Afghanistan: Terms of Reference Mid‐Term Evaluation of Swedish Committee for Afghanistan’s Strategic Plan

Background:

1. ABOUT SCA

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) is an aid organization that has worked in Afghanistan since 1982. We carry out development projects in the areas of education, healthcare, rural development and the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. SCA has about 5, 5000 employees, 99 per cent of whom are Afghans. Our operations are especially directed to the most vulnerable groups in the society and are always carried out in close cooperation with the local society.

We mainly work in the poor rural areas of Afghanistan with a special focus on women, children and persons with disabilities. The work with human rights and gender issues is central to SCA and permeates the entire organization.

In Sweden, SCA has about 8,000 members and monthly sponsors, as well as an office in Stockholm with about 20 employees. SCA is a political and religiously independent aid organization that is funded by thousands of individuals, SIDA, EC and the World Bank. The member-based organization was established in 1980.

2. OVERVIEW OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Since the transition from humanitarian to a development organization, SCA has been implementing a second round of its Strategic Plan (SP) covering 2014‐2017, which guides the organization in all its operations. The SP was an important first step in SCA to introducing Results‐based Management (RBM) as a framework for programme management. Accordingly, the SP includes detailed result matrices for all programme objectives. The purpose of this mid‐term evaluation is to review the current SPs and in order to provide key inputs to the next cycle of strategic planning.

(a) Evaluation objectives:

• To assess if, how and to which extent the SP has been a useful and practical tool for SCA to carry out and facilitate development interventions in order to reach the strategic objectives;


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  To verify the relevance of the SP with a particular focus on theory of change, overall approach and methods concerning advocacy and capacity development and the appropriateness of the strategic objectives to the context in which SCA works;

  
  


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  To evaluate the efficiency so far of the implementation of the SP;

  
  


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  To analyses the coherence between the SP 2014-17 and the SCA Annual Work Plans and budgets of 2014 and 2015 (AW&B), where the differences between the programmes’ capacity for long‐term strategic programme development will be reflected upon;

  
  


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  To identify and analyze key factors, either enabling or constraining the achievement of planned outcomes, as well as identify any gaps in the SP;

  
  


• To assess the extent to which SCA’s cross‐cutting strategies concerning rights-based approaches (RBA), human rights and gender, capacity development, and the Environment are integrated into the methodology of the SP and its individual programme strategies;


• To identify lessons learnt and to provide recommendations for optimizing results, approaches and methods within SCA.

3. ADMINISTRATIVE CONDITIONS

The procuring organization is Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, identity number 802010-4850. Address: Malmgårdsvägen 63, 116 38 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN. Phone: +46 8 545 818 40. Fax: +46 8 545 818 55. E-mail: info@sak.se and website: www.sak.se

(b) Questions regarding the procurement/tender process

Please direct question regarding this consultancy to Malokhat Shoinbodova; phone: +93780389435, e-mail: malokhat.shoinbodova@sca.org.af.

All questions and queries regarding the ToR or tender procedures should be made in writing and will be answered in writing; questions and queries together with the response of SCA will be answered on the same websites where the ToR for this assignment were published.

(c) Announcement

The invitation to tender has been made public through announcement on our website www.sak.se as well as through inquiry to known actors in the market.

(d) Procurement rules

This procurement is a price comparison that is carried out with a simplified tender process with open tenders. Tenders should be submitted to SCA at the latest January 31, 2016 at 12.00. Tenders may be submitted through regular mail directed to Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, Malmgårdsvägen 63, 116 38 Stockholm, SWEDEN or electronically to evaluations@sak.se

Please be aware that tenderers may not be allowed to make any corrections or additions to the tender after the deadline for submission has passed. Although the tenderer may correct obvious misstatements or miscalculations. SCA may in certain cases ask that the tender is clarified even after the deadline of submission has passed if it may be done without risking special treatment.

The tenderer has no right for compensation for the tender or cost associated with the tender process.

4. ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

(a) The Scope and methodology of the mid –term evaluation

The mid –term evaluation will give attention both to SCA’s work in Afghanistan and Sweden, and include all SCA’s programs in education, health, rural development and disabilities as well as cross cutting and support programs such as human rights and gender, advocacy and civil society. In addition to support functions of finance, resource mobilization, human resources, communications and administration.

The evaluation will start from Stockholm Management Office (SMO) to conduct interviews with SCA management, board and members. The consultant will travel to Kabul Management Office (KMO) to conduct meetings and workshops with staff and stakeholders.

