Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultant for End-of-Project Evaluation

Terms of Reference (ToR): Consultant for End-of-Project Evaluation

Project: Civil Society Empowerment for Accountable Education (CSE)

Lead Grantee: Karkhana Samuha

Partner: Dalit Service Society Organization (DSSO)

Project locations: Kathmandu, Madhesh Province, and Karnali Province

Deadline: June 12, 2026

1. Background

The Civil Society Empowerment for Accountable Education (CSE) project aims to improve transparency and accountability in national education sector policy and implementation, contributing to more equitable, inclusive, and resilient education systems in Nepal. The project is built around three specific objectives: increasing the involvement of marginalized groups and institutions in knowledge creation through participatory toolkit development in Learning Collaboratives; strengthening CSO capacity to monitor data collection and government adoption of toolkits at local level; and increasing CSO participation in national education policy and SDG 4 processes.

The project utilizes digital innovation, Design Thinking (the Think-Make-Play-Improve or TMPI approach), and the establishment of Learning Collaboratives to equip Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with the capacity to monitor education data and advocate for marginalized groups. This evaluation is commissioned as a mandatory requirement for Education Out Loud (EOL) Operational Component 2 (OC2) grantees to ensure accountability and foster organizational learning.

Major Project Outcomes

• Outcome 1: Enhanced Civil Society Engagement: Increased involvement of civil society in promoting transparency and accountability for national education sector policy and implementation
• Outcome 2: Strengthened Local Capacity: Improved ability of local CSOs to mobilize citizens, utilize education data, and actively monitor or advocate for transparent policies with local government support
• Outcome 3: CSOs actively engaging in national SDG 4 processes and formal national monitoring mechanisms, including budgets and implementation efforts.

2. Purpose of the assignment

The primary purpose of this evaluation is to provide an independent, systematic assessment of the CSE project’s design, implementation, and results.

• Scope: The evaluation will cover the entire project duration (Jan 2024 - Dec 2026), with a focus on the latest approved project design, Result and Monitoring Framework including any adaptations made in 2026.
• Case Study Integration: The evaluation must reflect on the project’s adaptive management and how it navigated these changes to maintain project relevance.
• Learning Documentation: The evaluation must identify what worked well with the program implementation and what did not work as initially planned.

3. Evaluation Criteria (OECD DAC)

The evaluator shall assess the project against the following standard criteria, incorporating CSE-specific learning sub-questions for a natural flow:

• Relevance: To what extent is the project design (including Learning Collaboratives and toolkit approach) relevant, inclusive, and functioning as intended, and how effectively is the theory of change translating into practice?
• Coherence: How well did the project synergize with other EOL grantees and existing national mechanisms [Eg.Local Education Development Partners’ Group (LEDPG)]
• Effectiveness: Did the Learning Collaboratives successfully generate actionable data using the resources and frameworks designed through the project and increase the involvement of marginalized groups in knowledge creation?
• Efficiency: What evidence exists of inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable change processes, and what lessons, unintended outcomes, and adjustments are needed moving forward?
• Sustainability: Are the open-source toolkit and Learning Collaboratives likely to be institutionalized by local CSOs or duty bearers after the grant ends?

4. Key monitoring and learning questions

Consultant should consider the following three key questions as cross-cutting issues and incorporate them in the data collection instrument:

• Total Civil Society Reach: Identify the scale and nature of the project's engagement. Specify the number and types of CSOs reached and determine if they participated as beneficiaries or active actors in social accountability.
• Learning Collaborative Contribution to Outcomes: Assess how the partnership between Karkhana Samuha, DSSO and Learning Collaborative members influenced results. Evaluate the impact of the strategic realignment in Karnali Province and whether the alliance composition was effective in reaching marginalized groups.
• Impact of EOL Learning Efforts: To what extent did participation in EOL learning initiatives resulted in changed practices or systems within Karkhana Samuha or DSSO. Identify which initiatives were most effective and why.

5. Evaluation Methodology

The evaluation may adopt following methods approach that integrates both qualitative and quantitative techniques to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the project:

• Review of the Theory of Change, Project reports, Knowledge products produced through the program effort;
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with project staff, CSOs, local governments, Learning Collaborative members, EOL representatives, and other stakeholders;
• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with beneficiaries and marginalized groups;

6. Expected deliverables and output expectations

• Inception Report: The inception report should demonstrate the evaluator’s understanding of the assignment and the inception report should include:
  • Detailed evaluation framework with evaluation questions
  • Evaluation Methodology and tools
  • Questionnaires/interview guides for KIIs, FGDs or surveys, as relevant
  • Process Outline and Schedule
• Draft Evaluation Report: For review by the project management team.
• Final Evaluation Report: A comprehensive report submitted to the Grant Agent.
• Executive Summary: A maximum five-page summary of key findings, recommendations, and reflections on mandated learning questions.

The Consultant will report to the Team Lead at Karkhana Samuha and work closely with:

• Karkhana Samuha project staff;
• DSSO focal persons;
• Learning Collaborative members;
• finance/operations colleagues where reporting linkages are needed;
• RMU focal points as required by management.

7. Tentative Timeline:

• Initiate the literature review and prepare a draft inception report within 2 weeks of selection
• Launch the evaluation process as per the inception report by 2 weeks post inception report
• Complete data collection and prepare the draft report by the end of August
• Seek inputs on the reports from alliance members and share refined version for comments and feedback by 15 October
• Assignment Deadline: The final report and all associated payments must be completed by November 15, 2026

8. Required qualifications

The ideal candidate should have:

• a postgraduate degree in monitoring and evaluation, statistics, social sciences, education, development studies, public policy, or related field;
• at least 5 years of relevant experience in project Project Evaluation, preferably in education, governance, social accountability, or civil society strengthening;
• strong experience with mixed-methods data collection, analysis, and reporting;
• experience supporting donor-funded reporting cycles and evaluations;
• strong understanding of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion in MsE systems;
• experience working with CSOs, local governments, and multi-stakeholder processes;
• strong writing skills in English; Nepali preferred;
• proficiency in spreadsheet-based tracking and at least one digital data tool

9. Application Process

Documents required for application:

• Detailed Financial and Technical Proposal
• Past Project Portfolio
• Cover letter
• Recent CV

Qualified and Interested candidates/firms should submit the necessary documents as mentioned above to hr@karkhanasamuha.org.np with the subject line: Application for End-of-Project Evaluation CSE Project by June 12, 2026, 5:00 PM.

Applications that are incomplete or received after the deadline will not be considered.

Karkhana Samuha is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce. We strongly encourage applications from women, gender minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals from Madhesh Province.