Scope    28.7.2005

UNICEF has decided to evaluate its response to the 2004 Asia Tsunami, focusing on the emergency response and early recovery phase, in Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.  The evaluations will take place between September and November 2005. 

The evaluations will cover the first six months from December 26 2004 to end June 2005 (or an earlier date as agreed with the Country Office). The evaluation will identify Achievements, Constraints and Gaps, and Policy implications for the future.  The evaluation will document lessons learned and provide recommendations for the Country Programme and for UNICEF emergency response and recovery programmes in general.

The evaluation will draw on the perspectives of UNICEF staff and those of partners and beneficiaries. ‘Partners’ refers to national and government, UN agencies, international and national NGOs, and civil society organisations – according to the context.

Consultant selection criteria:

UNICEF invites applications from qualified consultants for possible team leader and team member roles with the following experience and competencies:

· Proven experience in evaluation of humanitarian action with international agencies, preferably with the UN (prior working or consultancy experience with UNICEF an advantage)

· Proven evaluation team leadership (potential team leaders only)

· Work or consultancy experience in the regions affected by the Tsunami

· First hand experience in the conduct or management of emergency operations an advantage

· Understanding of trends in humanitarian policy and action

· Experience in one or more sector directly relevant to UNICEF’s Tsunami response – water, environment and sanitation; health and nutrition; child protection; education; also supply and logistics

· Facilitation and interview skills, including stakeholder consultation

· Experience in gender analysis, especially related to emergencies

· Strong quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis skills

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, in English

 Proposals

 Interested consultants should follow the instructions for submission of proposals carefully as only those matching the requirements can be considered.  Please note the length restrictions on specific documents as extra material will be disregarded.

Submissions should include:

· A CV/Resumé (UN P11 form or equivalent content), highlighting experience relevant to the evaluation, not to exceed 6 pages.

· Covering letter showing how the consultant’s experience is relevant to the evaluation and confirming availability during the evaluation period. 

· A Concept Note, maximum 4 pages, with proposals for how the evaluation can be conducted, including any relevant evaluation models of which the consultant has proven experience.

· Contact details of at least two references from among recent employers or clients.

· A sample report by the consultant from a prior consultancy assignment with content directly relevant to the evaluation

· Daily fee rates (travel and subsistence will be paid by UNICEF)

 Any queries and submissions should be directed to Wayne Macdonald, Senior Project Officer, UNICEF Evaluation Office (wmacdonald@unicef.org).  The deadline for submissions is 5pm (New York time) Friday August 12 2005.

A full TOR for the evaluation has yet to be devised but it is anticipated that the evaluation will cover the following.

Relevance/Appropriateness

1. To what extent was the Tsunami response driven by identified needs versus the need to utilise Tsunami funds?  Was the balance between the two appropriately struck?

2. How well were needs assessed?  Were needs assessments timely? What tools were used?  To what extent were needs assessments undertaken with partners? 

3. How well developed were UNICEF plans for Tsunami response?  Were these plans drawn up in a timely way?  How well did these plans fit the needs identified?  Were objectives SMART and were the plans results-oriented? How well did UNICEF financial and human resource planning meet the planned activities and results? How well were partners consulted and integrated into UNICEF planning? 

4. To what extent were targets appropriate and achievable? Were plans adjusted as the situation unfolded?  How well were UNICEF plans communicated within UNICEF and beyond?

 Efficiency

5. Were goods and services procured for the Tsunami response at reasonable cost (value for money)?

6. How were existing government and NGO partnerships built on to mount the emergency response?  What new partnerships were formed to strengthen or broaden the response and how successful were these new partnerships?

7. Was a monitoring system already in place or was a monitoring system developed to track changing needs, funds available, programme implementation and the links between them? How and to what extent was information collected and analysed for monitoring of key outcomes, outputs/coverage and inputs? To what extent was monitoring data used to inform decision-making?

8. How clear were the accountabilities and responsibilities of CO/RO/HQ for the Tsunami response? Were there overlaps or gaps at different stages?

9.How well were UNICEF programme and financial management procedures applied to the Tsunami response?  To what extent did UNICEF procedures, processes and systems help or hinder efficiency?

10.To what extent did reports, including donor reports, accurately describe the situation and UNICEF response - the achievements, constraints and outstanding needs?  To what extent did reports provide an accurate picture of human resource deployment, financial commitments and funds remaining?

