Feasibility Study Consultant in Uganda, establishing a Multi-Actor-Partnership 237 views0 applications

Background and organisational setting

Hoffnungszeichen | Sign of Hope is a Christian motivated organisation for human rights, humanitarian aid and development cooperation. From its base in Constance, Germany, Sign of Hope is committed to helping those in distress and exploited people worldwide.

This feasibility study is commissioned, prior to project implementation, under the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) budget for development projects run by private organisations.

Hoffnungszeichen | Sign of Hope e.V. will be the private German executing agency and the contracting party, while Soroti Catholic Diocese Integrated Development Organisation (SOCADIDO) will be the local implementing partner.

The project objective is the establishment and institutionalisation of a multisectoral development forum as a Multi-Actor-Partnership (MAP) with representatives from communities, development organisations, research institutions, private sector, cultural institutions and religious organisations for the joint concerted effort to strengthen the economic power and social resilience of 75,000 households in Teso region of eastern Uganda.

Mobilisation and networking of the relevant actors among each other and with the state institutions, capacity development of the forum in areas of lobbying, fundraising and project management including Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) are among the first steps of the strategic approach to build MAP structure and ensure a transformative impact of the project. Planned interventions of the forum include, establishment of “model homes” to promote sustainable hygienic homesteads, networking of the target population through groups, cooperatives and representatives with business, politics and research sectors to strengthen food security and adapt to the consequences of climate change, promotion of citizen participation through educational measures, development of community action plans for environmental protection.

Feasibility Study Objectives

The purpose of the feasibility study is to provide SOCADIDO and Hoffnungszeichen | Sign of Hope e.V. with a sound basis for developing a complete project concept, by identifying project prerequisites, opportunities and risks. This process includes an assessment of the feasibility of the proposed project intervention to assess if it can plausibly achieve planned objectives given existing contextual realities.

This comprehensive study will verify relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the proposed project intervention. The study will provide concrete and practical recommendations that will assist with finalisation of project design elements, including the logframe, risk analysis, problem analysis and relevance of the proposed project intervention, stakeholder analysis, and with that facilitate development of the MAP process architecture, among others.

The study will support the project quality assurance measures implemented by Hoffnungszeichen | Sign of Hope e.V. and contribute to the decision-making process in regards to funding of the proposed project activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

The selected Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Head of the International Aid and Cooperation Department, in close cooperation with the responsible Desk Officer and the local implementing partner.

The duties and responsibilities of the consultant will include:

• Develop a work plan outlining proposed research methodology, geographical coverage, and schedule to conduct the feasibility study,
• Carry out a project site visit to a project location to conduct research, collect data and establish contact with the local implementing partner, potential beneficiaries and relevant project stakeholders,
• Review existing policies and structures, government development strategies, as well as relevant studies and research projects that could serve as a basis for the feasibility study,
• Identify relevant project stakeholders at various levels (local, district, regional and national if applicable), including local governing bodies, academia and industry, as well as lessons learned and best practices of similar on-going and implemented projects relevant to the project,
• Conduct detailed analysis of the potential MAP actors at micro (local), meso (district, regional) and macro (national) levels, a potential core group of actors “container” in particular,
• Review and analyze the already existing structures, including institutions, networks and associations active in the region,
• Organise (with the support of the local implementing partner) and facilitate a stakeholder meeting with the potential core actors and stakeholders, and so identify potential synergies among partners and existing initiatives,
• Review the quality and the transformative potential of the MAP intervention,
• Evaluate all available data and sources providing background information on identified issues, problem analysis, as well as selected intervention to address identified needs (baseline data with focus on the qualitative analysis),
• Assess the proposed activities, as well as their timing and required financial resources.
• Examine institutional, technical, staffing and financial capacities of the selected implementing partner, as well as its relationship with the target group. Based on the findings, determine if there are areas in which capacities of the local implementing partner need to be developed,
• Review main governmental and non-governmental stakeholders with a purpose to see if there is a potential overlap or conflict of interest, as well as opportunities for coordination with the aim of creating synergies and new cooperation partnerships,
• Examine identified target group, their needs and their role in the broader social context, as well as relevance of the planned project activities for addressing their needs,
• Identify potential obstacles and alternatives to overcome the foreseen challenges,
• Review and analyze all available project design elements and draft documents related to the project concept, if necessary,
• Critically review the planned project in terms of OECD/DAC criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability (please see https://www.oecd.org/dac/evaluation/49756382.pdf ),
• Prepare a report containing the findings on the above items, specific recommendations for the project concept with a view to planning and implementing foreseen project activities.

Expected Deliverables

The study will produce the following deliverables:

• a feasibility study outline, including proposed methodology and data collection tools, table of content and a timeline of research activities (inception report) prior to the site visit to a project location,
• a summary with a brief overview and main findings of the study,
• a summary of the agenda and outcomes of the stakeholder meeting,
• a comprehensive report of a maximum of 30 pages with practical recommendations and relevant annexes,
• a review of the main project design elements and provision of concrete recommendations for improvement,
• an analysis of the institutional structure required for project implementation, stipulating the roles and responsibilities of the MAP partners and the SOCADIDO staff members involved, a detailed problem analysis, a stakeholder analysis, a revision of the target group, an analysis of the potential risks and recommendations on how to mitigate these risks, a schedule of project activities, a financial plan (planning budget), a detailed project logframe with SMART indicators for the project objective and results, listing related activities, and required resources,
• a “ Do no harm analysis” including recommendations on how to mitigate potential harm and conflict situations that can potentially arise during or as a result of the project activities.

The template will be provided to serve as a guidance and suggested structure for the final report.

Process/Timeframe

A total duration of the assignment is up to 27 working days within period from 2 November 2020 to 31 December 2021.

A planning meeting with SoH (remotely), handover of relevant documents 1 day

Initial document review and preparing inception report 3 days

Sharing inception report with SoH and SOCADIDO 1 day

Data collection site visit to a project location 5 days

MAP actors interviews and subsequent analysis 5 days

Prepare and facilitate a workshop with potential MAP actors and

project stakeholders 2 days

Data analysis, draft report with annexes, presenting to SoH 5 days

Incorporating received feedback and finalising the report 5 days

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Minimum of 5 years of project evaluation and/or implementation experience in the result-based management framework,
• Proven experience of conducting feasibility studies, evaluations and other research projects,
• Technical and methodological knowledge to conduct research projects and formulate conclusions based on a solid methodology, assessing projects for relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of projects,
• Experience working with Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) networks, consortia and partnered projects,
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Desirable:

• Experience in the relevant field,
• Professional familiarity with the project country/region,
• Practical experience of working for and/or evaluating BMZ-funded projects,
• Experience with /knowledge of dialogic change model.

Academic Background

An advanced level university degree (Masters’ degree or equivalent) in social sciences, public administration, international development studies, or law. A first-level university degree in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted.

The consultant is to be independent and impartial with no liabilities to any other Organisation or Government entity regarding this evaluation.