Premiere Urgence Internationale (PUI) Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy Services - External End of Project Evaluation

Premiere Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious international NGO whose mission is to provide aid to populations affected by natural disasters, economic crises and conflicts. PUI's overall objective is to cover the fundamental needs of populations suffering from humanitarian crisis in order to quickly restore their autonomy and dignity.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy Services - External End of Project Evaluation

Location: Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno
Start date: 01 / 06 /2021
Source of funding: Office of Food For Peace (FFP)
Author (s): MEAL Coordinator, revised DHoM-P

Introduction
Context:

• In Nigeria since 2016, PUI has been responding to the needs of crisis-affected people in Borno State through a comprehensive integrated approach, targeting vulnerable people affected by the crisis. PUI is providing to the targeted people means of subsistence (Food Security and Livelihoods) and access to basic services (Nutrition, Primary Health Care as well as Mental Health and Psycho-social Support). Protection is mainstreamed throughout all the sectors of activities.
• PUI's on-going Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) program is being implemented in Bollori II, one ward in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, with funding from the United States Govt. (Food for Peace-FFP). This program has two components, a Cash and Voucher Assistance targeting a total of 5,835 households and a pilot Livelihoods component which supports 635 households to start a small business.
• PUI intends to build on this pilot Livelihoods component for future Livelihoods interventions in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC). For this purpose, a better understanding of livelihoods and self-employment opportunities for vulnerable people is required.

Food Security, Nutrition and Sustainable Livelihoods Activities In Maiduguri, Nigeria:
The current Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) program is an 15-months intervention that started in September 2019 and will end in November 2020. The overall objective of the project is to provide emergency food assistance and stabilization of conflict-affected population through an integrated response. This will be achieved through an integrated approach comprised of the following elements:

• Improved Food Security, through the continuation of the e-voucher program for a duration of 12 months to vulnerable populations in order to meet their basic food needs.
• Livelihoods Restoration and creation of economic opportunities through the establishment of Income Generating Activities (IGA) to promote self-reliance and reduce dependency on humanitarian assistance.
• Enhanced Nutritional Status, through community sensitization on malnutrition with strong focus on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF).
• Reduced Protection risks associated with potentially damaging coping mechanisms resulting from to economic limitations (integrated protection). Individuals being exposed to protection risks or having suffered rights violation incidents in result of food and nutrition insecurity or lack of access to livelihoods are identified by PU l's Protection team through an outreach approach, internally referred to PUl's FSL team. and enrolled into the e-voucher assistance.

Here below are details of the Food Security and Livelihoods components of the program:

• Goal: To improve the food security, nutrition status and sustainable livelihoods of the conflict affected population (IDPs and vulnerable host communities) in Borno State Northeast Nigeria
• Outcome 1: Improved Food Security for the most vulnerable households in the target area
• Output: IDPs and host communities affected by the ongoing crisis in target areas are supported with food assistance

• Regular caseloads: 4047 households
• Protection caseloads: 934 households
• Livelihoods caseloads: 635 households
• Influx caseloads: 219 households

Vendor selection and participation in the project:

• 47 vendors were selected within the 9 sub-wards of Bolori II where the program is implemented.

Distribution of e-voucher:

• Each selected beneficiary received an e-voucher that allows the beneficiary to redeem the food and cash assistance entitlement.

Cash Transfer:

• Every month, beneficiaries receive on their e-voucher a sum of money that they redeem from the partner vendors. The amount is calculated based on the size of the household and is enough to cover 70% of the Minimum Expenditure Basket of the household. This money is redeemed in two forms; 50% of the value is redeemed as food commodities that the beneficiary is free to choose and the remaining 50% as cash.
• Regular and Protection caseloads have received a monthly disbursement since December 2019 and will be assisted until the end of the program. Livelihoods caseloads were entitled to 5 months food assistance while they are setting their small business. As there were some delays in the launching of the livelihoods component of this project, it was agreed with the donor to provide 3 additional months of food assistance to the Livelihoods beneficiaries.
• Therefore, the livelihoods caseloads got their first disbursement in January 2020 and will get their last disbursement in August 2020. As for the Influx caseloads, they were supposed to receive 2 months assistance only which they got from December 2019 to January 2020. In March 2020, it was proposed to the donor to prolong the assistance until the end of the program. Donor approval was granted in April 2020, and so monthly assistance to the Influx caseloads resumed.

