Consultant: External - Final Evaluation of Project, "“Improve the protection and resilience systems of the displaced Syrians in the most vulnerable situation: minors, women and PWDs in Barelias and Baalbek (Bekaa Valley, Lebanon)”

يتطلب رسالة مع الطلب؟: 
نعم
توجيهات التقديم: 

Interested candidates are requested to submit an electronic copy of their expression of interest/proposal by April 01st of 2020
with the subject REF: 01/2020 Final Evaluation ACCD Lebanon to Stephanie Soria, MPDL Head of Mission for Lebanon ([email protected]) and Sima Sayed, MDPL Desk Officer in Lebanon ([email protected]). 

In their application, candidates must forward the following:

 

    

  • A motivation letter (5 pages maximum, CVs not included) indicating:

o   The consultants’ suitability for the assignment and
match with previous work experience, qualifications etc.

o   How the team will be composed and the tasks
assigned to each team member.

o   Technical offer with the work methodology.

o   Draft work plan and suggested timetable.

o   Financial offer and budget breakdown.

o   Provisional availability to fulfill the consultancy
as per the timeframe indicated in these ToR.

 

 

  •    Professional profile of the evaluating team/company (including the CVs of all individuals included in

the evaluation team). 

Enquiries regarding the expression of interest/proposal process may be directed to Sima Sayed, MDPL Desk Officer in Lebanon: [email protected]

اسم الشخص المسؤول: 
Stephanie Soria
Contact Person Position: 
MPDL Head of Mission for Lebanon
البريد الالكتروني للشخص المسؤول: 
الوصف: 
  1. Justification

 

The present ToR specify the details for the Final Evaluation of the above mentioned project funded by the Agència Catalana de Cooperació al Desenvolupament (project code: ACC005/17/00033) and implemented by the organisation Movement for Peace, Disarmament and Liberty (hereinafter MPDL) and its partner Lebanese Union for People with Disabilities (hereinafter LUPD) in two towns of the Bekaa Valley (Barelias and Baalbek).

 

The evaluation will focus on the assessment of the implemented activities and the achievement of the project objectives and expected results.

 

As a result of this evaluation, the evaluation team is expected to provide recommendations in order to assess the strategy of MPDL and MPDL in the improvement of the protection and resilience systems of the displaced Syrians in Lebanon, and enhance the quality of future projects.

 

  1. Background Information

 

Brief description of MPDL and LUPD:

 

Since the beginning of its activity in Lebanon in 1999, MPDL has actively worked with grassroots organizations to provide support to the Syrian refugee population, particularly women who suffered some forms of violence and minors at risk of social exclusion. In 2006, MPDL started its work with Syrian and Palestinian population with disabilities, extending its intervention until today, in partnership with the Lebanese Union for People with Physical Disabilities (LUPD), a local NGO specializing in the fields of disability and the promotion of women’s rights.

 

LUPD was founded in 1981 and is a non-profit non-governmental and non-sectarian organization working for and with people with both psychological and physical disabilities. The organization, which promotes the involvement of people from different religious groups and with various forms of physical disabilities, has 8 branches spread throughout Lebanon. Since its first activities on Beirut’s sidewalks up until now, the organization has been active in promoting the participation of people with disabilities (PwDs) in the governments’ decision making process. This resulted in significant changes in the government´s approach to disability. Their experience has led to a dialogue that switched from charity to rights and from exclusion to inclusion.

 

In 2010, MPDL and LUPD decided to combine their experience in order to deepen their strategy in the fields of support to refugees and PwDs, especially in the provision of rehabilitation services from a holistic approach, and in the development of advocacy campaigns, with the aim to push for changes to the country´s legislation, and promote an equal access to fundamental rights for refugees and PwDs.

 

The current project is based on the previous joint experience of MPDL and LUPD implementing projects such as ‘Improving living conditions, inclusion and the rights of persons with disabilities in Lebanon, Jordan and Palestinian Territories’ - a multi-country project (Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon - 2014-2018) financed by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo, AECID), with LUPD as executing partner in Lebanon.

 

Brief description of the project:

 

The project aims at improving the resilience of displaced people from Syria, increasing the autonomy of one of the most vulnerable groups of this population - people with disabilities, as well as working with their relatives in order to promote inclusive actions with the Lebanese population, also in charge of caring for PwDs.

