final evaluation, Hydro-meteorological project Mekong River Commission

Mekong River Commission The role of MRC is to promote and coordinate sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefit and the people’s well-being MRC Secretariat is now recruiting a highly qualified consultant for the following consultancy International Consultant For Final Evaluation of the Hydro-meteorological Mekong-HYCOS Project Information and Knowledge Management Programme (IKMP), Technical Support Division Maximum of 35 Working Days starting from January 2012 to March 2012, based at the Office of the MRC Secretariat in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with travels to MRC Member Countries The Term of Reference and other information can be obtained at MRC website http://www.mrcmekong.org . Women are encouraged to apply. Only short-listed candidates will be notified Application procedures: The application should include (i) a cover letter outlining clearly how the candidate meets the requirements of the position, (ii) a detailed CV, and (iii) MRC Personal History Form (iv) One-page brief of the methodology planned to be used, and (v) Financial proposal. The position title and division/section must be indicated in the cover letter.The application should be sent to: Mekong River Commission Secretariat P.O. Box 6101 Vientiane 01000, Lao PDR Email: mrcs@mrcmekong.org Closing date for applications: 19 December 2011 --------------------------------------------------- TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. Project Title: Mekong Hydrological Cycle Observing System (Mekong-HYCOS) 2. Title: International Consultant for the final evaluation of the Hydro-meteorological Mekong-HYCOS project 3. Duty station: The Office of the MRC Secretariat in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with travel to the capital cities and regional areas of Cambodia, Lao P.D.R, Thailand and Viet Nam 4. Duration: 35 Working Days (between January to March 2012) 5. Background and rationale The MRC in cooperation with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is currently implementing the Mekong-HYCOS Project, funded by the French Development Agency and the French-GEF. The main objective of the Mekong-HYCOS project is to establish an efficient, reliable and accurate timely hydrometeorological data collection and transmission system at basin level, while also strengthening relevant national and regional capacities. This information are shared between the MRC’s four member countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. The Mekong-HYCOS project aims to establish a basin wide hydrometeorological information system, which spatially covers mainstream and main tributaries of the Mekong river system. Under the Mekong-HYCOS project, more than 30 hydrometeorological stations has been upgraded and the Mekong-HYCOS system is integrated into the existing MRC monitoring system, while improving the national hydrological networks and river monitoring/forecasting capacities. The project is managed under the Information and Knowledge Management Programme (IKMP) in the Technical Support Division (TSD) of the MRC Secretariat. It is to ensure that all data collected basin wide are securely available in timely manner at the Office of the Secretariat in Phnom Penh (OSP) and the Office of the Secretariat in Vientiane (OSV). Each country are responsible for the operation and maintenance of its part of the system with the support and co-ordination of the MRC. The member countries are responsible for flood forecasting within their own territory and committed to share relevant data and information in the framework of Mekong-HYCOS. The telemetric hydromet monitoring Mekong-HYCOS network consists of 49 stations which were installed in the 4 riparian countries during the period of 2008 till 2010. Currently all stations (except one, which was recently destroyed during an extreme flood event) are fully equipped and operating, and are sending data on water levels and rainfall to the MRC ftp servers in Vientiane and Phnom Penh in 15 minutes intervals. The project funding will finish by March of 2012 and therefore a final evaluation of the entire project's scope will be performed. The consultant or team will be responsible for this final evaluation of the described Mekong-HYCOS project. 6. Objectives of the consultancy: · To evaluate the appropriateness of the Mekong-HYCOS project in relation to the objectives and expected outputs of the project as defined in the project document (see table 11 – Logical Framework Matrix of the PD): (i) Framework for cooperation, (ii) Regional strengthened hydrometeorological observation network, (iii) Regional hydrological Information System, (iv) Capacity building and training; · To evaluate the appropriateness of the Mekong-HYCOS project in relation to the needs of the MRCS policy and strategy for data collection, data management, data sharing and capacity building mainly in the scope of flood forecasting and early warning; · Focus should also be given on the input and support of WMO and CNR/IRD as well as the overall project management by MRCS; · To access the use of the data generated by the HYCOS system within MRCS (by other programs and divisions), NHMs and external stakeholders. The target is the actual use of on-line data for forecasting, navigation, agriculture & fishery as well as planning purposes such as hydropower; · To evaluate the appropriateness, cost-effectiveness, reliability, and accuracy of the technology and equipment chosen for the Mekong-HYCOS project, both at the level of the sensors, data loggers and at the level of the transmission system; · To identify and evaluate the causes of the difficulties that could be faced by the member countries in using the Mekong-HYCOS System; · To evaluate how the Mekong-HYCOS system should and may integrate with the MRC data management system; · To assess capacity building and training by NHMs with an emphasis onf trainig of observers; · To define solutions and recommendations for further improvement of the system and its operational use in order to ensure the smooth hand-over of operations and long term sustainability of the capacities, systems, data collection and telecommunication equipment established by the project, taking into consideration integration with the other systems proposed/used by MRCS and countries. In this context also the involvement and ownership of the network by the NHMs and NMC has to be assessed. It is expected that the recommendations will be made with regard to the role of MRCS and the NHMs. 7. Scope of work The time line of the consultancy process is proposed in 3 following phases: Phase 1: (2 weeks) Consultation with MRC concerned staffs, Technical Assistance Team leader, WMO and the Donor MRC will inform the countries about the planned visit of the expert based on an agenda which has been provided by the Consultant two weeks prior to his arrival at the