Consultant (Programme Evaluation) – Dhaka – ActionAid

A. Summary of the assignment:
ActionAid’s internal Evaluation Challenge Fund (ECF), funded through the Programme Partnership Arrangement between AAUK and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), will finance the Evaluation of the Breaking the silence of Violence (BRAVE), LRP 26. The purpose of the ECF is to generate learning and contribute to the evidence base regarding the effectiveness of ActionAid’s programmes.
In this backdrop ActionAid Bangladesh invites applications for a consultant(s) to evaluate a programme ‘Breaking the silence of Violence (BRAVE)’, focused on violence against women and girls implemented in two unions of Jibonnagar (sub-district) under Chuadanga district (this location is known as Local Rights Programme (LRP) 26 within ActionAid) from 2006 to 2015. The final evaluation will take place to examine effectiveness and efficiency of the programme design and implementation process of BRAVE model; and to assess the results of the programme in the lives of women, girls and children.
B. ActionAid Bangladesh and its working approach
ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB), an associate member of ActionAid International, has been working in Bangladesh for three decades in solidarity with the poor and excluded people to end poverty and injustice. AAB’s forth Country Strategy (CSP-IV) aims at facilitating people challenging poverty and exclusion through humane, practical, politically intelligent and open strategy underpinned by its human rights based approach (HRBA). AAB believes in a theory of change that requires purposeful individual and collective action, led by the people living in poverty and supported by solidarity, credible rights based alternatives and campaigns that address the structural causes and consequences of poverty. AAB mobilizes and empowers the poor and excluded to enable their collective analysis, identity, movements and actions. In solidarity with citizens, partners and supporters, AAB fosters partnerships and networks for strengthening support, voice and actions to campaign and advocate with the state and non-state actors and institutions for influencing their policies and practices that safeguard the rights of the poor and excluded people.
AAB implements Local Rights Programs (LRPs), formerly known as Development Areas (DAs), under a long term partnership with local NGOs. The LRPs usually span for about 8-10 years or more. Every LRP is linked with the strategic objectives of AAB. However, this is not necessary that the LRPs cover all the issues and themes stated in the strategic objectives. Rather, the issues and themes come through different processes including appraisal, strategy development and annual participatory plans and budget which take into account the context and needs of the areas and people living in poverty. AAB is currently working with 26 partners through 23 LRPs in 22 districts.
C. Objectives and purpose of the evaluation
In LRP 26 ActionAid Bangladesh initiated this programme with an aim to stop violence against women and girls. The framework of this programme was designed as a pilot model to experiment in the context of this LRP. As designed, all activities under this LRP are centering the issues related to stopping violence against women and girls (in short SVAW). Putting SVAW at the centre, the women were supported for their economic, social and political empowerment and abilities. Civil society pressure groups were linked with the women and girls to get services and legal services from the duty bearers and legal service providers. Wave Foundation, the local NGO partner of ActionAid supported the women and girls to raise awareness and policy advocacy. ActionAid named this framework as BRAVE Model, where BRAVE stands for ‘Breaking the cycle of Violence against women’. After ten years of experimentation through reflection-action-reflection process, ActionAid consolidated the learning and attempted to replicate in other LRPs as a tested model. The purpose of this evaluation is to examine this model using ActionAid’s evaluation guideline and standard in terms of the effectiveness and impact of this model.
Specific objectives of the evaluation:
Overall objectives for this evaluation are as follows:
I. To examine effectiveness and efficiency of the programme design and implementation process of BRAVE model;
II. To assess the changes in the lives of women, girls and children in LRP areas as a result of BRAVE program
III. To capture the programme related learning for improving the BRAVE model
IV. To provide recommendations for the improvement of AAI evaluation principles (Draft ActionAid International Evaluation Principles and Quality Standards and technical guidance)
Note: When considering how the objectives and outcomes have been achieved, the findings should be assessed in line with OECD-DAC standards:
a. Relevance – does the program conform to the context and beneficiary needs and prevailing issues in line with AAB and partner’s strategy? / are we doing the right thing?
b. Effectiveness – are we doing the right thing well?
c. Efficiency – are we getting the most (and best) results for our inputs?
d. Impact – Did the project bring changes in the government policy, and practices, lives of people living in poverty, and structural causes to address violence against women?
e. Sustainability – Is the program creating ownership and bringing long lasting changes (people living in poverty, government policy, & practices and context in the LRP working areas)?
Key questions and pointers
The following key questions are used as the basic guideline of the evaluation. In addition evaluator/team may propose new questions/ideas to make the review more effective and efficient.
Programmatic aspects:
1. Did the BRAVE model work in stopping violence against women and girls in the LRP area? How has this model worked to support women’s groups and movements in preventing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)? Has it been able to effectively engage men and boys in community mobilisation? What were the most effective strategies of this model to empower people in responding to the issues of VAWG? How this model impacted on policies and practices on the issues of VAWG?
2. Has the BRAVE model achieved its objectives and expected results? How has the program impacted on the target group, i.e. poor and socially excluded groups, children, women as well as the community people of the geographical area under the LRP 26? (Disaggregated analysis of the changes brought about in the lives of these target groups through program interventions)
Organizational development
1. What are the process and structure involved in the operation of this program in terms of (i) Cost effectiveness, (ii) Sustainability, (iii) Expansion strategy, (iv) Accountability & transparency, (v) Acceptance by other stakeholders and (vi) Financial management?
