About the Development Fund of Norway and the Somalia Country Programme

For more than 40 years the Development Fund (DF) has collaborated with local communities and civil society organizations in developing countries to improve the production of food and income generation of highly vulnerable and marginalized rural communities. DF’s vision is a sustainable and just world with freedom from hunger, poverty and marginalization. Hundreds of thousands of small-scale farming households have received DF-support to develop resilient livelihoods and eliminate hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in their communities.

DF has stood steadfast in the forefront among development organizations promoting the empowerment of marginalized rural communities, pro-poor policies and appropriate solutions, particularly through approaches such as crop diversification, model-farmer, adaptive climate villages, affordable climate-smart agriculture techniques, community seed-banks, small scale irrigation and mechanizations, local natural resource management, microcredits and capacity building of civil society and grassroots organization. DF mobilizes the assets of small-scale farmers to ensure local contribution, involvement, and ownership, which is key to a sustainable, resilient, and equitable development.

DF has been supporting local NGOs under various programmes in both Somaliland and Puntland since 2009 with the overall goal of improving food security and nutrition among pastoralists and agro-pastoralist communities in Somaliland and Puntland. The Somalia Country Programme is concentrated around the Building Local Resilience and Adaptation to Climate (BRAC) Programme supported by Norad, the Community Resilience in Somaliland and Puntland (CRISP) Project funded by the European Union, and the Improved Seed, Food and Livelihood Security for Agro-pastoralists Project funded by the Darwin Initiative (UK). These projects are implemented in Awdal, Maroodijeex, Togheer, Sanaag and Sool in Somaliland and Bari and Nugaal in Puntland.

Project background and context

Project description

The Community Resilience in Somaliland and Puntland (CRISP) project (the Project) is funded by the European Union (EU) under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Sustainability (EU ETFS) and Addressing the Root Causes of Irregulating Migration and Displaced Persons in Africa. DF is the lead agency and works together with four implementing partners: HAVOYOCO, Candlelight, ADO and KAALO. The project was implemented between 1^st July 2018 and 30^th April 2022 (including a No Cost Extension of 6 months).

The Project is implemented in five regions in Somaliland (Waqooyi Galbeed, Awdal, Togdheer, Sool and Sanaag) and 2 regions of Puntland (Bari and Nugaal). It supports 41 communities divided into 71 livelihood zones and encompassing 10,545 HHs in alleviating vulnerability to climate-related shocks and disasters.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Project partners agreed with the EU in Q1 2020 on measures to mitigate adverse effects. The results framework, implementation plan and budget were updated accordingly.

Objectives of the Project

According to the logical framework prepared for the Project, the overall objective (the intended impact) is to strengthen the resilience of communities in Somaliland and Puntland through reduced vulnerabilities of households caused by climate-related shocks and disasters (the intermediate outcome). This will be achieved through three outcomes (the immediate outcomes):

1. Increased capacity of communities and local institutions to prepare for and manage climate-related shocks and disasters. Capacity building of communities is strengthened through the following outputs:

• Support to community climate adaptation and contingency plan development, and
• b) Strengthened capacity of the district and regional level governmental institutions on resilience and community contingency.

1. Diversified and strengthened agro-pastoral production systems:

• Constructed and rehabilitated water and irrigation infrastructures
• Improved management and sustainability of water infrastructures
• Improved knowledge and skills on climate resilient agriculture
• Improved community seed system
• Strengthened livestock production

Improved knowledge and skills on fisheries

1. Opportunities for income generation increased

• Provision of cash transfers to the most vulnerable households
• Access to credit for investments facilitated
• Support capacity to establish and manage businesses
• Reduce adverse effects of Covid-19

Project implementation modality

The Project implementation approach is participatory in nature whereby the target communities and key stakeholders jointly participate in planning, implementation, and monitoring. The Project is implemented by local national partners: HAVOYOCO in the Maroodijeeh, Togdheer, and Sool regions; Candlelight in the Awdal and Maroodijeeh regions; and ADO in the Togdheer and Sanaag regions in Somaliland. In Puntland, KAALO is the implementing partner in the Bari and Nugaal regions.

