DSW Healthcare Services Project End Term Evaluation Terms of Reference

DSW
 

Terms of Reference for End Term Evaluation for a Project Titled “Increasing Community-Based Maternal and New-Born Child Healthcare Services for 6,000 People in Kenya Using Faith-Based Approaches

Introduction

1. Background information: “Increasing community-based maternal and new-born child healthcare services using faith-based approaches is a two year project that aims at improving the MDGs indicators on maternal health, reduces child mortality and combats HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases in Machakos and Garissa counties. 

 

The strategy is to empower influential community leaders and gatekeepers – especially faith leaders, Community leaders, family members, local NGOs, CHWs and county officials, and taking a faith based approach – to remove cultural and other barriers to quality care and improve access to Family Planning (FP) and Reproductive Maternal Child Health (RMCH), thus improving RMCH outcomes and progress toward the MDGs, the Kenya Health Policy 2012-2030, its community health strategy and DFID’s Kenya Operational Plan 2011-15.

The project is anchored on four thematic areas: capacity development, service delivery, advocacy and knowledge sharing. 

The capacity of local people, such as CHWs, faith leaders, community leaders and civic administrators will be enhanced through training using government-approved curriculum and faith-friendly approaches to deliver effective RMCH services in the community.  

Family Health Action Groups will be formed to meet monthly and discuss internal RMCH needs. 

Delivery of services will be improved by equipping CHWs and facilitating their transportation to conduct home visits in order to provide RMCH services. 

They will be equipped with basic healthcare kits, FP commodities and communications consumables.

CHWs will be mobilized into Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC), CHWs will borrow from this micro-fund and to establish micro-businesses for their own empowerment and project sustainability.

As champions of RMCH best practices and intra-community dialogue, faith leaders shall be responsible for advocacy and campaigning to influence uptake of services & commitment of local resources to RMCH. 

They will hold dialogue sessions with stakeholders and conduct sensitization sessions in their communities of influence. 

The project uses mobile phone technology to disseminate information and share knowledge. 

It will provide CHWs, FHAGs and faith leaders with telephone talk-time, which they will use to send RMCH information to community members at regular intervals.

Project Outputs

The project has five major project outputs;

• 100 CHWs with adequate capacity for working with communities on primary RMCH services using a faith-based approach


• 100 Family Health Action Groups (FHAGs) established in local communities


• 50 Faith Leaders (FLs) and congregations mobilized to champion for increased uptake of RMCH services


• 6,000 people reached with information on RMCH in the community


• 10 Linkages and partnerships developed for improvement of local RMCH needs

2. Purpose of the independent final evaluation

The independent End-term evaluation report needs to be a substantial document that
 

a) Answers all the elements of the Terms of Reference (ToR);
 

b) Provides findings and conclusions that are based on robust and transparent evidence; and
 

c) Where necessary, supplements project’s own data with independent research.

The independent final evaluation has three key objectives:

1. To assess the achievement of the key expected results and overall performance of key indicators measured in the baseline as well as assess on how the project incorporated the Baseline recommendations.

2. To assess the extent to which the project performed well and was good value for money, which includes considering;

• How well the project met its objectives;


• How well the project applied value for money principles of effectiveness, economy, efficiency in relation to delivery of its results;


• What has happened because of the project funding that wouldn’t have otherwise happened; and


• How well the project aligns with national and county health goals/priorities of supporting the delivery of the MDGs;


• Has the project attracted further funding or allocation of resources from sources other than the project donor;


• What worked well and how it can be replicated;


• To what extent are the results of the project sustainable;


• How have the programme objectives contributed to partners strategic objectives


• Examine and assess Donor visibility during implementation of the action.

3. To independently verify (and supplement where necessary), project record of achievement as reported through Annual Reports and defined in the project’s logframe;

Evaluation questions
 

Some of the key questions to be addressed in order to achieve objectives include but not limited to;

Relevance

• To what extent did the project support achievement towards the MDGs, specifically off-track MDGs?


• To what extent did the project target and reach the poor, and those previously not seeking required health services?


• To what extent did the project mainstream gender equality in the design and delivery of activities (and or other relevant excluded groups)?


• How well did the project respond to the needs of target beneficiaries, including how these needs evolved over time?

Effectiveness

• To what extent are the results that are reported a fair and accurate record of achievement?


• To what extent has the project delivered results that are value for money? To include but not limited to:


• How well the project applied value for money principles of effectiveness, economy, efficiency in relation to delivery of its outcome;


• What has happened because of DFID funding that wouldn’t have otherwise happened; and


• To what extent has the project used learning to improve delivery?


• What are the key drivers and barriers affecting the delivery of results for the project?

