BASELINE SURVEY CONSULTANCY At Invisible Children

BASELINE SURVEY CONSULTANCY

Terms of Reference

About Invisible Children

Headquartered in Washington DC, Invisible Children (IC) is an international non-profit organization working to end violent conflict and foster thriving ecosystems in solidarity with our world’s most at-risk communities. We partner with local visionaries and peace builders in volatile conflict zones to build community-led initiatives and drive global policy change to end violent conflict and ensure communities, and the environments on which they depend, have the safety they deserve.

Over the last 16 years, our programs and advocacy have contributed to significant progress in ending the LRA crisis. At the same time, we have continued to refine and adapt our programs to address other drivers of violent conflict in the central Africa region beyond the LRA crisis. In recent years, this has included the exploration of community-based initiatives and conflict analysis to address the intersection of human security and wildlife trafficking in the central Africa region. Currently, Invisible Children is implementing programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR), and South Sudan.

Background

IC is looking for an experienced consultant to carry out a Baseline Study for its project “USAID’s People to People Activity” (“Project”) in CAR. The Project objectives are as follows:

Objective 1: Undermine credibility of hate speech and armed groups.

Objective 2: Reduce intercommunal tensions and resolve conflicts by developing tools to resolve local-level conflicts.

Objective 3: Protect communities by building community capacity to reduce their exposure to security threats in a non-violent manner using early warning systems, community protection committees, and other approaches.

Terms of Reference

The Consultant will produce a Baseline Study that:

(a) Identifies relevant data which will facilitate the tracking of Project indicators included in Annex A (the “Indicators”) over the life of the Project in order to measure outputs, outcomes, and impact, as well as to guide implementation,

(b) Defines the project’s monitoring and evaluation system

(c) Identifies hidden or underlying fault lines, tensions, and barriers, including those which could impact access or participation in the project; and

(d) Provides formative information about the best approach to addressing sensitive topics in project activities.

The Consultant will be guided by the Indicators in identifying the baseline data to be tracked during Project implementation. To complete the Baseline Study, the Consultant shall:

§ Conduct a field mission to Mbomou and Haut-Mbomou Prefectures.

§ Identify and collect initial data to inform the Indicators and create a baseline for the start of the project.

§ Analyze, as appropriate, the manner in which the data identified informs or defines the relevant Indicator.

Collaborate with local partner FHAP to carry out an in-depth study that provides context analysis (conflict and gender analysis) and local mechanisms for their resolution; identifies hidden or underlying fault lines, tensions, and barriers, including those which could impact access or participation in the project; and provides formative information about the best approach to addressing sensitive topics in project activities. This will include developing a survey of perceptions of community cohesion, attitudes towards “out-groups” and perceptions of community leaders. This survey will also include perceptions of armed group credibility.

§ Provide inputs to revisions needed to the Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning plan (AMELP) upon receiving USAID feedback.

§ Develop a monitoring and data collection plan for each Indicator that includes defining the frequency of data collection, the areas and level of collection, the source of collection, those responsible for collection and the sources of verification.

§ Identify the necessary MEL tools for collecting and processing data (in computerized form) disaggregated by gender for each sector as possible. These tools will be validated jointly by all the partners and their final versions will be submitted to the Project Manager to allow for the regular collection and processing of data.

§ Create a Training Guide that outlines methods for data collection, storage, and analysis, to include Data Quality Assessment procedures as well as ethics guidelines (notably Do No Harm principles) for ensuring inclusivity and equity in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) practices.

§ Carry out a workshop to report and discuss the results of the study, involving the major stakeholders of the project.

The following non-exhaustive list of illustrative questions should be considered by the Consultant to guide preparation of the Study:

What are the dynamics of gender-based violence, intercommunal and armed group violence, and religious or identity-based conflicts in the Mbomou and Haut-Mbomou Prefectures?
What are the hidden or underlying fault lines, tensions and barriers including those which could impact access or participation in the project?
Who are the youth peace builders who can be engaged for this project?
What is the level of knowledge and awareness of the youth and women on the issues of armed group violence, religious conflicts, and ethnic tensions?
What are the attitudes of youth (male and female) towards hate speech and armed groups?
Who are the potential catalysts and spoilers of peacebuilding in the targeted communities?
What is the role of women in peacebuilding process? How active and integrated are they in society?
What are the existing mechanisms to respond to hate speech or reduce its spread and effects in the targeted communities?
Is there a culture of listening to radio, watching television, or following social media in the targeted communities? Are there existing HF radios in the community? What types of media programs are most popular in the target communities and why? What TV channels and radio programs are popular and most accessible by the target communities? What types of mobile phones do community members have? Are those phones compatible with micro-SD (memory) cards?
What are possible points of intervention around media, mobile cinema?
What is the perception toward mental health and psychology in the community? What are the existing psychosocial First Aid services in the targeted communities?

