Myanmar: ToR-Mid term review SCALE Project Myanmar

TERMS OF REFERENCE • MID-TERM REVIEW

CONTEXT
The Group for the Environment, Renewable Energy and Solidarity (GERES) is an
international non-profit organization headquartered in France and active in Southeast Asia for the
last 20 years.
Environmental conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, reducing energy poverty,
and improving livelihood of the poor are the main focus areas for GERES. The GERES team is
particularly involved in the implementation of engineering solutions for development and
providing specific technical expertise. Activities include conducting energy efficiency programs,
providing decentralized energy services for local economic development, supporting and
developing renewable energies and promoting waste management. These activities are always
implemented in partnership with local stakeholders and communities based on collaborative
experience sharing.
GERES is a member of “Comité de Liaison des Énergies Renouvelables” (CLER), “Comité Français
de Solidarité Internationale” (CFSI), “Comité 21”, “International Network For Sustainable Energy”
(INFORSE), “Global Compact”, “MEDCOOP” (a collective for Mediterranean aid), “Groupe
Initiative”, “F3E”, “Coordination SUD” and the “Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves”.
Reducing biomass consumption through ICS (Improved Cookstoves) is one of the widely
recognized measures taken to strengthen economies at the household scale. In particular, it
contributes to the livelihoods of women and children by reducing negative impacts on health,
providing cleaner kitchens, saving time and money spent on collecting cooking fuel, and freeing
time for income generation and livelihood activities. Improved cookstoves also have positive
impacts on the environment, namely mitigating climate change by reducing CO 2 emissions from
the inefficient use of non-renewable biomass and reducing pressure on forest resources.

Cookstove production in Myanmar remains largely non-standardized and fragmented. The
performance of the cookstoves that are produced and sold remains unknown and their efficiency
is contested. Consumers rarely have information on the quality, performance or safety of such
equipment. Furthermore, the absence of stove testing Facilities, of common stove performance
protocols and of any standard are one of the main constraints to quality control and regulation of
this informal market.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Group for the Environment, Renewable Energy and Solidarity (GERES) in Myanmar is
implementing the “Upscaling Improved Cookstove Dissemination in Myanmar through replication
of best practices from Cambodia and the region” (SCALE) Project.

The project aims to preserve the environment and improve the living condition of the Myanmar
people by reducing fuel wood consumption, emissions of greenhouse gases, costs of household
energy, and ultimately enhancing the sustainability of ongoing renewable energy services.
Specifically, the project will contribute to the switch to sustainable consumption patterns and
behavior by providing biomass fuel consumer groups in Myanmar with better market-based access
to quality Improved Cookstove (ICS) products. This will be achieved through fostering local production and distribution of affordable, locally appropriate and standardized improved cookstoves by entrepreneurs in Myanmar; as well as targeted, gender-sensitive promotion and marketing. The project will also help to create conditions needed to further develop the sector by supporting the establishment of national testing and stove development facility with the mandate to provide regulatory and quality assurance support.

To achieve these results, GERES is working with several partners, the main one being Ever Green
Group (EGG) as an implementing partner.

The project is funded by the European Union (SWITCH Programme) and co-funded by the
Fondation Lord Michelham of Hellingly and the Fondation Raja Danièle Marcovici. The
implementation started in January 2014 and will end in January 2018. The total budget of the
Action is 2.4 million euros.

During the first years of SCALE implementation, the project faced a high rate of HR turn-over at
management level as well as significant delays in implementation.

OBJECTIVES OF THE REVIEW

The main aim of the mid-term review is to provide the SCALE project team as well as its technical
and financial partners with sufficient information to:

• Understand progress so far towards achieving project objectives and outcomes
• Draw out lessons for how SCALE project could be improved during the rest of its
  implementation for more positive impacts

The mid-term review shall be based on objectivity, credibility, providing lessons and operational
recommendations, and identifying areas for improvement, all to enable GERES and its partners
to take corrective measures aimed at a better achievement of the project’s objectives and
priorities.

More specifically, the objectives of the consulting service will be to:

• Undertake the review of the project, in order to assess globally and independently the
  achieved results of the project, referring in particular to the original EU Proposal and
  subsequent adjustments as documented in activity reports.
• Evaluate the risks of OVIs target not being met in a context of implementation delays.
• Suggest mitigation and corrective measures that could be carried out before the end of
  the project to ensure an optimum sustainability of the actions.
• Analyze the GERES/EGG partnership within SCALE project and, if relevant, suggest ways
  to improve the efficiency and sustainability of this partnership. In particular the expert
  should assess local project ownership and stakeholder participation, including impacts on
  policy discussion.

