Impact Study Consultant (Consultancy Contract)

1. Introduction

WeWorld (WW) is an independent Italian organization that has been working in international cooperation and humanitarian aid for 50 years. Present in 27 countries with more than 120 projects, WeWorld operates in the following areas of assistance: human rights (gender equality, prevention and combating violence against children and women, migration), humanitarian aid (prevention, emergency relief, and rehabilitation), food security, access to water, health, and hygiene, education, global citizenship education, quality teaching, and international volunteering. WeWorld works mostly with girls, boys, women, and youth, actors of change in every community for a fairer and more inclusive world. WeWorld supports people overcoming emergencies and guarantees a life with dignity, opportunities, and a better future through human and economic development programs, in the framework of the 2030 Agenda. Joining WeWorld team means being part of the development of a dynamic organization where the contribution of each staff member is promoted and valued, working together towards the collective achievement of shared goals and vision.

WeWorld has been working in Lebanon since 2006 and is currently supporting vulnerable populations through multi-sectoral emergency responses as well as water governance, livelihood, and local development interventions in the governorates of Akkar, North Lebanon, Baalbek-Hermel, and Bekaa. WeWorld interventions aim to increase the populations’ resilience, enhancing the communities’ capacity to find, within its fabric, the skills and resources necessary to grow in a self-sufficient manner. WeWorld Lebanon has four offices (Beirut, Zahle, Ain, Kobayat) and its main donors are the EU, RDPP, OCHA, AICS, AFD, ECHO, and ICRC.

2. Background

In May 2024, WW was awarded a 14 months “Cash-plus assistance to support socio-economically vulnerable households meet their basic needs and withstand future shocks in Akkar Governorate” (ECHO/SYR/BUD/2024/91022) funded by European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO). Through the award, WW and its implementing partner, Mada Association, intend to contribute to strengthening the abilities of people living below the survival threshold to meet their basic needs and be prepared to respond to future shocks in Akkar Governorate, through a Cash plus approach of cash and income generating modalities.

The cash-plus design approach combines MPCA and livelihood from the start, with services (coaching and technical assistance) and direct support for income-generating activities (IGAs), thus providing integral elements to the cash transfer intervention. The program is thus designed to ensure that with discontinuation of cash assistance, the selected households (HHs) will be able to sustainably generate the income necessary to cover at least 50% of their needs, hence, reducing aid dependency and increasing resilience to shocks and stressors.

The project will target 1,000 vulnerable households in Mazarea Jabal Akroum, Machta Hammoud, and Wadi Khaled in Akkar governorate through MPCA and 260 HHs through short-term livelihood support. This latter component will involve referring approximately 60 young beneficiaries for training and apprenticeships within the framework of ongoing livelihood programs implemented by WW and Mada. Additionally, it will provide direct livelihood support to 200 households (HHs) benefiting from cash assistance, through in-kind support that enables them either to launch a new income-generating activity (IGA) or to scale up and expanding an existing one.

3. Objectives

The study is expected to provide critical insights on a specific contextual operationalization of the Humanitarian-Development Nexus, identifying and analyzing the extent to and the specific conditions under which IGAs can effectively complement (or even replace) cash-based assistance to ensure extremely vulnerable HHs’ sustainable transition to self-reliance, enhancing their capacity to withstand shocks and stresses. In specific, the impact study will aim to:

• Measure the project’s results in respect to the cash-plus indicator’s and its correlation to MPCA results
  • C+:Average return on investment from businesses supported through Cash-Plus component
  • C+:% of the target population restoring their livelihood and regaining sustainable economic self-reliance six month after the start of the IGA supported by the Action
  • MPCA: % of households who report being able to meet their basic needs as they define and prioritize them
  • MPCA: % of households without crisis and emergency Livelihoods Coping Strategies (LCS)
  • MPCA: % of the target population with acceptable Food Consumption Score (FCS)
  • MPCA: % of households with total monthly expenditure which exceeds the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) Indicative Target

The above-listed indicators make up the pre-set information that will be gathered by the project.

• Measure the financial performance of the IGAs (information and specific indicators to be proposed by the consultant)
• The impact on HHs’ expenditure and consumption patterns and trends as well as on the capacity to meet basic needs and on the coping strategies (including a comparative analysis of these patterns and trends during and after cash-assistance)
• The interplay of external and internal factors (availability of assets, knowledge and skills, market conditions, gender, age, and disability) influencing the success and sustainability of the IGAs
• Impact on gender relations within the HHs
• Any positive and negative unintended consequences of the IGAs at HHs and community levels. 
• Generate evidence-based knoweldge, best practices, and recommendation on cash-plus programming and its replicability in the context of Lebanon including identifying key factors contributing to the success or failure of the IGAs, and exploring opportunities for enhancing and improving the cash-plus approach to better support sustainable livelihoods.

4. Scope of Work

4.1. Deliverables

• Inception Report: which will include the study framework, Methodology, work plan, data collection tools, and sampling methodology that will be used during the assessment
• Baseline Analysis: analysis of the baseline data (MPCA, IGA and Market monitoring) collected by WW and Mada.
• Quarterly Reports: summarizing impact analysis trends (MPCA, IGA, and Market monitoring over the period in comparison to the baseline analysis.
• Impact study report

4.2. Responsibility

The service provider will be responsible for:

• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of project documents, reports, and relevant literature, including but not limited to the cash-assistance program details and IGA implementation plans.
• Develop the study framework, methodology, analysis plan and data collection tools: data collection will be carried out by WW and Mada staff through periodic monitoring activities (validation, PDM and PIM assessments and market monitoring) 
• Technical support to WW and Mada staff including enumerator’s trainings on data collection tools particularly for specific indicators introduced by the consultant.
• Analyze data using appropriate statistical and qualitative methods.
• Conduct baseline and quarterly analysis of the data collected and disseminated with WW and Mada through period reports and briefings.
• Submit the impact study’s first draft and final draft.
• Submit a Presentation that shall include a Summary of key findings and recommendations

5. Qualifications and Experience

The consultant must demonstrate:

• Proven experience on a similar assignment in Lebanon, addressing the complex socio-institutional-economic aspect of cash and livelihood programming.
• Master’s degree in social sciences, economics, food security or relevant field
• Demonstrated experience in conducting researches, assessments and/or evaluation of food security and livelihood programs in Lebanon.
• In-depth and up-to-date knowledge of Lebanon’s socio-economic context, particularly in Akkar Governorate, is desirable
• Experience in conducting socio-economic analysis of food security, resilience and market systems in conflict-affected areas, Lebanon in specifc.
• Robust experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis 
• Excellent writing and communication skills in both English and Arabic.  

6. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the below score:

Technical capability and experience

40%

Implementation plan and timeline

40%

References and past performance

20%

7. Submission

Interested parities are requested to submit the following:

• • Suggested methodology and Workplan
  • Resume
  • Letter of interest
  • Sample of a previous impact study or evaluation report with references.