Country: Somalia
Closing date: 21 Oct 2016
Terms of Reference: Consultancy Assignment to Conduct a Baseline Assessment of CAPS Project
Organization: Adeso – African Development Solutions,
Project: Cash Assistance Project for Somalia/Somaliland (CAPS)
Position Type: Short-Term Consultancy
Study/Assessment Topic: Consultancy Assignment to Conduct a Baseline Assessment of CAPS Project in Mudug and Sanaag Regions of Somalia /Somaliland
Position Location: Mudug and Sanaag Regions - Somalia/Somaliland
Duration: 30 Days
Reporting To: MEAL Manager
Working With: Adeso CAPS Project Staff
Starting Date: Immediately
Application Deadline: 21st October, 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 Project for Somalia/Somaliland (CAPS) by Adeso intends to improve access to food and restoration of productive community assets through cash transfers and cash for work scheme approach in Lasqorey, Hobyo and Jariban districts of Somalia / Somaliland. The project is targeting an estimated 5,250 households distributed across the named districts in the 2 regions.
CAPS is a 10 Months project between FFP-USAID and Adeso. The project will continue to employ a community-driven development approach to strengthen social, economic and respond to emergency and recovery projects in Lasqorey, Hobyo and Jariban districts to provide support to vulnerable groups affected by emergency through unconditional cash transfers and cash for work initiatives. The Project design and implementation is sensitive to gender, and ensures full participation of women, disable and other vulnerable groups. The key project activities include cash assistance and cash for work (CFW) scheme where women will be prioritized for the lighter work (collection of sands, gravels, and water and assisting men counter parts).
The project will target a total of 3,675 for cash assistance for 4 months and 1,575 for cash for work for 2 months. The project activities are complementing each other where those beneficiaries that can carry out unskilled manual labour will be engaged in the cash for work while those unable to undertake CFW will be selected for cash assistance. The target locations are the coastal villages with fishing as the main livelihood activity. The project targets rural communities that have limited casual labour opportunities in the local markets and most affected by food insecurity. The target population are those significantly affected by the 2015/2016 droughts, displaced with demonstrable loss of livelihood and low purchasing power. Though some can still do some labour works, such opportunities are very limited in the rural local markets.
The project will prioritize the degraded or destroyed productive assets such as the fishing infrastructure, farm irrigation and other viable assets for the cash for work activities. In addition, there is a sizeable population of coastal people that are agro pastoral with farming activities, and these will also be assessed to find out if they will be able to enhance food access within the short project period through rehabilitated community assets.
The objective of the project, target groups / beneficiaries, criteria of selection and Cash entitlement per targeted household is communicated through public forums-to the community including targeted beneficiaries and none beneficiaries. The Village Relief Committees selected have equal representation of women. Vulnerable groups including women are part of the process in all project area interventions hence emphasize interventions specific to women as an integral part of the project strategy. Adeso has strategically targeted female headed households in order to reach the most vulnerable in supporting the household fully.
The project will adopt inclusive community based targeting approach, where the villages committees will be selected by the wider village population based on pre-defined criteria. The selected committees will work with the rest of the communities in the targeting process, and the implementation process throughout the project period. A suitable cash transfer process will be identified that will be providing the monthly cash transfer as well as the payment for the cash for work beneficiaries.
BACKGROUND FOR CONSULTANCY
The selected consultant will carry out a comprehensive baseline assessment in the project areas of Sanaag and Mudug regions of Somalia / Somaliland that will serve as a benchmark against which outcomes results will be measured at the end of the project.
The assessment will also help in providing programming information to define the livelihood assets to be rehabilitated through cash for work scheme, in the course of the project.
The baseline assessment is expected to determine the necessary stakeholder and market information in order to confirm the capacity of the market to absorb the cash-programming. Specifically, the study will focus on project oriented indicators including the wider Adeso impact measurement indicators linked to food security, livelihood and WASH thematic area with a view to establish integrated and sustainable community systems.
The baseline survey will focus more on:
Beneficiaries profiling - an analysis of the current situation, market opportunities, gaps, and vulnerabilities and challenges to be addressed. This will be through identification of value chains that have economic potential in both domestic and international markets, for further analysis. Are we able to accurate do this with the beneficiaries identified and selected?
A comprehensive analysis of the households livelihood situation and their capacity in relation to cash for work and cash relief - including but not limited to an analysis of purchasing patterns, transport and distribution networks, agricultural inputs systems, market absorption capacity of vocational skills and other livelihood products.
An assessment of the urban and rural market drivers and their role in creating enabling conditions for the different livelihood groups, covering contextual factors and identifying the gaps to be addressed.
An assessment of the most preferred and feasible cash transfer mechanisms in the project target areas.
Recommendations for programmatic approaches to address the immediate priorities with regards to strengthening and expanding livelihood opportunities and systems.
METHODOLOGY
The baseline assessment will be conducted by an external consultant who has got the final decision regarding methodology with the help of the project 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 to be approved by Adeso programme development and quality (PDQU) team and the country program team
The consultant will be responsible for developing and presenting the assessment results working closely CAPS team.
CONSULTANCY PERIOD
The consultancy will be for 30 days including the travel days.
DELIVERABLES
Inception Report to be reviewed by Adeso project teams: includes initial work plan and proposal for the baseline survey outlining the proposed methodology, survey tools, process of data collection and analysis as well as final set of data-collection tools for all indicators in the log frame.
Draft report of the baseline survey for the feedback and comments from Adeso Project staff.
Presentation on the main findings of the baseline assessment at field level project teams, community representatives and local authorities. Similar presentation for the program staff based at the HQ including programme development and quality team.
Final report (three hard copies and a soft copy on CD ROM) in English not exceeding a length of 32 pages (excluding annexes).
Summary version of the final report to be shared with Adeso senior management team.
QUALIFICATIONS
· Postgraduate degree in Economics, food security and livelihood related field.
· At least seven years of hands on experience in conducting assessments especially livelihood and cash intervention programming.
· Strong background in monitoring and evaluation techniques.
· Familiar with the livelihood context in Sanaag and Mudug regions of Somalia.
· Experience in developing and implementing gender sensitive baseline methodologies in cash based interventions.
· 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 Somali political dynamics is an advantage.
· Previous experience doing similar assignment with Adeso is also an added 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.
How to apply:
All applications should be sent to consultancy@adesoafrica.org by the 21st October 2016 with Consultancy Assignment to Conduct a Baseline Assessment of CAPS 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:
· A one page application letter of expression of interest
· Detailed Technical-narrative proposal with clearly outlined methodology, assessment approach and techniques, and tools to be employed.
· Detailed comprehensive budget catering for all assessment costs. Adeso will not cater for any other costs-solely the responsibility of the firm to give full work costs in the budget.
· A sample of at least 2 recently written report of similar assignments.
· Updated CVs for the survey team including relevant work experience and qualifications.
· Contact details for three references.
Applications not including all of the above information will not be reviewed. Adeso is an equal opportunity employer.