Location: Home basis and 1 field trip to Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN

Application Deadline: 15 July, 2010

Additional Category: Democratic Governance

Type of Contract: SSA

Languages Required: English

Expected Duration of Assignment: 20 days in July - August, 2010 period

1.     BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Since becoming independent in 1991, Uzbekistan has demonstrated its commitment to using information and communication technologies (ICT) for development and has made strong efforts to build up legal and regulatory framework for promoting various aspects of ICT. More than 10 specific laws and more than 600 bylaws provide necessary legal framework for ICT development.  Over the last years the Government has made considerable progress in promoting ICT for development. Several national programs for mid- and long-term perspectives aimed at computerization of the country, development of telecommunication and data infrastructure, introduction of ICTs to the work of central and local public administration, development of national segment of the Internet were developed and currently are being implemented.  

Uzbekistan has achieved considerable developments in building and modernization of infrastructure, created favorable environment for private sector development by providing tax benefit and import duty exemptions; launched several e-government initiatives, such as equipping the public authorities with computer technologies, building local area networks and corporate networks, developing information resources and systems of state authorities and creating government portal GOV.UZ. The access of government organizations to the Internet is being improved, and currently 1012 ministries, agencies and other administrative organizations have access to the global network. Also, the national infrastructure for application of electronic digital signatures (EDS) and informational and educational network ZiyoNET has been established. In 2008 the Government reported 100% Internet access for higher education institutions.

While these are positive developments, the country lags behind in a number of indicators of ICT development. Targeted government interventions are rather fractional. There are no direct linkages to Uzbekistan’s specific development goals in poverty reduction, education, health care, etc. There are no really “online” governmental services for citizens and businesses in place. The currently available interactive public services are still more informational rather than transactional in their nature. Cost of the Internet connection remains high in relation to average income, especially in rural areas where high access costs are coupled with insufficient infrastructure and a lack of ICT awareness. E-business is still in its embryonic stage and requires more efforts to realize its potential. There is also a shortage of skilled ICT specialists[1].

The ICT Policy has not provided for direct linkages to Uzbekistan’s specific development goals in poverty reduction, education, health care, etc. In order to address these issues and assist with policy formulation, UNDP has implemented a number of projects. Through its Digital Development Initiative Programme, Projects “Capacity Building for Internet Technologies Development and Promotion in Uzbekistan (UzSciNet)” and “Promotion of ICT Units in Rural Areas to Foster SME Development projects”, UNDP has been closely involved with ICT policy formulation. As an active member of the ICT Council, UNDP has made a significant contribution into policy development through participation in its meetings and working groups, funding study tours of government officials and preparing research papers. Through its DDI Programme, UNDP helped to create an enabling environment for ICT development, prepare ICT development monitoring reports and policy papers, built capacity of key institutions and implemented pilot projects.

Project Description

In order to leverage on previous experience and provide assistance in linking ICT policy to the achievement of specific development goals in public administration, UNDP in Uzbekistan launched in 2005 “Assisting the Government of Uzbekistan in the formulation and implementation of ICT for development policy (ICT Policy)” project. Two major interlinked objectives of the project are: (1) to support the development of ICT in Uzbekistan and (2) to facilitate use of ICT by Government for achieving specific development goals in poverty reduction, public governance, health care, education, environment and mainstreaming gender issues in support of public administration reform.           

Identification of major ICT development factors and advice on their efficient deployment is provided by preparation of periodical analytic documents (Annual Review of ICT development, thematic research papers) and their discussion within the framework of various workshops and specialized institutions. Association of the IT companies of Uzbekistan is established and series of roundtables on specific topics in ICT development and regular major public events (ICT Summit – 2005-2009) aimed at facilitation public – private partnership and consolidation of efforts of all stakeholders have been organized.

To provide strategic consultancies on ICT advancement best international practices on establishment of e-digital signature infrastructure in Uzbekistan and creation of appropriate regulative and legislative base are studied, policy advises and recommendations are provided, followed by implementation of pilot initiatives. A number of strategic research papers, “Status and perspectives of software export industry in Uzbekistan”, “Prospective Use of Free and Open Source Software for Development of Uzbekistan” are prepared and presented to the Government. Following the recommendations the Government initiated a development of national operating system Doppix. Handbook on the Intellectual Property Rights for Software in Uzbekistan  is prepared and disseminated among wide audience. An upgrade of Gov.uz Government portal and organization of series of strategic trainings on e-Governance for civil servants with preparation of specialized training materials is provided. Assistance in creation of national computer literacy certification system is provided.

Based on exploration of best international practices, followed by creation of the corresponding policy advises, recommendations and feasibility studies, pilot initiative on One-stop-shop for government services is launched in Sergely district of Tashkent City.

The details of these and other activities are available on the project website at www.ictp.uz.

