Aga Khan Foundation
Introduction
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of private not-for profit, non-denominational international development agencies, institutions and programmes that work primarily in the poorest parts of Africa and Asia to improve the quality of life of communities in remote and resource poor areas. In East Africa, AKF works with partners to improve the quality of life by promoting and developing innovative solutions to challenges of development in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Reflecting the complex and multi-faceted nature of development, AKF programmes in the region encompasses Education, Health and Nutrition, Early Childhood Development, Agriculture and Food Security, Climate Resilience, Economic Inclusion and Civil Society. AKF is implementing a 30-month pilot program and is seeking a qualified consultant(s) to lead design, data collection, coordination, analysis, and reporting for a mixed-methods study.
About the AGECS Project
Advancing Gender Equality through Civil Society (AGECS) is a 30-month (2022-2025) project implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation, with support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), involving civil society partners in five countries in Africa -Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar. In Uganda, AKF will partner with the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) in Mityana and Luweero districts, Public Health Ambassadors Uganda (PHAU) in Makindye division and Mukono district, and Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD) in Arua district to implement innovative gender targeted and transformative initiatives to address barriers to gender equality in terms of community participation, decision-making opportunities, and access to resources and services for women, girls, boys, and men in the specific project geographies.
Scope of the evaluations
Three separate baseline studies, each led by a separate consultant or team of consultants, will be conducted in the following areas:
- Area 1: Mityana and Luweero
- Area 2: Vurra subcounty in Arua District, and Arivu division in Arua City
- Area 3: Makindye division of Kampala and Mukono district.
The study population will include women, men, adolescents, boys, and girls residing within the project areas of implementation. The baseline studies will provide a set of measurements against the intermediate and immediate outcome indicators for three separate sub-projects, which will set a benchmark for measuring the extent to which these sub-projects achieve their desired impact on the project population. The list of indicators for each evaluation area is presented in the table below.
Area
Outcome Indicators
Data Collection Method
Area 1: Mityana and Luweero
% of AKF supported CSOs with improved performance
Data will be collected separately by AKF through Organizational Performance Index (OPI) tool and shared with consultant for analysis and reporting
# of policy, advocacy and service delivery recommendations articulated by women that are integrated into sub county and district plans and budgets
Document review of district workplans and budgets, Key informant interviews with policymakers
# and % of women supported by the sub-project who start income generating activities
Survey with women trained/ supported by the sub-project (may be measured separately to baseline study, prior to training, but consultant should still develop tool to measure this)
# of trained women demonstrating enhanced business management knowledge and skills
Pre and post-training test (may be measured separately to baseline study, but consultant should still develop tool to measure this)
Monetary value of support raised from local donors by CSOs
Financial document review
Extent to which members of the project population value the work of CSOs
Sample survey with project population
# of women demonstrating enhanced knowledge and skills in effective legislative engagement
Pre and post-training test (may be measured separately to baseline study, but consultant should still develop tool to measure this)
% of community members citing benefits of women participating in decision making spaces
Sample survey with project population
Area 2: Arivu Division and Vurra subcounty
% of AKF supported CSOs with improved performance
Data will be collected separately by AKF through OPI tool and shared with consultant for analysis and reporting
% of women and girls participating in skills building programs who are employed or self-employed
Survey with women trained/ supported by the sub-project (may be measured separately to baseline study, prior to training, but consultant should still develop tool to measure this)
% of women who actively participate in community groups and networks
Sample survey with project population
Monetary value of support raised from local donors by CSOs.
Financial document review
Extent to which members of the project population value the work of CSOs.
Sample survey with project population
% of Community-Based Savings Group (CBSG) members who have remained in CBSG groups for one full cycle
Document review (CBSG membership records)
% of community members citing benefits of women participating in community life (by gender)
Sample survey with project population
Area 3: Makindye division and Mukono district
% of AKF supported CSOs with improved performance
Data will be collected separately by AKF through OPI tool and shared with consultant for analysis and reporting
% Community members (male and female) demonstrating gender equitable behaviours towards adolescent girls and boy’s household roles in Mukono and Kampala
Sample survey with project population
# and % of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) supported by the sub-project that are linked to local markets and financial opportunities
Survey with women trained/ supported by the sub-project (may be measured separately to baseline study, prior to training, but consultant should still develop tool to measure this)
Monetary value of support raised from local donors by CSOs
Financial document review
Extent to which members of the project population value the work of CSOs (by geography)
Sample survey with project population
% of community members reporting trust in women in leadership positions in the community
Sample survey with project population
% of effective referrals for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and HIV care and other Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services made through community sensitizations.
Document review from previous projects (may not be measured at baseline, but consultant should still develop tool to measure this)
Objectives of the baseline studies
The overall purpose of the baseline studies is to obtain data that will provide baseline values for all target indicators against AGECS expected outcomes, thus enabling AKF and its implementing partners to monitor and assess progress and effectiveness of the programme interventions during project implementation. The following are the specific objectives of the baseline studies:
- Collect quantitative data against the sub-projects’ Outcome indicators, as outlined in the Performance Measurement Framework (PMF). This data will be used to determine the baseline status of the Outcome indicators and to set appropriate targets for each indicator. Data will be collected again at midline and endline to determine progress towards meeting these targets.
