Consultancy For Endline Evaluation of the Drought Emergency Response for Food and Nutrition Security (DERF) project in Marsabit, Turkana and Samburu

Country: Kenya

Organization: Concern Worldwide

Closing date: 11 May 2023

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Background and context

Drought Emergency Response for Food and Nutrition Security (DERF) is a 12 months project funded by the USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) that runs between 1st July 2022 and 30th June 2023 in Marsabit, Turkana and Samburu Counties. The overarching purpose of this activity is to sustainably improve the food and nutritional security of 250,580vulnerable pastoral and agro-pastoral individuals – men, women, girls, and boys – affected by the drought emergency in Marsabit, Turkana, and Samburu Counties through a multi-sectoral approach that enables individuals to meet their agriculture, food security, nutrition, and WASH needs in the drought emergency.

The proposed interventions in these sectors in the Livestock (Agriculture); Unconditional Food Assistance (Food Assistance); Management of Acute Malnutrition and Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition in Emergencies (MIYCN-E) (Nutrition); Hygiene Promotion, WASH NFIs, Water Supply (WASH) sub-sectors responded to the needs identified within drought-affected communities. Beneficiaries receiving support under the Agriculture sector were also included in the Food Assistance, Nutrition and WASH sector actions, hence a total of 250,580 beneficiaries.

To implement the proposed project and activities, Concern served as Prime and led the project with complementary and synergistic Sub partners – ACTED and local partners Pastoralist Community Initiative and Development Assistance (PACIDA) and Sustainable Approaches for Community Empowerment (SAPCONE). Concern led project implementation in Turkana and Marsabit Counties, while ACTED took lead in Samburu County. Additionally, implementation was also supported by the two local partners in specific targeted Counties: SAPCONE in Turkana County (under Concern) and PACIDA in Marsabit and Samburu Counties (under Concern and ACTED in the respective Counties).

Project Goal

The goal of this activity is to save lives and livelihoods, and to improve capacities of

Vulnerable populations and institutions to respond and cope positively with the effects of the 2021/2022 drought emergency and related shocks in Marsabit, Turkana and Samburu Counties in Kenya.

Project Results:

Sector 1: Agriculture and food security: To improve household food and nutrition outcomes for 114,300 individuals (49,453 male; 63,047 female) through increased access to animal health services for livestock productivity.

Sub-Sector 1.1: Livestock

Indicators

• Number of people benefitting from livestock activities


• Number of animals benefiting from livestock activities


• Number of animals owned per individual.


• Number of people trained in livestock

Data collection methods

Literature review of secondary data in project reports, baseline report, training reports and participants lists and household survey during the endline evaluation,

Data sources

Participant registration database, distribution lists, quarterly data review reports, training report and baseline report.

Sector 2: Food Assistance: To increase access to diverse and nutritious food through provision of life saving unconditional cash transfers for improved food and nutrition security outcomes for 41,940 individuals (20,330 male, 21,610 female).

Sub-Sector 2.1: Unconditional Food Assistance

Indicators

• Number of beneficiaries receiving food assistance


• Percent of households where women reported participating in decisions on the use of food assistance.


• Percent of food assistance decision-making entity members who are women


• Percent of households with poor, borderline, and acceptable Food Consumption Score (FCS).


• Mean and median Reduced Coping Strategies Index (rCSI)


• Percent of households with moderate and severe Household Hunger Scale (HHS) scores

Data collection methods

Primary data source from beneficiary registration, Primary (Household survey) and Secondary data sources from Project reports.

Data sources

Beneficiary lists, activity reports, SMART survey and end line reports

Sector 3: Nutrition: To strengthen access to and provision of quality, shock-responsive nutrition services through infant and young child feeding and management of acute malnutrition in emergencies activities for 101,840 individuals (247 adult male; 22,566 adult female; 37,933 boys U5; 41,094 girls U5)

Sub-Sector 3.1: Management of Acute Malnutrition

Indicators

• Number of children under five (0-59 months) reached with nutrition-specific interventions through BHA.


• Number of pregnant women reached with nutrition-specific interventions through BHA


• Number of health care staff trained in the prevention and management of acute malnutrition


• Number of supported sites managing acute malnutrition


• Number and percent of individuals admitted, rates of recovery, default, death, relapse, and average length of stay for individuals admitted to Management of Acute Malnutrition site.

Data collection methods

Literature review of secondary data from Project reports.

Data sources

MOH 713, MOH 710, MOH 105 registers, High Impact Nutrition Intervention (HINI), Gap assessment report and IMAM dashboards and SMART survey.