Post distribution monitoring:

• Post distribution Monitoring is done after every 3 disbursements. A first monitoring was done in March 2020 and the last one is planned for June 2021.

Outcome 2: Reduced vulnerability to food insecurity through promoting livelihood opportunities

Output: Targeted households are supported with income generating activities

Mains Activities
Developing of business idea:

• Each of the 635 livelihoods beneficiaries proposed his own business idea. The project team helped each beneficiary to thoroughly study his/her business idea and assess its feasibility.

Training of beneficiaries on IGA management:

• The project team attended a training of trainers on small business management. This training was conducted by an external trainer. After this training, the project team adapted the training modules received to the level of beneficiaries. The livelihoods beneficiaries were then trained on marketing a product, estimating costs, incomes and prices as well as on bookkeeping and managing finances.

Provision of start capital:

• Each beneficiary will receive a start capital not exceeding 250 USD as a start capital. The capital will be granted in July 2020 based on the list of material and inputs that are required to start the proposed small business.

Monitoring on the utilization of the grants:

• After provision of the start capital the project team will monitor how the beneficiaries used the received money. The project team will accompany the beneficiaries through mentoring and coaching during the implementation of their small business to increase chance of success.

Outcome 3: Improved nutritional status of the most vulnerable households in the target area

Output: Increased knowledge, attitude, and practice in infant and young child feeding (IYCF)

Mains Activities
Selection and training of community nutrition mobilizers

CNMs were selected and trained on IYCF modules, counseling and MUAC screening and will be supervised by PUI Nutrition team. CNMs roles and responsibilities include the following:

• Coverage area of approximately 200 HHs.
• Training, and supervision of Lead Mothers, including mentoring, monitoring sessions and information refresher sessions (every 2 weeks).
• MUAC screening and referral of SAM and MAM children U5 to OTP/SC for treatment.
• Follow up on defaulter or 'at risk' cases.
• Data Collection and Reporting on MCGs.
• Monitoring, and information sharing on population influx, trends, and observations.

Creation and implementation of Mother Care Groups:

• Nutrition Officers in coordination with the CNMs established 170 MCGs to hold sessions on IYCF according to the Nutrition Sector's education modules to pregnant and lactating women (PLW) within the target community and following USAID FFP TOPs recommendations.
• Following a dialogue with the target communities, CNMs with support of PUI staff established 170 Mother Care Groups (MCGs) composed by pregnant and lactating women.

Training of mother care groups on IYCF practices:

• The Lead Mothers (supervised/guided by CNM) oversee activities of their respective Mother Care Group comprising a maximum of 15 participants. The 2,550 Participants of the MCGs elected lead mothers in each group, and the CNMs trained them (lead mothers) on community based-IYCF counseling and MUAC screening.

Following are the roles and responsibilities of lead mothers:

• Facilitation of MCGs on a biweekly basis
• Regular awareness sessions on nutrition and health and hygiene topics
• Follow up for mothers with specific issues (i.e. breastfeeding challenges)
• MUAC-screening and referrals to OTP/Stabilization Center.

Screening and referral of malnourished children:

• CNMs are responsible for screening all children in their area (approximately 375 children for each CNMs), using the MUAC screening technic.
• In Bolori II, PUI deployed a community outreach network that runs the MUAC screening through Door to Door Visits and CNMs are mainly in charge of message diffusion and coordination of MCG Lead Mothers. Cases of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition are referred to health facilities proposing nutrition services in the area.

Map of the Zone:

• Using the current PUI's intervention area in Maiduguri, this study will cover 9 sub-wards in Bolori II ward.

Assessment Objectives

Overall Objective:

• The purpose of this evaluation is to gather and analyze information that will enable PUI to understand the impact of the project, and to improve future program design in food security, livelihood and nutrition.

Specific Objectives:

• The evaluation will examine the short and medium-term outcomes of the project on household food and nutrition security and identify critical lessons to inform future programming decisions.

