Final Evaluation- ForumCiv Project

REQUEST FOR CONSULTANCY

Terms of Reference

 Final Evaluation- ForumCiv Project- Gaza Strip

December 2022

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

ActionAid Palestine is implementing a 3-year Resilience and Protection Project in partnership with Maan Development Centre and the Palestinian Development Women Studies Association, funded by ForumCiv through ActionAid Sweden. The purpose for the project is that “Women and young women in middle Gaza area enjoy improved protection and resilience in their communities (Johor El Deek, Mughragah, Wadi Gaza and West Nuseirat and Al Mussadar, Abu Al Ajeen, Wadi Al Salqa and Al Zawaida)”.The overall goal of the project is that: “Women and young women affected by protracted crisis and disasters in middle Gaza area have strengthened resilience and protection in line with IHRL and IHL”

2. PURPOSE & RATIOANALE

The rationale for this final evaluation is to independently assess the project achievements, strengths, weaknesses, and implementation constraints, with a view to identifying any lessons that can be incorporated for future ActionAid resilience and protection projects.

The objective of the final evaluation is supposed to assess the extent to which the project enhanced Protection and resilience of Palestinian women targeted by the three project’s sub-goals:

• Sub-goal 1: Vulnerability and increased protection of women to GBV and other threats are reduced.
• Sub-goal 2: Local accountability and women’s leadership/influence in women-led protection, preparedness and response (PPR) are strengthened.
• Sub-goal 3: Social and economic resilience of women’s survivors of GBV is enhanced.

The rationale for this final evaluation is to independently examine the key project’s components and their contributions to enhance Palestinian communities’ protection and resilience to threats, shocks and stresses perpetuated by the protracted crisis and disasters in Middle Gaza. The evaluation will be guided by the OECD DAC evaluation criteria[1]. More specifically, we are looking at the following objectives under this assignment: 

• Effectiveness: Is the project achieving its objectives?
• Relevance: Is the project doing the right things? To which extent does the project objectives and design respond to right-holders, country, and partner/institution needs, policies, and priorities, and continue to do so if circumstances change. Kindly include the validity of project indicators and monitoring and evaluation methods, baselines, used to measure the goal achievements as per the goals and risk matrix (considering the gender equality, environment or climate issues).
• Coherence: How well does the intervention fit? Assess the compatibility of the project with other interventions within the Gaza strip.
• Impact: What difference does the project make? Assess to which extent the intervention has generated or is expected to generate significant positive or negative, intended or unintended, higher-level effects.
• Efficiency: How well are resources being used? Assess to which extent the intervention delivers (or is likely to deliver) results in an economic and timely way i.e. cost effectiveness.
• Sustainability: Will the benefits lasts? Assess the sustainability of the achieved project’s results.
• Provide an independent assessment on the status of women’s protection and preparedness committees’ leadership, influence and capability of undertaking awareness and accountability actions, in addition to assessing the performance on women’s livelihood projects’ sustainability and contribution to strengthened protection and resilience.
• Highlight achievements; identify gaps, lessons learned and provide recommendations that can be incorporated for future ActionAid resilience and protection projects during the implementation period of the project in the three years.
• Assess the project impact on AAP's and its local partners organizational capacity in terms of: work rights-based, manage the decision-making processes, using diversified financial sources more strategically and independently, operate in a more democratic, including, transparent way.

 3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Delivery of final report providing qualitative and quantitative findings including:

• Introduction
• Methodology
• Summary of the project
• Summary of the findings
• Findings:
  • Relevance
  • Coherence
  • Effectiveness
  • Efficiency
  • Impact
  • Sustainability
  • Accountability
  • Shifting power & Localization
• Recommendations and lessons learned
• Case studies demonstrating impact

The report should be written clearly, and succinctly in an easily understandable language, conclusions should be clear, logical, defensible and reflect clearly from consultations with stakeholders

4. METHODOLOGY

The proposed evaluation will utilize a variety of methods to collect and analyse data – using participatory methods in the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data.

The evaluation will include:

1. Conduct a preliminary meeting with AAP and partners to agree on the assignment framework.
2. Conduct a desk review (Project document, project reports, and other relevant documents)
3. Design data collection tools to be used for the evaluation as per the agreed methodology.
4. Preparing an inception report outlining the approach/methodology to be employed in executing the assignment:

• Timeline/schedule of activities
• Detailed methodology of how to collect, triangulate and summarize both quantitative and qualitative data.

5. Conduct field work, FGDs, interviews and any other participatory tools might be relevant for collecting and verifying data.

1. Report writing (in well-written English) first draft and final draft.
2. Debrief with project and country management teams.   

5. SCHEDULE

The evaluation shall be conducted between 2nd of January -20th of February, 2023. Specific level of effort for the consultant will be based on the agreed workplan that will be finalized with the contract.

6. QUALIFICATIONS OF CONSULTANT

• Demonstrated experience in development programmes evaluations, including selecting methodology appropriate for the project’s-specific factors, sampling, applying a mixed methods approach, developing/revising participatory data collection tools, developing data quality protocols and training enumerators.
• Demonstrated 10 years’ experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Knowledge and experience with Community based structures/groups and their role in community development and protection.
• Knowledge and experience developing and/or using participatory evaluation tools
• Strong understanding of the socio-economic context of Gaza, more specifically the Middle Area governorate in relation to women’s social and economic empowerment and protection and preparedness community committees.
• Fluency in English and Arabic is mandatory.

7. APPLICATION PROCESS

 Consultants/firms that meet the requirements should submit expression of interest, which should include the following:

1. Cover letter including the consultant’s/firm’s suitability for the assignment and current contact information
2. Curriculum Vitae of lead consultant/s with relevant consultancy experience in MEAL – please make a reference to other consultancy assignments in the same field. This is applicable for both individuals and firms.
3. At least 2 recommendation letters from former clients that testify the applicant/s experience and performance in conducting projects reviews/evaluations.
4. Include 1-2 samples of previous evaluation work
5. Technical offer: respond to the call for consultancy TOR, with specific focus addressing the purpose and objectives of the assignment, methodology to be used and key selection criteria.
6. Financial offer: detailed budget breakdown based on expected daily rates in USD and initial work plan.
7. Initial draft of the proposed work plan

Prerequisites for accepting Consultants/firms financial offer:

• Prices are inclusive of value added tax for establishments officially registered with the Ministry of Finance; while for individuals and non-profit institutions, the offered prices will be subject to a 5% deduction for income tax.
• The Consultancy firms have to provide a valid deduct from source certificate along with the offer.
• Prices must be in US Dollars valid for 30 days from the closing date of proposal submission.
• Prices must include all expenses related to this consultancy e.g., travel, stationary, per diems…etc

All offers must be delivered no later than Thursday, 25th of December 2022, at 13:00 to [email protected]

ActionAid Palestine is keen to provide equal opportunities for all. The consultants will be selected according to the above qualifications, and only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

[1] Evaluation Criteria - OECD