Consultant to conduct the end of project evaluation for Round 4 HIV/AIDS Global Fund Project in Kenya

Title: Consultant to conduct the end of project evaluation for Round 4 HIV/AIDS Global Fund Project
Name of the Project: Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Supervisor: Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, Global Fund Programme
Contract Type: Individual Contract
Duration: 26 working days
Duty station Juba, South Sudan with travel to the field
Deadline: Friday, 23rd November 2012
No of Post: 1
Email Applications to: bids.juba@undp.org
Delivery by Hand: ATT: Chol de Kwot
Procurement & Supply Management Analyst
UNDP South Sudan
Juba, South Sudan

II. Background
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) was set up as an international financing institution to increase resources to fight the three diseases namely HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Global Fund has supported large scale prevention, treatment and care program against the three diseases. The purpose of GFATM is to attract, manage and disburse resources in public-private partnership that will make sustainable and significant contribution to the reduction of mortality and morbidity caused by the three major diseases and contributing for achievement of millennium development goal.

UNDP is a key partner to the GFATM and is the UN Agency assuming the role of Principal recipient of GFTAM grants in South Sudan. As Principal Recipient for GFATM, assisting the country to meet its main goals in reducing mortality and morbidity from HIV, TB and Malaria, UNDP South Sudan Country Office is responsible for the financial and programmatic management of the GFTAM grants as well as for the procurement of health and non health products. In all areas of implementation, it provides capacity development services to relevant national institutions, Sub-Recipients and implementing partners. Currently, UNDP as Principal Recipient bears full responsibility for the operational and financial management of four grants: Round 4 HIV/AIDS, Round 5 TB/HIV, Round 7 Tuberculosis and Round 9 HSS.

The HIV prevention and care project aimed to strengthen a coordinated South Sudan response to HIV/AIDS by building capacity at the Central, State and County levels, and supporting the scale up of comprehensive HIV/AIDS services (BCC/IEC, programmes for specific groups, VCT, ART, OIs, PMTCT, STIs case management, Blood Safety and Universal Precautions, and Surveillance). The project started on 1 August 2006 and ended on 30 November 2011. Round 4 HIV/AIDS grant was a project to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission, reduce morbidity and mortality and minimize the personal and societal impacts of HIV/AIDS through a five-year strategy aiming at halting the epidemic by 2015 in line with Millennium Development Goals and reversing the spread in the general population in South Sudan. Major Component of the project was to; Improve the knowledge and practice of HIV and STI preventive measures by the general adult population, youth and vulnerable population sub-groups: Expand behaviour change communication (BCC) interventions using electronic and print media, interpersonal communication and community awareness through peer education. Increase prevalence of safe behaviour and improve availability of STI care and condom services among vulnerable population sub-groups. These groups comprise female sex workers, internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps, military personnel and long distance truckers. Expand access to Voluntary Counselling and confidential Testing, decrease barrier to VCT, and improve VCT services through on-going learning. Improve the use of high quality STI services by the general adult population. Develop and expand treatment, care and support services for people and families living with HIV/AIDS through providing ARV therapy and treatment of opportunistic infections to PLWHA. Monitor the trends of the HIV epidemic through Second Generation Surveillance in selected high risk populations groups. The project was implemented in 20 counties with total estimated direct beneficiaries of 4.6 million. Implementation of the project was carried out through sub-recipients of the Grant: Ministry of Health; World Health Organization; Catholic Diocese of Torit, SSAC and UNICEF. UNDP South Sudan is therefore planning to conduct an end of Project evaluation for the implementation of the GFATM Round 4 HIV/AIDS project.

Purpose:
Purpose of end of Project evaluation:
To enable the team to assess, determine and report on GFATM project inputs, processes, accomplishment, lessons learned and to make recommendation to CCM and PR for the next stage of program implementation.

