FCA
Terms of Reference (ToR)
Date of issue:
5 April 2022
Project title:
Finn church Aid Global Programme Mid-term evaluation
Deadline for submission of offers:
27 April 2022 – 18:00 PM, Finland Time
Link for downloading documents and submission of bids:
https://tarjouspalvelu.fi/kirkonulkomaanapu?id=395480&tpk=208bd247-6d9a-4403-a1f2-e4d135a2eb47
Bid submissions via email are not accepted. Interested candidates and service providers must register using the link above, download complete tender dossier and submit their bids using the same electronic submission system.
If you have technical difficulty, please contact [email protected]
Please do not send your bid via email.
Contracting authority:
Finn Church Aid Foundation, Finland
**
1. About Finn Church Aid
Finn Church Aid (FCA) is the largest Finnish development cooperation and provider of humanitarian assistance. FCA is a civil society actor founded by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland as an instrument of its international diaconia. FCA is a rights-based actor, and our action is guided by international human rights standards and principles.
FCA contributes to positive change by supporting people in the most vulnerable situations in fragile and disaster-affected areas. In 2022, FCA implements 11 country programmes in Asia, Africa and Middle East in development work, humanitarian assistance and advocacy with an additional focus on investments.
FCA believes that the reduction of poverty requires achieving peace and the realisation of human rights, and that the local communities have the most sustainable solutions to the challenges in their own contexts. FCA specialises in three thematic priority areas: Right to Peace (R2P), Right to Livelihood (R2L) and Right to Quality Education (R2QE).
2. Background of the evaluation and FCA Global Programme
FCA Global Strategy 2017 onwards is the highest-level strategy document for FCA. FCA Global Strategy was approved in 2017 and underwent a minor revision in 2019. In the context of the challenges and opportunities of global megatrends, FCA’s Global Strategy sets the framework for FCA’s work to support people in making a positive, sustainable change that enables the creation of resilient and just societies where basic human rights are fulfilled. In this process, national and community ownership as well as building partnerships with a variety of relevant stakeholder, are essential.
FCA’s Global Programme (GP) translates FCA’s Strategy into practice. All of our country programmes, all the networks (Women’s Bank, EAPPI, Peacemakers Network) and our programme work in Finland are part of Global Programme and contribute towards and support the realization of FCA Global Programme Objectives.
FCA has a permanent field presence and country office in 11 countries in Africa, Asia and Middle East. FCA’s country level presence allows a good understanding and knowledge of country contexts and has enabled closer coordination and collaboration with local partners and stakeholders. Many of our country programmes are largely self-implemented but in several country contexts we often work in a co-implementation model, as partners with joint decision making, complementing each other’s strengths and expertise, and building each other’s capacity.
FCA has experienced steady growth in recent years and managed to diversify its funding base. In 2018, FCA expended a total of 40,5 M€, while in 2020, FCA’s total expenditure was already 47,8M€, spent on international aid and domestic operations. Income from international funding sources has grown considerably (e.g. EU, ECHO, ACT, SSF, USAID, UN organisations) and was 23,2 M€ and amounted to 48,6 % of the total income. MFA Finland funding totaled 10.8 M€.
FCA in currently undergoing an organizational change process that started in 2019. The process has focused on the continued delegation of powers to FCA country offices and the transformation and restructuring of Helsinki Head Office into a Service and Accountability Centre (SAC). FCA’s country offices have the main responsibility for programme implementation. The Service and Accountability Centre (SAC) responsibilities include overall strategic leadership, outlining general frameworks and a number of support and coordination functions.
2.1 FCA’s focus on fragile contexts:
FCA has made a strategic decision to focus on fragile contexts and countries where our work can have the greatest impact. Our work is context driven and brings together addressing immediate needs, reduced vulnerability and enhanced resilience of people. The majority of FCA programme countries experience alternating periods of relative stability and emergency caused by conflict or natural calamities- or both- with considerable consequences for the local populations.