Specifically, this final evaluation has the following objectives:

• SO1: Assess PUI's response to food and nutrition insecurity in the wake of the humanitarian crisis in Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria, in the short and medium term. The following four dimensions will be explored under this specific objective:
  • Change in the IGA knowledge and skills because of programs intervention interventions.
  • Identification of impact at household level, intended or unintended, which have resulted from the program.
  • Insights into progress against set targets of the program.
  • Exploration of how and why the program has or has not contributed to the outcomes.
• SO2: Identify and compile lessons learnt throughout the lifespan of the project to inform future program design in similar context. The following dimensions will be explored under this specific objective:
  • Key factors of success and how can these be replicated an scaled up.
  • Recommendations to PUI on strategies that should be adopted to improve project design and implementation phases.

Evaluation Criteria
The objectives are to be studied against the following evaluation criteria guided by the key questions:

• Relevance: Was the cash transfer adopted the most appropriate modality? Did this program effectively reach the most vulnerable households? Did the project address the highest priority needs of the affected population? Was the interventions most appropriate and its implementation relevant to the operational context?
• Efficiency: Were the various modalities cost-effective? Was adequate human and financial resources applied to delivering project outcomes? Were outputs delivered in a timely fashion? Are donor requirements followed?
• Effectiveness: Was the program sufficiently adaptable to a fluid and insecure context to deliver outputs in a timely fashion and sufficiently achieve targets? Were the monitoring mechanisms effective in providing timely data to inform programming decisions? To what extent did the project meet its targets and deliver outputs? How is that data used and is it timely to enable adaptive programming? Are appropriate tools developed and used to ensure relevant monitoring information is gathered? Are there mechanisms in place to measure the progress on the outcomes?
• Impact: What is the project impact to the local economy? Did the food voucher program improved household food security? Are there noticeable impact on behavior change against IYCF amongst pregnant and lactating women in the community?
• Sustainability: Has the program contributed to sustained positive change improving the resilience of communities and people affected by crisis? How likely will effects be sustained beyond the duration of the project? Do strategies build on community capacities?

Tasks

Main Activities
In the frame if this assignment, the Consultant will:

• Revision of secondary data, relevant research papers, project plans, project reports, assessment reports and other projects documents.
• Design of the assessment methodology along with data collection tools.
• Recruitment, and management of local survey teams including supervisors, data collectors (enumerators).
• Setup of tablets or electronic devices that will be provided by PUI to record data collected.
• Training of the survey team on quantitative and qualitative data collection tools, and data entry using digitalized system.
• Preparation of a reference for the data quality insurance for field data collection.
• Implementation of interviews and gender-segregated focus groups discussion (FGD) with the different target groups (i.e. key informants, individuals' households from different caseloads).
• Provision of access to data files as data are collected to explore the quality of the data being collected.
• Take and transmit photographs that capture potentially relevant project achievements, and observations during fieldwork.
• Data analysis and presentation of preliminary findings.
• Draft the assessment report.

Methodology

• The evaluation will use a mixed method approach consisting of both qualitative and quantitative data collection. The Consultant will make extensive use of the available monitoring and evaluation data collected by project staff in Maiduguri. This will include, where available, project surveys and assessments, baseline, project reports, post distribution monitoring and findings from beneficiary feedback mechanisms.
• The Consultant is expected to review the above background documentation as part of the desk review phase of the study. A strong part of the information will come from the field data collection. The evaluation will be conducted, using participatory methods to collect qualitative data, triangulated for validation. The Consultant and his/her team will collect primary data through direct interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) with project direct beneficiaries and other key stakeholders.
• Aligning with the content of the scope shared for this study, the Consultant will develop the methodology, the data collection tools and propose the team set up for data collection, to be validated by a steering committee (see section 5.1).

Organisation of the Mission

Composition of Assessment Team:

• The Consultant will be under the overall supervision of PUI MEAL Coordinator. However, a steering committee composed by the technical coordinators and the Deputy Head of Mission Program will validate the process and deliverables.
• The Consultant can be an individual or a team to conduct the study however the criteria specified in Section 8 (Requirements) must be met.

Logistics, Security and Administrative Organisation:

• The Consultant is expected to respect socio-cultural and security context of the mission and to act in a manner not to affect PUI image in the country.
• The Consultant is responsible for assessing her / his needs in terms of human resources and logistics. PUI will provide logistical and administrative support to the extent possible such as a venue for dissemination session, local transportation, etc.

Timetable:

• This consultancy is approximately 30 days however the Consultant is requested to remain available for reviews and improvements until the piece of work is validated by the steering committee. A proper work plan will be developed by the Consultant.