To ensure community engagement and participation, the Project adapts a Climate Adaptive Village (CAV) approach as a methodology of consultation and discussion with the communities for identifying and designing the interventions that are relevant and compatible with the communities’ priorities. For effective implementation, government agencies are coordinated with the National Disaster Preparedness and Food Reserve Authority (NEDFOR) in Somaliland and the Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Agency (HADMA) in Puntland. Other line ministries involved include Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development and Water. This coordination framework is intended to bring decision-making closer to participating communities.

In effect, this collaborative implementation modality is intended to link the community contingency plans developed through the CAV methodology with the regional and national contingency plans, and thereby strengthen sustainability of Project interventions.

In Q4 2021 a Project Progress and Performance Evaluation was carried out focusing on select outcomes and related indicators.

Project Outcomes and Outcome Indicators

Source: Updated logical framework (Feb 2020)

Purpose of the end-term evaluation

The overall purpose of this Evaluation is to assess and document the performance of the Project and the extent to which the outputs and outcomes have been achieved, determining relevance, coherence, efficiency and effectiveness. The Evaluation is forward-looking and will assess whether and to what extent results (i) are sustainable, and (ii) may contribute to achieving the intended impact. On this basis the Evaluation will provide clear (actionable) recommendations for improvements.

In addition, the Evaluation will assess success factors and constraints, capture lessons learnt, and document new knowledge and important topics for further enquiry, action, lobbying and/or influence. The Evaluation will also review and assess the findings and recommendations of the Project Progress and Performance Evaluation Report (Dec 2021), which replaced the mid-term review (MTR).

The Evaluation will ensure accountability towards the EU as a donor as well as the target beneficiaries of the program. As such, it fulfils a prescribed obligation set forth in the agreement with the EU and may form part of the basis for an assessment regarding possible continuation of the current partnership, and/or support for new Project concepts presented by DF.

Specific objectives

The specific objectives of this Evaluation are to:

• Ascertain results as stipulated in the logical framework;
• Assess relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, in addition to project and risk management and relevant cross-cutting issues;
• Provide findings, conclusions, key lessons learned and clear recommendations for future design and implementation; and
• Assess whether the collaboration between DF, its implementing partners and the Ministry of Agriculture has added value to the interventions with a positive effect on beneficiaries and other stakeholders (including what factors contributed to or detracted from added value).

Evaluation questions

In order to achieve the specific objectives of the Evaluation, the Consultant shall employ the six standard DAC evaluation criteria[1], with special emphasis on sustainability. The Consultant is encouraged to further develop the evaluation questions listed below.

Relevance: Is the intervention doing the right thing?

• To what extent were the objectives and activities implemented by the Project relevant in addressing the needs of the beneficiaries?
• To what extent was the Project relevant for needs, priorities, and objectives of DF, its partners, the donor and the governments of Somaliland and Puntland?
• How has the collaboration between DF, partners, relevant line ministries and other stakeholders contributed to the specific needs and priorities of the beneficiaries?
• To what extent was the Project able to adapt and provide appropriate response to context changes and emerging local needs, and the priorities of beneficiaries?
• Did the intervention remain relevant and responsive to the needs of the beneficiaries in the face of challenges and constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Desert Locust invasion (2020-21), and the on-going drought?

Coherence: How well does the project fit?

• To what extent has the Project been complementary and coherent to national policies as well as other donor-funded development projects in the areas where it has been implemented?

Effectiveness: Has the project achieved its objectives?

• To what extent have results in the log frame been achieved, per indicator, disaggregated by gender?
• What are the main results (most significant changes) achieved by the Project so far?
• Were there any unexpected results/impacts (positive or negative) as a result of the Project?
• How effective were the implementing partners in mobilizing and engaging different target groups in different interventions, including climate adaptation plans, water infrastructure maintenance, adapting climate-resilient agriculture techniques, skills in fishing, and in linking grass-root organizations to relevant district level government institutions?
• How effective were actions to reduce or mitigate adverse effects of Covid-19?
• To what extent has DF contributed to the capacity of implementing partners?

