TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR EXTERNAL CONSULTANT
END OF PROJECT EVALUATION FOR SOMALI FOOD ASSISTANCE PROJECT TWO (SEFAP II)
1. PROJECT BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Large-scale food insecurity continues to be felt in most IDP settlements as well as in rural and urban areas. This is as a result of poor rainfall and drought conditions in several areas, trade disruption, and a combination of protracted and new population displacement, all of which is exacerbated by chronic poverty. Acute malnutrition remains high in many parts of the country. The latest findings from the 2015/16 Post Deyr countrywide seasonal assessment by FSNAU and partners indicate that 931 000 people will be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and 22 000 people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) across Somalia through June 2016. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) represent 68 percent of the total number of people in Crisis and Emergency, rural populations (26 percent) and urban populations (6 percent). Approximately 3.7 million additional people across the country are classified as Stressed (IPC Phase 2) through mid-2016. In total, nearly 4.7 million people or 38 percent of the total population of Somalia are acutely food insecure and will be in need of humanitarian assistance between now and June 2016.Urgent lifesaving humanitarian assistance and livelihood support is required for populations in Emergency and Crisis (IPC Phases 4 and 3) through June 2016. Populations experiencing Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food insecurity remain highly vulnerable to shocks that could push them back to Crisis or Emergency (IPC Phases 3 or 4).
It is against this background that CARE Somalia and its local partner WASDA responded to the above situation, by implementing a one year project “Emergency Food Assistance Project 2 (SEFAP II) in Lower Juba and Banadir regions in order to support the populations, protect their livelihoods and boost their resilience to shocks.
2. PROJECT SUMMARY
SEFAP II project was funded by the USAID Office of Food for Peace (FFP) and it commenced in August 2015 and is scheduled to end in August 2016. This project was designed to address the immediate food needs of the most vulnerable rural and urban households in Lower Juba and in Banadir regions whereby the main support to the community is through distribution of food vouchers and the cash program (conditional & unconditional cash transfers). This project was planned to support a total of 28, 700 individuals (4,100 HHs) in both Lower Juba and Banadir regions. The Goal of the project was to contribute to improved food security for IDPs, returnees and vulnerable host communities in Lower Juba & Banadir regions of Somalia. The strategic objective was to enable 4100 vulnerable IDP, returnee households and vulnerable host community households in Lower juba and Banadir regions have improved access to minimum food basket.
i. Cash program
Ø Conditional cash transfer
The conditional cash transfer program (cash for work) targeted able and willing beneficiaries who met the minimum criteria of vulnerable households to take part in rehabilitation of key community identified infrastructure such as water pans, market access roads and garbage collection. Cash-for-work (CFW) interventions ensured those providing unskilled labor were paid a daily wage of US$5 which translated to a monthly wage of US$90 after working for 18 days. The cash for work intervention was designed to ensure that target households received cash as payment of work done, in order to meet their basic food needs. This intervention reached 2,250 households (7,917 males and 8,401). The cash for work was conducted in Afmadow, Badhaadhe and Mogadishu for a period of 6 months.
Ø Unconditional cash transfer
SEFAP II targeted 1,050 households (630 in Lower Juba and 420 in Mogadishu) through the unconditional cash grants. This activity was conducted in Afmadow, Badhaade (Lower Juba) and Mogadishu where 4,139 males and 3,955 females beneficiaries were reached. The monthly unconditional cash transfer was us$60 per month and was mostly done in the same locations where cash for work was being implemented. It primarily targeted households who met the general selection criteria and were unable to participate in CFW activities due to chronic illness, physical inability or mental disability or/and have no alternative person to engage in CFW activity on their behalf. It also benefitted mothers with infants (below 6 months of age) who had been excluded from food voucher support in order not compromise exclusive breast feeding. The duration of this activity was 6 months whereby each household received USD60 per month.
ii. Food voucher
This intervention supported a total of 800 households (5,640 individuals) in Lower Juba where 2,626 were male and 3,014 female beneficiaries. CARE and WASDA prioritized households with children exiting the SFP program so to avoid a relapse into malnutrition. The criteria also gave priority to female-headed IDP and host community households, especially those with young children, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers who had children over the age of 6 months as well as households with older people, people with disabilities or chronic illness. The vouchers were redeemed for locally acceptable package of balanced food commodities designed to enhance dietary intake for the target households. The food basket package comprised of Rice, Spaghetti, Wheat flour, Sugar, Salt, Vegetable cooking oil (Vitamin A fortified) Powder Milk, Pulses (kidney bean). Each food voucher was valued at $ 60 and was provided monthly to target households for a period of 6 months.
Key Objective Indicators of the Project are -
· % of household beneficiaries with increased number of meals per day as compared to baseline.
· % of beneficiary households that report increased household dietary. diversity score (HDDS)
· % of households able to meet their minimum energetic needs of 2,100 Kcal per person per day (measured by quantity of food items consumed per month).
· % of cash received used for purchase of essential food items from local traders
· Number and value of cash distributions made by the end of the project
· Number and value of food vouchers redeemed by beneficiaries by the end of the project.
· Types and quantities of food items purchased with cash and food vouchers.
· % of beneficiary households satisfied with quantity, quality and diversity of food commodities available in the local market
· Number and % of beneficiaries supported with cash and food vouchers disaggregated by age and sex.
CARE in partnership with WASDA successfully managed to complete the planned activities despite the security challenges in some locations. This final evaluation is expected to provide an opportunity to determine whether food voucher and cash-based interventions provided a viable and effective means of addressing severe, widespread household food insecurity, in an extremely volatile context such as Somalia. The outcomes and findings of the evaluation will be useful to determine the extent to which the voucher and cash based response’s impact, in the project areas and to inform decision making.
