Extended deadline: Terms of Reference: Final evaluation report for the project “Community Planning of Social Services through Public Dialogue”, implemented by People in Need (PIN)



Background

People in Need (PIN) is a Czech non-governmental organization that provides relief aid and development assistance while working to defend human rights and democratic freedom. It is one of the largest relief and development organizations in post-communist Europe and has administered projects in 37 countries over the past 20 years. People in Need has been working in the Republic of Moldova since 2003 and has an office in Chisinau, implementing projects in the field of social, economic development, civil society, and youth development and education.

Since 2019, PIN Moldova, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection has been running the project Community Planning of Social Services through Public Dialogue.

The project started in December 2019 and is due to be completed by February, 2022. The project is funded by the Czech Development Agency and has a total budget of 13.500.000,00 Kč.

The project reflects the problems faced within social services in the targeted districts, namely Cahul, Straseni, and Glodeni.

The project aims to support the local public authorities in the development of the mechanism for community planning and social related services, based on real needs, to promote public involvement and users of social and related services in the preparation of community plans, and also to engage leaders in social sector and related sectors that have the know-how and potential influence on social policies. The final beneficiaries are the socially disadvantaged and marginalized persons, and generally all potential users of social services and people in a social disadvantaged situation.

The main objectives and expected results of the project are:

Overall Objective: To contribute to meet the basic social needs of vulnerable people based on the real needs and reflecting available resources in individual communities

Specific Objective: To support the development of a mechanism for transparent community planning of social and related services based on demand, the actual needs, and available resources in the community.

Output 1: Increased capacity and knowledge of the Ministry, which they use to support the development of community planning and strengthen cooperation between leaders in social services and central administration

Output 2: Increased capacity of public administration on district/other territorial level in community planning and involved community planning actors in plans

Output 3: Increased capacity of non-governmental providers of social and related services, encouraging public administration partnership and public mobilization to engage in community planning.

Objective and Scope of the Evaluation

Objective(s):

  • Evaluate the project’s final results towards its objective and final results and their achievement;
  • The evaluator will also determine the unachieved results, as well as the unexpected results in case these are identified.

Scope: Evaluation of project components implemented by PIN and partners to contribute to the support of the development of a mechanism for transparent community planning of social and related services based on demand, the actual needs, and available resources in the community.

Geographical scope: Chisinau; Cahul; Straseni; Glodeni.

Period under review: December 2019 – January 2022.

Key Evaluation Questions

Relevance

  • Is the approach of community planning relevant to the Moldovan context and does it represent a useful instrument for LPAs and beneficiaries of social services in the target districts?
  • To what extent has our project contributed to develop the mechanism of social service community planning?

Effectiveness

  • Have the capacity and knowledge of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection increased thanks to capacity building programme provided by the Project?
  • Have Local Public Authorities increased their knowledge in community planning process?
  • Have the key actors/stakeholders of social services sector been involved in the elaboration of community plans?
  • Has the expertise in advocacy, monitoring, and participatory budgeting of the targeted NGOs increased as a result of the Project capacity building programme?
  • Are the elaborated Community Plans reflecting the needs and demands of vulnerable population?

Efficiency

  • Were the resources and inputs (of PIN and project partners including financial and non-financial) converted to outputs in a timely and cost-effective manner?
  • Was the management, coordination and monitoring of the project efficient and appropriate?
  • How was the partnership between PIN and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection in terms of coordination and communication?
  • To what extent the National Working Team interacted with the Local Steering Groups?

Sustainability

  • What is the likelihood that the results of the project will be maintained after its completion?
  • How likely the elaborated Community Plans will be implemented by each district?
  • Are there chances for the community planning process to be replicated in other districts of the Republic of Moldova?

Impact

  • What changes (positive and negative, intended and unintended) have been generated by the project?

NOTE: PIN will require specific and data-supported answers to each of the agreed evaluation questions or strong justification for why the data could not be obtained. Justification of data unavailability must be communicated by the evaluator without any delay as soon as it becomes apparent and approved by PIN. Failure to do so can result in decreasing the consultant’s remuneration. 

