CONSULTANT FOR CONDUCTING MID-TERM REVIEW OF NWRM PROJECT PHASE 2 AS OF THE END OF 2020

Individual Consultancy contract

CONSULTANT FOR CONDUCTING MID-TERM REVIEW OF NWRM PROJECT PHASE 2 AS OF THE END OF 2020

Project/mandate name/country: National Water Resource Management (NWRM) Project in Tajikistan

Employer: HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation

Maulbeerstrasse 10, Postfach

CH-3001 Bern ( +41 44 368 65 00

Contract duration

From: February 1^st, 2021

To: May 31^st, 2021

In total: Up to 20 working days

Branch of Association HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation in Tajikistan- a development organization anchored in Switzerland. Present in Tajikistan since 2009, we work together with our Partners to improve people’s livelihoods in a sustainable manner and support Government in realization of National Development Strategy 2030, sectoral reforms, development programs towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Our focus is on Water Resource Management and Rural Access; Basic Education and Vocational Skills Development; Agriculture and Nutrition; Governance, Conflict Transformation & Mitigation and Development and Natural Resource Management, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management. We work in 33 partner countries in Asia, Latin America and Western Europe.

1. Background

The Phase 2 of SDC funded NWRM Project, implemented by the Consortium of Helvetas, GIZ, and ACTED, is about improving livelihoods of rural population in the Tajik Syrdarya Basin through integrated water resources management. In accordance with the project’s implementation strategy the NWRM Project Phase 2 is implemented at all levels of water sector starting from the national policy and legal framework development, next implementing the policy and legal framework at the basin, sub-basin and watershed level, and finally working with irrigation agencies and WUAs, and providing practical trainings to farmers at a plot level on water efficient irrigation technologies.

The NWRM Project is implemented in the framework of the Tajikistan Water Sector Reform that is based on the concept of basin management and IWRM. The reform is implemented according to the Water Sector Reform Programme 2016-2025 adopted by the GoT in December 2015, and the NWRM Project has assisted MEWR in its implementation in Tajik Syrdarya Basin. Significant progress in the reform implementation was achieved in 2020 with the adoption of new Water Code and the creation of River Basin Organizations.

After two years of implementation of the NWRM Project Phase 2 the Project achieved a progress regarding all its objectives. This mid-term progress in implementation of NWRM Project Phase 2 needs to be evaluated to serve as a basis for revising the project’s planned activities until the end of Phase 2. At the same time the results of the Mid-term Evaluation of NWRM Project will be a basis for developing the project’s exit strategy to ensure sustainability of integrated water resources management in Tajikistan Syrdarya Basin, and its positive impact on the livelihoods of rural population.

2. Objective(s) of the Consultancy

The overall objective of the consultancy is to evaluate the mid-term progress of implementation of NWRM Project Phase 2 objectives and to draw lessons that can improve the sustainability of achieved results. The specific objectives are the following:

· Conduct the Mid-term Review of NWRM Project Phase 2 as of the end of 2020;

· Based on the results of the Mid-term Review, develop recommendations on how to best achieve all project objectives in the remaining time of Phase 2, and specific recommendations on the NWRM Project Exit Strategy including potential third phase;

3. Main Tasks and Activities of the Consultant

The main Tasks and Activities of the Consultant are the following

Task 1: Conduct the Mid-term Review of NWRM Project Phase 2

The Expert will conduct the Mid-term Review of NWRM Project Phase 2 as of the end of 2020 according to the review criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. The review should answer, but is not limited to, the following questions:

Relevance:

· How relevant is the project and its implementation strategy regarding the project’s impact objective and national development strategies, specifically the integrated water resources management in Tajik Syrdarya Basin, and its positive impact on the livelihoods of basin rural population?

· How relevant is the projects and its implementation strategy comparing to the projects implemented in other basins in Tajikistan?

· Are the planned outcomes and outputs objectives and their respective indicators still relevant from the view of the project impact objective and the latest legislative developments (including the water sector reform)?

· How relevant is the project and its activities regarding the Water Sector Reform Programme 2016-2025, the National Water Management Strategy, the Sustainable Development Goals?

· Are the project and its activities addressing the needs of target beneficiaries at the national, basin, sub-basin, watershed, canal and plot levels?

· What recommendations on the relevance can be drawn for the end of Phase 2, and for the potential third phase of the project and other similar projects?

Effectiveness:

· Is the project effective in assisting the GoT in implementing the Water Sector Reform?

· How effective is the project in achieving the expected impact, outcomes and output objectives?

· How effective is the project specifically with regards to the development of Water Information System, and implementation of basin management and IWRM at all levels?

· How effectively are risks managed and mitigated?

· What lessons can be drawn regarding effectiveness for other similar projects in the future?

· How effective is the project’s implementation strategy?

· How effectively does the project cover all the elements of the integrated water resources management and river basin management?

· To what extent the DRR mainstreaming and climate change adaptation were considered?

· To what extent CSPM was effectively applied?

· To what extent the issues of transboundary water management with KG and UZ in terms of water quality and quantity were addressed by the project?

· To what extent the gender aspects were integrated at design and at implementation level? To what extent where women integrated in the decision-making mechanism and to what extent were their specific concerns considered?

· How equally were distributed the benefits of the project? Are there people in the project area who did not benefit from the project and if yes, why?

· What recommendations on the effectiveness can be drawn for the end of Phase 2 and for the potential third phase of the project?

Efficiency:

· Was the project implemented efficiently, in-line with international and national norms and standards?

