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Roundtable for Nature Conservation in the Pacific Islands Region – Monitoring and Evaluation Consultancy

Project Background

In 2002, the Pacific Region adopted its 2003-2007 Action Strategy for Nature Conservation. This strategy – a product of the Rarotonga 7 th Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas – received broad acceptance of all key stakeholders in the region (national Governments, regional organizations, NGOs, church groups, and donors). The strategy centers around three 30-year goals, as follows:

•  Environmental Goal: The biodiversity and natural environment of the Pacific region are conserved.

•  Economic Goal: Nature conservation and sustainable resource use are integral parts of all island economies.

•  Social Goal: Pacific peoples, their governments, and institutions are leading activities for the sustainable and equitable use of natural resources in the Pacific region.

Within each of these 30-year goals, the strategy identifies a number of 5-year objectives and 5-year targets (output indicators). This is the first Regional Strategy to clearly outline the 3 pillars of Sustainable Development and how they relate to the core focus of the policy. The strategy does not, however, include outcome or impact indicators to measure the goals. In addition, it has proven difficult to measure the 5-year output targets in a homogeneous and objective fashion across all Pacific Island Countries and Territories.

At the 8th Roundtable for Nature Conservation in Suva (June 2004) a small working group discussed a list of possible outcome indicators to measure the overall impact of the strategy. These include:

1. The total area under conservation (in hectares);
2. A threat reduction index, measured at a sample of conservation sites;
3. The amount of long-term funding commitments to nature conservation;
4. The degree to which nature conservation has been mainstreamed into national development plans, budgets and sectoral plans.

These indicators need to be further added to, refined and agreed, based on their measurability and the degree to which they reflect the three overall goals of the strategy. No indicator, for example, has been envisaged yet for the social goal, and it may be intrinsically difficult to measure higher capacity and/or awareness except through verified actions (e.g. impact on conservation).

This consultancy will be managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme on behalf of the Roundtable.

The goals and targets of the Action Strategy need to be measured. Only then can the region assess its net progress towards its conservation goals, assess which areas are moving forward and which are falling behind, determine key gaps and improve on our performance as partners implementing this strategy.

At the same time, the measurement needs to be objective, independent, and consistent across countries. This requires the involvement of a professional Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) specialist familiar with the region, and with a good knowledge of conservation and economic mainstreaming as well as current Monitoring, Evaluation and vulnerability indices efforts in the Region e.g. SOE, EVI, and PRISM and efforts to tailor the MDG’s in the Pacific. Considerable effort should focus on the sustainability of measuring and where possible using or building on mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation that are already in existence in the Region. At the same time, this specialist should assess the measurability of the Action Strategy indicators and recommend any needed changes.

It is proposed that this input be done in two stages: in the initial stage (2005), the M&E specialist would conduct a brief desk top review, consult with countries via phone and email and seek to collect outcome and target indicators. This may enable, depending on timing, the specialist to propose any adjustments to the indicators of the Action Strategy. The approach and outline of work to be conducted by the consultant should be presented at Roundtable 9 in July 2005.

During the second stage (2006) the evaluator would collect information on the refined Action Strategy indicators across a significant number of Pacific Island countries and territories (in collaboration with NBSAP national coordinators, or equivalent, and core Round Table working group members) and prepare an evaluation report for submission to a Roundtable Management Group Meeting in January 2007 and the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in Papua New Guinea in mid-2007. The evaluator will also suggest amendments to the Inventory Database to reflect the indicators developed against the targets in the Action Plan.

Timeline and Deliverables

The following milestones and deliverables will be used to track progress on this contract.

End of July 2005

•  Complete initial consultation with SPREP and the Roundtable Management Group.

•  Undertake desktop review of current monitoring and evaluation systems in the region and analyse results.

•  Complete detailed work plan for completing assignment, including determining proposed consultations to be done by consultant

•  Undertake initial consultations with NBSAP Coordinators to scope available national information at the NBSAP Coordinators Meeting (29 th of July – 2 nd of August).

•  Write draft report and prepare presentation on what data is available which is relevant to the Action Strategy for the Roundtable Meeting in Papua New Guinea (25 th – 29 th of July) as well as consultancy work plan.

•  Assist as specialist resource person at NBSAP Coordinators Meeting to assist in NBSAP monitoring and evaluation development.

•  1 st Milestone report to consultancy funders.

August 2005

•  Finalize full consultation schedule

•  Begin consultations with countries and organizations listed above. A minimum of one trip to each region in Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia may be required and a combination of electronic and phone contact and travel.

December 2005

•  Draft the preliminary report on the measurability, and proposed revisions to the current targets and indicators of the Action Strategy

July 2006

•  Develop presentation and report on progress to Roundtable 10 – Fiji.

•  Second milestone reporting to consultancy funders.

•  Start to raise awareness of Round Table members about the indicators to measure targets and in the critical nature of their assistance in updating the Inventory.

•  Propose adjustments to the 5 year targets and indicators and develop proposed achievable and measurable 5 year target and indicators for possible amendment of the Action Strategy during its review.

•  Propose amendments to the Inventory to reflect the suggested changes to targets and indicators, to ensure this sustainable monitoring mechanism for the long term and/or suggest opportunities to combine efforts with ongoing M & E regional efforts.

November 2006

•  Draft report on the evaluation of the Action Strategy (based on assessments in Pacific Island Countries and Territories and Roundtable feedback in consultation with core Roundtable management group).

•  Outline opportunities to combine Action Strategy M&E with ongoing M&E regional efforts.

January 2007

•  Draft report presented to Roundtable Management Group Meeting in PNG.

March 2007

•  Final report on the evaluation of the Action Strategy, incorporating the results of the evaluation and recommendations for target and indicator revision.

July 2007

•  Presentation of the final results at the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas.

•  Assist in 8 th Pacific Islands Conference as a resource person.

•  Develop a user friendly M&E process for the Roundtable to enable long term monitoring of the Action Strategy.

September 2007

•  Final report to consultancy funders.

•  Finalise full report based on further discussion at the conference. (including recommendations).

Skills and experience needed

•  A proven track record in monitoring and evaluation work in the Pacific islands region.

•  Experience in developing indicators and outcome measurement in environment related fields.

•  Experience with monitoring and evaluation approaches of bilateral and multilateral aid donors and the GEF.

•  Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively and in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment.

•  Excellent organizational skills, demonstrated strategic ability, and consistent drive for tangible results.

•  Ability to prioritize and maintain complex projects in a demanding work environment and to work within deadlines.

•  Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.

•  Successful track record in writing reports, proposals, and related materials required by bilateral and/or multilateral institutions is desirable.

•  Experience with or strong knowledge of conservation or sustainable development programs and organizations in the Pacific islands is highly desirable.

Quote

Applicants must submit a quote for the work in its entirety to SPREP as part of this application. One third of the payment will be paid on initial engagement, with installment payments upon completion of milestones throughout the consultancy.

Applications

Application letters should be accompanied by the consultancy quotation, a detailed curriculum vitae summarizing your experience and qualifications relevant for this consultation, including an outline of approach to meet tender requirements, personal details, address and full contact information of three professional referees who are prepared to provide testimonials. Applicants should be able to start as soon as possible if successful.

The Director

SPREP                  Telephone: (685) 21 929

PO Box 240            Fax:          (685) 20 231

Apia, Samoa           E-mail:      SPREP@sprep.org

Closing Date: Friday, 17 June 2005.