CONSULTANCY ASSIGNMENT for IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE WFP’S FFA/DRR INTERVENTIONS At Christian Aid

A. Background

As of 30 June 2021, there are currently 890,276 Rohingya refugees (189,901 Households/HHs) residing within the refugee camps and host community in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh with over 738,817 individuals (152,617 Households/HHs) having arrived since 25 August 2017 The overwhelming majority of the refugee population live with extreme vulnerability in highly dense areas within Ukhiya and Teknaf sub-districts of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, with limited opportunities and basic services remaining a challenge. Over-congestion and a difficult terrain mainly constituted by steep slippery slopes and flood-prone low-lying areas, lack of proper drainage facilities make it very challenging to improve refugees’ access to humanitarian services, particularly for those with impaired mobility and other disabilities.

FFA/DRR Programs are designed to support the vulnerable Forcefully Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) through Cash for Work (CfW) modality in all the 32 refugee camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf sub-districts under Cox’s Bazar district.

The key activities include drainage construction, drainage up-gradation, Brick Flat Soling (BFS) access roads and pathways development, slope protection, and guide wall establishment under different Sub Projects (SPs). The SPs employ FDMN beneficiaries as skilled and unskilled labour, including men, women, and people with disabilities (PWDs), and pay them on a CfW basis. The activities often include long-term/ mid-term projects that can retain beneficiaries for more than 2 cycles (1 cycle=15 day), including reforestation and drain cleaning.

The project is implemented by different Cooperating Partners (CPs) to achieve the project outcomes in consultation and communication with WFP, Camp in Charge, SMSD, and RRRC.

The proposed independent external assessment will look at the quality and impact of the project. The assessment will also come up with recommendations and future scope for the continuation of such interventions.

B. Overall Purpose

• To understand the type of positive and negative impacts on refugee communities and host population created by the DRR activities.
• To highlight key lessons learnt during the implementation stage of the project so that lessons can be utilized for future interventions, particularly in Cox Bazar

C. Specific Objectives

The assessment aims to address the following specific objectives as mentioned below.**

1. To understand how the infrastructures/ assets created are helping the community people, such as access or in lvelihoods, etc.
2. To assess the use and impact of cash gained through Cash for Work (CfW) in the lives of the beneficiaries
3. To understand the extent to how the project achieved its target in terms of project outcomes
4. To measure the beneficiaries’ satisfaction level with services received by the project
5. To measure the degree of accessibility of the beneficiaries to the project accountability and feedback mechanism
6. To understand the environmental impact of infrastructure/assets and identify where nature-based solutions can replace mechanical interventions

D. Key Questions Assessment must address

Context: a. How appropriate were the programme strategies employed, given the context within which they were implemented? b. How well was context analysis incorporated into the needs assessment? c. In what ways was project implementation impacted by insecurity, COVID-19, and movement restriction/ lockdown?

Targeting and Accountability: a. Has beneficiary targeting been effective? b. How effective are the complaint mechanisms within the centre? c. Have beneficiary complaints been successfully redressed?

Needs assessment and targeting: a. How well and timely were needs assessed and by whom? b. Were affected communities adequately involved in needs assessments and appropriately targeted in the light of needs identified? c. How well did response, recovery, and rehabilitation plans reflect the needs identified? d. How well did CP and WFP identify vulnerable and excluded groups and make provisions for their assistance?

Partnership: a. How well did WFP live up to its ‘partnership principles’ in its relationships with local and international partners? b. Has the project contributed to the empowerment of the local communities?

Participation: a. How well were affected communities involved at each stage of the response and rehabilitation (needs assessment, planning and targeting, implementation, monitoring and assessment)?

Accountability: a. How transparent were CP activities and the decision-making processes to affected communities throughout the programmes? b. How effective were the feedback channels provided by CP enabling affected communities to register concerns or grievances and receive an appropriate response?

