NATIONALEVALUATIONCONSULTANTFORTHEEND-OF-PROJECTEVALUATIONOFLeAPS

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Introduction

Country:   Philippines

 

Description of the Assignment:  

II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION (BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT)

In July 2020, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government, through its Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG), partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the Localizing e-Governance for Accelerated Provision of Services (LeAPS) Project Initiation Plan which was originally set to be a 6-months project (July 1 to December 31, 2020) with PHP 18,000,000.00 budget. This was extended for another year because of the additional funding of PHP 25,000,000.00 from MILG.  The successful implementation of the LeAPS PIP paved the way for the LeAPS Program, which is being implemented under the National Implementation Modality with full UNDP Country Office support and MILG as implementing partner. 

As MILG's flagship initiative, LeAPS aims to improve citizen’s access to local government e-services by addressing gaps in local public service delivery. The program has been implemented since January 2022 and is expected to be completed on December 31, 2025 requiring a total of PHP 715,153,643.00 (USD 13,970,573.00) to implement key interventions focusing on empowering citizens and vulnerable groups in efficiently utilizing digital facilities and citizen-centric e-services provided by selected BARMM LGUs and key partners as well as enhancing the capacities of MILG for data driven e-governance at the regional and local level, and creating an enabling environment that supports digital transformation. To date, MILG has allocated PHP 424,631,142.00 (US $ 7,178,818.42) for the program implementation. 

The LeAPS Program seeks to leverage the transformative potential of data, digitalization, and people-centered governance by establishing digital centers and facilitating citizen’s access to frontline e-services via the Digital Bangsamoro Web Portal and targeting to give access to 3,176 individuals directly and at the same time making services available to 986,860  individuals across the 12 municipalities covered by the project which are the Municipalities of Butig, Piagapo, Taraka and Marantao in Lanao Del Sur; Municipalities of Buluan, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Parang, Shariff Aguak, North Upi  and Cotabato City in Maguindanao; City of Lamitan in Basilan, and Municipality Bongao in Tawi-Tawi. The initiatives aim to simplify business processes and enhance connectivity within the covered communities while also empowering women and other vulnerable groups through training and capacity-building activities. As a Gen 2 project, gender equality is not the main objective of the project, but it seeks to promote gender equality in a significant and consistent way. From 2023, LeAPS has actively engaged women in training, workshops and several activities as part of its commitment to foster an inclusive and gender-responsive environment. Women comprised 43% of the total number of individuals trained under the program.  Under the LeAPS Program, MILG's capacity for data-driven e-governance at both the regional and local levels is also strengthened through support in adopting internal systems from DILG Region 9. This includes streamlining internal processes, building capacity to effectively use the adopted system, and enhancing capabilities in data analytics and Business Process Management. The final component of the program focuses on establishing an enabling environment that supports e-governance which will be achieved through institutionalized partnerships with government, non-governmental organizations and private sectors. 

Throughout project implementation, LeAPS partnered with government agencies like the Anti-Red Tape Authority, Local Government Academy, and Bangsamoro Information and Communication Technology Office (BICTO) in creating an enabling environment that supports digital transformation. Through these partnerships and collaborations, along with capacity-building for citizens, service providers and government partners, LeAPS is positioned as a key driver of local governance transformation in BARMM, ensuring that citizens, even in those residing in remote and underserved areas, are included in this digital advancement. 

Alignment to policies. LeAPS is aligned with three (3) of eight (8) of identified goals in the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2020-2022, namely: (1) establish the foundation for an inclusive, transparent, accountable, and efficient governance; (2) ensure access to and delivery of quality services for human capital development; and (3) harness technology and innovations to increase socioeconomic opportunities to improve government services. The project also contributes to the UN Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development (PFSD) and Socio-Economic Peacebuilding Framework (SEPF) and UNDP CPD outcome (2019-2023) that “the most marginalized, vulnerable, and at-risk people and groups benefit from inclusive and quality services and live in a supportive environment wherein their nutrition, food security, and health are ensured/protected”. The program also aligns with the current Country Programme Document (CPD) for 2024-2028, which emphasizes that “all individuals, particularly those at risk of being marginalized, will experience enhanced resilience to economic, climatic, disaster, and public health risks through improved, equitable, and gender-responsive access to quality social services, social protection, healthy environments, and strengthened governance and peace.” Additionally, it supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically focusing on industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9), peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16), as well as partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).

Expected Project Outcomes. LeAPS seeks that, “By the end of 2025, citizens have improved access to local government e-Services”.  To achieve this by the end of the program, LeAPS will be implementing interventions focusing on these three key outcomes: 

Outcome 1: Citizens and other vulnerable groups efficiently utilize digital facilities and citizen-centric e-services provided by selected BARMM LGUs and key partners.

