occupied Palestinian territory: Consultant: Project Evaluation

“House Reconstruction in Gaza” Project Evaluation - Consultancy Services

I.Background

The Israeli military Operation Protective Edge in Gaza from 8 July to 26 August 2014 resulted in the deaths of 2,251 Palestinians, including at least 1,462 civilians, and 71 Israelis, of whom five were civilians. Over 11,000 Palestinians were injured, including hundreds of people left with a long-term disability, and huge numbers of the population, particularly children, were traumatized. The war completely destroyed 11,000 houses and affected a further 160,000 – 6,800 severely damaged, 5,700 with major damage and 147,500 houses with minor damage. This damage and destruction of houses affected approximately 940,000 individuals, equivalent to more than half of the Gaza population of approximately 1.8 million.[1] Gaza’s infrastructure, businesses and agricultural land also sustained significant damage.

Both totally destroyed housing units (11,000) and severely damaged housing units (6,800) are as a result of the effects of the destruction classed as uninhabitable. The scattered nature of the IDP population has made information collection in order to better understand their needs challenging.

Over three years later the impact of that conflict continues with most of Gaza’s population still struggling, to varying extents, with its aftermath. Despite reconstruction efforts of the UN and the international community since the end of hostilities, and the functioning of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) providing access to vital construction materials, displacement following the 2014 escalation continues for over 4,900 families, approx 25,500[2] people (refugee and non-refugee) with continuing negative impacts on their access to services and livelihoods.

Those internally displaced families remain reliant on external support, with no end in sight to their displacement, and experience a steady erosion of their coping mechanisms. It is reported that 50 families have had to move more than three times in the past year and the vast majority live without access to adequate furniture or household equipment, while some continue to face ownership issues and require legal assistance in order to facilitate their return.[3]

In July 2016, KfW funded the 18 month House Reconstruction in Gaza project (HRGp). Its primary objective was to contribute to the successful and sustainable reconstruction of totally destroyed housing in Gaza resulting from the 2014 conflict and in doing so, to provide relief to the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The aims was to provide legal, financial and technical support to the most vulnerable IDP households with totally destroyed houses. Project activities establish and protect the HLP rights of IDPs and promote security of tenure where necessary. Then, with the provision of cash grants and technical support, the project reconstructed quality and sustainable homes.

Throughout project’s activities, UNOPS is partnering with Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) for the successful implementation of community engagement and legal activity.

The beneficiaries of this project are non-refugee IDPs and are selected among the most vulnerable affected population, assessed through a clear and transparent vulnerability matrix. Particular attention is focused on women and elderly headed-households, as well as people living with disabilities.

This project also attempted to provide a model for quality, sustainable reconstruction which can potentially be replicated by Government and other key stakeholders as a means to accelerate the reconstruction of Gaza whilst at the same time ensuring that impacts are sustainable and resilient. It builds upon the existing Gaza Reconstruction And Materials Monitoring System (GRAMMS) and the Self-Build Module (SBM) to ensure that beneficiaries are able to build houses to high quality assurance and construction standards.

II.OBJECTIVES

UNOPS is committed to improving programme quality and accountability and therefore, a plan to monitor the project against the logframe has been developed for the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the implemented activities. According to project standards and objectives, an external evaluation will also be conducted at the end of the project to assess and to evaluate its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and impact.

More specifically, an evaluation of the HRGp would seek to understand a number of questions including:

· To what extent have the initial objectives of the HRGp been met?

· To what extent is the HRGp, its objectives and activities relevant to the current context in general and to the overall Gaza reconstruction conditions in specific?

· What have been the major challenges and constraints affecting the HRGp in delivering its objectives?

· What have been its major achievements and its failures?

· What has been the short and long-term impact of the HRGp activities?

· How effective is the organisation and structure of the HRGp in delivering its objectives?

· How effective is the software programme and transactional system established for the achievement of project objectives?

· How cost effective is the HRGp and its organisation in delivering its objectives?

· What has been the impact of the HRGp activities on the current context and to the needs of the key stakeholders?

· What has the HRGp done to contribute to the successful and sustainable reconstruction of Gaza?

· What recommendations can be made to improve and optimise the benefit of the HRGp and its impact?

An evaluation should provide evidence based recommendations for improved design and implementation including whether the HRGp model is one recommended for replication in other highly sensitive, post-conflict and displacement contexts.

