PROJECT FINAL EVALUATION

TERMS OF REFERENCE

PROJECT FINAL EVALUATION

Promoting Inclusion by strengthening CSO contribution to CRPD and SDG implementation and monitoring in China

1. General information

1.1 About Handicap International

Handicap International, also known globally as Humanity & Inclusion, is an international non-government organization working to support the empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities in society. HI is an independent and impartial aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict, and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

1.2 Context and Background of the Evaluation

In its concluding observations on the initial CRPD report submitted by the People’s Republic of China in 2012, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stated “The Committee is concerned that organizations of persons with disabilities outside of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation are not included in the implementation of the Convention.”[1]

The disability movement in China is not well reinforced, and opportunities for sharing lessons learned and coordination of advocacy initiatives are limited. Moreover, CSOs focused on disability inclusion lack sufficient funding and technical capacities to fully achieve their mandates. The specific challenges include limited institutional management skills and an inability to define clear policies and procedures in relation to administration, financial management and human resource management, and limited operational skills in relation to project cycle management. These weaknesses contribute to challenges to achieve organizational registration, access to funding and resources and mobilize support from their communities.

2. Evaluation context

2.1 Brief introduction of the project to be evaluated

Project title: “Promoting Inclusion by strengthening CSO contribution to CRPD and SDG implementation and monitoring in China”

Duration: 01 November 2019 – 30 April 2023

Location: China, Multiple Provinces

Operational partners:

1. The National Association of Parents Organizations (NAPO)
2. The Beijing PEER Social Work Development Center (PEER)

Project budget: 1,300,000EURO

Project objectives

• Overall Objective:Chinese CSOs have improved capacities to meaningfully contribute to governance and development processes in China.
• Specific Objective:Targeted CSOs have improved capacities to meaningfully contribute to inclusive policy development that is consistent with CRPD and SDG goals in China

Target Groups

• 2 national CSOs will develop norms for management and capacity building of their networks as well as improved capacity for national policy dialogue.
• 4 regional CSOs will improve skills in mentoring provincial and district level CSOs in their surrounding regions.
• 40 local CSOs will have an increased ability to support disability inclusive service delivery in their communities as a result of improved management capacities and improved dialogue with local authorities and mainstream service providers.

Expected results

• Expected Result One: 4 regional CSOs and 40 provincial/district CSOs improve their organizational management capacities.
• Expected Result Two: 40 CSOs improve capacities to meaningfully promote inclusive local governance and service delivery
• Expected Result Three: 40 CSOs improve capacities to support the development of disability inclusive services in their communities
• Expected Result Four: CSOs improve capacities to contribute to public policy dialogue concerning inclusive service delivery at provincial level.

In 2019, HI launched the “Promoting Inclusion by strengthening CSO contribution to CRPD and SDG implementation and monitoring in China” project. With funding from the European Union for the period 01 November 2019 – 30 April 2023, the project is implemented in partnership with two national civil society organizations.

1. NAPO is a national level network initiated by 17 parents’ organizations for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It started systematic advocacy work in 2015, and in April 2017 registered as a non-profit organization called Beijing Ronghe Lianhui Support Center for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities authorized by Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau as a regular operations entity. NAPO acts as a platform for capacity building parents’ organizations, enabling information and experience sharing and implementing a united campaign on policy advocacy and awareness-raising to the general public. NAPO currently supports more than 150 parents’ organizations nationwide.
2. PEER was officially registered as a municipal social organization on November 27, 2017 in the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau. Since 2012, PEER has maintained disability research, policy advocacy, inclusive employment and psycho-social support for women and girls with disabilities as their core areas of intervention. PEER has provided professional support for the sustainable development of more than 100 CSOs, and written more than 10 industry support manuals and research reports.

PEER and NAPO have each supported the growth of a national network of disability CSOs. To maintain these networks, ensure their quality and promote continued growth, the project’s implementing partners have defined a strategy of establishing “regional hub” organizations to act as mentors to CSOs within their respective regions.

The project is designed to support piloting of this strategy by investing on the development and mobilization of 4 regional hub organizations to strengthen the organizational capacities of 40 disability focused CSOs in 14 provinces. With oversight of HI, NAPO and PEER, 4 regional hub CSOs have been guiding 40 local CSOs in organizational self-assessment processes and implementing tailored capacity development action plans. HI, NAPO and PEER project staff at national level provide continuous support to regional hub coaches and, when necessary, are mobilized from national level to directly support local CSOs alongside regional hub coaches.

