNDP Country Programme aligned with the Government five year plan
‐ DFID-UNDP transaction costs reduced
Selected outputs may be reviewed as illustrations of the impact made on the 
points listed
above.

II. Summary of the SPI

The purpose of the DFID - UNDP Strategic Partnership Initiative (SPI), which came
into effect on 27 September 2004, was to support UNDP in broadening and 
deepening its
focus on the reform process in Viet Nam.

The SPI would allow DFID and UNDP to move away from an ad-hoc project level
approach towards a more comprehensive strategic engagement thereby ensuring greater
coherence in the development context of Viet Nam.

The overall goal of the SPI was to enhance the effectiveness of the UN system in
supporting Viet Nam in achieving the Viet Nam Development Goals (VDGs) and the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The output of the SPI would involve:
a) Strengthening democratic governance, accountability and voice;
b)  Supporting the process of economic and social transition;
c)  Strengthening environmental sustainability; and
d) Responding to emerging national priorities.

The list of projects and research studies can be found in Annex 1.
  2
III. Scope of work

In line with the above, the consultant is supposed to:

+ Assess the results and impact of the SPI against it framework and provide 
evidenced
based;
+ Draw lessons learnt for further strengthening of the United Nations in Viet 
Nam in the
context of the One UN Initiatives;

IV. Outputs

1. The consultant is expected to produce the End of UNDP DFID SPI project review
report that provide evidences on the results and impact of the SPI as well as 
lessons learnt
and give a rating of performance. The report is maximum 30 pages including 
annexes, which
might include, but is not limited to, the following components:

• Executive summary;
• Introduction;
• Description of the evaluation methodology;
• Analysis of the results and impacts of the SPI with regard to outcome, outputs,
resources, partnerships, management and working methods;
• Key findings and lessons learnt;
• Conclusions and recommendations

The End of UNDP DFID SPI project review report should be submitted to
UNDP/DFID in draft forms, followed by a presentation to be attended by 
representatives of
DFID and UNDP.  The final versions should be submitted two weeks after receipt 
of the
comments made by DFID and UNDP.

2. The consultant is expected to update the DFID project completion report 
prepared by
the joint technical DFID + UNDP M&E team

V. Methodology and Approach for the Consulting Assignment

The consultant will make the best use of the existing documents and conduct
individual interviews/group meetings with relevant stakeholders. As such, the 
consultant will:

a) Make use of the inputs from the internal preparatory work of the DFID M&E
specialist + UNDP M&E officer/policy advisors’ team;
b) Undertake a desk review of all documents including independent survey of UNDP
supported activities, project results reports and as indicated in Annex 1; and
c) Conduct individual interviews and possibly group meetings with 
representatives of
DFID, UNDP staff including policy advisors, Programme clusters, Government
Coordinating Agency/MPI, Government counterparts, Project management staff and
Project STAs funded by this SPI. Contact will also be made with the Spanish Agency
for International Cooperation and Development (AECID), which is funding a similar
SPI.
d) Maintain regular consultations with DFID and UNDP during the assignment.

  3
VI. Qualifications requirements

The Consultant will have the necessary qualifications and experience listed below:
Mandatory:
- At least a Master degree in social science or other subjects of relevance;
- Experience in results-based management;
- Excellent English writing skills evidenced by publications;
- At least 10 years of working experience in conducting evaluation;
Optional:
- Knowledge on Vietnam's development context, Government’s development policies,
institutional knowledge of UNDP and DFID
- Working knowledge of Vietnamese language as an asset.

VII. Implementation arrangements

Supervision:
UNDP Viet Nam will be the key focal point responsible for overall supervision of 
the
consultant’s assignment to ensure timely production of the expected results, 
namely: i) the
identification and recruitment formalities; and ii) payment of DSA and fees and
reimbursement of relevant expenses.
The consultant should consult and report to DFID during the assignment as well.

