ETHIOPIAN CENTER FOR DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT (ECDD)
“PROMOTING INCLUSION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN VILLAGE SAVING AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS IN ETHIOPIA”
TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) FOR MID-TERM PROJECT EVALUATION
1. INTRODUCTION
The Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) Association is a local development organization that is registered as an Ethiopia Residents Charity by the Federal Charities and Societies Agency, Registration No. 0321. ECDD works collaboratively with other organizations to promote and facilitate “disability-inclusive development” – the inclusion of disability issues and people with disabilities in mainstream government and non-governmental service delivery and development projects and programs in Ethiopia.
Currently, ECDD is looking for a consultant(s) to undertake a mid-term evaluation for a project entitled, “Promoting Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs)”, which is funded by the Christian Blind Mission (CBM) Germany. ECDD has been implementing the project since February 2017. The project aimed to improve the economic and social situation of persons with disabilities and their families in rural communities in Ethiopia, through membership in mainstream VSLAs and in disability-specific VSLAs. The project has been implemented in 4 regions (Amhara, Oromiya, Tigray, and SNNPR) and Diredawa city administration.
The specific objective of the project is to create access to financial services and improve the socio-economic status of persons with disabilities and their families’ in rural communities of Ethiopia. In order to achieve the overall and specific objectives of the project, four results are expected to be achieved in partnership with stakeholders: Increased number of VSLA supporting partners that have policies and practices in place ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream VSLAs; Increased number of persons with disabilities as members in mainstream VSLAs; Increased number of persons with disabilities as members in disability-specific VSLAs; Increased income of persons with disabilities who join VSLAs and start income generating activities.
2. PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION
The mid-term project evaluation is to be undertaken with the objective of measuring the progress in the implementation of all planned project activities and expected results, including identifying constraints that hinder project implementation in its full capacity.
2.1 General tasks of the evaluation:
a. Assess the progress made towards the overall and specific objectives of the project based on the project log frame and achievements for each specific result and indicator;
b. Evaluate the local partner's involvement (Cooperating Partner Organizations (CPOs), Regional/Zonal/ Woreda level Bureau/Offices, Labor and Social Affairs Bureau/Offices, DPOs, CBR organizations;
c. Evaluate the effectiveness of project implementation methodologies utilized in achieving project objectives and ensuring the sustainability of the project;
d. Evaluate the project progress towards efficiency, timeliness, relevance and sustainability and
e. Identify and document key lessons learned and provide recommendations (How far are target groups affected by podoconiosis? What is their knowledge of the problem and its prevention? Any suggestions for the partner organization and CBM to take it into consideration?
2.2 Evaluation questions:
b. Are persons with disabilities included as members of mainstream VSLAs?
c. How many INGOs are now including persons with disabilities in their VSLA groups and how many have been included and are they treated as equal members of the groups?
d. To what extent are persons with disabilities included as members of disability-specific-VSLAs?
e. Has village level financial accessibility to persons with disabilities increased e.g. access to mainstream financial services?
f. What progress has been made on the livelihood status of persons with disabilities who are members of mainstream and disability-specific-VSLAs?
g. Are the training programs provided to mainstream INGOs useful to increase disability inclusion?
h. Have the activities been implemented according to the planned project timeline?
i. Has the project so far succeeded in achieving its objectives, targets, and goals?
j. Did the intervention produce the intended impact?
3. SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The evaluation will be conducted in the four project implementation target Regions, in one town per Region namely: Mekele, Wolaita Sodo, Agaro/Kersa and Bahir Dar; and Diredawa city administration.
3.1 Specific tasks of the consultant(s) will include but are not limited to:
a. Review of project detailed implementation plans, reports (narrative and financial reports) and relevant existing national/regional policies, strategies and institutional arrangements in the project implementation; assess project progress.
b. Assess progress of project results and their impact and sustainability through field observation, beneficiary and key informant interview, beneficiaries’ focus group discussions, etc.
c. Assess project progress towards cost effectiveness, relevance and efficiency in comparison to a timeliness of activities accomplished and budget utilization
d. Assess the involvement of INGOs, CPOs, DPOs, CBR programs, government partners, community-based organizations and other stakeholders that took part in the project implementation.
e. Document progress on key lessons learned, constraints from the project implementation and provides specific recommendations on how the project implementation quality can be improved.
4. METHODOLOGY
The consultant(s) is expected to utilize qualitative and quantitative standard evaluation tools and methodologies contextualized to the project beneficiaries, persons with disabilities and partners, that practice disability inclusion in the project implementation areas.
The evaluation should be carried out in a participatory, accessible and disability friendly manner involving the project beneficiaries and other stakeholders, including INGOs, Regional/Zonal/Woreda level Bureaus/offices, Labour and Social Affairs Bureau/offices, Cooperating Partner Organizations (CPOs), Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (DPOs) and Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Programs.
The consultant(s) will provide a briefing to ECDD management on how they plan to undertake the assignment and field work and provide a debriefing at the end of the assignment upon submission of the Report.
5. DELIVERABLES
The specific deliverables include the following:
a. Inception Report indicating how the tasks will be carried out, the methodologies and evaluation tools to be used, and a timeline for completion of planned activities
b. A comprehensive final Evaluation Report in English, containing:
Ø An executive summary
Ø Description of work undertaken
Ø List of persons and institutions contacted
Ø Findings, with both a quantitative and qualitative analysis
Ø Key Issues identified and related lessons learned
Ø Conclusions and recommendations
6. TIMEFRAME
The evaluation should be conducted from 10 November 2018 – 10 December 2018 (30 days in total) including planning and design, travel, data collection, desk review analysis, and write-up. The consultant(s) is required to submit a technical proposal giving the timeline for the assignment along with the person days input required for each stage of the tasks. The first draft report shall be submitted on 03 December 2018, and the final report expected to be delivered on 10 December 2018.
a. The first installment of 25% of the total agreed fee upon the signing of the agreement.
b. The second payment of 25% of the total agreed to fee upon submission of the first draft of the report and,
c. The final installment of 50% of the total agreed to fee upon submission and acceptance of the final Evaluation Report to ECDD in hard (3) and soft copies.
1. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Interested firms or individuals are required to submit:
a. Evidence of previous work related to evaluating inclusive VSLAs, livelihood projects and/or disability inclusion focused projects
b. A Taxpayer Registration Number (TIN) for individuals, or a currently renewed Business License and Registration of Value Added Tax (VAT) Certificate for firms
c.A Technical Proposal (maximum 2 pages)
d. A Financial Budget (1 page)
The consultant (s) is expected to engage at least five persons in the data collection process so as to finalize the assignment in the expected time frame.