1.Introduction
Innovation Norway has approved “The Financial Innovation and Resource Mobilization Project – Index Insurance (FIRM II). The project is implemented by ADRA and SomReP partners in location is TBD (Puntland/Somaliland) from April 2026 to May 2027. Before full project implementation, and in accordance with the project guidelines, a baseline assessment is planned for September 2026 in the targeted areas of the project locations.
The assessment will collect quantitative and qualitative data on key indicators as a reference for tracking the project’s achievements in meeting its objectives and monitoring progress. This ToR is prepared to guide consultants that will be recruited to conduct the baseline assessment in the location is TBD (Puntland/Somaliland).
2. Project Background
In Somalia, pastoralism is the backbone of society. Approximately 55 % of the population practices nomadic herding, while nearly 70 % depend on livestock for their livelihoods. Yet this way of life faces an existential threat from climate change. Increasingly frequent and severe droughts have transformed a system once defined by seasonal rhythms into one perpetual crisis. Acute water shortages and rapid pasture degradation now drive widespread livestock losses, undermining food security and household incomes at scale.
Despite these realities, the humanitarian response remains largely reactive. Funding is typically mobilized only after disasters strike, rather than invested in anticipatory and resilience-building measures. Conventional insurance models also fail nomadic communities, as they rely on fixed locations that do not align with pastoral mobility. Combined with weak early warning systems and low financial literacy, these gaps create a persistent “protection gap,” leaving the most vulnerable populations exposed to escalating climate shocks.
The Financial Innovation and Resource Mobilization Project – Index Insurance project moves beyond traditional, reactive humanitarian assistance by introducing a robust anticipatory financing model tailored to pastoral systems. While Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) has previously been piloted in the region, this approach directly addresses the systemic barriers of accuracy, affordability, and accessibility that have historically limited its scale and impact.
Conventional insurance schemes often rely on a single indicator, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which can be unreliable in arid landscapes or areas with dense tree cover. This project pioneers a multi-index technology stack, combining complementary data sources to ensure payouts are triggered with far greater precision and relevance to on-the-ground conditions.
Innovation extends beyond technology to the design of market systems. Rather than offering insurance as a standalone and often abstract product, the model bundles coverage with high-value, immediate tangible services, including direct veterinary inputs and access to tailored microfinance products. This integrated approach increases trust, uptake, and real-world utility for pastoral households.
The project targets approximately 2,000 vulnerable pastoralist households and will work through partnerships involving public institutions, insurers, microfinance institutions, technology providers, research institutions, insurance agents, community structures and pastoral households. The implementation approach includes smart subsidies, strengthened insurance distribution systems, access to credit, policy engagement, financial literacy and private-sector capacity strengthening.
3. Project Goal and Outcomes
Strengthened resilience of vulnerable pastoralist households through sustainable access to climate risk financing systems that protect livestock assets and stabilize livelihoods.
- Outcome 1: An enabling policy and institutional environment supports the uptake and sustainability of IBLI. Updated the others w/comments accordingly
- Outcome 2: Private sector capacity strengthened to deliver sustainable, accessible IBLI products
- Outcome 3: Innovative and responsive IBLI product design and delivery models developed and scaled.
- Outcome 4: Target households access bundled climate insurance and financial services to enhance resilience
4. Baseline Objective
The purpose of the baseline assessment is to collect data on a set of indicators that will be used to assess achievement of project outcomes and impact. Collected data will form the basis for measuring change over time.
4.1 Specific Objectives
- To collect and document data reflecting the before-project-implementation status of key FIRM indicators that will be used as reference points for measuring progress towards stated project outcomes.
- To validate the current set of indicators in the M&E framework and, where necessary, support their revision and fine-tuning for better tracking of outcome results.
- To provide information necessary for the development of the project’s Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, including setting targets and benchmarks.
- To provide contextual reference data to inform activity prioritization during project implementation
- To provide essential reference data for communicating project progress and to inform learning and decision-making for course-correction during project implementation.
5. Approach
The FIRM baseline Consulting firm will be recruited to lead and be responsible for baseline data collection, analysis and report writing, working in close collaboration with the project’s Program Manager and MEAL Specialist and other technical staff of FIRM project.
The Consultant will be required to come up with a technical and financial proposal outlining how the Consultant intends to conduct the assessment. The workplan must be approved by the WV project team before the Consultant can embark on the work. The consultant will be required to use their discretion on the most appropriate research methods and tools, taking into consideration the minimum requirement outlined in this ToR. This includes, but is not limited to, sampling, questionnaire/instrument design, data analysis plan, reporting, etc.
6. Key Baseline Questions
- What is the current Household Resilience Index score among target households?
- What climatic and non-climatic shocks have target households experienced during the previous three to five years, and how have these affected their livelihoods?
- What proportion of households experienced livestock mortality during the most recent major drought, and what was the average net livestock loss by species and household category?
- What proportion of households resorted to distress livestock sales or other negative coping strategies during recent shocks?
- What is the current status of household income stability, food security, savings, indebtedness and access to emergency finance?
