Consultant - Emergency Humanitarian Response at Christian Aid (CA)

Locations: Konduga and Maiduguri, Borno
Contract Type: Short-term consultancy
Period: 10 days within 2 weeks including weekends
Start Date: 17th October, 2017
End Date: 26th October 2017

Background

• Christian Aid (UK) Nigeria country programme in partnership with an Act Alliance member – Church of Sweden with support from Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) (Phase1) and Al-Khair Foundation (Phase 2) is implementing a humanitarian response project in Borno states of the Northeast, Nigeria titled: Emergency Humanitarian Response in Konduga LGA of Borno state.
• The phase 1 of the project was designed for eight months (December 2016 to July 2017) and the 2nd phase was designed for two months (August 2017- September 2017) to achieve the following objectives; To improve food security and livelihood via cash based transfer programming targeted towards food assistance to 1,950 vulnerable households in Konduga LGA of Borno state. To improve the NFIs and WASH needs of IDPs and members of host communities in Konduga LGAs in Borno state by September 2017.
• Evaluation Purpose & Scope The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the project design, implementation process, achievements of its results and objectives as well as lessons learned proffering recommendations that will benefit the design of future interventions in the northeast. CA will share the output of the evaluation with partners and relevant stakeholders such as UN agencies, SEMA, clusters/sectors working groups and INGOs.
• Specific Objectives; To assess the progress made towards achieving the project objectives (outputs, outcomes) based on the project proposal and monitoring data as well as any unexpected outcomes as a result of the project interventions. To determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the project design, implementation process, achieved results, objectives, lessons learned and recommendations that will benefit the design of future interventions in the northeast. To determine whether the resources (financial, human and material) have been used economically and wisely in order to maximize result of the project. To determine the strengths (including successful innovations) and weaknesses (factors impeding progress) of the project design, plans, implementation, M&E, and community participation in the project and draw lessons from the project in order to share learning with CA and partners and improve on future interventions.

Evaluation Principles: (DEC Evaluation Criteria)
Development assistance is a co-operative partnership exercise between donors and recipients and It laid down a detailed criterion for evaluating donor funded project in development sector. But later on, this criterion has also been adopted for humanitarian interventions. Consultant needs to suggest “evaluation methodology” that entails following key indicators for assessing the overall results attained by the implemented project.

Relevance:

• The extent to which the aid activity is suited to the priorities and policies of the target group, recipient and donor and to what extent the objectives of the program still valid or not.

Effectiveness:

• A measure of the extent to which an aid activity attains its objectives. In evaluating the effectiveness of a program or a project, it is useful to consider the following questions Efficiency: Efficiency measures the outputs -- qualitative and quantitative -- in relation to the inputs. It is an economic term which signifies the aid uses the least costly resources possible in order to achieve the desired results.
• This generally requires comparing alternative approaches to achieving the same outputs, to see whether the most efficient process has been adopted. Impact/outcome: The positive and negative changes produced by a development intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended.
• This involves the main impacts and effects resulting from the activity on the local social, economic, environmental and other development indicators.
• The examination should be concerned with both intended and unintended results and must also include the positive and negative impact of external factors, such as changes in terms of trade and financial conditions. Sustainability: Sustainability is concerned with measuring whether the benefits of an activity are likely to continue after donor funding has been withdrawn. Projects need to be environmentally as well as financially sustainable.

Methodology:

• The methodology should combine a wide range of methods (e.g. quantitative, qualitative, and participatory), simple analytical tools and information sources to allow triangulation of information and ensure impartiality and balanced feedback.
• We require a participatory methodology, whereby the evaluator engages relevant key stakeholders, including SEMA, IDPs, host community leaders and CA partners. In particular, all key stakeholders should be consulted to ensure a comprehensive understanding of diverse impact of the human response in line with the purpose of the end of project evaluation.

Consultancy Day:

• The consultancy shall last for a period of 10 working days within 2 weeks period commencing from date as stated above.

Consultancy Responsibilities

• Take the lead in developing tools for the evaluation process and present them for review by Christian Aid/CoS for Inputs.
• Review project documents and other relevant literatures.
• Undertake identification and training of the data collection team including enumerators and FGD facilitators (research assistants) to help in data collection process.
• Participate in and supervise data collection and ensure accuracy and quality assurance in the evaluation process. The consultant is responsible to ensure data validity, consistency and accuracy and to submit reports written in good Standard English. If these standards are not met, the consultantwill, at his/her own expense, make the necessary amendments to bring the reports to the required standards.
• Conduct data entry, data cleaning, and data analysis. Compile and submit a draft report to Christian Aid to make its input before a final copy will be produced and submitted to Christian Aid.
• Prepare and present summary key findings and recommendations to CA.
• The consultant will provide two separate evaluation reports for each phase of the project

Deliverable(s):

• An inception report written in English language submitted electronically.
• This report should clearly outline the approach (sampling framework, data collection strategy, methodologies, outline of final evaluation report, evaluation ethics process, quality assurance process etc.).
• Conduct field visits to all the 5 project communities in the LGA including interaction with a cross section of stakeholders in the state.
• Submit soft copy of primary quantitative and qualitative data collection tools and description of the process of development of the tools. PowerPoint presentation of content of training for enumerators, as well as agenda for the training before field visit. Submit soft copy of fully “cleaned” datasets of all collected data in two formats; Excel and SPSS or STATA format.
• Presentation of summary of key findings and recommendations to CA for both SIDA and AKF phases of the project in two separate reports respectively Submit final soft copy of evaluation assessment report that is clear, simple, concise and free of jargon, with main body not exceeding 25 pages (inclusive of executive summary and recommendations).
• Technical details should be confined to appendices, which should also include a list of key informants, number of FGD sessions and the evaluation team’s work schedule.
• Consultant competencies. At least 4 years demonstrable knowledge and experience on research methodology including the conduct of evaluations in humanitarian response. Knowledge and expertise in participatory research methodologies, and demography.
• Demonstrable analytical, writing and communication skills.
• Knowledge of humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria. Experience in assessment report writing.
• Budget and terms of engagement: CA will cover for the necessary accommodation and transportation costs incurred by the consultant according to our in-country rates where necessary.
• The consultant will submit a financial proposal covering all expenses All other costs incurred will be covered from the consultancy fees 5% withholding tax will be deducted at source from the total cost of the consultancy fee. 40% of the consultancy fee will be paid upon submission and approval of inception report. 20% of the consultancy fee will be paid upon submission of draft report. 40% of the total fee will be paid upon approval of final report by the donor.

Management:

• The Consultant will work with and report to Program Officer- Humanitarian and Senior MERL Coordinator who will provide the needed technical guidance.

Timeline for Deliverables:

• Draft report: by 23rd November 2017. The draft report should include initial findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Final report: 27th November 2017.