Terms of Reference (TOR)

DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING AGENDA STUDY.

1. Introduction:

Project/Program Title: Resilience Learning Activity – Somalia

Background program overview.

The Resilience Learning Activity Somalia (RLA-S) is a USAID-funded collaborative platform that formed the Somali Resilience Partnership (SRP) as a secretariat and evidence-based entity that fosters collaboration and co-creation between implementing partners of USAID and other donors e.g. Foreign Commonwealth Development Organization (FCDO) and Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC).  The coordination between these donors is used to inform and leverage resilience and humanitarian activities by applying USAID’s collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) principles together, with an emphasis on providing opportunities at a granular level using sequencing, layering, and integration (SLI) approaches for implementation.

RLA’s Somalia-focused activities will be led by Mercy Corps under the platform of the Somalia resilience partnership forum. The Baidoa Resilience Partnership, launched in 2018 by USAID under Africa Lead, positioned USAID as a thought leader in the resilience space, promoting resilience as a collective imperative in complex crises—one that transcends traditional funding, program, and sector silos. RLA will leverage this initial investment, driving clarity in concept and collaboration in learning for resilience within and across diverse actors, in the collective pursuit of a vision for Somalia of improved and enduring peace and well-being.

Facilitating resilience learning is a top priority for the RLA-S program. RLA-S is planning to engage a local research firm to conduct learning agenda studies on specific thematic areas such as testing program theory of change, discovering gaps in technical understandings such as M&E and developing scenarios and game changers. The successful research firm will be collecting data from partners in Mogadishu and in Baidoa facilitation platforms where interviews and feedback will be generated from the M&E field-level staffs as well as active members of the SRP platform during the data collection processes. The research firm will also generate knowledge and learning product which will inform decision makers on key gaps in selected thematic areas.

A learning agenda includes;

• A set of questions addressing critical knowledge gaps.
• A set of associated activities to answer them.
• Products aimed at disseminating findings and designed with usage and application in mind.

A learning agenda can help you:

1. Test and explore assumptions and hypotheses throughout implementation and stay open to the possibility that your assumptions and hypotheses are not accurate.
2. Fill knowledge gaps that remain during implementation start-up.
3. Make more informed decisions and support making your work more effective and efficient.

1. Objective and scope of conducting the learning Agenda study.

1. The purpose of conducting the learning agenda study is to identify inefficiencies and/or knowledge gaps in RLA project theory of change, SRP partner’s data for decision making process as well as identifying game changers, address the insufficient information or evidence to guide SRP partner’s decision making when action is needed on an issue or issues or enhance the desire to develop a strategic plan for gathering knowledge and data that stems from valuing continuous learning. In addition, using the Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and case studies methods, the aim is to assess SRP partner’s experiences and their perceptions of the RLA-S projects' theory of change effectiveness, document successes, challenges and lessons learned, and develop recommendations to influence decision makers.

2 The learning agenda development study should have a special emphasis on:

1. Relevance – how and to what extent the project theory of change is consistent with SRP partner’s needs, local condition requirements, and institutional priorities.
2. Effectiveness – to what extent the project interventions contributed to influencing partners to use data for decision making?
3. Impact – what are the actual and expected changes occurred (including positive and negative, direct, and indirect) as a result of RLA-S project influence.
4. Gender Equality and Women Empowerment – to what extent the project contributed to the gender equality and empowerment as outlined in the project design documents?
5. Lessons Learned: What are the key results (both positive and negative), insights, stories, and messages learned from the RLA-S project worthwhile reporting to improve the design and implementation of the future projects?

Specific objective.

1. Identify inefficiencies and/or knowledge gaps in RLA project theory of change, technical evidence base and scenario planning. Conduct study to test and explore knowledge gaps in RLA-S theory of change, understand key barriers which have deterred organizations from using data analytics as well as identify key scenarios and game changers. The project target locations are in Mogadishu and Baidoa SRP facilitation areas.
2. General Approach of the learning agenda study.

