Consultant for Lessons learned review of Strengthening Climate Resilient Health System (SCRHS) Project

IFRC CRC opened a position of a Consultant for Lessons learned review of Strengthening Climate Resilient Health System Project.

Interested candidates should submit their application along with the documents mentioned in ToR by Tuesday, 01 July 2025, to the following e-mail: aliza.baidya@ifrc.org

Terms of Reference for

Lessons learned review of Strengthening Climate Resilient Health System (SCRHS) Project

1. Background and Purpose

The Canadian Red Cross and the Nepal Red Cross Society have a long-standing partnership aimed at strengthening the Nepal Red Cross Society’s capacity to deliver health programs and services, particularly following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) is providing support to the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) to implement the “Strengthening Climate Resilient Health System” project at Susta rural municipality in Nawalparasi West district since February 2024. The project aims to build health system resilience so that quality health care services to women, girls, boys and people with disabilities continue to be provided during and after climate-related disasters in the Nawalparasi West District of Nepal.

The overall purpose of this review is to assess the achievements and overall experience, and identify lessons learned to inform the development of similar future projects, particularly as the project was the first initiative of its kind for CRC and NRCS.  Moreover, the review is intended to further understand the strengths and challenges encountered during the planning and implementation phase. The key objectives are: 

• Contribute to organizational learnings (successes and areas of future improvements), using the results of the review to better develop and implement our programs and services in the future.
• To document best practices that could potentially be replicated in future programming, specifically on the component concerning Health system strengthening and anticipatory actions. As well as the dissemination and replication of these learnings to other regions of the country or to new countries. 
• To explore NRCS partnership with different stakeholders including the Ministry of Health and population, Nepal Health Research Councils, academic institutions and provide strategic recommendations to foster long-term collaboration on matters concerning climate change and health.
• To assess the extent of the project’s achievements in terms of their contribution to strengthen government health facilities and to improve the health and wellbeing of beneficiaries (men and women in different age groups, as well as people with disabilities) in the target area. 
• To empower stakeholders: evaluations may create opportunities for local government, local health facilities, NRCS branches, beneficiaries, to provide valuable and actionable feedback, and contribute to future project improvement. 
• To generate evidence and insights that support NRCS and CRC in resource mobilization and inform the strategic relevance of similar projects in Nepal and other contexts

2. Background of the Project

With technical and financial support of the Canadian Red Cross, Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) has been implementing the “Climate Resilient Health System Strengthening” project since February 2024 in Susta rural municipality, Nawalparasi West district – an area significantly affected by the adverse effect of climate change for instance, extreme weather events, increased spread of diseases. The Project is scheduled to end in August 2025. NRCS has built a collaborative partnership with several technical institutions in the country, including the Nepal Red Research Council, the Ministry of Health and Population (and its entities at local level), the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, as well as local government bodies such as municipalities, ward offices, and health offices, to support the effective implementation of the project.

The project purpose was to increase the resilience of the health system and improve its readiness to provide quality healthcare services during and after disasters by strengthening the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers, managing climate-friendly health facilities, and developing climate-resilient health facility emergency management plans etc aligned with the WHO Operational Framework for Building Climate Resilient Health Systems. The project intends to enhance the capacity of hhealth facilities to maintain service delivery in crisis situations and to reduce the incidence of diseases through knowledge dissemination, early detection, as well as preventive and curative services.

The project has implemented the following major activities. 

3. Scope and focus of the Review

The review will adopt a retrospective look at specific intervention areas to assess the results achieved, the partnerships established, and review capacity-related factors and implementation approaches. 

The key identified stakeholders are:

1. Ministry of Health and Population
2. Epidemiology and Disease control Division (Surveillance, and disease outbreak section)
3. Nepal Health Research Council 
4. Nepal Red Cross Society
5.  Canadian Red Cross representatives 
6. Provincial Emergency Health Operational Center
7.  Local Government (Mayor, Ward offices, health facilities/units, CC and Health TWG)
8. Service users

The review will focus on the program design and implementation phases by reviewing/evaluating specific project documents, and activities.

4. Methodology of the Review

The consultant will be responsible for the overall lessons learned review, including design, preparation of evaluation tools, data collection, coordination with relevant parties, and finalising the report (and its consequent revision, if necessary).

