Norwegian People's Aid

Consultancy : Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) Zimbabwe Midterm Programme Review 2020-2024

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Job Description

Programme and Background Description.
The Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) is a non-governmental organisation with roots in trade unions and labour movements in Norway. NPA supports processes towards democracy and equitable distribution of power through mobilisation, popular participation and collective organisation. NPA aims to improve people's living conditions and to create societies that are more just and more democratic. NPA's international work covers three core areas: Humanitarian Disarmament, Democratization and Just distribution of power and resources and Humanitarian Action and Crisis Responses.
NPA in Zimbabwe is working with partners on long-term development, human rights and grass root organizations in the Development and Humanitarian Cooperation (DHC) Programme and clearance of landmines in the Department for Mining Action and Disarmament (DMAD) Programme. NPA DHC is supporting civil society organisations in Zimbabwe to contribute to a society where marginalised people influence the development of their societies. Areas of focus include the informal sector and residents’ associations, promoting equally access to and control of resources. While we are working, women’s rights, livelihoods and leadership in society remains central in the work NPA is doing.
Introduction
NPA’s current program 2020-2024 approach is determined by various issues that mobilises people in their advocacy for a fair distribution of power and resources in order to close the gaps of inequality. NPA works with actors who are able to mobilise, organise and build networks with close links to the grassroots and with the capacity to lift the issues to a local level, nationally and/or regionally. NPA’s choice of actors is based on an assessment of who they are, what they represent and the organisation’s ability and potential to perform within their context.
NPA current strategy runs from 2020-2024 and NPA seeks to evaluate its programme by assessing the progress in implementation of the country strategy mid-way into the strategic plan and the results it has achieved thus far in line with planned outcomes for the strategic period.
Planned Outcomes.
 Decision makers policies and practice changed.

 People and communities from the target groups acted and participated to influence.

 Civil society organisations strengthened to influence.

The purpose of the evaluation.

Purpose of the Review.
The mid-term evaluation (MTE) aims to establish the implementation status of the program as at end of 2022 through a consultative process with NPA partners in evaluating the status of all the results areas. The evaluation will review and document the context taking into consideration the political and socio –economic factors in the analysis of the results.
Additionally, the process aims to assess the country programme strategy, structure, and NPA’s added value as it relates to effectiveness in achieving results. If NPA's grant/partnership structure has facilitated/hindered regional cooperation and/or which other factors have influenced it. The assessment aims to review and document the achieved results, draw lessons learnt, identify challenges and make clear concrete recommendations with regards the programme implementation, the partners and the results. It should also include results achieved so far by partners including result stories in the different NPA result areas. (Assessing the outcomes and where possible impact) The recommendations are to enable NPA improve their strategy, implementation of the program and future work.
Objectives.
The specific objectives of the mid-term review are threefold;

I. To evaluate and assess current program fit into NPA Strategic Plan, Results Areas looking specifically into the program, inputs, output and outcome in relation to current context and program design/strategy and activities. To assess any need for changes, either in activity, strategy or methodology as result of current context.
II. To evaluate progress of program implementation and its sustainability in a consultative process that includes implementing partners, different stakeholders such as networking partners ensuring the participation of key stakeholders. Ensuring that partners needs are taken into consideration when evaluating the status of the respective result areas.
III. To conduct the review of the existing follow-up plan i.e., Monitoring & Evaluation tools and improve them.