D. Use and users of the evaluation
The evaluation is intended to primarily benefit both partner and AAB staff. The findings of the evaluation would be used by the programme planning and implementation teams of ActionAid Bangladesh and will be used in future programming on violence against women and girls issues. AAB will also replicate BRAVE model, if it is found as an effective model. The Sponsorship team of AAB can also assess the cost-effectiveness of LRP’s interventions. Learning from BRAVE model, will be shared with wider audience including relevant government agencies, donors, researchers, development practitioners working on violence against women and girls issues as appropriate. Actionaid international may take the model & learning and replicate in others country programmes if applicable.
Program participants particularly women’s groups involved in this programme will use the evaluation findings to review their working strategies for bringing effective and long lasting changes in their contexts.
E. Methodology and expected approach to the evaluation
It is expected that a detailed methodology be developed that enables to evaluation to meet the objectives given above and that addresses the key evaluation questions. As a guide only, the following methodologies and processes may be considered:
§ Comprehensive desk review: All relevant program documentsi.e. ALPS, HRBA, CSPIV, appraisal, annual monitoring as well as program reports, plans and budget, financial documents, and other related documents as deemed important.
§ Extensive field visit to the project area: This is highly anticipated that the consultant /review team will take up both quantitative and qualitative methods for the review. The consultant/agency will be appreciated for using participatory tools and techniques for qualitative data collection, which may include but not be limited to in-depth interview, key informant interview, focus group discussion, case study, etc. The team may conduct interviews based on a questionnaire on sample basis with the program participants in LRP areas. Sample will need to be determined following appropriate techniques, stratified by sex, age, and categories of exclusion and should be representative. Besides, the team may hold discussion with the civil society actors, policymakers, duty bearers and other stakeholders to get their perceptions about the changes they have noticed as well as their views about further improvement of the programs. The AAB staff/partners staff may assist the consultant/team in the process of these consultations.
§ Cost effectiveness: Based on the available financial reports and audit reports the consultant will do the cost effectiveness analysis aiming to have a light analysis on value for money.
§ Participation:Theteam will have to fully engage our primary stakeholders (i.e. poor and marginalized community people, farmers, women etc) who as our core constituencies play the most significant role in the review process and hence be consulted on their overview of the changes through programme interventions.
§ Qualitative and Quantitative data interpretation framework: It is expected that qualitative data (FGD, KII, and Case stories) will be used to supplement and triangulate with quantitative data. The gaps, non-clarity, and /or inadequacy identified from the quantitative analysis will be addressed through purposive qualitative survey.
§ Comparative analysis: while presenting the primary data in the report, the Primary data collected should be compared with baseline data and available country national (or sub-national) data. The evaluator/team must review most recent government data sources (i.e. Bangladesh Bureau of statistics-BBS, research report, law-policy, etc.) for secondary data collection. The possibility of collecting primary data from a non-project control/comparison group may also be explored or using other impact evaluation designs such as theory-based approaches to ascertain the impact of BRAVE would also be welcomed.
ActionAid expects all evaluations to be carried out in line with AA Evaluation Standards. These standards will be shared on request, but in practical terms include the need for the evaluation and the evaluator to:
• Feeding back: the evaluators should as a minimum commit to feeding key findings and recommendations back to the communities involved in the evaluation.
• Transparency and ethical standards: the evaluators should explain clearly to communities involved in the evaluation what the purpose of the exercise is, how people’s information will be used. The evaluation should follow ActionAid’s ethical standards for research and data collection, and should include a risk assessment covering security risks to communities. As a minimum the evaluation should ‘do no harm’.
• Community voices: it is essential that the evaluation reflects the voices of women and men involved in the project. People should be consulted as part of the evaluation, and their voices should be included in the evaluation report as direct quotes and case studies. In line with ActionAid’s mandate the evaluation should priorities people living in poverty and exclusion, especially women.
• Women’s rights: Women’s rights must be respected in all evaluations. All evaluations should seek to explore how women have been affected by an intervention and the effect of the intervention on gender relations. It is essential that women’s voices are heard clearly in the evaluation. The timing and location of evaluation activities and the composition of the evaluation team should be designed to maximise women’s ability to participate in the evaluation.
• Transparency about methodology: The evaluation should include a detailed and transparent discussion of the methodology used and key decisions taken in designing and implementing the evaluation. This should include information about the sampling (approach to sampling, numbers of people/communities covered, to what extent it was representative), what tools were used and why, methodological limitations and gaps in the evaluation.
• Disaggregated data: All data, qualitative and quantitative, collected through the review must be disaggregated by sex and age as a minimum; that is, separately for girls and boys, men and women. Data should be further disaggregated by other forms of vulnerability/exclusion where possible.
F. Roles, responsibilities and coordination
External evaluator (s): An external consultant/team will conduct the review. The consultant/team will be selected through competitive process upon thorough and fair scrutiny of the technical and financial proposals of the competing interested parties. The following tasks will be done by the external evaluator/team-
• Develop methodology of the evaluation, appropriate tools and techniques both for qualitative and quantitative data collection
• Data collection & data processing for both quantitative & qualitative