- What proportion of target households is aware of livestock insurance, index-based livestock insurance or Takaful?
- What proportion of households correctly understands how IBLI operates, including premiums, index triggers and payouts?
- What proportion of households currently trusts IBLI, and what factors influence their level of trust?
- What proportion of households has previously purchased, received or benefited from an insurance product?
- What proportion of households is willing to enrol in IBLI and continue paying premiums as subsidies gradually decline?
- What premium amounts or household contribution levels are affordable and acceptable, and which subsidy arrangements are preferred?
- What proportion of target households currently has access to savings, credit, insurance or other formal and semi-formal financial services?
- Which services do pastoral households prefer to receive alongside IBLI, including credit, veterinary services, fodder, animal feed, water services and climate information?
- How do preferences for bundled services differ by gender, age, disability, location, livelihood type and household vulnerability level?
- What barriers prevent pastoral households from accessing insurance, credit and complementary livestock services?
- To what extent could an IBLI policy or project-supported financial instrument improve households’ access to credit and other financial services?
- To what extent do relevant government institutions endorse or support an IBLI policy and regulatory framework, and what legal, regulatory or Sharia-related gaps remain?
- What proportion of relevant institutions can independently perform IBLI-related functions, and what institutional-capacity gaps need to be addressed?
- What is the current capacity and readiness of insurers, MFIs, insurance agents and service providers to design, market, enrol households, collect premiums, process claims and deliver payouts in pastoral areas?
7. Study Population, Scope and Methodology
The study population will comprise of 4 districts (location is TBD (Puntland/Somaliland) in where the projects will be implemented, targeting pastoral households, government line ministries focal points, insurance providers, research institutions, local community committee leaders, as well as the different community groups and leaders.
The sampling frame will constitute target project beneficiaries and community governance structures from the four districts. The sample frame will further include strategic partners such as INGO and government departments that will coordinate with SomReP in delivery of project interventions.
The baseline study will use a cross sectional survey research design that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative data collection as well as analysis techniques. The consultant will be expected to propose an appropriate and detailed methodology for delivering this assessment. This includes specifying the data collection methods, data collection tools corresponding to type of information to be collected, sample size for both qualitative and quantitative data together with the calculation formula used to arrive at such. The qualitative data needs to indicate the key stakeholders to be involved in the key informant interviews as well as the focus group discussions.
The consultant will develop data collection tools that will need to be approved by the project M&E team. The Consultant will ensure that the survey tools designed will cover all outcome level indicators as well as respond to the evaluation questions listed under section 7 and add more questions to the questionnaire as appropriate.
The Project M&E team recommends that the consultant employs mobile data collection for quantitative data. The consultant will also be responsible for engaging and managing the team of data enumerators during the data collection period. The consultant will make use of SomReP Kobo Toolbox for the quantitative data collection.
8. Submission of Reports and Data Sets
8.1 Draft Baseline Assessment Report
The Consultant shall provide a draft report to the FIRM M&E specialist for review at least one week before submission of a final baseline report.
- The draft report shall include an executive summary, description of methodology and a detailed analysis and findings of the assessment.
- The draft report shall address each of the outcome indicators outlined in the scope of this TOR.
- The draft report should also highlight key issues and potential constraints for collection of data to measure the progress and make recommendations for gathering of reliable statistics/data that can be compared with performance indicators.
8.2 Final Baseline Assessment Report
Following consideration and incorporation of feedback from the SomReP team, the Consultant shall submit a final assessment report to the FIRM Program Manager.
In addition to the standards outlined above for the draft assessment report, the final report shall follow the following outline:
- Acknowledgements
- Table of Contents
- List of Tables
- List of Figures
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Methodology
- Analysis and Findings (for each outcome)
- Conclusions
- Annex (questionnaire, sampling provcedure (sampling frame) and relevant documents etc.)
8.3 Raw data
The consultant shall submit soft copies of all raw data collected from the field during the surveys
- No survey data remains on the tablets used for data collection. The original raw data stored on Kobo server will remain under the ownership of WV/SomReP.
- The clean version of the raw data (in Excel, SPSS or other software format), used for data analysis, shall be submitted along with the first draft of the baseline report
- All products developed under this assignment are the sole property of WV/SomReP and may not be published or shared by the consultant without written permission.
9. Logistics
The consultants will be responsible for their own logistics (i.e. transport and accommodation if necessary). The consultants will also be responsible for their own insurances, vaccinations, health, and security preparedness.
10. Standards of Ethics and Child Protection
The successful consultant will be responsible for ensuring that data collection and analysis approaches are designed to mitigate child protection risks and protect participants’ privacy and wellbeing by establishing and following credible ethical evaluation principles:
- The lead consultant shall ensure that all research assistants are oriented on research ethics and child protection policy prior to commencement of data collection.
- The lead consultant shall ensure that each member of the research team is oriented and adheres to research ethics and child protection policies.
- The consultant shall ensure compliance with PSEA and safeguarding standards, including appropriate reporting and referral mechanisms.