2.2 Reasons for the evaluation

The final evaluation is mandated by the project’s primary donor (the European Union) as well as by HI’s internal policies on project planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME). The final evaluation will look at the overall project implementation. The evaluation process will be participatory, including the participation of project partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries. The evaluation report will be utilized as a communication tool to support lessons learning, replication and potential scale-up of the project’s key interventions.

3. Evaluation objectives

3.1 Overall objectives and expectations for the evaluation

The overall objective of the evaluation is to assess the level of achievement of the set results and the quality of the project and draw the necessary learning for similar actions in the future

3.2 Evaluation criteria and questions

By end of March 2023, the project will be completed. The evaluation should examine whether the project has reached its expected results. Specifically, the following criteria is recommended to be used for the final evaluation:

Criteria and Related Questions

Relevance (Needs, context)

• To what extent does the project meet the needs of the direct beneficiaries?
• Has the project sufficiently adapted its actions to the context of the country of intervention?

Effectiveness (Result, Adjustment, Technical)

• To what extent have the resources (human, logistical, financial, technical) available enabled the project objectives to be achieved?
• Do the results obtained contribute to the achievement of the project objective?
• Is the technical quality of the project achievements in line with HI’s technical standards?

Changes (Effects, Continuity)

• Does the project contribute to the achievement of positive and measurable changes for the targeted actors, and puts in place measures to mitigate any potential negative effects?
• Whether the scenario of continuity beyond the project is anticipated, planned and formulated?

Efficiency (Skills, Responsiveness)

• Have the project teams of HI and partners been equipped with the skills needed to implement the project, and roles and responsibilities are clearly defined?
• Whether the project has been able to adapt to changes in the context, humanitarian needs and identified risks?

Partnership (Collaboration and Involvement)

• Has the project developed thoughtful, relevant and effective operational partnerships in a collaborative manner?
• Whether the partners of HI are regularly informed and actively involved in reasoned and transparent decision-making processes concerning the direction, implementation, achievement of objectives and success of the project?

4. Evaluation methodology

4.1 Collection method

The method of data collection will be determined by the evaluator. However, a mixed method approach is highly recommended to complete a comprehensive assessment of the project’s evaluation criteria (above). It is recommended that the data collection methodology include the following:

• Review of the available internal reports of the project
• Individual interviews with senior staff from HI and implementing partners
• Individual interviews and/or focus group discussions with project target groups and key stakeholders (staff of regional hubs and local CSOs)
• Good case studies/success stories of beneficiaries: This will be conducted through a face-to-face interview (male and female).

This evaluation should be carried out on site if possible. However, in special cases, it can be conducted remotely as applicants outside of China may not be able to enter the country for the purpose of this evaluation unless they currently hold a valid visa for entry into the country. HI will support the organization of the meetings and focus group discussions. If needed, HI will provide a qualified translator.

4.2 Actors involved in the evaluation

A steering committee is comprised of a member of implementing partner, a Regional MEAL Manager, a technical specialist, China Country Manager as well as Operations Coordinator and project manager in China.

Key steps and Minimum Responsibilities

PHASE 1 & 2 Preparation & framing

Drafting of ToRs — The Steering Committee should guide and validate the ToRs drafted by the person in charge of the evaluation.

Scoping Meeting and Inception Report — The Steering Committee must validate the choice of evaluator and ensure the impartiality of the selection.

PHASE 3 Implementation

Presentation: evaluation findings and recommendations —The Steering Committee must participate in the scoping meeting (methodology, expected results…) and validate the inception report for future steps.

End-of-evaluation Questionnaire — The Steering Committee and the evaluator ensure that they have a common understanding of the conclusions & recommendations expressed.

The Steering Committee provides elements that allow the evaluator to refine his/her recommendations *.

Quality of the final report; The Steering Committee must participate in filling in the end-of-evaluation questionnaire.

PHASE 4 Valorisation

Final report —The Steering Committee must specify the quality aspects** expected from the evaluator for the final report, and provide feedback on the draft report.

Elaboration of an action plan and follow-up of the recommendations. — The Steering Committee provides feedback on the draft report and then validates the quality** of the evaluator’s final report.

5. Principles and values

The evaluation consultant will commit to full compliance with HI’s ethics, values and policies, which will be shared with the consultant prior to contract validation.

