Consultancy service for Safe to learn-BLOSSOM Project End Evaluation

Project/Consultancy Title: Blossom Project End Evaluation 

Project Location(s): Kailali and Kanchanpur 

1.   Background:

Mercy Corps specializes in development in transitional areas. Mercy Corps has been operating in Nepal since 2005, implementing programs in food security, agriculture, market development, financial services, youth engagement, climate change adaptation, education and disaster risk reduction. We take a systems-based approach in our programming, with the aim of improving the lives and potential of vulnerable individuals and communities across Nepal.

Mercy Corps is implementing Blossom project funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO UK) through the End Violence Against Children Fund, and in partnership with Backward Society Education (BASE), BBC Media Action and SDG Studio. The Blossom project is based on the evidence generated from the Mercy Corps’ Supporting the Education of Marginalised Girls in Kailali (STEM) project, which is funded by FCDO under the Girls’ Education Challenge. The project is dedicated to strengthening child safeguarding practices and fostering a safe and supportive educational environment for children to promote more effective learning outcomes in 70 public schools in 12 local levels of Kailali and Kanchanpur districts in Sudurpaschim province. The project is going to close in March 2021.

2.   Purpose / Project Description:

Project goal: A safe and supportive educational environment is fostered to promote improved learning outcomes for children

Objectives: 

• Strengthen and/or develop school system to create a safer learning environment
• Improve teachers' capacity on safeguarding and protection
• Enhance students' empowerment
• Increase community engagement in safeguarding

The project has implemented series of activities child safeguarding training, classroom management training, SIP Review workshop with teachers and school management trainings, establishing complaint management system, running students’ life clubs where they learn about life skills and adolescent sexual and reproductive health, community, mass and media campaigns for raising awareness, providing technical support and working together with local government. 

Target Population

In order to assess the projects’ outcomes, Mercy Corps is seeking consultants/firms to conduct project evaluation starting from developing and/or adapting tools to data collection, cleaning, analyzing and reporting. 

3.   Objectives of the Project End Evaluation

The objective of this assignment is to conduct a study to assess the outcome scenario against set project logic and report progress against project indicators:

Key Indicators:

• Percentage of parents who recall seeing or hearing at least one (a) street performance, (b) radio advert, or (c) poster or pamphlet
• Percentage of students from clubs who report to have increased their self-efficacy levels
• Percentage of teachers using assessment tool for teacher professional development (Self-Assessment Tool)

Along with reporting key indicators, the evaluation will answer following key questions;

1. To what extent have the overall objectives been achieved? 
2. How are the activities received and valued by participants and key stakeholders?
3. Are the activities relevant, effective, efficient and sustainable?
4. How effective are the virtual learning activities in the context of covid-19 for teachers and students?
5. How effectively the home base learning supported the students?
6. Were there any unintended outcomes?
7. What are challenges, opportunities and learnings in the context of Covid19?
8. What are the recommendations from the participants and stakeholders?

4.    Deliverables of Assignment:

The consultants/firms will be responsible for:

• Project End Evaluation Inception report: Design and finalize evaluation inception report that shows a detailed evaluation plan in close consultation with the program and M&E Team.
• Sample Design and Selection: The consultants are expected to advise and provide inputs on the most appropriate sampling design and sample size for both quantitative and qualitative methods. Project will provide population data and the sample selection should be done independently by the consultant
• Tool Design: Develop and/or adapt appropriate tools for data collection. 
• Draft Report: The consultants will submit the concise draft report along with the raw data to MC. MC will provide input/comments on the report if needed.
• Final Report: The consultants will submit the final report and data set within the agreed time period incorporating the feedback from MC.
  • The final report must include executive summary(4 pagers with visualization/infographic), final detail report with layout and design with recommendations. 
  • Proof of data confidentiality/security   
  • Financial report 

5.   Safeguarding

• The consultant will be responsible for obtaining consent before taking photo, interviews and recordings for all participants selected for the research sample
• Timing, location and exact space of the interview should be suggested by the interviewee
• Ensure that the report does not have the real name of the beneficiaries and a pseudo name is used throughout the report
• Mercy Corps safeguarding and do no harm standards are maintained
• https://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/2019-11/Child_Safeguarding_Policy.pdf 
• The phone number of MCN safeguarding focal person is shared during the scheduling of the interview
• Report any safeguarding or protection case to MCN safeguarding focal person immediately 

6.   Property Rights

All documents related to the assignment shall remain the sole and exclusive property of Mercy Corps Nepal. Data is protected and not shared with third parties without any approval from Mercy Corps. Handover the complete data to Mercy Corps upon completion of the assignment and destroy the data from consultants’ server or hard copies 

7.   Timeframe / Schedule:

The Evaluation is to be undertaken within 40 working days after the contract is awarded. Expected start date of the assignment is 1st February 2021.

8.   The Consultant report to:

The Consultant will work closely with Program Manager, Team leader and other team members, partner staff and MCN Team. The consultant will report to Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator, Blossom.

9.   Required Experience & Skills:

• An individual/firms with at least 5-7 years of experience in the research and/or evaluation field
• Experience leading mixed-methods evaluations (i.e. both quantitative and qualitative techniques), preferably including experience on child protection and education sector is preferred 
• Strong facilitation skills, particularly with regards to working with vulnerable groups
• Must have child safeguarding policy and mechanism in place to ensure the safety of children during data collection, analysis and dissemination process
• Demonstrated understanding and support of principles of equity and inclusion
• Fluent spoken in Nepali language (Western Tharu language would be a plus) and excellent Report writing skills in English language 
• Comfortable conducting mobile data collection
• Experience in data collection in the context of covid-19
• Knowledge and skills on child centric assessment tools and evaluation is preferred   

Mercy Corps Nepal invites interested VAT registered individuals or firms to submit as following documents at  np-procurement@mercycorps.org with the Title “Consultancy service for Safe to learn-BLOSSOM Project End Evaluation" by 24 January 2021 the following documents

• Technical proposal outlining how the consultant(s) will meet the above criteria and their understanding of SoW and outline their evaluation plan.
• A complete profile of the organization/individual, specifically highlighting previous experience in conducting evaluation on child protection and/or safeguarding and/or education projects.
• Proposed activities schedule/work plan with time frame along with financial proposal including consultant(s) itemized fees / per day rate, and maximum time required to complete the assignment
• CV of consultant(s) who will be involved in the evaluation in various capacities
• One recent sample of similar study/evaluation report conducted by the consultant with tools used, including the contact information of client
• Copies of Company registration certificate (not applicable for VAT registered Individual consultants), VAT registration and latest tax clearance certificates
• Filled MC RFQ Form and Signed SoW available in MC website (nepal.mercycorps.org)
• All the cost related to field travel should be included within the quoted amount in financial proposal
• Attach Child Safeguarding policy and organization capacity to ensure the safety of children and other vulnerable groups while executing the assignment