Gender: a. Where relevant, how well does the project consider gender roles in reproduction and raising children, work and community management? b. How well does the programme address gender-related need that are i) practical: e.g., access to food, social services, paid work, etc. ii) strategic: reducing inequalities in work, domestic and childcare tasks, credit, education. c. What lasting or significant changes have occurred in the lives of poor women, men, girls and boys? d. To what extent has the greater equity achieved between poor women, men, boys and girls?

Capacity Building and DRR: a. Are the beneficiaries less vulnerable to hazards as a result of the programme? b. Have DRR components been integrated into the design and implementation of programmes? c. Are there demonstrable signs of local coping mechanisms visible in the community? If so, what are they? d. Has the programme work-built CP capacities, knowledge and skills for future intervention? e. Whether all capacity gaps were addressed effectively or if there are still some remaining

Advocacy & Lobbying: a. How has advocacy and lobbying with the government is integrated into the programmes, and what effect has this had on the local communities?

E. Methodology

The methodology will include (though not limited)

• Both quantitative (survey) and qualitative data collection approaches will be used in this assessment.
• Understanding of the situation before the project and how the assets cretade have achieved the pre-determined outcomes over time after completion of the project.
• The quantitative survey will focus on the individual view from the community people while the qualitative approach, including Focused Group Discussion (FGD), Key Informant Interview (KII), Observation, will focus on the collective view of the stakeholders and communities on the impacts of the project activities.
• The household survey would be used to gather data on specific objectives. A random sampling method will be used to ensure a feasible yet meaningful sample (consisting both beneficiary and non beneficiary), which will also reflect the population in the individual target camps.
• The qualitative approach will also help to sketch a more holistic portrayal of the scenario of the project impacts.

The assessment team will interview Camp Management Authorities (CiC/ACiC), Site Management (SM) as well as Site Development (SD) team from the working camps, representatives from WFP, representatives from CP as Key Informants. In addition, the team will conduct FGDs. Moreover, for observation, the team will be to closely observing the project-built structures, community approaches towards these structures, using pattern, accessibility etc. In addition, other tools like the Likert scale, will be used for quantifying qualitative data as well. The data collection tools will be developed and finalised by the team with consultation with WFP. The quantitative data will be collected by visiting HHs using digital questionnaires developed through KOBO toolbox and WFP Ministry of Disaster Affairs (MoDa) database. For qualitative data collection feasible time schedule will be followed by the assessment team. The data analysis will be completed using KOBO/MS excel (quantitative), and NVIVO (Qualitative). Methodologies will be discussed in detail with selected consultancy firm and assistants prior to the assessment. The consultant will recruit enumerators and softwares will be available for processing.

F. Deliverables and Timelines

The project seeks to identify an independent consultant (national/ international- individuals/ firms) who can undertake this exercise. The consultancy firm(s) is expected to deliver following tasks.

• Prior to the assessment: The consultant will consult with WFP staff, country evaluators, country office staff and partners on methodology/sampling design, review CP Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) reports and other relevant documents, quality assurance, travel itineraries and meetings schedules. An Inception report should be shared all addressing the issues properly. The report includes an initial feasible work plan and proposal for the impact assessment outlining the methodology, survey tools, data collection and analysis process, and final set of data-collection tools. The quality assurance protocols to minimize the bias and errors and outline the limitations to the assessment considering the COVID- 19 situations should be part of the proposal. A clear matrix mapping in detail the data collection and analysis will be developed and part of the inception report.
• During the assessment: At the end of the field visit there will be verbal feedback on initial findings and conclusions to the CP partners.