III.Coordination and Project Management:

This evaluation will be implemented under the supervision and guidance of the HRGp UNOPS Project Manager.

Technical coordination for this consultancy will occur with the support of HRGp team, as required.

Contract and Project Management for the Consultancy will be provided by UNOPS. The Consultant or Consulting Company and its Team will therefore report directly to UNOPS.

IV.Responsibilities

UNOPS

UNOPS will provide:

1. Project management oversight and contract management for the consultancy contract.

2. Technical inputs as may be needed

3. Facilitating access to meeting other stakeholders

4. Cooperation and time

The Consultant or Consulting Company (hereinafter referred to as “Evaluation Consultant”)

The Evaluation consultant will undertake the development of the products of this consultancy and the overall coordination required to ensure the consultancy delivers timely and quality outputs. The Evaluation consultant will therefore be responsible for the following:

1. Full coordination and cooperation with the HRGp team, donors and other parties for which the products are being developed.

2. Working under the project supervision of UNOPS directly regarding contract management and for technical input and design development.

3. The Evaluation consultant will submit reports to the HRGp UNOPS Project Manager. Generally reporting will consist of:

4. A brief weekly status update via email

5. Draft evaluation report, including review of project log-frame and approaches with suggestions for revision where needed

6. Final report on completion of evaluation, inclusive of findings and recommendations

7. Presentation of Final Report for comprehensive de-briefing and analysis of findings and recommendations to selected audience

8. In the case of a Consultancy Team the following has to be performed by the Team Lead:

· The Evaluation consultant will organize and lead the work and coordinate all technical inputs, approvals, product change requests, etc with UNOPS. Regular technical coordination meetings to be established and chaired by the Evaluation consultant. Content, attendance and frequency to be established in the Work Plan.

· Ad-hoc technical design meetings, interviews, workshops and etc to be established and chaired by the Evaluation consultant as required.

· The Consultancy Team Lead will be responsible for controlling and managing the Consultancy Team. The details of the team management strategy to be outlined in the work plan.

· Producing all products as outlined in this TOR and the agreed work plan.

· The Evaluation consultant will be responsible to provide with the required tools to carry the tasks, i.e. Laptops, phones, stationary and transportation.

1. The evaluation will be the sole property of UNOPS. The Evaluation consultant will submit all products, reports and etc. for review and acceptance to UNOPS at the end of the evaluation assignment.

V.Scope

The Evaluation will consider the Project in question, namely the House Reconstruction in Gaza project, funded by the Federal Republic of Germany through its Development Bank KfW, and all relevant stakeholders.

Target groups may include, but is not only limited to : Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MoPWH), Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), OCHA and IDPs working Group, Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism representatives, UNOPS Material Monitoring Unit (MMU) Project Coordinator, NRC team and management, project beneficiaries, communities representatives, Donor (KfW), UNOPS Gaza and Jerusalem team, Shelter Cluster.

The evaluation will be based on the DAC Criteria for Evaluating Development Assistance and OECD Quality Standards for Development Evaluation.

The Evaluation consultant has to develop and submit :

1. a project work plan and timeline that builds on this TOR

2. an outline of product description of the Final Evaluation report

3. a coherent and comprehensive financial offer.

The above mentioned services have to be completed upon agreement from UNOPS.

VI.Geographical area

Gaza, Jerusalem and WB.

Access to Gaza is mandatory.

Access to Jerusalem and WB is an asset.

Should the selected consultant not be able to attend in person meeting in Jerusalem and WB due to access restrictions, it is responsibility of the Consultant to ensure quality and reliable communication means in order to reach out to stakeholders located in such area.

VII.Timing:

The Evaluation consultant should be mobilized in less than 2 weeks following contract signature (access and VISA restrictions to be considered within this timeframe). The remaining of the team (if any) must be in place within 1 week of contract signature or by the approval date of the work plan whichever is sooner.

The maximum duration of this consultancy shall be 25 calendar days including report writing and Final Report presentation, from the date of Contract Signature and is not to be extended beyond 20 February 2018. However a shorter period maybe considered as part of the proposal should the bidder propose a suitable solution.

Proposed Milestones as per work plan requirements should include:

· Time period maximum 25 days but preferably shorter;

· UNOPS approval process of work plan: 5 working days;

VIII.Exclusions

The Evaluation it is not intended to be an audit and therefore will not focus on operations and support provided by UNOPS in terms of Procurement, HR, logistics and other UNOPS systems.