 

The proposed intervention seeks to enhance the living conditions of the Syrian refugee population´s most vulnerable groups based in Barelias and Baalbeck (Beka'a Valley, Lebanon) by creating Safe Spaces where appropriate care and support can be given to PwDs. In parallel, LUPD carries out advocacy actions with Local Authorities in order to ensure that the inclusive policies contemplated in the Lebanese Laws are applied.

 

Likewise, the project also creates Safe Spaces where cases of violence towards PwDs can be adequately identified and monitored, particularly towards women and girls with disabilities, who frequently suffer abuses perpetrated on numerous occasions by family members. Within these Safe Spaces, a team of psychologists identifies cases of violence and implements a roadmap that allows other professionals to intervene in the approach methodology.

 

3.1. Objectives

 

To make a systematic and objective assessment of the above mentioned project, its design, implementation and results, with the aim to determine the relevance and fulfilment of objectives, developmental efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability.

 

The evaluation should provide information that is credible and useful, enabling the incorporation of lessons learned and recommendations into the decision-making process of MPDL, its partner organization, LUPD, and the donor, ACCD.

 

Principles underpinning the approach to the evaluation are:

        • Impartiality and independence of the evaluation process from the programming and implementation functions;
        • Credibility of the evaluation, through use of appropriately skilled and independent experts and the transparency of the evaluation process, including results dissemination;
        • Participation of stakeholders in the evaluation process, to ensure different perspectives and views are taken into account.

3.2. Scope

The evaluation will focus on the period of implementation of the project (February 02nd 2018 to April 30th of 2020) and it is geographical location: the towns of Barelias and Baalbek, in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

 

The evaluation report should discuss and provide conclusions and recommendations on the following questions:

 

  • Effectiveness: To which degree did the activities meet the objectives and results set out in the project (as outlined in the Logical Framework)?
  • Matching needs: Did the project/activities meet the beneficiaries’ needs?
  • Relevance: Was the project designed in a way that is relevant to reach its goals?
  • Efficiency: Was the project run in an efficient way?
  • Sustainability: Are the results achieved sustainable?
  • Internal coherence: Were the result indicators and their means of verification adequate? What possible adjustments would the consultants recommend?
  • Gender mainstreaming: To which extent did the project succeed in including a gender perspective?
  • Impact and spill over: Where there any unforeseen positive/negative effects of the activities?
  • Synergies: To which extent were synergies achieved with other activities, as well as with local/international policies and donor policies?
  • Which unmet needs did the evaluators identify that would be relevant for MPDL to look into in an eventual continuation of the project?
  • Identify lessons learned and provide recommendations.

 

The project has been design in the framework of the ACCD’s ‘Plan Director de Cooperación al Desarrollo 2015-2018’; therefore, the evaluation must integrate the Strategic Gender Approach Based on Human Rights included in the ‘Plan Director’ both in the analysis and in the process of evaluating the action.

Mainstreaming the Strategic Gender Approach Based on Human Rights in the evaluation of the action involves analysing whether the project promotes/protects Human Rights and gender equality. To that end, the evaluation team will:  

  • Focus on the design, processes, results and impacts of the project in order to provide evidence of its effects on gender relations/inequalities and in the exercise of Human Rights.
  • Understand the evaluation as a process that fosters the participation of the rights, obligations and responsibilities holders contributing to the accountability and capacity building to promote empowerment and transformation in the interest of gender equality and the exercise of Human Rights.

The evaluation must mainstream the Strategic Gender Approach Based on Human Rights so that:

  • It assesses the results and impact of the project on the gender relations and Human Rights. The evaluation should mainstream the Strategic Gender Approach Based on Human Rights through the criteria, evaluation questions and indicators in each of the questions envisaged, in order to ensure the collection of evidence of the action´s effects on gender relations and Human Rights, especially on women's rights.
  • The active participation of the rights holders (in particular women) must be taken into account as a key element to strengthen their abilities and promoting their empowerment. A clear, transparent and participatory evaluation methodology must be developed to promote accountability towards the action´s main beneficiaries and to ensure their active participation in the evaluation process.

3.3. Limitations

The proposed framework of the evaluation can be subject to change based on the agreement between the Evaluation Management Unit (lead by MPDL) and the evaluation team. All changes must be validated by the Evaluation Management Unit. Both parties will assess any possible limitations affecting the development of the evaluation and will proceed accordingly in order to minimize its impact.