Sub-Sector 3.2: Maternal Infant Young Child Nutrition in Emergencies (MIYCN-E)

Percent of infants 0-5 months of age who are fed exclusively with breast milk

Percent of children 6-23 months of age who receive foods from 4 or more food groups

Percent of women of reproductive age consuming a diet of minimum diversity

Number of people receiving behavior change interventions to improve infant and young child feeding practices

Data collection methods

SMART survey administered to a representative sample of the population served by the project

Data sources

MOH 713, MOH 710, MOH 105 registers and SMART survey.

Sector 4: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)

Sub Sector 4.1: Hygiene Promotion

Indicators

• Number of people receiving direct hygiene promotion (excluding mass media campaigns and without double-counting)


• Percent of people targeted by the hygiene promotion project who know at least three (3) of the five (5) critical times to wash hands


• Percent of households targeted by the hygiene promotion project who store their drinking water safely in clean containers

Data collection methods

Review of secondary data from project reports and household survey

Data sources

Secondary data from project reports and household survey reports

Sub Sector 4.2: WASH Non-food Items Activity

Indicators

• Total number of people receiving WASH NFIs assistance through all modalities (without double-counting)


• Percent of households reporting satisfaction with the contents of the WASH NFIs received through direct distribution (i.e. kits) or vouchers

Sub Sector 4.3: Water Supply

Indicators

• Number of people directly utilizing improved water services provided with BHA funding


• Estimated safe water supplied per beneficiary in litres/person/day


• Percent of households targeted by WASH project that are collecting all water for drinking, cooking, and hygiene from improved water sources

Data collection methods

Review of baseline reports and Household Survey in the endline evaluation

Data sources

Baseline and end line report

1. Purpose of the evaluation

The purpose of this evaluation is to provide an independent assessment of the project in order to identify and understand extent to which the project implemented by Concern Worldwide, ACTED together with their implementing partners achieved the expected results. It is intended to the project’s relevance and fulfilment of objectives, developmental efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability.

2. Objectives of the Evaluation

• To determine the extent of achievement of specific objective and sector results


• To determine how effective the systems (logistics, partnerships and linkages within actions) worked in the implementation of actions


• To determine the effectiveness of the strategies for implementing the project


• To identify unintended consequences and relevant lessons learned related to the project operational contexts to inform design and implementation of future projects.

3. Evaluation approach and methodology

The evaluation will use a mixed methods approach integrating both quantitative and qualitative data. The evaluation will be anchored on the OECD-DAC criteria. The consultant in collaboration with the evaluation team will formulate the evaluation questions and draw up a detailed evaluation plan with timelines which will be discussed and agreed with the Concern and ACTED team leading the process. To measure results the evaluation will conduct an end line household survey using the same methodology used in baseline data collection at the start of the project.

The process will adopt a methodology that combines both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. The evaluator in liaison with the Concern and ACTED team will identify and adopt an appropriate methodology for data collection. The adopted evaluation methodology can include:

• Desktop review of project and other relevant documents


• Cross-sectional survey design/household interviews with beneficiaries


• Key Informant Interviews (KII)


• Field Observations


• Focus group discussions (FGD)


• Meetings

The evaluation will engage all relevant stakeholders, including the Departments for Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Department for Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Development and Department of Health.

Evaluation Questions:

The evaluation will utilize the DAC criteria with the following evaluation questions:

i. Relevance: To what extent did the intervention address the priority/identified/felt needs of the project participants? This criteria will assess the design of the project in addressing the underlying root causes of the project participants’ challenges.

ii. Effectiveness: To what extent did the DERF Project achieve the stated objectives and results in the project’s toolkit? This criteria will assess the realization of outputs and outcomes as a result of and influence of the DERF project.

iii. Efficiency: To what extent did the DERF project deliver results in a cost-effective and timely way?

iv. Impact: To what extent did the DERF Project deliver significant high-level effects/changes? What were the long-term potential or actual transformative changes (economic, social and environmental).

v. Sustainability: To what extent will the net benefits arising from the intervention of the DERF project continue or likely to continue well beyond the life of the project?

Other cross-cutting questions will assess:

vi. Gender mainstreaming: To what extent did the project succeed in including a gender perspective?

vii. Unintended consequences and lessons learnt: Were there any unforeseen positive/negative effects of the activities implemented, lessons learnt and recommendations.

4. Key Tasks of the Evaluation:

For the objectives of the consultancy to be achieved, as a minimum, the following key tasks are to be performed by the consultant:

• Undertake desk review of the relevant project documents including the Project Proposal, Project detailed Implementation Plans, Project Reports and any other relevant documents and should take into consideration USAID/BHA evaluation guidelines and standards.


• Develop an inception report detailing the process and methodologies to be employed to achieve the objective of this consultancy as stated above. It should include the detailed data collection and sampling design, analysis and output framework and timetable. Present for review and further inputs before proceeding with the development of data collection instruments.


