TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) For the procurement of Local Consultant to Conduct End of Project Evaluation

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

For the procurement of Local Consultant to conduct End of Project Evaluation

Project Title: Building Resilience for Drought Affected Pastoralists and Agro-Pastoralist Communities in Somaliland

Project Number:  A-SOM-2022-3113

Scope of Advertisement: Local/Somaliland

Type of Contract: Individual Consultant/Firm

Post Type: Local Consultant

Duty Station: Home-based (with mission travel if possible)

Expected Areas of Travel: A representative sample of the 3 project districts within 9 villages in Salahaley, Bali Matan and Sabawanaag districts in Maroodi Jeex Region, Somaliland

Languages: English and the local language (Somali)

Duration of Contract: 30 working days spread over a period of one calendar month

Start Date: Immediately after Concluding Contract Agreement

1.  Background and Justification

Pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities in Somaliland encounter persistent challenges, including climate variability, limited access to essential services, environmental degradation, and economic vulnerability. These factors significantly undermine their livelihood security and overall resilience. In response, this project was designed to enhance community resilience through a multi-sectoral approach, with a strong emphasis on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH). The majority of the project’s components focused on improving access to clean water, promoting hygiene practices, and strengthening sanitation infrastructure, which are critical foundations for health, and livelihood development.

In addition to WASH, the project integrated activities aimed at enhancing food security, fostering peaceful coexistence, promoting social cohesion, and addressing key social issues such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), youth engagement, and the development of local governance structures, including Village Development Committees (VDCs).

Implemented across three districts within nine villages targeted, the project prioritized community-led development (CLD), sustainable resource management, and the active participation of local stakeholders. As the project approaches completion, this evaluation is essential to assess the achievement of its objectives, determine changes in beneficiaries’ lives, and capture lessons learned.

 The evaluation is also warranted to ensure accountability to communities, partners, and donors, and to generate evidence that can inform future programming in resilience-building and integrated rural development in Somaliland.

2.    Project Description

Project Title:  Building Resilience for Drought Affected Pastoralists and Agro-Pastoralist Communities in Somaliland 

Project Location:  Bali Matan, Salahaley and Sabawanaag Districts  

Implementing Agency:  Warsan Relief Organization

Financing Agency: Bread for the World (BftW), Germany

Collaborating Agencies: Local Districts and Villages Administrations

2.1 Project Goal

The overall objective is to enhance resilience for communities affected by climate change crisis in Somaliland. 

3.  Objective and Purpose of the Evaluation

The objective of the task is to evaluate the project in terms of its efficiency, effectiveness, impact, relevance and trend for sustainability. The purpose of the evaluation is to measure the progress or success of the project against its targeted objective and indicators. The evaluation aims to pull out the key lessons learnt and to formulate evidence-based recommendations which can be applied within the remaining project period and beyond. Also the quality of governance and management of the project and organization shall be assessed.

The planned evaluation aims to track the changes in the livelihood conditions of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities specifically the target beneficiaries living in three districts across nine villages as a result of the project interventions. It will assess progress made in building resilience and the achievement of the project’s intended objectives and indicators. Additionally, the evaluation will examine the project’s role in addressing key social issues, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), youth engagement, peace-building and social cohesion, the development of Village Development Committees (VDCs), and the involvement of other key stakeholder groups within the community. Furthermore, the project evaluation shall suggest strategies on the way forward.

Its results will be used by the implementing agency, to address the recommendations and use for adjustment of project gaps, as well as by the financing partner BftW to evaluate the results of the project. Therefore, the evaluation result will be used in determining what to be done in the future in the area and to draw lessons for the development endeavor of implementing partner and local stakeholders.

3.1. The evaluation is expected to address, but not limited to, the following key Evaluation questions:

§  Relevance: Assess the extent in which the project activity is relevant or suited to the priorities of beneficiaries and the existing government policies and strategies.

