Consultancy Opportunity: Measuring the impact of programming under cash based interventions and Nexus approach

Terms of Reference:

Measuring the impact of Mission East programming under its Cash Based Interventions and Nexus approach in Badakhshan and Takhar provinces of Afghanistan.

Mission East is an international relief and development organisation founded in Denmark in 1991. Mission East has been engaged in humanitarian and development work in conflict affected contexts in Asia and the middle East through different country specific projects and regional programs. Today the countries in which Mission East is operational and delivers under humanitarian and development programming are Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Syria, Lebanon and Tajikistan. Mission East counts on a different portfolio of funding both form institutional and private donors. Among those, the German Ministry of Foreign affairs through their foreign office (GMFO) has been funding Mission East’s project for emergency relief “Emergency Response to Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis (saving lives and dignity of the people in crisis)” that aims to ensure that drought and conflict-affected people of all ages, including People with disability (PWD) have sufficient food to save life in fragile and protracted crisis.

Mission East is currently searching for an expert to evaluate the impacts and outcomes of this project. The evaluation will be focused on the Cash Based Intervention (CBI), the food security and livelihood programming and WASH that have being proposed under this action as a Nexus approach allowing local communities to exit the emergency aid modality and be supported in a more longer-term intervention on their own food production, water availability and resilience. The evaluation should be analysing the spill over effects from the CBI as well as the efficiency of the Nexus approach in scaling up the early recovery phase.

This project falls within Mission East’s emergency portfolio and constitutes one of the emergency projects running in the northeast regions of Takhar and Badakhshan in which ME is operational*.* The programme is based on 2 outcomes. The first one is focused on the CBI intervention including: Cash for Food (CFF) distribution to 4,000 households; Cash for shelter repair and Cash for work to the same beneficiaries. The second outcome is focused on the food security, livelihood programming, and WASH intervention for the same beneficiaries. The desired result is to drive those HHs out of food insecurity as well as reinforce their resilience facing chronic humanitarian crisis.

The project has been implemented in 59 villages of Takhar and Badakhshan provinces in the northeast of Afghanistan.

In Takhar and Badakhshan the droughts affects the food production and availability as well as the storage capacity. The 2021 winter season has been one of most rush with a large part of these two regions completely covered by snow and with no road accessibility between the remote villages and the provincial markets. After the lean season, the first harvest in July 2022 have not been successful in all the provinces and the country is experiencing a lack of 3 MT of wheat. The food insecurity level (IPC 3 and 4) is expected to endure at the national level as well as the Badakhshan and Takhar level.

The objectives of this consultancy are:

This consultancy will be focused on the program implementation with the following specific objectives:

• Specific objective 1: Evaluate the modality chosen by ME’s for the Cash Based Intervention (CBI) and estimate its effectiveness and final impact on the beneficiaries. The main aim of this objective would be to analyse the final impact of the Cash distribution on the identified HH, analyse the efficiency of the distribution process, compare the livelihood levels of the targeted HHs with the pre-distribution baseline, and underline all the spill over effects that the CBI may have generated.
• Specific objective 2: Evaluate the efficiency of the NEXUS approach and the modality that have been used to insert the emergency action in a broader programming that will boost the resilience of local community in the medium term. Particular attention should be put in the analysis of the food security and livelihood programming, as well as the WASH intervention measuring the impact of combined cash and development programming upon the HHs autonomy and livelihood levels.
• Specific objective 3: Apart from the activities leaded by ME, the project is also working in partnership with 2 local NGOs as implementing partners. The consultant will evaluate the end of the partnership progress and impact of this 2 local NGOs on the local beneficiaries.

For each one of the three specific objectives, the evaluator will be required to develop the analysis highlighting the main conclusion, challenges, and recommendations. The analysis must be quantitative and qualitative.

The outputs / deliverables of this consultancy are:

• Inception meeting: the Evaluator will prepare an inception meeting in which he/she will present the details his/her understanding of the evaluation; the methodology and how the evaluation specific objectives will be addressed; the timeline.
• Draft Evaluation report: the Evaluator will prepare a draft Evaluation Report. The report will be reviewed to ensure that the evaluation meets the required quality criteria. The report will be produced in English. The report should provide options for strategy as well as recommendations.
• A power point presentation presenting the analysis, challenges and suggestion discovered under the SO1 and SO2.
• The final report: The content and the structure of the final analytical report with finding, recommendations and lessons learnt covering the scope of the evaluation.