The methodology as well as all relevant tools will be developed by the consultant and presented in the inception report. The consultant will use mixed methods as feasible, with a focus on qualitative data collection and analysis. Foreseen methods include:  

• Desk study and review of all relevant project documentation including project documents, quarterly and annual work-plans, etc.
• In-depth interviews to gather primary data from key stakeholders using a structured methodology  
• Interviews with relevant key informants (contacts to be provided) 
• Observations of health facilities (field visits using checklist)

The review will be supported by the NRCS Project Coordinator, the NRCS District Project Officer, the CRC country delegate in Nepal, as well as CRC PMER Advisor and CRC Health Advisor in Ottawa.

5. Duration of the Review 

The assignment is expected to start on 8th July 2025, with an estimated level of effort of 15 working days within a timeframe of 30 days.  A final report is expected to be submitted by 7th August 2025.

Key Evaluation Milestones

6. Deliverables

All deliverables must be submitted to the CRC country delegate in Nepal.

Inception Report – The inception report will include a detailed workplan, the proposed methodology, data collection and reporting plans with draft data collection tools such as interview guides, a timeframe with firm dates for deliverables, and the travel and logistical arrangements for the team (if applicable) –

Draft report – A draft report must be prepared, synthesizing key findings, conclusions, recommendations, and lessons learned for current and future similar programs.

Final report – The final report will contain a short executive summary (no more than 3 pages) and a main body of the report (no more than 20 pages) covering the background of the intervention evaluated, a description of the evaluation methods and limitations, findings (to be presented by evaluation criteria), conclusions, lessons learned, and clear recommendations (a table aligning findings, conclusions and recommendations must be included).  The report should also contain relevant appendices, including a copy of the ToR, cited resources or bibliography, a list of interviewees and any other relevant materials (e.g., data collection tools). All supporting data, including raw notes and audio recordings, must be submitted alongside the final report.

7. Quality & Ethical Standards

The consultant should take all reasonable steps to ensure that the assignment is designed and conducted to respect and protect the rights and welfare of the people and communities involved, as well as to ensure that the review is technically accurate and reliable, is conducted in a transparent and impartial manner, and contributes to organizational learning and accountability. The consultant will sign and adhere to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) and the NRCSRCS Code of Conduct.

The consultant is also expected to adhere to the seven Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent: 1) humanity, 2) impartiality, 3) neutrality, 4) independence, 5) voluntary service, 6) unity, and 7) universality. Additional information on these Principles is available at: www.ifrc.org/what/values/principles/index.asp

Additionally, the consultant is required to adhere to national legal requirements and international guidelines on data protection standards throughout the data collection and analysis process.

Key Data Protection Requirements:

1. Informed Consent: Obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting personal data, informing them of the purpose and scope of data collection.
2. Data Minimization: Collect only the data necessary for the assignment, avoiding the inclusion of sensitive information unless absolutely required.
3. Data Security: Implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
4. Confidentiality: Maintain the confidentiality of data.
5. Data Sharing and Transfer: Ensure that any data transfers comply with applicable laws and regulations.
6. Accountability: Maintain records of data processing activities and be prepared to demonstrate compliance with data protection standards.

8. Qualifications

At minimum the consultant must possess the following:

1. Minimum of 10 years of experience in implementing project evaluation, data collection and management, or research
2. Fluent in English and Nepali
3. Experience collecting qualitative and quantitative data through primary and secondary sources and producing quality evaluation reports, preferably for international non-governmental organizations 
4. Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, demography, Monitoring or Evaluation and possess demonstrated experience in data collection related to health sector (climate change, health system strengthening) in developing countries
5. A professional licence or credentials for consultancy in Evaluation would be a strong asset

9. Application Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

Application materials should include:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
2. Proposal (max 5 pages) outlining the proposed methodology and general workplan
3. Cover letter clearly summarizing relevant experience related to this assignment
4. Financial offer (in a separate file)
5. At least one example of a previous assignment comparable to the scope described in this TOR.

CRC/NRCS will evaluate the offers based on:

1. Qualifications of the consultants
2. Relevant work successfully performed
3. The specific solution proposed by the consultant
4. The financial offer

10. Financial conditions

The consultant is required to propose their daily rate for this assignment. Accommodation costs during the stay in the district will be covered by the CRC/NRCS. Travel expenses and daily allowances for travel days will be provided in accordance with IFRC policy. Applicable TDS and VAT will be deducted in accordance with the Government of Nepal's regulations.

Annexes

Relevant identified project documents (to be provided after selection):

• Project proposal, logic model and Performance Measurement Framework
• Project quarterly and annual narrative and financial reports
• Project success stories
• Sustainability framework

Application materials are non-returnable, and we thank you in advance for understanding that only short-listed applicants will be contacted for further evaluation process. IFRC/CRC reserves all the rights to reject any or all application without assigning any reasons.”