Security concerns regarding the evaluation team, the Evaluation Management Unit and other actors participating in the evaluation process (i.e. beneficiaries) will be carefully assessed in order to ensure the safety of all parties involved. The field work agenda can be modified in order to comply with safety and security regulations and MPDL´s Security Plan according to the situation.

 

 

4.Methodology of the Evaluation

4.1 Criteria, key questions and indicators of the evaluation

The evaluation should focus on the three dimension of the project:

- Design,

- Implementation

- Results

 

 

For each assessment criteria, both in terms of processes and results, the evaluation team will be requested to define indicators.

 

 

 

 

4.2. Methodology and tools for the evaluation

a) Evaluation Phases

 

Evaluation phases will include:

 

  1. Planning: This phase will involve developing the evaluation plan according to the ToR and initial discussions with the Evaluation Management Unit to establish the evaluation´s overall approach and refine the methodology.

 

  1. Desk study: This phase will consist of a desk study involving a comprehensive analysis of the project's relevant documents (design, base line studies, monitoring reports, publications, training programs, sources of verification, etc.).

 

OUTPUT: An Inception Report setting out the conceptual framework to be used in the evaluation. The Inception Report will include the following sections:

  • Introduction
  • Evaluation approach
  • Evaluation methodology, including information on data collection techniques and data sources, sampling

and key indicators

  • Evaluation criteria and key evaluation questions
  • Limitations and challenges
  • Work Plan including composition of the evaluation team, schedules including planned itineraries and

visits, planned list of interviews, FGD and meetings to be conducted, etc.

  • Evaluation deliverables
  • Proposed timeline

 

  1. Field work: This phase includes the field work and compilation of data in Lebanon (field visits to project sites; interviews with project staff, beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders), and the analysis of the data collected.

 

  1. Draft of Final Evaluation Report: The evaluation team will produce a Draft Evaluation Report with the preliminary results and conclusions of the evaluation, including results, conclusions, lessons learned and recommendations, as well as an executive summary. This draft version of the report will be submitted to the Evaluation Management Unit for their review and comments. Subsequently, the evaluation team will reflect on the feedback provided and will draft the Final Evaluation Report, which will again be reviewed by the Evaluation Management Unit for validation.

 

OUTPUT: Draft Evaluation Report

 

  1. Debriefing and dissemination: This phase will include (1) a debriefing meeting with MPDL and LUPD to discuss the main finding of the evaluation and (2) a dissemination workshop with the beneficiaries.

 

OUTPUT: Final Evaluation Report, 1 debriefing meeting and 1 dissemination workshop.

 

 

b) Methodology and tools for the evaluation

 

The consultancy should be carried on the basis of a desk study and a field visit. The desk study should cover the following documents:

  • Project contractual documents and further amendments;
  • Documents produced throughout the project;
  • Evidence of impact collected by the project, including mid-term reports;
  • Other relevant documentation.

 

Furthermore, the evaluation should be built on interviews with:

  • Beneficiaries as well as partner staff (LUPD) and participants;
  • MPDL Head of Mission in Lebanon, MPDL Desk Manager for Lebanon;
  • Other relevant stakeholders (to be defined).

 

The methodology and tools used by the evaluation team for data gathering may include the following:

 

  • Primary sources: Participant observations, focus group discussions, structured and semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews with key actors, participatory evaluation workshops, surveys, etc.
  • Secondary sources: Review of key reports, visits to the project premises, review of project drafts, review of monthly and final reports, etc.

 

The methodology must ensure the privacy and confidentiality of informants in all the data collection process. Likewise, the socio-cultural and institutional contexts must be respected while being able to demonstrate the accuracy of the information.

 

Taking into account the specificities of the context in which the evaluation will take place, it is important that the evaluation team makes a forecast of the risks involved in the implementation of the evaluation in order to guarantee the safety of all actors involved in the process.

 

 

c) Stakeholders participation

 

The evaluation should adopt an evaluation methodology coherent with the participatory approach of the project. The evaluation team is expected to conduct a participatory evaluation providing for meaningful involvement by the project partner, its beneficiaries and other interested parties. Stakeholder participation is to be an integral component of the evaluation design and planning, data gathering, drafting of findings, evaluation reporting and results dissemination.

The evaluation should therefore focus not only on quantifiable results but also analyze processes and dynamics generated by the project, their scope (in terms of people and other actors involved) and their sustainability. This implies moving away from a mere technical approach in order to understand the context in which initiatives with refugees and PwDs happen in Lebanon, and to assess the support brought to them by this project.

