SAKSHAM Endline Evaluation TOR

End of Project Evaluation of Strengthening Local Governance for Disaster-Resilient Communities (SAKSHAM) Program in Nepal  

TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR)

1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Introduction

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is a U.S.-based 501(c)3 organization founded in 1945  with a mission to end poverty, injustice, and human suffering. LWR focuses its work on humanitarian assistance and long-term development, laying a foundation for resilience, sustainable adaptation to climate change, and the strengthening of value chains. Lutheran World Relief combined with IMA World Health in 2020 to create Corus International. 

Corus International leads an ensemble of social impact organizations working together in the world’s most fragile settings to deliver holistic and lasting solutions needed to overcome the interconnected challenges of poverty, health care access and climate change. Corus combines over 150 years of experience of our non-profit and for-profit subsidiary organizations – LWR, IMA, CGA Technologies, Ground Up Investing, and LWR Farmers Market. Together, the organizations take a systematic approach to grow rural economies, eliminate extreme poverty, ensure access to quality healthcare, and respond to urgent humanitarian needs in fragile settings.

LWR in partnership with local implementing partners was awarded a grant from The United States Agency for International Development Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) to implement a 24-month Strengthening Local Governance for Disaster Resilient Communities (SAKSHAM) program that aims to strengthen local communities’ resiliency against natural disasters in Saptari and Siraha districts along the Koshi and Kamala rivers.

The consulting services, for which this Terms of Reference (ToR) is provided, is to manage the implementation of the data collection needed to the final evaluation for SAKSHAM. This ToR outlines a brief description of the project, the objectives and scope of work, and required qualifications of the consultant. The contract duration is for two months from contract signing.

About Strengthening Local Governance for Disaster Resilient Communities (SAKSHAM)

Nepal is one of the 20 most disaster-prone countries in the world and floods are one of the most recurrent disasters in the country. The August 2017 flood in Nepal affected more than 1.7 million people, causing more than $580 million in damages according to the National Planning Commission. With future projections of increased monsoonal precipitation and population growth, and continued unplanned land use and settlements, these losses are likely to increase unless immediate efforts are taken to mitigate the impact of floods on lives and livelihoods in Nepal. Climatic shocks are becoming increasing frequent and intense, with both flooding and droughts occurring even in the same agricultural season. Communities in Madhesh Pradesh  face these threats unprepared, with few DRR plans in place and generally low capacity at the local level to prepare for and mitigate against such disasters.

SAKSHAM aims to strengthen local communities’ resiliency against natural disasters in Saptari and Siraha districts along the Koshi and Kamala rivers. This increases the resiliency of 12,545 individuals directly and supports 297,836 residents of communities indirectly in these two flood prone districts. Nepal - and communities in these river basins in particular - face increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, especially climate-related flooding and droughts. The program will focus on local communities, translating best practices in the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) field and Nepal’s national level DRR strategies into tangible action at the grassroots level. The SAKSHAM program essentially focuses on translating theory into practice, and vision into action at the local community level where resources are few, capacities are low, and DRR knowledge and priority among the population is limited but where the impacts of natural disasters are felt most strongly. It supports local governments in adopting and applying national strategic priorities and DRR best practices into concrete actions in local communities, while ensuring DRR coverage for women and marginalized community members.

The SAKSHAM program included three BHA priority sectors. The primary focus is on Risk Management Policy and Practice will support municipal wards and communities in DRR plans, policies and activities designed to strengthen preparedness, risk mitigation, response and recovery. To supplement the program’s ability to address the major needs of the most vulnerable and poorest groups in the project area, it will also include activities under Agriculture and Food Security. To strengthen livelihoods and financial resiliency through cooperatives, MFIs, insurance programs and marketing, the program includes activities under Economic Recovery and Market Systems. This has been considered to complement Risk Management Policy and Practice, and further strengthen the target communities’ resilience to disaster. DRR, agriculture and food security, and market systems are directly related. Floods and other hazards directly impact food supplies, agriculture, livestock, assets, and production capacity2. Additionally, the proposed Agriculture and Food Security activities are necessary to promote climate smart agricultural practices for resilient livelihoods. The SAKSHAM program will also build local government capacity and foster inclusion of women and marginalized groups in the planning to ensure that the resulting DRR plans are inclusive for all persons in the community. Vulnerable farmers would be linked to private sectors (agro-enterprises), insurance programs and MFIs. This would ensure the sustainability of project interventions and strengthen communities’ financial resilience in coordination with RMPP, agriculture and food security activities.

Project location

SAKSHAM Project is being implemented in the following municipalities.

CONSULTANT’S QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES

This Consultancy is open to individual or firm. The submitted proposals will be assessed with the following 3 major criteria: 

• Demonstrated capacity to conduct survey, project evaluation, research/studies/assessments of similar magnitude and development themes (especially in the field of DRR).
• Technical proposal outlining an understanding of the assignment and proposed methodology.
• Cost effectiveness of the proposed budget.

LWR is looking for consultants with the following qualifications and experience:

• At least five years of professional experience in conducting surveys, project evaluation with solid experience in conducting and managing survey and evaluation.
• At least a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, rural development, statistics, or other relevant discipline. Master’s level degree or higher is an advantage.
• Demonstrated capacity to analyze qualitative and quantitative data in a systematic way
• Demonstrated ability to present complex information in a concise, clear and accessible way
• Experience in the design, monitoring and evaluation of DRR focused projects.
• Experience of working in survey and designing of DRR focused projects during and post COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Have excellent writing skills (in English), and have outstanding analysis, and communication skills.

Interested consultants are requested to prepare an Expression of Interest and provide evidence to support claims of knowledge, skills and experience:

• A short proposal (not more than 5 pages) on how to fulfill the ToR, which should include survey methodology, field execution plan and cost detail including fees.
  • Fees should be presented as follows:
    • Base Service Fee including detailed breakdowns of the expenditures  (for example: human resources, no. of days/months, rate per day, total amount, travel and transportation, logistics, report writing etc.) 
• Resumes/CVs with references
• A sample similar evaluation report.

For more TOR details, please go through the link below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p55bDrgcMWsEjskhE_68Has-2PC-OUka/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106755148129806025610&rtpof=true&sd=true

Expression of Interest with the full proposal is to be sent to Alisha Neupane, Finance and Admin Officer, LWR at lwrnepalcontact@lwr.org, no later than 12 October 2022. Any decision for disqualification rests solely with LWR.