Mid-Term Evaluation of Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees from Ukraine in Romania

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Mid-Term Evaluation of

Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees from Ukraine in Romania

1. Introduction/Background

Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022 shocked the whole world. The brutal war has forced millions of people to leave their homes and either seek refuge in more secure parts of Ukraine or even cross the borders to a neighbouring country. However, many of these neighbouring countries are already among the poorest in Europe and are struggling with internal socio-economic problems themselves. Accommodating this large number of refugees put great pressure on the already struggling neighbours.

This also applies to Romania, which has taken in the most refugees after Poland, yet has the second-lowest GDP per capita in the EU. Many refugees have had to come to terms with the fact that a return to their homes will not be possible in the near future. They have hardly any resources of their own, are stranded in a country whose language they do not even understand and are dependent on external support. Now that they have begun to settle in, their traumas become even more present and place an additional burden on them.

Solidar Suisse and its local partners LOGS and Migrant Integration Center have gained important experience in a first humanitarian response project in Romania with the provision of cash and voucher to meet the basic needs, information sharing and counselling as well as with mental health and psychosocial support.

It is against this background that Solidar Suisse has been once again partnering up with LOGS, Migrant Integration Center and this time also with the new partner AIDRom to support the most vulnerable refugees in Romania.

The current project “Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees from Ukraine in Romania” has the following three outcomes:

Outcome 1: Refugees are able to meet their basic needs by Cash-based support

Outcome 2: Refugees can better cope with social, physical and mental challenges by providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, information sharing and counselling

Outcome 3: Newly arriving and transiting refugees have access to basic humanitarian assistance by distributing basic food/hygiene kits for refugees in transit at border crossings and information sharing

The project is being implemented in Timisoara (LOGS), Brasov (Migrant Integration Center) and on six border crossings (AIDRom).

2. Purpose

This midterm evaluation (MTE) shall assess the continued relevance of the project and the progress made towards achieving its planned objectives. Opportunities to make modifications to ensure the achievement of these objectives within the lifetime of the project shall be provided.

Clear and applicable recommendations will allow the project team to complete the second half of the project implementation in the highest possible quality, particularly in regard to relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. In doing so, it will take into account what has already been achieved by the previous project “Early response for refugees from Ukraine”.

3. Objective

The mid-term evaluation of the project “Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees from Ukraine in Romania” has three main objectives:

1. To assess the relevance of the project design and the implementation progress, including the beneficiary selection, multipurpose cash modalities, applied approach/activities under MHPSS, information sharing and counselling as well as support for newly arriving refugees at border crossings for the targeted refugees from Ukraine
2. To provide recommendations based on lessons learnt from the current project implementation as well as from best practices from other similar interventions for the project team to continue and improve the project so that its objectives will be achieved in due time and high quality. Recommendations must be applicable and clear for each partner organisation as well as for the project as a whole.
3. To consider if the project is in line with 9 commitments of the Core Humanitarian Standard and recommendations how to improve the standard in the project.

4. Scope of Work

The scope of the MTE encompasses the activities implemented and results achieved thus far, (work-) plans and other relevant information of the project “Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees from Ukraine in Romania” (project duration: 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023). Activities implemented and achievements made under the preceding project “Early response for refugees from Ukraine” (1 March – 20 June 2022) must be taken into account as well.

The evaluation focuses on the technical as well as management aspects of the project. It will evaluate each partner organisation individually but reports at both the organisational and overall project levels.

5. Specific Evaluation Questions

The following questions serve as guiding questions in order to assess to what extent the project implementation is on track and what is needed to enhance the project performance for the second half of the project duration and achieve the set objectives in high quality.

• To what extent has the project already achieved its outcomes or will be likely to achieve them?
• To what extent has the project already achieved its outputs or will be likely to achieve them?
• What were the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of the outcomes and outputs? (Also consider any which were possibly beyond the control of the project)
• To what extent were the project activities and implementation methods appropriate and relevant in order to achieve the anticipated results and objectives?
• To what extent has the project progressed and achieved its preliminary results in accordance to the original work plan and how well did it adapt to changing conditions on the ground and new findings?
• How well did the project manage the overall budget (value for money), administration, staff and resources?
• What are the current prevailing needs of the refugees from Ukraine in Romania and does the project take them into account?
• To what extent is the project timely, relevant and appropriate to respond to the most pressing needs of the refugees from Ukraine in Romania?
• To what extent have the targeted beneficiaries participated in shaping the projects activities?
• How is the project perceived by the beneficiaries?
• Are the targeted locations chosen appropriate?
• To what extent does the project contribute to durable solutions?
• Is the project set up appropriate and effective?

