Consultant to conduct Baseline Evaluation

About Plan International

Plan International strives to advance children’s rights and equality for girls all over the world. As an independent development and humanitarian organization, we work alongside children, young people, our supporters and partners to tackle the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. For over 80 years we have been building powerful partnerships for children, and we are active in over 75 countries.

Project Background

The protracted crisis in the Lake Chad Basin region remains one of the most severe humanitarian emergencies in the world, affecting the North East of Nigeria, the Far North region of Cameroon, the Lake region of Chad and the Diffa region in Niger. The crisis has unfolded in a region beset by chronic fragility where poverty, underdevelopment, gender inequality, unemployment and a lack of prospects for young people fuel extremism. This is compounded by environmental degradation and the impact of climate change.

With funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZÜH), Plan International Nigeria is about to implement the ” Youth learn, earn and prosper in the Lake Chad region project” for a duration of 36 months. The objective of this project is to strengthen the resilience of adolescents and youth in food-insecure regions of Lake Chad.

In Nigeria, the project will be implemented in Adamawa (Girei and Fufor) LGAs and Borno (Damboa and Mafa) LGAs.

Plan International Nigeria will work towards achieving three desired outcomes of the project:

Outcome 1: Adolescents and youth have successfully applied life skills and entrepreneurial skills in Nigeria to improve food production and their socio-economic situation

Outcome 2: Adolescents and youth are empowered to make informed decisions on their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and are supported to access appropriate SRH services

Outcome 3: In Nigeria a strengthened locally-led peace architecture contributes to peacefully managed conflict and prevents violence from escalating

As main activities, the planned intervention seeks economic empowerment of the adolescent and youth with a special focus on girls, through the acquisition of technical skills that will enable them to better cover their own needs (and those of their families), especially with food, through its production and processing. It aims to improve the knowledge and behavior of both adolescent and youth and their families and communities, as well as their relevant service providers and institutions in the field of SRHR, so that they can make informed and self-determined decisions about their choice of partner, possible pregnancies, sexual preferences, free from stigmas and disadvantages or even persecution and fight against GBV, and finally it provides an environment for peaceful coexistence that will be created by strengthening existing and/or establishing new structures (if needed) for peaceful conflict resolution and for additional measures (dialogue/training formats) to promote peace and social cohesion in order to address intersectional causes of conflict (age, gender, exclusion, resources).

The baseline evaluation will consider the security constraints of North East Nigeria.

Baseline Evaluation Focus:

Purpose of the Baseline

The baseline is intended for the Project Implementation Technical team, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Plan International Germany, Plan International Nigeria and other relevant stakeholders.

The purpose of the baseline data is to provide a benchmark from which to measure the progress of the project implementation through an in-depth situation analysis and to provide the current status of the indicators in the results framework and facilitate monitoring of progress towards meeting project outcome in the target locations in Adamawa and Borno states of North East Nigeria.

This baseline assessment will generate measured baseline information that Plan International Nigeria would use to plan and/or adjust the target of indicators to achieve during the intervention.

NB: It is also recommended that the consultant use the AoGD indicators tool as much as possible to align the project with the global strategy and PMERL system.

More specifically, the scope of this assignment will be to:

A. Collect data for the outcome indicators in order to have initial data which will be the comparison base with the monitoring and Evaluation data. The indicators that should be measured are below and also given in the proposal and log frame.

1a. At the EdP 70% of adolescents (14-17 yrs.) and youth (18-24 yrs.) participants in the Livelihood Incubation Centres report to have acquired food production and business skills and planned/started to put them into practice (including at least 60% adolescent girls and young women)

1.b At EoP 70% adolescents’ girls and youth women targeted are economically empowered, through engaging in livelihoods opportunities and financial literacy

2a. At the EdP 80% of adolescents and youth (ages 14-24) – feel able to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health (including females and males)

2b. At the EdP 100% of targeted health centers offer appropriate and standardized gender- responsive and inclusive SRH services

2c. At EdP 70% of trained state and non-state service providers are able to identify, refer and treat cases of violence and abuse against adolescent and youth (including gender-based (sexual) violence

3a. At the EdP 70% of community members report that inter-community conflicts are addressed in a nonviolent way

3b. At EdP at least 41 local early warning and conflict resolution committees supported are successfully established

3c. At EdP 70 % of adolescent and young people have gained knowledge of conflict early warning signs and know how to prevent escalation the existing tools for capturing the indicator data will be made available to the Consultant or proposed by her/him at the time of contract signature.

