International Consultancy for Semi-Quantitative Evaluation of Access and Coverage (SQUEAC) at Mercy Corps

Purpose / Project Description:

• The ongoing conflict in Northeast Nigeria has resulted in enormous humanitarian needs in various sectors. Recent nutrition and food security assessments indicate that most people are food insecure, with poor or critical levels of both acute and chronic malnutrition. To respond to the existing needs and in line with the Nutrition Sector Humanitarian Response Plan Objectives, Mercy Corps and other Nutrition Actors collaborate with the Nutrition Sector Coordination and State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) to support and strengthen the quality and scale of nutrition services. Mercy Corps in a consortium with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) are currently implementing a USAID/BHA funded program called BEGE, a Hausa word for “Hope”. The Goal of the Broadening Emergency and Graduation Efforts (BEGE) Borno Program is to deliver lifesaving, life-sustaining interventions and enhance adaptation of displaced, returnee and host households to shocks and systemic constraints within Borno State. This program is multi-sectoral and covers Health, Nutrition, Food assistance, Agriculture, WASH, Shelter, Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) and Protection to support the conflict-affected population.
• The Program plans to implement the Semi-Quantitative Evaluation of Access and Coverage (SQUEAC) assessment. This will combine an array of qualitative information about access and the perceptions of target population on Community Management of Acute Malnutrition CMAM program. This assessment will test hypotheses generated during the qualitative work and establish levels of program coverage in key geographical areas. This will help to identify barriers and boosters to service access whilst also establishing the actual levels of coverage attained.

Consultancy Objective:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to estimate the level of OTP/ TSFP program coverage whilst simultaneously indicating what practical measures can be undertaken to improve access and coverage. General objectives include evaluating access and coverage of CMAM and using the findings to strengthen the capacity of staff in carrying out SQUEAC Semi Qualitative Evaluation of Access and Coverage in Borno State, and to use the results of the analysis to develop program improvement plans.

The Specific Objectives include:
 

• To map out both period and point coverage in the target local government areas (Dikwa and Gwoza) of Borno State, Nigeria.
• Identify factors (the barriers/boosters) affecting uptake and delivery of CMAM services in specific LGAs in Borno State
• Develop in collaboration with the Mercy Corps team and relevant local stakeholders’ specific recommendations to improve acceptance and coverage of the program in Borno State.
  • Recommendation needs to be on specific and actionable insights that can be translated quickly into area-based improvement plans.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

• Conduct all assessment preparation activities including development and validation of protocol and tools, selection of assessment teams & preparation of necessary logistics.
• Train Mercy Corps staff, MOH and Stakeholders representatives and data collection team to equip them with skills to undertake a SQUEAC coverage assessment independently.
• Supervise a full coverage assessment (planning, data collection, analysis and reporting) in all the targeted areas of Borno State
• Lead daily reflection sessions that aim to triangulate and cross-validate findings from different sources as a key quality control mechanism
• Present the preliminary results and analysis to the MC team and the Nutrition Technical Working Group to validate findings.
• Final report Compilation and submission

Mercy Corps will work with the consultant(s) to recruit assessment personnel and prepare relevant logistics for training and data collection.

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant deliverables will include:

• A SQUEAC assessment protocol drafted, presented, and validated by the Mercy Corps team. It will emphasize an iterative, phased approach to data collection and analysis, with findings from one phase informing the next, including:
  • Mixed-methods evaluation design, including the use of triangulation of qualitative data (interviews, FGDs, community observations) with program data and quantitative surveys. The design will also include guidance on how to iteratively refine hypotheses based on initial findings.
  • Strategies for community and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that local knowledge informs the qualitative data collection and that findings are validated by those involved.
  • Area-based sampling to identify and compare areas of low and high coverage, ensuring qualitative data collection is focused on where coverage barriers and boosters are hypothesized.
  • A plan for real-time data analysis and adaptive data collection approaches, enabling adjustments based on findings as they emerge during the assessment.
  • A Data Analysis Plan (DAP) that will focus on generating actionable insights, including practical recommendations for improving program accessibility and increasing coverage.
  • A plan for the sensitization and capacity building of Mercy Corps staff, ensuring they understand the SQUEAC process, their role in it, and how to interpret and act upon the findings. Assessment tools
  • Suggested improvements to the assessment scope
  • Ethical considerations, limitations, and mitigation strategies.
• Two rounds of presentation of preliminary results and analysis, one to the MC team and another to the Nutrition Technical Working Group.
• Submit a). A final assessment report as per specified format, b). A synthesized 2 pager with key highlights and findings, and C). Electronic files of all Data sets (quantitative and qualitative), code books, syntax, etc.

Timeframe / Schedule:

• The assessment must be conducted between 1st December 2024 to 30th January2025 for a duration not exceeding 25 working days including fieldwork, data analysis and report write-up.

The Consultant will report to:

• Line Manager – Emmanuel Igbhebo, Humanitarian MEL Manager.
• Technical Supervisor - Lindsey Pexton Senior Nutrition Advisor.

The Consultant will work closely with:

• Program teams, in the country Technical Support Unit and Strategic Learning Manager within the Program Performance and Quality Unit (PaQ).

Required Experience & Skills:

The selected consultant is expected to have strong expertise in implementing SQUEAC Assessments for CMAM Programs

She/ he should have:

• Academic qualification in nutrition, epidemiology, demography, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience conducting and managing all aspects of CMAM SQUEAC assessments.
• Led at least two SQUEAC assessments, preferably in different contexts.
• Experience in Northeast Nigeria or any other conflict affected contexts is preferred
• Experience, knowledge, and clear understanding of Nigeria’s humanitarian context.
• Experience with evaluating USAID-funded projects.
• Good people skills and understanding of cultural sensitivities.
• Readiness to travel to northeast, Nigeria and conduct direct standard assessment activities as well as field visits to program sites. Having a presence in West Africa or Nigeria is desirable but not essential.
• Excellent verbal and written communication in English is required