• Data analysis & presentation of findings
• Reporting ( full report & summary version for external use and sharing (including) communities after incorporating feedback)
• Meeting: Introductory meetings with AAB program team & LRP partner for introduction, orientation of LRP programs, sharing field visit/data collection plan. After completing the field consultation evaluation team will do exit meeting and will share review and reflection of field visit and its findings with AAB and partner.
Note: In case of oversea evaluator/team, quantitative data collection (pre-testing of quantitative questionnaire, hiring and orientation to data collectors, data collection, data entry, etc.) may be accomplished by M&E staff of AAB or if necessary by a sub-contracted organization, to be mutually agreed by both parties.
AAB: A team will be formed comprising respective AAB LRP focal, one representative each from Program Quality and Impact (PQI) team, program (strategic priority) and Sponsorship team to support the external evaluator/team to clarify AAB’s perspective and provide an overview of AAB, strategy, approaches and LRP-level interventions throughout the evaluation process. AAB may also act as translators if required and there is no objection from the external evaluation team. M&E focal will coordinate the evaluation process and will maintain regular communication with the external evaluation team. AAB’s respective LRP focal will lead to mobilize LRP partner and field.
LRP: The LRP partner & specifically LRP staff will be responsible to mobilising and organising communities to participate in the evaluation and making appointments for interviews and KII. They will also provide relevant information related to the LRP programmes that may be required by the evaluator.
Community: the community and participants (beneficiaries) of the LRP will be responsible for evaluating ActionAid and partners on the delivery of LRP program. They will participate in focus groups discussions, household’s interviews and key informant interview .
Evaluation accountability team/steering team: Besides, the core AAB evaluation team, AAB will appoint an Evaluation Accountability Team or task an existing Accountability Team with supporting the Director-PQI. This Team will be responsible for:
• Approval of the evaluation Terms of Reference
• Approval of the evaluation final report
• Ensuring the Senior Management Team of AAB to write a Management Response responding to the conclusion and recommendations of the evaluation report with an action plan detailing how AAB will act on issues raised.
• Hold responsibility for the evaluation budget and spend against this budget.
In addition, AAUK M&E Manager will be a part of this team and will provide input into and be required to sign-off with technical support from the ECF Steering group on the following processes/products:
• Input into and approval of final version of evaluation ToR
• Comments on the consultant’s inception report
• Input into draft data collection tools
• Input into draft evaluation report (and any other key deliverables)
• Comments on draft Management Response
G.Time frame
Estimated required time may be 22 working days or can be decided based on discussion between both the parties. It is expected that the whole task should be finished within three months from the starting date. AAB staff will join her/him on the field days specified by the consultant. Tentative budget is GBP9000 for this evaluation including consultancy fees, travel (int & national), and data collection. Consultant may define the task on working days basis or total work basis.
H. Reporting and Presentation
1. An inception report from the evaluator with detailed methodology, tools and work plan
2. A draft evaluation report to be produced by external evaluator and will also deliver a high quality informative power-point presentation before finalizing the main report.
3. Final evaluation report that meets agreed quality standards and evaluator will submit the main review report in both electronic version and signed hard copy. The report (not more than 35 pages excluding annexes) should be very precise, must answer each review objectives and should at least contain the following.
a. Cover page (title of the evaluation report, date, name of consultants, photo)
b. Contents table
c. Executive summary of no more than 2 pages outlining the key purpose of the evaluation, main points of analysis, key findings, conclusions and recommendations
d. Introduction outlining the background to the programme and the evaluation
e. Purpose and objectives of the evaluation
f. Analytical framework of the evaluation
g. Methodology/approach, indicators used, ethical issues and limitations of the evaluation
h. Major findings (data analysis, including gender analysis)
i. Lessons learned and recommendations
j. Annexes: details of data collection tools, schedule of field visits and meetings; list of people interviewed; bibliography of key documents consulted; TOR for the evaluation
1. Management Response: The report must allow for a management response from ActionAid, outlining areas that we agree with and will take forward in future responses; responding to areas highlighted as requiring improvement; outlining any findings that we disagree with which have not been resolved through providing comments on the draft report, and indicating how learning will be taken on board in this and future responses
2. The evaluation team is required to make a presentation of key findings and recommendations to AAB and meeting will be held at AAB office. In case of overseas evaluator, meeting location and modality will be decided upon discussion both of the parties. Evaluator will also make a brief presentation in the community at the end of data collection.
3. Draft & external summary report (summarising key findings and recommendations) that can be used to disseminate findings within ActionAid and with external stakeholders.
4. A short (maximum two page) report providing feedback to ActionAid International on the draft Evaluation Principles and Standards (their applicability and usability.
8.The raw data (all transcripts, quantitative data, and data collection tools) must be handed over to ActionAid together with the evaluation report.
The evaluation report should be submitted in the following format:
• As a word document with minimal formatting
• No longer than 35 sides of A4, excluding annexes
• Clear and concise English, with minimal development/humanitarian sector jargon
• Where photos are included, these should be provided to ActionAid in high resolution JPEG format. The evaluation team must ensure photos are obtained in line with ActionAid guidelines on consent.
• Diagrams/flowcharts/infographics developed by the evaluation team can be included but the original artwork should also be submitted as separate files along with the evaluation.