5.1. Protection and Anti-Corruption Policy

Code of Conduct

Protection of beneficiaries from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment

Child Protection Policy

Anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy

5.2. Ethical measures*

As part of each evaluation, HI is committed to upholding certain ethical measures. It is imperative that these measures are taken into account in the technical offer:

• Guarantee the safety of participants, partners and teams: the technical offer must specify the risk mitigation measures.
• Ensuring a person/community-centred approach: the technical offer must propose methods adapted to the needs of the target population (e.g. tools adapted for illiterate audiences / sign language / child-friendly materials, etc.).
• Obtain the free and informed consent of the participants: the technical proposal must explain how the evaluator will obtain the free and informed consent and/or assent of the participants.
• Ensure the security of personal and sensitive data throughout the activity: the technical offer must propose measures for the protection of personal data.

*These measures may be adapted during the completion of the inception report.

6. Expected deliverables and proposed schedule

6.1 Deliverables

• An inception report: the report needs to be submitted to HI two weeks after the contract is signed between HI and the evaluation team. The inception report may need to be approved by the steering committee
  • refining / specifying the proposed methodology for answering the evaluation questions including data sources, methods, and data analysis
  • All data collection tools/instruments
  • The list of potential interviewees or organization
  • An action plan for the evaluation
• After data collection is completed, the evaluation team will present the preliminary findings, conclusions, and recommendations, which are to be presented to the steering committee.
• A final evaluation report of approximately 25-30 pages maximum and the following annexes: such as questionnaires and data table.
• An executive summary of 5 pages highlighting the important key findings.

The final report should be integrated into the following template:

The quality of the final report will be reviewed by the Steering Committee of the evaluation using this checklist:

6.2. End-of-Evaluation Questionnaire

An end-of-evaluation questionnaire will be given to the evaluator and must be completed by him/her, a member of the Steering Committee and the person in charge of the evaluation.

6.3 Evaluation date and schedule

The evaluation may be carried out during the months of March and April 2023. The below timeframe dates indicate the latest possible acceptable dates for completion of the key steps of the evaluation. The consultant’s proposal should include a work plan that meets each of these key deadlines.

Action and Anticipated Timeframe

Recruitment of the Evaluation Consultant —- Before 31st January 2023

Consultant Selection and Contract Validation —- Before 13rd Feb 2023

Initial desk review of project documents and remote discussions with HI senior project staff —- Completed before 24th Feb 2023

Submission of inception report and scheduling of field mission—-Completed before 5th March 2023

Implementation of data collection—-Completed before 20th March 2023

Implementation of review meeting with HI project team and partners—-Completed before 27th March 2023

Submission of Draft Evaluation Report to HI—-Completed before 7th April 2023

Submission of Final Evaluation Report—-Completed before 20th April 2023

7. Resources

7.1 Expertise required from the consultant(s)

The qualified candidate will have significant experience in project assessment and evaluation. The following qualifications will be considered as highly desirable:

• Sound knowledge and understanding of the UNCRPD, Disability Inclusive SDGs, social model of disability and rights-based development approach
• Significant experience in civil society organization capacity building preferably in China, including use of organizational capacity assessment tools, strengthening of social networks, financial sub-granting processes within social networks, etc.
• Experience working on development projects within the context of China.
• At least 5 years of experience in the final evaluation or research field.
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral.
• Excellent facilitator and able to build strong relationships with people at all levels.
• Excellent data collection and analysis skills.
• Excellent research and report-writing skills in English.
• Chinese language fluency will be seen as an added value.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​7.2 Propose Budget

The consultant should submit HI the financial proposal including very costs to produce the identified deliverable services (transportation, accommodation, personnel, translation, computer, printing questionnaires, specific tools/software, office materials…) and any applicable tax in the country (VAT or withholding tax).

7.3 Resources available to the evaluation team (data, document, etc.)

Prior to the consultancy, HI will provide the consultant with all requested project documents and data (as available).

[1] UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Concluding observations on the initial report of China, adopted by the Committee at its eighth session (17–28 September 2012)https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/CRPD/8thSession/CRPD-C-CHN-CO-1_en.doc

How to apply

Submission of bids

Qualified and interested applicants should submit the follow to HI.

• CV of the Consultant and any team members
• One Cover Letter
• One Proposal including the following components:

1. Background and Experience of the Consultant
2. Proposed Methodological Approach
3. Proposed Budget Plan
4. Proposed Work Plan (including specific dates)
5. At least one sample of recent report of consultancy work.

Evaluation of the expression of interest will be made through a selection committee only if a complete application is received.

The completed application should be sent to the following address: [email protected] and [email protected].

The deadline for the submission of the application is the 30th January 2023 at 05:00 PM. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Selected applicants may be invited for an interview or discussion.