Tender: Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Panel of Advisors

Reports to: MEL Lead, Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I)

Location: Remote

Duration: To be engaged until 31 December 2025

Closing Date: Friday 15 November 2024

About P4I

Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) is an Australian Government initiative partnering with Southeast Asia to drive sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth through quality infrastructure. P4I partners with Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

P4I works with partners to strengthen infrastructure decision-making and practice across the transport, energy, utilities and telecommunications sectors. P4I’s focus is on the early stages of the infrastructure lifecycle, including planning and prioritisation, financing strategy, and procurement.

The four main services offered by P4I are linkages with Australian government agencies and other institutions, technical and policy advice, infrastructure project advice and knowledge-sharing and learning.

As the foundation of quality infrastructure, P4I also integrates gender equality, disability, and social inclusion, and disaster risk reduction and climate change considerations into all activities.

Delivered through a single team, P4I is led by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in collaboration with Ernst & Young, Adam Smith International, The Asia Foundation and Ninti One.

P4I has a head office in Bangkok, with other staff located around the region. More information about P4I is available at www.partnershipsforinfrastructure.org

Purpose

P4I maintains a panel of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) advisors to support P4I activity teams to monitor, analyse and report on progress and outcomes of the activity portfolio across Southeast Asia. The panel consists of a database of organisations and individuals with demonstrated experience delivering high quality MEL technical assistance relevant to P4I’s mission. P4I is seeking applications from experienced advisors to join the Panel for the remainder of the current P4I phase to December 2025. The panel is a database of organisations and individuals with demonstrated experience delivering high quality MEL technical assistance relevant to P4I’s mission.

Scope of Work

Panel members will provide technical support to P4I in developing and strengthening MEL plans for P4I activities, implementing plans through data collections, analysis and reporting at 6-monthly intervals; and providing MEL capacity support to activity teams and P4I partners. All assignments are assumed to be undertaken remotely.

Roles and Responsibilities

Common roles and responsibilities MEL panel members provide include:

• Developing MEL plans for P4I activities
• Implementing MEL plans, through data collection, analysis and reporting
• Inputs to six-monthly, whole-of-program performance review and reporting processes
• Provide MEL capacity support for P4I teams and partners as needed

Selection criteria

Applicants are encouraged to highlight experience in the design and delivery of MEL in the following areas of relevance to P4I:

• Australian Government development cooperation programs, either for DFAT or other Australian Government agencies
• GEDSI, DRRCC and Partnerships
• Infrastructure policy, planning and/or development
• Capacity development initiatives, particularly with partner government officials
• Policy reform initiatives, particularly in Southeast Asia
• Case study methodology for evaluation purposes
• Outcomes gathering methodologies including workshop facilitation and ‘sense-making’ / organising results
• Contributing to Program Performance Reporting processes consistent with DFAT Standards
• Supporting individuals and organisations with limited understanding of MEL concepts and processes.

Terms of Engagement

Successful candidates will be contracted through a draw down contract.

Members of the panel will be engaged through Tasking Notes and mobilised for specific consultancy opportunities when they arise, minimising application and contracting processes.

Opportunities will be made available to panel members on an as-needed basis and may be offered in a range of ways, including —but not limited to –— open calls to all panel members, limited calls for expressions of interest, and occasional cases of sole sourcing.

Each opportunity is dependent on an assignment’s requirements and the skillsets of the available panel members. Inputs will vary in terms of scope and duration, depending on the needs identified.

Suppliers will be free to engage on activities once the Tasking Note is signed by the P4I’s Senior Operations Manager.

Being a member of P4I’s MEL Panel provides no guarantee of work. The panel will operate in accordance with Australia’s Commonwealth Procurement Rules.

Please note, all Intellectual Property created under the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) contracts or subcontracts is vested with the Australian Government (or its nominee) immediately upon its creation.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted by 17:00 (ICT) 15 November 2024

How to apply - Individual

Please click the apply now button and apply online.

When applying as an individual please include the following information:

1. Details of individual’s name and CV of relevant work (2-pages maximum).
2. A brief cover letter that speaks to your CV’s details, outlining how your experience, capabilities and qualifications are relevant to the tender scope of works.
3. Nomination of positions, roles or specialisations you would like to be considered for, as detailed in the Scope of Works.
4. Names and contact details of three referees. One from your most recent consultancy, the second from a recent long-term employment and the third of your choosing.
5. Please provide a quotation on the provision of your services for a single 8-hour day using AUD currency exclusive and inclusive of taxes, such as Goods and Services Tax.

How to apply - Company

Please submit applications and queries via email to the P4I Procurement Manager at tenders@partnershipsforinfrastructure.org, with the subject ‘P4I MEL Panel’

When applying as a company, please include the following information:

1. Please include organisation name and the names and CVs (2-pages maximum) of advisors being nominated.
2. A brief cover letter that speaks to your company’s capabilities and experience, relevant to the tender scope of works.
3. Nomination of positions, roles or specialisations your company would like to be considered for, as detailed in the Scope of Works.
4. Names and contact details of three previous companies you have provided consultancy services for.
5. Please provide a quotation on the provision of your services for a single 8-hour day using AUD currency exclusive and inclusive of taxes, such as Goods and Services Tax per adviser nominated.

Due to the high volume of applications for P4I positions, only short-listed applicants will be contacted.