I. Governance and coordination
Key contacts and report
Respective LRP focal and MEA unit of AAB will be the contact person on behalf of AAB. The consultant/team should report to Director-Programme Quality & Impact (PQI).
Supervision
Evaluator/team will work under the supervision of Director-PQI.
J. Mode of payment
The payment will be done according to the following time frame/arrangement:
1st instalment 30% of the total amount after Inception meeting and sharing inception report from the evaluator with detailed methodology, tools and work plan
2nd instalment 40% of the total amount After presenting field data summery and sending draft report
3rd instalment 30% of the total amount After satisfactory completion of final report & summary external report
The payments will be made in A/C payee cheques in the name of the consultant. AAB will deduct income tax at source as per the rules of GoB and it will be deposited to treasury of GoB (applicable for both national and international consultant). Besides no other benefits shall be admissible beyond what is stipulated in the contract, nor does it guarantee a regular position in AAB.
Copyright and ownership of data
AAB reserves the copyright of all information, findings and the final report produced through this review process.
Confidentiality
All the outputs e.g. reports, documents, information etc. produced during this assessment will be treated as the property of AAB. So, the above mentioned outputs or any part of it cannot be sold, used or reproduced in any manner by the assigned evaluator/team without prior permission from AAB.
General
1. Required logistics support, as prescribed in the agreement, will be provided by ActionAid Bangladesh.
2. All documents prepared during the assignment will be treated as ActionAid Bangladesh property.
3. Assignment will not be sub-contracted to anyone.
4. In the event that, additional time is required to complete the contract, over and above that previously agreed to, without changing the scope of work, then it has to be agreed by ActionAid Bangladesh in writing.
5. In case of any change made, in the scope of work by Action Aid Bangladesh because an increase or decrease in the cost or time required for performance or any part of the work under the contract, equitable adjustment in the contract price, delivery schedule, or both will be amended in writing.
6. Confidentiality of all the assignment will be assured at all times.
7. The evaluation team will be expected to sign and abide by ActionAid values and compliance statement and key policies (including Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, Child Protection Policy etc.).
Expiry of agreement and negotiable flexibility
Considering the initiative as proactive and responsive, activities can be amended and elaborated based on the properly documented negotiation between the two parties.
The Agreement will be invalidated after expiry of duration unless further extension is made by AAB. AAB also reserves the right to amend or change or cancel the Agreement at any time.
For any clarifications, please write to Dr. Tariqul Islam – Director, PQI (tariqul.islam@actionaid.org;) and Md. Abdul Momin-Manager, MEA (abdul.momin@actionaid.org).
Section Two: Preparation of the Proposal
The evaluator/team shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of the proposal. The evaluator/team can submit either hard copy or soft copy (through email) addressing Director, HROD. For hard copy the evaluator/team shall submit two (2) copies of technical and two (2) copies of financial proposal in a single envelope. The technical and financial proposals should be marked properly and should include the name and detail contact address of the evaluator/team.