More detail on the objectives and outputs of the consultancy will be discussed during interviews and after contracting.

Consultancy timeline:

The consultancy has been scoped for 40 days of work with the following provisional schedule:

• 3 days to prepare the inception meeting.
• 3 days of desk review on the specific project document shared by the Mission East’s staff.
• 7 days to prepare the questionnaire and other needed material to collect the data and information.
• 13 days to prepare the carry out the interview and collect the require data from the selected HHs.
• 7 days to work of the first draft of the report
• 7 days to finalize the final report and the power point associated.

It is envisaged that the consultancy will start around the end of January 2023.

Method of work:

The consultant is envisaged to work via:

Preparation – reading source materials, review of related project documents, and review of all relevant project documentation including project documents, project progress reports, monthly Workbooks.

Analysing information – The evaluation will provide quantitative and qualitative data after physical visit to the HHs with in the intervention zone. The evaluator will analyze the data and report then in graphics and narrative analysis in the final report.

Logistical arrangements:

The selected Evaluator (being a physical person of a firm) must guarantee that he/she will be able to access the field in the concerned intervention areas and collected the data that are required of the development of this evaluation in the establish deadlines. Firms and/or single evaluator can work by remote to analyse the data, however they must ensure a proper and effective coverage for data collection from all the identify and selected simple of HHS.

Mission East will arrange the location for the inception meeting and prepare all the required documentation for the consultant. Any other logistical arrangements will be facilitated by Mission East staff, but it will remain the responsibility of the selected Evaluator to organize and meet the schedule.

Background Information:

The following documents and materials will be made available to the consultant in English:

• Project document: project proposal, interim reports, workbooks, narrative midterm reports, logical Framework, Theory of Change.
• Any other document that can support and facilitate the analysis of the Evaluator.

Submission:

The interested, qualified, and experienced person, group of persons or firms must submit an Application/Expression of Interest to [email protected]. Hard copies in closed envelopes (with all documents due signed) can be submitted to Mission East country office at Street #09 of Taimani, house number #49, Kabul Afghanistan.

Deadline for applications: Applications must be submitted by 11th December 2022 at 15:00 Kabul Time.

Selection Committee will revise the applications and select the consultant by December the 12th 2022. Contract will be signed with the consultant by December the 18th.

The expression of interest must contain the technical offer and a financial offer, comprising:

1. Technical offer:

• Up to date CV of the lead consultant or evaluator (showing education and expertise).
• Technical proposition detailing proposed methodology and resources needed (max 3 pages).
• At least 3 previous contracts that prove the experience in the similar areas of work which demonstrates evidence of the skills and experience required.

1. B. Financial offer:

• A list of all expenses expected to be incurred by the consultant including a daily rate financial Proposal (Please note that per-diems are not issued as part of consultancies with Mission East- Please take this into consideration in the financial proposal).
• Signed Consultant Statement Confirming Eligibility (see below)

Selection criteria:

• At least Master’s degree in International Development Studies, economic sciences, or a related field
• At least 7 years’ experience in the field of research and project’s evaluation linked to Food Security, Cash Based Intervention, and livelihood, WASH intervention and partnership with local partners.
• Demonstrated experience with quantitative and qualitative research.
• Demonstrated experience in Cash Based Intervention evaluation and/or research.
• Proven record of previous completed evaluation under CBI.
• Guarantee of the access to the concerned areas and to collect the required data.
• Strong evidence-based approach and strong drive for results.
• Highly developed self-management, and communication skills.
• Knowledge of English language (at least C1 level).

Exclusion criteria:

If any of the above-mentioned criteria are not met the candidate will be eliminate form the selection process. The access to the concerned provinces and district is mandatory and candidate must demonstrate and guarantee that they will be able to access those areas to collect the data and run the interviews with the Key Informants.

In addition, if one of the following requirements prove to be not respected by the applicant at the time of submitting their application or at any time during the procurement process, they will be excluded from consideration for winning a contract with Mission East. The candidate may also be blacklisted for participation in future Mission East selection process for evaluation.

