Mid-Term Review (MTR) Consultant

INTRODUCTION

The Terms of Reference (ToR) outline the approach to an independent evaluation of the Sexual and Reproductive Health in Crisis and Post-Crisis Situations (SPRINT), Phase 4 (SPRINT IV). This three-year program (2022-2024) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and implemented by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). The evaluation will be undertaken within the period July to November 2023.

BACKGROUND

Australia is committed to empowering women and girls and advancing gender equality globally. The Australian Government has been a pioneer supporter of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in humanitarian settings since 2007 and is recognised as a leader in this field. SPRINT is closely aligned with Australia’s aid interests and policies, supporting strategic objectives of DFAT’s New International Development Policy (to be released in the first half of 2023) through emergency health and humanitarian assistance that has a strong emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable. SPRINT supports DFAT’s key thematic priority of gender equality and women’s empowerment by working with local IPPF Member Associations (MAs) to deliver essential SRH services, including a focus on preventing and managing the consequences of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) for women and girls in crises. SPRINT delivers against DFAT’s humanitarian priorities by supporting preparedness and effective humanitarian response to rapid and slow onset crises. It supports groups that are disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises, including women, girls, adolescents, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, people of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE), sex workers and other groups in vulnerable situations. It also supports DFAT’s disability inclusion priority as it works to ensure social inclusion in both the design and implementation of humanitarian activities. SPRINT is strongly aligned with globally agreed humanitarian policies and standards for SRHR. It supports the localisation agenda with service providers who work across the humanitarian-development nexus and are present before, during, and after a crisis.

Since 2007, the Australian-funded SPRINT initiative has invested in SRHR and prevention of and response to SGBV in humanitarian settings through IPPF. Phase 1, 2 and 3 of the program ran from 2007 to March 2022. An independent evaluation was undertaken at the mid-term of the phase 3 in 2019 (Mid-Term Review: MTR), which led to a two-year costed extension. The SPRINT IV program commenced in April 2022. SPRINT IV builds on lessons learnt and challenges identified from previous phases including the recommendations from the phase 3 MTR in 2019.

The SPRINT program has a strong focus on the Indo-Pacific region in recognition of the strategic focus of Australia’s aid program and the vulnerability of this region to disasters and other crises. The SPRINT IV program is delivered in partnership between IPPF and its locally owned and led MAs in 14 focus countries (Fiji, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tonga, and Vanuatu). As the lead partner, IPPF – through its experienced Humanitarian team, mostly located in Suva and Kuala Lumpur, –work in tandem with the MAs, providing capacity building and supportive supervision and enabling them to become leading national SRHR agencies in crises.

The goal of the SPRINT program is to improve access to lifesaving SRH services for crisis-affected populations in all their diversity through implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health in crises. The overarching purpose of the program is to contribute to reducing SRH-related mortality and morbidity, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) transmission, and unintended pregnancies in disaster affected areas. The SPRINT IV has four outcome areas:

1. Policy advocacy – global, national and local policy makers are increasingly receptive to including SRHR in emergency planning and responses.
2. Preparedness – increased national capacity to deliver lifesaving SRH services in crises.
3. Emergency response – lifesaving quality essential SRH care provided in a timely and inclusive manner with an emphasis on women, girls, and marginalised persons.
4. Recovery – Enhanced management and coordination between humanitarian and development programs to aid delivery of comprehensive services.

The SPRINT IV grant agreement is for three years (April 2022 to December 2024), with an option to extend of up to 2 years. A mid-term review of the program by an external consultant is expected to inform the final year of the program’s implementation to ensure its ongoing relevance, impact, effectiveness, and efficiency, and to inform possible future DFAT investments in IPPF’s humanitarian programming.

Purpose and intended use of the evaluation

The purpose of the evaluation is to:

1. Provide an independent assessment of the progress towards the SPRINT IV goals/outcomes, particularly around the newly introduced Outcome 4 – Recovery, including the degree to which IPPF has been able to advance the nexus between humanitarian and development efforts and measure impact accordingly.
2. Assess the effectiveness of SPRINT IV at all levels of implementation from Member Associations, key national partners, beneficiaries etc, with a particular focus on the program’s capacity to meaningfully include vulnerable, marginalised and excluded groups.
3. Recommend how implementation of SPRINT IV can be improved for the remainder of the program, including addressing any identified issues.
4. Recommend whether a costed extension should be considered, and present suggestions for further streamlining of the SPRINT IV program model to drive further impact and efficiency gains.

The outcomes and recommendations of the evaluation should inform DFAT management level decision making, including whether to extend the program, and how the SPRINT IV model could be further streamlined for optimal result. . Equally, the outcomes and recommendations should benefit IPPF, particularly in enhancing its impact, effectiveness, and efficiency at all levels of SPRINT IV implementation, and may help to inform other humanitarian programming beyond SPRINT being delivered across the Federation.

IPPF will be responsible for overall management and administration of the evaluation. This will include contracting, briefing the evaluation team; managing feedback from reviews of the draft report; and liaising with the evaluation team throughout to ensure the evaluation is being undertaken as agreed. DFAT will remain closely engaged in the development of evaluation questions and evaluation plan.

EVALUATION SCOPE

The entirety of the SPRINT IV program is included in the evaluation scope. This is defined in the grant agreement, design update, and program documentation (e.g., monitoring and evaluation framework, risk management framework, annual workplans, etc).

