Call for Mid-Term Evaluation - Tripoli, North Lebanon

The Rene Moawad Foundation is seeking a Mid-Term Evaluation consultant for its project “Enhancing the Tripoli Furniture Industry for Driving Economic Growth” in Tripoli, North Lebanon to make an assessment, as systematic and objective as possible, of the project, its design, implementation and results. The aim is to determine the relevance and fulfillment of objectives, developmental efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability. The evaluation should provide information that is credible and useful.

Principles underpinning the approach to the evaluation are:

• Impartiality and independence of the evaluation process from the programming and implementation functions.
• Credibility of the evaluation, through use of appropriately skilled and independent expert and the transparency of the evaluation process, including wide dissemination of results.
• Usefulness of the evaluation findings and recommendations, through timely presentation of relevant, clear and concise information.

The evaluation report should then provide conclusions and recommendations on the following questions:

• Effectiveness: To which degree did the activities meet the objectives and results set out in the project (as outlined in the logical framework)?
• Matching needs: Did the project/activities meet relevant needs of the beneficiaries?
• Relevance: Was the project designed in a way that is relevant to reach its goals?
• Alignment: to which extend the project is in line (and using) with international relevant standards.
• Efficiency: is the project run in an efficient way?
• Sustainability: Are the results achieved so far sustainable?
• Internal coherence: Were the result indicators and their means of verification adequate? What possible adjustments would the consultant recommend?
• Impact: Where there any unforeseen positive/negative effects of the activities?
• Which unmet needs did the evaluator identify that would be relevant for RMF to look into in an eventual continuation of the project?
• What exit strategy should RMF follow in order to ensure operations sustainability past the life of the project?
• Identify lessons learned and provide recommendations.

Deliverables will include:

• An inception report: The consultant will share his/her inception report that details the evaluation design (rationale, methodology), data collection tools, and a detailed work plan within one week after the beginning of the evaluation, explaining the methodology, work program and timetable for the evaluation.
• Data collection tools: Develop the data collection tools and have them approved by RMF before data collection, analysis, interpretation.
• Validation workshop: A workshop, online, discussing the main findings of the draft report, including project staff, once data collection has ended.
• Draft Evaluation report: The consultant will prepare a draft evaluation report with details of findings, recommendations and lessons learnt for review by RMF team.
• Final Evaluation report: to be submitted at the end of the evaluation with a maximum extension of 30 pages excluding annexes. 

Profile of the consultant

Education:  Advanced university degree in Business Administration or economics or any other relevant discipline.

Technical capacity: the consultant(s) with practical experience in the following project fields:

• Economic development, and development of enterprise support institutions.
• Value-chain assessment and development
• Organizational capacity assessment
• Minimum 3 years proven experience in development project evaluation and/or humanitarian programs implemented by international aid organizations
• Fluent English and good writing skills (the report should be in English)
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with the business sectors in Lebanon.