The project works with Communication and Information Agency of Uzbekistan (UzACI) as its national partner.

Overall management of the project is the responsibility of the Project Manager, who is a full time employee of the UNDP.

2.     MONITORING AND EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS

This Final Evaluation is initiated by UNDP and Government of Uzbekistan to assess the relevance, performance, management arrangements and success of the project and provide recommendations on an exit strategy or possible follow-up. It should provide the basis for learning and accountability for managers and stakeholders. The evaluation will have to provide to UNDP complete and convincing evidence to support its findings/ratings. Particular emphasis should be put on the project results, the lessons learned from the project and recommendations for the follow-up activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

The assignment should be completed within the period between 27 July and 2 September, 2010. The assignment will involve desk work and one mission to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Throughout the assignment the consultant will work in close collaboration with UNDP Uzbekistan Country Office and relevant stakeholders.

Evaluation Objectives:

The evaluation is intended to provide a comprehensive overall assessment of the project and to provide recommendations for exit strategy and follow-up activities.

The purpose of the Final Evaluation is:

• To assess overall performance against the Project objective and outcomes as set out in Project Document and other related documents.
• To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the Project.
• To analyze critically the implementation and management arrangements of the Project.
• To assess the sustainability of the project’s interventions.
• To list and document lessons concerning Project design, implementation and management.
• To assess Project relevance to national priorities.
• To assess changes in the baseline situation and provide guidance for the future activities in the area of ICT development and e-governance. 

Project performance will be measured based on Project’s Results and Resources Framework, which provides clear indicators for project implementation. The Report of the Final Evaluation will be stand-alone document that substantiates its recommendations and conclusions.

3.     EVALUATION:

Evaluation of a degree to which the Project activities are aligned with the programme’s objectives, strategy, methodology, work plan and budget should follow the criteria set below:

• Relevance – the degree to which the purpose of the project is consistent with the national policies and priorities and the needs of intended beneficiaries;
• Effectiveness of the project – the extent to which intended outcomes have been achieved;
• Efficiency – the extent to which resources and efforts are being used to produce the intended outputs;
• Knowledge Management – the extent to which a knowledge base is being established so that a sustainable capacity is built for addressing the relevant development problems
• Partnership strategy – the extent to which the project has leveraged key stakeholders in this thematic area
• Sustainability – an assessment of the likelihood that the project will endure after active involvement of UNDP has ended

The evaluation should assess:

Project concept and design: The evaluators will assess the project concept and design. He/she should review the problem addressed by the project and the project strategy, encompassing an assessment of the appropriateness of the objectives, planned outputs, activities and inputs as compared to cost-effective alternatives. The executing modality and managerial arrangements should also be judged. The evaluator will assess the achievement of indicators and review the work plan, planned duration and budget of the project.

Implementation: The evaluation will assess the implementation of the project in terms of quality and timeliness of inputs and efficiency and effectiveness of activities carried out. Also, the effectiveness of management as well as the quality and timeliness of monitoring and backstopping by all parties to the project should be evaluated. In particular, the evaluation is to assess the Project team’s use of adaptive management in project implementation.

 

Project outputs: The evaluation will assess the outputs achieved by the project as well as the likely sustainability of project results. This should encompass an assessment of the achievement of the immediate objectives and the contribution to attaining the overall objective of the project. The evaluation should also assess the extent to which the implementation of the project has been inclusive of relevant stakeholders and to which it has been able to create collaboration between different partners. The evaluation will also examine if the project has had significant unexpected effects, whether of beneficial or detrimental character.

The Final Evaluation will also cover the following aspects:

Results and effectiveness:

Changes in development conditions. Address the following questions, with a focus on the perception of change among stakeholders:

• What are the results (outcomes and impacts) of the project?
• To what extent have UNDP outputs and assistance contributed to outcomes?
• Has the UNDP partnership strategy been appropriate and effective?

Measurement of change:

• Progress towards results should be based on a comparison of indicators before and after the project intervention. 

Project strategy:

• How and why outputs contribute to the achievement of the expected results. Examine their relevance and whether they provide the most effective route towards results.

Sustainability:

• Extent to which the benefits of the project will continue, within or outside the project domain, after it has come to an end. Relevant factors include for example: development of a sustainability strategy, establishment of financial and economic instruments and mechanisms, mainstreaming project objectives into the local economy, etc.

Project’s Adaptive Management Framework:

Monitoring Systems

Assess the monitoring tools currently being used:

• Do they provide the necessary information?
• Do they involve key partners?
• Are they efficient?
• Are additional tools required?

Risk Management

Validate whether the risks identified in the project document and the ATLAS Risk Management module are the most important and whether the risk ratings applied are appropriate. If not, explain why. Describe any additional risks identified and suggest risk ratings and possible risk management strategies to be adopted for the future activities.