MRCS. The Consultant will discuss with the MRCS Management and with the MRCS experts who are related to this project. S/He also will share with the International Team Leader of the Technical Assistance from CNR/IRD, with the representatives of WMO and AFD responsible for the Mekong-HYCOS project and obtain their views and suggestions. Review of all related documents. The Consultant will then prepare a document that includes a detailed work plan (agenda, questionnaire, assessment…) for the mission to the 4 MRC member countries which includes the method he will use to evaluate the Mekong-HYCOS System according to the objectives described under point 6. After revision by the MRCS, the detailed work plan will be sent to the National Mekong Committees and relevant national agencies. Phase 2: (2.5 weeks) Consultation with the four MRC member countries and visit of stations. The Consultant will visit the NMCs, concerned Line Agencies, National Data Terminal and some representative stations of each country established by the Mekong-HYCOS project in the Lower Mekong Basin. Phase 3: (2.5 weeks) Briefing to MRCS, Development of Report, presentation to PCC meeting The Consultant will develop the Report after visiting four MRC member countries. The report should be comprehensive and detailed and include (but not limited to) the following items: · Evaluation of the appropriateness of the Mekong-HYCOS project design in relation to the needs of the MRCS policy and strategy for data collection, data management, data sharing and capacity building mainly in the scope of flood forecasting and early warning; · Evaluation of the appropriateness, cost-effectiveness, reliability, and accuracy of the technology and equipment chosen for the Mekong-HYCOS Telemetry System, both at the level of the sensor and at the level of the transmission system; · Description of the technical status and eventual deficiencies of the stations, including sensors and transmission systems; · Inventory of availability of data collected from the system since the first year of implementation including AHNIP equipments change, and status of data delivery to the MRCS. · Evaluation on the operation and management problems encountered in each country and on the difficulties (and causes) which are currently faced by the member countries in using the Mekong-HYCOS Telemetry System: stations operation and maintenance, data management, data sharing, capacity building. · Evaluation of the capacity of technical staff for the operation and maintenance the Mekong-HYCOS Telemetry System · Proposed solutions and recommendations for improvements or eventual modifications of the system in coherence with the MRCS rules (Procedure for Data Information Exchange and Sharing, …); · Recommendations on how the Mekong-HYCOS Telemetry System should be integrated into the overall MRC data collection and management, · Proposed solutions and recommendations for the operational and sustainable use of the Mekong-HYCOS Telemetry System. This will include a budget estimation and time schedule for these solutions, possibly by using different scenarios. · Participation in the final HYCOS Project Coordination Committee (PCC) meeting (currently planned to take place in the last week of March 2012 in Vientiane, Lao PDR) The Consultant will present the draft Final Report during a Project Coordination Committee meeting three days before his last day so to enable him to make final adjustments before his departure. 8. Outputs The consultants shall be required to deliver the following outputs: I. Inception report II. Detailed work plan (including agenda, questionnaire, assessment strategy, etc.) III. Report on consultation with the four MRC member countries IV. Draft Final Report with detailed description of findings, conclusions and recommendations V. Presentation at the Project Coordination Committee meeting about the final evaluation (Vientiane, End of March 2012; duration approx. 15 to 20 minutes) VI. Final Report in hard and soft copy (including summary of evaluation, conclusions and recommendations). 9. Qualifications / Requirement: · The team or Consultant(s) have to have the following qualifications and work experience pertaining to the described scope of work: The Consultant should be a hydrologist or a water resources expert, holding an advanced university degree in hydrology, water resources engineering, or in a relevant scientific field. He/she should have a minimum of ten years of varied experience in hydrology and water resources management. · He/she should be fully acquainted with the concept and practice of integrated water management issues at trans-boundary river basin level and of flood forecasting and early warning systems. He/she should be familiar with operation of hydrological and water resources information systems and with conventional and modern equipment and techniques for hydrological data collection, including up-to-date knowledge on remote sensing and data transmission technology. · Knowledge of the institutional and technical aspects of the WMO WHYCOS programme and its regional HYCOS components, as well as familiarity with the water resources management issues in Mekong region is highly desirable. · Knowledge about MRC and its activities is a particular advantage, ability to cooperate in a dynamic international environment is a necessity and a good command of spoken and written English is required. 10. Reporting line: MRC Division or Section: Technical Support Division Supervisor: Information and Knowledge Management Programme Coordinator The information, data and reporting will be the sole property of the MRC and its copyright shall apply. Confidentiality is strictly required. 11. Terms of Payment: The international or regional consultant(s) will be financed through the Mekong HYCOS Project budget. The currently involved staff of the MRC Programs will provide their expertise as MRCS in-kind contribution. Additionally the following rules for remuneration apply: · Daily subsistence allowance will be paid for travel days and time in according to normal MRC rules and regulations. · Airfares will be reimbursed based on provision of original receipts. Other incidental expenses (visas, taxis to and fro airports) will be paid based on provision of receipts. · A Service Fee will be paid based on provision of invoices, which will be duly certified by the supervisor. The service fee will be based on a daily rate which will be negotiated independently by the Human Resources Section of MRCS. · The consultant(s) will be able to submit up to 3 invoices for the work done after finishing each of the above described Phases. · The travel cost to arrive on duty station, the travel cost between the riparian countries as well as the daily subsistence allowance according to MRC rules has to be included in the budget. Amendment of the TOR The TOR may be updated or amended as necessary by mutual agreement

Job Email id:	mrcs(at)mrcmekong.org