Request for Proposal (RFP) for the provision of Consultancy Services re. “DSP Final evaluation for RDPP”

1. Who is the Danish Refugee Council?
Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. Active in 40 countries with 9,000 employees and supported by 7,500 volunteers, DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence. The Durable Solutions Platform was established in 2016 to improve policy and programming approaches in support of durable solutions for people displaced in and from Syria. In 2022 and beyond, DSP is focused both on displacement in and from Syria and other forcibly displaced populations in the Middle East.

2. Purpose of the consultancy
The Danish Refugee Council Middle East Regional Office based in Jordan seeks proposals from a consultant to better understand DSP’s performance against RDPP outputs and outcomes as well as the DSP mission and objectives set out in the strategy.

3. Background
The Durable Solutions Platform(DSP) was established in 2016 to improve policy and programming approaches in support of durable solutions for people displaced in and from Syria. In 2022 and beyond, DSP is focused both on displacement in and from Syria and other forcibly displaced populations in the Middle East. DSP is not an implementing agency but a joint initiative of six non-governmental organization (NGO) members: Action Against Hunger (AAH), Danish Refugee Council (DRC), International Rescue Committee (IRC), Oxfam, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Save the
Children. DSPs regional secretariat is based in Amman, Jordan and currently works on Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.
The Durable Solutions Platform has received core funding from the Regional Development and Protection Platform (RDPP). This was launched in 2014 as a multi-donor European initiative supporting Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq to better understand, plan, and mitigate the impact of the forced displacement of Syrian refugees on host communities. The RDPP is currently in its second phase and is supported by the Czech Republic, Denmark, the European Union, Ireland and Switzerland, with an overall budget of 54.1 million Euros. Its strategic objective is to ensure that refugees and host populations living in displacement affected communities access their rights, are safe, self-reliant, and refugees are able to avail themselves of a durable solution (voluntary repatriation, resettlement to third country, and local integration in country of asylum).
The DSP acts across three pillars: research, policy and advocacy and capacity building; it also systematically engages with local civil society. As such, it intends to close a loop and ensure close engagement between research best practices, policy development and on the ground activities. It does so with core funding from RDPP, but supplementary small-scale funding provided by various programmatic initiatives through the Middle East. The DSP developed a strategy in 2021 that covers the period 2022 – 2025; this strategy is in line both with its commitments to the RDPP and to the wider goal of the DSP’s overall activities.

4. Objective of the consultancy
The overall objective of this consultancy is to conduct an evaluation to support DSP member agencies and donors to better understand DSP’s performance against the RDPP results framework and impact during the last programmatic period. The specific objectives of the evaluation are:

• To assess the performance of the DSP, and RDPP funded activities, according to the OECD DAC criteria, specifically:
  • Relevance:
    • To what extent did the project meet the needs of key stakeholders? How, and in what ways?
    • What global, regional and national policy priorities did the project interact with? Did the project meet needs of key stakeholders and fill gaps in the policy discussion?
  • Coherence:
    • To what extent did the project engage with ongoing donor, UN and civil society led coordination platforms?
    • To what extent did the project improve and heighten the impact of CSO coordination?
  • Effectiveness:
    • To what degree were outcomes met? What were the major factors influencing the achievement or lack of fulfilment?
    • What were the successes and what could have been done differently?
    • To what degree was the theory of change valid, and were TOC pathways valid? Which assumptions were valid, and which were not?
  • Efficiency:
    • How well has the project used its resources to produce target outputs?
    • Were activities cost-efficient? did the actual or expected results (outputs and outcomes) justify the costs incurred?
  • Impact:
    • What were the positive and negative longer-term changes produced by the project at: (a) policy level, (b) implementation level?
    • What unintended consequences were produced? How were these managed?
    • What factors affected impact at the policy and advocacy level? At the implementation level?
  • Sustainability:
    • Are the benefits of the project likely to be sustained and continue after the completion of the project?
    • What were the major factors that influenced the achievement or non-achievement of sustainability of the program or project?
    • What are the key factors that will require attention in order to improve prospects of sustainability of project outcomes and the potential for replication of the approach?
    • What structural factors need to be in place to support project sustainability?
• To better understand the degree to which the DSP approach did the following, and to produce case studies of successful examples:
  • Linking research, programming and advocacy toward the advancement of durable solutions
  • Managing, mitigating and responding to the changing context
  • Engaging with inter-agency coordination forums and supported coordination for CSOs
  • Contributing to smoother and more effective joint advocacy and research among CSOs
• To conduct an analysis of the impact and sustainability of DSP, including outlining options for the future, particularly with regard to assuring future donor commitments
• The consultant will be required to conduct a desk review, key informant interviews and potentially focus group discussions, to produce an extensive final evaluation report.

5. Scope of work and Methodology
It is anticipated that a methodology for this evaluation will consist of, at a minimum, the following elements:

• Desk review of DSP and member agency documents
• Key informant interviews
• Focus group discussions with relevant counterparts

Qualitative data collection is expected. DSP would be open to consider more innovative methodologies that take into account some of the subtleties associated with influencing policy and programme implementation.
The consultancy should cover all the geographic areas in which DSP operates, with a focus on the areas funded by RDPP (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, KRI). The consultancy is expected to target: DSP staff, staff from DSP member agencies, implementing partners who have used DSP’s research and capacity building materials, and donor and policy agencies.
The Consultant will be required to prepare a detailed methodology and work plan indicating how
the objectives of the project will be achieved, and the support required from DRC.

6. Deliverables
The Consultant will submit the following deliverables as mentioned below: Phase Expected deliverables Indicative description tasks Maximum expected timeframe Phase 1 Review Inception Report
Outline a refined scope of work, a firm methodology and data collection tools
5 working days Phase 2 Data Collection Anonymised transcripts of primary data
Conduct key informant interviews and focus group discussions
15 working days Phase 3 Analysis Draft and final evaluation report
Conduct analysis against the OECD DAC criteria and provide recommendations for the DSP
15 working days Phase 4 Dissemination Validation workshop & slide deck
Conduct validation workshop, with RDPP
Provide slide deck for future presentations
5 working days The Consultant will provide the documentation by email, in both Word/PPT and PDF formats

7. Duration, timeline, and payment

• The total expected duration to complete the assignment will be no more than 40 working days.
• The consultant shall be prepared to complete the assignment no later than 15 Dec 2022.
• Payment should take place through instalments: 30% at inception report, 40% at draft report, and 30% following validation and final report.

8. Proposed Composition of Team

• Lead Evaluator
• Any Other Assistants

9. Eligibility, qualification, and experience required
Essential:

• Post-graduate degree in Social Sciences, Development, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution or other related subject
• At least 5 years of experience in conducting evaluations
• At least 3 years of experience in implementing field level programming (research or service provision activities)
• Significant expertise in policy and advocacy
• Strong and proven participatory research skills and experience.
• Strong knowledge of the Middle East context including the policy and research frameworks
• Strong teamwork skills
• Demonstrated publication record
• Ability to produce high quality materials in English
• Ability to present to a range of stakeholders.

10. Technical supervision
The selected consultant will work under the supervision of the DSP Manager, Ruta Nimkar, [email protected]

11. Location and support
The work assignment will focus on activities based in Jordan and taking place through the region. The consultancy can be remote. The Consultant will provide her/his own computer and mobile telephone.

12. Travel
No travel required.

13. Submission process
Refer to the RFP document name of the document.

14. Evaluation of bids

• Please refer to the RFP letter invitation.
• Only the winner will be contacted for an interview with the panel to ensure its understanding of the consultancy services.