World Wildlife Fund, Inc. (WWF) policies and procedures for all GEF financed full-sized projects require a midterm evaluation (MTE). The following terms of reference (TOR) sets out the expectations for the MTE for the project: Integrated management of Cameroon’s forest landscapes in the Congo Basin, hereafter referred to as the “Project.” The technical consultant selected to conduct this evaluation will hereafter be referred to as “evaluator.”

CONSULTANCY DETAILS

• Location of Consultant: Flexible, but must do site visits in Cameroon
• Reporting To: Amelia Kissick, Technical Director for Consultancy
• Preferred Timeframe of Consultancy: June – August 2025
• Period To Be Evaluated: August 6, 2021 to time of evaluation
• Maximum Budget Available: $35,000
• Potential Site Visits: TNS-Cameroon (Salapoumbe and Moloundou municipalities, Lobeke NP HQ), TRIDOM-Cameroon Lomié (2-3 villages), Ngoyla and Mintom municipalities (visit to their councils), and Campo Ma’an -Campo municipality (visit to Ebodje and Campo)

PROJECT DATA

• Project/Program Title: Integrated management of Cameroon’s forest landscapes in the Congo Basin
• GEF Project ID: 10287
• Implementing Agency: WWF-GEF
• Executing Agency: Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED)
• Countries: Cameroon
• Focal Area: Biodiversity, SFM Congo
• GEF Operational Program: GEF 7
• Total GEF Approved Budget: $9,608,257
• Total Co-financing Committed: $74,329,704

RELEVANT DATES

• CEO Endorsement/Approval: August 6, 2021
• Agency Approval Date: March 23, 2022
• Implementation Start: January 1, 2022
• Project Completion Date: September 30, 2028

The Project seeks to strengthen the integrated management of Cameroon’s globally important forest landscapes in the Congo Basin to secure its biological integrity and increase economic and livelihood opportunities for forest dependent people. Over a six-year period, the project will address key barriers and tackle the drivers of deforestation, forest degradation and biodiversity loss through the concurrent execution of multiple complementary strategies: (i) progressing informed and inclusive LUP; (ii) improving the effectiveness of management and governance systems for high value conservation forests, and undertaking targeted actions to protect their endangered species; (iii) developing sustainable forest-based value chains that engage the private sector and deliver benefits to IPLCs; and (iv) and promoting the scaling deep, out and up of best practices through knowledge management. Achieving and sustaining the effective participation and empowerment of IPLCs, while respecting human rights and reinforcing their resilience, is core to the project’s overall objective.

The Project was organized into the following components:

• Component 1: Mainstreaming integrated land use planning (LUP) and management
  • Outcome 1.1 Participatory, informed, and integrated land use planning establishes a framework to plan, monitor and adapt land management across approximately 1,200,000 ha in TRIDOM
• Component 2: Improving management effectiveness and governance of high conservation value forests, and targeted interventions to protect their endangered species
  • Outcome 2.1: Management effectiveness of Campo Ma’an and Lobéké national parks is improved through inclusive governance and management systems
  • Outcome 2.2: The effectiveness of forest and wildlife management in the peripheries of Campo Ma’an and Lobéké national parks is strengthened through increased engagement and capacity, and the establishment and adaptive management of equitable and transparent management agreements between local stakeholders
  • Outcome 2.3: The long-term zoonotic disease surveillance systems in Campo Ma’an and Lobéké national parks and their peripheries are strengthened to minimize the risks of disease transmission between humans and wildlife and vice versa
• COMPONENT 3: Advancing sustainable forest management (SFM) through non-timber forest product (NTFP) and hardwood value chains
  • Outcome 3.1: Strengthened and/or established sustainable NTFP value chains that engage IPLCs and the private sector reduce the impacts of unsustainable natural resource use and deliver benefits to at least 30 communities (IPLCs) in the Cameroon segments of three transboundary landscapes
  • Outcome 3.2: Public-private partnership (Ebony Project) to create a sustainable and socially-responsible value chain for tropical hardwood species is expanded and delivering tangible benefits, including restoration and income generation, in the TRIDOM landscape
• COMPONENT 4: Increasing benefit generation from biodiversity through sustainable tourism development
  • Outcome 4.1: Sustainable tourism value chain that engages IPLCs and the private sector is strengthened, reducing the impacts of unsustainable natural resource use and delivering benefits to IPLCs in the Cameroon segment of the CMRC landscape
• COMPONENT 5: Monitoring and evaluation (M&E), knowledge management (KM), and regional coordination
  • Outcome 5.1: Program results monitored and lessons learned inform adaptive management and outreach in support of SFM at landscape, national and regional levels

SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES

WWF-US is seeking an independent consultant to undertake a Midterm Review of the Project. The scope of the MTR will cover the WWF GEF financed components.

