Terms of Reference (TOR) for Resilience Learning Activity. (SRP) Consultancy on Developing Common Learning Agenda for SRP

Resilience Learning Activity.

(SRP) | Consultancy on Developing Common Learning Agenda for SRP.

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Key Information.

Localization Somalia - Baidoa and Mogadishu

A. Background:

Mercy Corps leads the implementation in Somalia of the ACDI/VOCA-led regional and country levels Resilience Learning Activity (RLA). Somali Resilience Partnership (SRP) platform is part of USAID regional Resilience Learning Activity (RLA) program in the HoRN of Africa which provides a platform for sharing practices and coordinating actions 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 currently is at the beginning of of its Financial Year five (FY5) of implementation. Facilitating resilience learning is a top priority for the RLA-S program. RLA-S is planning to work with SRP members to formulate and document SRP common learning Agenda. RLA-S will be identifying key SRP activities (Programs) and consolidating their programmatic learning Agenda to find common learning themes. RLA will report on the findings of this question entering Q2 of FY5.

RLA will engage a local research firm to conduct the documentation of the SRP common learning agenda study. The successful research firm will be collecting data (learning agendas/questions) from SRP partners in Mogadishu and in Baidoa 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 products which will inform decision makers on commonalities, key gaps, and areas of improvements when it comes to resilience learning.

B. Purpose.

Under RLA’s Objective 1 and the Intermediate Result 1.1 (Partnership meetings and collaboration in-between meetings) and activity 1.1.2 (Develop Common Learning Agenda for the SRP platform), these terms of reference details how the RLA team will be working with SRP members to formulate and document SRP common learning Agenda. RLA-S will engage a local consultancy firm to identify key SRP activities (Programs) and consolidate their programmatic learning Agenda to find common learning themes. Once the consolidation ends, RLA will generate a learning report based on the identified common learning questions. This effort will help SRP partners in Somalia to point out their common learning agenda that can spark collaboration and collectively generate lessons that will be used to formulate best practices and intervention packages that are critical for resilience building in the Somalia CDCS target zone.

C. Objective.

In pursuit of this purpose, the RLA team will hire a local consultant firm to conduct an assessment to collect and document the different learning agenda for selected SRP partners and document them. This assessment will also help shape a pilot, based on RLA partners’ needs and aspirations in that space.

Specific objective

a)    Identify common learning Agendas of SRP Partners Activities.

b)    Conduct an assessment to test and explore the commonalties and generate common learning questions.

c)    Conduct data collection and generate learning reports. The project target locations are in Mogadishu and Baidoa SRP facilitation areas.

D. Approach.

Preparation:

The proposed documentation of common learning agenda assessment will be used to collect data from selected SRP partners programs and consolidated. After the completion of the

assessment and common learning questions are identified, the consultant 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 document and consolidate the findings. 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 30th  April 2024.

Inception:

•      Conduct desk review of learning Agendas of SRP partners in Somalia.

•      Conduct interviews with partners to understand key principles, approaches and processes used in the development of the learning agendas at different levels i.e., humanitarian or development programs.

•      Collect, review, and analyze all the necessary documents used in the preparation of the Learning Agenda.

•      Map out existing Learning Agendas within the Somalia Resilience Partnership members through effective engagement.

•      A consolidated learning agenda is captured in the inception report and shared by the local consultant within two weeks after signing the contract.

•      Develop a guidance note describing the approaches and process behind the learning agenda collected from partners as well as noting key areas of commonality and differences in the CAP development process.

Implementation:

•      The local consultant to develop the methodology, and data collection tools for the common learning questions.

•      Tool development and revisions to ensure questions are well aligned with overarching key questions; tools include KII questionnaire and FGD questionnaire.

•      RLA to connect with the local consultants’ key informants for data collection.

•      The consultants will share the preliminary findings for feedback and validation.

•      RLA to organize a workshop with SRP partners for validation of the common learning Agenda.

•      Final learning product is shared with SRP partners for adaptation.

•      Develop indexed list of learning agenda collected and acknowledge sources.

•      Develop summarized learning agenda collected – Template harmonization, approaches/methodology used to develop the CAPs by the SRP Partners.

E.  Learning deliverables:

•      Inception Report – to be submitted within three 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 Inception Report. This report will provide the results of a small pilot Assessment together with proposed changes to the survey instrument and questionnaire.

•      Draft 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.

•      Learning Briefs: Summarized report to be shortened into fewer papers of learning briefs for decision makers to have snapshots of the entire study report.

•      Final Validation 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.

•      Physical Presence for the validation and dissemination workshop events. Technical leads to be present during the validation and dissemination workshops of the common learning agenda events Baidoa/Mogadishu.

•      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.

F.  Timeline:

A tentative work plan is attached below.

•      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, or equivalent statistical software an advantage; knowledge of Graphic designs, 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.

Consultants/firms that meet the requirements mentioned above are invited to submit a detailed technical proposal and financial proposal as per selection criteria on or before 28th March 2024 and should be addressed to [email protected] referencing ‘Consultancy on Developing Common Learning Agenda for SRP” in the subject of the email.