Invitation Letter RFP-AFG- 013 Provision of Consultancy Services

Annex F

Terms of Reference for Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an evaluation of the outcomes under UNDP ABADEI

The evaluation seeks to gain further insights and assessment of the outcome indicators of the project which is further described in following sections.

Country Office

DRC Afghanistan

Project Area

Afghanistan, all area offices and relevant field offices in East, South, Central and West

Consultancy timeline

The evaluation will be commenced in January 2022, with the final report due on March 1, 2023. DRC will give the consultant with the required information to create a table containing the tasks, timelines, and deliverables for which the consultants will be responsible and accountable, as well as those involving DRC, and indicating who is responsible for completing each assignment.

Introduction

Project

DRC started implementing the Area Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiative (ABADEI) in mid-March 2022. The project aims to promote shock-affected households’ self-reliance and community resilience through an area-based program integrating basic needs, economic recovery and protection assistance with peacebuilding and social cohesion initiatives. DRC addresses exacerbated vulnerabilities through appropriate basic needs response, while transitioning a sub-set of the most vulnerable target households to economic recovery assistance. The project is expected to end by March 2023.

The intervention is fully aligned with UNDP’s overarching ABADEI strategy and priority activities, providing community-level solutions which complement urgent humanitarian interventions. In line with the ABADEI timeline, in this first phase of the program (06 – 12 months), DRC focused primarily on the preservation of basic human needs and on the safeguarding of essential services and livelihoods. However, the project is also designed to link emergency support with medium-term interventions, by leveraging market-based approaches and the long-term impact of the construction, repair and rehabilitation of key community infrastructure and of conflict-mitigation interventions. This approach, compared to more fragmented programming, is more likely to reduce the impact of recurrent shocks and stresses in target communities and supports local peacebuilding efforts that are essential for development to be sustainable. Leveraging DRC’s technical expertise, established presence in the target locations and over a decade of experience implementing community-driven integrated programs in Afghanistan, the intervention primarily contributed to ABADEI Outcomes 2, 3 and 4, namely community livelihoods and local economic activities are safeguarded; farm-based livelihoods are protected from natural disasters; and community resilience and social cohesion are strengthened. In support of UNDP priorities for Afghanistan, the project contributed to protecting the hard-won development gains of the last twenty years, including progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are now in jeopardy of being lost.

Main objective: Promote shock-affected households’ self-reliance and community resilience through area-based program integrating basic needs, economic recovery and protection assistance with peacebuilding and social cohesion initiatives.

Specific objectives:

Safeguard community-based livelihoods and local economic activities

Protect farm-based livelihoods from natural disasters

Improve community resilience

Project Activities

The project activities included:

• Under ABADEI Outcome 2: local level private sector support (technical and financial support to MEs and SMEs)
• Under ABADEI Outcome 3: construction, repair and rehabilitation of disaster resilient infrastructure
• Under ABADEI Outcome 4: conflict analysis, conflict management trainings to local actors, participatory and inclusive community safety planning, youth empowerment programmes, legal counselling services awareness, capacity building to legal practitioners and local counsellors, and explosive ordnance risk education (EORE)

While the intervention is directly aligned with ABADEI Outcomes 2, 3 and 4, the project design also addressed ABADEI Outcome 1 by promoting food security through emergency and livelihoods support, as well as the provision of essential services through the participatory selection of infrastructure for rehabilitation via cash for work.

DRC in Afghanistan

DRC has worked in Afghanistan since the 1990s, through Humanitarian Mine Action, and expanded its scope and reach of programming in 2011 to provide multi-sector and holistic packages of assistance. We currently work in four regions of the country (West, East, South and Central), focusing on the most vulnerable and at-risk of conflict and natural disaster-affected populations, including IDPs, host communities and documented/undocumented returnees.

Under the Strategy 2025, DRC Afghanistan will implement a comprehensive programme aimed at increasing protection and enhancing inclusion across Emergency, Protection, Economic Recovery, Shelter & Settlements, Camp Coordination and Camp Management, and Humanitarian Disarmament & Peacebuilding sectors. Due to the unpredictability of the Afghan context, DRC will maintain capacity to respond to sudden and large-scale emergencies, while also promoting the transition to long-term recovery programming.