The consultant will develop a detailed methodology outlining his/her approach to the tasks of this consultancy, which will include but not limited to review of key documents, conducting interviews, focus group discussions and workshops with staff, beneficiaries, the board, members and stakeholders in both Sweden and Afghanistan. The data collected in this consultancy will be primarily qualitative in nature and the consultant is expected to come up with a data analysis plan. The structure of the final report will be developed by the consultant in consultation with SCA

The consultant in consultation with SCA will determine the number of people to be interviewed both internally within SCA and externally with stakeholders and beneficiaries. In consultation with SCA the consultant will conduct focus group discussions and facilitate review workshops.

The desk study will focus on both quantitative and qualitative data and will include any or all of the following: annual reports, work plans and budgets, program and project documentation, monitoring reports and project evaluations, sector and national policy documents and strategic plans and situational analyses, sector reports and evaluations from donors and NGOs.

On completion of the field work, the consultant will conduct a workshop presentation in KMO of the initial analysis/results in order to obtain immediate feedback.

The first draft of the final report will be circulated among relevant SCA staff and key stakeholders and beneficiaries for their feedback and recommendations. The final report will be compiled and presented including all feedback from the various SCA staff.

(b) Profile of Consultant required for the evaluation:

The evaluation will be carried out by an external national or international consultant who will be responsible for conducting all aspects of the evaluation and delivering the stated outputs. The consultant with have the following experience and skills:

• Minimum qualification of Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree preferred) in a relevant academic field;


• Significant demonstrable experience in conducting evaluations of complex programme or strategic plans for development NGOs;


• Have experience and full understanding of Result Based Management in development NGOs;


• Have knowledge and competence regarding work in any of the following fields: education, rural development, disability, health (with a focus on sexual and reproductive health rights), gender equality, rights‐based approaches and civil society;


• Experience in a range of consultative and participatory data collection methods;


• Experience of working in a conflict or post‐conflict environment is highly desirable;


• Experience of working in Afghanistan desirable;


• Highly proficient in written and spoken English. Proficiency in Dari and / or Pashto an asset.


• Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate detailed concepts clearly and concisely both in writing and verbally is desired.

(c) Outputs

Detailed work plan and timelines:

• Inception report ‐ submitted not later than 5 days after the start of the assignment. This shall include: – a detailed methodology, including an explanation of the overall approach, as well as the chosen methods of consultation.


• Updated time plan and work schedule (including plans for field visits);


• Principles for selecting people to interview;


• Workshop presentation of preliminary findings of the review to SCA staff at KMO on finishing the field work


• Draft evaluation report with executive summary in English addressing all the objectives given in the ToR. This report will be circulated among relevant SCA staff, and accepted by SCA before the final review report can be finalized.


• Final evaluation report incorporating or responding to feedback from SCA, to be delivered no later than seven days after receiving SCA feedback.

(d) Time schedule, reporting and dissemination

The evaluation will preferably start as soon as possible, but no later than April, 2016 and will be carried out according to the following schedule:

• Preparation / desk study/ Inception Report 5 days


• Interviews / consultations in Sweden 5 days


• Trip to Kabul 7 days


• Field trips to regional management offices (incl. travel) 12 days


• Feedback presentation (Kabul) 1 day


• Analysis and report writing 10 days


• Total 40 days

SCA’s Planning, Reporting and Grant Management Unit shall provide the consultant with assistance in arranging meetings and evaluation events, as well as the organization of travel to and within the field and the provision of accommodation in the field in SCA’s guest houses.

(e) Deliveries and due dates

• Inception Report ‐ 5 days from the day of signing the contract.


• Workshop presentation ‐ date to be decided at the start of the assignment and included in the contract.


• Draft evaluation report ‐ date to be decided at the start of the assignment and included in the contract.


• Final Evaluation Report ‐ date to be decided at the start of the assignment and included in the contract.

5. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

• SCA shall have a non-time-limited, free and exclusive right to use, reproduce, modify and process the results, in processed and unprocessed form, of the ordered assignment. The ownership and copyright of the results and material compiled in connection with the performance of the assignment belongs unrestrictedly to SCA, regardless of the medium/channel. The same applies to the original and working materials that form the basis of the assignment.


• Furthermore, the supplier guarantees that SCA by the use of the product does not infringe on any intellectual property rights held exclusively by a third-party.


• SCA is entitled to submit original and working materials to another supplier for processing and production. The supplier shall, subject to SCA rights under the Intellectual Property Rights, make this a mandatory demand towards subcontractors (if applicable) and employees. The above still applies even if the agreement between SCA and the supplier has expired.

6. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Interested consultants are required to submit the following:

• Technical Proposal that include a description of the methodology to be applied, tentative workplan on how he/she plan to conduct the assignment. In additions, the consultant should add a summary on financial offer including the consultant’s daily fee, travel costs to Afghanistan and Sweden, accommodation and food in Sweden and any other costs associated with the evaluation. Accommodation, food as well as travel within Afghanistan will be arranged and paid for by SCA.


• CV of the consultant, showing relevant experience and background for the assignment;