A total of 13 Digital Centers and 1 MILG Data Center will be established to serve as a unified channel for delivering efficient and digitized public services ensuring that Bangsamoro people can conveniently access within the municipality. This initiative aims to provide digital access to 3,176 individual users. Citizens and service providers have undergone Digital Service Design Lab (DSDL) training to equip them with necessary knowledge and skills to effectively use and optimize digital government services. The DSDL framework follows four (4) key service design principles: user-centered, sequential, holistic, and co-created. As of January 2025, four e-services out of the 14 target e-services have been deployed on the Digital Bangsamoro web portal and are now accessible to the public. These e-services directly support the operations of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE), Ministry of Finance, and Budget and Management (MFBM), Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG), and the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD). Events aligned with the LeAPS advocacy on digital transformation will be conducted across covered LGUs starting in the first quarter of 2025. These events will raise awareness about the LeAPS Program, its objectives and services in collaboration with government and non-government partners. 

Outcome 2: Enhanced capacities of MILG for data driven e-governance at the regional and local level.

MILG will receive support in capacitating its personnel on the operations of the HR and financial systems adopted from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 9. In line with this intervention, MILG will be supported in designing, coding, testing, and deploying software solutions to enhance its internal systems. The initiative will also include process review and re-engineering of existing workflows to improve efficiency. Additionally, MILG personnel will participate in Learning Exchange Visits and specialized training programs such as Business Process Management and Digital Service Design Lab, Data Analytics and Systems operations. A total of 50 MILG personnel will be trained and actively involved in these capacity building activities. 

Outcome 3: Enabling environment that supports e-governance.

To sustain the outputs mentioned above, LeAPS will foster an e-governance-friendly environment by ensuring the institutionalization of partnerships between MILG, BARMM LGUs, and key stakeholders, and by publishing policy papers on digital transformation. This effort will include conducting a Digital Readiness Assessment for selected LGUs to evaluate their capacity and workforce readiness for the LeAPS Program, facilitating a Strategic Planning workshop on Transformative Digitalization with BARMM LGUs and key stakeholders to align digital initiatives with government priorities and finalizing and presenting key findings to the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) through the Development and Administration Committee (DACom) to guide policy decisions and implementation strategies.

The project’s approved Theory of Change and Results Framework is provided in Annex C.

As the LeAPS Program concludes in December 2025 and in compliance with UNDP’s Evaluation Guidelines, UNDP Philippines requires the expertise of a National Evaluation Consultant to conduct the program’s terminal evaluation. This evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the program’s strategy and implementation and analyze its contribution to achieving end-of-project outcomes. In addition, the terminal evaluation will also identify lessons learned, best practices, challenges, and recommendations to guide future digitalization and e-governance initiatives of MILG-BARMM and UNDP Philippines.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

Under the overall guidance of an Evaluation Reference Group (that will be organized for the Terminal Evaluation), and reporting to the UNDP Evaluation Manager, the National Evaluation Consultant shall assess the Project based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) criteria of coherence, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact. The Consultant will develop a set of Evaluation Questions covering each of these criteria and submit an evaluation matrix (Template in Annex H) as part of the Inception Report and shall include it as an Annex to the final report. The Consultant may propose additional questions as deemed appropriate, subject to discussion and agreement with the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG).

The Consultant shall also review progress towards the intended results, including cross-cutting issues of human rights, inclusion and gender responsiveness, based on the Project Documents, annual workplans, progress reports, and other outputs delivered since the start of LeAPS Inception Phase (Jan 2020 to Dec 2021) and the LeAPS Program (Jan 2022 to present). 

Evaluation Ethics

This evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the UNEG ‘Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation’. The consultant must safeguard the rights and confidentiality of information providers, interviewees, and stakeholders through measures to ensure compliance with legal and other relevant codes governing collection of data and reporting on data. The consultant must also ensure security of collected information before and after the evaluation and protocols to ensure anonymity and confidentiality of sources of information where that is expected. The information knowledge and data gathered in the evaluation process must also be solely used for the evaluation and not for other uses with the express authorization of UNDP and partners.

Signed Pledge of Ethical Conduct in Evaluation (Annex M) of the United Nations System needs to be attached in the Annex of the final evaluation report. 

The evaluation consultant may refer to UNDP's Dispute and Wrongdoing Resolution Process and contact details (Annex 3 page 54) of Section 4: Evaluation implementation and Use of UNDP Evaluation Guidelines (2021). 

At least master’s degree in any of the following fields: social sciences, International Development, Research Methods, Evaluation, Gender Studies and/or any other related fields.  A higher degree as well as specialized training in Monitoring & Evaluation, project management, gender equality, etc. is an advantage. 

At least five (5) years of relevant experience with results-based management and evaluation methodologies; application of SMART indicators and reconstruction or validation of baseline scenarios; relevant experience in e-governance, digital transformation; project evaluation/review experiences with the United Nations system. Experience working in BARMM is preferred.

At least five (5) years of experience in providing consultancy work in project and program evaluations (Real-time evaluations, midterm and terminal evaluations, project baseline or needs assessment) in areas of Information Technology, digitalization, public service, institutionalization, governance, and local development processes.

Proven ability to write high-quality evaluation reports. Offeror is required to submit at least 2 samples of evaluation reports from previous evaluation consultancy works. 

Period of assignment/services: The total duration of the evaluation will be 60 person-days spread from June 2025 to November 2025 (See II. Timeframe for the Evaluation Process for the detailed list of activities and deadlines).

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