Efficiency: How well are resources being used?

• To what extent was the Project implemented in a cost-efficient manner?
• How efficiently were inputs converted to outputs, outcomes and impact (i.e. were inputs converted into results in a timely and cost-effective manner)?
• How efficient were the management and accountability structures of the Project?
• Were alterations made to project design in terms of collaboration during the implementation phase based on the reality on the ground?
• Was there opportunity to reach more beneficiaries with the available budget?
• Impact: What difference does the project make?

• To what extent has project design and the implementation approach contributed to strengthened resilience of target communities?
• What stories of success can be highlighted?
• What were the main challenges towards achieving intended results and how might these be addressed in the future? (this question will also be examined in regard to effectiveness)
• Sustainability: Will the benefits last?

• To what extent are the benefits of the Project likely to continue after its completion?
• Are there adequate and effective mechanisms (e.g. CAV plans, CSBs, irrigation systems, etc.) in place to ensure the continued flow of benefits?
• How effective were the exit strategy and approaches to phase out assistance provided by the Project, including contributing factors and constraints?
• How has DF worked with local partners to increase their capacity in a sustainable way?
• What motivations/mechanisms exist for partners to continue playing these roles?
• How can the “Do No Harm” perspective better be implemented in the future?
• Should the Project be continued? If so, provide recommendations for improving the execution of the Project in a possible second phase.

Project and risk management

• Is there scope to improve coordination amongst and between the many stakeholders and partner institutions? (related to coherence)
• Have implementation delays occurred? If so, have the partners identified effective countermeasures?
• Was the risk management strategy adequate to cope with the identified risks (internal and external) and/or cope with unexpected impacts or opportunities?
• How well have identified and/or realised risk factors been managed/mitigated?
• Apart from Covid-19, have other unanticipated risk factors arisen? If so, how well were they addressed by Project partners?
• Have Project partners managed to control expenditure in line with the budget? (related to efficiency)
• Cross-cutting issues
• Specifically, to what extent have efforts to promote gender equality changed discriminatory attitudes/behaviour?

Lessons learned

The articulation of lessons learned must be clear, relevant, targeted and actionable so that the evaluation can be used to achieve its intended learning and accountability objectives.

• What are the key lessons emerging from the Project – both positive and negative lessons – that can inform future design and implementation of similar interventions?

Scope of the Evaluation

The scope of the Evaluation comprises the entire implementation period (1 July 2018 to 30 April 2022), all of the project components implemented in Somaliland and Puntland, the Project partners (DF and the implementing partners), as well as the relevant government stakeholders. Although the mid-term review (MTR) was not carried out, which could have served as a baseline for the Evaluation, a Project Progress and Performance Evaluation Report (Dec 2021) was prepared that contains substantial data, findings and results that are highly relevant to the Evaluation.

Evaluation methodology

The evaluation approach and methodology design should be developed by the Consultant in consideration of the information outlined in this ToR to ensure accuracy and rigour. The evaluation methodology should be aligned with a participatory mixed-methods approachthat draws on both quantitative and qualitative data to enhance the validity of findings and their consequent contribution to recommendations on improvement. A detailed methodology, including data collection methods, should be included in the proposal, which may be further improved in consultation with the Client during the inception phase. Questions about causality and the impact of contributions relative to other factors and alternative explanations must be analysed carefully.

The evaluation methodology, process and outputs must adhere to the OECD Development Quality Standards for Development Evaluation (OECD 2010). These standards include a requirement for the Consultant to be mindful of gender roles, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, language and other differences (such as power dynamics) when designing and carrying out the Evaluation.

The Consultant is free to choose suitable specific methodologies, although scientific methodology must be used to ensure reliable, evidence-based conclusions and a high degree of transparency. At a minimum, the data collection methodology should include:

• Desk review of background documents (project application, baseline report, annual reports, progress and performance evaluation report, field visit reports, etc);
• Key informant interviews (KIIs) to gather evidence on the effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of the project activities implementation and delivery;
• Quantitative surveys; and
• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs).

