Feasibility Study To Assess A Proposal

  Terms of Reference (ToR) for a Feasibility Study to assess the proposal “Strengthening the Resilience to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene-Related Diseases among Lebanese Host Communities and Refugees from Syria in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon” For submission to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)   Background and rationale Lebanon has received over 1.1 million refugees from neighbouring Syria since the outbreak of civil war there in 2011, which has been putting a huge strain on the country´s economy, social services, and infrastructure, among others. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is one of the areas affected. The demand on water was reported to have increased by around 7% in late 2013 against a context classified as water-scarce. Prior to the crisis, only slightly over half (58%) of the Lebanese households (HH) were connected to the public sewage system, and only 8% of the sewage volume was treated. The influx of a large number of persons is compounding this situation, with consequences on the environment noted. The Regional Rapid Response Plan 6 estimated that around 2 million persons were in need of WASH support in 2014, and the World Bank quantified the expenditures necessary just to stabilize the situation to be US$ 235 million in the coming years. The limited access to water and sanitation facilities, expenditures for hygiene items, overcrowded living conditions, low protection against the elements in informal settlements, fees to accessing health services and other factors are factors that undermine people´s resilience to diseases and illnesses.   Against this backdrop, World Vision intends to implement a sanitation infrastructure and hygiene promotion program with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ[i]). The project aims to extend and connect an existing municipal wastewater network to a nearby wastewater treatment plant in the Bekaa valley; to provide capacity building in technical and managerial aspects to the operating staff; and to raise awareness on good hygiene behaviours among the local communities. The project thereby seeks to strengthen the communities´ resilience to WASH-related diseases, and to make a contribution to the human right to sanitation; to improving the preconditions for personal and environmental health; and to promoting social cohesion and stability between Lebanese host communities and refugees from Syria.   As part of the proposal development process, BMZ requires an external study on the feasibility of the proposed intervention design, the detailed terms of reference are laid out in this document and which findings will be included in the proposal.   Scope of work The external evaluator undertaking the feasibility study is expected to: Assess and review the proposed intervention design and Provide a qualified opinion on its feasibility. Notably on: The technical feasibility, contextual appropriateness, proposed timeline and budgetary cost effectiveness of the proposed infrastructure, capacity building and hygiene promotion measures; The criteria for selecting the local partners and the proposed cooperation framework with them, notably with regards to programmatic and financial monitoring and evaluation; The sustainability of the proposed intervention design and anticipated results and impacts. In addition, the questions provided by BMZ through the framework of the report expected have to be answered (see point 4). The evaluator is expected to use, at a minimum, the following methods for his/ her work: Review of the design documents, including technical annexes, and of relevant internal and external information sources such as available for example from the UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response Information-Sharing Portal[ii]; Discussions with key World Vision staff involved in the design, including the WASH Technical Expert, the Programs staff, and the WASH programs implementing staff; Discussions with representatives from the proposed partner organizations, including the Bekaa Water Estbalishment, the participating municipalities, the wastewater treatment plant operating staff, and the participating civil society organizations. The consultant is expected to be from Lebanon or to travel to Lebanon (Beirut and Bekaa valley), or, if that is not possible, to undertake phone interviews and use pictures and remote data such as GIS to verify the information presented to him/ her and form an opinion. The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables: A debrief on his/ her discussions and findings with World Vision staff involved in the proposal design; Feasibility study report in line with BMZ´ required document structure (see below).   Process, including tentative timetable Tasks, responsibilities, timeline The consultancy is expected to take between 7-9 days, depending on the amount of travel involved, and start earliest on May 1st, 2015. The first draft of the report has to be shared latest by May 9th, 2015. Should no qualified consultant be available during this time, the position will remain open until further notice, with a shift in timeline.     