However, the efficiency and effectiveness of transactional system established for the provision of Cash-Assistance support to beneficiary is integral part of the scope of this Evaluation (see Chapter II – Objectives)

IX.Products:

Work plan

The Evaluation consultant will develop the work plan, in consultation with HRG UNOPS Project Manager. This plan will be presented to UNOPS for final approval before progressing the consultancy to the next stage.

The plan will have to include, but is not limited to:

1. Inputs,

2. Outputs,

3. Design methodology and design documentation,

4. Scope,

5. Constraints,

6. Assumptions,

7. Risks,

8. Project plan including timelines & milestones.

Report

The Evaluation consultant should submit the draft report to UNOPS.

The report should address the questions listed in the section objectives and should as well document proposal for possible optimization of good practices, organizational structure.

Review of project log-frame and approaches with suggestions for revision where needed is also part of the report.

The Final Report for comprehensive de-briefing and analysis of findings and recommendations to selected audience have to be organized once report is approved in its final version by UNOPS.

All products will be developed in English and English will be used for all contract administration and project management documents between UNOPS and the Evaluation consultant.

X.Deliverables

Inputs:

UNOPS will provide the Evaluation consultant with adequate and sufficient office space and access to relevant office equipment including printing, copying, scanning and internet facilities required to facilitate the consultancy.

UNOPS can provide any necessary Invitation letter or certification for supporting the request and delivery of VISA and all permits requested to operate in the Geographical area (see Chapter Vi) , but it’s the solely responsibility of the Consultant to ensure timely follow-up and to obtain the needed documentation.[MR1] [MR2]

The Evaluation consultant is expected to have its own tools i.e. Laptops/Desktops, stationary, software, support, transportation and all other needed resources to conduct the work flow.

The selected bidder will receive, wherever existing, copies of the organisational structures including:

· Project Document and Log-frame

· Relevant Project reports and other evaluations

· Previous studies conducted and relevant Shelter Cluster documentation

UNOPS will provide all technical and organisational input, support, documentation and other efforts required to facilitate the product development process.

XI.Degree of expertise and qualifications

Education:

· Post - graduate degree, in related field relevant for the Evaluation

Work Experience:

· Has a minimum of five years of hands on experience working on Evaluations of humanitarian and development activities

· Has been responsible for preparing well analysed and high quality reports.

· Candidate should have research experience and use of participatory appraisal techniques in data collection and analysis

· Experience of humanitarian and development activities and the political situation in Palestine and Israel would be advantageous.

· Knowledge and understanding of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism, Gaza material access restrictions, Gaza reconstruction process and progresses would be advantageous.

Additional requirements:

· Will prefer a candidate already based in oPt due to the short timeline or a candidate who can mobilise immediately.

Language:

· Fluency in English, both written and spoken.

· Fluency in Arabic, both written and spoken is an asset.

Important: Due to the nature of this Evaluation, direct interaction with project beneficiaries and stakeholders in Gaza is required.

If the Consultant is not able to speak and understand Arabic at the minimum required level, it is his/her responsibility to ensure the presence of a translator for effective and direct interviews and meetings with local beneficiaries and stakeholders.

Functional / Technical Knowledge:

· Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Experience drafting high level reports is desirable.

· Excellent oral communication skills in Arabic is an asset.

· Excellent time management skills and ability to produce outputs as per agreed deadlines.

· Ability to work seamlessly in a multi-cultural environment and with a variety of actors.

Application process

Each application package should include the following:

1. An application letter addressing the selection criteria including how the Evaluation consultant/Consultancy Team’s previous experience matches the Evaluation consultancy objectives as well as the interest for the position. The letter should be no longer than two pages.

2. Candidate's availability

3. A brief proposal for the baseline study with methodology and work plan (not more than 10 pages).

4. An outline of product description of the Final Evaluation report

5. A coherent and comprehensive financial offer.

6. Updated CVs for the Evaluation consultant and Consultancy Team (if any) involved in the Evaluation, including relevant work experience and qualifications.

7. Contact details of 3 references.

8. Samples of similar work performed earlier will be an asset.

Applications not including all of the above information will not be reviewed.

Women candidate are strongly encouraged to apply.

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