Consultant – Lead Evaluator for carrying out Midline Evaluation – Uzbekistan

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Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

In an effort to enhance food security, alleviate hunger, and promote literacy and primary education to foster self-reliant and productive societies, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided funding for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole 2019) in the Republic of Uzbekistan. This initiative aims to support the Preschool Education System Development Concept of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The program seeks to aid the implementation of the government’s Preschool Education System Development Concept, reaching 42,700 preschool children across 294 preschools in 22 districts spanning two regions, namely the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Surkhandarya. The program is guided by specific core objectives, which includes:

Promote reading readiness through the provision of age-appropriate activities/materials to develop preschoolers’ early literacy skills.
Improve student attendance in preschools through the provision of daily preschool meals, improved learning environment, and access to clean water and sanitation.
Involve children, parents and community in the preschool education system to enhance community and parent support for preschoolers’ reading readiness.
Increase knowledge of nutrition, health and hygiene practices, and safe food preparation and storage practices, by facilitating training for cooks, parents, and preschool staff.
Improve preschool infrastructure and the learning environment of preschool children through the construction or rehabilitation of preschool kitchens, and improved water and sanitation facilities.

Purpose / Project Description:

The purpose of this midline evaluation is to assess the performance of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education & Child Nutrition Program in Uzbekistan with respect to planned objectives, review and re-assess the program design, and generate lessons to improve sustainability. The midline evaluation findings will help document the results to date, generate lessons learned, and inform potential adaptations to program interventions, to ensure that the program successfully achieves its stated objectives.

Given its extensive scope and the rich journey of implementation, Mercy Corps believes that this evaluation may generate lessons that may inform design of similar programs not only in Uzbekistan, but also beyond its borders. Mercy Corps will work closely with the evaluation partner, the donor, the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), and counterparts at the relevant Uzbekistan government offices to develop a dissemination plan to ensure that all pertinent stakeholders are well-informed about the findings, recommendations, and are able to access the learnings. Evaluation briefs, infographics and other relevant communication materials will be generated to share with key entities such as USDA, USAID, the Uzbekistan Government through the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan (MoPSE), district and regional education offices, the identified preschools, parents associated with those preschools, as well as other non-governmental and multilateral organizations engaged in the education sector.

Consultant Objectives:

This Midterm Evaluation will serve the following objectives:

Progress towards indicator targets established at baseline;
Relevance and effectiveness of program interventions to date;
Quality and efficiency Implementation; and
Incorporation of lessons learned and recommendations from mid-way correction of project

The findings will be used to develop mid-course corrections and inform all key stakeholders on Program’s progress. For this reason, the main focus of the MTE will be effectiveness and generating actionable lessons learned.

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will deliver the final evaluation report with following detail:

Abstract
Executive Summary
Evaluation Purpose
Background on the Context and the Program being Evaluated
Evaluation Questions
Methodology
Limitations to the Evaluation
Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Annexes

The evaluation abstract of no more than 250 words should describe what was evaluated, evaluation questions, methods, and key findings or conclusions. The executive summary should be 2–5 pages and summarize the purpose, background of the program being evaluated, main evaluation questions, methods, findings, and conclusions together with recommendations and lessons learned. The evaluation methodology shall be explained in the report in detail. Limitations to the evaluation shall be disclosed in the report, with particular attention to the limitations associated with the evaluation methods (e.g., in data availability; measurement; analysis; any potential bias such as sampling/selection, measurement, interviewer, response, etc.) and their implications for conclusions drawn from the evaluation findings. The report should be drafted in the English language.

Annexes to the report must include:

Evaluation SOW (updated, not the original, if there were any modifications);
Evaluation methods;
All data collection and analysis tools used in conducting the evaluation, such as questionnaires, checklists, and discussion guides;
All sources of information or data identified and listed.
Statements of difference regarding significant unresolved differences of opinion by funders, implementers, and/or members of the evaluation team, if applicable.
Signed disclosure of conflict-of-interest forms for all evaluation team members, either attesting to a lack of or describing existing conflicts of interest; and
Summary information about evaluation team members, including qualifications, experience, and role on the team.

Timeframe / Schedule with Activities:

**Date: First week of March 2024 –**Suggested LoE 12 days (Activities: Review document, Evaluation Matrix design, Development of Evaluation tools)

**Date: Third week of March 2024 –**Suggested LoE 3 days (Activities: Orientation to local data collection partners)

**Date: Second week of April 2024 –**Suggested LoE 2 days (Activities: In country travel)

**Date: Third week of April 2024 –**Suggested LoE 6 days (Activities: Qualitative Inquiries with different top-management team, Donor, and Ministry representative)

**Date: Fourth week of April 2024 –**Suggested LoE 2 days (Activities: Travel back)

**Date: First week of May 2024 –**Suggested LoE 2 days (Activities: Review the quality of transcript received from local partner and if required held meeting with local data collection partner)

**Date: Second week of May 2024 –**Suggested LoE 10 days (Activities: Analysis of qualitative data and integration of secondary data)

**Date: Fourth week of May 2024 –**Suggested LoE 2 days (Activities: Presentation of preliminary findings to MC Uzbekistan team)

**Date: First week of June 2024 –**Suggested LoE 12 days (Activities: Start drafting report)

**Date: Fourth week of June 2024 –**Suggested LoE 2 days (Activities: Address feedback and comments from MC team)

**Date: Fourth week of July 2024 –**Suggested LoE 3 days (Activities: Address feedback and comments from Donor)

The Consultant will report to:

Consultant will report MEL Manager, Uzbekistan

The Consultant will work closely with:

Mercy Corps Chief of Party for Uzbekistan, regional MEL advisor and global MEL advisor and directors

Required Experience & Skills:

At least 10-15 years of evaluation experience, preferably focused on education and nutrition programs in complex and dynamic contexts. Experience with evaluating food for education programs will be an advantage.
Prior experience in qualitative research, qualitative evaluations and alike.
Proven experience in using different multiple secondary data source for triangulating findings for qualitative evaluation.
Previous experience evaluating USDA FFE programming and experience with Mercy Corps will be an advantage.
Excellent writing, presentation, and communication skills with a proven ability to adapt to different audiences, national and international.
Familiarity with the Central Asia implementation context and needs is desired.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.