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Terms of Reference for Terminal study for project titled

“Resilience and Integration in favor of Eritrean refugees and host communities in Shire area, Ethiopia, AID11223

March, 2020

1. Background

VIS has been operating in Tigray Region for over 15 years in the following sectors: Water, hygiene and health; Education and professional training / work and livelihoods.

In 2019, four initiatives are underway in the Tigray Region aimed at increasing job opportunities and reducing the pressure of irregular migration: a) “DEAL: Development of Innovative Employment oriented schemes and active labor market measures to increase livelihood and decent work opportunities for vulnerable youth at the risk of irregular migration in Tigray “, funded under the SINCE Program of the European Union and the Embassy of Italy; b) “Development and Support: actions for the prevention of irregular migrations in Ethiopia”, financed by the Ministry of the Interior; c) “Improvement of the productivity in the textile sector and enhancement of decent working opportunity for youth and women in Tigray. ’’d) “Interventions to counteract the phenomenon of irregular migration: an integrated approach in Central and Eastern areas of Tigray”, AID 11222 – these last three projects funded by AICS.**

All the aforementioned projects – carried out in partnership with international NGOs and local partners – use a synergistic approach aimed at improving the quality of some of the related basic services to mitigate the causes of irregular migration. In particular, VIS deals with the training / work sector in all the projects.

The present project “Resilience and integration in favor of Eritrean refugees and Shire host communities, Ethiopia AID11223” has direct connections with all the initiatives mentioned above with regard to the consolidated intervention methodology, to the affinity of the target group and the area of ​​project implementation.

2. Brief Description of Project

Project Title:

Resilience and Integration in favor of Eritrean refugees and host communities in Shire area, Ethiopia

Executing (Implementing) Agencies:

VIS – Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (leader)

In partnership with:

CCM – Comitato Collaborazione Medica

CIAI – Centro Italiano Aiuti all’Infanzia

CISP – Comitato Internazionale per Lo Sviluppo Dei Popoli

ECC-SDCOAdB – Ethiopian Catholic Church – Social and Development Commission Adigrat Branch

General Objective:

To contribute to the prevention of irregular migration in the most vulnerable areas of Ethiopia.

Specific Objectives:

Ø To promote the improvement of reception and protection services;

Ø To improve access quality health services;

Ø To strengthen the education services;

Ø To improve and diversify of livelihoods;

Ø To strengthen female empowerment and

Ø To improved Wash Services and minimize environmental impact of refugees,

Duration of the Project:

Eighteen Months (October 19, 2018 to April 18, 2020)

Area of Operation:

Tigray Regional State – Western Zone;

· Host Community: Tselemti (in particular the city of Mai-Tsebri) and Asegede Tsmbla, and city of Shire for the health component(Shire Hospital).

· Refugee Camps: Adi-Harush, Mai-Ayni and Hitsats.

Sectors of Intervention:

1. Protection, 2. Health, 3. Education, 4. Livelihood, 5. Environment.

Main stakeholders:

· United Nations Higher Commision for Refugees (UNHCR)

· Adiminstartion for Refugees and Returnes Affairss (ARRA)

· Bureau of Plan and Finance Aid Mobilization and Coordination Core Process (TBoPFAMCCP) ;

· Tigray Regional Health Bureau (TRBoH);

· Bureau of Labour and Social Affair (BoLSA);

· Water, Mineral and Energy Bureau (BoWR);

· Tigray Regional State Education Bureau (TREB);

· Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development (BoARD)

Type and Number of Beneficiaries

Direct Beneficiaries: 35.969 people

· Refugees: 22.971

· Host Communities: 12.998

· Indirect Beneficiaries: 362,484 People

Donor:

Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)

Total Budget:

37.747.080,00 (thirty-seven million seven hundred fourth seven thousand and eighty birr)

Contact Person:

Mr. Gianfranco Pulinas (VIS Country Representative)

Address:

VIS Ethiopia Country Coordination Office

Meskel Flower Road, Building 697, 4^th Floor, Kirkos 02/04

Addis Ababa – Ethiopia

Telephone: 011 4667616 – Fax: 011 4671548

e-mail: [email protected]

1. Description of Livelihood Component of the Project

Generally this project is in implementation synergistically for the realization of integrated interventions in sectors of protection, education, health, livelihood, women empowerment and environment/WASH by a partnership composed of VIS – Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (leader), CCM – Comitato Collaborazione Medica, CISP – The International Committee for the Development of Peoples, CIAI – Centro Italiano Aiuti all’Infanzia, ECC-SDCOAdB – Ethiopia Catholic Church Social and Development Commission of Adigrat, each NGO enhancing its consolidated skills.

