Consultancy to Undertake Endline Assessment for the Citizen Science Project on Community-led Monitoring in Malawi and South Africa

Background

Community led monitoring (CLM) uses the power of communities to transform information on health systems into life-saving advocacy campaigns. It rapidly generates data on HIV prevention and treatment services and empowers communities to use their findings to identify and advocate for solutions that break down barriers to human rights, better health, and higher quality of life.

In 2019, CLM was not uniformly defined by donors or implementors, was not implemented with rigor or alignment with a proven methodology, and was not assessed with consistent measures to inform effective and efficient implementation. In 2020, ITPC-global and its implementation partners began The Citizen Science Project, aimed at addressing the impact of COVID-19 on HIV & TB prevention and treatment services through community-led monitoring in South Africa and Malawi.

Consultancy objective: ITPC is seeking a consultant to design and conduct an Endline Evaluation for its Citizen Science project.

Citizen Science Project Goals

The intent of the Citizen Science project has been to implement CLM with a high degree of rigor and quality; to document the elements of effective implementation, and to share findings and knowledge with a broad audience. The project has been carried out in countries of Malawi and South Africa.

The Project’s specific goals are:

1. Demonstration (and continued implementation) of elements critical to effective community-led monitoring (focus countries Malawi and South Africa).
2. Definition and refinement of key elements of CLM through approaches including operations research and documenting use of technology.
3. Dissemination of effective CLM approaches, results and learnings via trainings, a multi-country advocate network, and a data hub.

Program Evaluation Objectives:

The successful consultant will design and conduct an Endline Evaluation for The Citizen Science project. The evaluation will focus on examining progress made towards the project objectives, as well as documenting most significant changes and lessons learnt throughout project implementation.

Timelines and Deliverables.

Output: Citizen Science Endline Evaluation Report

Assignment Deadline: 31 December 2024

Total Estimated Number of Consultancy Days: 33

***Consultancy Duration:***Period of the assignment: June 2024 –15th December 2024. Payments will be released upon approval of the required deliverables and a detailed time sheet.

Deliverables:

• Inception Report: A detailed inception report outlining the understanding of the project objectives, evaluation questions, methodology, data collection tools, and work plan.
• Data Collection Tools: Development of data collection tools, including questionnaires, interview guides, and focus group discussion protocols.
• Interim Progress Reports/updates: Submission of interim progress reports at key milestones throughout the evaluation process.
• Draft Evaluation Report: Preparation of a draft evaluation report summarizing the evaluation findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data collected – submit for review and feedback and comments.
• Final Evaluation Report: Submission of a final evaluation report incorporating feedback received. The report should include actionable recommendations for improving project effectiveness, sustainability, and scalability.
• Executive Summary and Presentation: Preparation of an executive summary highlighting the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations from the evaluation report, along with a visually engaging presentation to effectively communicate the evaluation results to diverse audiences, including project stakeholders, donors, and policymakers.

Qualifications of the Consultant:

A qualified consultant should have:

• Expertise in Evaluation Methodologies: a strong background in designing and conducting project evaluations.
• Understanding of Community-Led Monitoring: Demonstrated knowledge and experience in community-led monitoring and its approaches.
• Strong Communication and Facilitation Skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are necessary to effectively engage with project stakeholders, facilitate discussions, and present evaluation findings in a clear and concise manner.
• Cultural Sensitivity and Adaptability: Able to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and adaptability to work effectively in diverse settings, particularly in Malawi and South Africa.
• Project Management Skills: Ability to manage timelines, budgets, and resources effectively to ensure timely delivery of the project endline evaluation activities and report.
• Relevant Work Experience: At least 5-7 years of relevant work experience in program /project evaluation, community development, or public health, with a proven track record of conducting evaluations in similar contexts.

Language: Proficiency in English is required for effective communication and reporting, both written and verbal. Knowledge of additional languages spoken in Malawi or South Africa would be an asset.