The objectives of this evaluation are to:

• Assess progress towards project objective, outputs and outcomes;
• Examine the extent, magnitude, sustainability and potential for project impacts to date;
• Identify any project design problems and challenges
• Draw lessons learned that can improve the project effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of project benefits.

Based on this assessment, it is expected that the evaluator will provide feasible and actionable recommendations that could be applied for the remaining duration of the project.

APPROACH AND METHODS

The evaluation will adhere to the relevant guidance, rules and procedures established by WWF[1] and align with guidance from the GEF Terminal Evaluation[2] and Ethical Guidelines.[3] The evaluation must provide evidence‐based information that is independent, participatory, transparent, and ethical. The evaluator must be unbiased and free of any conflicts of interest with the project. The evaluator is expected to reflect all stakeholder views and follow a participatory and consultative approach. There should be close engagement with government counterparts, the GEF operational focal points in each country, the Executing Agency project management unit (PMU), partners and key stakeholders. Contact information will be provided.

The Evaluation process will include the following, with deliverables marked by “*”:

1. Kickoff
2. Desk review consisting of, but not limited to:
   • Project Document and CEO Endorsement Letter;
   • Relevant safeguards documents;
   • Annual Work Plans (AWP) and Budgets;
   • Project Progress Reports (PPR) including Results Framework and AWP Tracking;
   • GEF Agency reports, including Project Implementation Reports (PIRs) and Supervision Mission Reports (PrISM);
   • Relevant financial documents, including financial progress reports; co-financing monitoring tables and co-financing letters;
   • Meeting minutes (Project Steering Committee (PSC)) and relevant virtual meetings with the WWF- GEF Agency and support team; and
   • Other relevant documents provided by the Executing Agency and partners.
3. Inception meeting and Inception report that outlines evaluation methodology;*
4. Field visits with PMU and project partners, as necessary and feasible;
5. Interviews, discussions and consultations at local levels, national and international levels, including executing partners, GEF Operational Focal Points (OFP), Project Steering Committee (PSC) members and beneficiaries, including project supported IP&LCs groups, Ngoyla/Mintom councils;
6. Presentation* of initial findings to project management team and other partners;
7. Draft report* not to exceed 60 pages (excluding annexes) shared with GEF AMU, PMU and others for review and feedback. A sample outline will be provided; and
8. Final MTE report* package that has incorporated feedback and comments. Data collected should also be submitted to WWF-US at conclusion of exercise.

CONTENT OF EVALUATION REPORT

The Midterm Evaluation report will include:

• Information on the evaluation process, including when the evaluation took place, sites visited, participants, key questions, summary of methodology and rating rubric, and feedback log showing how comments on draft were incorporated;
  • Assessment of Relevance (project design , theory of change);
  • Assessment of project Effectiveness and rating of project objective and outcomes (individual and overall);
  • Assessment and rating of risks to the Sustainability of project outcomes;
  • Assessment and rating of Monitoring and Evaluation design and implementation;
  • Assessment of knowledge management approach, including activities and products;
  • Assessment of replication and catalytic effects of the project;
  • Assessment of Relevance of the project (e.g. with WWF and GEF priorities) and Coherence;
  • Assessment of stakeholder engagement and gender-responsive measures;
  • Assessment of any environmental and social impacts and safeguards used for the project. A review of risk category classification and mitigation measures;
  • Assessment of Efficiency, financial management and summary of co-financing delivered;
  • Assessment and ratings of Implementation and Execution;
  • Summary table of key findings by core criteria[4] and GEF ratings, including justification and/or indicators for their determination;
  • Key lessons tied to identified strengths or issues;
  • Recommendations that include: practical and short-term corrective actions by evaluation criteria to address issues and findings; and best practices towards achieving project outcomes, and knowledge sharing / replication for other projects of similar scope.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Have 8+ years relevant professional experience (e.g. leading evaluations, designing monitoring and evaluation plans, etc);
• Previous experience with diverse evaluation methodologies (e.g. social surveys, outcome harvesting, etc);
• Excellent written and oral communication in English and French.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