Violations of sanctions & support for terrorism

1. The company, organisation or an individual associated with the tender are listed in the sanction and embargo list of the UN Security Council, the European Union or EU Member States, United States (OFAC) or United Kingdom (OFSI).
2. They have provided support (material or other) or any resource to any individual or entity that advocates, plans, sponsors, engages in, or has engaged in terrorist activity; or to anyone who acts as an agent for such an individual or entity;
3. They have association with a designated terrorist entity or their ownership, control, or influence;
4. They are not compliant with laws and regulations stipulated by the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism and Sanctions policies, as well as those stipulated by the European Union and its member states, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America.

Unacceptable interaction with Mission East

1. They have engaged in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive practices in their interactions with Mission East or its partners in relation to the current procurement process or any time in the past;
2. They are subject to a conflict of interest. If there is any personal or business relationship between the bidder and Mission East staff, its partners or its donors, the bidder must state this at the time of tendering, and this may result in exclusion of the bidder;
3. Following another procurement procedure or grant award procedure with Mission East, its partners, or financed by the European Union, they have been declared to be in serious breach of contract for failure to comply with their contractual obligations;
4. They are guilty of misrepresenting the information required by Mission East as part of the procurement procedure or fail to supply this information.

Unethical practices by the bidder

1. They are engaged in the exploitation of child labour or other forms of trafficking in human beings;

2. They do not respect their employees’ basic social rights and working conditions as per international labour standards;

3. They are actively supporting a conflict or are engaged in the manufacture of arms and/or landmines, or the sale of such to governments which systematically violate the human rights of their citizens, or where there is internal armed conflict or major tensions, or where the sale of arms may jeopardise regional peace and security.

4. They are involved in unethical exploitation of natural resources, in particular sensitive commodities such as precious metals, stones, and rare earths.

5. They are engaged in activities which directly cause harm to the population that Mission East is aiming to assist, including environmental harm to their communities.

Unacceptable legal situation of the bidder

1. They are bankrupt, subject to insolvency, or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business activities, are the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations;
2. It has been established by a court’s final judgment or by any means that Mission East can justify that the bidder is guilty of grave professional misconduct by having violated applicable laws or regulations or ethical standards of the profession to which the bidder belongs, or by having engaged in any wrongful conduct which has an impact on its professional credibility where such conduct denotes a wrongful intent or gross negligence.
3. They have not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with applicable laws;
4. They have been the subject of a court’s final judgement for acts of fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation, money laundering, hiding unlawfully obtained financial benefits, or any other illegal activity detrimental to Mission East or its donors’ financial interests;

Applicants must complete and sign the ‘Consultant Statement Confirming Eligibility’ below and submit the signed ToR together with their application package to confirm that that they are not in one of the situations listed above.

Even if such confirmation is given by a bidder, Mission East will investigate any of the situations listed above if it has reasonable grounds to doubt the contents of such confirmation.

Anti-Fraud Policy:

Mission East has a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and fraud in all its forms. Mission East aims to prevent fraudulent activities and to respond to any allegations or potential fraud swiftly and effectively. In line with Mission East’s Anti-Fraud Policy, which can be viewed on the Mission East website, Mission East requires the consultant to report any suspected fraud, waste, theft or abuse to Mission East. Any reports of such misconduct can be reported to Mission East headquarters through contact details on their website.

Other Requirements if Selected:

• Mission East will require the successful consultant to sign our organisational Code of Conduct.
• Mission East upholds high standards in Counter Terrorism (COTER) and sanctions regulation compliance. In view of the nature and location of Mission East’s work, Mission East will conduct background checks of the successful consultant, including checking through relevant sanctions lists.
• The successful consultant will also be required to commit to the following clause relating to the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment: The consultant agree to actively prevent sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH), and to ensure, in the best possible way, that the intervention is carried out in an environment free of all kinds of exploitation, abuse and harassment, sexually or otherwise, especially in the case of particularly vulnerable groups.

Consultant Statement Confirming Eligibility:

By signing this Terms of Reference, the consultant certifies that that they are not in one of the situations listed above under ‘Exclusion Criteria’. The consultant also certifies that all the information provided, and any related documents submitted are truthful and correct at time of signature.

Name: _________________________ Signature:_________________________ Date: ______________