The evaluation will also consider the impact of SPRINT IV implementation within the broader context for SRHR preparedness and response in humanitarian settings. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Its contribution to the Australian Aid Program (e.g., New International Development Policy, scheduled for forthcoming release in 2023)
• Its contribution to IPPF’s broader objectives (e.g., IPPF’s global Strategy 2028; Business Plan 2023-2025; Niu Vaka Pacific Strategy Phase 2, 2023-2028)
• The extent to which SPRINT interacts in a complementary way with other programs (e.g., RESPOND program, the New Zealand-funded SRHiEP[1] program, core funds) and partners (e.g., UN organisations, NGOs, etc.).

[1] Sexual Reproductive Health in Emergencies Pacific

Evaluation of SPRINT impact and performance should cover the time period from the commencement of SPRINT IV in April 2022 up to the time of the evaluation being undertaken. Recommendations should cover implementation of the current grant (to 31 December 2024) and any potential extension period.

Key evaluation questions

Key evaluation questions are outlined in Attachment A. This list will be modified and refined during the development and finalisation of an evaluation plan by the consultant.

Composition of the evaluation team

The Evaluation Team will consist of one to two independent consultant(s) with expertise in monitoring and evaluation, humanitarian action, SRHR and SGBV

Evaluation techniques and data collection

The evaluation will apply a variety of mixed-method evaluation techniques such as desk review, meetings with stakeholders, small-group discussions, field visits, informed judgement, and scoring/rating techniques. The evaluation will be based on analysis of qualitative and quantitative evidence to establish findings, conclusions, and recommendations in response to specific questions.

Desk Review

The Desk Review of program and relevant contextual documents will indicate a number of initial findings that may lead to fine tuning of the evaluation questions and plan. A preliminary list of documents for desk review is at Attachment B. DFAT and IPPF will be responsible for making available key documents, both proactively and at the request of the consultant.

Consultation and stakeholder engagement

Open and transparent consultations will underpin the evaluation. In addition to consultations with nominated DFAT and IPPF personnel, consultations will be made with key partners (e.g., IPPF MAs, UNFPA, New Zealand MFAT, local key stakeholders from government, NGOs etc. in a few focus countries).

Selected key stakeholders may be given an opportunity to input on the draft report, which will be circulated for comment. All comments will be taken into consideration by the evaluation consultant in preparing the final report.

Travel / field visits

The consultant will travel to Canberra (to hold meetings with DFAT), Suva, (IPPF Pacific humanitarian team and regional humanitarian partner organisations), Kuala Lumpur (IPPF Humanitarian team) and a few SPRINT implementing countries (proposed are Nepal, Philippines, and Solomon Islands). During field visits, the evaluation consultant will meet with IPPF MA personnel, government officials, and community members (if possible) in one-to-one and small group settings. The location and number of the field sites will be representative in terms of SPRINT IV’s scope and range of activities and illustrative of both successes and challenges.

CONSULTING SERVICES, DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULING

Desk review and evaluation plan

The consultant will conduct a rapid desk review and initial set of consultations via email and/or phone/Zoom with IPPF and DFAT personnel to provide an initial assessment of the outcomes and results achieved by SPRINT IV to date, and clarification of evaluation questions. The consultant will draw on the desk-review and these initial consultations to develop a draft Evaluation Plan.

The final Evaluation Plan (approved by DFAT and IPPF) will build on and supersede these Evaluation TOR as appropriate, identifying what is feasible and appropriate to assess the program and to make recommendations on future implementation of SPRINT. The Evaluation Plan will include:

• An evaluation design that describes an appropriate methodology for the evaluation within the time and resources available.
• Sub-questions for key evaluation questions, addressing cross cutting issues as necessary.
• Proposed data collection and analysis process, including the sampling strategy and key informant categories both in Australia and internationally.
• The consultation process will be flexible and include face-to-face, one-to-one and small group interviews, teleconferences and email with key stakeholders.
• Challenges/limitations to achieving the evaluation objectives and how these will be addressed.
• Draft itinerary and target dates for deliverables.

The consultant is accountable for ensuring that the evaluation and all evaluation documents, including the TOR, evaluation plan and evaluation document meet DFAT’s Development Evaluation Policy (2020).

Reporting and publication requirements

The consultant must provide the following documents/reports within the indicated timeframes:

1. Evaluation Plan, jointly agreed by the Consultant, IPPF and DFAT in line with DFAT’s Development Evaluation Policy (2020).
2. A near-final draft of the Evaluation Report in line with DFAT’s Development Evaluation Policy for DFAT and IPPF review. The Evaluation Report structure and length will be determined in the Evaluation Plan.
3. A final Evaluation Report by 30 November 2023, incorporating consideration of feedback on the draft. The final draft will be subject to DFAT peer review, revision by the Consultant, and then approval by DFAT and IPPF.

Indicative timeframe

Task/Deliverable & Timeframe

Desk review by 17/07/2023

Draft Evaluation Plan provided for review by DFAT and IPPF by 18/07/2023

Evaluation Plan finalized addressing comments by 04/08/2023

Undertake data collection and field visits 07/08/2023 – 08/09/2023

Teleconference with IPPF after each country visit – As per travel schedule

Briefing on the preliminary key findings by the consultant(s) in the SPRINT monthly call – 14/09/2023

Provide a first draft evaluation report for review by IPPF – by 29/09/2023

Provide a second draft evaluation report for review by DFAT – by 13/10/2023

Provide a revised draft evaluation report addressing comments – by 16/11/2023

All deliverables finalised and final evaluation report accepted by IPPF and DFAT – by 30/11/2023

INDICATIVE BUDGET

Consultant days: 30-35 days

Source: SPRINT IV Monitoring and Evaluation

Travel: Canberra (Australia), Suva (Fiji), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Honiara (Solomon Islands), Manila (Philippines) and Kathmandu (Nepal). IPPF will organise and pay for travel including air fare, local transport, accommodation and per diems in accordance with the IPPF travel policy.