Evaluation of MGD FFE (NDOKK) Project in The Gambia

https://www.crs.org/about/bid-opportunity Please visit the CRS.org website for the full scope of work and attachments.

CRS Gambia is seeking an individual consultant or a research consulting firm to lead its external performance evaluation process for baseline (2023), midterm (2025), and final (2027) evaluations to measure progress towards meeting its objectives that relate to literacy, health and hygiene behaviors as outlined in the Results Framework (Annex A) and detailed in the Theory of Change (in the above section). As part of the midterm evaluation and endline evaluation special study will be commissioned. The special study will focus on (1)) what are the endogenous, socio-cultural, and environmental factors associated with malnutrition in school-aged children in The Gambia? The midterm and final evaluation contracts will be dependent on the satisfactory completion of the baseline assessment. The midterm and final evaluations will be re-requisitioned if the baseline is not deemed to have been completed in a manner that CRS or donor consider satisfactory. The methodology and sampling detailed below may require revision by the consulting entity based on the results of the baseline and recommendations from the consultant.

The purpose of the baseline study is to establish a reference point and identify any underlying factors impacting literacy, nutrition, and health of school-aged children, and to establish questions to test the project’s theory of change. Baseline values will be collected for all indicators with non-zero baseline values through a randomized sample of schools across all targeted regions. The results obtained from this evaluation will serve as a basis for comparison with the midterm and final evaluations. This baseline data will also be used to adjust the project’s intervention logic against the context if necessary.
CRS will establish indicator baseline values and confirm targets for regular performance measurement and reporting within the project’s first seven months. (See list of performance indicators in Attachment D.) The data collection techniques and methodologies for establishing baseline information include: 1) survey questionnaires, direct observations and EGRA; 2) school profiles completed as part of an initial assessment of all target schools; 3) direct classroom observation using tool developed by CRS; and 4) qualitative focus group discussions and key informant interviews to triangulate and contextualize quantitative data. The external evaluator will be responsible for the survey questionnaires, direct observations, EGRA, and quantitative data collection at baseline.