- The lead consultant shall ensure that every piece of information collected is treated with all the confidentiality that it deserves.
- The lead consultant shall ensure that survey participants to be involved in the study are well informed of the objectives of the study and their consent is sought prior to starting data collection. Participants will be informed of voluntary participation and their rights to decline participation in the evaluation and that they will be at liberty to withdraw from the process if they wish to do so.
- The consultant shall ensure that the identity and personal information of participants, data to be anonymized, and confidentiality maintained throughout the research process.
- The consultant shall ensure that all collected data are securely stored and protected through appropriate access controls, password protection, encryption where applicable, secure data transfer, and secure deletion when no longer required.
- The consultant shall apply a do-no-harm approach when collecting sensitive financial and household data in drought-affected communities, minimizing risks of stigma, distress, conflict, or other unintended consequences.
- The consultant shall ensure that participants understand that their participation and responses will not affect their access to humanitarian assistance, services, or other support, and that they are not required to disclose information they are uncomfortable sharing.
11. Roles and Responsibilities of Baseline Stakeholders: Consultant
11.1 Consultant scope of work
The study is to be conducted by a consultant with the below list of scope of work.
- Acquire all clearances and permissions necessary to collect data in all needed regions where the project will be implemented
- Preparation for the study: planning scope, engagement, logistics and schedule; documented in a clear inception plan together with the work plan including schedule for field work
- Working closely with the project team during design of the tools to be used for data collection
- Identify, train, guide and supervise enumerators during data collection
- Supervise enumerators on the survey tools to be used.
- Undertake internal quality control procedures to ensure data collected is comprehensive, consistent and accurate
- Make visits to data collection sites and lead primary data collection and analysis
- Incorporate feedback from the project team and other stakeholders
- Make Powerpoint presentations of the results and discussions either virtually or through physical meetings with the project stakeholders.
- Preparation and submission of different knowledge products such as infographics, factsheets and summary report
- Cleaned survey data (in Excel or SPSS compatible formats), transcripts of the FGDs, KIIs, photographs and ethical approval etc
- Infographics and factsheets outlining the Key Findings
- Writing a final baseline report and executive summary
11.2 Required Skills, Experience and Competence
SomReP requires a multidisciplinary consulting firm with a dedicated team. The firm must demonstrate the collective capacity outlined below across its proposed team.
- Minimum of 5 years of technically sound experience conducting baseline, mid-term, and end-of-project evaluations for inclusive market systems, pastoralist, livestock, insurance, financial-inclusion or climate-resilience programmes, or resilience measurements.
- Master's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation, International Studies, Agricultural Economics, Livestock Economics, Climate-Risk Finance, Project Planning and Management, or other related fields.
- Demonstrated skills in survey design, including sampling methodology, tool development and data analysis planning.
- Strong experience in quantitative data collection and statistical analysis.
- Extensive qualitative methods experience and/or experience balancing mixed-method approaches when designing a methodology.
- Strong experience in training enumerators and quality control.
- Excellent analytical and report writing skills in English.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI), agricultural insurance or disaster-risk financing.
- Experience assessing financial institutions, insurance providers and regulatory institutions.
- Experience measuring household resilience, livestock assets, coping strategies and financial inclusion.
- Familiarity with the Technical Assistance to NGOs (TANGO) Resilience Measurement Framework.
- Demonstrated experience in gender-sensitive data collection and analysis in pastoral or fragile contexts.
- In-depth knowledge and experience of Puntland and/or Somaliland, including government and community-level service delivery structures.
- Prior experience working in Somalia, with established relationships with Somali-speaking field data collection supervisors and enumerators, will be strongly considered.
- The firm shall field a diverse, multidisciplinary team comprising at minimum: a Lead Evaluator/Resilience Expert, an M&E Specialist, a Statistician/Data Analyst, a Gender Expert, a Financial Inclusion or Insurance Specialist, and a Graphics Designer responsible for infographics and knowledge products.
12. Roles and Responsibilities of Baseline Participants: World Vision staff / SomReP / partners
- Ensure that the consultant and his team adhere to research ethics and child protection policy
- Ensure quality assurance throughout the evaluation period
- Provide the selected consultant with necessary documents to enable clear reporting and understanding of the FIRM project.
- Create linkages with field staff, implementing partners and other stakeholders to ensure effective coordination and implementation of the study
- Review consultants’ inception report and assessment draft reports and provide feedback to ensure consistency with project implementation objectives.
- Facilitate key informant interviews and focus-group discussions as per the evaluation schedule submitted by the consultant.
- Liaise with local implementing partners on behalf of the consultants to plan data collection.
- Provide necessary orientation and training to the consultant.
- Review and approve field approaches to be used by the consultant.
13. Study timeframe
The baseline assessment is expected to commence in September 2026 for approximately 30 days inclusive of data collection period and report review. The consultant is expected to provide a detailed schedule listing the different activities to be conducted and their time period.
More Details to be provided in full ITB upon Expression of Interest.
We hereby invite Expression of Interest from registered, approved and reputable consultants to provide above-named services to World Vision Somalia