–       To what extent are the objectives of the project still valid?

–       Are the activities and outputs of the project consistent with the development goal and the attainment of its objective?

–       Are the activities and outputs of the project consistent with the intended impacts and effects?

§   Efficiency: Evaluate the project’s results in terms of project efficiency

–       Were project activities cost-efficient?

–       Were project objectives achieved on time?

–       Was the project implemented in the most efficient way compared to alternative approaches to achieve the same outputs?

§    Effectiveness: Measure the extent in which the project activity is effective in attaining its objectives.

–   To what extent was the project objective and indicators are achieved?

–   What were the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of the objectives?

§    Impact: Assess the impacts of the project towards the achievement of the project’s objective and the wider scope of development goal

–             What has happened as a result of the project?

–             What real difference has the project activity made to the beneficiaries?

–             How many people have been affected?

§   Sustainability: Assess the trend for sustainability of the project’s outcomes

–       To what extent did the benefits of a project continue after donor funding ceased?

–       What were the major factors which influenced the achievement or non-achievement of Sustainability of the project?

§   Organizational effectiveness and efficiency

–       In how far are human resources, quality of work and internal environment including governance adequate in relation to program and external relations?

–       How effective have management strategies been adopted and implemented? How is second line leadership developed?

–       What has been the role of staff in the planning, monitoring and implementation of the organization?

–       How effective is the organizational structure and the internal communication /coordination system, the division of roles and functions, the decision-making procedures as well as the representation and participation of staff and beneficiaries in decision making and policy development?

–       Examine the partnership with and role of stakeholders (target beneficiaries, government offices, Village Development Committee, NGOs etc.) in the project implementation, monitoring, handing over of outputs and continued follow-up.

–       Examine to what extent external factors, such as socio-economic, political, infrastructure, availability of inputs, natural incidences etc. have adversely affected the implementation of the project.

–       Examine how far cross cutting issues such as gender, FGM, peace building, and community co-existence and management of natural resource etc… were addressed by the project.

4.  Evaluation Methodology/Design

The evaluator shall use both primary and secondary information, which includes but not limited to:

–        The geographic scope of this evaluation covers all project sites as described in the project’s mutually binding document (The Cooperative Agreement).

–        The evaluator will need to review the approval documents, socio-economic study reports of Ministry of Planning and National Development which studied related to the project, progress reports, audit reports, monitoring and annual review meeting reports, summary project budget and other records during the evaluation.

–        The evaluator will need to review the relevant organizational information or documents, interview with the relevant stakeholders (Management, staff). These information/documents will be made available to the successful candidate upon commencement of the evaluation.

–        Key informants interview

–        Field and household level observations.

–        Conduct case studies (especially for comparison with surrounding villages which have not been part of the intervention).

–        Focus group discussion and interview with beneficiaries on the field visit, discussion with project staff, sector offices and other stakeholders.

–        Analyze the lessons learnt and

–        Analyze the data quantitatively and qualitatively, present findings and formulate recommendations.

5. Data to be collected & data collection method

Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected from primary & secondary sources. Secondary data will be collected from various published and unpublished documents that are available in the target Districts sector offices, reports, documents, etc. Primary data will be collected, through interviewing beneficiaries, community groups, traditional leaders, village development committees, CBOs and GOs in the district. From these sources, information will be extracted to answer questions listed under section 3.1 above.

6. Composition of the team

The consultant or team should possess a relevant educational background and professional experience. Required qualifications include a PhD, MA, or MSc in fields such as Rural Development, Development Studies, Food Security and Livelihoods, Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, or other related disciplines.

7. Profile of the team

–          Demonstrated extensive experience in conducting project evaluations, particularly in development, project management, and integrated rural livelihood improvement initiatives, with a proven track record of delivering high-quality, professional results.

–           Proficiency in both Somali and English languages, with excellent communication and reporting skills.

–          Prior experience working with NGOs in Somaliland and the wider region, with a strong understanding of the local context.

