Consultancy Mission For The Mid-term Evaluation Of A Multi-country Development Program In The Sahel At Luxembourg Red Cross

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Terms of Reference (TOR)

Consultancy mission for the mid-term evaluation of a multi-country development program in the Sahel

1. Context

This consultancy mission is part of the 2023-2027 framework agreement for the development of International Aid by the Luxembourg Red Cross (AICRL) in the Sahel: “Strengthening resilience and reducing risks in the face of the consequences of climate change and conflicts”, co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Luxembourg.

The program operates in Burkina Faso (Centre-West region), Mali (city of Bamako), Chad (Logone Oriental province), Niger (Dosso region, activities to be discontinued in 2025), and from 2026 in Benin (Mono and Ouémé departments). It aims to sustainably improve the living conditions of populations through housing, water, hygiene and sanitation, land-use planning, and the strengthening of early warning systems.

2. Mission Objectives

General objective:

To evaluate at mid-term the implementation of the program in order to assess the progress made towards the expected results (quantitative and qualitative) and to formulate recommendations to optimize the second phase.

Specific objectives:

  • Propose a participatory evaluation methodology adapted to the Sahelian context, including data collection tools (questionnaires, interview guides, etc.);
  • Use the OECD/DAC criteria (relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability) as the main analytical framework;
  • Evaluate in depth the main themes in the appendix (see: catalogue of questions);
  • Identify the main success factors and constraints encountered;
  • Formulate recommendations based on the evaluation to enable AICRL and its partners to optimize their approaches, strengthen their management capacities and maximize the impact of the program;
  • Facilitating a workshop on lessons learned in Chad.

3. Deliverables and schedule:

Mars 2026 :

  • A validated methodological framework (assessment plan, data collection tools and interview guide).

April 2026:

  • 3 field missions to be carried out in April 2026 (Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad) to be carried out by the same person / team.

May 2026:

  • A database of information from the field (surveys, interviews, focus groups);
  • Report presenting the main results and analyses.

June 2026:

  • Feedback workshop with stakeholders in Chad;
  • Final consolidated report incorporating the main results and analyses as well as the results of the workshop.

4. Desired composition of the consultancy proposal:

  • A note on understanding the TDR and a first methodological proposal;
  • A work schedule with an updated CV and references for recent similar assignments;
  • Financial proposal including the number of days worked by the person and the price per day and the fees included and not included in the proposal.

5. Selection criteria:

The selection criteria consider the quality and suitability of the technical proposal to the needs, as well as the most economically advantageous proposal.

Criteria taken into account for the analysis of the technical proposal:

  • Individual consultant or firm with proven experience (in evaluating development programs). A single evaluator for the 3 field missions (to ensure a comprehensive view);
  • Demonstrated competence in resilience analysis, climate risk management and development cooperation;
  • Excellent command of participatory approaches and monitoring and evaluation tools;
  • Work experience in the Sahel region is highly desirable;
  • Excellent ability to synthesize and write in French;
  • Knowledge of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an asset;
  • The proposed schedule matches the desired schedule.

Appendix 1:

Catalogue of questions:

  1. HOUSING AND COMMUNITY CENTERS

Quality of the works

  • Are the constructed works relevant and effective (houses, latrines, schools, waiting areas, community stores) and therefore meet the expectations of the beneficiary communities?
  • Are they durable, meaning were the construction techniques chosen appropriately and implemented correctly?
  • What lessons have been learned in terms of the relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of the works?

The implementation of more suitable and sustainable housing construction techniques and the rehabilitation of houses for vulnerable households

  • Is the resilience of communities in terms of housing strengthened through the construction and rehabilitation of houses?
  • Are the construction techniques and materials used or tested (adobe bricks, fired bricks, compressed bricks) in line with the local environmental, social and economic context and what lessons can be learned for the future based on the advantages and disadvantages of the construction techniques used?
  1. WATER, HYGIENE AND SANITATION

Improving access to and sustainable use of drinking water

  • Is there structured management and ownership of the water points created/rehabilitated by the project beneficiaries?

Support for the implementation of better hygiene and sanitation practices

  • Do the community awareness sessions held by the project’s facilitators and volunteers contribute to a change in community behavior regarding hygiene and sanitation, leading to a reduction in health risks?
  1. LAND USE PLANNING
  • Is the choice of targeted streets and footbridges, dikes and reforestation technically the most relevant within the framework of the land-use planning of the intervention area?
  • How effective are the mitigation measures put in place? (Dikes, reforestation, etc.)
  1. EARLY WARNINGS

Supporting communities to strengthen their knowledge of flood risks and measures to mitigate those risks

  • Are the community actors involved in the project prepared (technical and material capacities) to deal with the risks of flooding?
  • Have the community tools implemented enabled communities to effectively prepare themselves to face flood risks in terms of technical and material capacities?
  • What approaches have been used (EVCA, PASSA, …) and what are the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches in terms of impact and efficiency, what lessons learned for future interventions can be recommended?

How to apply

Submission methods and deadlines:

The deadline for submitting a technical and financial proposal is set for February 6, 2026.

Technical and financial proposals should be sent as PDF files by email to the following address: antje.mengel@croix-rouge.lu