COVID 19

The methodology will be adapted to the prevailing Covid-19 situation and restrictions. Innovative and flexible approaches/methodologies and methods for remote data collection (incl online surveys) should be suggested when appropriate and the risk of doing harm managed.

Qualifications of consultant(s)/Team

The evaluation team should comprise at a minimum two consultants. The lead has overall responsibility vis-à-vis the Client. Collectively, the consultancy team should possess the following set of competencies, experience and skills:

• Master’s degree in agriculture/NRM, social science, development studies/economics, statistics, or related field
• Demonstrable experience (at least 5 years) in conducting independent reviews/evaluations of interventions related to agricultural production and climate adaptation and empowerment of local communities
• Knowledge of and familiarity with the sociopolitical and socioeconomic context of Somalia
• Practical and theoretical expertise related to humanitarian and development work in Somalia is desirable
• Excellent track record in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis (familiarity with advanced statistical analysis is required)
• Familiarity with international quality and accountability standards applied in development cooperation
• Experience in the use of participatory methodologies and developing gender-sensitive evaluation
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills to clearly synthesize and present findings, draw practical conclusions, make recommendations and to prepare well-written reports in a timely manner
• Demonstrated excellent written and spoken communication skills in English and Somali

Award criteria

Technical award criteria

DF will evaluate bids according to the below technical award criteria and their respective weights.

To qualify, bids need to score at least 50% on each of the two technical criteria (ie min 40 points in total).

Responsibilities

The division of responsibility for the Evaluation is defined according to the following table.

Schedule, deliverables and resourcing

The duration of the Evaluation is estimated to 11 calendar weeks, with the assignment tentatively set to commence on 19^th May 2022and be completed by 8^th August 2022. The budget available for the Evaluation is estimated to EUR30,000.

The table below sets out the tentative timeline for evaluation activities and delivery of expected outputs:

The Consultant(s) is free to suggest (and substantiate) adjustments to the timeline.

Deliverables

Inception Report: The Inception Report will not exceed 15 pages in length and will comprise detailed methodology, including data collection tools, indicative survey questions, and interview protocol; initial findings based on a desk study (document/literature review), a work plan and comprehensive list of stakeholders and key informants (KIs); list of relevant documents and references; and any other issue of importance.

Draft report: The Draft End-term Evaluation Report shall be delivered in English and shall not exceed 30 pages, including the executive summary and excluding annexes, with the following sections (illustrative, not exhaustive):

• Executive Summary presenting main findings, conclusions, and recommendations

• Introduction and background, incl evaluation purpose, objectives and scope

• Description of methodology

• Limitations

• Evaluation Results

• Findings, conclusions and recommendations

• Lessons learned

• Annexes (to include updated logframe with results, evaluation ToR, Inception Report, maps, list of KII/stakeholders, documents/literature reviewed, raw collected data and research tools (if applicable).

The consultant must comply with global and DF Data protection policy, such the GDPR. Lists of key informants/interviewees shall only include personal data if deemed relevant (i.e. when it is contributing to the credibility of the evaluation) based on a case based assessment by the evaluator. The inclusion of personal data in the report must always be based on a written consent.

Evaluation findings shall flow logically from the data, showing a clear line of evidence to support the conclusions. Conclusions should be substantiated by findings and analysis. Evaluation questions shall be clearly stated and answered in the executive summary and in the conclusions. Recommendations and lessons learned should flow logically from conclusions. They must be clear, relevant, targeted and actionable so that the evaluation can be used to achieve its intended learning and accountability objectives.

The structure will be agreed at the inception stage. The report will be presented both in hard copy and an electronic version and be presented in a way that enables publication without further editing. The Executive Summary will include the main findings and conclusions, lessons learned, an assessment of what has worked well, and recommended improvements.

Presentation: The consultant will present initial findings to DF, partners and key stakeholders for validation.

Final report: The Final End-term Evaluation Report in English shall incorporate Client comments and shall not exceed 30 pages including the executive summary and excluding annexes. It shall be submitted in digital form.

Limitations

The Evaluation will be undertaken with the following possible limitations:

• Drought might affect the results of the data.

• Some targeted individuals may refuse to be interviewed.