DRC is a lead Protection actor in Afghanistan where it is implementing a range of general protection services. These include psychosocial support, legal counselling and awareness as well as support to obtaining civil documentation, protection monitoring. DRC is also co-leading the protection cluster in two provinces (south and west) and has a growing presence at the main border crossings between Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, where teams provide Explosive Ordinance Risk Education (EORE) as well as limited protection support in terms of operating a call center for the reunification of families of individuals arriving at the border and supporting in referrals as needed.

DRC mission in Afghanistan currently operates across 18 provinces from four Area Offices and one Country Office. The mission includes more than 1,000 staff, for a projected portfolio of approximately 50 million USD for 2022.

Scope And Focus of The Evaluation

Scope

The end of project evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the project implementation strategy and the results. This will include the implementation modality, coordination, beneficiary participation, accountability and feedback mechanisms applied for the project, replication, and sustainability of the project. The evaluation will include a review of the project design and assumptions made at the beginning of the project development process. Project management, including the implementation strategy; project activities, will assess the extent to which the project results have been achieved, capacities built, and cross cutting issues of mainstreaming gender, human rights, and social cohesion have been addressed. It will also assess whether the project implementation strategy has been optimal and recommend areas for improvement and learning. In order to achieve these objectives; will focus on the areas in the following section.

The Evaluation Questions

The following key questions will guide the end of project evaluation:

Evaluation Criteria

Relevant questions

Relevance and appropriateness

1. Were the primary objectives viable? Were these realistic?
2. Was the project relevant to the identified targeted groups’ needs? If not, how well has the project adjusted to them?
3. Were the inputs and strategies identified, and where they realistic, appropriate and adequate to achieve the results?

Effectiveness

1. To what extent did the project achieve its overall objectives?
2. What and how much progress has been made towards achieving the overall results (impacts, outcomes and outputs) of the project (including contributing factors and constraints)?
3. What significant changes has the project brought about? Where has it done well enough? and where has it underperformed? Why have there been fewer accomplishments in some areas, if any? What were the reasons?
4. Where there any differential results across the different targeted groups?

Efficiency

1. Did the actual or expected results (outputs and outcomes) justify the costs incurred? Were the resources effectively utilized?
2. What factors contributed to implementation efficiency?
3. Are there more efficient ways and means of delivering more and better results (outputs and outcomes) with the available inputs? Could an alternative strategy have obtained better results?
4. How efficient were the management and accountability structures of the project?
5. What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the project implementation?
6. Have project resources and activities been delivered in a timely manner?

Impact

1. Has the intervention caused a significant change in the lives of the intended beneficiaries (individuals, households and/or communities depending on the intended outcomes and nature of the different activities)? what changes have occurred in the target population that may be attributable to project activities? How could the impact/results be strengthened further?
2. What activity or combination of activities yields the greatest outcomes or impact?
3. Has the intervention led to higher-level effects (Infrastructures, norms or systems including market systems)?
4. Did the intervention appropriately supported all the intended target groups, including the most disadvantaged and vulnerable?
5. Is the intervention transformative? does it create enduring changes in norms – including gender norms– and systems, whether intended or not?
6. Is the intervention leading to other changes, including “scalable” or “replicable” results?
7. Did the intervention lead to any unintended positive or negative results? If yes, what are the causes of any unintended outcomes, either positive or negative?
8. To what extent, the communities feel safe / secure in terms of support provided?

Sustainability

1. How likely is it that the project’s results will be sustained after its completion?
2. What are the chances of continuation and sustainability of project outcomes and benefits following project completion?
3. How effective were the project’s exit strategies and ways to phase out assistance, including possible triggers and barriers?
4. What are the main determinants that require to be addressed in order to boost the chances of the project’s outcomes being sustainable and the possibility of replication?
5. How were capacities improved both on an individual and an organizational level? And to what extent the communities show the ownership of structures?
6. What are the main lessons that have emerged?
7. What are the recommendations for a second phase or similar support in future? (NB: The recommendations should provide comprehensive proposals for future interventions based on the current evaluation findings and within the strategic framework illustrated by DRC during the inception phase of the consultancy)

Methodology

The End of Project evaluation will be carried out in accordance with UNEG Evaluation Norms and Standards of Evaluation and Ethical Standards[1] as well as OECD/DAC evaluation principles and guidelines and in full compliance with the DAC Evaluation Quality Standards[2]. This is a summative evaluation involving qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the support to DRC program implementation and performance and to make recommendations for the future programming.