As there are multidimensional challenges in the above mentioned sectors in the project area, one of the main constraints of living is economic insecurity both for refugees and surrounding host communities. During assessment for the conception of this project, it was identified that this economic insecurity resulted in secondary movement of the refugees and irregular migration of the hosting community. To contribute to minimize this economic insecurity bottleneck, it was planned to promote diversified socio-economic opportunities so as to improve resilience and integration of both the refugees and the host communities with the following specific activities in the livelihood sector.

2. Objectives of the Terminal survey

The project aimed to support the beneficiaries in livelihood sector through these five major actions: 1) Enrolment of beneficiaries in identified feasible IGAs through BDS training and start up cash/kit provision; 2) Enrolment of beneficiaries in solar IGAs after training in BDS, Solar Equipment Installation and Maintenance and start up cash/kit provision; 3) Enrolment of beneficiaries in IGAs after training in BDS, recyclable-low-cost-reusable sanitary pads and start up cash/kit provision 4) Enrolment of beneficiaries in IGAs after training in BDS, hand crafts and start up cash/kit provision; and 5) Organization of the above IGA targeted beneficiaries in VSLAs and training in Management of VSLAs. In this regard, this study should analyze and address some major questions related to the main actors involved in the project:

The objective of the forseen study/research is to:

· Undertake in-depth evaluation of the socio-economic reality of the intervention areas’ livelihood sector;

· Identifay target beneficiary current economic state, the supports recived by or expects from the projects (for all 510 livelihood direct beneficiaries);

· To identify the current economic trend (existing suppliers, supply and demand services, availability of products, prices, etc.) of the intervention area;

· To asses feasibility, sustainability and exit startagey of the above mentioned livelihood activities;

· To measure project outcome interms of: employment opportunities created, percentage of beneficiary engagement in income generating activities, and microcredit disbursements of local financial institutions;

The recommendations and data provided with the research will enable VIS and the partners to track progress/outcome of the project both during the implementation and at the end. During the for the reaming period of implementation, the information will help to re-direct the action in case of inefficiency or unsatisfactory in reaching outcomes and outputs identified; at the end it will allow analyzing the whole impact of the project and the ability to reach the main objective.

1. Study Design

Geographically, the survey area covers all the entire project operational area that means Host Community (Tselemti wereda in particular the town of Mai-Tsebri) and Asegede Tsmbla (Asegede Tsimbla wereda in particular the town of Endabaguna and the area of Shire city and Refugee Camps (Adi-Harush, Mai-Ayni and Hintsas).

In order to conduct the research, the consultant has to present within the technical proposal the specification about the research methodology (s) he plans to use and (s) he is in charge of elaborate the data collection tools in order to properly conduct the research.

The gender breakdown should be considered in the whole analysis.

In phase of selection, the methodology proposed by the applicant will be considered as major evaluation point.

The research should include field data collection and analysis; it can also include relevant secondary data collected directly from the main stakeholders ARRA, UNHCR and Government sector offices.

The use of previously done researches or literature can be an added value only if the data used are totally verified and the quality of the collection and analysis is guarantee.

5. Staffing

The consulting firm should come up with relevant, multi skills, competent professionals to conduct the whole study. The minimum staff that the firm should deploy includes team of professionals with demonstrated competencies in one or more of the following professional backgrounds: Economics, Development cooperation/studies, Management, Sociology, Gender studies, Socio-economics, Sustainable development, Inclusive Economic Growth or related fields with good experience conducting researches and evaluation studies on program/project.