Already prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, few fragile and conflict-affected states were on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. In most FCA’s operating contexts, Covid-19 pandemic and its negative impact on the economy and other sectors is jeopardising the progress made in recent years. School closures have led to significant disruptions to education across the world, giving rise to learning losses and increases in inequality, while in many contexts Covid-19 has also exacerbated the underlying root causes of conflicts and conflict dynamics. This is visible in the decline in women and girls’ rights, and the rights of marginalized and excluded groups. The social disruption and economic losses have increased in particular girls and women’s vulnerability to different forms of violence and exploitation.
In many of FCA’s programme countries, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are providing essential services and support to the local communities, often substituting for government and reaching people who are vulnerable or marginalized. Yet, some of the moves to limit the freedom of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and CSOs are seriously reducing their capacity to operate independently and effectively. In many contexts, the Covid-19 related restrictions have limited the space available for the civil society and caused the civil society groups to call on governments to adhere to legal obligations to respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Against this background, FCA is committed to supporting its local partners and the CSOs in its countries of operation and strongly believes that civil society’s experience in demanding more transparency and accountability is very much needed to build a more just and equal post-pandemic future.
2.2 Global programme policy context
FCA’s Global Programme has a strong correlation with major donor policy priorities. This is due to a shared commitment to international frameworks, such as 2030 Agenda and the commitments of the World Humanitarian Summit 2016 (WHS), including the Grand Bargain, as well as The Global Compact that seeks to address challenges related to today’s migration in ensuring that refugees and the countries and communities that host large numbers of refugees are not left behind.
FCA anchors the rights of education, livelihood and peace in the UN HR framework. The principles of sustainable development guide FCA’s operations and support the progress in line with the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals in our programme countries. FCA is committed to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in its three main dimensions – economic, social and environmental – in an integrated and comprehensive manner.
FCA Global Programme’s main objectives are in line with the Finnish development policy priority focus areas. FCA and Finnish development policy and development cooperation both focus on supporting developing countries in their efforts to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and advance sustainable development. National strategies and other relevant context related frameworks, policies and standards also guide our work.
2.3. Overview of FCA Global Programme:**
Introduction:**
FCA’s Global Programme (GP) translates FCA’s strategy into practice. FCA Global Strategy 2017 analyses the major global megatrends impacting and influencing FCA’s work. It also describes how FCA intends to effectively promote sustainable change in the three strategic thematic areas with three programmatic goals and four organizational goals. Our Global Programme spells out how we plan to implement FCA Global Strategy effectively to promote the desired positive changes and quality performance.
The current Global Programme period is 2018-2023 and Global Programme 2022-2025 is a continuation of this (including the revision of 2022-2023 programme period), designed in the spring of 2020 to respond to the current and next years’ development challenges. The Global Programme includes all our country programmes (11 in 2022, and Lebanon and DPRK). In January 2022, FCA Global Programme consisted of approximately 77 FCA and/or partner implemented projects, funded by various donors.
All networks and volunteer networks (Teachers without Borders) Women’s Bank network, Changemaker youth network, EAPPI, Peacemakers Network) and our programme work in Finland also support the realization of FCA Global Programme objectives.
In 2019, FCA’s country programmes reached nearly 400,000 persons and in 2020, despite the Covid-19 pandemic over 447,000 persons in Asia, Africa and Middle East. The impact of Covid-19 in 2020 was significant and continues to be so in many of FCA’s countries of operation.
Global Programme contents and modalities:
FCA’s Global Programme puts people with vulnerabilities at the centre of our work, including children, youth, women, persons with disabilities (PwD), refugees and internally displaced persons*.*
FCA’s three thematic focus areas are Right to Livelihood (R2L), Right to Quality Education (R2QE) and Right to Peace (R2P); each one of them is promoted in the spheres of private sector, governance and civil society that constitute the overall strategic frame for the main objectives. In addition, in line with FCA’s commitment to promote Rights-Based Approach (RBA), FCA has identified a number of cross-cutting issues and complementary approaches setting a minimum standard for all its working modalities. The three cross-cutting issues are common to all FCA working modalities: 1) Gender equality and social inclusion, 2) Climate action and environmental protection and 3) Do No Harm and conflict sensitivity. In addition to RBA and Resilience, also Innovation and promoting the Localisation Agenda are important aspects in FCA’s programme work.
