External Evaluator

Evaluation Study Terms of Reference for “S04 outrach project Syria – distribution of food baskets”, implemented by Jesuit Refugee Service Middle East and North Africa Rgion and funded by Trócaire, Secours Catholique-Caritas France and Caritas Australia 1. Context – Situation in SyriaSyria enters its fifth year of conflict in 2015. Projections estimate some 4.3 million to have left the country by the end of 2015. Despite international outrage at the death toll, and allegations that chemical weapons were used in August 2013, there is little prospect of a peaceful resolution of the conflict.New reports have shown that Syrian life expectancy has dropped by 22 years during the conflict, from 79 to 55. Humanitarian needs have increased twelve fold since the beginning of the crisis, with 12.2 million in need of humanitarian assistance, including 7.6 million internally displaced people and more than 5.6 million children in need of assistance. An estimated 4.8 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in hard to reach areas and locations. 9.8 million people are considered food insecure, including 6.8 million in high priority districts. 2. Project RationaleTheobjective of the S04 outreach project is to provide emergency food aid in the Syrian governorates of Damascus and Rural Damascus though the distribution of food kits. The project aimed at targeting 1,975 families during 7 months with a monthly assistance. The intervention was based on working with local partners, local community members and with low visibility, accesssing to the most vulnerable areas in the region. 3. Brief Overview of the ProgrammeJRS S04 Programme is an outreach programme of JRS, designed to provide humanitarian aid to isolated communities in western Syria, mainly in the Governorates of Rural Damascus and Damascus.Overall Goal: IDPs and host communities in Damascus and Rural Damascus satisfied their most urgent nutritional needs by getting access to food aid.Objective: To satisfy the most urgent nutriotional needs of 1,975 war affected families (IDPs and host communities) by ensuring access to a quality and adequate food aid.Total Budget: EUR 420,996Indicators:1- Output 1: By the end of April, 1,975 war affected families (IDPs and host communities) in Damascus and Rural Damascus are served with food baskets.2- Outcome 1: By the end of April, 1,975 war affected families (IDPs and host communities), in Damascus and Rural Damascus satisfied their most urgent nutritional needs.3- Output 2: By the end of November, JRS S04 program implements new monitoring procedures and tools.4- Outcome 2: By the end of April, JRS S04 improves monitoring of and by partner organizations. 4. Rationale for EvaluationThe External Evaluation of projects is part of JRS’s programming policy. The results of the evaluation are used to improve the project activities and to provide the needed support to overcome the challenges that arise in JRS’ daily work. The documentation of the soluitions and tools used to overcome the challenges allow JRS to increase its capacity and learn from its mistakes. 5. Objectives of the EvaluationThe objective of the evaluation is to assess the implementation of the project.The main results expected from the evaluation are to measure and assess:• Impact: short and medium term impact of the project on the target beneficiaries and their coping mechanisms;• Strengths and weaknesses: strengths and weaknesses of the JRS Syria food kits distribution procedure;• Constraints: constraints encountered during the implementation of the project and effectiveness of the mitigating measures put in place;• Lessons learnt: lessons learnt and replication of best practices.The evaluator will have to submit a final evaluation report with the assessment of the abovementioned otucomes and outputs. 6. Key AudiencesThe evaluation will be observed by JRS and the project’s donor agencies. 7. Key questions the evaluation should addressThe evaluation should assess whether the anticipated outcomes of the programme, as set out in the programme Logic Model (and for which specific targets in the Results Framework have been set) have been achieved. This will involve analysing the status of the outcome at the end point of the programme. This will also include an assessment of:• The quality of the programme in terms of design, implementation and results against several dimensions including:• Relevance;• Effectiveness, including cost effectiveness ;• Efficiency;• Impact;• Sustainability;• The extent to which gender has been mainstreamed in the programme;• The extent to which the programme is accountable to partners and to communities targeted by the programme;• An assessement of the cost-effectiveness/value for money of the programme. 8. Activities Envisaged- Evaluation data and information collection;- Evaluation data and information analysis;- Consultation with partners;- Consultation with programme staff;- Consultation with other stakeholders;- Consolidating findings.Due to the security situation inside Syria, the evaluator will not be able to travel to the field or conduct a traditional evaluation process, therefore the evaluation will be substituted by a one day assessment through interviews with key team members, which will take place in Beirut through interviews with JRS-MENA Regional Office staff and Skype calls with the Syria team involved in the implementation of the abovementioned project. 9. Anticipated Outputs- Evaluation Report, first draft;- Evaluation Report, final version. 10. Selection Criteria for the Consultant/team- Sector-specific experience;- Location-specific experience;- Adherence to ToR;- Adequate Evaluation Plan;- Mixed-method approach to data collection and data analysis;- Expertise in gender mainstreaming;- Working efficiently, and in a cost effective way, to demanding deadlines. 11. ReportingThe consultant will report to JRS’s Regional Programmes Officer. The JRS Middle East Regional Director will approve the final report and he will be responsible for signing off on the evaluation report. 12. Timeframe• Proposal: the proposal must be submitted by 9:00 a.m. Friday August 7, 2015.• Evaluation: the evaluation process will take place from Augsut 10 to August 14, 2015.• Final report: the evaluator must submit the final report by August 21, 2015. The final payment will be subject to the approval of the report by JRS-MENA.