Activity Responsibility Deliverables Dates (tentative) Consultant hired WVG Program Officer, WASH Technical Expert, P&C   ToR will be drafted by WVG Program Officer and reviewed by WVL Program Officer, WASH Technical Expert and P&C P&C will provide a standard contract for a consultancy ToR will be advertised by P&C, WASH Technical Expert, WVG Program Officer through their respective channels Applications will be reviewed by WVG Program Officer with support from WASH Technical Expert and WVL Program Officer Consultant contract will be finally agreed upon and signed between P&C and Consultant 12.05.2015- 5.06.2015 Document review Consultant WVG and WVL Program Officers and WASH Technical Expert will provide proposal documents, including technical annexes, to consultant Consultant will undertake a desk review of the documents 10.06.2015 Finalization of review methods Consultant   WVG and WVL Program Officers, WASH Technical Expert Consultant will propose and develop the methods to be used for the review after having agreed on them with WVL and WVG Program Officers and WASH Technical Expert will discuss and agree on the methods 11.06.2015 (Travel to Lebanon, when applicable) (Consultant) (WVL support staff will facilitate logistics) (12.06.2015) Site visits, meeting with partners in the Bekaa and Beirut Consultant   WVL Program Officer, WASH program implementation staff   Bekaa Water Establishment, municipalities in Ablah and Niha, wastewater treatment plant in Ablah (ACWUA), Arab Countries Water Utilities Association, Center for Development, Democracy and Governance (CDDG) WVL will arrange site visits and meetings with partners, including logistics Consultant will undertake site visits and meet with partners and note his observations 13- 14. 06.2015 Debrief Consultant   WVL and WVG Program Officers, WASH Technical Expert Consultant will deliver a debrief on the visits and the meetings to WVL and WVG Program Officers and WASH Technical Expert WV staff will draft the protocol and share with Consultant for feedback 15.06.2015 (Travel home, when applicable) (Consultant)   (16.06.2015) Report writing Consultant   WVL and WVG Program Officers, WASH Technical Expert Consultant will write and share draft report Draft report will be reviewed and commented by WVG and WVL Program Officers and WASH Technical Expert Consultant will incorporate and address comments and share final version 17.-18.06.2015   Location, travel requirements The review process should involve a site visit and meetings with partners in the Bekaa valley and Beirut. A consultant based in Lebanon is therefore preferred. World Vision will assist with facilitating practical arrangements (setting up meetings, logistics). A consultant based outside of Lebanon is expected to have clarified in advance of the application, and to confirm with the application, that he/ she can travel to Lebanon without needing to go through a lengthy visa application and approval process. The consultant is expected to have completed the necessary security capacity building measures to undertake travels to a fragile context such as Lebanon and is undertaking the travels at his/ her own risk. World Vision will assist with arranging logistics (travel, accommodation) in Lebanon.   Team structure The consultant will be working closely with the WVL Programs team and the WASH Technical Expert and report to the WVL GAM Lead during the time of the consultancy.   Products The consultant is expected to deliver the following: Timetable/ process, evaluation matrix; Evidence of the document review; Outline of the proposed, discussed and agreed upon methodology; methodological tools/ instruments used; data collected (e.g. pictures from site visit, notes from meetings with partners); Debrief after the site visit and meetings with partners – protocol will be done by World Vision staff and reviewed by Consultant; Feasibility study report (draft and final versions) in line with BMZ requirements for this document, including the required annexes.   The document structure of the feasibility study report shall be as follows (max. 15 pages):   Table of contents (contents, maps/ graphs, acronyms) Executive summary (background, key findings and recommendations) Introduction 1.1   Summary of the proposed intervention 1.2   Background and rationale of the feasibility study (incl. main questions) 1.3   Description of the assessment process (timeline, composition of the team/ qualifications of the evaluator, external factors and their impact on the assessment process) Methodology 2.1 Methodology (methods/ instruments, ethical and security considerations for consultant and partners/ beneficiaries met) 2.2 Methodological limitations Analysis of the project context Were external factors, potential challenges and the anticipated potential of the proposed intervention adequately assessed and taken into consideration? Is the intervention based on a gap analysis of existing interventions by other actors? Are duplications avoided? Have risks been adequately analysed and can the proposed mitigation measures be reasonably expected to address them? Have the following aspects been assessed for the selection of local partners: Qualification of staff, organizational capacity (technical, financial, managerial, administrative)? Have capacity gaps and potential been assessed appropriately? Has a capacity building plan been developed in cooperation with the local partner? Is it addressing the identified needs, cost effective, and can it reasonably be assumed to have the desired impact? Assessment of the capacity and potential of the proposed partners Anticipated developmental impact 5.1 Relevance & appropriateness Is the proposed intervention meeting the beneficiaries´ needs and aligned with the objectives of BMZ, of World Vision and the local partners, and Lebanon´s national objectives? Are the proposed interventions contextually appropriate given possible alternatives? 