The consultant(s) will apply the OECD/DAC criteria and Core Humanitarian Standard.

6. Approach and Methods

The evaluation/review consists of several phases:

Contract and initial online meeting: Contract is signed and a discussion of the assignment takes place. First documents, including available data, are provided to the evaluation consultant/team.

Desk Study: The evaluation/review team studies all necessary project/programme documents; re-construct and analyse the intervention logical framework and its risks and assumptions. Existing data needs to be analysed and interpreted.

Inception-Report: In the inception report the evaluators will describe the design of the evaluation and will elaborate on how data will be obtained and analysed. The use of a data collection planning worksheet or a similar tool is required. First interviews take place.

Data triangulation and quality control are very important and need to be discussed in the inception report.

The field trip will only take place upon approval of the inception report by Solidar Suisse.

Field-phase: Data needs to be gathered, analysed and interpreted. It is expected that the evaluation will include quantitative and qualitative, disaggregated data.

Presentation: Presentation of initial key findings after the field trip (online – approx. 2 hours).

Final Report Draft: Submission of final draft report.

Final Report: Submission of final report, see reporting requirements under point 9). For the different phases it is expected that data and information will be obtained through different methods such as: analysis of documents, structured interviews, semi-structured interviews, face-to face or by phone, group discussions, online/face to face survey (if applicable), others.

All data collected needs to be disaggregated by sex and age.

It is expected that the evaluation consultant/team will provide clear and relevant information and recommendations per partner organisation to feed in the planning and implementation of the second phase of the project.

The final report has incorporated the feedback provided by Solidar, LOGS, Migrant Integration Center and AIDRom.

7. Timetable

A total of 15 working days is estimated for this assignment (2 days for desk review and inception report elaboration, 9 days for field visit, 4 days for presentation and final report writing including incorporation of feedback).

Submission of bid (electronically) – Consultant by 18.12.2022

Contract signed and documents provided – Consultant & Solidar Suisse by 29.12.2022

Desk Study – Consultant by 2-3.1.2023

Submission of inception report – Consultant by 4.1.2023

Field Visit, interviews etc. – Consultant by 9-18.1.2023

Presentation of initial findings – Consultant by 23.1.2023

Submission of final draft report – Consultant by 26.1.2023

Submission of feedback on final draft report – Solidar, LOGS, MIC, AIDRom by 30.1.2023

Submission of final evaluation report (hard copy and electronic copy) to contractor – Consultant by 2.2.2023

8. The Evaluation Consultant/Team

The client can be an individual consultant or a team of consultants (international and/or national consultant/team)

Key Qualifications in the team should be:

• • Master degree in humanitarian/ social work or other relevant fields.
    – A minimum of 10 years’ experience and expertise in the field/sector of cash-based initiatives and mental health and psychosocial support.
    – If the consultant is a team, the team leader will have conducted at least three evaluations in the last five years ideally in the relevant field. If the consultant is an individual, s/he will have to qualify as the team leader (provide list of evaluations carried out, incl. position, country and sector).
    – Sound knowledge of and experience in Romania, incl. legal system and Ukraine
• • Experience in project cycle management
    – Experience and expertise in evaluating humanitarian projects
    – Experience in social science methods
    – Knowledge of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) on quality and accountability
    – Excellent oral and written English skills
    – Excellent Romanian and/or Ukrainian language skills
    – Sound MS Office and IT skills

The consultants must not have been involved in the design, implementation or monitoring of the project or be related in any way to one of the organisations involved.

9. Deliverables

The consultant(s) is responsible to produce and share the following deliverables:

Inception Report (max. 10 pages without annexes)

• • Evaluation matrix lining out the subsidiary evaluation questions
    – Methodology
    – Sampling plan
    – Draft data collection tools (survey forms, topic guides for focus groups etc.)

Presentation of initial findings which is organized to validate and discuss the provisional findings with members of all organisations involved (online)

Final Evaluation Report (max. 20 pages without annexes)

• Executive Summary (1 page)
• Methodology, analysis and key findings
• Concrete and applicable recommendations for the second project half for each organisation separately and for the project as a whole
• Incorporation of feedback and inputs from Solidar, LOGS, Migrant Integration Center and AIRDom

All reports need to be written in English.

How to apply

If you are interested in this assignment and meet the requirements, please send your bid including detailed CV(s), detailed and competitive budget inclusive of all costs, fees and taxes (consultants are responsible for managing their own tax contributions) with the subject “Romania Mid Term Evaluation” by e-mail to [email protected]

Deadline for submission is 18 December 2022 and no bids will be accepted afterwards.