 

Therefore, the evaluation team is expected to engage with stakeholders not only to collect information and insights, but also to make a (collective) sense of them in order to understand the following:

  • Their engagement in the process, how it has been promoted and how it fits with their own work/aims.
  • The difficulties they have endured to engage in the project (internal and external).
  • Their perspectives on the main issues.

The capacity, awareness, relationships and resources developed during their engagement with the project and what they have been able to do with that.

4.4. Organisation of the evaluation

a) Main stakeholders involved

- Evaluation Management Unit: composed of MPDL Desk Manager for Lebanon, MPDL Head of Mission in Lebanon and LUPD Project Coordinator.

 

The Evaluation Management Unit will be responsible for selecting the evaluation team (based on the review and evaluation of the proposals received). In addition, the Evaluation Management Unit will verify that the evaluation is being carried out according to the ToR and the Methodological Proposal presented by the evaluation team and validated.

 

The Evaluation Management Team will be the main interlocutor with the evaluation team for the monitoring of the evaluation process and will propose changes if deemed necessary.

The Evaluation Management Unit will also be responsible for facilitating contacts, access to the project beneficiaries and other stakeholders involved, and supporting the evaluation team in the organization of the field visits.

- Subjects of the evaluation:

 

  • Rights holders: People with disabilities (Displaced Syrians and Lebanese Populations), Carers of People with disabilities, Family with People with Disabilities, and Minors, Women and Girls.
  • Responsibilities holders: Members of the local communities.
  • Obligations holders: Local and national public institutions that have participated in some activities and/or have had a relationship with the project.
  • LUPD staff implementing the project, as well as external technical services and MPDL.

- Evaluation Team: the Evaluator/s are expected to lead the evaluation process according the contents of these ToR and the validated Inception Report, and to submit a Final Evaluation report that fulfils the requirements established in these ToR and the service contract signed with MPDL.

 

 

b) Evaluation use and potential users

The current evaluation will be used:

- As an aid in decision-making (feedback): to design the next intervention cycle and to redefine strategic orientations.

- As an aid in making judgements about the merits and shortcomings of the project in order to ensure accountability.

- To promote knowledge and understanding: to learn from the intervention, to better understand what works and what does not, and to accumulate knowledge that will inform future project proposals providing useful insights and recommendations for better design, planning and management of other actions.

The Final Evaluation report is intended not only for the implementing entities, MPDL and LUPD, but also for the rights holders and the responsibilities and obligations holders who have been involved in the project, since they are also an integral part of the potential public of the Final Evaluation Report.

Potential users of the evaluation are:

  • MPDL and LUPD as implementing entities.
  • Project direct beneficiaries
  • The funding institution (ACCD).
  • National, regional and local policy-makers may use the evaluation to prepare the launching of new interventions, the reform of existing interventions, the choice of strategic orientations, and decisions on allocation of budgetary, human and other resources, etc.
  • Other civil society actors, especially those representing the interests of the beneficiary groups.

c) Evaluation Team required profile

The Evaluation Team is expected to:

  • Be composed of a team leader (who will take on coordination functions and will be the focal point of the evaluation vis-a-vis the Evaluation Management Unit and the donor) with documented extensive experience on similar evaluations of civil society projects in the fields of disabilities, refugee populations, human rights (including women´s rights) and SGBV in the MENA region.
  • Have extensive experience in conducting external evaluations in the context of cooperation for development and a proven record delivering professional results (at least 3 years).
  • Have a sound knowledge of social research methodologies and data collection tools
  • Have proven experience in gender focused evaluations.

 

  • Be able to communicate effectively in spoken Arabic (minimum: B2 level).
  • Have excellent writing skills in English.
  • Have previous proven working experience in Lebanon and updated knowledge of the context.
  • Have process management skills, such as facilitation skills.
  • Guarantee that they have not been involved on the design or implementation of the project to be evaluated.

 

Deliverables

All deliverables are to be submitted to MPDL Head of Mission in Lebanon in English, electronically.