–          Solid knowledge of international development frameworks, rural development approaches, and livelihood improvement strategies.

8. Roles and Responsibilities

   8.1 Responsibility of the implementing partner

–        To avail transportation facilities for the field work

–        To cover per diem for the consultant as per the per diem rate (The consultant will contract the consultancy and the per diem fees will include their package).

–   Cover the consultancy fee as per the agreement to be signed.

–   Avail necessary files and documents at project level

–   Through project office, arrange meetings, interviews and other activities related to the evaluation as deemed necessary by the consultant

–   Arrange any additional/necessary supportive information/stakeholders for the consultant

8.2 Responsibility of the Consultant

The consultant will be responsible to:

–   Prepare detail checklist and questionnaires for the evaluation work and coordinate the evaluation,

–   Conduct field visit, discussions and interviews.

–   Collect field data.

–   Conduct field assessments survey

–   Train enumerators on data collection,

–   Cover per diem cost for data collectors or enumerators, supervisors and any related expertise cost.

–   Conduct evaluation field assessments,

–   Conduct discussion on the findings and recommendations at district level, with district development committee, village Development committee and the other relevant offices in the districts/villages and project stakeholders.

–   Up on return from the field work the consultant shall summarize the findings and debrief BftW and implementing partner.

–   Submission of draft evaluation report for subsequent comments/feedbacks.

–   Prepare and submit draft and final reports of the mid-term evaluation both in hard and soft copies.

–   Complete the work within 30 days

Therefore, the consultant shall submit sealed detailed technical & financial proposals in two separate envelops to Warsan head office in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

9. Study Duration 

Tentatively the evaluation is expected to be completed in 30 days including field assessment and final report writing.

10. Deliverables

The consultant will summarize and analyze the evaluation & field assessment findings and debrief implementing partner and BftW immediately after the fieldwork. After the discussion, he/she prepares the report and will submit:

–          The draft report of one hard & soft copy to implementing partner .

–          Upon review and comment on the draft report and debriefing workshop to BftW and implementing partner, the consultant will incorporate the comments and prepare & submit hard and soft copies of the mid-term evaluation report.

The project prospect assessment report shall be part and parcel of the evaluation report.

The evaluation report shall be written in English (maximum of 40 pages plus annexes) and has to include the following contents:

1)    Information Page: Basic organizational data, duration of the project to be evaluated, title of the evaluation, principal of the evaluation (who commissioned the evaluation), contractor of the evaluation and date of the report.

2)    Executive summary: tightly drafted, to-the-point, free-standing document (maximum 1.5 pages), including the key issues of the evaluation, main analytical points, conclusions, lessons learnt and recommendations.

3)    Introduction: purpose of the evaluation, scope of the evaluation and key questions. Short description of the project to be evaluated and relevant frame conditions.

4)    Evaluation design/methodology

5)    Key results/findings: with regard to the questions pointed out in the ToR and also the projects’ specific intervention components.

6)    Conclusions: summary based on evidence and analysis.

7)    Recommendations: on the findings leading to suggestions to be used for the way forward.

8)    Lessons learnt: all relevant information beneficial to the partnership between BftW and implementing partner.

9)    Annexes (TOR, instruments used, list of persons/organizations consulted, literature and documentation consulted, copy of any relevant documentation used for the assessment and CV of the evaluation team).

Expression of interest/ How to apply  

Interested consultants should tender a bidding proposal which clearly highlights the qualification of the bidder(s), a tentative work plan, technical and a detail financial budget breakdown of the consultancy fee.

Warsan will cover transportation, accommodation, and other related logistical costs for this external evaluation.

The bidding proposal shall be sent to [email protected] with the subject line: “For the Procurement of Local Consultant to Conduct End of Project Evaluation.”

The deadline for submission is 13th June 2025 at 5:00 PM (Somaliland Time). Late submissions will not be considered.