RFP Invites For Third Party Evaluation Of The Scheme: National Mission On Himalayan Studies (NMHS)

RFP title: RFP invites for Third Party Evaluation of the Scheme: National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS)

Deadline: 14th December 2018

Background

Realizing the significance of the Himalaya for Ecological Security of the nation, the Government of India attaches highest priority to protect unique but highly fragile Himalayan ecosystem by launching in year 2015–16 the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) as a Central Sector (CS) Grant-in-aid Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), New Delhi and G.B. National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand as the Nodal Institute for the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).

The objectives of the Scheme include the following:

• To build a body of scientific and traditional knowledge through demand driven action research and technological innovations along with institutional strengthening & capacity building;
• To strengthen technological innovations leading to sustainable management of natural resources of Himalaya for ensuring the ecological, water, livelihood security at the local, regional and national levels;
• To create science-policy-practice connect through a network of policy makers and practitioners (individual and institutions) engaged in working solutions to problems in the thematic areas;
• To demonstrate workable/implementable/replicable solutions to the problems in the priority thematic areas.

Objectives of the Evaluation:

The following would be the Terms of Reference (TOR) for undertaking the evaluation audit for the performance in last Plan Period, i.e. 11th Plan (since the last independent evaluation):

• Assess the performance of NMHS scheme based on its SFC-directed Strategic and Outcomes Framework in terms of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of results, i.e. overall evaluation of the scheme to assess to what extent the NMHS has achieved the objectives and present suggestions for improvements;
• To assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Mission (National Mission on Himalayan Studies) whether the set rules and procedures of planning, monitoring and evaluation of R&D activities and administration need any review to meet the objectives of the scheme;
• Provide recommendations of how NMHS-PMU can improve its Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan in the future.
• Need for continuing this scheme and its new programmes 2020 onwards.

Quantifiable Deliverables:

• Presentation of detailed methodology developed by the evaluating agency, including the details of the sampling strategy selected for the NMHS within 15 days of acceptance of order.
• Presentation of preliminary findings, desk review, questionnaire and the field study within 30 days of acceptance of order.
• Presentation of draft report within 60 days of acceptance of order.
• Comments of NMHS-PMU, GBPNIHESD and MoEF&CC on the draft report within 70 days of acceptance of order
• Submission of final report within 90 days of acceptance of order.

Others:

• The Final Evaluation Audit Report would be open to review by NMHS officials, and jointly agreed issues would be duly addressed in a time-bound manner.
• The Competent Authority NMHS reserves the right to terminate the Final Evaluation Audit Report at any point of time without assigning reasons thereto.
• Competent Authority NMHS/GBPNIHESD reserves the right to cancel the contract awarded to the selected evaluator, should it find that the progress of the evaluation is not up to the satisfaction of NMHS-PMU/GBPNIHESD. In the event of a contract being cancelled, after reasonable opportunity given to the Evaluating Agency to improve performance, the already paid amount shall be recovered in addition to the difference in the cost of Evaluation Report awarded to the next higher bidder.

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