11. How well did the offices manage their inputs (fund disbursement, cash transactions, supply transactions/transportations etc.)?  How did utilization rates at end June [or other agreed end date] compare with planned commitments and expenditures? How well did the CO maintain sound financial management and records and what adaptations were made to accommodate the Tsunami response? How well did the CO anticipate and meet cash and supply needs and logistic requirements for sub-offices? 

12.How quickly was UNICEF able to establish the appropriate information technology systems and telecommunications equipment?Were these systems appropriate and cost efficient?

Effectiveness

13.  From the perspective of external stakeholders, how effective were UNICEF emergency interventions?  To what extent did the UNICEF response match the UNICEF Core Commitments for Children?  How clear a clear mandate did the current formulation of CCCs provide for UNICEF in the country context? 

14. How well did UNICEF use lessons from past emergencies in the Tsunami response? To what extent did UNICEF use innovative approaches to address the challenges presented by the Tsunami?

15.  How well were the distinct needs of women, men, and children identified and responded to? 

16. What level of emergency preparedness did the CO have when the Tsunami struck?  When was the last EPRP completed and what provisions did it make? How prompt was Country Office in recognizing the scale of need? How effective and timely was the support provided from the RO and HQ offices?

17.  How well were funds mobilised for the Tsunami?  How quickly were funds made available? Did/how well did UNICEF utilize the CERF and EPF facilities?  How well did the CO/RO/HQs manage donor relations?

18. To what extent did UNICEF have the appropriate skills and capacity to mount and sustain a response to the Tsunami?  (Right people, right place, right time). How effectively did the organisation mobilise personnel from neighbouring COs, regional offices and headquarters (New York, Geneva, and Copenhagen)? What provision was made for support to staff coping with stress and how effective was this?

19. How effective was UNICEF in fulfilling its sector coordination roles? How did UNICEF contribute to and benefit from interagency collaboration? How well did UNICEF establish a strategic overview of needs and resources available for each sector for which UNICEF had the coordination role? 

20. How well did UNICEF identify vulnerable and excluded groups and make provision for their rights for assistance to be met?What role did UNICEF play in advocating for the needs of vulnerable or excluded groups?  How well did UNICEF use the media to advocate for children’s rights? How well was the media used to promote visibility for UNICEF? Was the appropriate balance struck between advocacy and UNICEF profiling?

21. Were the supplies requisitioned for the Tsunami response appropriate to the needs, of adequate quality, and suitable to the local context?  How well used were the goods supplied?  How well did UNICEF’s procurement systems support the emergency response? How timely were supply deliveries to UNICEF and from UNICEF to end users? How well was the end-utilization of supplies monitored?

22. To what extent did the CO and field offices comply with the Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS)? How aware were staff of UN/UNICEF security arrangements? How effective were the security provisions for protecting staff (international and national) and protection of supplies and assets? Has their been any conflict between the need for staff safety and security and meeting needs of affected populations?  Has the balance been struck appropriately?

23. To what degree were preparedness and response affected by the DFID and ECHO programmes to strengthen UNICEF humanitarian response capacity?

Impact (early indications only)

24. To what extent have UNICEF targets been achieved? Are there gaps in UNICEF’s fulfilment of its CCC commitments? What results are attributable to UNICEF’s role and response?

25. Have their been unintended positive or negative impacts of the UNICEF (or UNICEF coordinated) Tsunami response on affected or unaffected communities and their livelihoods?

26.  For countries in conflict, what are the early indications, if any, of the effect of the UNICEF (or UNICEF coordinated) Tsunami response on the environment for peace?

27. What was the impact of the Tsunami on UNICEF Country Programmes?  To what extent have prior activities been replaced, redesigned?  To what extent has UNICEF been diverted away from its support to populations not affected by the Tsunami?

Sustainability and Connectedness

1. How well has the CO used the experience from the Tsunami to build its recovery plans? Are the recovery plans appropriate to the country context? Are the plans likely to result in sustainable long-term solutions? How well integrated are UNICEF plans with those of the government and other actors (World Bank, ADB etc)

Coverage

2. To what extent have needs been met across the affected populations and areas?  Were/are there geographic pockets remaining without adequate assistance? 

3. To what extent has UNICEF been able to provide assistance free from political interference?

Coherence

4.  How consistent was UNICEF planning and response with the Human Rights Based Approach to Programming?

5. How well has UNICEF and IASC policy on the use of civil military assets been applied?  Has the policy proven relevant to the context?

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