The evaluation should:
1) Examine the implementation process of HIV/AIDS Round 4 grant,
2) Assess the major successes, problems and constraints faced by the GFATM project at different level including national, state, county, health facilities and SRs.
3) Examine the performance of the PR in terms of coordination, Procurements and supply management, finance and monitoring and evaluation, and otherwise evaluate the role of UNDP in managing the GFATM portfolio in South Sudan.
4) Assess the degree to which the GFATM project fitted into the MoH strategic program. 5) Assess the relationship among different stakeholders involved in the implementation of GFATM project including CCM, PR and SRs, and the relationship with GFATM.
6) Assess the performance of the grant against the grant targets.
7) Examine the sustainability plan after the Grant closure.

Objectives of the Evaluation:

The objectives of end of project evaluation are to evaluate the extent of progress and the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of the project activities and formulate recommendations for the sustainability period of the project life. Specific objectives include the following:

• To conduct a review of both programmatic and financial aspects of the project.
• To assess activities, inputs, process, accomplishment as implemented by UNDP as PR and put recommendation to Principal Recipient and CCM.
• To assess the activities of the PR and fulfilment of terms of reference as specified in the initial proposal and CCM document. And assess its effectiveness in each service delivery area to implement set targets.
• To assess the timely disbursement of funds to SRs.
• To assess Procurement and Supply Management system effectiveness of timely delivering the supply, effectiveness of the process to procure goods according to PR/GFATM procedures and guidelines.
• To evaluate the Monitoring and Evaluation system of PR in data management including data collection, analysis, synthesis, performance feedback and effective monitoring to verify that reports and results achieved are as stated. It will also evaluate that indicators were SMART enough to monitor the progress and results.
• To assess external factors that may have affected implementation of this grant.
• To assess PR capacity for managing the GFATM grant in relation to human resource and infrastructure.
• To assess the effectiveness of the sustainability plan after the closure of the grant.

Scope of the Evaluation:
The evaluation will evaluate UNDP-GFATM South Sudan Round 4 HIV/AIDS project. It will refer to the UNDP activities under the PR by Providing an examination of the effectiveness and sustainability of the UNDP programs by i) highlighting main achievements at programme since the implementation of GFATM project, at the national level in the last seven years and UNDP’s contribution in terms of key outputs, ii) ascertaining progress made in achieving different outcomes in the given thematic areas and UNDP’s support to this. Qualify UNDP’s contribution to the programme with a fair degree of plausibility.

Methodology:
Evaluations design: The Evaluations will utilize both qualitative and quantitative methodology. Thus both primary and secondary data will be utilized. Data collection including desk evaluation of important documents (support document, contract agreement, proposal, reports) with PR,CCM and SRs, in-depth interviews with PR, CCM members, SRs and field visits to selected health facilities and implementing agencies. The consultant will meet with CCM members, other institutions and SRs and perform discussion.

Key deliverables:
The consultant(s) will produce a comprehensive structured standard report. 1.) A report containing (a hard copy, a soft copy in MS Word and Acrobat Reader, Times New Roman, Size 12, Single Spacing):
a) Executive summary of conclusions and recommendations
b) Introduction, rational, objectives, evaluation methodologies,
c) Results (this need to include key finding per thematic areas of assessment)
d) Key lessons learnt, highlighting key factors that might have strengthen or hampered the impact of GFATM in mortality and morbidity, and the health system of the country
e) Limitation of evaluation assumptions made during the evaluation and study limitations, and
f) Conclusions and recommendations g) Sustainability Plan for the Grant at the time of phasing out and closure of the Grant.
h) Annexes: ToRs, field visits, people interviewed, documents evaluated, questionnaires, etc
2) Provide a draft report on the last date of the assignment and submit a final report within two weeks
3) Debrief UNDP, CCM members, SRs and health facilities.

UNDP’s obligations:

UNDP will:

a) Provide the consultant with all the necessary support (not under the consultant’s control) to ensure that the consultant undertake the study with reasonable efficiency.
b) Appoint a focal point in the programme section to support the consultant during the evaluation process.
c) Collect background documentation and inform partners and selected project counterparts.
d) Meet all travel related costs to project sites as part of the project evaluation cost.
e) Support to identify key stakeholders to be interviewed as part of the evaluation.
f) The programme staff members will be responsible for liaising with partners, logistical backstopping and providing relevant documentation and feedback to the evaluation team. g) Cover any costs related to stakeholder workshops during dissemination of results.
h) Organize inception meeting between the consultants, partners and stakeholders, including Government prior to the scheduled start of the evaluation assignment.

