Call for Consultancy- Final Evaluation Omo Delta Project: Expanding the Rangelands to achieve Growth and Transformation

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1.0 Background
Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany (VSF Germany) is an International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO),
providing humanitarian aid and development assistance to pastoralists and vulnerable communities in areas where
livestock is of importance. VSFG supports animal health, livestock related agriculture, marketing, food safety, drought responses and mitigation, capacity development of communities and governmental institutions, peace and conflict resolution with the ultimate aim of improving food security and strengthening livelihoods and resilience of pastoralist communities. VSFG currently implements activities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan with country programs coordinated from the Regional Office Nairobi.

2.0 Overview of Omo Delta Project
VSF Germany leads a consortium that includes Mercy Corps, Vita/RTI, CIFA, EPaRDA and TUPADO in the
implementation of Omo Delta Project: Expanding the Rangeland to achieve Growth & Transformation. The project
covers the cross-border areas of the Horn of Africa Region: The Southwest Ethiopia (South Omo and West Omo) and Northwest Kenya border (Turkana and Marsabit); and runs for 40 months. The Action is funded by the European
Union Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addresses the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa. The concept of expanding rangelands is applied to realize the overall objective of the Action to address the drivers of instability, irregular migration and displacement in Cluster I: The Southwest Ethiopia-Northwest Kenya border.

The project main overall objective (O.O 1) is “To increase income of 45,000 HHs (270,000 persons) by Euros 600 by
the end of the Project. Through this, the Action is contributing to strengthened resilience, end chronic cries and
expansion of rangelands through various mechanisms, particularly in improved livelihood opportunities; strengthen the natural resource management, accelerating private sector growth and employment.

Overall Objective (O.O 2): To reduce risk exposure and cushion communities in Omo Delta from multiphase crisis
(Covid-19 pandemic, cholera, locust invasion and floods) and shocks on lives and livelihood resilience.
The success of the action will inherently lead to socio-economic integration, cross-border trade and transformation
opportunities that mitigates against drivers of instability, irregular migration and displacement. The consortium has
accomplished most of the planned activities output and outcome though it requires to be measure in terms of outcome indicators and project goals.

3.0 Scope of the Final Evaluation
3.1 Overall Review Questions
The final project evaluation will be expected to focus on project’s relevance, effectiveness, value addition sustainability, collaboration, and strategic partnerships but not limited the following key areas in project implementation: The study will be expected to answer the following key questions:
i. Relevance:
Assess the extent to which the overall objective, specific objectives and the design of the Omo Delta Project responds to the EUTF program goals/objectives and address the needs of the targeted beneficiaries.
ii. Effectiveness
Assess the degree to which objectives are achieved and the extent to which targeted beneficiaries’ problems are solved
iii. Progress:
Asses the current project achievements status against the expected target (e.g. Log-frame).
iv. Efficiency
Asses the project management resources, timeliness of the project in delivering the project and how the resources
benefit the target beneficiaries.
v. Quality
Asses the quality of the project interventions (e.g. approaches, methodologies, input qualities etc.)
vi. Value addition
Assess the extent to which the project add value compared to other interventions in the areas (EU funded projects,
other NGOs and governments)
vii. Sustainability:
Asses the level of the beneficiaries to sustain the outputs and benefits of the interventions (e.g. beneficiaries and key stakeholder’s participation levels, cost sharing, local capacities, management etc.)?
viii. Collaboration internally and externally

  • Assess the extent the project facilitate coherency, consistency and complementarily and synergy both internally and between its objectives and programming results and EU funded partners.
  • Asses the strengths and areas that need improvements: Strengths – Level of complementarily and synergies  through joint planning and implementation, sequencing of activities etc. What are the gaps – challenges, limitations, risks or missed opportunities

ix. Government Partnerships
Asses the level at which the program is engaging with or involved with government in the process towards achieving
project objectives and goals, and relevant government staffs’ awareness and of the project

4.0 Phases of the Evaluation and required Outputs
The consultant will be required to design and demonstrate proper grasp of a methodology that ensures the perspectives of Project beneficiaries, Omo Delta Project Implementing Partners implementing team, key stakeholders (EUTF partners, EU funded Partners, other agencies) are adequately captured. The methodology developed by the consultant should articulate adequate understanding and appreciation of the project conflict context in-terms of insecurity; and strong traditions and cultural practices; including political and gender dynamics and socio-economic trans-boundary contexts. Therefore, the consultant must illustrate how s/he will integrate participatory approaches and methodologies that are gender sensitive, adaptive to COVID 19 pandemic measures, culturally tenable and conflict sensitive. The consultant will also be expected to clearly outline the step by step process for carrying out the Final Evaluation exercise.
The evaluation process will be carried out in three phases:

  • Inception
  • Field
  • Synthesis and feedback workshops

5.0 Location and Duration
5.1 Location(s) of assignment
The consultant will be required to conduct the study in Kenya and Ethiopia. The study will be undertaken at two levels in each country. In Kenya, the consultant will engage with the Implementing Partners at Country coordination office in Nairobi and field operational areas in Marsabit and Turkana. In Ethiopia the evaluation will cover the Country Coordination offices in Addis Ababa and field operation areas in South Omo (Dasanach, Nyangatom, Hammer Woredas) and West Omo Zones (Maji/Surma Woredas)

5.2 Foreseen duration of the assignment in calendar months
It is anticipated that the evaluation will last for 44 calendar days tentatively starting from 5th January 2022. This overall duration includes working days, weekends, periods foreseen for fieldwork, reporting (writing and review of draft versions), briefing and debriefing sessions including feedback workshop. The consultant should indicate a breakdown of timeframe showing the detail work plan and expected dates for each phases of the evaluation.

5.3 Starting period and planning
Provisional start of the assignment is 5th January 2022. As part of the technical proposal, the consulting firm must fill
in the timetable in line with the key milestone phases articulated under Annex IV (to be reviewed during induction
period and finalized in the Inception report). The ‘Indicative dates’ are not to be formulated as fixed dates but rather as days from the beginning of the assignment.

6.0 Reporting & Deliverables
6.1 Content, timing and submission
The evaluation deliverables must match quality standards. The text of the reports should be illustrated, as appropriate, with maps, graphs and tables and quotes; a map of the area(s) of the intervention, human interest stories (photos with captions, text quotes and short video clips) is required (to be attached as Annex).
List of outputs:

  • Inception report, 15 pages to be submitted at the end of inception period.
  • Slide presentation, 15 slides Key, on preliminary findings of the field phase to guide the debriefing session.
  • Due at the end of field phase presented during the feedback workshop to implementing partners
  • Draft Final Report, 30 pages, Refer detail structure in Annex III. Due at the end of Synthesis phase.
  • Final report, 30 pages, Same specifications as of the Draft Final Report, incorporating any comments received from the concerned parties on the draft report that have been accepted. One week after having received comments to the Draft Final Report.

6.2 Content of the offers
The offers to be submitted for the execution of this contract will include a Technical and a Financial Offer.
6.2.1 Technical offer
The Technical Offer will compulsorily include:

  • An introductory and short chapter detailing the comprehension by tenderers of the assignment and its main
    challenges.
  • A chapter detailing the tentative methodology to conduct the evaluation; this methodology will then be finalized in the Inception Note. The proposed methodology will detail how the evaluation will address the cross-cutting issues mentioned in these Terms of Reference and notably gender equality and the empowerment of women. This will include (if applicable) the communication messages, materials and management structures.
  • A short analysis of the main risks and remedy measures of the assignment.
  • A chapter detailing the relevance of the team composition and competencies to the work to be undertaken and how the tasks will be organized.
  • Annex: the CVs of the proposed expert(s) (max length of each CV: 5 pages) indicating their availability for the assignment.
  • Annex: a synoptic table detailing the work to be undertaken by each proposed expert and their role, based on the proposed methodology.
  • Annex: the proposed timetable (Gantt chart).
  • Copies of at least two relevant work undertaken in the last 3 years (to be returned after evaluation of bids) Names and addresses (telephone numbers & email) of three organizations that will act as professional referees
  • Filled planning schedule as per Annex IV of the TOR on VSF Germany’s website (see applications guidelines below. The maximum length of the Technical offer is 15 pages excluding annexes.

6.2.2 Financial offer
The Financial Offer must respect the format of the Annex VI in the ToR. Offers using a different format will be disqualified.

6.2.3 Deadline for the submission of questions
Questions and requests for clarification are to be submitted (if need will be) one week before the deadline for
submission of the offers via email: Recruitment@vsfg.org The text of the questions received (once anonymized) and the responses will be sent to all tenderers to ensure equal treatment.

7.0 Submission of the offers and their assessment
Participants should download the TOR which includes the submission templates from http://www.vsfg.org/aboutus/careers-tenders.html. A separate technical and financial proposal shall be submitted in electronic format via email to: Recruitment@vsfg.org from the date of this announcement (which falls on 19th November 2021) and before the deadline on the 16th December 2021. The application package should include expression of interest, detail work plan as well as the required time and budget to undertake the assignment, copy of CV of persons who will be directly managing the assignment. Late submissions will be disqualified.

For full consultancy information see; https://www.vsfg.org/jobs-karriere/

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