To promote positive change in the three thematic focus areas, FCA mainly works through the modalities of development cooperation, humanitarian aid, advocacy and investment. We promote thematic synergies, as well as systematically combine development cooperation, humanitarian assistance and advocacy in all our work. Furthermore, FCA promotes triple nexus so as to meet people’s needs, mitigate vulnerabilities and promote sustainable peace more effectively in our programme countries. In all our efforts and as part of all our modalities, we promote partnerships that add value to our work at local, national and international level as we as in Finland.
Global Programme Theory of Change and programme objectives:
Our Theory of Change (ToC) translates the FCA strategic focus areas of Right to Livelihood (R2L), Right to Quality Education (R2QE) and Right to Peace (R2P) to a programme theory (in line with the Global Programme results framework and targets set for 2022-2025).
The Global Programme impact level goal and the three main objectives (MO1- MO3) are directly linked with FCA’s Global Strategy and its programmatic and organizational goals. The main objectives (3) have (8) sub-objectives and indicators that are monitored globally, allowing a global analysis of global progress and the most common global trends. The results framework includes both qualitative and quantitative indicators.
FCA works towards the world where economically and socially empowered people in fragile contexts will contribute to a positive and sustainable change in creating resilient and just societies (Impact Goal).
In FCA’s understanding, development towards resilient and just societies in fragile countries requires that changes in the following three domains take place:
People, particularly those in vulnerable situation, need to be able to increasingly benefit from economic growth that is sustainable and enables people to lift themselves from poverty (Main Objective 1). Sustainable livelihoods is a prerequisite for human dignity, fulfillment of the everyday needs and development of people’s wellbeing. When people are able to claim and enjoy their right to economic growth and develop their livelihoods, they will be better equipped and empowered to participate as active citizens – right-holders – in the social, economic and political development of their societies, and thus act as drivers for positive change in diverse other areas of society and life; contributing towards more resilient and just societies.
Structural and transformative change towards more resilient and just societies is not possible without transparent, responsive and inclusive governance processes that also enable people’s access to services (Main Objective 2). This means that duty-bearers in different fragile contexts need to be able to ensure access to and delivery of basic needs (e.g. water, food, shelter, health services, education) as well as the rights-holders’ access to information, participation and dialogue.
While the positive change in people’s access to economic opportunities and inclusive governance and services, such as education, are at the core of FCA’s ToC, resilient and just societies are not built without an active civil society. Only when right holders can fulfill their legitimate role and act for positive change (Main Objective 3) at different levels of society, transformative change towards resilient and just societies can take place. The space for and capacity of civil society – including traditionally excluded groups – to act and take the lead in the spheres of socially, economically and environmentally sustainable development are a prerequisite for this to realize.
3. Global programme mid-term evaluation purpose and target audience**
FCA’s first comprehensive Global Programme was developed in 2017 and its implementation started in 2018 (Global Programme 2018-2023). The Global Programme 2022-2025 was designed in the spring of 2020 to respond to the current and next years’ development challenges. So far, there have been no Global Programme reviews or evaluations.
Between 2018 and 2021 the Global Programme has evolved and grown, while at the same time the thematic focus, funding base, implementation modalities and partnerships vary between the different country programmes. In addition, effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on local operating contexts, FCA’s targeted beneficiaries and country programmes have been great with both achievements and innovations as well as important lessons learnt. In view of all the above, this constitutes a favorable moment to undertake this mid-term evaluation of FCA Global Programme.
