Purpose To conduct an evaluation of UNICEF-funded project titled “Child Friendly Community Initiative (CFCI)” in Sudan Expected fee P5 level Location Khartoum with frequent visit to the field offices Duration Three months Start Date 15 August 2012 Reporting to UNICEF PME Specialist
Specific Tasks This evaluation will review the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as management aspects (administrative and financial) of the project. The program components will relate to monitoring, training, data collection and interventions on health and nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion and child protection. The management components will relate to issues of planning, data management, budgeting, inter-sectorality, coordination, supervision, and financial systems and governance.
The evaluation will consider all the elements mentioned above to verify if the planned project results were achieved and to propose a transition plan. The last 5 years (2007-11) will be the time frame for this evaluation.
The evaluation will review the following areas: • Effectiveness of the project- if the communities have been empowered and become a focal place for social activities and self-management of basic services; • Management (administration and financial)- if the project is managed efficiently with appropriate control measures in place to reduce likelihood of deviation from the focus of CFCI and misuse of funds; • Coordination mechanisms- Has CFCI served as an effective coordination mechanism? Areas of improvement? Capacity building: Do the CDCs and sectoral committees have capacity to deliver services needed to ensure children’s survival, development, protection and participation in a sustainable manner and linked to government services • Sustainability- What is the replicability in the non-focus states? How can the project be scaled up and mainstreamed into the government administration and service delivery? • Efficiency – Has the project been cost-effective? • Human rights based approach to programming – Has the project reinforce equity by prioritizing the disadvantaged and hard to reach population and ensure gender equity? • The specific indicators for the effectiveness of each sectoral intervention including child protection
The broad categories of evaluation questions that may be considered for this evaluation are:
Programme related: Is the community operating on a regular basis and fully functional? Does the Community Development Committee (CDC) perform as originally planned? Are the CDC and sectoral committees equipped with the materials/ trainings that these require to perform the responsibilities? Has the community benefited from the activities of the CDC and sectoral committees as originally envisioned? (as evidenced by communities assessing the CDC and sectoral committee activities)? Has the project built capacities of CDCs and others to sustain the project? Has there been participation by the stakeholders including children, women and men? Do the outputs produced meet the required high quality? Does the project have follow-up mechanisms (to verify the quality of the products, punctuality of delivery, etc.) to measure progress in the achievement of the envisaged results? Are the reported achievements attributable to CFCI interventions or partly or largely contributed by the national programmes covering the same areas, such as national immunization programme.
Management related: Has the project been implemented as planned with close coordination and interaction of the Higher Council for Decentralized Governance, and sectoral ministries at both federal and state levels and UNICEF state and Khartoum office? Is the current staffing of the project as per plan? Are the ministries, CFCI Coordinators and other staff are performing their supervision role as per plan? Are there an effective planning, monitoring and evaluation system in place? Is there adequate mechanism to ensure quality and quantity of infrastructure build such as class rooms and water points and evidence that those were built as per specifications and on time? Is there a possibility of duplication of funding same activities such as field monitoring and is the cost of major line items such as monitoring, training, field visits, construction and others were produced with reasonable cost? What is the regular channeling mechanism of CFCI funds and is there a deviation in the way funds should have been channeled and used? Is there occasions where CFCI Units implemented activities which were normally supposed to be carried out by line Ministries or through the contractors? Are the monitoring information resources effectively utilized beyond the project? Is the project deviating from its stated scope of operation to other areas and whether those are in line with the spirit of the initiative? Does CFCI has a role to leverage government and other sources of funding or those were already allocated to the different sectors and were simply redirected to CFCI communities?
For all of the above, the reasons for success or failure will lead to recommendations on the transition and evolution of the CFCI.
Specific questionnaire will be designed by the evaluation team.
Expected Deliverables The following deliverables are expected.
Draft evaluation design that lays out methodology and procedures which should include tools, interview protocols, report outline, and time schedule of the international consultant. The design should also anticipate constraints and describe how they would be overcome.
The elements of the evaluation design and the procedures will be reviewed by UNICEF and approved prior to implementation.
5.2.1 Draft Evaluation report. The report should conform to the UNICEF Evaluation
Standards and Evaluation Report Standards. These are annexed to this TOR. 5.2.2 Final Evaluation report with actionable recommendations based on findings and discussions with key stake holders. 5.2.5 Power point presentation and a 3 to 4 page summary that can be used to succinctly present the evaluation process, findings and recommendations to key stake holders including UNICEF and government partners. 5.2.6 A set of CDs including all raw and edited data sets should be in standard formats (SPSS and MS Word compatible).
