Mid-term Evaluation of Anticorruption for the many, not the few (AC4ALL)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Title of Consultancy: Anticorruption for the many, not the few (AC4ALL)

Application Closing Date: 26th of February 2024

Consultancy Start and End Date: April 1st– June 30th, 2024

Location of Consultancy: Remote with travel to Mexico

BACKGROUND

Transparency International (TI) is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption. In collaboration with more than 100 chapters1 worldwide and an international Secretariat in Berlin, Germany, TI raises awareness of the damaging effects of corruption and works with partners in government, business, and civil society to develop and implement effective measures to tackle it.

Transparency International is looking for a consultant or a team of consultants to conduct an independent mid-term evaluation of the project “Anticorruption for the many, not the few (AC4ALL)”. AC4ALL runs from March 2022 to February 2026. It is funded by the European Commission (EC) and is implemented jointly between the TI Secretariat (TI-S) in Berlin, which leads the regional and global interventions and Transparencia Mexicana, the National Chapter of TI in Mexico, which leads the implementation at the national and sub-national level.

AC4ALL aims to apply anti-corruption efforts to contribute to address inequality for those most left behind in Mexico (particularly women, youth, and ethnic minorities) by creating conducive conditions to promote more efficient and transparent fiscal and budgetary policies for the many and not for the few, especially for the benefit of women and youth. At the global level, the project aims to assess the role of transnational corruption and its detrimental impact on inequalities, understand the fundamental mechanisms used by these enablers and advocate for concrete reforms and enforcement measurements to disrupt these networks and effectively address leakages in public resources.

​​The national and subnational components implemented by Transparencia Mexicana (TI-MX) are based on a threefold strategy that consists of the following ​outputs​​ ​in Mexico: i) ​Knowledge fusion leads to a “ready to install” set of tools for progressive and inclusive fiscal reforms, policies, interventions or initiatives for federal, state and local governments in Mexico.​​ ​; ii) ​Fiscal and budgetary leakages are identified, tracked and controlled in both public revenues and expenditure​​ ​; and iii) ​Tools and interventions acknowledge and incorporate existing public opinion on anti-corruption, inequalities and fiscal justice, while including gender and social inclusion parameters. ​​

At the regional and global levels, the TI-S leverages its network of more than 100 national chapters to raise awareness of transnational corruption, monitor commitments at the national, regional and global levels and advocate for transformative change by fostering constructive partnerships with multi-stakeholder actors and initiatives.

Moreover, the TI-S work alongside TI-MX to close the loopholes in the global financial system that allows corruption schemes to thrive, and the billions stolen from citizens to be hidden and laundered. These include grand corruption schemes that transcend borders and further fuel inequality, such as foreign bribery, rigged public procurement, and embezzlement of health and education funds, among others. The main activities under this area of work include: i) Conducting research and analysis to understand the main mechanisms, networks and potential jurisdictions systematically used by actors engaging in tax evasion or diversion of public funds including mapping authorities, global trend-setters and best practices at the global level; ii) Promoting partnerships and peer-to-peer exchanges between TI-MX and other TI national chapters and regional/global stakeholders to discuss these topics; and iii) Promoting evidence-based advocacy to sustain pressure from civil society organi​s​​​ations and international stakeholders through sustained engagement in global fora.

The project was designed with a flexible and responsive approach that allows for adaptation based on a continuous context analysis, particularly at the state and municipal level in Mexico, to identify opportunities and target interventions.

As part of the project design phase, it was envisioned for TI-S to lead an independent mid-term evaluation to extract knowledge on the progress of implementation, challenges, and learnings on what needs to be adjusted to ensure the effectiveness and eventual impact of the project. This will feed into the learning aspect of the project, and the recommendations will be considered in the project’s upcoming phase.

OBJECTIVES OF THE MID-TERM EVALUATION

The main purpose of the mid-term evaluation is to provide an external and independent assessment of whether the project is on track to achieve the expected results and contribute to positive changes. Additionally, the evaluation will assess whether the intervention has led to any unforeseen positive or negative results. The assessment will stimulate learning and inform the upcoming activities under the grant.

The overall objectives of the mid-term evaluation are the following:

• Gather insights regarding the status of implementation, identify challenges, and critical lessons learned to pinpoint necessary adjustments for enhancing the overall effectiveness of AC4ALL through a thorough examination of the theory of change, assumptions, risks, and logical framework.
• Assess the relevance of the project not only to achieve its objectives but also to respond to donor priorities and TI/TMX objectives.
• Document lessons learned and good practices to provide evidence-based, forward-looking, and actionable recommendations that aim at strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the project in the second half of its implementation and increase the chances of achieving the project’s impact​.​​ ​

TI-S and TI-MX will use the evaluation results to improve the project’s implementation. The report will also be shared with the donor (the European Commission) and may be published on our website.

KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

The following OECD DAC criteria and respective evaluation questions should be addressed by the mid-term evaluation but are subject to discussion and agreement with the consultant(s) during the inception phase.