3.1 The overall purpose of the mid-term evaluation:
*To make relevant observations, conclusions and recommendations for the necessary revisions and corrective actions on FCA 2022-2025 Global Programme and FCA Global Strategy for maximum positive results.**
The results of the mid-term evaluation will serve both internal and external audiences. Internally, FCA will use the observations and recommendation for the further development of its Global Programme, the related processes and capacity building efforts as well as in support of FCA Global Strategy review process. The results will be also shared with relevant partners and other stakeholders and donors.
3.2. Mid-term evaluation objectives
Towards the achievement of the overall purpose, the specific objectives of the mid-term review are:
1) To increase FCA’s understanding of FCA Global Programme’s evolution from 2018 to what it is today, and the direction and contents of our work, against the current major global and country specific changes and trends;
2) To assess the continued relevance of FCA Global Programme in its countries of operation and in guiding global level programming and analysis;
3) To establish FCA’s Global Programme’s programmatic strengths, also as they relate to other actors and partnerships, draw key lessons learnt and keys to success, and provide practical recommendations for more relevant and impactful programming;
4) To assess the coherence between FCA Global Strategy 2017- onwards and Global Programme 2022-2025 and against the above observations and make recommendations for future FCA Global Strategy revision (see also section 4 and Coherence);
5) To assess the effectiveness of FCA’s management approach in taking advantage of the available programmatic and other analyses to provide timely strategic and programmatic guidance and make practical recommendations for enhanced decision-making.
4. Scope of the mid-term evaluation
The scope of this external mid-term evaluation will cover FCA Global Programme 2018-2022 (present day) as implemented by FCA Country Programmes. The evaluation entails:
· all three thematic focus areas (Right to Quality Education, Right to Livelihood and Right to Peace)
· the implementation of rights-based approach and four cross-cutting issues: gender equality and social inclusion (incl. disability inclusion); Do no Harm and conflict sensitivity; climate change and environmental protection; and innovation.
· the main modalities of FCA’s work (humanitarian aid, development cooperation, advocacy, investment),
· the main partnerships (in addition to local NGOs/CSOs, FCA works with a wide variety of partners, local communities, INGOs, UN partners, Ministries in country, GPE, ECW etc.)
The scope of this evaluation does not cover FCA’s own Networks or volunteer work.
5. Mid-term evaluation questions
5.1 Relevance **
6) How sensitive are the objectives and design of the Global Programme (including its objectives, Theory of Change, its modus-operandi, risk analysis, context analysis, etc.) to the economic, environmental, equity, social, political economy, and capacity conditions in which it is being planned and implemented?
7) To what extent have the thematic priorities, crosscutting issues, working modalities and types of implementation (partner versus self-implementation, joint-implementation), and partnerships chosen by FCA been relevant for FCA’s country programme contexts and the targeted groups’ priorities?
8) To what extent does FCA’s Global Programme promote humanitarian-development-peace nexus as well as the localization agenda?
9) To what extent does FCA Global Programme and the related results framework guide programmatic work in FCA country offices? How sensitive are FCA staff, local partners and other relevant stakeholders to FCA Global Programme and is objectives?
5.2 Coherence
10) By which means and to what extent has FCA ensured coherence and taken advantage of complementarity with other actors and stakeholders on global and national levels, in its programming and operations? [1]
11) To what extent has FCA ensured internal coherence in programming and operations between FCA’s Global strategy and FCA Global Programme (programming, global and country context mega trends, objectives, ToC etc.)?
5.3 Management approach
12) How well do the existing mechanisms for monitoring and learning support the coherence and relevance of FCA’s Global Strategy and Global Programme?
13) How adaptive is FCA’s management of its Global Programme in ensuring its continued relevance? To what extent the available programmatic and other analyses are utilised to provide timely strategic and programmatic guidance for the development of Global Programme?
6. Approach and methodology
The mid-term review will be conducted by an external evaluator led by the FCA Service and Accountability Center (SAC) in Finland, and in collaboration with selected country offices and other stakeholders. The Programme Manager for Global Programme in SAC will be the Evaluation Manager.