Reference documents (secondary data for desk study/literature review)

DF and the implementing partners will furnish the Consultant with all available project documentation upon signing of the contract. The Consultant is encouraged to identify any other sources for appropriate additional information that may be required to supplement what is provided by the project. Project documents available include:

• Project proposal document
• Log frame (original and updated)
• Implementation plan / annual work plans
• Baseline report
• Project progress reports
• Project Progress and Performance Evaluation report
• Monitoring reports including third party monitoring reports
• List of project locations and participating communities
• List of key stakeholders

Tender submission and contact details

Tenders will be accepted from consultants as well as firms, NGOs or academics, and must be submitted electronically by 4^th May 2022 to thor-jurgen@developmentfund.no.

The bid must contain both a technical proposal and a financial proposal with attached CVs of the proposed evaluation team. In addition, bidders are requested to complete, sign and stamp the attached Letter of Tender, which shall be submitted together with the technical and financial proposal (ref Annex 1).

For further details or questions regarding this ToR for the Evaluation, kindly contact Nafisa Abdirahman, MEAL and Documentation Advisor at nafisa@utviklingsfondet.no with copy to issmael@utviklingsfondet.no

Annexes

Annex 1 – Letter of tender

Development Fund of Norway

Somalia Country Programme

Hargeisa, Somaliland

Supplier:

[complete address of consultant/firm]

[Organisation number/firm registration number]

Re. Letter of tender: “End-term Evaluation for Community Resilience in Somaliland and Puntland (CRISP) Project

No. T05-EUTF-HoA-SO-23 RESTORE 2

We hereby confirm that:

We have fulfilled our obligations concerning payment of taxes and social contributions to the country of legal registration for our organisation/firm.

Our organisation/firm has not been convicted of participation in a criminal organisation, corruption, fraud, money laundering. Furthermore, it has not been convicted of any criminal offence related to its business conduct and has not in the pursuit of its business activities committed any serious breach of professional or ethical standards in the industry concerned.

We have experience from performing similar assignments.

The tender is in compliance with the minimum requirements specified in section 8 of the tender/ToR.

No potential conflicts of interest are foreseen, nor are we aware of any factors that potentially could create a conflict of interest in connection with carrying out the assignment.

The individual consultants who have been proposed for this assignment, and who will be travelling to high-risk areas, possess sufficient knowledge and training prior to travel to high-risk areas.

We have [please select]:

No deviations to the tender document/ToR Deviations to the tender document/ToR:

______________________________________________________________________________

We confirm that the tender is binding for [2 months] calculated from expiry of the closing date for submission of tenders.

Contact person for the tender: [name and position / email / telephone]

Signed by authorized representative:

Signature: __________________________________ Date: ______________

(name and position)

[1] Ref report: OECD DAC Evaluation Criteria, Updated (OECD, December 2019) https://www.oecd.org/dac/evalu...

Please see link for downloading ToR: https://www.developmentaid.org/tenders/view/950502/request-for-proposals-end-term-evaluation-of-community-resilience-in-somaliland-and-puntland-crisp-t.

The Development Fund is committed to the fight against hunger and poverty. Our vision is of a sustainable and equitable world. We help small farmers to stand stronger when climate change brings extreme weather and difficult conditions for cultivation. Every year, we reach out to half a million people in Africa, Asia and Central America.

Our goal is to combat poverty. When poor families produce enough food they may also acquire enough of a surplus to live a good life. Additional income makes it possible to send children to school and obtain medical assistance in case of sickness. Help to self-help is sustainable and efficient poverty alleviation.

Never before has the link between food and environment been clearer. Climate change and over-exploitation of natural resources threatens food production. Conditions are worst in those parts of the world where the poorest live. The Development Fund helps farmers adapt to a changing climate, and teaches them how they can produce enough food without destroying nature.

The Development Fund is an independent Norwegian Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), but has a number of partner organizations in various countries. The actual work for poor farmers is done by local organizations with long-standing experience and local knowledge. In this way, our work becomes not only better, but cheaper. The Development Fund constantly participates as a professional support player in the design and implementation of the projects.