RELEVANCE: To what extent does the project align with the priorities and policies of the target groups, TI, and the EC?

• Are the project objectives and priorities still valid and aligned with ​the priorities of the EC TI’s strategic objectives and other main stakeholders​​?​
• Are the activities and outputs of the project consistent with the overall goal and the attainment of its objectives and core strategies?
• How well adapted is the project implementation to context changes (e.g. changes in needs, in policies, political​, economic context​, etc.)?

COHERENCE: To what extent is the project compatible with other projects within the organisation, other projects funded by the EC and other projects in the same sector within the target country and region​s around the world​?

• Are there similar initiatives in the project country or the region? Are there other donor initiatives in the same topic implemented at the local, regional or global levels? If so, to what extent are projects coordinated, and are there instances of coordination with those interventions?
• How well have TI-S and TI-MX used partnerships to strengthen the project’s effectiveness and to avoid duplication?

EFFECTIVENESS: How far were the intended outcomes achieved in relation to targets set during the design phase of the overall project and the initiatives developed by TI-MX and TI-S? ​ ​

• What progress has been made, and to what extent are the project’s objectives likely to be achieved?
• What are the significant factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of the objectives?
• Have specific approaches that proved successful/ failed and what learnings can be drawn from this?
• Have major learnings ​been ​organised and systematised so that they can be shared or replicated with other stakeholders?
• How effectively is the project leveraging its international partnerships to disseminate the project’s insights gained in Mexico globally and share global experiences with Mexico?

EFFICIENCY: To which extent does the project deliver, or is likely to deliver, results in an economical and timely way?

• To what extent have effective and inclusive results-based management and administration systems been in place?​ To what extent are they impact-driven?​
• Is progress being achieved at reasonable costs? Is the project being implemented in an economically justifiable way under the given circumstances? Are the project resources being used in an efficient and timely manner? Are there any benchmarks to support the answers?
• Were implementation risks adequately identified and managed?
• To what extent are effective project management systems in place? What additional capacities, resources and support would be required for a successful implementation in the next phase of the project?

IMPACT: Are the project interventions likely to produce the expected changes?

• ​​How effectively is the project reorienting anticorruption efforts to significantly reduce fiscal and budgetary leakages, and eventually achieve the objective of addressing inequality​ in Mexico​? ​ ​​

SUSTAINABILITY: How effective is the project planning for sustainability?

• Is the intervention leading to institutional and policy level sustainability, including “scalable” or “replicable” results​ nationally and internationally​ as well as long-lasting effects to achieve sustainable development?
• How effectively is the project planning for financial sustainability after the completion of the action?

SUSTAINABILITY: How effective is the project planning for sustainability?

• Is the intervention leading to institutional and policy level sustainability, including “scalable” or “replicable” results​ nationally and internationally​ as well as long-lasting effects to achieve sustainable development?
• How effectively is the project planning for financial sustainability after the completion of the action?

METHODOLOGY

The evaluation, including its approach and methods, will be planned, and conducted in close consultation with TI-S monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) coordinator and project team. TI-S will provide the necessary substantive support, including sharing all documents for desk review.

The consultant or team of consultants is ultimately responsible for the overall methodological approach and design of the mid-term evaluation, which should be adapted to the requirements of these terms of reference (ToR). The mid-term evaluation should use a participatory and inclusive approach, engaging relevant staff at TI-S and TI-MX through structured methods. Both quantitative and qualitative data should be utilised in assessing the project. The exact methodology should be defined, discussed, and agreed upon with TI-S during the inception phase. The mid-term evaluation can include but not necessarily be limited to the following methods:

• Desk review of relevant documents.
• Individual and/or group online/in-person interviews with project-implementing stakeholders in Mexico at the national and local levels.
• Survey questionnaires to project implementing stakeholders.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE

The consultant or team of consultants is expected to deliver:

• An inception report outlining the proposed methodology, stakeholders, data collection tools and timeframe of planned actions.
• A draft evaluation report for review and comments by TI-S, including annexes. The draft should include documentation of the participatory approach and data collection methods.
• A final evaluation report. The report should include lessons-learned and action-oriented recommendations according to the evaluation criteria listed above, with a suggested action plan for each recommendation.

Guidance and quality assurance:

• The findings should be referenced.
• The consultant’s approach should be guided by the Transparency International Impact Matrix approach (www.transparency.org/whoweare/accountability/impact_monitoring/4), ​​TI GESI guidelines and specific donor requirements and guidelines.
• The research should abide by ethical protocols, including participant confidentiality and privacy, and by data protection regulations.

The final report should not be longer than 25 pages, excluding the annexes and the executive summary. It should include an introduction, main findings, conclusion, and recommendations section. Annexes to the final report should be kept to an absolute minimum; only those annexes that demonstrate or clarify an issue related to a significant finding should be included.

All evaluation deliverables are to be submitted in electronic form in English, per the agreed deadlines.

The consultant or team of consultants is responsible for the quality of the final product, including editing and quality control of language.