- Collect additional quantitative and qualitative data (beyond the scope of the PMF Outcome indicators) that may help to inform sub-project implementation and increase understanding of the context and/or needs prior to implementation.
- To use baseline data, as well as lessons from the baseline process, to identify recommendations and propose relevant adjustments to implementation activities, M&E activities, or CSO capacity-strengthening plans.
Methodology
The consultant for each baseline study is expected to adopt a mixed methods approach in conducting the evaluation. The methodology used should be a combination of participatory qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques to allow a comprehensive examination of all aspects of the programme. The consultant will also be expected to review primary and secondary data to inform the assessment of the evaluation objectives and to measure certain indicators. The following primary data collection methods are proposed:
- Household survey (not exceeding 300 respondents per area)
- Focus group discussions (5-10, each not exceeding 10 participants)
- Key informant interviews (not more than 12)
- The consultant may also be requested to design pre/post training tests or surveys that will be deployed at a later date, after the initial baseline.
The consultants will be responsible for preparatory meetings, review of documents including the project proposal; finalization of project inception report already drafted by AKF, including study design, planning, methodology and data collection tools; and enumerators recruitment, training and pilot testing; data collection; quality assurance; data analysis; and reporting.
Ethical Standards and Safeguarding:
The baseline study must conscientiously abide by AKF’s Safeguarding Manual, and all members of the Consultant team must sign AKF’s Safeguarding Statement of Commitment upon contracting. The design and implementation of the studies must be in line with the research ethical standards including protection of participants from potential research-related harms, confidentiality, informed consent, beneficence, and safeguarding principles to protect respondents from potential harms such as sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and bullying. The consultant will seek approvals at district level to gain entry permission to the districts.
Deliverables and timelines
The main deliverables and tentative timelines for these three studies are as follows:
Final inception Report: Presentation of a finalised inception report for validation – 15th October.
Draft baseline report: Submission of a draft baseline report and successful completion of a validation workshop – 20th November.
Final baseline report: Completed study report (the report should be disaggregated at district level for understanding district relevant situations), including quantitative and qualitative study findings, completed dummy tables, data visualizations, and analysis of findings – 10th December.
Study datasets: Raw data and complete datasets in English. The Consultant will also be expected to provide a fully ‘cleaned-up’ dataset in an agreed file format (e.g., XLS, SPSS) accompanied by the code used to carry out analysis and a variable codebook.
Transcribed transcripts: Complete, edited transcriptions and translations in English of all focus group discussions and key informant interviews conducted.
Key competencies
- Team lead should possess at least a master’s degree in Gender Studies, demography/ population studies, or Statistics and with essential training in Monitoring and Evaluation. Any training in public policy is an added advantage.
- Other team members should ideally possess multidisciplinary qualifications across gender, social science, social work, and related qualifications.
- Strong experience carrying out surveys and associated qualitative data collection, particularly focusing on Gender or related thematic areas.
- The lead should have experience of conducting evaluations on gender and women studies for at least 6 years.
- Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing studies, including proven experience in sound sampling, mixed methods approach (quantitative and qualitative), tool development and enumerator training.
- Demonstrated experience in employing Open Data Kit (ODK) or other computer assisted personal interviewing software.
- Demonstrated experience in data management, including designing and managing Gender Sensitive projects and capable of handling large datasets for study purposes.
- Country knowledge and experience in conducting research and impact evaluation studies in Uganda and the districts applied for.
- Demonstrated experience safeguarding and working with vulnerable populations.
- Advanced proficiency in English is mandatory. Knowledge of additional languages used in the project area applied for is an asset.
Eligibility and Application Criteria
Consultants (individual consultants/firms) meeting the above criteria are invited to submit a cover letter (including the names and contact information of two previous clients who can be contacted regarding relevant experience), technical and financial proposal (max 12 pages). The submission should also include the following annexes, which are not included in the page limit: 1. CVs for the team and 2. samples of up to three (3) evaluation reports on gender and related studies conducted during the last 4 years, preferably in the areas of programme implementation., copy of legal registration and consulting firms profile. Applications should be for one of the following study areas:
- Area 1: Luweero and Mityana Districts.
- Area 2: Vurra Sub County in Arua District; and Ayivu Division in Arua City
- Area 3: Makindye Division and Mukono district
Requirements
Interested organisations will be required to:
- Develop a technical proposal (not more than six pages) outlining the innovation and/or solution, evidence of impact, and demonstrating how you intend to deliver this assignment
- CV of all key proposed team members (max. 2 pages per CV)
- Budget, inclusive of all costs.
- Include three references from similar assignments previously undertaken
- Please note that AKF foundation is exempted from tax under “exempted organisations of the Income Tax Act and VAT Act of Uganda”.
- Please note that With Holding Tax rates are applicable as per the Income Tax Act of Uganda unless a valid WHT exemption certificate is provided.
Reporting channel and submission
The consultants will be supervised by the AKF MERL team with support from Partner M&E Officers. The evaluation team will closely work with all designated AGECS Uganda partners for all the project-related information and administrative procedures.
Any queries and clarity regarding this consultancy can be directed to: [email protected] and only within the first 5 days after publication of this call for proposals.
How to apply
Please e-mail all required documents by email to [email protected] with the subject line: “AGECS Uganda Baseline Evaluation Consultancy-Area [insert area number]”. Proposals should be received not later than midnight of the 14th October 2022.