Impact/ Outcome Assessment of AACES/WE-RISE Program in Africa: Terms of Reference for Research Partner

Request for Expression of Interest

January 2012

CARE Australia

Impact/ Outcome Assessment of AACES/WE-RISE Program in Africa: Terms of Reference for Research Partner

Request for Expression of Interest

  1. Introduction/Background and Context

CARE’s Women’s Empowerment through Improved Resilience, Income and Food Security Program (WE-RISE) began in July 2010. It is funded by AusAID under itsAustralia Africa Community EngagementScheme (AACES) andimplemented in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Malawi to improve the quality of life for chronically food insecure rural women (CFIRW). CARE internationally is transitioning from a project based approach to a long term programmatic modality. As a part of this process CARE Country Offices have identified impact groups to focus initiatives over the next 10-15 years. The AACES design process identified Chronically Food Insecure Rural Women (CFIRW) as a common impact group across these three Country Offices.

In each country, WE-RISE is implemented in areas experiencing chronic food insecurity resulting from changing and erratic weather patterns, limited agricultural resources and inputs, and where institutions, practices and norms disadvantage and limit the participation and opportunities of women, especially single and widowed women. CARE works directly with local NGO partners based in each location, as well as district government departments and extension services.

Objectives

The overall purpose for CARE’s AACES WE_RISE program is to improve food security, income and resilience for chronically food insecure rural women through their social and economic empowerment. This directly links between the AACES and CARE objectives as follows:

AusAID/ACCES Objectives / CARE’s Domains of Change / WE-RISE Purpose & Change Outcomes
Objective 1: Marginalised people have sustainable access to the services they require / All / WE-RISE Purpose: improve food security, income and resilience for chronically food insecure rural women through their social and economic empowerment
Agency / Change Outcome 1: CFIRW have increased household productive assets and resources & control over these, and are more resilient to climate shocks
Structure / Change Outcome 2: Formal & informal institutions are more responsive to women’s priorities & accountable to upholding their rights.
Relations / Change Outcome 3:Cultural and social norms & attitudes better support the individual & collective aspirations & improved opportunities for CFIRW
Objective 2: AusAID policy and programs in Africa are strengthened particularly in their ability to target and serve the needs of marginalised people / Structure / Change Outcome 4: CARE’s learning, knowledge & documentation on women’s empowerment, transforming gender norms, and climate change resilience is strengthened such that CARE can better inform and influence AusAID & other key stakeholders
Objective 3:Increased opportunity for the Australian public to be informed about development issues in Africa / Structure / Change Outcome 5:Outcomes and lessons learnt from WE-RISE are communicated effectively to the Australian public

Addressing three domains of change: women’s agency, social relations and formal & informal structures: The programis situated within CARE’s core programs and Long Range Strategic Plans. Further, the five year AACES/WE-RISE program fits within CARE’s longer term commitment to working with CFIRW in line with a well researched Theory of Change (ToC). This ToC will be continually reflected upon and adapted to ensure it remains effective and relevant. CARE’s analysis of women’s poverty and disempowerment stems in part from the global Women’s Empowerment Strategic Impact Inquiry conducted over five years in 24 countries (including Tanzania, Ethiopia and Malawi). This Inquiry has shaped CARE’s analysis of poverty and women’s disempowerment and provided a framework for our work within three domains of change:

  • women’s agency (her skills and aspirations)
  • formal and informal structures
  • the social relations that women engage with on a daily basis.

This relationship & assumptions are shown in the following Theory of Change diagram:

The latter two domains constrain women’s choices and opportunities, and if not addressed, will limit the impact of changes in women’s agency. For instance, women could be provided with agricultural training and credit access but this will not be sustained if social norms prevent themfrom fully using new skills and resources.

The flexibility and timeframe of AACES means the program can be tailored to meet the specific context of each country, as well as providing the ability to test and compare assumptions within the ToC. Food Security will be both the entry point and the expected outcome of WE-RISE.

CARE’s strategy is based on the premise that CFIRW will be more productive and their families will attain food security when a) they have the capacities (skills, knowledge, resources), capabilities (confidence, collective voice, bargaining power) and relationships of support; b) local governance and institutions become more gender-sensitive and responsive to the needs and interests of poor women smallholder farmers and c) agricultural services, value chains and markets of relevance to women smallholders are more competitive, gender-inclusive and environmentally sustainable.

  1. Objectives and Scope of the Consultancy

The overall objective of this consultancy is to carry out a four and a half year impact/outcome assessment on Women’s Economic and Social Empowerment and its link to Food Security. It aims to test CARE’s Theory of Change across the three domains of agency, structure and relations; with a view to informing CARE and a broader range of stakeholders (such as AusAID and host governments) on the key drivers for social change and women’s empowerment and how change can be measured.

Sub-objectives of the assessment are to:

  1. develop a common impact measuring framework and indicators[1] for all three sub-programs implemented in the three countries as it relates to women’s empowerment[2]
  2. assess the positive and negative changes produced by the project, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended, for women and men at different life stages and for the most vulnerable.
  3. assess whether the benefits of the project are likely to continue after the project ends.
  4. develop and implement a learning & reflection plan and process with Country Office teams, partners, WE-RISE impact groups, Regional Program Quality teams and learning partners (including WEIMI) to influence policy and practices (within CARE, at local and national level, AACES partners and other institutional stakeholders)
  5. asses pro-poor orientation & targeting of beneficiaries under the program
  6. identify key challenges & ongoing improvements required in meeting expected final outcomes of the program
  7. assess the effectiveness of pilot approaches/models, identifying lessons and success factors for replicability
  8. assess the development and actual implementation of strategies underpinning the project (process assessment)

This study will potentially link with work being conducted by CARE USA in piloting a women’s empowerment impact measurement imitative (WEIMI) in nine countries in Africa including one of the three AACES countries.

  1. Methodology

The assessment team will be required to design the methodology for the assessmentin the first phase of the consultancy, in consultation with CARE staff. A mix of quantitative and qualitative instruments and methods should be used, and a participatory approach should be adopted, capturing the perspectives of key stakeholders. The methodology, tools and scheduling used must be gender and target group sensitive.

The methodology will include a phase of documentation review. Key documents will be provided by CARE, and include:

  • Project documents, including proposal and design stage documents used in developing the program
  • Donor & CARE Assessment /evaluation guidelines
  • CARE policies, for example CARE Australia Evaluation Policy, CARE International Gender Policy, CARE Australia Partnership Policy

The assessment team will be responsible for designing and implementing[3] the assessment plan including sample selection, assessment key questions, methodology of obtaining related information through consultation with key stakeholders such as male and female community members and government officials in various countries (e.g. through meetings, focus groups, sample surveys, secondary data), method of analyses, and method of documentation and reporting.

Baseline data should be collected and used to make before-and-after comparisons with the assessment. In addition it is believed that such a methodology would reflect problem areas or positive issues that were not originally included in the assessment plan or project design.

There should be significant participation and high level of influence of program participants (both women and men) in planning for, implementation, analysis, and utilisation of the assessment. Program participants must be provided the opportunity to define their own measures of success and failure, including indicators.

Assessment results and learning should be made accessible to host governments, CARE partners, peer organisations, and men and women in communities served by WE-RISE (recognising that different formats will be required for different audiences).

CARE Australia is committed to a continuous process of improving the capacity of staff to plan for, supervise and participate in reviews and evaluations, so the methodology should be designed to be inclusive of program staff and embedded within implementation processes. The methodology should support staff to understand, reflect, adapt and act on outcome level information and learning.

Assessors will maintain the highest possible professional, ethical and personal standards, ensure the honesty and integrity of the assessment process, and respect the security and dignity of the program stakeholders with whom they interact.

CARE Australia will ensure effective administrative support for the assessment and provide inputs into the research process, as determined by the agreed methodology. CARE will also make available preparatory documentation on the project.