• Design, develop, critique and refine data collection tools including translation to the local languages, where appropriate.


• Prepare training materials in consultation with the team, and conduct the survey training to enumerators and supervisors covering all details in the survey tools.


• Conduct a comprehensive field based project evaluation [using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods] and collect data, based on the criteria and objectives of the evaluation. The field visits and evaluations will run concurrently in the three target counties.


• Carry out data analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data, and write up the final assessment report.


• Present the draft report to the team for review before producing a second draft.


• Submit an end of project evaluation report

5. Outputs and Deliverables

• An inception report detailing how the evaluation criteria questions, the evaluation methodology, work plan/schedule, budget and draft data collection tools.


• Validation Workshop of evaluation findings with Concern Worldwide and ACTED after generating the draft evaluation report.


• The evaluator shall share a short presentation of outcome findings, insights into contribution pathways and feasible recommendations with the Program team at least 3 working days before the validation workshop.


• Final Evaluation report of no more than 20 pages (excluding executive summary, references & annexes) covering all the evaluation objectives.


• Most Significant Change Stories: At minimum of 3 - one-page Most Significant Change stories must be part of the annexes.


• Other documents/materials such as raw data files, quantitative data files, transcripts of FGDs, photographs taken, outcomes matrix, at least one change story per ward.

6. Remuneration

Concern will pay the consultant a competitive professional fee for an estimated period of thirty-three working (33) days excluding data collection and field logistical costs. This duration is inclusive of the time required for all work including document review, field visits, debriefing, and final submission of the evaluation report.NB: - The payment is subject to withholding tax and other requirements under the Laws of Kenya or applicable tax obligations as per the Consultant researcher’s country of residence.

7. Working conditions

The Senior Manager, MEAL and Manager, Survey and surveillance in collaboration with the Coordinator, Livelihoods will manage this end line evaluation consultancy. The consultant will also work closely with the Manager Livelihoods, Senior Manager, Health, Nutrition, and County Program Managers in the project counties. The consultant will also liaise with implementing partners SAPCONE and PACIDA. In addition, the consultant will work closely with Departments for Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Department for Agriculture Fisheries and Livestock Development and Department of Health of Marsabit, Turkana and Samburu Counties. The MEAL team will provide full support and coordinate the data collection and stakeholder engagement in collaboration with field staff.

8. Qualifications

The consultant(s) applying for the end term evaluation must meet the following minimum qualification criteria:

• Minimum experience of 5 years conducting evaluations along USAID/BHA OECD-DAC evaluation criteria, ideally leading an evaluation team and experience of designing evaluation methodology / tools, data analysis.


• At least 5 years’ experience using Value-for-Money tools and methodologies.


• At least 5 years’ experience of working in development contexts in Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) areas in Kenya.


• In-depth knowledge and at least 5 years’ experience of using quantitative and qualitative research methods.


• Individuals or firms with a background and at least 5 years’ experience in research methods, Food and Nutrition Security, Livelihoods/ social work or development studies.

9. Timelines

The end line evaluation will be conducted between 23rd May 2023 and 20th June 2023.

10. Guiding Principles

The end line evaluation will be guided by the principles established in Concern Worldwide polices including Program Participant Protection Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy, Concern Code of Conduct, Fraud Prevention Policy and General Data Protection Regulations. In addition, it will also follow ethical principles of research including respect of persons, principle of beneficence and justice, to be applied in the form of informed consent, assessment of risks and benefits and just selection of participants.

11. Required documentation with your proposal:

• Company / Consultant profile


• Certificate of Incorporation (firms) or National ID card (individual)


• Valid Tax Compliance Certificate


• PIN Certificate


• Company / Consultant’s Profile


• CVs of key staff


• Certificate/reference information of previous undertakings of similar contracts with


• NGOs/UN agencies


• Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct etc. or what are the necessary provisions have you put in place to keep everyone safe in the course of your engagement


• Attach copy of Certificate of Good Conduct or proof that you have applied for the same


• A detailed work plan with milestones


• Confirm the gender ratio for the team that you will be engaging in this exercise


• Technical proposal


• Financial proposal


• Evidence of previous related works in Marsabit, Turkana & Samburu Counties (e.g. Technical design reports)


• Work plan (Gantt chart) showing specific milestone

Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies

Concern has an organizational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a consultancy opportunity with Concern Worldwide will be expected to adhere to Concern’s Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies while undertaking the proposed project. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to do consultancy work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, being hired as a consultant with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.

How to apply

Submission of proposals

Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements, should submit their proposals by email to;

• 
  Consultancies.Kenya@concern.net
  

With the subject line “SR76876 – Consultancy Services; Endline Evaluation of DERF project in Marsabit, Turkana & Samburu Counties, Kenya” by Thursday, 11 May 2023.