· What is missing in terms of IWRM policy and legal framework and how the situation could be improved?

· What is the efficiency of the project partnership arrangements?

· Did the project efficiently utilize local capacity in implementation and efficiently utilize local capacity in implementation?

· What lessons can be drawn regarding efficiency for other similar projects in the future?

· What are the links with other programmes (complementarities or synergies)? What are the links with the new SDC WSS Project in Sugd?

· What are the recommendations for optimization until the end of the project phase?

· What recommendations on the efficiency can be drawn for the end of Phase 2 and for the potential third phase of the project?

Sustainability:

· What conducive is the environment for the sustainability of the project? If the environment is not conducive what recommendations can be drawn?

· How sustainable is and will be, by the end of NWRM Project Phase 2, the process of integrated water resources management at national level?

· How sustainable is and will be, by the end of NWRM Project Phase 2, the integrated water resources management at the basin, sub-basin, and watershed level?

· How sustainable are, and will be, by the end of project the operations of the RBO?

· How sustainable are, and will be, by the end of project the operations of the RBC?

· To which extent the benefits of the project will continue, within or outside the project domain, after it has come to an end?

· To what extent is the quality of the technical solutions adequate and sustainable?

· What recommendations on the sustainability can be drawn for the end of Phase 2?

· What recommendations can be drawn for the potential third phase of project in terms of its objectives, components, main outcomes and outputs?

Task 2: Provide recommendations on the Exit Strategy of NWRM Project.

Based on the result of the Mid-term Review the Expert will provide recommendations on the NWRM Project Exit Strategy to ensure sustainability of integrated water resources management in the Tajik Syrdarya basin and its positive impact on the livelihoods of rural population. The recommendations on sustainability of achieved results should refer to all levels of the project’s interventions, especially the basin, sub-basin, and watershed management levels. In addition, the recommendations should refer to upscaling integrated water resources management to transboundary cooperation.

Task 3: Conduct a roundtable on the NWRM Project Exit Strategy

The Expert will conduct a roundtable meeting (or webinar) for the national partners of NWRM Project (representatives of MEWR and ALRI) and SDC to present the main findings of the Mid-term Review of NWRM Project Phase 2 as well as the recommendations on the project Exit Strategy.

4. Expected results and deliverables

Result 1. The expected result of Task 1 is the conducted Mid-term Review. Deliverable 1 will be a report (up to twenty pages) presenting the findings of the mid-term review of NWRM Project Phase 2 as of the end of 2020. The Deadline is April 30^th, 2021.

Result 2. The expected result of Task 2 is the recommendations on the NWRM Project Exit Strategy. Deliverable 2 will be a short report (up to five pages) presenting the recommendations on the NWRM Project Exit Strategy. The Deadline for Deliverable 2 is April 30^th, 2021.

Result 3. The expected result of Task 3 is the conducted round table meeting in a form of webinar to present the results of mid-term review and the recommendations on the NWRM Project Exit Strategy. Deliverable 3 will be a short report (up to five pages) presenting results of the round table meeting. The Deadline is May 31^st , 2021.

5. Working Methodology

It is expected that the Expert will conduct the Mid-term Review Mission in Tajikistan and will cooperate closely with the NWRM PM and the NWRM Backstopper. The working language of the consultancy is English and Russian. The reports need to be provided in the both languages.

6. Time Frame of the consultancy

The consultancy time frame is February 1^st – May 31^st, 2021. The Expert shall work a maximum of six working days (each eight hours) per week. The Expert shall be allowed two days for international travel (round trip) for a mission in Tajikistan. The consultancy is for up to 20 working days including mission working days (up to seven days), travel days and home office working days.

7. Programme/Mission Schedule

The Consultant must provide the NWRM Project Manager and the Backstopper with the Mid-Term Review methodological concept and the Mission Programme at least two weeks in advance before the mission in Tajikistan.

8. Logistics

Logistical support will be provided by HSI Zurich Main Office and Dushanbe Office.

9. Reporting

The Expert will report to the NWRM Project Manager and cc to the NWRM Backstopper.

10. Profile of the Expert

· Master degree in water management, environment, or in any other related field;

· At least five years of professional experience in water sector, at least in one country of Central Asia;

· Experience in implementation of basin management and IWRM concepts is an asset;

· Experience in applying evolution methods and tools is an asset;

· Working knowledge of English and Russian, and knowledge of Tajik would be an asset;

11. Evaluation Method & Criteria:

The consultant would be selected based on the following criteria:

· Technical: 80 points

· Financial: 20 points

Criteria for Technical Evaluation would be as under:

· Educational Qualification – 20 marks

· Relevant work experience – 40 marks

· Language skills – 20 marks (English – 10; Russian – 10)

Technically qualified consultants who score 50 marks or higher with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, will be shortlisted for an interview. Final decision will be made based on the results of the online or face to face interview. The financial offers will be assessed based on the proposed daily fee of the expert.

12. Payment Terms

The payment terms will be individually discussed with the shortlisted candidates during the interview

How to apply:

HOW TO APPLY

The Consultant is required to submit the following documents, in a single combined PDF file to Tender.Tajikistan@helvetas.org and Projects.Tjk@helvetas.org with the subject line ‘Consultant NWRMP’:

· Personal CV;

· Cover Letter (max 2-pages) including daily Net fee of the expert (in USD) and information on the relevant experience and other requirements of the TOR;

· Three professional references;

Deadline for submission of applications January 20, 2021 09:00 am Tajikistan time (+ 5:00 GMT)