
Candlelight
Terms of Reference for final Evaluation Emergency Cash Transfers and Resilience Building in Eastern Somaliland
Terms of Reference for final Evaluation
Project Name | Emergency Cash Transfers and Resilience Building in Eastern Somaliland |
Project reference number | p190064 |
Project target regions | Togdheer and Sool |
Project duration | 01.12.2019 – 31.05.2021 |
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The proposed intervention Emergency Cash Transfers and Resilience Building through CMAM in Eastern Somaliland (CACH reference p190064) acknowledges the consequences of slow onset droughts and other adverse weather conditions for vulnerable families in Eastern Somaliland. In their Post Gu presentation held 29th August 2019 in Hargeisa, FEWSNET and FSNAU anticipate the livelihood zones of Eastern Somaliland to be at high risk and to slide from phase 2 (stressed) to phase 3 (crises) or phase 4 (emergency), within the next months.
Against this background and in line with the SwS guidelines, the project aims at providing lifesaving assistance to the most vulnerable families. At the same time the project offers nexus-related activities to prevent the situation of the beneficiaries from deteriorating by strengthening local capacities in detecting and treating (severe) acute malnutrition in children below 5 years. The humanitarian crisis in Somalia is among the most complex and protracted emergencies worldwide. Growing conflict across the country and simultaneous environmental hazards, such as recurrent droughts, hamper the livelihoods and food security levels of Somalia’s 12 million people. Against this background, the project will provide lifesaving food assistance by means of (un)conditional cash transfers and connects with the funding principles of the Africa Famine Fund (AFR17) in terms of thematic areas a) access to food, and b) promotion of livelihood and self-reliance. Also, the activities correspond with the funding guidelines’ geographical focus. The project design is informed by best practices in cash transfer programming and puts emphasis on Swiss Solidarity’s strategic objectives of localizing aid. Finally, the proposed intervention has been designed in close consultation with the local partner organization Candlelight and is based on Candlelight’s core strengths, which is acting as local first responder in emergencies and in remote and hard to reach areas.
The overall objective of the suggested project is:
The food security situation of vulnerable IDP and host community families in Eastern Somaliland is stabilized and communities are more resilient towards adverse weather conditions through CMAM.
In order to achieve the overall objective, the project offered: a) unconditional and conditional cash transfers for improved access to food and b) activities to boost individual and collective resilience by implementing community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) activities for families with low nutritional status. The project targeted around 15’000 beneficiaries and will have an extended project duration of 18 months (12/2019 – 05/2021) to allow families to recover from adverse weather conditions and to reach beneficiaries of special concern, like children below 5 years as well as pregnant and lactating women (PLW).
The project has been implemented the following villages;
Sool | Togdheer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As illustrated in the logical framework, the project put emphasis on three outcomes including:
- IDP and host community families receive and utilize unconditional and conditional cash transfers in order to improve their access to food and to stabilize their family’s food security.
- IDP and host community families have access to rehabilitated livelihood assets to enhance their recovery and resilience on individual and community level sustainably.
- Communities benefit from improved community – based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM).
Candlelight is therefore seeking to hire a qualified and capable external evaluator to undertake the final evaluation exercise according to the terms and conditions detailed below.
- PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
- Purpose
The final evaluation is an important element in the MEAL plan, enabling us to understand and evaluate effectiveness, relevance, impacts and sustainability of the project interventions and results, and aiming to measure the level of project achievement against the indicators.
- Specific objectives
- To evaluate the project in terms of effectiveness, relevance, efficiency, impact and sustainability[1] against the indicators in the project’s log frame.
- To generate learnings, best practices of the project.
- To provide recommendations, and generate information and knowledge to shape future health and nutrition projects.
- Evaluation criteria
The evaluation will follow the OECD/DAC evaluation criteria. The key questions that need to be answered by this evaluation include but may not be limited to the following;
Evaluation Criteria | Evaluation Questions |
Effectiveness | · To what extent were the intended project goal, outcomes and outputs achieved and how?
· To what extent did the project reach the targeted beneficiaries at the project goal and outcome levels? · How many beneficiaries have been reached? · To what extent has this project generated positive (or negative) changes in the lives of targeted (and untargeted) beneficiries. · What internal and external factors contributed to the achievements and/or failure of the intended project goal, outcomes and outputs? |
Relevance | · To what extent was the project strategy and activities relevant to the needs of beneficiaries?
· To what extent do achieved results (project goal, outcomes and outputs) continue to be relevant to the needs of the beneficiries? |
Efficiency | · How efficiently and timely has the project been implemented and managed in accordance with the project documents?
· How efficiently has the project been managed in terms of inter-agency learning and networking? |
Sustainability | · To what extent are the benefits of the project likely to be sustained after the completion of this project?
· What is the likelihood of continuation and sustainability of project outcomes and benefits after completion of the project? · What key factors will require attention in order to improve prospects of sustainability of project outcomes and the potential for replication of the approach? · What are the recommendations for future similar interventions? |
Impact | · What are the consequences (positive and negative, intended/ unintended) that resulted from the project? |
Knowledge Generation and Learning | · What are the key lessons learned and any best practices?
· Are there best practices, case stories which can be captured |
- METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS
- Methodologies
The evaluation will use both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques to source for appropriate information from the respondents. In the wake of COVID-19, the adopted approach will follow the do-no-harm principle by ensuring that the methodologies used do not result in increased risk for respondents or for the consultancy team. As the COVID-19 situation unfolds, the consultancy will be conducted through a series of discrete activities beginning with desk reviews before face to face interviews. Depending on the duration and severity of pandemic, the consultancy team will utilize appropriate means and tools to collect information.
In their technical proposal, bidders should indicate their sampling plan including how they will select the villages to be assessed. Bidders may indicate their proposed methodology including aspects of sampling, sample size, tools, design and administration, which will inform the first phase of the selection process.
The successful consultancy team will be expected to provide an inception report with detailed methodology with tools for field work.
Data analysis: Both qualitative and quantitative data will be analyzed and elaborated in the report. Data may be disaggregated by location, age and sex; that is, separately for children (girls and boys), men and women.
- Data Collection tools
The evaluator shall prepare the data collection tools before the field work and submit to Candlelight management for comments and feedback before the actual field work is undertaken. The ideal tools for data collection may include Questionnaires/ Interview guides, FGD guides, observation check lists and individual case studies if any.
- SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION
- Schedule, Tasks and Outputs/ Deliverables
Schedule:
The assignment will be carried out within the timeframe of not more than 25 days including submission of the final report.
Task/output | Number of days |
Literature review (project documents) | |
Inception report | |
Designing data collection tools | |
Review collection tools | |
Data collection, entry and analysis +plus travel | |
Producing draft report of Candlelight comments | |
Total |
Tasks
Tasks of the evaluator will include the following:
- Draft inception report including evaluation frame work and implementation plan,
- Develop evaluation instruments and conduct validation and field testing of the same,
- Undertake the evaluation in sampled project villages in two regions (Togdheer and Sool)
- A representative sample of the beneficiaries interviewed, including other relevant stakeholders and local leaders
- Evaluator team must ensure active participation of different categories of people including women.
- Prepare the evaluation report and present the findings.
Key deliverables
The consultant is expected to deliver the following;
- Inception report
- Data collection tools
- Draft reports for review by Candlelight and Caritas
- Final report
The final report is expected to include title page, Executive summary (Description of program/project, purpose of the evaluation, methodology, summary of main findings, implications of findings and recommendations, if appropriate), Introduction and Background, Methodology, Findings, Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations and Annexes.
- QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES OF THE LEAD CONSULTANT
The consultant should
- Have necessary qualification and expertise to evaluate Food security, health and nutrition projects.
- Have significant experience in project survey, data analysis and report preparation.
- Have significant experience in Somalia/ Somaliland.
- Be fluent in English.
- RENUMERATION, LOGISTICS AND APPLICATION
- Renumeration
The budget for this evaluation shall include consultant professional fees, enumerator’s fees and accommodation and shall be distributed as follows.
Installment | Deliverables | %ge payment |
1st installment | Inception Report | 40% Payment |
2nd installment | Draft evaluation report | 30% payment |
3rd installment | Satisfactory completion and submission of the final evaluation report to Candlelight along with other relevant docs | 30% payment |
- Project Information
Candlelight will provide the required project documents and any other relevant project information.
- Communication and reporting
The Consultant will work in close contact with Candlelight Togdheer, and Sool Regional Representatives, Project Coordinators and the Program Manager and MEAL team.
- Application
Interested candidates can submit their application together with CVs. Technical bids should clearly show methodology, timelines, and experience in similar assignments. Financial bids should reflect itemized price quotation of consultancy fees. Applications should be sent to the email hr@candlelightsom.org not later than 20th May 2021. Applicants can also submit samples of previous similar assignments.
Inquiries may also be sent to the same email above or call 523146 only on Sunday – Thursday between 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Note: Candlelight is Equal Opportunity Employer and in that case Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/QaranJobs.so
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/somaliajobs
Linkedin: https://so.linkedin.com/company/qaranjobs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/QaranJobs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qaranjobs
To apply for this job email your details to hr@candlelightsom.org