Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Consultant

Terms of Reference

Title:Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Consultant to develop joint MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) for the project: Tax Justice, Budget Monitoring, and Citizen Participation in oPt.
Duty station:MIFTAH office, Ramallah.  
Duration:1/04/2015 - 15/12/2015.

      

I-General Background of Project / Assignment

The Tax Justice, Budget Monitoring, and Citizen Participation programme in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) has an overall objective for Palestinian national and local budgets to be responsive to the needs of poor and marginalized while supporting autonomy and transparency in revenue generation. In order to reach the overall project objective, OXFAM, the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH), AMAN Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN), The Applied Research Institute (ARIJ), and Teachers Creativity Center (TCC), have formulated the following specific objectives:

SO1: Citizens, media, and civil society organizations have an effective voice in demanding transparency and accountability of budget stakeholders and are capable to formulate relevant policy alternatives;

SO 2: Citizens and civil society organizations contribute to a just, effective, predictable and transparent revenue system;

SO 3: Budget stakeholders allocate public resources in a fair way to support marginalized citizens, in particular women and girls, giving them access to their basic rights (education, health, social welfare).

The joint project focuses on participatory and citizens budgeting; revenues and allocations of revenues, tax reform, and enhancing transparency and social accountability.

The project is designed to be implemented during a period of 12 months starting January 2015 using a participatory joint approach.
 

II-Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The main objective of this assignment is to develop a joint MEAL system for the joint. The Consultant will assist the implementing partners in reviewing M&E needs and establishing necessary practical procedures and measures that would operationalize data collection and processing.  After one year of implementation, MEAL findings will inform revisions and draw longer-term directions of the project.

Under the supervision of MIFTAH and OXFAM, the consultant is expected to:
-Review relevant documents, including but not limited to the joint programme document,  partners workplans, logframes, and budgets.
-The consultant will liaise with partner organizations to review the M&E needs and plans of the project, and conduct field assessment in the project areas to develop relevant indicators to monitor the project outputs.  The assessment should engage key project partners, in particular AMAN, ARIJ, MIFTAH, and TCC, and where possible OXFAM focal point.
-Establish data collection and reporting mechanisms; recommend monitoring tools and develop baseline methodology.
-Conduct meetings with key ministries, private sector, relevant civil society organizations, and local authorities to prepare stakeholders analysis.
-Develop one unified consolidated M&E logframe for the joint programme with clear indicative results, sources of verification, risks, and assumptions.
-Finalize and share the joint MEAL with partner organizations, and identify areas of follow up, timetable, and M&E tools including reporting, assessment surveys, interviews, observations, and analysis.
-Conduct field visits to areas of implementation to trace MEAL in respect to indicators, and results.
-Conduct mid-term evaluation and review to assess and inform ongoing project/programme implementation
-Provide an end-line survey that contributes to project/programme evaluation and to monitor changes on longer-term projects/programmes; consolidate findings of the monitoring system.

III-Management arrangements

The consultant will be based in MIFTAH's office in Ramallah. As the main counterpart for this assignment, MIFTAH is responsible to coordinate the work of the consultant, including relevant meetings with partner organizations and stakeholders.

Once selected, the consultant is expected to provide a detailed work plan to be discussed and finalized between the consultant, OXFAM and MIFTAH and shared among partner organizations.

IV-Time frame and deliverables/milestone  

The consultant is expected to provide a workplan and time frame for deliverables and final product.

V-Final Product

Towards the end of the assignment, the consultant is expected to deliver a joint MEAL for the programme, including log frame, baseline data, mid-term evaluation report, M&E tools, and an end-line study.

VI-Qualifications, experience, and key competencies

Education

Post graduate degree in Economics, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Administration, or related fields.
-Experience and key competencies
-Not less than 7 years of experience in the area of M&E, supported with proven record;
-Expertise in developing joint MEAL for programmes/projects is an asset;
-Established experience in social, economic and gender analysis;
-Strong knowledge of the political, economic and social contexts in Palestine and the existing political system;
-Knowledge of public budgets, tax legislations, transparency index and social accountability;
-Expertise in budget monitoring and budget analysis, revenues, allocations, tax legislations;
-Excellent research, drafting, analytical and communication skills;
-Ability to perform well under high pressure and according to time-sensitive schedules; and
-Fluency in English and Arabic is required.


Interested candidates are requested to submit the following documents in a sealed envelope to MIFTAH's office, Al-Rimawi Building, 3rd Floor, Al-Massayef Street (during working hours from 8:00– 4:00, Monday to Thursday and Saturday) no later than March 26, 2015:

A cover letter explaining why they believe he/she is an outstanding candidate for the assignment.
Technical offer including a tentative methodology on developing the M&E system, including tools to be used and a time frame for deliverables based on the above.
Financial proposal including daily fees.
A C.V. and a sample M&E Framework developed by the consultant.

For more information, contact Ms. Kholoud Joubeh, HR Coordinator at 022989490.

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