Mid-Term Review – Fair for All Programme – Call for Proposals

The Fair for All programme is looking for consultants to conduct its Mid-Term Review. Supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) under its Power of Voices subsidy framework, the programme and the implementation period run from 1 January 2021 until 31 December 2025. A consortium comprising Oxfam Novib, Huairou Commission, Third World Network (TWN)- Africa and SOMO is implementing this programme in the following countries/regions (17): Brazil, South Africa, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, OPT, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Regional Africa, Regional Asia, Global, and the Netherlands.

Strategic objective of the programme: A strengthened civil society which is capable of creating space and mobilizing people across geographies to demand and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable trade and value chains that respect human rights, protect the environment and promote women’s economic empowerment. Four mutually reinforcing pathways have been envisioned to contribute to the strategic objective. Please refer to the Terms of Reference (ToR) document and the website for further information on the Pathways.

As part of the programme’s commitment to consistently focus on improving the quality and effectiveness of the programme, an external mid-term review is to be undertaken in 2023, the broad objectives of which are to:

• Learn from progress and outcomes
• Evaluate the continued relevance and effectiveness of intervention strategies
• Be accountable to programme stakeholders

Research Questions

Aligning with the objectives of the programme and the review, following are the overarching and the sub-evaluation questions proposed for the MTR.

Overarching Evaluation Question: “How has FAIR for ALL contributed to a strengthened civil society that is able to work effectively towards more inclusive and sustainable trade and value chains, and how can it ensure its contribution remains relevant and sustainable?”

Sub-questions

1. In regard to the four pathways and their interconnectedness envisioned in the Theory of Change, how does the FAIR for ALL programme contribute to more inclusive and sustainable trade and value chains?
2. How does the FAIR for ALL programme support and strengthen civil society actors and enable them to understand and adjust to a shifting and/or shrinking civic space while remaining influential, and become more effective in contributing to more inclusive and sustainable trade and value chains?
3. What were the opportunities, enabling factors and challenges in relation to the achievement of planned outcomes?
4. How effective is FAIR for ALL as a network and a partnership in contributing towards the programme objectives and more inclusive and sustainable trade and value chains?
5. How and with what effects have the following cross-cutting themes been integrated into the FAIR for ALL programme?
6. What do the lessons/learnings on the progress, outcomes and collaboration thus far suggest about a) the ability of the FAIR for ALL consortium to seize opportunities for contributing to alternative value chains and trade (systemic change) and b) strategic focus and implementation for the remaining duration of the programme?

Role of the External Consultant:

• Suggesting suitable methodology, methods, and sampling criteria; desk review, development of data collection tools and analysis frameworks, and analysis and report writing.
• Ensure that the evaluation incorporates and integrates participatory and inclusive approaches – including participatory approaches for data collection, localisation of the research process
• Support and facilitate introductory/inception meetings with key stakeholders; check-in and update sessions during the review process, and reflection and learning exercises and events

Award criteria

The evaluation of the proposals will be based on the best value for money covering technical quality (the approach paper and the CV of the evaluator(s)) and price of the quotation.

The assessment of the approach paper will be based on 1) Understanding of the assignment and 2) Realistic time planning, given the assignment, with the best fitting approach paper for the assignment will be given the most points.

The assessment of the CVs will be based on appropriateness of the proposed team of consultants based on the criteria below.

Required:

• Experience in evaluating the content and intervention strategies relevant to the FAIR for ALL Programme (fair value chains, inclusive and sustainable trade, influencing, civil society strengthening)
• Proven experience in evaluation major (above euro 10 million) programs in multi-country setting and with a diversity of stakeholders.
• Previous experience – at least two assignments – comparable in content, time, scope and money;
• Experience in facilitating online, offline, hybrid co-creation and validation workshops and sessions;
• Team members and/or network of experts/specialists/consultants based in the FAIR for ALL countries
• Proven abilities in working across geographies, languages, contexts and cultures
• Ability to organise and deliver products on time against a tight deadline;
• Strong networking and problem-solving skills;
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills;
• Strong writing and communicative skills (including intercultural communication);
• Excellent command of English.

Preferred:

• Experience with Oxfam and/or experience with evaluations in a network/confederal setting.
• Knowledge of the quality criteria of the Dutch Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) for executing of evaluations;
• Capacity/expertise in ‘digital’ approach to producing and publishing reports.