1. Validation of the Proposal
All cost should be quoted in BDT/GBP and will remain valid up to Forty Five Days (45) from the day of proposal submission.
2. Withdrawal/Termination
This agreement shall be effective between dates mentioned in agreement, unless otherwise earlier terminated.
ActionAid may terminate this agreement with immediate effect on occurrence of any irregularities, anomalies relating to review and non-compliance of any terms and conditions as agreed upon in this agreement.
In the event of a major natural disaster, war or major civil or political unrest this agreement may be renegotiated and jointly revised between the two parties recognizing any consequent change in the environment for implementation.

3. Outline of the Technical Proposal
It is mandatory that the proposal should maintain the following format:
Topic
Title of the study/review, mention LRP No. & Partner name
Understanding of the Task
Analytical framework of the evaluation
Methodology (state detail about the sampling, data collection systems, techniques/methods, etc.)
Data quality assurance & data management
Operational plan
Relevant work experience of evaluator/team
evaluator/team with names and curriculum vitae
Submitted by: (with contact details)
Detailed CV’s of the team members should be included in the annexure of the technical proposal. It is desirable that the proposal should contain the above mentioned sections only.

4. Outline of the Financial Proposal
The budget of the task should be broken down in details as like the following format:
a. Consultancy fees
b. Data collection / analysis cost
c. Miscellaneous (stationaries, report printing, travel etc)
The evaluator/teammay include/exclude any necessary heads from the above mentioned format. All the pages of the financial proposal should be signed by theevaluator or the respective person of the evaluation team. (Electronic version can be considered)
NB: The costs of long meetings such as focus group discussions will be borne by the AAB partner directly (venue, food if required, etc).

5. Competence Required:
• Demonstrable expertise on women’s rights and gender equality
• Knowledge of violence against women and girls.
• Track record in developing and conducting various types of evaluation including qualitative and quantitative data collection
• Experience in managing and coordinating evaluation/research exercises, delivering agreed outputs on time and on budget
• Experience in data collection and analysis using participatory methodologies
• Previous experience working with communities using participatory approaches
• Excellent and demonstrated understanding of ethical issues in research
• Strong quantitative data entry and analysis skills and previous experience using statistical analysis software
• Ability to write high quality, clear, concise reports in English
• Previous experience in conducting similar work for international donors and other countries (especially south Asia) will be preferred.

6 . Evaluation criteria:
Proposal evaluation team will review the technical and financial proposal as per eligibility/qualification and technical criteria set in this evaluation ToR. Only Short listed candidates will be asked for face to face interview. For interested overseas evaluators/teams, interview modality would be different.
Evaluation Criteria Score
Part A: Technical Proposal
Understanding of Tasks 10
Analytical Framework of the evaluation 15
Methodology 15
Data Collection, data quality assurance & management plan 10
Operational Plan 10
Relevant Working Experiences 10
Part B: Financial Proposal
Financial Proposal 30
Total 100

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested evaluator/team are requested to submit proposal on or before August 25, 2015 to ‘Director-HR, Organizational Development & ICT, ActionAid Bangladesh’ House # 8, Road # 136, Gulshan-1, Dhaka – 1212 or e-mail to aab.jobs@actionaid.org

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