Terms of Reference for an Evaluation ofGOAL Niger

Title of project/programme:

Strengthening resilience and reducing malnutrition through increased agricultural production, diversified diet and increased capacity for community and health facility identification and treatment of malnutrition.

1. Background

Despite the relatively good agro-pastoral season of 2013, pockets of food and pasture deficits have been identified in Zinder region, and FEWSNET forecasts production shortfalls and poor market access leading to increases in food insecurity in the first quarter of 2014. 34% of Zinder households are recording food deficits of more than 75%.

At the end of July 2013 the average price of millet and sorghum was 21% and 28% higher respectively than at the same period in 2012. This prevents vulnerable households from reconstituting their food stock for the year and erodes their resilience as they become dependent on local markets.

The Ministry of Health’s (MoH) Nutrition Department’s national nutrition survey conducted in 2013 found the prevalence of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) was 11.7% with 2.3% SAM. The situation is worse in rural areas of Zinder, with 14.9% GAM and 3.5% SAM. Zinder’s rate of 58.3% (52.0 – 64.3) stunting is exceptionally high for sub-Saharan Africa. For many of the reasons outlined above, Niger’s under five mortality rate is 114 per 1000 live births.

NGOs heavily support curative as well as preventative malnutrition care, particularly to address frequent shortages of equipment and essential drugs. Shortages relate to inadequate central supply, but more commonly to lack of capacity to manage the supply chain to ensure items reach the Centres de Santé Intégré (CSI). A lack of resources and capacity within the MoH limits the implementation of its malnutrition management and treatment protocol in health care facilities in GOAL’s target districts in Zinder.

2. Project Objectives and Results

GOAL’s overall aim is to reduce malnutrition in target populations through improved diet diversity, increased healthy behaviors and strengthened prevention and management of malnutrition.

In recurring food crises in contexts of endemic high under nutrition, <5 children and Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW) are the most vulnerable. GOAL targeted both groups for preventative (at community level) and curative (at health facility level) services, with support to link CSI and communities for better coordination of malnutrition management.

Outcome 1: Increased died diversity of target households

Outputs:

  • Vulnerable female farmers supported to create vegetable gardens
  • Vulnerable women have access to animal protein

Indicators of result:

  • Decrease from 58,3% to 48,3% of children 6-23 months in target areas of operation suffering from chronic malnutrition
  • 20% of children 6-23 months in target areas who ate from 4 or more food groups in last 24 hours
  • 60% of infants 0-6 months exclusively breastfed

Outcome 2: Improved management of severe acute malnutrition in five target health facilities

0utputs:

  • Strengthened community- based prevention of SAM
  • Improved coverage of community screening for children under 5
  • Improved quality and coverage of curative malnutrition services

Indicators of result:

  • 100% of target clinics which meet standards for management of SAM (therapeutic care discharges who have died are <10 %, recovered is >75 % and defaulted is <15 %) 5 clinics
  • 60% of children admitted into female circles with MUAC 11.5 <12.5cm who have improved nutritional status (MUAC ≥ 12.5cm)
  • 60% of PLW admitted with acute malnutrition who have improved nutritional status

3. Background to the assignment

GOAL Niger has been implementing this project since April 2014, inZinder region, Miriah District Health, five target health facilities. The project has been implemented through collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and farmer, the Ministry of Health through the Miriah Health District.To gain an in-depth understanding about existing situation GOAL has conducted a baseline assessment onthe existing nutritional and food security situation.

Despite routine monitoring activities and on-going review and reflection, a comprehensive and organized formal evaluation has not been conducted and evidence, knowledge and lessons generated has not been captured in an organized way. As the program is now close to completion and, GOAL wishes to formally review programme achievements against planned targets. In addition, as per the requirement of the donor and as a means of internal accountability, GOAL is looking to conduct a final evaluation of the project. This consultancy is considered to be vital in pulling together all what we have generated so far from the project implementation.

4. Objective of the Consultancy

This assignment mainly focuses on conducting a final evaluation toidentify achievements against planned goals, knowledge from the program intervention, documenting best practices & key lessons for internal use as well as wider circulation to external stakeholders.

Accordingly the objectives of the assignment are as follows:

  • Provide an overview of the program intervention in terms of key knowledge generated through the project intervention
  • To gain an in-depth understanding of key programsuccesses and failures such as linkage of emergency interventions.
  • To measure the achievements of project progress in reaching project targets
  • To identify key project induced benefits/impacts to targeted beneficiaries
  • Identify any cross-fertilization/un-intended impacts on project beneficiaries/non-beneficiaries
  • To identify mechanism/opportunities for the sustainability of project induced benefits/impacts ,agricultural productivity, storage system, and Nutrition,
  • Documenting project generated evidence to inform future programming
  • Producing a report of the above for dissemination to program staff, key partners and stakeholders

In achieving these objectives the consultant will report to, and work closely with the GOAL NigerM&E Coordinator and the Global M&E Advisor.

5. Methodology

The consultant is required to design an evaluation with appropriate tools and methods to achieve the above outcomes. The following methodologies are presented as a guide to the consultant and might be revised as appropriate.The evaluation methodology to be developed needs to capture basic evaluation parameters set out in the following box.

Relevance: Analyse the appropriateness of the project design, strategies and approached in the light of the operational context, the timeliness of the response and its adaptation to the food security situation.

Effectiveness:Analyse the extent to which the project results and objectives as stated in the programme proposal have been achieved.

Efficiency: Assess how economically the programme resources were used to achieve expected results, including both in reaching the overall programme objectives and practical day to day tasks which aimed to improve efficiency.

Impact:Analyse the extent to which the programme achieved broader consequences of a development project and therefore goes beyond the direct benefits arising from the intervention itself. The consultant is expected to design appropriate qualitative tools to get information on short term impacts/signs of long-term impacts.

