Consultant for a Regional Project Final Evaluation

I – Background of the Project

CBM is implementing the project entitled “Disability-Inclusive Humanitarian Action for displaced populations and host communities in the sectors health and protection in West and Central Africa”, targeting internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, returnees and host community members as well as Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and local and national humanitarian organisations. The project started in July 2022 and it aims to improve the living conditions and the access to inclusive humanitarian aid for displaced populations (refugees, IDPs, returnees) and host communities with special attention to most vulnerable persons in the sectors Health and Protection. The project in implemented in four countries namely DR Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger.

The table below provides a brief overview of the countries of intervention and the project partners in the different countries.

Project implementation areas and partners per country

• Democratic Republic of Congo, South Kivu (Nundu, Kalehe, Uvira) : Bureau Diocésain des Œuvres Médicales de I’Archidiocése (BDOM)
• Cameroon, Southwest Region (Koupé-Manengouba, Fako Lebialem, Manyu Meme, Ndian) : Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) and PCRS (Presbyterian Community Rehabilitation Services)
• Nigeria : Borno State : Women in the New Nigeria and Youth Empowerment Initiative (WINN)
• Niger : Tillaberi (Ouallam, Abala and Ayerou) : ONG ADKOUL

The theory of change is mainly based on three axes, namely:

• Inclusive provision of primary health and rehabilitation services through mobile health teams and establishment of a referral system, psychosocial counselling and treatment for affected populations, strengthening of existing health infrastructure and training of staff
• Provision of inclusive protection services for persons with disabilities as well as other at-risk persons, with particular emphasis on support services for survivors of SGBV
• Measures to mainstream disability inclusion in the activities of other humanitarian actors and in the humanitarian coordination system.

II – Evaluation Objective and intended use

The purpose of the final evaluation is to provide an independent and thorough analysis of the project’s results, assessing its effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and relevance/coherence in meeting the needs of the target populations. The evaluation should also identify lessons learned and offer recommendations for future interventions.

In a specific way, this evaluation aims to:

• Assess Relevance and Coherence: Assess the project’s alignment with the needs of the diverse target populations (females/males and persons with and without disabilities) and the humanitarian context in the regions involved; and the coherence of this project with other similar initiatives and actions in the target locations of this project.
• Assess Effectiveness: Measure the degree to which the specific objectives and expected outcomes of the project have been achieved or not, incl. reasons for non- or underachievement.
• Assess Efficiency: Analyze how efficiently and appropriately the resources (financial, human, material) have been used in achieving the expected results.
• Assess Impact: Evaluate the long-term effects of the project on beneficiaries, particularly people with disabilities and other at risk groups.
• Assess Sustainability: Analyze the mechanisms in place to ensure the continuity of interventions after the project ends, and the likelihood of continuation.
• Assess Inclusiveness: Analyze to which extent implemented activities were able to address the needs of persons with disabilities and in how far they have been inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities
• Assess Gender aspects: Analyse to which extent the needs of women, men, girls and boys with and without disabilities have been considered in the design of the project, how they were addressed and how those different groups benefitted equally from the project activities
• Identify Lessons Learned: Gather insights that can guide future interventions in similar contexts.
• Formulate Recommendations: Provide recommendations to improve the design and implementation of future projects.

The analysis shall always be based on the experiences of the target population (displaced persons and host communities) with a particular focus on persons with disabilities and potentially different needs of and results for children, youth and adults and for female and male persons. Disaggregation of data is therefore imperative, and the differentiated view must be reflected by the methodology applied.

An analysis of inclusive protection services and safeguarding mechanisms applied and the quality of those shall complement the understanding of achievements.

III – Scope of the Evaluation

The evaluation will cover all activities implemented in the four countries (Cameroon, DRC, Niger, Nigeria) and will consider the results achieved in the health and protection sectors. It will also assess the integration of inclusive approaches for people with disabilities in the humanitarian actions across the four countries.

The evaluation shall be conducted from 1st February2025 to 31st May 2025. During this period, the evaluator will conduct all evaluation activities (protocol designing, secondary data review, interview and focus group discussions, data analysis and reporting etc.).

This evaluation will consult OPDs involved in the project in all four countries, relevant humanitarian and public stakeholders, organisations and institutions as well as the projects’ target group/target communities and the four implementing partners. A stakeholder Analysis shall define in more detail who/which groups need to be interviewed.

IV – Methodology

The evaluation will be conducted by an independent international consultant (or team of consultants), by combining qualitative and quantitative methods.

The consultant develops a comprehensive and detailed methodology. The full methodology should include the following stages:

• Secondary data review, review of project documents
• Sampling and targeted location
• Data collection method and respondents
• Data analysis and interpretation

No matter what methods will be used during the evaluation, there are mandatory mechanisms that must be adhered to during the entire process:

• Participatory and inclusive – engaging involved OPDs and persons with disabilities actively in the assessment
• Data Disaggregation (gender/age/disability) – for disability disaggregation, the use of the Washington Group Short Set of Questions is mandatory, unless there are other means to reliably identify persons with disabilities
• Safeguarding of children and adults at risk – informed consent must be sought from each respondent
• Privacy of interviewees/informants – questionnaires must be anonymous, and no personal identification shall be included in the reports
• Data Security – safe storage of all data related to this assignment

The consultant will give details on how project participants shall be included in the data collection and analysis andin the formulation of recommendations. The consultant shall explain how the findings and recommendations will be fed back to them, detail specific meetings, discussions, workshops, presentations. Presentations must be accessible, and for feedback to communities they must be easy to understand, e.g. in the form of pictures.