B. Analyze gender mainstreaming and inclusion during the missions in other to have an overview and updates.

C. When analyzing the desk review, present the result about the project relevance, coherence, feasibility and project structure analysis.

Baseline Evaluation Issues

After the selection of a Consultant, the latter will be responsible for proposing a set of data collection tools and a methodological framework that will make it possible to meet the expectations of the mission. The consultant must provide a clear explanation of how Gender will be integrated into his approach. These tools will first be discussed and validated by Plan International in a methodological workshop.

Methods for Data Collection and Analysis

Good to keep in mind that the methods and tools used at baseline must be considered for mid-term and end line to collect data on the indicators. It is expected that the consultant develops a detailed overall methodology, appropriate methods and specific tools to respond to the baseline evaluation expectation. It is expected that the consultant(s) will develop a detailed methodology for data collection, management and analysis in their proposal. This methodology should correspond directly to the project indicators and, where appropriate, to other research questions for the baseline study relating to the project context. This methodology will be explained in more detail in the consultant’s inception report once the baseline study is underway.

The consultant’s responsibilities include developing an effective evaluation design and offering a rationale for its selection. Additionally, the consultant should present relevant methods to address the chosen or proposed design and demonstrate their proficiency and experience in their application. It is recommended to apply a mixed-method approach. The consultant will also be responsible for piloting the new tools, ensuring that they are gender-sensitive.

The proposal must contain a description of the envisaged data validation, quality assurance and data analysis techniques.

In addition, the consultant will receive all the necessary information, specifically the existing tools, to conduct the baseline data collection for the indicators as shown in the project documents.

The consultant will conduct a detailed review of available project documents such as proposals, needs assessment, log frame, and gender analysis reports. Plan International will make available to the consultant all project documents upon request.

Sample

The consultant shall propose a sampling strategy for the primary data collection to answer the baseline expectations, including how they will identify respondents. More specifically, the intended sample strategy shall include a description of the:

• Sample size and formula related to,
• Necessary respondent disaggregation (Gender, age, status (IDP, returnees, refugees, host population…) and people with disabilities (5% of the sample)
• Number and type of locations
• Sampling approach (stating the reasons for the approach selected)

For the data collection on indicators, the sample needs to reflect the sampling strategy, size and selected respondents. Relevant information will be made available to the consultant upon signature of the contract.

Participant selection and recruitment

The target population to be considered includes potential project participants that will directly or indirectly benefit from interventions of Plan International in the targeted communities: Adamawa State Girei LGA (Girei Ward and Jabi Lamba District localities), Fufore LGA (Gurin, Malabu, and Ribadu communities) and Borno State: Damboa LGA (Shuwari and Alkaleri communities), Mafa LGA (Kaleri and Simari communities).

Ethics, Child Safeguarding

The consultant(s) and the team that will interface with children will be required to provide a statement within their proposal on how they will ensure ethics, child safeguarding in the process of data collection and visits in compliance with Plan International’s Global Safeguarding Children and Youth People Policy. Details on the adoption of gender balance amongst interviewers, focus group discussion (FGD) facilitators and observers shall be provided. The consultant(s) shall also explain how confidentiality and anonymity of participants will be guaranteed. This is because the BMZ intervention is keen on giving opportunities for girls, boys, women and men to provide feedback on the project intervention. Gender lens would be used to analyse results for girls and boys in comparison to their situations.

Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy represents a serious commitment by the organization to hold ourselves accountable to children and young people, ensuring that they feel safe and protected with us and those who represent Plan International at all times. Everyone working with and associated with Plan is expected to adhere to the provisions of the policy. This means always acting appropriately with children and young people, assessing and reducing risks to children and young people in all our operations and activities including research and studies, and taking appropriate action in line with global and local procedures to report and respond to concerns about a child or young person’s welfare. Plan International takes stringent measures against any Plan staff, associate, or visitor who breaches this policy.