Methodology

The Study should be developed through a participatory approach which will allow communities to express their views freely, in order to more accurately guide Project implementation. Therefore, the Study should be based on surveys that are conducted at the group, village and household levels and structured as follows:

§ A qualitative phase with community governance bodies (local peace committees, village development committees, various youth associations, dialogue and mediation frameworks, etc.) through semi-structured interviews using guiding questions that leave space for spontaneous reflections on the part of the respondents to express their own point of view. Focus groups should be organized based on faith, gender, ethnicity, and other societal criteria to allow participants (particularly along religious lines) to provide their true opinions;

§ A quantitative phase with structured questionnaires at the household level which will support creating safe spaces for youth and women in households;

§ Semi-structured interviews at the community, group and village levels, with the administrative authorities (administrators, traditional leaders, and group leaders) and development partners (program collaborators and other projects/NGOs) to compare the data collected in the field by the team;

§ A desktop review for additional information.

Triangulation through these four elements will increase the level of reliability, as well as allow the comparison of data collected with existing data at the national and project/NGO levels in order to highlight possible contradictions to or invalidate/confirm the survey results.

Survey area and selection criteria

The survey area is defined in the project document as 14 targeted communities in the Mbomou and Haut-Mbomou Prefectures. The specific localities to be visited by the Consultant will be determined by IC in advance, upon award.

For the survey in the localities, the qualitative and quantitative tools to be used will be based on the MAPP model (Method for Impact Assessment of Programs and Projects) for groups such as the general assemblies of existing structures, local permanent peace committees, youth associations, and local women organizations.

Expected results and deliverables

§ An inception report that responds to the scope of work by adding any further detail or clarification regarding the study approach, method, or implementation arrangements.

§ Field work implementation plan (to be submitted before the field work begins), including best Do No Harm and gender inclusive approaches.

§ Overall report that outlines the field work and the data cleaning.

§ Final survey questionnaires and qualitative data collection guides.

§ Cleaned data files (including Questionnaires) in EXCEL format with data correctly organized, variables named and labeled.

§ Baseline values for the outcome level indicators from the indicators matrix.

§ A comprehensive baseline report that includes:

Baseline values for the outcome level Indicators.

Gender Analysis and overall analysis of the current situation in the intervention zone and the current context, taking into account the latest developments in security.

§ A report presenting the project’s monitoring and evaluation system, including:

The validated list of the Project Indicators.

The plan for monitoring and collecting indicators, including the tools needed to collect and process the data.

The reference values.

The consultant will work under the technical supervision of the USAID’s People to People Activity Project Manager. The Project Manager will oversee the process and be responsible for accountability and guidance throughout all phases of execution and approval of deliverables.

IC duties and responsibilities

§ IC will oversee the overall baseline assessment design, including sampling frame and selection of study sites.

§ Serve as co-facilitators in the training workshop for data collectors on survey implementation, including study methodology.

§ Participate and provide guidance in Questionnaires and pre-testing of tools.

§ Assist the consultant in supervising data enumerators by assigning project staff/partners to monitor the field work.

§ Review all data to ensure the quality and respect of the guidelines.

Resources and Logistical Support

IC will pay for the visa and transport to CAR, if needed, as well as travel to the field sites. In addition, IC will provide accommodation while in-country. IC will not provide a personal computer for the use of the Consultant. All necessary logistical arrangements for the assessment will be coordinated through the IC logistics department. IC will provide preparatory and logistical assistance to the consultant(s), which will include:

§ Background materials (Program Proposal/TOR, Matrix of indicators, etc.);

§ Preparation of meetings with Country Director and key program personnel;

§ Identify interviewees and set up interviews;

§ Meeting arrangements with stakeholders and beneficiaries;

§ Logistical arrangements

Timeframe

The timeframe for the baseline assessment is estimated to be between 4−5 weeks. The Consultant is expected to complete all responsibilities and deliverables outlined in the Scope of Work by September 28, 2022, subject to revision and agreement between IC and the Consultant. Please see the table below for your reference.

Steps

Date of completion

Advertising

11 August 2021

Selection of the consultant / firm

20 August

Hiring the consultant / firm

25th August 2021

Submission of inception report and baseline design

30 August 2021

Data collection in the field (Conflict analysis and baseline)

31st August-9 September 2021

Submission of first draft of baseline study report and AMELP including data collection tools

16th September 2021

Submission of final draft of baseline assessment and conflict analysis after incorporation of comments

23nd September 2021

Submission of final edited report

28th September 2021

Skills & Experience

Education

Have a university degree of Bachelor’s or Master’s in sociology (development), social sciences, or other relevant field (Master’s degree preferred),
Have additional knowledge in developing result-oriented Monitoring and evaluation systems in challenging context.

Experience

At least 7 years of experience in project evaluation and baseline assessments in developing countries, peacebuilding programs
Experience in the development of Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks and log-frames
Experience of gender sensitive approaches, including conducting baseline studies on gender issues
Proven experience in carrying out similar assignments is required
Very good knowledge of the local context and issues (economic, social, political…)

Language skills

Fluency in spoken French and written English is required. Knowledge of the local language of the intervention zone (Sango) is an asset.

Applications

Prospective candidates/firm should send an expression of interest, a CV of the principal consultant, and proposed budgeting plan no later than August 19, 2021 to psanchez@invisiblechildren.com and fkamguem@invisiblechildren.com, copying jntakobajira@invisiblechildren.com, rmoya@invisiblechildren.com and ymorgan@invisiblechildren.com