Time Frame:

Tentative timetable (South Sudan)

Evaluation Team

Orientation with CCM and PR, finalize and agree on ToR, revision of the plan of action, avail documents, evaluation of methodologies, desk evaluation of relevant documents, interview with CCM members and PR 3rd December 2012 Desk evaluation From 4th December 6th December 2012 Discussion with SRs and PRs From 7th December to 11th December 2012 Field visits to selected SRs implementation sites and health facilities to see project implementation results. From 12th December to 17th December 2012 Preparing draft report, using power point presentation From 18th December to 20th December 2012 Presentation of draft report From December 21st Incorporation of comments and submission of final report with clear set of recommendations From 24th December to 28th December 2012 Total days for consultancy are 26 working days. The schedule can be rearranged as needed.

Note: The schedule is subjected for revision if there is a need from the organization.

Key recommendations expected from the consultant includes

The recommendations will be based on the current situation and need to include

• Project frame work: possible change in objective, strategies, output and indicators • Project areas: the recommendation need to include the successes, challenges and lessons learnt during the project implementation in relation to geographical distribution • The capacity of PR and SRs in managing the grants with regards to human resources. • The strategies the project applied, its modification • Strategies on absorption of funds and procurements supply management system on timely delivering the supplies • Proof of accountability from key stakeholders. • Effectiveness of evaluation system for all stakeholders’ performances. • Key strategies in the implementation of three ones.

Reporting:

The consultant will be reporting directly to HIV/AIDS Project Specialist

Reference materials

The consultants should study the following documents among others:

a) UNDP Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluating for Results b) Ethical Code of Conduct for UNDP Evaluations; c) Guideline for the Evaluation Report; d) UNDP Results-Based Management: Technical Project Documents and relevant reports e) Documents and materials related to the GFATM (proposal, agreement, etc.)

Competencies:

• Builds strong relationship with SRs, focuses on impact and result for the PR and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and to maintain flexibility in working hours
• Good interpersonal skills; ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts

The evaluation team shall consist of a consultant and one programme person to support the consultant. The consultant will have the responsibility for the overall co-ordination of the evaluation and for the overall quality and timely submission of the evaluation report to the South Sudan UNDP Country Office.

The consultant needs to have experiences and skills in the following areas or fields

• Primary health care system, functionality of health system
• knowledge on HIV/AIDS
• Program designing and strategic planning
• Grant manager familiarity with financial function knowledge on global fund financial system will be an asset
• Procurement and Supply Chain Management System at international level,
• Monitoring and evaluation of the implementations system, designing of work flow
• General monitoring and evaluation system, basic monitoring frame work and result based management
• Experience in GFATM process and programmes will be an asset

Fluency in written and spoken English.

Educational Background:
Education back ground of Consultant
Masters in Public Health, with Bachelors Degree in Health Sciences. A Medical Doctor’s Degree will be of advantage, or Masters in Social Sciences or any other related field.
• Specific experience: proven experience of a minimum of 5 years preferably with UN experience. Knowledge and familiarity of the United Nations system, its reform process and UNDP programme policies, procedures.
• Familiarity with the GFATM projects, UNDP Multi-Year Funding Framework and other results based M&E frameworks.
• Previous experience in conducting country programme evaluations is an asset.
• Knowledge of the political, cultural and economic situation in south Sudan or ability to quickly acquire such knowledge is desirable
• Excellent writing and analytical skills
• Ability to meet tight deadlines

Conditions of Work
The consultant will be expected to use their own laptop computers. UNDP will support and facilitate the consultants travel, provide administrative, logistics and facilitate security related issues of the consultancy. Consultant will be expected to arrange accommodation during consultancy period.

How to apply:

The consultant shall submit an updated CV, a cover letter stating candidate’s suitability for the assignment and a financial proposal covering consultancy fees (fee, living allowance in Juba and other incidentals) plus a round ticket cost to bids.juba@undp.org