Recruitment of a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist — Tourism Recovery Project in The Gambia

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Country: The Gambia

Project: Tourism Recovery, Diversification & Resilience in the Gambia Project

Loan No.: IDA-V4190

Assignment Title: Recruitment of a Monitoring And Evaluation Specialist

Reference No. : GM-MOEA-275758-CS-INDV

The Projects Coordination Unit (PCU), Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs has received funding from the World Bank toward the cost of the Tourism Recovery, Diversification & Resilience in the Gambia Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include:

Recruitment of a Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist to undertake the following responsibilities

He/she will carry out his/her responsibilities according to operating procedures as defined in the project’s manuals including the World Bank guidelines eg Procurement, Disbursements, Monitoring and Evaluation. Additionally, he / she will be liaising with all stakeholders on relevant Monitoring and Evaluation matters.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist who will be based at the Projects Implementation Unit will be answerable and responsible to the Project Coordinator.

• Duties

The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist is responsible for supporting the project coordination team in all aspects of monitoring and evaluation of project activities with a view at ensuring that evidence is planned for, collected, and used in support of delivering project outcomes. The M&E Specialist will report directly to the Project Coordinator and will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating project activities.

• Detailed Scope of Work

General Responsibilities:

The M&E Specialist has the responsibility for overseeing the PIU M&E system to ensure that accurate and timely data is available for the project especially with regards to the quality, efficiency, effectiveness and outcomes of the activities implemented under the project. The M&E system is expected to function as a management and decision-making tool and should therefore be administered as such by the Specialist and used accordingly by PIU staff and management.

• The M&E Specialist has direct responsibility for (i) ensuring that the project staff and project stakeholders have the requisite training to undertake their M&E functions (data collection and use); (ii) operating the management information system to provide information on the effectiveness and efficiency of the process of community-based activities; and (iii) ensuring that information and data from project activities are collected, analyzed and reported on in a timely manner in order to learn, adapt and improve project implementation.

• The M&E Specialist will play a key role to support the PIU Coordinator for the overall evidence-based project implementation, in addition to providing analysis and findings related to the project implementation and outcomes and help in adapting accordingly.

• The M&E Specialist will supervise all M&E activities under the project, responsible for ensuring quality control and take the lead in compiling the data for quarterly reporting.

• The M&E Specialist will ensure that data is collected for all project sub-components in a simplified manner with results-oriented indicators that are linked to the Project Development Objective and intermediate indicators defined in the Result Framework. The M&E specialist, working with PIU management and staff, should expand the World Bank project results framework to make it useful to managing the projects.

• With support from the PIU management, the M&E specialist will be responsible for understanding, updating and communicating the following aspects on results: the project development objectives, the project theory of change, the results framework, data analysis, and evaluation results to ensure a focus on results as well as activities.

• Monitor project risks that could prevent the achievement of project results and their mitigation measures and related findings to PIU and implementing agency staff.

• Prepare and manage the budget for monitoring and evaluation activities.

• Undertake regular field visits to support project implementation, assess bottle necks in collecting data, and advise on changes required to achieve project results.

• The Specialist will oversee the implementation and maintenance of a Management Information System (MIS) for facilitating information flow between project implementers and project management to provide timely and efficient feedback and reporting on the project activities.

• Consolidate and document lessons learnt during implementation and at completion

• Specific Responsibilities:

• Manage an impact evaluation of the project by developing key hypotheses and data collection instruments, collect, analyze and report on data both ex ante and ex post with support from a consultant or consulting firm as needed.

• Oversee the effective provision of information and reporting by project stakeholders and staff, in accordance with the Project Implementation Manual.

• In collaboration/consultation with the stakeholders, monitor (i) the impact of the project, (ii) the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of project activities, and (iii) contribute to the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of project management processes.

• Provide inputs to the projects Midterm Review and periodically update the monitoring and evaluation manual for the project.

Prepare semi-annual and annual progress reports, which will contain data on performance against targets, overall project recommendations and recommendations to improve both project performance and M&E.

• Develop analytical skills, technical capacity and abilities of the staff on the key processes and roles to be played by the staff directly engaged in M&E activities to ensure continuity and sustainability of the project activities.

• In conjunction with the Project Coordinator, identify training needs for project stakeholders related to Monitoring and Evaluation especially in different government ministries that are implementing project activities, and see to the development and implementation of related training modules.

The expected start date of assignment is 1st July 2022.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained at the address given below.

The Projects Coordination Unit (PCU), Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs (MoFEA) now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences closely related to project management, or economics, or public administration, or equivalent.

• At least five (5) years post qualification experience as an M&E Specialist;

• Three (3) years of experience in a Multilateral Donor Funded Project will be an added advantage.

• Experience in the and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data

• Proficiency in the use of computers including word and excel processing, presentation, and spreadsheet applications

• Appropriate involvement and/or experience in similar projects in developing countries including least developed countries is essential

• Ability to find and communicate accurate information concerning process, policies and procedures to project stakeholders

• Excellent written and verbal communication, and presentation skills.

• Performance Criteria

• Quality of the monitoring& evaluation reports;

• Compliance with the relevant reporting requirements of Government and Donors; in terms of information and deadlines;

• Quality of monitoring project risks;

• Teamwork with PIU staff to help them deliver on results;

• All report should be prepared in English.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual consultants selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from Monday-Thursday 09:00am to 1600 pm, Friday 09:00 to 12:00pm Gambian time.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 13:00pm Gambian Time on 24th March, 2022.

Projects Coordination Unit (PCU)

Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs (MoFEA)

Attn: Mr. Saffie Dambelleh, Project Coordinator

C/o MOTIE Building M, Independence Drive, Banjul.

Tel: +220 4223301 (Office) +220 4223304 (fax)

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] ; [email protected]