  1. Roles and responsibilities/Key tasks

The assessment team, in close consultation with CARE staff, will undertake the following tasks:

Phase 1:

  • Carryout impact measurement capacity and resource assessments of all three programs and provide an impact measurement framework and a plan for the next four and half yearof the project to assess the impact and outcomes of the project and build staff capacity to do so.
  • Identify synergies or gaps with existing Country Office level and national databases
  • Provide a report with recommendations on the types & processes that need to be put in place in each country/project in order to collect relevant data (develop a list of qualitative & quantitative impact assessment methodswith guidelines)

Phase II:

  • Carry out a program wide sample baseline survey to capture the current status of the project area
  • Develop operationalguidelines for an ongoing status analysis in testing and reviewing the program ToC by each sub-program (using WEIMI guidelines currently being developed as a source)

Phase III:

  • Produce periodic and final reports e.g.baseline, mid-term and final assessment that reflects emerging evidence about impact based on the ToC and the final outcomes of the project
  • Develop appropriate guidelines to study and promote impact level reflections in annual planning & reflection events
  • Identify opportunities for wider dissemination and publication of research findings.
  1. Deliverables

Deliverables of this consultancy comprise:

  1. Draft methodology and work plan, due 4 weeks after the confirmation of the consultancy
  2. Briefing or workshop of key findings with the project staff/senior management after each of the phases mentioned above
  3. Briefing or workshop of key findings with key partners and beneficiaries.
  4. Draft report on the findings of the assessment at each stage of assessment
  5. Publication of occasional research reports on key aspects or findings.
  6. Interim & Final reports of the assessment, based on feedback from the initial draft should cover, but is not restricted to:
  7. Cover sheet
  8. Executive Summary (1-2 pages) Introduction and background
  9. Summary of methodology, including limitations
  10. Results, analysis and discussion, as per criteria outlined above, and against project objectives and indicators where relevant.

This must include a discussion of gendered benefits and approaches, as well as analysis of other specified themes.

  1. Analysis of key lessons learned
  2. Conclusion and recommendations
  3. References
  4. Annexes – Including tools used in the assessment.
  1. Timing

Deadline for ExpressionofInterest08 Feb 2012

Preferred Start date 03 April 2012

Baseline surveysbefore30 June 2012

  1. Budget Framework

The budget allocation for this assessment across four and half years is AUD$400,000. Proposals will be assessed in terms of their cost effectiveness.

  1. Proposal Specifications

A detailed technical and financial proposal should include the following elements:

  1. An expression of interest and statement addressing selection criteria (see next section)
  2. Technical proposal clearly giving the consultant/s understanding of the assignment, and proposed impact assessment plan and methodology
  3. A budget including approximate number of days in each year and other relevant costs including any required sub-contracting should be included within the proposal
  4. Biographical information on consultant/organisation’s to be used in study
  5. Detailed time line
  6. Information on consultant/organisation’s previous experience in conducting impact/outcome assessments and a sample of a previously conducted impact assessment
  7. The letter of interest duly signed by the authorised representative of the organisation.

The proposal should be submitted in English, contain a table of contents and page numbers, and use Times New Roman 12 point font. The proposal is limited to 15 pages not including attachments. Large graphics are discouraged. The proposal should be submitted to the email address given below.

  1. Consultant(s) selection criteria

The consultant/s shall be assessed in line with the following selection criteria:

  1. Demonstrated capacity of the consultant/organisation to conduct the assessment (50%):
  • Experiencein designing and conducting impact/outcome assessments including consultations with a wide range of stakeholders
  • Demonstrated experience in detailed field research especially in the area of gender and development and women’s empowerment
  • Ability to facilitate workshops and to prepare reports for publication
  • An understanding of development practice and International NGO practice
  1. Technical proposal outlining understanding of the assignment and proposed assessment plan and methodology (35%)
  2. Cost effectiveness of the proposed budget to achieve the assessment objectives (15%)

Enquiries

Raymond Mudalige, Africa & Middle East Coordinator, CARE Australia

Phone: +61 2 6279 0248

Key documents will be made available on request.

1

[1]These indicators should draw on the existing higher order indicators in the AACES M&E Framework as well as CARE’s preliminarily Women’s Empowerment indicators under WEIMI.

[2]Project-specific M&E systems will track changes in food security separate to this assessment.

[3]The assessment team should be gender-balanced which could include program staff if required.