More specifically, the consultant team is expected to have:

· A minimum of 3 years’ experience in carrying out such survey, with a focus on baseline study, terminal evaluation and project identification;

· Demonstrable academic and practical experience in qualitative and quantitative research methodology, baseline survey design, terminal evaluation and implementation of such studies;

· Strong analytical, facilitation and communication skills;

· Strong analytical and report writing skills;

· Fluent spoken and writing English, Tigrigna and Amharic;

· Data collectors should be fluent in Tigrigna;

· The lead consultant (team leader) should possess at least a Master degree in economics, management, Development economics, Development studies or related field of studies;

6. Duration and Time Schedule

The evaluation survey should be completed within sixty (40) calendar days.

The data collection tools shall be elaborated and shared with VIS for approval within 5 calendar days from the starting date; the data collection should be completed within 20 colander days and the first draft should be completed within 35 days. After the validation workshop, the consultant has 5 more days to finalize the research.

7. Submission of Reports and Datasets

The evaluation survey should be precise and meaningful.

· The data collection tools will be presented to VIS within 5 days after the start of the research;

· A preliminary report will be presented to VIS within 35 days after the start of the survey;

· The final report (a paper version and an electronic version) will be finalized within another 5 days;

· The language used for reporting shall be English;

· The size of the whole report document should not exceed 50 pages.

8. Action plan, Time Schedule

The consultant is expected to attach his/her technical and financial proposal for the work to be undertaken in detail including schedule, work plan and methodology.

9. Duties and Responsibilities of VIS and the Consultant

9.1. VIS

1. VIS will share the official project document with consultant and will make all official communications to the relevant stakeholders / sectors/ that may be needed during the survey process;
2. VIS/Project will assign a focal staff that can coordinate and control the process;
3. VIS /Project will make comments on the questionnaire designed by the consultant and finally approve the questionnaire to be administered;
4. VIS will provide the list of project direct beneficiaries per activity up on which the data to be collected;
5. VIS will make invitation to all responsible bodies that will participate in the study;

9.2. Consultant

1. Develop the detailed evaluation survey methodology; data collection instruments;
2. Conducting all data collection, including all training, supervision, quality assurance, data entry and data cleaning;
3. Consultant will prepare the check list for conducting the focus group discussions;
4. Consultant will be in charge of the division of the work among staff members;;
5. Production of deliverables within agreed timeline and in accordance with quality requirement;
6. Generally the consultant will be responsible to run the whole survey process starting from questionnaire development up to final report write up and submission;
7. Local language skills and firm or firm lead staff experience in refugee context in similar assignments will be an added value;

10. Conditions for applying to undertake the evaluation survey consultancy

The consultancy will take place with strict time of 40 calendar days and the field base line data must be captured on project activities underway and in implementation. This consultancy will be offered in a competitive basis. Potential consultants or firms are invited to submit the following:

1. Technical proposal or/and document,

Ø How the study will be organized; which assessing tools will be elaborated; the timetable of the action (elaboration of the tools; data collection; data analysis; elaboration); methodology for collection and analysis of the data.

Ø Copies of all the Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of the key consultant’s firm staff have to be included in the proposal.

1. Reference and proven experience in similar works. In case of interest, VIS will require to submit the previously done researches/studies (these will be treated as confidential and only used for the purpose of quality assurance). Financial proposal including major cost breakdown;
2. A capacity statement demonstrating how they meet the required qualification and competencies;
3. A sample of study report (if any) for a similar project completed within the last 1 to 2 year (this will be treated as confidential and only used for the purpose of quality assurance);
4. Two reference (including one from your last client/ employer);
5. The overall evaluation is composed of two steps. First the technical evaluation and then the financial evaluation. A consultancy firm who does not qualify (technically score of 75/100) will not be eligible to go to the next step of financial evaluation. The following table shows detailed technical evaluation criteria to be considered in the evaluation of the technical proposal.
6. Once the winner has been awarded, the winner has to provide a bank guarantee in form of CPO for the 20% of the whole financial offer that will be released immediately after the conclusion of the work.

Criteria Mark (100%)

Methodology; 55

Relevant work experience (past experience in base line survey, conducting evaluations, impact assessment , other relevant studies ), references and sample presented; 15

Logic and consistency of the proposal; 15

Human resource; composition of proposed study team; 15