Implementation support: UNDP will support as follows:
- Providing office space including provision of a computer with Internet 
connection;
- Obtaining visa, if necessary;
- Supplying project-related documents as indicated in Annex 1;
- At request, arranging appointments for all meetings/interviews.

VIII. Duration, timing and duty station

  The assignment will be for a total of 15 working days in the 1st quarter 2009. 
The
duty station will be Hanoi. The suggested time frame is as follows:

- 5 working days at home base to study the documents;

- 10 working days in Ha Noi in the first quarter 2009 to validate information by
conducting interviews, briefing and present the key findings.

IX. Coverage of the consultant expenses

  Relevant expenses of the consultant, including consultant fees, air-ticket, 
terminals
and DSA will be covered by the SPI.
  4
Annex 1. List of documents and research studies
for review by the Consultant

A. Project documents, progress reports, audit reports, financial spreadsheets, and
other project specific products for all SPI funded projects:

List of Projects
A1. ONA
A2. CEBA
A3. Improving the regulatory environment for business (CIEM)
(Closed in 2006)
A4. HERP
A5. PEI (Poverty Environment Initiative)
A6. Strengthening capacity of local government
A7. Socio Economic and MDG M&E
A8. MDG report
(Closed in 2005)
A9. Partnership with VLA
A10. Support to Civil Society
B. Research and study and strengthening of substantive capacity for
UNDP Country Office
List of Projects by programmatic initiatives and objectives
A. Programmatic initiatives
Specific Objectives: Economic and Social transition: A1, A2, A3, A9, A10
Specific Objectives: Supporting the processes of economic and social
transition: A4, A6, A7,
Specific Objectives: Strengthening environmental sustainability: A5
B. Research and other new initiatives
Specific objectives: responding to emerging national priorities and
strengthening of substantive capacity for UNDP Country Office