Users of the Evaluation.
The main users of the outcome of this review are the programme team in Zimbabwe, Regional Director and the partners in the programme. The report will be used for assessing progress so far and ways of amending the programme towards the end of the strategic period. It will highlight gaps for NPA on the structure and content of the programme to strengthen it. The report will also be used by NPA Head Office in documenting results achieved towards programme through the country advisor.
What will be evaluated?
The programmes/thematic areas to be evaluated-
In 2020 a baseline was conducted and provided baseline information on percentage of women both rural and urban who experience and those who indicate experiencing less discrimination (gender, age , marital, economic and political discrimination) in programme areas and intervention. The baseline provided recommendations in short, medium or long term with regards programme implementation and strategies with regards less experiences of less discrimination.
The MTE is to review the baseline information, update it and assess programme implementation vis a vis the 2020 baseline.
The MTE will in addition will evaluate the relevancy of NPA Strategy, Theory of Change (TOC) and Global Results Frame with regards the context, programme ,partners to assess if expected results will be achieved.
Key evaluation questions
The consultant is expected to refer also to the OECD DAC evaluation criteria sustainability, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, relevance and coherence.
It is expected that the evaluators give recommendations for further improvements of the programmes based on the key questions. In addition, the evaluator is expected to give recommendations for improvements of the programme based on the findings.
Evaluation Questions
a) Is the design, theory of change and setup of the programme relevant to the current context?
b) What is the extent to which the programme has already achieved its objectives and results or is likely to achieve them, including the extent to which the lives of the project/programme beneficiaries (women, men, girls, boys) has already been improved. Also, the extent to which supported institutions have already benefitted people particularly in terms of organising and achieving impact.
c) What were the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of the outcome(s)/expected results/outputs? (Also consider any which were possibly beyond the control of the project).
d) Are the current indicators still relevant and valid in the current context and moving forward?
e) To what extent have all project/programme stakeholders collaborated as planned?
f) To what extent did the project/programme contribute to organisational development of partners?
g) What is the strengths and weaknesses in terms of planning, management, implementation and monitoring ?
h) Is the programme addressing issues of gender equality? Is this done across the programme or on specific components only? Is gender equality addressed by partners? Review of less discrimination gender indicators? (Reference NPA 2020 Baseline)
i) What is the extent to which cross-cutting issues (environmental protection and climate change , anti-corruption ) were applied?
j) To what extend has NPA added value to the work of the partners in achieving their goals?
k) if NPA's grant/partnership structure has facilitated/hindered regional cooperation and/or which other factors have influenced it.
l) To which extent the current management structure manages to support partners and guarantee compliance?

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will design the details in the methodology in cooperation with NPA.
The consultative process with NPA and all its partners will involve selected field visits and the consultant is expected to;
Conduct a desk review of key NPA and partner’s documents (international strategy, country strategy, NPA 2020 Baseline, Global results framework, NPA multi-annual plans and reports, partners reports and proposals)
Conduct in-depth interviews with all NPA partners, (Focus on leadership and programme& finance managers) and relevant NPA staff at local, regional and international level.
Conduct selected field visit to the beneficiaries of partner organisations including board, members and beneficiaries.
Facilitate a focus group discussion with selected partners.
Develop a comprehensive data collection tool for the above assignment.
Develop participatory methodologies for the review.
Present draft report at feedback workshop for NPA and partners.

Deliverables
One Inception report – After a review of initial documents, the consultant should produce and submit an inception report (10-15pages max) which should include the conceptual framework to be used in the evaluation, the key evaluation questions and methodology, including information on data sources and collection, sampling and key indicators. The inception report will also include a timeline for the evaluation project and drafts of data collection instruments.
 An outline of the report’s structure needs to be agreed upon during the inception phase.
A draft final report with executive summary, clear recommendation to be produced and presented to NPA. The executive summary should summarize key findings and recommendations (three to five pages) and needs to be submitted as part of the final report.
Final Report - A final report in English of not more than 30pages to be submitted to NPA excluding annexes. The findings and recommendations of the draft final report and final report have to be structured according to the evaluation questions. The deadline of the final report to be agreed in the inception report and dependant on final contractual payment.
 It is expected that the consultant validates findings with stakeholders involved in the data collection and that have been involved in the programmes that are the subject of the evaluation before presenting the final evaluation.
 The Mid Term Review is expected to be finished within a period of 12 weeks after contract is signed. A definitive timeframe will be agreed within the assignment

Qualifications and Experience

PROFILE OF CONSULTANT(S) AND REQUIREMENT
The consultant(s) must have substantive understanding of Zimbabwe’s socio, economic and political context. The consultant must have substantive understanding of Zimbabwean civil society, governance issues, access and control of resources and has demonstrated capacity of policy advice and knowledge of project management and implementation. It is also desirable that the consultant has experience working with issues around democracy, gender and rights-based approach and conflict sensitivity. The consultant should have proven experiences of previous assignments with development analysis, feasibility studies, evaluations of similar nature and engaging communities using participatory methodologies.
In addition, the consultant must have the following:
- Relevant advanced degree in social and political science related discipline;
- At least 5 years’ experience in evaluations, baselines and surveys; gender expertise and sensitivity to gender issues;
- traceable references and copies of previous evaluation reports; providing the duration of the assignment and when ready to undertake the assignment; and providing evidence of similar work undertaken in the recent past (not more than 3 years), including contact details of references.
- Consultant should demonstrate ethical consideration including respectful attitude towards NPA partners and their stakeholders.

How to Apply

The deadline for the submission of response proposal and budget is 3rd February 2023. Interested and qualified candidates/firms should submit sample of similar work and in one document their proposals, profile of consultant doing the work, budget and references to npazim@gmail.com