Expected Deliverables

Inception Report
The Consultant will provide an inception report in word format:

• Methodology (3 pages maximum)
• Quality insurance procedures (2 pages maximum)
• Data collection tools (including the questionnaires and application used as annex)
• Survey team structure (1 page)
• Training modules (as annex).

Assessment Dataset
The Consultant must provide all raw data collected:

• From household surveys and key informant interviews: database file in Excel or CSV format.
• From focus group discussion: audio recording in WAV format or filled paper forms.
• A minimum of 20 photographs in JPEG format showing evidence of the intervention.

Dissemination of Results:

• After the data analysis, the Consultant will organize a dissemination session to present findings and recommendations from the study. The Consultant will use this opportunity to collect inputs from PUI teams. The Consultant will share the presentation prior to the dissemination session.

Evaluation Report
The report drafting process should follow the requirements below:

• A draft of the report must be presented 5 days before the end of the consultancy.
• The report length should be between 15 and 25 pages, excluding the Executive summary, Bibliography and Annexes.
• The report must be provided in 2 hard copies as well as 1 soft copy sent by email to the members of the steering committee on the date formerly agreed.
• The steering committee can request corrections or modifications within three months after the report is released and the Consultant must ensure that s/he is available if necessary.

Based on the established framework, the Consultant should submit a report that includes the following sections:

• Executive summary
• Background
• Objectives
• Methodology
• Findings
• Recommendations
• Bibliography
• Annexes including full list of institutional and individual contacts developed throughout the assessment.

Budget

• PUI will provide accommodation for the Consultant while in Maiduguri.
• The Consultant will be briefed on the PUI security rules and should abide by them during all the consultancy.
• Meals and other incidentals will be the responsibility of the Consultant.
• The Consultant will execute the assignment work using his/her own computer.
• PUI will cover other miscellaneous costs directly related to the task that can include photocopying of questionnaires, etc. The Consultant needs prior approval of PUI for any other cost.
• The movement of the Consultant and team to and from the field will be facilitated by PUI in Maiduguri.
• The cost related to travel from/ to field of the survey teams will be covered by PUI.
• Consultant fee payment will be paid in two instalments; First Instalment 30% and the remaining 70% as the final instalment. The first instalment will be paid after completion and validation of the survey methodology, and final instalment will be paid after the validation of acceptable deliverables as outlined in this ToR.

A financial offer should be submitted, including a budget with detailed section (i.e. all costs related to the assessment, namely airline and other transportation expenses tickets, visa costs, medical coverage expenses and insurance, the cost of food and accommodation, logistics and human resources needed, as well as the remuneration of expertise, etc.).

Requirements

Education:

• Minimum of Master's degree in Development Studies, Development Economics, Socioeconomic Studies, Statistics or other Social Science related fields.

Experiences:

• Proven experience in humanitarian projects' evaluation and analysis for humanitarian program.
• Minimum five-years working experience, with a focus on needs assessment, formative evaluations and impact evaluations.
• Proven knowledge and practical experience in quantitative and qualitative research.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Experience working in an emergency context but having one from Northern-East Nigeria is a plus.

Competences & Knowledge:

• Communicating Information and Ideas: ability to initiate and facilitate open communication in the team;
• Ability to assess gender and diversity dimensions in humanitarian interventions Excellent organizational, analytical and communication skills.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Experience working in an emergency context however, having one from northern Nigeria is a plus.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English
• Speaking Haussa and / or Kanuri is an asset.

Application Closing Date
25th April, 2021.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit all documents to the email: [email protected], with Reference: FSL and Nutrition end line evaluation.

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Applications Procedure
Interested candidates should submit in English:

• A technical offer (5-10 pages) including:
  • Understanding of the challenges of the study and the Terms of Reference (ToR): development of a problematic and formulation of questions, which the offer proposes to respond to o The methodology and tools proposed for the assessment
  • The timetable showing the details for the completion of each of the assessment phases. The proposed schedule should include time for briefing and debriefing on the mission.
• A financial offer including a budget with detailed sections (fees, other costs)
• An updated CV (or CVs of the team members)
• A summary paper in English of similar assignments (any example of the document is welcomed)
• Two references from previous studies.

Note

• Applications submitted after the above-stated deadline for submission, for whatever reason or cause, shall be considered defaulting.
• Only applications, including the full list of requested documents will be considered.