Efficiency

• To what extent did the project deliver results on time and on budget against agreed plans?


• To what extent did the project understand cost drivers and manage these in relation to performance requirements?

Sustainability

• To what extent has the project leveraged additional resources, financial and in-kind from other sources?


• What effect has this had on the scale, delivery or sustainability of activities?


• To what extent is there evidence that the benefits delivered by the project will be sustained after the project ends?

Impact

• To what extent and how, has the project built the capacity of the beneficiary communities?


• How many people are receiving support from the project that otherwise would not have received support?


• To what extent and how has the project affected people in ways that were not originally intended?

3. The Proposed Evaluation Process

The following process will be followed;
 

a) A desk-review of relevant project documents, including project proposal, log frame and other relevant documents, a range of which will be agreed upon and made available prior to the implementation of the survey.
 

b) An inception report, detailing the Evaluation framework, survey design, methodology, indicators, tools, work plan schedule and budget to carry out the assignment in each country will be written.
 

c) Data and relevant information will be collected data through field work in the project area. Data will be analysed findings interpreted based on this give recommendations.
 

d) Following completion of the data collection, the Consultant will make a presentation to project staff on the provisional findings and likely recommendations.
 

e) Further to this, the Consultant will present a draft report for inputs by MADE, DSW, Global One and stakeholders as appropriate. The report shall be comprehensive and provide detailed specific findings and providing key recommendations on the way forward.
 

f) The Consultant will then finalize the report and resubmit the Final Report to DSW Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya in six hard copies and six soft copies in a compact disk. The partners shall have sole ownership of all final data and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of the partners.

1. Products Expected from the Final Evaluation

• Inception report – give more explanations and relate it to key issues targeted by the End-Term evaluation with clear recommendations on corrective action and areas of replication.


• Summary of field visit reports


• Draft final report – submitted for review accompanied by a debriefing of the key findings with DSW Regional Office.  


• Final report – compiled based on the feedback gathered and submitted to the DSW Regional Office.

2. Methodology
 

It is anticipated that the Consultant will interact with project personnel and beneficiaries and collect data and information for the evaluation through various methods relevant to the exercise. 

The Consultant will need to be cognizant of furthering data collection techniques utilized during the project baseline to ensure consistency of the evaluation approach. Hence, use of mix method data collection methodology is highly recommended. 

The Consultant should provide every possible opportunity for project stakeholders and beneficiaries to participate in and contribute to the end-term evaluation. 

In particular the Consultant will be expected to:

a) Study the key project documents including proposal and logframe.
b) Study the project summary and interim technical reports for year 1 and year 2.
c) Study project baseline, key events, work shop, training and accreditation reports.

In carrying out the evaluation, the Consultant should ensure independence and impartiality to ensure objectivity of the evaluation.

3. Qualifications and Experience

 
The Consultant(s) must have post-graduate qualification in relevant field (social / health sciences, business, economics and gender issues) with good specialization in Sexual Reproductive Health or Microenterprise. 

The Consultant(s) should have demonstrated knowledge and experience in monitoring and evaluating health/development projects regionally.

Specifically, the Consultant(s) selected must have the following qualifications to be considered:

• At least 8 years research experience in Sociology, demography, and gender issues in a development setting (evidence may be required);


• A Masters’ degree in any of the above relevant fields would be an added advantage; 


• Experience in undertaking research in the social and health sector;


• Experience working in Kenya with particular focus in the 2 program target counties;


• Demonstrated high level of professionalism, and an ability to work independently and within the limits of given deadlines;


• Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills;


• High proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

4. Work Plan: The consultancy is for twenty one (21) days to be completed before 16th June, 2016. 

On starting the consultant is expected to develop his/her timetable or work plan together with the DSW / Global One team;

Application Procedure
 

Interested Consultants/firms are requested to send their applications via email to info@dswkenya.org by Wednesday 14th May 2015 with the title ‘Consultancy: F4CW End-term evaluation’ clearly indicated in the subject line. 

Applications should include the following documents:

• Cover letter


• Interpretation of the ToR


• Detailed work plan and timeframe


• Costed budget (in Ksh.) covering each stage detailed in the workplan;


• Brief outline of the methodology the Consultant(s) will use to guide the process; explaining in detail the methodology and tools to be used in carrying out the assignment;


• Proposed evaluation framework;


• Proposed outline for the report;


• Capacity statement including a minimum of three (3) samples of reports developed by the Consultant(s) addressing similar issues;


• Detailed resume(s) highlighting the work that the Consultant(s) has undertaken, which is relevant to this assignment;

NB: Shortlisted consultants may be required to make a presentation prior to awarding of the consultancy.