Methodology

Document review

  • Project documents (Project proposal, logframe, Results Framework)
  • Baseline and endline of the project
  • 2020 Interim and annual report to donor
  • 2021 Interim and annual report to donor
  • Community Plans of the three targeted districts.

Field research

  • Interviews or focus groups with relevant stakeholders and project partners and beneficiaries, among which Project Team, MHLSP, LPAs, NGOs, Working Team
  • Field visits in the three target districts and beneficiaries’ survey regarding participatory planning process.

Specific Tasks

  • Development of the methodology
  • Study the relevant project documents
  • Meetings with project staff and relevant stakeholders
  • Preparation of evaluation documents: inception report, draft report, main findings for PIN, and final report.

Expected Deliverables

  • Inception report (evaluation matrix, methodology, tools, and work plan)
  • Final report (25 pages max.) + annexes
  • Presentation of major findings for PIN
  • Final report (Deadline: January 17, 2022).

NOTE: The final report is expected to be presented in English.

Evaluation Report

The evaluator will use the following template for the evaluation report:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Summary of the evaluation, with particular emphasis on the main findings, conclusions, lessons learned and recommendations.

INTRODUCTION: Description of the evaluated intervention, its logic, history, organisation and stakeholders. Presentation of the evaluation’s purpose and questions.

METHODOLOGY: Description of the sampling strategy and methods used for data collection; description of the limitations. 

FINDINGS: Factual evidence relevant to the questions asked by the evaluation and interpretations of such evidence (answered evaluation questions).

CONCLUSIONS: Assessments of intervention results and performance against given evaluation criteria and standards of performance.

LESSONS LEARNED: General conclusions with a potential for wider application and use.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Specific and actionable proposals regarding improvements of the project or management addressed to the client of the evaluation or other intended users.

ANNEXES

Note: The evaluation report should not exceed 25 pages (excluding annexes).

Duration

The duration of the contract for the evaluator will be for the period of December 1st 2021 to January 17th 2022.

The evaluator will respect the following timeframe:

Preparatory phase: 5 working days

  • Desk review
  • Evaluation Design (methodology and instruments)

Field research: 15 working days

  • Meetings with PIN team and partners
  • Data Collection
  • Presentation of preliminary findings (no later than 28th of December)

Data analysis and draft report:

  • The draft report should be provided for feedback no later than 10th of January

4 working days to incorporate feedback from country team.

Final report should be shared with PIN country team no later than 17th of January 2022.

Logistics

The transportation costs for the Evaluator’s field trips will be included into the financial offer.

Qualification Requirements

Proven experience within the following areas:

  1. Experience in collecting data and working with complex monitoring and evaluation tools
  2. Conducting and managing external project and programme evaluations
  3. Experience in social service area
  4. Good analytical skills presenting on data using graphs, diagrams, and other visual tools
  5. Previous work experience with local and foreign NGOs and donors
  6. Strong communication skills both oral and written
  7. Fluency in English and Romanian.

Application Process

Applications for evaluation should be submitted by email to concurs.moldova@peopleinneed.net by 5 pm (Republic of Moldova) on Monday, November 22, 2021 with the ref.: “External Evaluator for the project Community Planning of Social Services through Public Dialogue”.

NOTE: All the documents for the application should be presented in English.

The candidate should send the following documents:

  • Curriculum Vitae or resume
  • A short Cover Letter in English
  • The financial offer with description of activities and estimation of prices
  • A sample of a prior Evaluation Report
  • Two reference contacts from previous assignments.

Selection criteria of the Offer will be as follows:

  • The best offer price (40%)
  • Proven relevant experience (60%).

Payment Modalities

%

Milestones

20%

Following the signing of the Contract on Evaluation Services

30%

After the Inception report has been submitted and approved by PIN

50%

After the final version of the Final evaluation report has been submitted and approved by PIN

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 50% of the contract price.

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