B.        Research studies:

1. Policy Dialogue Paper: Globalization, Gender and Work in the Context of Economic
Transition – published February 2006, Professor Naila Kabeer, University of 
Sussex and
Tran Thi Van Anh, Centre for Family and Women’s Studies.
2. Anti-Dumping Cases and Viet Nam’s Non-Market Economy Status – published
November 2006.
3. Who is Missing From the Viet Nam Household Living Standards Survey (VHLSS) – to
be published in Vietnamese Studies (July 2007) and with GSO (July 2007). Professor
John Sender, University of London (emeritus)/University of Leiden. – Completed. An
edited version appeared in the Journal of Vietnamese Studies, Vol.3.
4. Beyond HEPR: A Framework for an Integrated Social Security System in Viet Nam –
published March 2005, Patricia Justino, Economics Department, University of 
Sussex.
5. How Progressive Viet Nam’s Social Security System – in press, to be published 
with
MOLISA and VASS, University of Bath Centre for Well Being in Developing Countries,
team leader Martin Evans.
  5
6. The Graying of Poverty, The Relationship between Old Age and Poverty in Viet 
Nam –
in press, to be published with MOLISA and VASS, University of Bath Centre for Well
Being in Developing Countries, team leader Martin Evans.
7. The State as Investor: Equalization, Privatization and the Transformation of 
SOEs in Viet
Nam – published October 2006.
8. A Survey of Viet Nam’s Largest Firms. Completed in 2007 and published as two 
separate
UNDP Policy Dialogue Papers entitled: (1) Top 200: Industrial Strategies of Viet 
Nam’s
Largest Firms; and (2) Top 200: Methodology and Data Issues.
9. Deepening Democracy and Increasing Popular Participation in Viet Nam – published
June 2006 by Viet Nam Academy of Social Sciences and UNDP. Pamela McElwee, Yale
Agrarian Studies Centre and Ms Ha Hoa Ly (independent consultant).
10. Municipal Finance in HCMC: A Comparative Regional Study – final version in
preparation, to be published by Institute of Economics of Ho Chi Minh City and 
UNDP,
Jay Rosengard, Harvard University and Vu Thanh Tu Anh, Fulbright Economics
Teaching Programme.
11. The Chu Lai Open Economic Zone and Rural Development: Centrally Planning’s
Laboratory for Policy and Institutional Innovation – in press, Eli Mazur, Vu 
Thanh Tu
Anh and David Dapice.
12. Provincial Extralegal Investment Incentives in the Context of 
Decentralization in
Vietnam: Mutually Beneficial or the Race to the Bottom? – in press, Le Viet 
Thai, Vo Tat
Thang and Vu Thanh Tu Anh.
13. Credit and Trust: Fruit Markets in the Mekong Delta – in press, Vu Thanh Tu 
Anh and
Brian Quinn.
14. Food Inflation in Viet Nam: Analysis of trends and policy Implications, By 
Alia Malik,
UNDP Consultant. 2008. Report completed and circulated as an UNDP Internal
Discussion Note.
15. (Completed research awaiting the final/definite version of the report) The 
Implications of
WTO Accession for Viet Nam’s Industrial Policy, Kennedy School of Government,
Harvard University.
16. (Completed research awaiting the final/definite version of the report) 
Financial Sector
Development in Comparative Perspective – in preparation, Kennedy School of
Government of Harvard University.
17. (Completed research awaiting the final/definite version of the report) The 
Regulation of
Monopolies in Viet Nam, Consultants: Kennedy School of Government of Harvard
University.
18. (Completed research awaiting the final/definite version of the report) 
Decrees 10 and 43
and Access to Health Care Services in Viet Nam: Case Studies from Six Provinces –
research project undertaken in collaboration with Institute of Health Policy and 
Strategy,
Ministry of Health, and the Ford Foundation, Mr Jonathan London, Nanyang 
Institute of
Technology, Singapore.
19. (Completed research awaiting the final/definite version of the report) 
Affordable Housing
in Ho Chi Minh City, Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.
20.  (Ongoing research) ‘Evolution of Diversified Entrepreneurship in 
Liberalizing Vietnam’,
By Markus Taussig, CIEM and VCCI Vietnam. 2008, final paper due in Mid December.
21. (Ongoing research) “State Corporations and Financial Instability in Viet 
Nam” By Scott
Cheshier. 2008, final paper due in Mid December.
22. (Ongoing research) “The Vietnamese cooperative model; Past experiences and 
emerging
challenges”, by Dr. Dang Kim Son and a team of researchers at IPSARD, final 
paper due
in Mid December.
  6
23. (Ongoing research) “The Future of Higher Education in Vietnam” by a team of
consultants from the New School University in New York and Harvard.
24. (Ongoing research) “A Strategic Plan for the Establishment of an APEX Research
University.” by a team of consultants from the New School University in New York 
and
Harvard.

C. Other documents:

1. DFID, Working in Partnership with the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), 2004-2007, Institutional Strategy, December 2005.
2. DFID –UNDP, Administration Arrangement for the DFID-UNDP  Strategic Partnership
Initiative Between the United Kingdom  of great Britain and Northern Ireland and 
the
United Nations Development Programme, , Signed 27 September 2004.
3. DFID-UNDP, SPI Project Memorandum, September 2004.
4. AECI-UNDP, Resolution on Subsidy Granting for International Cooperation, October
2006.
5. Zollinger Urs, DFID-UNDP Strategic Partnership Initiative (SPI) Vietnam, 
Joint Review
of First Year, Report of the Independent Consultant, King-Zollinger and Co., Draft,
Hanoi, 27 January 2006
6. Rajeev Pillay, Mid-Term Review Report, UNDP DFID SPI, April 2007
7. UN Country Team, Common Country Assessment for Viet Nam, Ha Noi, Nov. 2004.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 12108_081203_tor_International_Consultant.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 59374 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/governance-vn/attachments/20081205/068f1579/attachment.pdf