While considering the comments provided on the draft, the evaluation consultant or team of ​​consultants shall use their independent and impartial judgment in preparing the final report.

The evaluation consultant or team of consultants will communicate with the TI-S evaluation reference group (consisting of the project manager, project associate, regional advisor, and MEL coordinator) in regular MS Teams calls and keep them in the CC of all communications.

SELECTION CRITERIA

TI-S is inviting expressions of interest from an individual consultant or a team of consultants to carry out the mid-term evaluation of the project. The consultant(s) should have:

Core competencies

People’s skills: The consultant(s) should be able to mediate the different expectations of the different internal stakeholders to produce a strong independent assessment that will genuinely serve the learning purposes set out in this ToR.

Work style: The consultant(s) should be well-planned and organised even within a fluid working environment and have a capacity for initiative with competent analytical and problem-solving skills. The consultant(s) should be able to maintain a strong level and flow of communication with reporting stakeholders.

Language: The consultant(s) should possessexcellent command of English and Spanish.

Technical competencies

Applicants should have the following skills and experience:

• ​​​A university degree in social sciences or a related area. A post-graduate degree in project management and/or related fields would be an advantage.
• Substantial experience in conducting evaluations, including in the anti-corruption field.
• At least five years of proven relevant professional experience in international development, of which at least three years should be in monitoring & evaluation of multiple country projects & programmes.
• Proven experience in the conceptualisation and facilitation of participatory approaches.
• Highly motivated and committed to the values of transparency and integrity.
• Regional experience and a good understanding of political and socio-economic issues in Mexico.
• Experience with the evaluation of EC-funded projects is desirable but not necessary.

The consultant or team of consultants will communicate with TI-S evaluation reference group (consisting of the project manager, project associate, regional advisor and MEL coordinator) in regular MS Teams calls and keep them in the CC of all communications.

REMUNERATION AND COSTS

The consultant or team of consultants should provide their estimated total fee as a lump sum or standard daily rates before any VAT or other charges.

For consultants or team of consultants based in the EU, EEA and Switzerland

Transparency International e.V. (TI Secretariat) is registered as a Business Entity in Germany with VAT identification number DE273612486. To determine the Value Added Tax (VAT) implications of this tender, we kindly request that the consultant(s) fill out the VAT Form for Tenders/Vendor Form (instructions inside the form) and submit the completed and duly signed form along with their email application.

Consultants based in Germany and do not charge German VAT must confirm their small entrepreneur status.

The VAT Form for Tenders/Vendor Form is available below.

https://files.transparencycdn.org/images/TendersVendor-Form.docx

LOGISTICS AND SPECIFICATION

The consultant or team of consultants are expected to work approximately 25 working days between April and June 2024.

A detailed timeline needs to be agreed upon at the beginning of the assignment.

DATA PROTECTION

When you respond to this tender and submit your application, you provide consent that Transparency International e. V. keeps your application materials for a period of ten years according to German legal requirements. Afterwards, Transparency International will delete your application and any personal data included in it. If you have any data protection questions, please reach out to dataprotection@transparency.org

Guidelines for handling overhead and travel expenses

Overhead

Regular overhead expenses associated with the Consultants maintaining their place of business, such as rent, telephone, utilities or stationery, are included in the Consultant’s professional fee, except where explicitly agreed otherwise in the contract.

Travel

Travel and accommodation expenses will, as far as possible, and where applicable, be recovered from the institutions and companies hosting events or using the outputs provided by the consultant.

Where such cost recovery is not possible, all travel is subject to prior approval by TI Secretariat staff responsible for the financial management of the project or TI budget line that will support travel costs. TI shall not issue travel advances to the consultants. For accommodation or travel by air, rail, or coach, they will instead have to contact TI Secretariat, which will make travel arrangements on the consultant’s behalf.

All travel booked by TI Secretariat will include travel health and accident insurance with worldwide coverage and economy class only; accommodation will aim to achieve the best value for money up to a 4-star category.

Consultants shall be entitled to invoice TI Secretariat only for local transportation and visa costs (if applicable).

Subsistence allowance (per diems) and expenses for individual meals cannot be claimed. These are part of the consultant’s business expenses.

How to apply

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

Applications must be sent by email to AC4ALLevaluation@transparency.org by the 26th of February 2024. Please indicate “AC4ALL Mid-Term Evaluation” in the subject line of your email application. Applications should contain these documents in English:

• A proposal of how the assignment will be approached, including a budget and tentative timeline.
• A letter of motivation focusing on concrete examples relating to the necessary skills and experience required in these ToR.
• Curriculum Vitae with a full description of the applicant’s profile and experience.
• Contact details for at least two independent referees with in-depth and proven knowledge of the applicant’s expertise and relevant work experience.
• A sample evaluation, as the first author, published in the last three years.
• A completed VAT Form for Tenders/Vendor Form (for EU only).

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted and that it is unfortunately not possible to provide individual feedback on applications.

TI retains the right to reject any or all the applications and/or to enter into additional negotiations with one or more of the tendering parties.