• Masters Degree in relevant field, such as Monitoring and Evaluation, International Development, Natural Resource Management, etc.;
• Recent experience conducting evaluations (for GEF financed projects is an advantage);
• Technical knowledge in the targeted GEF Operational Focal Area, Indigenous people and local communities, protected area management, integrated land use planning, sustainable forest management, benefit sharing from sustainable tourism;
• Knowledge of GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy;
• Experience with WWF Project and Program Management Standards, Conservation Standards or use of theory of change for project cycle;
• Experience with social assessments, participatory techniques, and gender mainstreaming;
• Knowledge and experience in implementing or reviewing application of social and environmental safeguards policies in GEF (or similar) projects;
• Regional and national experience an asset.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Bidders are required to submit a quality assurance plan that sets out the systems and processes for ensuring that the evaluation deliverables and all evaluation activities are of a high quality and meet ethical standards from inception to the end of the contract. It is highly recommended to include a senior evaluation consultant to serve as a Quality Assuror to advise on the evaluation process and revise the evaluation deliverables as part of the consultancy, however there may be other mechanisms built into the process as an alternative or addition.

PAYMENT MODALITIES

Payment, expense reimbursement, and other contractual terms and conditions will be outlined in the consultant agreement made between WWF and the evaluator. Contracts may be made with an individual or organization. Payments will be made following submitted and approved deliverables and once invoices are sent. Twenty-five percent of the fee will be paid after submission and approval of the Inception Report. Fifty percent of the fee will be paid following submission and approval of the debrief presentation, Draft Report and related documents. The final twenty-five percent will be paid following the submission and approval of the Final Report and related documents. Reimbursement for expenses, if separated from fee, will be paid separately. Evaluator should submit receipts for expenses over $25.

[1] For additional information on evaluation methods adopted by WWF, see the WWF Evaluation Guidelines , published on our WWF Program Standards public website.

[2] For additional information on the GEF Terminal Evaluation Guidelines, see the GEF Terminal Evaluation Guidelines , published on the GEF Independent Evaluation Office website.

[3] Please see the GEF Ethical Guidelines as published on GEF website.

[4] See annex A

How to Apply:

Interested consultants are invited to submit a technical and financial proposal with their curriculum vitae, a relevant writing sample and three professional references*.* Only complete proposals will be accepted.The financial proposal should include fee and reimbursable expenses, if applicable. The total budget shall not exceed USD $35,000. Individual, team or consulting firm proposals are welcome. Women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply.

Interested consultants are requested to send their proposals to EvaluationsWWFGEF@wwfus.org by May 2nd, 2025. All questions about the requirements or process should be submitted to this e-mail address by April 24, 2025. Responses to frequent and submitted questions will be available until the proposal deadline to all interested consultants in the final annex of this live document: https://worldwildlifefund-my.sharepoint.com/personal/amelia_kissick_wwfus_org/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?share=EcUqwbI6o-FKh5pKVIKUY4sBst3dg4S2cU0_iqfyvyUwrA

The technical proposal and qualifications/experience of the individual or team will account for 90% of the weighted score of the proposal. The technical score will be based on how the proposal reflects an understanding of the work and adherence to the TOR and quality of the proposal (readability, depth/breadth and suitability of the methodology), as well as the degree to which the candidate meets desired and required qualifications/experience mentioned in the terms of reference above. The financial elements of the proposal will account for 10% of the weighted score of the application.

Once all proposals have been scored by the review committee, a shortlist of proposals will be determined, and the candidates notified. Shortlisted candidates will have their references contacted, proposal reviewed by project stakeholders and will participate in an interview. Shortlisted candidates who are not selected will be provided with information on relative strengths and weaknesses of their proposal, but specific scores and the identity of other candidates will not be shared.

The selection process will be in compliance with WWF and GEF requirements. Any questions or concerns about non-compliance or irregularities in the process can be raised through WWF’s mechanism for reporting concerns available here: https://wwfus.ethicspoint.com.