Work Planning

• Assess the use of the logical framework as a management tool during implementation and any changes made to it;
• Assess the use of routinely updated work plans;
• Are work planning processes result-based? If not, suggest ways to re-orientate work planning.
• Consider the financial management of the project, with specific reference to the cost-effectiveness of interventions.
• Any irregularities must be noted. 

Reporting

• Assess whether UNDP reporting requirements were met. 

Underlying Factors

• Assess the underlying factors beyond the project’s immediate control that influence outcomes and results. Consider the appropriateness and effectiveness of the project’s management strategies for these factors.
• Assess the effect of any incorrect assumptions made by the project.

UNDP Contribution

• Assess whether or not UNDP’s outputs and other interventions can be credibly linked to achievement of the outcome, including the outputs, programmes, projects and soft and hard assistance that contributed to the outcome;
• Assess the role of UNDP against the requirements set out in the UNDP Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluating for Results;
• Consider the new UNDP requirements outlined in the UNDP User Guide, especially the Project Assurance role;
• Assess the contribution to the project from UNDP “soft” assistance (i.e. policy advice & dialogue, advocacy, and coordination).

Partnership Strategy

• Assess how partners are involved in the project’s adaptive management framework: (i) Involving partners and stakeholders in the selection of indicators and other measures of performance; (ii) Using already existing data and statistics; and (iii) Analyzing progress towards results and determining project strategies.
• Identify opportunities for stronger substantive partnerships in the future.
• Assess how local stakeholders participate in project management and decision-making. Include an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the approach adopted by the project and suggestions for improvement if necessary.
• Assessment of collaboration between governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Assessment of collaboration between implementation units of other related projects.
• Assessment of local partnerships. 
• Transfer of capacity to the national institutions.

Project Finance:

Assess the cost-effectiveness of the project interventions.

Review the effectiveness of financial coordinating mechanisms.

Evaluation Methodology:

The Final Evaluation will be done through a combination of techniques, including:

-          Desk study review of all relevant Project documentation;

-          Consultations with stakeholders;

-          One national project visit

-          Extended Interviews with selected stakeholders.

 

Evaluation should involve the wider possible range of stakeholders

Deliverables and timeframe:

The duration of the assignment is up to 20 working days, including writing of the final report in the period of July–August 2010. The following deliverables and indicative schedule for submission are expected from the consultancy contract but the main evaluation product will be the Final Evaluation Report. The final timeframe will be agreed upon in the beginning of consultancy assignment.

All deliverables should be submitted to UNDP by the Consultant in English.

Deliverable - Deadline (2010):

 

Work plan and report outline, mission agenda - 27 July

 

Draft Evaluation Report - 21 August

 

Final Evaluation Report - 2 September

 

Tentative timeframe:

Briefings for evaluator via e-mail - 27 -28 July

Desk review at home office - 28 - 31 July

Trip to Uzbekistan (including allocation for travel), interviews with local stakeholders, questionnaires - 9 - 11 August

Validation of preliminary findings with stakeholders through circulation of initial reports for comments and other types of feedback mechanisms - 11 – 16 August

Preparation of final evaluation report, submission of a draft, and answering comments - 17 – 23 August

Submission of final evaluation report - 2 September

Payment Conditions:

This is a lump sum contract that should include costs of consultancy and travel costs required to produce the above deliverables. Payment will be released in three installments: 15%, 30% and 55%, upon satisfactory provision of respective deliverables.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master Degree in computer science, in public administration, governance, economics, and/or areas relevant for the assignment;

Experience:

• At least 10 years of practical experience in institutional organization and business management in complex environments, experience in strategic processes planning, in project management;
• Previous experience with e-governance/e-government project implementation;
• Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
• Experience applying participatory monitoring approaches;
• Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
• Project evaluation experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Full proficiency in English both written and verbal; knowledge of Russian would be considered an advantage.

Others:

• Good professional knowledge of the CIS region;
• Strong and demonstrable analytical skills; Excellent communication skills.

Application Process:

All interested and qualified candidates should apply on-line through the UNDP website at http://www.undp.uz. The UNDP will only accept applications submitted on-line via http://www.undp.uz

Please ensure that before making on-line application, you have completed the UNDP Personal History Form (P11). The electronic version of the P11 can be downloaded from http://www.undp.uz (Job Opportunities Section). The completed P11 form further should be uploaded while applying on-line.

The deadline for submission of application is COB 15 July  2010. Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date 15 July 2010 will not be given for consideration.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The position is open for the International citizens only.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

This evaluation is to be undertaken taking into consideration the evaluation policy of UNDP (http://www.undp.org/eo/documents/Evaluation-Policy.pdf) and the UNDP Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results (http://www.undp.org/evaluation/handbook/)

[1] Review of ICT Development in Uzbekistan: 2006-2008,  Review of ICT Development in Uzbekistan 2005. UNDP in Uzbekistan