Somalia: Terms of Reference - Final Evaluation of the Cash Assistance and Recovery Support Project II (CARSP II) - Mudug and Lower Juba

Terms of Reference: Final Evaluation of the Cash Assistance and Recovery Support Project II (CARSP II) - Mudug and Lower Juba

Organization: Adeso - African Development Solutions,

www.adesoafrica.org

Project: Cash Assistance and Recovery Support Project - Phase II (CARSP II)

Position Type: Short-Term Consultancy

Study/Assessment Topic: Consultancy Assignment to Undertake Project Final Evaluation Assessment of CARSP II Project in Lower Juba and Mudug Regions of Somalia

Position Location: Lower Juba (Afmadow & Dhobley) and Mudug (Galkacyo South and Hobyo) Regions - Somalia

Duration: 30 Days

Reporting To: MEAL Manager

Working With: Adeso CARSP II Project Staff

Starting Date:12th September, 2016

Application Deadline: 26th August, 2016

Vacancy Contact: Please send applications to consultancy@adesoafrica.org - Adeso will only respond to short-listed applicants.

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

Adeso is an expanding and vibrant African based international development and humanitarian organization. At Adeso, we work with African communities who are yet to realize their full potential; working inside these communities to create environments in which Africans can thrive. Our belief that economic, social and environmental security is the bedrock of a healthy community drives the nature and intent of our programming. We work to prevent and overcome situations that adversely affect community well-being by: reinvigorating the economy, developing skills for life and work, providing humanitarian aid, and influencing policy.

For the past 20 years we have strengthened rural livelihoods through environmental awareness, training, technology transfer and innovative humanitarian projects in pursuit of a peaceful, self-reliant, and greener future.

Adeso is an exciting and dynamic organization experiencing managed rapid growth. It offers sound employment conditions with opportunities for personal growth and development.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Cash Assistance and Recovery Support Phase II Project (CARSP II) by Adeso aimed to promote food security and maintain livelihoods of poor households through cash assistance and livelihood support in Lower juba and Mudug regions of Somalia. The project targeted an estimated 6,200 households distributed by region of Lower Juba and Mudug.

CARSP II was a 12 Months project between FFP / USAID and Adeso. The project employed community-driven approach to strengthen social, economic and response to emergency and recovery needs in the target locations. The project aimed to provide support to vulnerable groups affected by food insecurity emergency & crisis through unconditional cash transfers, cash for work as well as livelihoods training and provision of livelihoods inputs. These interventions aimed at improving access to food, and the short term recovery of the households’ livelihoods. The project helped to build on the gains realized in phase one of the intervention (CARSP phase I) that was implemented by Adeso and another partner agency in 2014-2015 that provided humanitarian assistance as part of emergency and recovery response. The both Phase I and II adopted a multi-sector integrated strategies that linked cash assistance to livelihood recovery interventions that not only provided households immediate access to food but also contributed to community resilience strengthening.

Adeso’s project strategy was direct implementation in the both regions, through closer working relationship with the communities and other stakeholders. The inclusive community based targeting approach was adopted, where the community was the center-stage in the project life cycle. The public participated direct beneficiaries’ selection, through guided village relief committees, with onsite community verification that ensures all selected beneficiaries have indeed met the select criteria. The Village Relief Committees selected strived to meet equal representation of both men and women. Vulnerable groups including women were part of the process in the project areas of intervention hence emphasized on specific interventions linked to women as an integral part of the project strategy.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The scope of this assignment will among many other factors look at monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning aspects of the project linking any intervention to different outcomes on targeted beneficiaries and the local economy, determine whether the project generally has met its set objectives. The assessment will focus more into key outcomes at the household’s level linked to increase in household spending, changes in food consumption patterns, changes in coping strategies, changes in household income and debt levels, and reduced beneficiary’s migration as well as household’s livelihood recovery.

The assessment will further determine whether cash-based interventions paired with livelihoods support services (skills development and materials inputs) have a viable and effective means of addressing immediate food access, recovery efforts, and chronic widespread household food insecurity in an extremely volatile context prone to multiple disasters.

The outcomes and findings of the assessment will be useful to determine the improvement measures for future responses and skills development impacts in the project areas and also help in making informed programming decisions. The assessment will further provide an insight into livelihood opportunities programme strengthening in the course of the intervention and help Adeso refine its intervention strategies. The assessment will have much (biased) focus on food security indicators that have been measured throughout the intervention period with a view to establish how the provided interventions have impacted on market systems and absorption capacity for various skills, particularly in the areas of market integration.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The overall objective of the final evaluation is to determine if the interventions provided were viable and provided effective means of addressing community needs in relation to improving food security and access for targeted households (Reducing food insecurity) in volatile contexts in South Central Somalia.

The specific objectives of the final evaluation are as follows:

· To gather evaluation data from sample beneficiaries and the community key informants that can be used to assess the outcomes of cash intervention as implemented.

