Consultancy – Final Evaluation of Promoting Economic Empowerment and Gender Equity through Strengthened Market Systems (PEGESMAS)

Terms of Reference for Final Project Evaluation

State: South Kordofan
Beneficiary Country: Sudan
Sector: Women Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods
Required: International Consultant – Remote
Project period: 1 November 2022 – 30 April 2024
Start Date: 25 March 2024

Background

CARE International is a global confederation that is working in 104 countries around the world to save lives, end poverty, and fight social injustice. CARE has been operating in Sudan since 1979, implementing humanitarian and development programs focused on women’s and girls’ empowerment, gender justice, humanitarian action, and resilience building. CARE works in partnership with 12 national NGOs, line ministries, and community-based organizations. CARE has over 176 staff members located across its sub-offices South Kordofan, Kassala, Medani, East Darfur, Gedaref, and South Darfur.

Background of the Project

Sudan, and South Kordofan State in particular, is characterized by widespread poverty and socioeconomic marginalization, especially among remote rural farming communities. Recent economic, and political stress and the ongoing conflict have exacerbated the long-standing vulnerabilities of smallholder farmers in South Kordofan, who have been affected by decades of conflict, displacement, and limited access to agricultural inputs, training, and markets. Women farmers are disproportionally affected, as gender inequality is pervasive across South Kordofan’s agricultural sector. While women represent most smallholder farmers, they are typically disempowered to fully participate in key agricultural value chains such as mango, food crops, and vegetables, and to realize their entrepreneurial potential. Due to the prevailing patriarchal social norms and customs, women have limited access to land, decision-making roles within community governance mechanisms, and finance. Combined, these factors have long hindered the professionalization of South Kordofan’s agricultural sector, and the development of key value chains, based on viable market-based approaches that could benefit local communities as well as the national economy.

The PEGESMAS project seeks to empower women smallholder farmers to gain greater control over and access to key agricultural resources and markets, as a basis for women’s entrepreneurship to contribute to improved food security at the community and household level. To achieve this, the project fostered economic opportunities for female smallholder farmers in South Kordofan’s mango and vegetable value chains, while simultaneously building the capacity of key actors in these value chains and strengthening business linkages between women-led farmer groups and the private sector. In this regard, the project will also focus on establishing a more conducive environment for women to actively participate in more inclusive markets, by improving their access to finance, addressing harmful gender norms, and tackling gender-based violence. Throughout the project’s implementation, not only women but also men and boys within the target communities will be actively engaged as allies, change agents, and champions for women’s socioeconomic empowerment, promoting positive social norms and equitable participation in livelihoods and grassroots entrepreneurship.

The project is now in its completion period. In line with the provisions of the project agreement between CARE and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the implementing agency, CARE, agreed to undertake a final evaluation at the end of the project period. The output of the evaluation is expected to determine the level of achievement against the project targets and indicators and gather evidence on the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, partnership and coordination, sustainability, and impact of the project interventions.

This terms of reference (ToR) provides a detailed outline of expectations required of applicants to fulfill the objectives and criteria of the final project evaluation to the required standard and quality.

Objectives of the Evaluation

CARE is seeking qualified consultant(s) to conduct the final evaluation of Promoting Economic Empowerment and Gender Equity through Strengthened Market Systems (PEGESMAS) Project for the following purpose:

To assess the performance and achievements of the project against the planned project objectives, expected results, targets, and key indicators as per the logical framework. To this end the final evaluation should focus on the following:

1. To assess the performance of the planned project activities as per the action plan and expected targets to assess the quality of the project outputs. To this end, a focus on the quality of project outputs is equally important as the completion of these outputs and should be given priority attention in the evaluation methodology and report.
2. To assess relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, partnership and coordination, sustainability, and impact of the overall intervention. This should give due emphasis on community and private sector participation and contribution as well as value for money and technology suitability. This should be assessed in light of the changing context and how it remained relevant, effective and sustainable.
3. To assess the major strengths and limitations (SLOT) of the project and draw lessons for future program improvement and sharing with stakeholders.
4. To assess the direct and indirect (intended and unintended) impacts of the specific interventions in regard to capacity building and networking activities, with particular emphasis on the impact of women and on gender equality norms.
5. To assess the process and outcomes regarding coordination, networking, and partnerships with the private sector.
6. To assess the partnership modalities and approaches the project took with communities/beneficiaries, the local partner, and relevant government offices at all levels.
7. To assess the validity of the risks and assumptions indicated in the original project document in relation to the emerging issues (global, national, and local) and how the project responded with necessary mitigation measures.
8. To assess the quality and rigor of the monitoring and evaluation, learning, and knowledge management systems in terms of intersecting key monitoring information with key evidence from the large-scale study required for this evaluation to be representative.