The experts will assess the project using the standard 5 DAC evaluation criteria, namely:
relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact. For more information about the
evaluation criteria, the experts should consult the following website:
http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/node/71165. In addition to the five DAC criteria, the experts will
assess two EU specific evaluation criteria:

• The EU added value of the project, both regarding its design and implementation 1 .

1 The criterion is closely related to the principle of subsidiarity and relates to the fact that an activity/operation
financed/implemented through the Commission has added benefits to what would have resulted from Member States'
interventions only.

• The coherence of the project itself, with the EU strategy in Myanmar and EU development
  policy objectives and the extent to which it complements Myanmar's policies and other
  donors interventions.
  METHODOLOGY AND SCHEDULE
  The consultant is requested to submit its own methodology which must comprise:

 Desk review;
 Data collection in three locations: SCALE project office in Yangon, Field offices in Pathein,
Delta Zone and in Meiktila, Dry zone;
 Data analysis, reporting, validation and restitution.

It is estimated that 20 man-days would be needed to complete this assignment.

The works are expected to be completed by March 15 th , 2016 at the latest. The applicant should
provide a detailed planned schedule of the works to be performed, together with its technical
offer.

DELIVERABLES

• Draft evaluation report including project review and recommended corrective actions;
• Final report including client’s feedbacks and comments;
• PowerPoint presentation summing up the main conclusions and recommendations.
  Groupe Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarités
  Group for the Environment, Renewable Energy and Solidarity

DATA

GERES will provide access to relevant project documentation and reports, and the necessary data
for the consultant to be able to evaluate the project achievements. GERES will also provide the
available means of verification of the objectively verifiable indicators, upon request of the
consultant.
Any other relevant data can be requested by the consultant and will be provided if existing.

LOCAL SERVICES

GERES can provide no-cost support in the organization of the missions, such as advice and
support for visa, general advice about country context, etc.

GERES will provide the following additional support:

• Facilitation for organizing interviews and meetings,
• Stationary, workspace and internet during mission within GERES’ premises.

PERSONNEL

GERES project operations and support team will be available during the consultancy, and
particularly during the field missions, to provide the consultant with the necessary information to
smoothly conduct the review.
BUDGET
The maximum available budget for this assignment is 15,000 € (Fifteen Thousand Euros),
inclusive of all costs and all taxes.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

To conduct the final study, the following expertise is required:

 A solid and diversified experience in conducting review/evaluation with related
references;
 Fully conversant with the principles and working methods of project cycle management;
 Experience and knowledge in biomass energy, access to energy and international
development;
 Experience and knowledge in Improved Cookstove Dissemination an asset;
 Working experience in South-East Asia an asset;
 Full working knowledge of English with excellent report writing skills.

APPLICATION
Applications should comprise:

A technical offer, made of:
 understanding of the assignment
 description of the methodology
 proposed schedule of execution
 references for the consultant involved in the review (detailed CV)

A detailed financial offer, detailing the number of man-days with unit prices, and the various
reimbursable costs (flying tickets, other transportation costs, per diem and lodging).

The applications will be assessed on both the technical and financial offers.

Information can be requested to the SCALE Project Manager, François-Xavier Sorba
fx.sorba@geres.eu.
The applications have to be submitted by email by February 3 rd , 2017, midnight UTC to the SCALE
Project Manager, François-Xavier Sorba fx.sorba@geres.eu, CC to the SCALE Project
Administrative and Logistical Manager, May Mar Lwin admin_manager@myanmarcookstoves.org,
with the title “Application MTR SCALE”.
Technical and financial offers should be in separate files, in generally accepted electronic format.
Electronic submission should be less that 5 Mo (if heavier please split in several files). Files with
extensions not supported by PC will not be considered.

APPLICATION
Applications should comprise:

A technical offer, made of:
 understanding of the assignment
 description of the methodology
 proposed schedule of execution
 references for the consultant involved in the review (detailed CV)

A detailed financial offer, detailing the number of man-days with unit prices, and the various
reimbursable costs (flying tickets, other transportation costs, per diem and lodging).

The applications will be assessed on both the technical and financial offers.

Information can be requested to the SCALE Project Manager, François-Xavier Sorba
fx.sorba@geres.eu.
The applications have to be submitted by email by February 3 rd , 2017, midnight UTC to the SCALE
Project Manager, François-Xavier Sorba fx.sorba@geres.eu, CC to the SCALE Project
Administrative and Logistical Manager, May Mar Lwin admin_manager@myanmarcookstoves.org,
with the title “Application MTR SCALE”.
Technical and financial offers should be in separate files, in generally accepted electronic format.
Electronic submission should be less that 5 Mo (if heavier please split in several files). Files with
extensions not supported by PC will not be considered.