Consultant Terms of Reference
Mid-term Assessment of Strategic Plan 2010-2015 of the Bhutan Trust Fund for
Environmental Conservation
1.
BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
The Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) was established in
1991 for the purpose of supporting the conservation of environment and biodiversity in
the country. Following the first strategic plan for BTFEC that was approved in 1997,
BTFEC has provided substantial funding toward establishing a protected areas network in
the country and amply demonstrated the feasibility of a trust fund mechanism to support
long-term, sustainable financing of environmental conservation for Bhutan.
Bhutan has made progress in the past years to improve the effectiveness of the BTFEC
operations, including developing and implementing a new strategy and action plan,
improving its administration and financial management and fund raising capacity, and
improving the effectiveness of its grant mechanisms, transparency and visibility.
Although, in the first strategic plan of BTFEC approved in 1997, significant efforts were
directed at establishing a protected areas network in the country and financing the
establishment of the protected area network, significant issues continue to arise with
respect to the ability of the rural population in and around these protected areas to
participate equally in the benefits of economic development.
The advent of Constitutional Democracy in 2008 has resulted in greater demands for
electricity and roads by the local people. Consequently, never has there been a greater
need in the history of the BTFEC to assume leadership in prioritizing conservation threats
and opportunities, working with partners to conceive the programs that would best
address these priorities, encourage the creation of indigenous capacity to design, manage
and monitor programs and provide funding for program implementation. A second
strategic plan of 2010 was approved to provide the basis for the much-needed expansion
of the BTFEC’s role. The plan’s purpose was to identify the interrelated areas for
program implementation and define the strategies for meeting the goal of this whole
initiative, which required a detailed action plan to 1) specify the guidelines for program
funding; 2) allocate monetary resources among the program areas; 3) specify the
requirements for project implementation; 4) create systems for monitoring and evaluation
and 5) lay out a course for improving the performance and operations of the Trust Fund
itself.
The Plan covers six strategic priority areas: 1) Refocus program and funding objectives,
2) Update and clarify funding criteria, 3) Improve project implementation,4) Strengthen
systems for monitoring and evaluation, 5)Increase Trust Fund principal and maximize
investment returns and 6) Increase Trust Fund principal and maximize investment
returns.
2. OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF EVALUATION
2.1.
Objectives
To assess the achievement of the Strategic Plan 2010-2015 and provide insights on the
progress and constraints in the implementation of the above plan;
To realign priority areas within the strategic plan through the lessons learnt and draw
possible recommendations of interventions to optimize the outcomes.
2.2.
Expected Outcomes
2.2.1. The mid-term review report of the implementation of the Plan is produced and
available. Information on the general implementation of the Strategic Plan and on
specific actions and interventions provided.
2.2.2. Strategic Plan implementation reviewed and issues and gaps highlighted.
2.2.3. Further, it is expected to provide insights and recommendations for development
of the next set of focused actions for the remaining period (2014 -2015) and the
development of succession plans.
3.
SCOPE OF ASSESSMENT
The consultant is expected to review the Strategic and Action Plans 2010-2015. While
carrying out these tasks, the consultant is expected to refer the Royal Charter, Operations
Manual, Financial and Program Management. Further, the consultant is expected to
interact with relevant grantees and/or stakeholders on the conduct of BTFEC in
implementing its strategic plan.
The evaluation will involve assessing all six strategic priority areas and seven program
focus areas of the Strategic Plan for interventions under implementation.
4.
SPECIFIC TASKS
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The consultant must identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and
constraints of implementation of the second strategic plan;
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5.
Draw lessons learnt in order to re-orient, if necessary, the actions and
interventions that can eventually improve the operations of BTFEC through
implementation of the plan,
Assess progress in implementing the Strategic Plan and its shortcomings, if any;
Formulate recommendations and proposals as a way forward to improve the
implementation of programs and incorporate changes in successive plans,
Come up with recommendations on changes required for six priority and seven
program focus areas;
Validate the results of the evaluation by key players involved in the
implementation of the Strategic Plan.
TIMELINE AND DELIVERABLES
The assessment is expected to complete in the month of July 2014, within a period of 21
days from the date of signing the contract. The consultant must deliver the following by
stated deadlines:
 A detailed work plan and methodology along with cost estimate,
 Inception report within three days from the date of signing the contract,
 Present and submit the first draft of assessment report within 14 days,
 Final report to be delivered within 21 days along with work-activity report
detailing tasks carried out during the assessment.
6.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
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Post graduate degree in social or environmental sciences or have equivalent
training or experience of at least ten years in planning, monitoring and evaluation
or more specifically in result-based management or environmental economics;
Expertise in the field of monitoring and evaluation of the environmental sector
will be an added value,
Minimum of 10 years of proven professional experience in the field of monitoring
and evaluation;
Good knowledge of the country’s environment and its related policies;
Must have taken part in at least 3 times in the process of evaluating a project or
strategic plan in the field of environment,
Excellent analytical and drafting English skills for preparation of the assessment
report,
Good IT skills for word processing and data analysis.