Country: EswatiniDescription of the Assignment:The Consultant will conduct an independent midterm review (MTR) covering the period from project inception (2023) to 2026. The MTR will provide an independent, evidence-based assessment of project performance to date. It will assess progress toward outputs and outcomes, determine the relevance and effectiveness of implementation strategies, review efficiency and use of resources, examine the quality of partnerships and coordination, identify bottlenecks and risks, and provide clear, actionable recommendations for the remainder of the project life.  The evaluation will be carried out in accordance with UNDP evaluation guidelines and policies, United Nations Group Evaluation Norms and Ethical Standards; OECD/DAC evaluation principles and guidelines and DAC Evaluation Quality Standards. All analysis must be based on observed facts, evidence, and data. Findings should be specific and concise and supported by information that is reliable and valid. The MTR will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document, and assess early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made in order to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The MTR will also review the project’s strategy, its risks to sustainability.  The consultant will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation phase (i.e. PIF, the Project Document, project reports, project budget revisions, lesson learned reports, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the team considers useful for this evidence based review). The MTR team is expected to follow a collaborative and participatory approach ensuring close engagement with the Project Team, government counterparts, the UNDP Country Office, and other key stakeholders. Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have project responsibilities, including but not limited to executing agencies, senior officials and task team/ component leaders, key experts and consultants in the subject area, Project Board, project stakeholders, academia, local government and CSOs, etc. Additionally, the consultant is expected to conduct field missions to various project sites. The final MTR report should describe the full MTR approach taken and the rationale for the approach making explicit the underlying assumptions, challenges, strengths and weaknesses about the methods and approach of the review.The Consultant/Contractor is expected to:Evaluation design, methodology, and work plan, data collection tools, list of stakeholders to be consultedDraft Midterm Review Report Preliminary findings, analysis, and recommendationsValidation Workshop: Presentation and facilitated consultation with all key stakeholdersThe ideal candidate to meet / exceed the below requirements;Master’s degree or higher in Development Studies, Economics, Social Policy, Public Administration, Monitoring & Evaluation, or a related field.Minimum 7 years experience conducting evaluations, ideally in youth employment, livelihoods, education/TVET or economic empowerment programmes.Experience evaluating UNDP or other UN-funded programmes is an advantageTechnical SkillsDemonstrated familiarity with M&E systems and evaluation methodologies.Soft SkillsStrong analytical and problem-solving skillsExcellent English writing and documentation skillsAbility to present complex findings clearlyPeriod of assignment/services: 3 MONTHS Proposal should be submitted directly in the portal no later than indicated deadline.Any request for clarification must be sent in writing via messaging functionality in the portal. UNDP will respond in writing including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry.http://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org  using the profile you may have in the portal. In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link shared via the procurement notice and following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/procurement/business/resources-for-bidders.  Do not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from previous registration.