The proposed learning agenda development study will be used to collect data to test and explore knowledge gaps in three thematic areas (ToC, Evidence base and Scenario planning). The Survey will consider having a representative sample from SRP partners through key informant interviews. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used by the consultant agency to discover the knowledge gap. The consultant will be responsible for developing the sampling methodology and preparation of the technical documents with support from the program team.

The survey will be undertaken in close collaboration with the relevant RLA-S project staff. The MEAL team will be responsible for the direction and management of the Survey.

The Final report is to be completed by 27th April 2023.

Learning deliverables:

• Learning agenda Report – to be submitted within four calendar weeks of the date of contract signing. This report will include a fully elaborated plan including the approach and proposed survey instruments, sampling frames, and sampling methodology, interviewing method, number of FGDs and the number of participants and locations, draft questionnaires and other survey tools, data processing and analysis methodology, outline of the final report and schedule of activities.
• Pilot Survey Report – to be submitted within two calendar weeks of the submission of the learning agenda survey Report. This report will provide the results of a small pilot survey together with proposed changes to the survey instrument and questionnaire.
• Draft learning agenda survey Reports – for both Mogadishu and Baidoa survey and FGD to be submitted within three calendar weeks of the date of contract signing.
• Final Reports – to be submitted after four calendar weeks of the date of submission of draft learning agenda survey report. The final reports should be written in a clear and simple style, documenting the results of the study in accordance with the above terms of reference. The report will be written based on the submitted and approved outline during the preparation phase.
• Final Workshop – within one calendar week of the submission of the learning Report, the findings should be presented to RLA-S staff and representatives of different SRP partners and stakeholders.

The Final Report will be submitted in English language. The report and data collected must be provided to the project, together with copies of all questionnaires, audio/video recordings.

(if any), transcripts and all other relevant material and information collected or generated during the survey.

Tentative Work plan:

Final_ToR for RLA-S Learning Agenda. (1)

RFQ 2924 Learning Agenda Development

1. Required Qualifications

• Contractor’s personnel (i.e. expert to be mobilized by the Contractor to deliver the Assignment) that have a crucial role in implementing the contract are referred to as key personnel. CVs, copies of diplomas, and relevant certifications of key personnel should be included in the Technical Proposal.
• CVs must list and indicate all the relevant activities for the entire time period mentioned in their CVs as years of experience.

Specific requirements:

• Academic: Excellent academic qualifications, preferably including a master’s degree related to data analysis, Monitoring, evaluation and learning, project planning and design or Environmental disciplines.
• Theoretical knowledge: Sound foundational knowledge of MEL, data analytics, USAID CLA framework, including developing learning Agenda principles, practice, and application. Expands and maintains knowledge in the field through literature.
• Software skills: Advanced knowledge of Data analysis tools such as Microsoft Power BI; advanced knowledge of data collection tools, Microsoft Office including Excel; knowledge of R, STATA, Python or equivalent statistical software an advantage; knowledge of Adobe Suite, particularly InDesign for reporting.
• Knowledge of the context is required.
• Strong experience conducting major research exercises in support of major development programs – preferably in the sectors of resilience program – in challenging operational environments, previous experience in Somalia is desirable.

• A strong approach to assuring quality assurance of data collected.
• A strong ethical approach to data collection – while still being able to meet the objectives of the consultancy.
• Knowledge of strategic and operational management of humanitarian operations and proven ability to provide strategic recommendations to key stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesize and present findings, draw practical conclusions, make recommendations and to prepare well-written reports on time.
• Demonstrated experience in both quantitative and qualitative data collection and data analysis techniques, especially in emergency operations.
• The firm is expected to have strong skills in survey form design for mobile data collection

(ODK, Ona or Commcare)

• Experience with evaluating USAID/BHA-funded projects.
• Good interpersonal skills and understanding cultural sensitivities.
• Readiness to travel to Southwest state in Somalia and conduct direct standard assessment activities as well as field visits to program sites. Having a presence in Mogadishu is desirable but not essential.
• Fluency in English is required.

Applying Email: [email protected]