The study will involve data collection with young people, and therefore, must ensure appropriate, safe, non-discriminatory participation; stressing that a proportional representation of young women’s and young men’s views are collected; a process of free and un-coerced consent and withdrawal; confidentiality and anonymity of participants. Environments and working methods should be adapted to the capacities of children and young people; time and resources should be made available to ensure that young men and women are adequately prepared and have the confidence and opportunity to contribute their views.

Other Ethics that consultant/s should adhere to include the following;

• All terms/conditions stipulated in the contract agreement.
• Conducting them in a respectful manner, while undertaking assignments, includes not making any commitments to communities and any other persons, on behalf of Plan International Nigeria.
• Time-frame and conditions outlined in the TOR and consultancy agreement

Intended Users of the Evaluation

The intended users of the final Baseline evaluation are the project team, staff from Plan International Germany, Lake Chad Programme Unit, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZÜH), as well as Plan International’s Nigeria country office and other relevant stakeholders. It is expected that the baseline report will provide a starting point to the project achievement and serve as a guide for stakeholders and partners in the implementation.

Key Deliverables

• Inception report including:
• an updated timeline
• a detailed methodology including draft sampling methodology and size
• draft data collection tools
• ethical and safeguarding considerations and risk assessment
• consent forms for any primary data collection
• draft methods for data analysis and quality control
• a brief justification of the methods and techniques envisaged (including relevant underlying values and assumptions/ theories) with a justification of the selection made.
• Final data collection tools;
• Final Sampling methodology (including unit of sampling and sampling frame);
• Draft baseline evaluation report, including cleaned data files (e.g. Excel, SPSS, Kobo toolbox…), transcripts of qualitative data syntax/ code books etc. and completed consent forms (including for children and their caregivers and adults;
• Final baseline evaluation report including an Executive Summary and indicators monitoring table with reference data;
• Other communication products to disseminate.

NB: It is extremely important that the consultant provides the final versions of the data collection tools, as these tools will be used for all future monitoring activities during the life of the project to ensure consistency of measure. Moreover, with the support of PLAN International Nigeria country office and the project team, he/she will provide an indicators matrix including definition and specification.

The specification and definition of an indicator describe exactly what the indicator means and how the indicator is calculated. The indicator definition should specifically describe:

– What is measured and the unit of measurement like # of households, individuals, level of life skill, food production in Kg/tonne, Income generation per year etc.;

– How the indicator should be calculated;

– How the indicator should be analyzed (i.e. composite indicators);

– What other information you might need to triangulate with to validate the information.

The consultant is expected to lead and accomplish all deliverables within the agreed timeframe and budget.

Consultant expected qualifications and selection criteria

The Consultant selected for this study will be a firm, a group of consultants or an individual. The team leader of this baseline study should have a university degree +5 work experience in social sciences, Statistics, epidemiology or a relevant field; at least 5 years of experience in research and evaluations in the humanitarian and development setting with relevant references.

At least one member of the team should meet the following criteria, the scoring of which will contribute to the shortlisting of the Consultant.

The selection process will take place in two phases: the technical proposal will be analyzed before proceeding to the analysis of the financial proposal. A team from Plan International Nigeria will score the documentation (technical and financial proposal) provided by the potential consultant. The consultancy will be offered to the candidates with the highest combined score (best value for money, cumulative evaluation) using the below criteria:

Criteria

At least 5 years of higher education in social sciences and related fields – 10%

Good knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods (Methodology, calendar,) – 20%

Knowledge of research ethics -10%

Knowledge of quantitative data analysis, Excel software, or any other software to be proposed – 15%

Experience conducting research activities in project and programme evaluations -15%

Knowledge of how to mainstream ‘Do not Harm principles and gender sensitivity and vulnerability issues and how they are considered in evaluation activities – 10%

Good ability to work in a team and to coordinate a diverse team – 10%

Excellent analytical, synthesis and report writing skills – 10%

TOTAL 100%