The evaluation will be conducted in a participatory manner and following the rights-based approach. In their proposals the consultants are expected to describe their tentative approach to the evaluation methodology. The methodology will be revisited and finalised in the inception report together with a detailed evaluation matrix based on the finalized evaluation questions. Following data collection approaches should be included:
· Comprehensive desk review of programme and contextual documentation.
· Interviews with FCA SAC staff (both in inception and evaluation data collections stage).
· Data collection on the selected Country Programmes (e.g. by applying a case study approach).
· Interviews with selected global stakeholders and partners.
· Interviews with other relevant stakeholders identified in the inception stage.
(Survey approach can be proposed).
The following documentation will be made available for the evaluator on FCA strategy and policies, on global programme level, on country programme as well as on project level:
-
FCA Global Strategy 2017 onwards;
-
FCA Global Programme 2018-2023 and the related annexes;
-
FCA Global Programme 2022-2025 and the related annexes;
-
FCA’s thematic and cross-cutting issues strategies and policy guidance notes;
-
Relevant organisational and programmatic FCA policies;
-
FCA Global Programme annual plans and annual reports for the programme period 2018-2022;
-
Country Strategies and multi-annual results frameworks;
-
Country Programme Annual Plans;
-
Country Programme Annual Reports;
-
Relevant thematic assessments and evaluation reports;
-
FCA Country Programme evaluations;
-
Relevant Project evaluations;
-
CHS audits and self-assessments;
-
Strategic meeting minutes and decision memos.
-
Selected documentation relating to the wider policy and country context of FCA.
As travel to country offices remains restricted due to heath and security issues, the evaluator is expected to propose alternative ways for FCA country programme participation and review of the country programmes.
7. Provisional timetable
The evaluation will commence with a kick-off meeting after the evaluator has signed the contract.
The evaluation has to be concluded and the Final Report has to be received and approved by early October 2022.
Time
Activity **
Deliverable
First half of May
Kick-off meeting
Inception report
First half of May
Initial desk review
Second half of May
Inception report
First half of June
Inception meeting to discuss and validate evaluation approach
Second half of June
FCA comments and approval of the inception report
July
N/A
N/A
August
Evaluation data collection
Draft report
August
Preparation of the draft report
End of August
Key findings discussion with FCA
First half of September
FCA comments for the draft report
Second half of September
Validation session with FCA SAC
Final Report
Second half of September
Finalising the evaluation report
Early October
Submission and approval of the final report
8. Deliverables
The expected deliverables of the assignment are:
1) Inception Report: Key reflections on the preliminary desk review. A concise description of the approach, preparation of evaluation matrix with finalized evaluation questions, stakeholder analysis, methodology and sampling, and any data collection tools to be used, as well as the final work plan for conducting the evaluation (after the initial interviews with FCA and preliminary desk review).
2) Key findings discussion organized with FCA key staff. Discussion on the key recommendations to further develop or redirect programming.
3) A draft final report in English.
4) A final report in English (max 30 pages), including the following contents: Executive Summary in English, Introduction, Methodology, Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations, Annexes: List of documents reviewed, List of persons/partners interviewed/surveyed, Tools used, other relevant annexes.
5) A presentation on the mid-term evaluation outcomes to FCA staff.
Each deliverable will be separately approved by FCA if assessed as acceptable quality in terms of:
· Containing all the sections specified in FCA’s templates (please see the more detailed requirements in the attached templates).
· Written in clear and comprehensible English.
· Reflecting the chosen evaluation methodology.
· FCA reserves the right to end the evaluation in the inception phase if the inception report is unsatisfactory.
· The maximum length of the draft and final report is 30 pages without annexes. The annexes include but are not limited to the ToR for the evaluation, list of consulted documents, list of people interviewed, by affiliation, and contact details, evaluation matrix, tools used.