· Assess the extent to which needs assessment, response analysis, intervention strategies, research, accountability, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning were met considering level of appropriateness.

· Analyze and assess the impacts of the unconditional cash intervention, Cash for work interventions, livelihood skills training and materials inputs provision in project areas; and document differences in existing practices in relation to rural - urban setting.

· Explore the possible linkage of unconditional, conditional cash transfer programs, livelihood skills training and materials inputs provision with other food security and livelihoods programs in building community resilience in relation to different livelihood groups, seasonality and humanitarian support.

· Analyze and document lessons learnt, best practices with concrete recommendations from the intervention, as well as the practices in the project areas and among beneficiaries in relation to targeting criteria, seasonality, security, gender relations, copping strategies and impact of program on local market systems.

METHODOLOGY

The final evaluation will be conducted by an external consultant who has got the final decision regarding methodology with the help of the Adeso MEAL Team, and Program Team. In this regard the consultant shall provide Adeso with an inception report, containing an overview of their understanding of the assignment, time schedule, planned activities, suggested methods and potential interviewees as well as how they perceive to present preliminary and final results

The consultant will be responsible for developing and presenting the assessment results working closely with CARSP II team.

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of this assignment will among many other factors looking at monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning aspects of the project linking any intervention to different outcomes on targeted beneficiaries and the local economy, determine whether the project generally has met its set objectives. The assessment will focus more into key outcomes at the household’s level linked to increase in household spending, changes in food consumption patterns, changes in coping strategies, changes in household income and debt levels, and reduced beneficiary’s migration as well as household’s livelihood recovery.

The assessment will further determine whether cash-based interventions paired with livelihoods support services (skills development and materials inputs) have a viable and effective means of addressing immediate food access, recovery efforts, and chronic widespread household food insecurity in an extremely volatile context prone to multiple disasters.

The outcomes and findings of the assessment will be useful to determine the improvement measures for future responses and skills development impacts in the project areas and also help in making informed programming decisions. The assessment will further provide an insight into livelihood opportunities programme strengthening in the course of the intervention and help Adeso refine its intervention strategies.

The assessment will have much (biased) focus on food security indicators that have been measured throughout the intervention period with a view to establish how the provided interventions have impacted on market systems and absorption capacity for various skills, particularly in the areas of market integration.

CONSULTANCY PERIOD

The consultancy will be for 30 days including travel days.

DELIVERABLES

1. Assessment cost, survey tools, process of data collection and analysis as well as final set of data-collection tools for all indicators.

2. Draft report of the final evaluation for feedback and comments

3. Presentation on the main findings of the final evaluation assessment at field level (debrief) and at Nairobi level involving programme quality and development team, project teams, community representatives and local authorities

4. Final report (three hard copies and a soft copy on CD ROM) in English not exceeding a length of 32 pages (excluding annexes).

5. Summary version of the final report to be shared with Adeso

QUALIFICATIONS

· Postgraduate degree in a Food Security or Livelihood related field.

· At least seven years’ of hands-on experience in conducting similar assessments on food security, livelihood and cash intervention programming.

· Strong background in monitoring, evaluation, accountability, research and learning techniques.

· Familiar with the livelihood and security context in south central Somalia.

· Experience in developing and implementing gender sensitive final evaluation methodologies in livelihood and cash intervention frameworks.

· Ability to analyse complex livelihood systems.

· Good knowledge and experience in survey design, implementation of surveys and statistical data analysis.

· Knowledge of Somali people, culture and the Somalia political dynamics an advantage.

COPYRIGHTAND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

In consideration of the fees paid, the Consultant expressly assigns to Adeso any copyright arising from the works the consultant produces while executing this contract. All images (whether used for online or print purposes) must however bear the consultant’s photo credit, as specified by international intellectual property rights. The consultant may not use, reproduce or otherwise disseminate or authorize others to use, reproduce or disseminate such works without prior consent from Adeso.

All applications should be sent to consultancy@adesoafrica.org by the 26^th August 2016 with Application for CARSP II Final Evaluation** on the subject line. The selection committee will review all applications as they arrive. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements described above, and those unable to meet these requirements will not be considered.

Each application package should include the following:

· An application letter addressing the selection criteria including how the consultant’s previous experience matches the consultancy objectives as well as the interest for the position. It should also indicate the candidate’s availability and consultancy rates. The letter should be no longer than two pages

· A one page application letter addressing the consultant’s previous experience and how it is relevant to the proposed assignment

· A detailed proposal for the final evaluation outlining the firms profile, your understanding of the terms of reference, proposed methodology, assessment cost, assessment process, data analysis plan as well as data dissemination plan

· Detailed comprehensive budget catering for all assessment costs. Adeso will not cater for any costs - it is solely the responsibility of the consultant to give full work costs in the budget

· Samples of at least two recently developed work reports on similar assignments.

· Updated CVs for all the assessment teams including relevant work experience and qualifications.

· Contact details of three references.

Applications not including all of the above information will not be reviewed. Adeso is an equal opportunity employer.