The consultant will be expected to design the evaluation plan, selecting the most appropriate methodologies, to be discussed and agreed with DRC Afghanistan CO team. The selected methodologies should be participatory, reflect and test the project logical framework /Theory of Change and be designed to effectively assess the process of change.

Data Collection:

primary data collection will be conducted using a combination of primarily quantitative and qualitative methods and tools including but not limited to:

• Desk / document review: Review of program documents (proposal, M&E framework, activity reports, annual project reports, work plan, budget and financial reports, PDM reports, formative KAPB study report, and protocols)
• Key informant interviews: with key project staff, community leaders, local authorities and other project stakeholders
• Focus group discussions: with target groups at district and community levels for the different project activities
• Beneficiary surveys: with direct project beneficiaries for the different project activities

Expected Deliverables

The consultant is expected to submit the following deliverables:

1. Inception report: The consultant will produce an inception report in English that describes the evaluation’s general scope and how evaluation questions will be addressed. This is to ensure that both the evaluator and DRC team have a common understanding of the evaluation. The inception report will comprise an evaluation matrix that summarizes the evaluation criteria, methodology, evaluation questions, data sources, and analysis approach for each data source. I addition, the report will include the scope of work, work plan, time frame and the analysis approach. The inception report will be submitted one week after signing the contract.
2. Draft Evaluation report: The Evaluator will draft the Evaluation Report in English in accordance with the recommended structure:

• Executive summary
• Brief background (as directly relevant to the report’s analysis and conclusions)
• Methodology (including challenges and data collection approach)
• Key findings and conclusions by sector/result (supported with relevant data, and data source)
• Lessons and recommendations for implementation of future projects and for wider learning, including by sector/result. Recommendations should include details as to how they might be implemented)
• Annexes including list of all data collection tools, interview guides, work schedule, and any other technical details

The report will be reviewed to ensure that the evaluation meets the required quality criteria. Comments from the stakeholders will be provided within 7 working days after the reception of the Draft Report.

1. The final report (30 to 50 pages): The consultant will be required to address all the comments received by the DRC and relevant stakeholders.The report should be finalized in 10 working days after receiving the revised first draft from DRC.

DRC contribution

DRC will allocate a focal point (MEAL Manager/Specialist) that will support the selected consultant throughout the duration of the project. Additionally, DRC will be able to provide a focal point (MEAL Team Leader), who will assist the consultant with the coordination and providing contacts of the relevant staff and beneficiaries. These are DRC staff currently stationed in these locations who can be trained in the administration of the survey and data collection methods.

Following the kick-off meeting, DRC will provide selected consultant with available literature for review, as well as any other available documentary materials required.

The cost of travel and other expenses should be included in the overall quotation for the service.

Consultant Profile

1. The successful applicant will be a reputable local or international firm with demonstrable experience and access to Afghanistan, and expertise in conducting large-scale field assessments. Some of the key requirements are An advanced degree (Master of PhD) in social studies, public policy and management, public administration, development studies, international development or any other relevant university degree.
2. At least 7 years of experience in designing, undertaking and leading monitoring and evaluation and conducting similar activities for international organizations and donors. Proven experience in conducting primary data collection including in fragile/developing contexts;
3. Excellent analytical and reporting skills. Familiarity both quantitative and qualitative data analyses methodologies. Excellent command of written and spoken English as well as local languages Dari and Pashto.
4. Experience of coordinating with a diverse set of stakeholders, including NGO staff, government institutes and officials, community members, private sector actors, and local and international NGOs;
5. Familiarity with Afghanistan context.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The consultant shall be paid the consultancy fee upon completion of the following milestones:

• 30% after adoption of the inception report
• 30% after presentation of the draft report
• 40% after the approval of the final report

The consultancy fee will be paid as Lump Sum Amount and the contract price will be fixed regardless of changes in the cost components.

Duty Station

Afghanistan, Kabul with regular visits to carry out data collection activities.

