National Consultant: Development of Operations Manual

Agency: UNDP | Reference: UNDP-PHL-00874-2,1 | Type: Call for individual consultants

Country: PhilippinesDescription of the Assignment:General InformationJob TitleNational Consultant for the Development of the Revised National Evaluation Policy Framework Operations ManualBrandUNDP PhilippinesDuty StationManila, PhilippinesContract Duration42 person-days spread over 6 monthsType of ContractIndividual ConsultantLanguages RequiredEnglish, FilipinoUnder the overall guidance of the DEPDev Investment Programming Group (IPG), in coordination with the Monitoring and Evaluation Staff (MES) in its role as the Evaluation Secretariat under the Revised NEPF, particularly through its Strategic Outcome and Evaluation Division (SOED), and the UNDP Strategic M&E Project Management Team, the Individual Consultant shall develop the Revised NEPF Operations Manual..The Consultant shall ensure that the development of the Guidelines aligns with the directives of the NEPF Steering and Technical Committees, the governance bodies mandated to provide oversight and strategic guidance for the Revised NEPF.The Consultant shall undertake the following scope of work:1.Desk Review and Inception PlanningThe Consultant shall conduct a structured desk review of key policy, legal, and operational references relevant to the development of the Revised NEPF Operations Manual.

These shall include, at a minimum: DEPDev–DBM Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2025-02 on the Revised NEPF; RA 12145, as relevant institutional context; the Guidelines on Evaluation in the National Government, and other applicable policies, guidance documents, and current practices related to the implementation of national policy frameworks in the public sector.Drawing from the desk review and this Terms of Reference (TOR), the Consultant shall prepare an Inception Plan.

The Inception Plan shall serve as the basis for a shared understanding of approach, scope, sequencing, and expectations of the subsequent outputs, and shall include, at a minimum, the following:a.Agap analysisof the provisions of DEPDev–DBM Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2025-02 against existing evaluation workflows and practices, including a diagnostic matrix identifying areas that lack operational clarity, overlap with existing processes, or require additional procedural guidance.b.A proposed methodological approach for developing the Revised NEPF Operations Manual, including:i.Process-mapping methods to define key steps, decision points, responsibilities, and indicative timelines; andii.Proposed consultation and validation activities involving the NEPF Steering Committee, NEPF Technical Committee, the Evaluation Secretariat, oversight agencies, and implementing agencies across sectors.c.A detailed workplan and activity timeline, including the proposed set of stakeholders to be engaged and the data collection or consultation tools to be used.d.A proposed structure and content framework for the Operations Manual, presented as an annotated outline that explains the logic, sequencing, and intended users of each major section.e.An assessment of key assumptions, risks, and mitigation measures, as well as proposed coordination and quality-assurance arrangements among the Consultant, DEPDev as Secretariat, UNDP, and other key stakeholders.The Inception Plan, particularly the proposed approach, shall be presented for discussion and concurrence with DEPDev and UNDP prior to implementation.2.Drafting of the Revised NEPF Operations ManualBased on the approved Inception Plan, the Consultant shall undertake the drafting of the Revised NEPF Operations Manual, including the conduct of consultations and validation activities.

This phase shall include the following: a.Coordinate consultation sessions with stakeholders.DEPDev will provide support in securing necessary endorsement letters for coordinating with identified stakeholders.i.A minimum of eight (8) and a maximum of ten (10) consultation sessions shall be conducted using in-person, remote, or hybrid modalities as appropriate, covering both initial inputs and final validation.ii.At least one validation session with key NEPF stakeholders shall be included to inform final revisions to the Operations Manual.b.Facilitate and document all consultation sessions relevant to the development of the Operations Manual, including the preparation of attendance records, meeting notes, recordings where appropriate, and a synthesis of key inputs and issues raised.c.Prepare the draft Operations Manual based on the approved Inception Plan and consultation results.

The draft shall cover, at a minimum:i.Operational and procedural guidance for implementing the Revised NEPF, including governance and institutional arrangements among the NEPF Steering Committee, NEPF Technical Committee, Evaluation Secretariat, implementing agencies, and agency evaluation units;ii.The process for formulating the National Evaluation Agenda;iii.Guidelines and procedures for the preparation and submission of Agency-Based Evaluation Agendas;iv.Monitoring and reporting arrangements for ev

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