Evaluation of FAO's Country Programme in Lao PDR, 2009-2014

Call for Expression of Interest Team Leader and members

FAOs Office of Evaluation (OED) is currently in the process of initiating an evaluation of
FAOs Country Programme in Lao PDR from 2009-2014. The evaluation will take place over
the first semester of 2015.
Background
Lao PDR, a landlocked country in Southeast Asias Mekong Sub-region, has a population of 6.7
million. Lao PDR ranked 139 out of 187on the Human Development Index in 2013. 1 Among
children under five, 26.6 percent are underweight, 44.2 percent are stunted, and the prevalence
of wasting is 5.9 percent. 2 Furthermore, roughly one-third of its population lives below the
national poverty line, with significant variations by region and ethnic group. Lao PDR is
currently experiencing a period of economic growth, however this has thus far had little
spillover effect on the complex and enduring challenge of food insecurity.3
Methodology
The evaluation will cover programs executed during the period of 2009 to 2014, and will be
conducted in close association with national government counterparts and other national
stakeholders. It will concentrate on assessing the results of FAOs work in Lao as well as
potential future areas of work. It will, in so far as possible, make use of local human resources
and expertise, and could potentially involve longer more in-depth studies, focusing on areas of
particular interest to FAOs mandate and role.
The evaluation will focus on FAOs actual and potential contributions in the following sectors:
agribusiness and value chains; forestry, natural resource management, and biodiversity; climate
change adaptation and disaster risk reduction; food and nutrition security; and land tenure.
Timetable
The tentative timeline is as follows:
(a) Preparatory desk research in October-December 2014;
(b) An inception mission by OED staff in late January 2015 to Vientiane and RAP/Bangkok to
engage the national government and set up the collaboration framework with key national
counterparts, to scope the national research and evaluation capacity for engagement, to discuss
the evaluation design and activity plans with the regional/country office managers, and to
establish the Terms of Reference of the evaluation;
(c) Evaluation mission to Lao PDR in May 2015, based on the design and plan established in
the inception mission (duration of the mission to be decided);
(d) A stakeholder workshop at the end of the main mission involving the national government
counterparts, development partners, implementing partners, other national and regional
stakeholders, and FAO stakeholders, with a view to promoting ownership of evaluation outcome
and its maximum use, including in the design of forthcoming Country Programming
Framework.
Composition and profile of the evaluation team
The Evaluation will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team made up of international and
national consultants. OED is presently seeking a team coordinator and 2-3 senior experts with at
least seven years evaluation and professional experience, and competence and expertise in one
or more of the following areas:
Biodiversity and natural resource management
1
2
3

http://hdr.undp.org/sites/all/themes/hdr_theme/country-notes/LAO.pdf
Lao Social Indicator Survey, 2011-2012, carried out by the Lao PDR Ministry of Health.
http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR268/FR268.pdf
Food and Nutrition Security Atlas of Lao PDR, 2013, carried out by the World Food Programme.

Food Security and Nutrition

Agribusiness
Forestry
Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation
Policy Support and Institutional Capacity Development
Information Systems
The team will work under the overall supervision and responsibility of the OED Team Leader.
Team members should not have been involved in the design or implementation of FAO projects
in Lao during the period under scrutiny, and will be required to sign a conflict of interest
declaration. Female and national candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Essential qualifications of experts

Postgraduate degree in Social sciences (Economics, Sociology, Education, Statistics, Information

Management, etc.) and/or expertise in sectors relevant to the evaluation as listed above;
Past experience in the country and/or in the region.
At least 7 years of relevant and proven experience at international level in their fields of expertise;
Excellent writing and verbal communication skills in English;
Previous experience in conducting/taking part in independent evaluations.
The working language will be English. Knowledge of Lao language is preferred.
Application process:
Interested candidates should send their application by 23 January 2015, to the email address
savina.tessitore@fao.org with copy to tala.talaee@fao.org. Please specify
Evaluation of FAO's Country Programme in Lao PDR in the email subject line.
Applications should include a detailed Curriculum Vitae containing:

Information on sex, age, current residence and nationality;

Expected daily fee rate (exclusive of expenses); and,
Availability between March and May 2015.