Deliverables
Payment %
Upon approval of the Inception report**
20%
Upon approval of draft report**
40%
Upon Approval of final report final presentation**
40%
TOTAL**
100%
9. Eligibility Criteria (Skills and qualifications required)
If the Tenderer is a single person, he/she must fulfill the following minimum criteria, which will be verified from the CV and three recommendation letters and ToRs from previous contract providers.
· Master’s degree in a field relevant to the assignment such as development studies, public policy or social development. (Please provide the CV)
· At least 12 years of professional experience in the field of development cooperation or humanitarian work of which at least 5 years of demonstrable experience in designing and conducting project and/or programme evaluations as a sole evaluator or team leader (minimum five (5) years) with references of at least two (2) relevant evaluations as sole evaluator or Team Leader (Please provide copies of two references (2). Experience will be verified against the CV)**
· Demonstrated analytical skills and capability to summarize and synthesize (To be verified based on previous experience in the CV)**
· Proven data analysis skills (minimum eight (4) years). (To be verified based on previous experience on CV)**
· Ability to formulate clear findings, conclusions, and recommendations that serve organizational learning and planning. (Please provide copies of at least (2) relevant evaluations)**
· Excellent capacity in spoken and written English. (To be verified based on previous experience on CV)**
If the Tenderer is composed of a team of multiple persons, the criteria above must be fulfilled by the named Team Leader (Please provide the name of the team leader in the technical proposal):
These criteria will also be used as comparison criteria concerning the skills and expertise.
10. Contract Award Criteria
The bids will be assessed according to the following criteria.
Qualitative award criteria & percentages
Means of verification & scoring
Weight
Skills/ expertise of the evaluation team **
CV and references from previous work
Criteria 1: Level of studies
Master’s degree in a field relevant to the assignment such as development studies, public policy or social development 8 points. 2 extra points for a PhD. Up to 10 points total.
Criteria 2: Work experience and evaluation experience
12 years of professional experience in the field of development cooperation or humanitarian work. 6 points for 5 years of minimum experience, 1 point for each additional year. Up to 10 points total.
References required of two (2) relevant evaluations.
Criteria 3: Data analysis skills
6 points for 4 years of minimum experience, 1 point for each additional year. Up to 10 points total.
30%
(30 points)
Approach and Methodology
Technical proposal **
Criteria 4: Rational**
5 points for a demonstrated understanding of the FCA Global Programme framework, 5 points for the demonstrated understanding of the objectives of the evaluation (total 10 points)
Criteria 5: Evaluation questions**
6 points for a demonstrated understanding of the questions, 6 points for their further specification (total 12 points)**
Criteria 6: Proposed methodology
6 points for a clear and feasible methodological approach in line with the evaluation objectives and questions, 6 points for a specific data collection and analysis methods, including a list of relevant activities (total 12 points)
Criteria 7: Themes, Cross-cutting issues, working modalities**
2 points for a clear approach with assessing the relevance of themes; 2 points for integration of cross-cutting issues, 2 points for implementation modalities (total 6 points)**
40%
(40 points)
Organization of tasks and work plan
Criteria 8: Timetable (work plan) in the technical proposal**
10 points for a timetable matching with the presented methodology.
Scores of other offers will be calculated proportionally.
10%
(10 points)
Financial Score:
Submit your Financial Proposal
Criteria 9: Financial proposal **
Lowest price receives highest score. Scores of other offers are calculated proportionally.
20%
(20 points)
To assess and compare the skills/expertise, the CV(s) and the recommendation letters will be used. The team leader’s role in the previous work illustrated by the ToRs must be relevant to this ToR.
To assess and compare the methodology, the technical proposal (without the work plan) incl. realism of budget will be used.
To assess and compare the organization of tasks and timetable, the timetable (work plan) will be used.
To assess the financial score, the financial proposal will be used.
**
- Budget**
The maximum budget for proposals considered in this tender is 30,000 euros, including VAT. Bids exceeding this amount will not be eligible for eva