3. OBJECTIVES OF THE EVALUATION
The overall objective of the evaluation is to assess and provide reliable end-line information on project performance against set parameters (i.e. indicators, principle objective, and short-term impact) on the three project components i.e. cash and voucher based interventions in the target areas of Banadir and Lower Juba regions. This will be used to measure progress of achievements against benchmarks established during the baseline.
The specific objectives of the evaluation are:
- To undertake an independent and comprehensive evaluation with a view to provide evidence-based information on SEFAP II project performance against set indicators.
- To assess the extent of project’s efficiency, effectiveness, appropriateness/relevance, and short-term intended and unintended impacts.
- To explore the possible linkage of food voucher, unconditional and conditional cash transfer programs in emergency in building community resilience in relation to different livelihood groups, seasonality and humanitarian support.
- To analyze and document lessons learnt on voucher and cash based response practices in the project areas and among beneficiaries in relation to targeting criteria, seasonality, security, gender relations, copying strategies and impact of cash transfer program on local credit systems.
- To document best practices and provide recommendations on how to improve programming of similar emergency projects in future.
4. SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION
The evaluation will cover two regions which are Lower juba and Banadir. The districts to be covered are Afmadow, Badhadhe and Mogadishu. Composition of respondents will include; IDP’s, Returnees (both IDP returnees and Refugee returnees), Host Rural and Urban Communities in the target area, traders, shop owners, VRCs and local authorities.
5. METHODOLOGY
The consultant and his/her team are expected to use different evaluation tools, comprising of primary data collection (through qualitative and quantitative household survey questionnaires) and secondary data review and literature. Furthermore, the study will be undertaken through a participatory and collective manner based on active involvement of project beneficiaries. The methodology must be designed in a way to measure indicators set in the project design document are evaluated.
In particular, the consultant is expected to:
(i) Conduct desk reviews of project documents. Key documents to be reviewed include SEFAP II project proposal (which includes indicators and indicator targets), project M&E plan, quarterly reports, post distribution monitoring reports and third party monitoring report.
(ii) Conduct meetings with key project staff of CARE and the partners.
(iii) Obtain feedback on data collection tools from key CARE and partner staff and finalize data collection tools
(iv) Organize one-on-one interview with key stakeholders who include local authorities; IDP and host community representatives; village relief committees
(v) Train enumerators (should be a mix of both male and female) who will pre-test the data collection tools.
(vi) Administer household questionnaires to a representative sample to be agreed with CARE. The household questionnaire should have sections on HDD and food consumption coping strategy
(vii) Data processing (data entry, verification and analysis)
(viii) Hold community and stakeholder feedback sessions to present findings and recommendations of the study
The consultant and his/her team are encouraged to propose additional methods to conduct the evaluation.
6. KEY DELIVERABLES
a. Data collection schedule, methodology, including translated data collection tools for all indicators and sampling methodology
b. Final data collection tools incorporating feedback from CARE
c. Briefings/Debriefings: Provide regular feedback/briefs to Emergency Coordinator. The consultant will report his/her preliminary findings to the Area Manager (Kismayo) and M&E Manager before leaving the field.
d. Draft report – The consultant is expected to produce a draft report identifying key findings, conclusions, recommendations and lessons for future programming. This will be reviewed by CARE Somalia for initial feedback.
e. Final report – The consultant will produce the Final Evaluation Report after incorporating all comments and feedback provided by CARE.
f. Annexes should comprise of;
i). Performance indicator tracking table reflecting the status on each indicator against target and previous results
ii). Relevant maps and photographs of the study areas
iii). Bibliography of consulted secondary sources
iv). Finalized data collection tools
v). List of key informants and number of FGDs conducted
vi). Raw data: content analysis for qualitative data and SPSS data sheets for quantitative data.
7. DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The duration of the assignment is 20 working days after signing of contract. Days are inclusive of travelling, fieldwork and reporting. The evaluation is expected to take place from 25th July to 13th August 2016.
8. CARE’S RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE ASSIGNMENT:**
In support to the consultant(s) to undertake the assignment, CARE Somalia will:
ü Make payment in US Dollars at an agreed rate
ü Provide all relevant/available materials pertinent to study
ü CARE and Partner WASDA will facilitate logistical support for field visits involving meetings with local authorities, community members and to the sampled locations
ü The consultant will cover all their costs while in the field including accommodation, meals and transport and is expected to capture this in their financial proposal.
9. QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CONSULTANT:
The consultant must possess relevant operational experience and qualifications to undertake the work, specifically the following;
§ Advanced university degree in Public Health, Social Sciences or any other related field with a minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting similar work. Previous experience in evaluating USAID/FFP funded projects will be an added advantage.
§ Expertise in the fields of emergency food security and livelihood
§ Experience in conducting project evaluations of similar programmes using participatory methods.
§ Advanced analytical and report writing skills.
§ Fluency (written and verbal) in English and Somali language.
HOW TO APPLY:
All applications MUST be accompanied by a technical and financial proposal including a brief outline of the proposed methodology, 3 references with contacts and a tentative work schedule as well the candidate’s availability during the months of July and August 2016. These shouldn’t exceed 10 pages. Deadline for submission of technical and financial proposals is 17th July 2016.
Interested consultants or firms should submit their applications, updated CVs of individuals to conduct the survey or profile of applying company to: consultants@som.care.org and copyanna.wambugu@care.org, ahmed.omarbare@care.org. Please indicate “FINAL EVALUATION FOR SEFAP II” as the subject heading.