Deliverables and timelines for the consultant:
Deadline Deliverables Payments 30 days (days after contract signature) Methodology defined and evaluation tools prepared; data collectors trained and in-country travel schedule and arrangements agreed and finalized. First monthly payment made to consultant 31 days Interview and FGD templates completed /reports filled and organized Second monthly payment made to consultant 30 days Preliminary findings report submitted, powerpoint presentation made and discussed; Final report submitted to UNICEF along with a summary report Third monthly payment made to consultant
Travel and related costs: UNICEF will pay for the consultant’s travel from Khartoum to states and back. The travel will be undertaken only upon receipt of an approved Travel Authorization from UNICEF. Based on mutual convenience, UNICEF will either purchase and send the ticket to the consultant(s) or transfer funds to a bank account to purchase the ticket locally. Tickets must only be purchased by the consultant after communicating the cost to UNICEF and receiving written approval. Air travel will be as per UNICEF rules: the most direct, most economical route.
80% of the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) will be transferred to the consultant before the start of the travel. DSA is to cover expenses associated with the experts’ boarding, lodging and for travel days as per UNICEF rules.
In the case that the consultant incur in approved travel-related costs, such as for air travel, visas, etc., final settlements of these expenses will be made upon submission of all required travel related documents (including completed F-10 form, trip report, tickets and boarding passes, and any other invoices, e.g. for visas, etc.).
The cost of data collectors/interviewers fees, travel and DSA and training of data collectors/interviewers will be covered by the consultant as per a budget submitted by him and not exceeding the rates mentioned in the Budget provided in this ToR. The amount will be transferred by UNICEF to the consultant as per a mutually agreed schedule. The consultant will mobilize, train and get the interviews completed by the data collectors/interviewers.
Ownership of data: Ownership of all the data gathered and any databases prepared for the evaluation lies with UNICEF and the use of the data for publication or any other presentation can only be made after an agreement with UNICEF Sudan.
The evaluation is expected to start on 15 August 2012 with the final report submitted by 15 November, 2012.
The following documents may be useful for the evaluation consultant in the initial stages and during the desk review and will be available in UNICEF Khartoum office: • Master Plan of Operations (2007-2008); • Country Programme Action Plan (2009-2012); • Evaluation report of CFCI (2004); • Project documents- Terms of reference of CFCI, log frame and others; • United nations Development Assistance Framework for Sudan (2009-2012); • DCPSF Project document and progress reports. • Other CFCI funding proposals and donor reports as necessary.
Expected Background and Experience
The consultant should have at least 12 years experience in designing and conducting participatory, qualitative and quantitative researches, studies and solid experience in qualitative evaluation, evaluation methods and data-collection skills; At least a Master’s Degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Demography, Statistics, Epidemiology, or other related technical field with significant measurement or analysis component; Strong analytical skills; Sound understanding and knowledge of participatory and community-based approaches; Good understanding of child and women’s rights; Strong communication skills; Good interpersonal skills; Evidence of ability to mobilize qualified personnel including presentation of CVs of lead team member Good knowledge of local cultures, traditions and values in the respective rural areas under study; Previous experience in working with women, children / young people is an asset; Strong English language skills is required and knowledge of Arabic is an asset.
General Conditions (Procedures and Logistics)
The consultant will be required to bring all necessary laptop and computer accessories. He will not be able to connect directly to the UNICEF internet system, but will be given access to shared computers as needed. He will be supported in terms of paper and basic office supplies. UNICEF will provide necessary stationary and printing of materials. No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant or Contractor. The consultant will be remunerated on a monthly basis. The payment should be finalized based upon presentation of certified invoice and monthly report. The consultancy fee covers all other costs of the consultancy. No consultant may travel without a signed travel authorization prior to commencement of the journey to the duty station. Unless authorizes, UNICEF will buy tickets, within Sudan, for the consultant. In exceptional cases, the consultant may be authorized to buy their tickets and shall be reimbursed at the most economical and direct route but this must be agreed beforehand. Notes: Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget. Consultants will be required to sign the health statement for consultants/Individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment and to document that they have appropriate health insurance. The form “Designation, change or revocation of beneficiary” must be completed by the consultant upon arrival at the HR section. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays. Internal flight costs will be covered by UNICEF. Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
Interested candidates should submit their application, updated CVs and completed UN personal history form (which can be downloaded from www.unicef.org/employ) to sudanhrvacancies@unicef.org,
No comments: