External Final Evaluation for Armenian Project – EU4Tourism: Outdoor Adventures on Historic Trails in Syunik At People in Need

Country Office: People in Need (PIN) Armenia

Project Name: EU4Tourism: Outdoor Adventures on Historic Trails in Syunik

Project Length: March 15th 2018 – June 15th 2021

Project Budget: 503.181 EUR

Duration of Final Evaluation: 25 days

Estimated Start Date: Mid July 2021

1. Introduction

1.1. PIN Background

People in Need (PIN) is an international, non-profit organization established in early 1990s in the Czech Republic. Since then, PIN has grown to be the biggest relief and development organization of its kind in post-communist Europe and currently provides humanitarian and development assistance in 24 countries worldwide.

People in Need established a country program in Armenia in 2003. PIN’s goal in Armenia is supporting a strong civil society that takes an active part in poverty reduction and sustainable development. We work in four interlinked sectoral directions: sustainable livelihoods and environment; education and skills development; good governance at the local level; humanitarian support to the displaced people in Armenia. More information on PIN Armenia and its’ projects can be found here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PeopleInNeedArmenia and PIN Armenia Website. https://armenia.peopleinneed.global/hy/

1.2. Project Summary

The EU funded ‘EU4Tourism: Outdoor Adventures on Historic Trails in Syunik’ projectempowers civil society groups in Syunik region to take a more active part in reducing poverty through local tourism development. The project supports communities located in and around Goris and Kapan in further development of their tourism potential. It involves civil society organisations, village/community-based groups (including youth groups, women’s groups etc.), individual or family-run small enterprises (existing and start-ups) and students from Goris University and other universities in Armenia. The focus is on supporting the rural population in villages that has not benefited from tourism infrastructure investments thus far.

Main activities within the project are:

• Scouting, mapping, marking of a hiking trail of 250 km from Khndzoresk (Goris) to Khustup (Kapan);
• Community mobilisation and provision of the sub-grants for community initiatives and businesses.
• Promotion of the hiking trail to bring both local and international tourists to the newly established hiking trail.

1.3. Project Status

As of mid June, 2021, most of the main project activities have been completed. In line with the objectives of the project: the new hiking trail named the ‘Legends Trail’ was established, all the scouting, mapping and marking activities are completed. All the 3 rounds of grants both for community initiatives and business were announced and granted. In total for all rounds PIN has granted 18 community initiative grants and 17 businesses. The project underwent an internal mid-term evaluation in September- October 2019 and identified its strengths and weaknesses and provided recommendation for the remaining implementation period. The selected Evaluator will be provided with the mid-term evaluation, all official donor reports and other key documents to inform the successful completion of this assignment.

Main Assignment: External Final Evaluation

2. Purpose of the Evaluation

The purpose of this final evaluation is to provide an overall assessment of the project’s performance in relation to achievement of the intended results and in terms of how they have been delivered. The evaluation will identify key lessons and propose practical recommendations that will enable PIN, its partners and other stakeholders to enhance the impact of future, similarly focused projects.

2.1. Scope

The evaluation will look over the whole life of the project’s delivery period; 15 March 2018 – 15June 2021, and assess the intended direct results and also consider some of the indirect benefits brought about through the projects work. Specifically, it will focus its scope around the following workstreams:

• Establishment of the hiking trail: ‘Legends Trail’;
• Community activation and engagement in the project activities;
• Viability of the supported businesses;
• Employment to businesses;
• Effective cooperation with the local authorities within community initiatives;
• Trail promotion component.

The Evaluator will conduct their work primarily in Syunik region, with the focus in the main activity areas of Goris and Kapan communitiesfar from the disputed areas between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Some aspects of the evaluation will berequiredto be undertaken in Yerevan.

2.2. Audience for the Evaluation Results

The evaluation results will be shared with EU, project partners, RA State Tourism Committee, Armenian Tourism Federation, Syunik regional and local authorities, future stakeholders: Hike Armenia, Trails for Change and any other relevant stakeholders, as well as with PIN HQ to consider the findings and recommendations for future programming.

2.3. Methodology

The evaluator will be responsible for developing the evaluation design and methodology in order to meet the above stated goal and objectives. The methodology should be informed by the Development Assistance Criteria (DAC) of Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact and Sustainability and use a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods to answer the questions articulated in this TOR. Both qualitative and quantitative methods should be used: document review, field research, etc. It is expected that the evaluator uses participatory methods including key informant interviews and focus group discussions as well first-hand direct observations including the physical check of the trail quality. Desk-based review of key project documents including the project proposal, Logframe, reports and procurement documents. A list of key stakeholders that the evaluator will be expected to consult with is provided under Annex A.

Applicants to this assignment are requested to outline the methodology and approach they will use to undertake this evaluation, in their submitted proposal.

2.3.1. Evaluation Questions to be Answered

The following suggested questions are expected to be answered through this evaluation. Answers should be specific, analytical and evidence driven. Lessons and recommendations should be drawn out against each question and backed up by evidence. Additional questions that the evaluator deems appropriate must be agreed with PIN in advance and as part of the inception report approval process.

ed Questions

Relevance

1. How appropriate was the design of the project with regards to achieving the intended overall outcome, in the tourism context within Syunik region?
2. Has the project been responsive to the priorities, needs and future aspirations of the beneficiaries?
3. What follow-on work could build on the results of this project to further enhance their relevance to the beneficiaries and key stakeholders? Why?

Effectiveness

1. Did the project achieve all of the intended outputs and outcomes, as per the final Logframe?
2. Within the design of the project, which methods and activities utilized by the project team have been successful or less successful in achieving the results?
3. What internal and external factors are/were influencing the effectiveness of the project in achieving its results?
4. How effective was the project partnership in relation to effective delivery of the achieved results?

Efficiency

1. How appropriate were the project’s governance and management structures to support efficient and effective addressing of risks and issues?
2. How efficiently and effectively did the project delivery team communicate with project beneficiaries and stakeholders?

Impact

1. To what extent has the project contributed to its overall objective?
2. What difference has the project made to the target beneficiaries’ lives, and to tourism in Syunik region?
3. Have there been any adverse impacts of the projects approach or achieved results?

Sustainability

1. To what extent are the project’s output and outcome results likely to be sustained beyond the life of the project?
2. Could the project delivery partnership have done something differently to have enhanced the sustainability of the projects results?
3. To what extent have beneficiaries and key stakeholders taken ownership over the project outcomes and demonstrate an intention to build on them going forward?
4. Has the projects achievements created a platform for wider growth of tourism sector in the region, beyond the life of the project, that were not there prior to the projects implementation?

If an answer cannot be provided on the foundation of date or evidence, this must be communicated to the nominated PIN Focal Person as soon as possible. Failure to do so can result in decreasing the consultant’s remuneration.

2.4. Specific Tasks to be Undertaken by the Evaluator

The evaluator will be required to undertake the following tasks:

1. Design and finalise the evaluation methodology, tools and workplan, detailing the resources and support need to complete the evaluation to time and quality, and agree with PIN
2. Undertake the evaluation activities in the field.
3. Analyse the data and present findings to PIN and project partners
4. Prepare first draft of the Final Evaluation Report for review by PIN
5. Finalise the Final Evaluation Report considering the feedback provided by PIN.

The report must provide clear, evidence-based and analytical answers to all evaluation questions. It should contain all the necessary raw data information used in the process of data collection and analysis, and any other necessary annexes and references used. Final Evaluation Report template is provided in Annex B.

2.5. Assignment Deliverables and Proposed Timeframes

Deliverable

1. Inception report

• Content: Information listed in Point 1. under sec.2.4
• Delivery Point: 7 working days after contract signature
• Submission: Electronic submission to PIN Focal Person

2. Initial findings presentation

• Content: Summary of findings against final set of agreed findings
• Delivery Point: 3 weeks after approval of inception report
• Submission: In person presentation

3. Draft Final Evaluation

• Content: As per specification outlined in Annex B
• Delivery Point: 7 working days after Initial Findings Presentation
• Submission: Electronic submission to PIN Focal Person

4. Final Report

• Content: As per specification outlined in Annex B
• Delivery Point: 5 working days after receiving comments from PIN Focal Person
• Submission: Electronic submission + 5 hard copies to PIN Focal Person

3. Assignment Terms

3.1. Budget

The maximum budget of the project final evaluation is 6,000EUR including taxes. Per-diem, accommodation, transportation including airtickets, translation and other costs should be included in the evaluation fee.

3.2. Management Arrangement

The Evaluator will report to and liaise with the PIN Focal Person on all matters and decisions relating to this assignment. PIN will be responsible for arranging meetings with all relevant stakeholders. To enable this the Evaluator must provide a list and schedule of meetings in good time to ensure all meetings can be arranged in a respectful and timely way. If required, PIN can support the Evaluator with logistics arrangements, but the Evaluator will be responsible for making the respective payments.

3.3. Payment Modality

Milestones

Following the signing of the Contract on Evaluation Services: 40%

After the final version of the final evaluation report has been submitted and approved by PIN: 60%

PIN reserves the right to deduct up to 0.5% of the total contract price for each day’s delay in meeting the deliverables specified. This deduction shall be applied to the last payment of 60% of the contract price.

Annex A: List of Recommended Stakeholders

EU delegation: Project Representative

Lead Implementor: People in Need Armenia Project Team

Implementing partners:

• ARK Ecological NGO
• Goris Development Center (currently dissolved)

Local authorities:

• Goris Municipality
• Kapan Municipality
• Tatev Municipality

People/ organizations involved in trail scouting, mapping, blazing, marking and evaluation:

• Volunteers
• Trails for Change
• Transcaucasian Trails

People/ organizations related to promotion activities:

• Community members/storytellers, legends collectors, translators, editors, illustrator, graphic designer who contributed in creating the Legends book
• Cartisan
• Absolute Armenia

Relevant stakeholders:

• Armenian Territorial Development Fund
• GIZ
• AFRAT
• Hike Armenia
• State Tourism Committee

Beneficiaries:

• Business grantees
• Community initiative grantees
• Participants of capacity-building trainings

Annex B: Final Evaluation Report Specification

The Final Evaluation Report, written in English, will be required to comply with the following standards and specification:

1. Executive Summary (max. 2 pages)
2. Introduction (max. 1 page)
3. Methodology (max 2 pages)
4. Findings and Discussions (max. 10 pages)
5. Conclusions (max. 4 pages)
6. Lessons learned and associated Recommendations (max. 6 pages)
7. Annexes

The report should be submitted electronically to the PIN Focal Person and Five official hard copies to the PIN Armenia Representatives Office