Methodology

The consultant is expected to propose and design with precision the details of the methodology for conducting the evaluation. However, the use of appropriate participatory approaches is essential to properly triangulate information. Both primary and secondary sources must be used to generate data and information that are relevant to validate the key assumptions. A balanced mix of qualitative and quantitative methods such as surveys, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews with key informants, case studies and success stories of beneficiaries, and observation of the system will be used to collect primary data.

The consultant is expected to conduct the evaluationthrough phases: an inception desk-based phase, a field phase, and a synthesis and reporting phase which will be followed by a discussion seminar for a de-briefing and validation of the evaluation process, quality, and findings before the final revised report is submitted.

Deliverables

1. Inception report of a maximum of 15 pages (Structure attached in Annex 1) to be produced after 5 days from the start of the consultant services.
2. Draft a final report of a maximum of 35 pages. In addition, to meeting the evaluation objective and addressing the evaluation questions, the draft final report should also synthesize the findings and conclusions into an overall assessment of the project and recommendations for future interventions.
3. A final report with the same specifications as mentioned under 2 above, incorporating any comments received from the concerned parties on the draft report, to be presented within 2 days of the receipt of these comments. The project manager in CARE must confirm that all the comments have been addressed prior to any final acceptance of the report.

All the reports must be submitted in English and must be of high quality (publishable standard).

Work Plan and Evaluation

The project evaluation shall be conducted in a maximum of 35 days starting from the date of signing the agreement for the task. The consultant is expected to present the detailed work plan in his application including the period of data collection since his/her support will be required.

Criteria for Selection of the Consultant

Those interested in the consultancy must include in their application a detailed technical and financial proposal with the following components:

Technical

• Technical proposal for conducting the survey based on the given information and including methodology and work plan schedules. The applicants must show their understanding of the TOR and provide evidence of experience in carrying out similar roles.

Financial

• The consultant should provide the daily rate for the tasks that he/she will conduct excluding fieldwork since the CARE field team will take the lead.

Other conditions

• Must adhere to the CARE Code of Conduct and CARE Security Protocol during the entire duration of conducting the assignment.

Qualification and Experience

• Master’s degree in economics, development studies, agriculture, sociology, policy, or a related social science field.
• 5 years of experience conducting similar studies or research in volatile contexts like Sudan.
• Experience in livelihoods, resilience, gender, markets, value chain development and any other relevant background.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience and skills in designing, facilitating, and conducting conflict analysis exercises.
• Demonstrated proof of conducting similar exercises in the past possible, share reports from previous tasks.
• Strong knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods and sampling.
• Statistical analysis skills and strong proficiency with data analysis packages such as SPSS or STATA and qualitative data analysis software
• Fluency (verbal and written) in English and Arabic is an added advantage.
• If working as a team the proposal should outline the roles and the CVs must be included

Compliance

Each party hereby certifies that it has not provided support of any kind in violation of applicable law to a person or entity that it knows or has reason to know advocates terrorism or engages in terrorist activity.

Logistics and Services

This is a remote assignment and CARE will support the necessary field arrangements such as data collection and packaging of data and sharing with the consultant. The consultant will only conduct online interviews with relevant staff and stakeholders who can be accessed online.

How to apply

All the interested applicants should send their CVs and proposals to:

sdn.procurementtender@careinternational.onmicrosoft.co and Cc: najat.ahmed@care.org

Detailed information and TOR can be found here https://www.sudanbid.com/jobview.php?id=2255&s=

The proposal should be received by 20th March 2024.