"Evaluation Consultant " under the project titled “Empowering Lebanese host community and Fostering Self-Reliance for Displaced Syrians in South Lebanon”

SHEILD association is looking for an evaluation consultant to conduct an evaluation of the project “Empowering Lebanese host community and Fostering Self-Reliance for Displaced Syrians in South Lebanon” in Lebanon.

Implementing Organization: SHEILD

Funded by: RDPP (Regional Development and Protection Program)

Project Start: August 1, 2016

Project Duration: 23 months

Location: Southern Lebanon

For this mandate, SHEILD Association seeks to hire an evaluator to design, plan and conduct the evaluation of this two-year project. The terms of reference and details of the mandate are outlined in the document below.

The evaluation is planned to start and end in September 2018.

INTRODUCTION

SHEILD was founded in Lebanon in 2010. Its mission is to bring relief to the most vulnerable groups in the south of Lebanon, including refugees and those suffering from the absence of governmental health, social care and protection. Focusing on direct assistance and community-based interventions, their approach is to build relationships with community groups to respond to their most pressing needs. SHEILD’s main fields of intervention include the social, economic, health, and educational sectors. The organization has grown rapidly in the past few years and currently runs a large number of both emergency and development projects. SHEILD Association first worked with SHEILD in 2011 and has since played a key role in building and strengthening the organization.

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

RDPP has supported SHEILD’s project ““Empowering Lebanese host community and Fostering Self-Reliance for Displaced Syrians in South Lebanon” since 2016. The overall objective is to enhance livelihood conditions for vulnerable Lebanese and foster self-reliance for Syrian refugees in south Lebanon. The project focuses on temporary income generation as a coping mechanism but also addresses the need to prevent/ mitigate tensions between the refugees and the host community. Targeting host community members alongside the refugees is directly related to conflict prevention and hence to the security and wellbeing of the refugees.

The specific objectives of the action are to “support economic conditions for vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugees HHs through income generation, job creation and / or internships" and to “strengthen local micro-economy through tailoring special support to SMEs and cooperatives in south Lebanon”. Opportunities for income generation will be created through two types of actions: improving employability of Lebanese and refugees through training, mentoring, and learning-by-doing (apprenticeships), and providing incentives to new businesses and established SMEs and cooperatives to hire Syrian and Lebanese workers.

EVALUATION AND PURPOSE OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the success and impact of SHEILD’s objective to enhance the economic conditions of vulnerable refugees and host community in the south of Lebanon.

The first part of the evaluation will specifically assess and analyze the success of the models and modalities of vocational trainings, complimentary trainings, and income generating activities through grants, kits, job placements and paid internships provided to beneficiaries to establish. This will include looking at the social and economic impact on the lives of the beneficiaries, but also an analysis of SHEILD’s project strategy and methodology when providing such support to vulnerable groups.

The second part of the evaluation will look more broadly at ways to develop/replicate the project given the particular context (geographic, economic, cultural etc.) and the type of beneficiaries targeted.

TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE EVALUATION

Part one (project specific):

• The process of the setting up of small businesses including selection criteria for businesses/beneficiaries, assessment, and Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) established.

• Evaluation of a selection of up to 40 cases among the 100 benefitted from grants, jobs, and internships. The 40 cases chosen should include a mix of different types of capacity building and livelihoods support offered during the project.

To be evaluated:

• The impact on the income of the beneficiary (including impact on household income, support to family, economic independence and perception in communities)
• The social impact (if any)
• The experience of collaboration
• The experience with grants, jobs and internships
• The development of the business (which one developed well, based on which criteria)

• Evaluation of support for SMEs: SHEILD field support, and process of identification of needs in support.

• Was the support provided to the businesses sufficient in terms of creation of Job or internship opportunity?
• Are there specific areas of the project that can be made more efficient?

• Project challenges and opportunities

• What was challenging for the project when implementing the different components of it and the setting-up and supporting of small businesses?
• Were there any unexpected successes?

• What were the major factors that have influenced the achievement or non-achievement of the project’s objective(s)?

• Which elements of the project design were particularly favorable for business support?

Part two (context):

• When running a business, what are the challenges and/or opportunities given the social exclusion experienced by the beneficiaries?

• If another target group were to be considered for the project, could the same methodology/process of setting up of project approaches be applied?

• For the success of the project, how important is it that the partner is well connected to the community?

• Is the context in the south of Lebanon (e.g. social, political, economic, or cultural factors) conducive to this kind of development model?

In the specific regional context, were there factors that were particularly favorable for this type of business design and beneficiaries?

• What factors would have to be considered if the project were to be replicated in other parts of Lebanon?

METHODOLOGY

The evaluation shall be participatory. The methodological approach will be designed by the evaluator in coordination SHEILD Association in order to adapt to the requirements and purposes of this assignment, and will include:

Preparation and Preliminary Desk Study: The evaluator shall study the project documents, the narrative and financial reports submitted to RDPP and any other document that might be relevant and provided by SHEILD.

Evaluation Plan: The evaluator shall present a detailed evaluation plan to SHEILD Association 5 days after the start of the mandate. The plan shall cover the following aspects:

• Identification of up to 40 direct beneficiaries of the project to be evaluated
• Identification respondents to survey and participants in focus group discussions
• Identification of individuals to be interviewed
• Design of questions for interviews, focus group, and/or surveys.
• Timeline (field visits, etc)

Project visit & data collection: The evaluator is expected to spend several days with both SHEILD staff and project beneficiaries to collect qualitative and quantitative data.

One-day workshop with SHEILD at the end of the evaluation period to share findings and recommendations.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

The evaluator, or the evaluator team, is responsible for his/her own logistical arrangements as well as organizing meetings and interviews with the support from the project partner.

The evaluator should have the following qualifications:

• Advanced degree in business sector and/or social science.
• Specific experience and expertise in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in a development context. Knowledge of micro-credits and grants models is a significant advantage.
• Strong knowledge of the NGO sector in Lebanon.
• Knowledge of the social/cultural/economic context in Lebanon, especially in the south.
• Extensive knowledge of participatory monitoring and evaluation methodologies and approaches.
• Minimum 7-10 years professional expertise in international development co-operation, economic development, impact assessment and strategic recommendations for continued support/development of programming/strategies.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Arabic.
• Demonstrated analytical, communication and report writing skills.
• Proven track record to deliver high quality reports and on time.
• Excellent interviewing skills.

DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULE

The evaluation shall take place during September 2018 according to the tentative schedule below.

The offer should include an outline of the methodology, a comprehensive work plan with deliverables and detailed budget for the mandate as well as CV and competences of the evaluator.

3 days     (Work Plan)

• Start of contract
• Desk review of project document, reports and other relevant documents review by evaluator(s)
• Evaluation design, development of draft tools and elaboration of process methodology

3 days

• First of two briefing sessions with SHEILD
• Field visits

3 days (Draft report for comment + 1-day workshop)

• Development of draft report
• Second briefing with SHEILD Association  
• Finalization of draft evaluation report and summary
• Workshop with SHEILD (end of September)

30th of September   2018  (Final Report)

The final Evaluation Report in English submitted by 30th of September 2018 should include the following:

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Presentation of findings
• Overall assessment of project implementation
• Recommendations
• Conclusions
• Annexes: A list of consulted stakeholders, key documents, the ToR, surveys, etc.