Deliverables include:

 

Deliverables

Description

Deadline for submission

Inception report

It will include the following contents:

  • - Introduction: Short description of the background, purpose and scope of the evaluation according to the ToR.
  • - Evaluation approach: Description of the evaluation approach, highlighting the evaluation focus and key considerations.
  • - Evaluation methodology: Description of evaluation methodology; evaluation matrix with key indicators; description of data collection methods and key data sources.
  • - Evaluation criteria and key evaluation questions.
  • - Limitations and challenges: Discussion of difficulties and challenges of the evaluation.
  • - Work Plan: Composition of the evaluation team, schedules including planned itineraries and visits, planned list of interviews, FGD and meetings to be conducted, etc.
  • - Evaluation deliverables.
  • - Proposed timeline.

It will be sent to the Evaluation Management Unit for validation after the desk review. 

Mid of week 3.

 

 

Draft Evaluation Report

It will include the preliminary results and conclusions and will be submitted to and reviewed by the Evaluation Management Unit. The Evaluation Management Unit will provide feedback to the evaluation team accordingly.

The Draft Evaluation report should include the following contents:

1. Introduction.
1.1 Background and objective of the evaluation.
1.2 Methodology and techniques used in the evaluation. (including gender analysis tools).
1.3 Challenges and limitations.
1.4 Evaluation team presentation.
2. Project description. 
3. Analysis of findings according to the evaluation criteria.
4. Conclusions.

5. Lessons learned.

6. Recommendations.
7. Communication and dissemination plan of the evaluation
results.

 

End of week 6.

Final Evaluation Report

The Final Evaluation Report should include the following sections and contents:

 

0. Executive Summary

1. Introduction.
1.1 Background and objective of the evaluation.
1.2 Methodology and techniques used in the evaluation (including gender analysis tools).
1.3 Challenges and limitations.
1.4 Evaluation team presentation.
2. Project description. 
3. Analysis of findings according to the evaluation criteria.
4. Conclusions.

5. Lessons learned.

6. Recommendations.
7. Communication and dissemination plan of the evaluation results.

8. Annexes:

    - ToR Evaluation

    - Evaluation proposal

    - Inception report

    - Logical framework of the project

    - Map of the project area

    - List of key informants

    - Photographs

    - Bibliography

    - Other technical annexes

A first version of the report will be submitted to the Evaluation Management Unit for their review and comments. Subsequently, the evaluation team will reflect on the feedback provided and will elaborate the final version of the report, which will again be reviewed by the Evaluation Management Unit. The Evaluation Management Unit will finally validate the final report.

End of week 8.

The Evaluation team will be required to include in the cover of each deliverable the following sentence: "The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the ACCD”.

 

Dissemination of results

One debriefing meeting will take place with the participation of MPDL, LUPD and the Evaluation team to discuss the main findings and recommendations of the report.

The dissemination meeting with beneficiaries will focus on lessons learned and recommendations in order to improve future projects and inform relevant policies.

 

 

Evaluation indicative timeline

 

The evaluation will last a maximum of 8 weeks and it is expected to be carried out between April and May 2020. The starting date of the evaluation will be discussed and agreed with the evaluation team selected. It is to be noted, however, that the evaluation must be completed by May 29th of 2020.

 

The evaluation team will clearly specify a tentative timeline for the evaluation according to the timeframe set out in section 5 of the current ToR for the submission of the expected deliverables. This timeline may vary during the implementation of the evaluation upon agreement between the Evaluation Management Unit and the evaluation team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

منتهية الصلاحية

ملاحظة:

دليل مدني، شبكة المجتمع المدني، يوفر للمنظمات منصة لنشر الوظائف, وليس مسؤول عن عملية التوظيف. كل منظمة مسجلة على دليل مدني هي مسؤولة بشكل فردي عن منشوراتها وعن عملية التوظيف.

آخر تاريخ التحديث: 
24 أبريل, 2020
قطاع(ات) التدخل:
احتياجات خاصة, السكان النازحون, حقوق الإنسان والحماية, اللاجئين, حالة وقضايا النساء
آخر مهلة للتقديم:
الأربعاء, 1 أبريل 2020
نوع العقد:
‫استثاري‬
مدة الوظيفة:
8 weeks
الراتب
N/A
نطاق الراتب:
> 3000 (USD)
درجة التعليم:
بكالوريوس
تفاصيل درجة التعليم:
متطلبات الخبرة:
بين سنتين و3 سنوات
اللغة العربية:
بطلاقة
اللغة الانكليزية:
بطلاقة
اللغة الفرنسية:
غير مطلوب
البلد/المدينة: 
  • Lebanon
  • البقاع
  • Lebanon
  • بعلبك الهرمل
  • بعلبك