The consultant must also specify the methodology for coordinating the evaluation in the four implementation countries.

V – Management Responsibilities and Evaluation Team

1- Commissioning responsibility – CBM and partner organisations

CBM (Christian Blind Mission) is the contracting authority overseeing the evaluation. Additionally, given that the project is implemented at the community level through CBM’s local partners, their involvement will be integral to both the preparation and execution phases of the evaluation. This collaborative approach ensures that local insights and expertise are fully leveraged throughout the process.

A steering committee will be established to oversee and coordinate the evaluation. Its primary role is to ensure that the evaluation’s purpose and objectives are clearly defined from inception through to completion. The committee will jointly select consultant, agree on a detailed methodology, and ensure the evaluation is implemented on time. It will also review and approve key documents, including interview guides, questionnaires, reports, and workshop content, with the involvement of CBM staff. Depending on the timeline, the committee may convene 2-3 meetings with the consultant during the evaluation.nIt will be composed of 4-5 staff from CBM (Project Manager/Coordinator; Evaluation Expert; Humanitarian Advisor) and representatives from the partner organisations. The Regional Humanitarian Project Manager will chair the steering committee and will be the primary contact person for the consultant teams.

2- Management Responsibility and Logistics – Consultant

The consultant is responsible for the implementation of the evaluation and for preparing reports and presenting the evaluation’s findings within the agreements and contract. The consultant must specify the methodology for coordinating the evaluation in the four implementation countries and between all team members. The consultant will be responsible for organizing logistics, travel, and accommodation within the project’s intervention areas in each country. The consultant will also arrange necessary interpretation and translation services.

The respective local partners shall support the consultant with the logistics as needed.

3- Requirements for consultant

• Consultant is expected to have a comprehensive understanding of humanitarian coordination mechanisms and robust technical expertise in disability inclusion and protection mainstreaming. Experience working with, or familiarity with, organizations of persons with disabilities will be advantageous for the evaluation’s success. For the assessment of the safeguarding and protection components, incl. SGBV, it is necessary to have both female and male team members and ideally a person with disabilities (e.g. a member of a local OPD). In particular, the consultant must have the following skills
  • Advanced University degree Social Sciences, Development, Humanitarian Assistance, Disability Inclusion related studies.
  • At least 5 years of experience of working in development and humanitarian aid or disability inclusion field.
  • Professional experience in the conduct of social research or evaluation, practical experience in at least 5 similar assignments in West and Central Africa region.
  • Experience in conducting research with remote and marginalized communities;
  • Knowledge of international instruments and national statutes for persons with disabilities ;
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to facilitate
  • Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesise and present results clearly;
  • Ability to draw practical conclusions and prepare well-written reports in a timely manner and availability during the proposed period;
  • Proficiency in English and French, with strong communication and writing skills, is essential.

Safeguarding policy: To enter into a consultation agreement, all consultant and enumerators must understand and sign the CBM or partner organisation’s safeguarding policy and respect its terms and conditions.

4- Deliverables

The following steps should be included in the methodological proposal:

• Preparatory meeting with the Evaluation Steering Committee: This meeting aims to present the proposed methodology to the Steering Committee and secure their agreement.
• Inception report: This report shall be submitted within 15 days after the inception meeting. It shall outline the detailed methodology, schedule, and process for conducting the evaluation, including data collection and analysis tools. It will also define the roles and responsibilities of all team members and the organisation of the evaluation on the 4 countries.
• Presentation of results: The consultant will present the results of data collection and a proposed structure to the steering committee before starting to write the report, to make sure the evaluation is in line with the ToRs.
• Final evaluation report: The consultant will submit a final report following the CBM template, along with a synthesis for a broader audience. The report, limited to 30 pages, must be submitted within 20 working days after the completion of the field phase.
• The synthesis of max. 5 pages will be written in English and should be ready for use as a stand-alone document; it shall include:
• A concise overview of the regional project and its expected results;
• A concise summary of the evaluation’s results;
• The 5 main recommendations, organized by priority and linked to the conclusions.
• A presentation of the evaluation’s objectives and the methodology used.

The consultant will present the findings to the steering committee and facilitate a workshop to share the evaluation results.

5- Main documents for the desk review

• Description of the project, including is result matrix and budget plan
• Project implementation reports
• Reports submitted to the donor
• Documentation of learning exchange
• CBM and Partners Safeguarding Policy and Regulations
• CBM Evaluation Policy
• CBM evaluation reporting templates

The documents will be shared with the consultant upon contract signature.

6- Payment schedule

Payment will be made in several instalments following validation of the various deliverables listed above.

• First instalment of 30% upon validation of the Inception Report;
• Second instalment up to 40% upon delivery of the draft of report and ;
• Third instalment up to the remaining 30% upon the validation of the final report and workshop of presentation conducted.

It should be noted that the validation of the final report (and not the submission of the latter) is a condition for the payment of the last instalment.

Only complete applications will be considered.

During the recruitment process, CBM may request references and examples of previous work and reports. The contractor reserves the right to terminate the contract if the proposed and agreed-upon team members are unavailable at the start of the evaluation and no suitable replacement can be provided.

All team members, including interpreters, enumerators, etc., are required to fully comply with and sign CBM’s Code of Conduct and Child and Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Policy, as well as commit to data security and privacy.