5.2 Effectiveness How do you assess the quality of the planning process for this project? How do you assess the quality of the intervention logic, including the indicators? How do you assess the quality of the proposed monitoring system? Have potential negative effects been considered and are they planned to be monitored? How do you assess the quality of the proposed implementation structure, and of the proposed management system? How do you assess motivation, ownership and legitimacy of the agencies implementing the project? 5.3 Efficiency Are the proposed activities cost-effective compared to alternatives? 5.4 Developmental impacts to which the project seeks to contribute Can the project reasonably be assumed to make a contribution to the stated developmental impacts? How are you assessing the intervention to contribute to promoting local capacity for sustainable service delivery, and to resilience among the local population? Is the intervention innovative and could these innovations be upscaled/ replicated? What is the reach of the intervention in terms of benefits to the local population/ long-term changes? What might be potential negative effects/ unintended development consequences? 5.5 Sustainability How do you assess the potential for sustainability of the proposed intervention after project end? Please take into account projected trends in the context in which the project takes place. What are risks (and potential) that could undermine sustainability? To what extent were cross-cutting issues, in particular gender, disability, environment and peacebuilding, considered in the project design? Can the proposed activities to address these issues be reasonably assumed to have the desired consequences? Cross-cutting issues Conclusions and recommendations 7.1 Conclusions 7.3 Recommendations Annexes: ToR Composition and independence of the team undertaken the feasibility study Evaluation matrix Timetable and process of the feasibility study List of persons interviewed/ participating References Methods/ instruments (e.g. questionnaires etc.) Protocol of the debrief Logframe Other Required qualifications The consultant is expected to have a WASH engineering background, and preferably to have experience with WASH infrastructure projects developing countries, in order to be able to assess and provide a qualified opinion on the technical design for the proposed infrastructure works. Additional experience with WASH soft components is an added advantage. The consultant is expected to be able to work with minimal supervision, under time pressure, to be able to organize himself/ herself efficiently in the country context, and to communicate and cooperate effectively with partners with different operating styles. Local candidates from Lebanon and candidates from neighbouring countries are preferred. Knowledge of Arabic is an added advantage. The consultant will be working with the WVL Programs team and the WASH Technical Expert and report to the GAM Lead.   Remuneration and budget Remuneration Remuneration: Note that this is a brut remuneration and that the consultant is expected to take care of all tax and other fees that he/ she might need to pay to his/ her Government. Additional cost covered by World Vision: Visa, flight, in-country accommodation and transport.   Estimated budget   Description Quantity Unit Consultancy fees (per day, includes per diems) 7-9 Days Travel in-country 1 Lumpsum If necessary, travel to/ from Lebanon 1 Return flight If necessary, accommodation in-country 3 Nights   Application To apply, please send your resume including names for references, time availability and budget to:   Consultant_lbn@wvi.org   World Vision International in Lebanon Postal address: PO Box 55355 Sin El Fil, Lebanon Physical office address: Sinyora Building Montazah, Mansourieh el Metn, Lebanon 00961 (0)4 401 980   Please submit your application latest by 22.05.2014. If no qualified candidate can be found until this date or for the proposed timeframe, the application will remain open, and we encourage you to submit your application nonetheless.   In case of questions on the ToR, please contact: Ms. Viktoria SCHMITT, Country Program Coordinator Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs viktoria_schmitt@wvi.org +49 (0)6172 763 231   Annexes Proposal documents, including technical documents Secondary literature (internal/ external) Evaluation grid for selecting the consultant       [i] In German: Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung. [ii] http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php