· After the assessment: The following reports will be produced

• Major findings; Presentation on the main findings of the assessment to field level staff as well as management and stakeholders such as community representatives and local authorities. This is to be done a week after the finalization of data collection.
• Draft report shared with WFP and other stakeholders for comments and feedback, done after the presentation of findings to stakeholders.
• Final report, the final report should be presented to WFP in electronic format – both MS Word and PDF formats – together with quantitative dataset and consolidated qualitative data, after presentation feedback from WFP. The final report should be no longer than 30 pages, inclusive of annexes, and other supporting documents. The report should contain (but not limited to) the following sections:
• Executive Summary presenting the major findings.
• A short description of the design and methodology used.
• Limitations.
• A short description of the assessment context and process including its constraints and challenges.
• Detailed findings based on the study, including annexes of all the evaluation data/information from all communities, pictures, case studies and any quotations.
• Analysis of the findings (following the key objectives outlined in the ToR).
• Programme Accountability, focusing on the existing accountability system, barriers to existing systems suggested for overcoming barriers to information, participation, consultation and providing and receiving feedback.
• Lessons learnt, conclusions and recommendations for future interventions.

Key deliverables

Timeline

Submission of the inception report, proposed methodology, and tools – By 2^nd week of December 2021

Finalize evaluation design, schedule, and training of enumerators (2 days training) – By 3^rd Week of December 2021

Data Collection, Entry, and Analysis – By end of December 2021

Presentation of key findings to WFP/ other stakeholders – By 2^nd Week of January 2022

Draft report writing, submission, and presentation – By 3^rd Week of January 2022

Presentation of key findings to stakeholders – By Last Week of January 2022

Refining and submission of final report & Brief – By Last Week of January 2022

G. Eligibility of the key consultant or the consulting agency:

• The consultancy team leader should have experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative research, and previous experience leading similar surveys for similar assignments, and deep knowledge of various research methodologies and social research tools and techniques
• The ability to write the analytical report in fluent English
• Experience in conducting study for the host community and Rohingya community in Bangladesh
• Understanding of local administrative policies-practices (including regulatory environment) and sectoral coordination mechanism
• Solid understanding of knowledge and experience on sustainable agricultural needs and gap analysis Understanding of conflict-sensitivity within humanitarian and development response.
• Solid understanding of thematic concerns in humanitarian response, such as gender, disability, localization and do not harm.
• Strong analytical and interpersonal communication skills
• Have solid M&E skills especially around DRR and resilience programming.

H. Points to Consider for Consultancy Agency/ Firm

• Ensure government validation (RRRC) that will be necessary, choosing the correct consulting firm is critical.
• Link wih national/ local university for a collaborative study.
• The finalist expert consultancy firm should review and refine the attached draft ToRs before we share them with the RRRC Office for their information and input.
• Engage the government’s and work with implementing agencies to ensure approval for exercise and firm.
• Have the technical capability to properly evaluate our structural assets, and they should also have some practitioners to find the new scope of work or gaps to be filled in.
• The finalist firm/s should give us a presentation and advise us on what we can do through this exercise in light of our circumstances.

I. Budget provision:

Undisclosed for RFQ.

J. Required business documents:

The Consulting firm/ consultant should have an updated Trade License/RJSC Certificate, Tax clearance certificate, VAT registration certificate, TIN certificate, and a list of clients who provided relevant services. VAT and Tax will be deducted as per Government rules.

K. Mode of Payment:

20% of the total amount will be paid at the time of signing the contract, 30% of the total amount will be paid at the time of submitting the presentation on key findings. Rest 50% of the total amount will be paid at the time of final report submission and acceptance. All payments shall be made through an account payee cheque. Deduction of VAT and Tax shall be applicable as per government rules.

L. Selection Criteria:

The selection committee will evaluate both the technical and financial proposal of the Consulting agencies/ consultant based on set out evaluation criteria as follows. A cumulative weighted scoring method will be applied to evaluate the proposal. The award of the contract will be made to the Consulting firm/ consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as responsive/ compliant/ acceptable with reference to this TOR.

· The following areas will serve as criteria for technical proposal (100 marks) assessment: Previous experience regarding similar work (30 marks) Education background/Team Composition and relevance to project outcomes (20 marks)

· Time-bound rollout plan (20 marks)

· Financial proposal (30 marks)

Expressions of Interest should include:

• Cover letter (maximum one page)
• Technical Proposal (maximum 5 pages)
• Financial Proposal (maximum one page)