How to apply

The application is open for national consultancy firms in Afghanistan. Candidates / Firms should apply by submitting the following documents:

1. Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
2. Personal CV, indicating all past experience from similar projects for all the staff anticipated to take part of the evaluation
3. Technical proposal identifying the technical approach for conducting the evaluation including the sampling methodology, tools for data collection, data collection process and analysis approach, timeline and workplan, etc.
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs
5. Samples of previous similar reports of evaluations and/or baselines or any relevant research activity
6. Firm registration papers

To apply for this Consultancy please see below link and send you RFQ back to the tender email added in the RFQ https://www.acbar.org/site-rfq/17746 for any question, please reach out to below email [email protected]

COMMITMENT to principled service delivery

In light of the current context in Afghanistan and the sensitivity of the matter treated under this consultancy, the selected consultant shall commit to the following the following principles throughout the entire duration of the engagement with DRC and with regards to the use of the materials collected during the service after the end of the work:

1. Do no harm
2. Free prior informed consent
3. Informant confidentiality
4. Protection of information
5. Non-discrimination and respect
6. Ethical data collection
7. Holistic participation
8. Collaborative learning
9. Cultural sensitivity

Evaluation of consultants

Technical/financial Evaluation

Technical/Finance proportion: 75/25

Minimum passing technical score 50

The technical criteria for this consultancy and their weighting in the technical evaluation are:

Technical criteria #

Technical criteria

Weighting in technical evaluation

1

Technical quality of the research proposal

15%

1.2

Demonstrated understanding of the methodology and requested deliverables, all important components of the ToR are sufficiently addressed and considered

10%

1.3

Style, language, sophistication, and presentation

5%

2

Expertise and access

40%

2.1

Demonstrated previous experience of working in Afghanistan

10%

Demonstrated experience in conducting research on similar topics

15%

2.2

Must have access to or presence of a field team for data collection in Afghanistan and a team of researchers available in country of assignment with English language and Dari/Pashto language skills;

15%

3

Personal Qualifications (of staff involved in the project)

20%

3.1

A Master’s degree in economics; economic and political development; political sciences or other relevant subjects

10%

3.2

Must have a minimum of 6 years of experience with assessments or monitoring and evaluation and experience in undertaking assessments in an fragile context

10%

Financial Evaluation*

25%

Total Maximum Score

100%

*Administrative Evaluation:

• A.1 Technical Bid Form: Template provided by DRC with this RFP – Bidder must complete ALL sections in full, sign, stamp and submit. Absences/missing this document will result in the disqualification of your bid. MANDATORY.
• A.2 Financial Bid Form: Detailed budget covering all fees and expense, which details costs required for each and deliverables Submit the Financial bid envelope. MANDATORY
• Tender and Contract Award Acknowledgment Certificate Template provided by DRC with this ITB – Bidder must complete ALL sections in full, sign, stamp and submit _ MANDATORY
• C General Conditions of Contract: Template provided by DRC with this ITB – Read and familiarize – Will be required at the signing of contract
• D Supplier Code of Conduct: Template provided by DRC with this ITB – Bidder must complete ALL sections in full, sign, stamp and submit _ MANDATORY
• E Supplier Profile and Registration Form: Template provided by DRC with this ITB – Bidder must complete ALL sections in full, sign, stamp and submit _ MANDATORY
• A Copy of Valid Business License: To meet this requirement: A copy of valid business registration shall be attached as part of the bid. Absences/missing this of the document will result in disqualification of the bidder’s bids. MANDATORY (Note: if individual only copy of CV/s Copy of NID/Passport to be submitted**)**
• A copy of NID for President and vice president To meet this requirement: The president and vice president of a company shall submit proof of their national ID (Tazkera and Passport)
• Previews experience: Sample of Comparable work (both research and training materials: To meet this requirement: The bidders are requested to submit a list of previews experience in the following format:
• Name of project
• Start date
• Completion date
• Project value (Amount)
• Location
• Client: (Organization. Email. Phone number and position of reference)
• Detailed proposal: To meet this requirement, the bidders are required to submit a detailed proposal about the requested consultancy
• Detailed Work plan: To meet this requirement, the bidders are required to submit a detailed proposal about the requested consultancy
• References: To meet this requirement, at least 3 references related to relevant work previously conduct are required to be submitted along with the bid

[1] http://www.unevaluation.org/document/detail/1914

[2] https://www.oecd.org/dac/evaluation/daccriteriaforevaluatingdevelopmentassistance.htm

How to apply

Interested bidders are required to go through below link and apply to the RFP as per its requirement

https://www.acbar.org/site-rfq/20027