Sustainability:Assess the extent to which the project interventions took into consideration the longer terms needs of the target population and to what extent measures are in place to ensure results are sustainable after programme closure.

5.1 Sampling

  • The samples should include project beneficiaries
  • The samples should be disaggregated based on the project’s Agro-ecological zoning
  • The samples also need to be disaggregated by gender
  • Some samples should be taken from key informants such as programme team, beneficiaries in the community, NIPP Circle and technical services.

5.2 Data collection and Analysis

  • The activity should be participatory and focused on obtaining both qualitative and quantitative information.
  • Quantitative data is to be obtained from household surveys, project document review, individual interview of project staff, Government partners
  • Qualitative information should be gathered through PRA techniques like (FGD,KII, Mapping, and case stories, success stories) and observation
  • Video recording/photosof selected program activities should be included in the final report

5.3 Triangulation

As mentioned above the consultant will use information both from primary and secondary sources which are directly related to the project. For triangulation purpose the consultant is expected to refer to documents from national statistics, research findings relevant to this project and donor guidance and associated documents. These sources will be used to validate the results and triangulate successes and failures for lessons learned documentation.

5.4 sample sites

  • The samples should include all the five health facilities where the project is implemented.
  • For triangulation and gaining information on cross-fertilization of project benefits/knowledge transfer, samples should also include non- project beneficiaries (beneficiaries not targeted by the project but affected(Positively/negatively from the project implementation)

6. Roles of the Consultant

The main role of the consultant is conducting the evaluation and producesa document on the evaluation output.In undertaking this, the consultant will have the following roles.

  • Prepare an inception report which sets out the evaluation plan and develop appropriate tools in agreement with GOAL
  • Conduct field visit to sample program areas to collect data from households and identified sample units
  • Collect additional information that is supportive to the documentation and triangulation of information from secondary source.
  • Produce a draft report of the findings and submit to GOAL for review/comments
  • Produce a final report taking consideration of comments/feedback on the draft report
  • Make available both soft copies and hard copies of field data collected and document reviewed

7. Organizing the Outputs

The consultant is expected to develop a full report in a professional way that will address the demands of the donor and the client, GOAL. While developing the materials/document, the following points need to be considered.

7.1. Findings

  • The findings should be organized under the following headings:

Relevance

Effectiveness

Efficiency

Impact

Sustainability

  • The findings need to include community perceptions about key program intervention identified above
  • The findings need to discuss disaggregated findings of opportunities and constraints based on the samples mentioned above
  • The findings need to discuss key findings in-terms of sustainability of the program by the government and beneficiaries
  • Success stories, case stories need to incorporated that support key program achievements
  • Stakeholder’s perceptions and tangible lessons about farmer’s research group in relation with maximizing participation and ensuring ownership and sustainability of project benefits/impacts

7.2 Conclusion

  • The report needs to provide the overall and key findings summarized in a way that guidesfuture programming
  • Lesson learned should be set out in a separate section

7.3 Recommendations

  • The report should provide recommendations based on the findings (quantitative &qualitative) and the suggestions from beneficiaries and government partners.
  • There should be a strong link between finding, conclusion and recommendation

8. Timing and Deliverable types

8.1 Deliverables

The task requires producing a full report delivered both in hard copy and soft copy. Final report should be signed by the consultant and soft copies in pdf format delivered in CD.The consultant should provide raw data collected both hard and soft copies.

8.2 Time

The project under this consultancy will close in June so that the consultant is expected to accomplish the task in a time frame provided below.

Activity / Approximate number of days / Deliverables
Development of Inception Report, including evaluation plan / 2 days / Evaluation Plan
Development of data collection tools and plan / 3 days / Draft tools
Incorporating feedback into tools and plan(with discussion to GOAL ) / 1 day / Key discussion output note/report
Preliminary analysis and organizing training for the task and field test / 3 days / Training and field test output report
Data Collection/Field survey/ / 10 days / Progress communication
Analysis and compilation of draft final report and documents / 5 days / Draft documents/report/ of the task, field data
Take feedback and comments on documents/reports and submit final report and document / 2days / Final documents/report/film of the task, field data
Total days / 26 days
  1. Required Qualification and Experience

The consultants should have the following qualification and experience

  • Relevant academic and professional background in Rural Development programs/Agricultural extension, Nutrition, Health.
  • Extensive practical experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative evaluations, surveys and producing quality reports.
  • Extensive knowledge in Knowledge management and lesson documentation
  • Experience/exposure to areas to the project intervention area.
  • Expertise level in French and English writing and communication as well as knowledge of local language(Haoussa)

10. Proposal details and submission

The deadline for submission of bid (both Technical and financial proposal) is03/07/15 at 16:00 GMT.

Please submit offers by email to the following address:

Subject heading should include the following reference: GO-ZI-MEL-091 Consultant for external evaluation in Niger.

Offers can also be submitted in hard copy to the following address. Please ensure ‘GO-ZI-MEL-091‘is clearly marked on the outer envelope.

GOAL Ireland

12/13 Cumberland Street

Dun Laoghaire

Co. Dublin

The evaluation criteria are based on technical and financial responsiveness which also includes a valid licence and tax registration. The key technical evaluation criteria are:

  • Demonstrated understanding of the work proposed in the TOR
  • Known reliability in delivery of timely and quality services
  • Relevant field/country experience
  • Relevant sector specific technical experience & qualifications
  • Relevant evaluation experience
  • Presentation and writing skills evident from the proposal
  • Cost/budget
  • Language

Closing date: 03/07/15

Start date of consultancy: ASAP

Deadline to submit final report: To be agreed with the GOAL HQ team.