Endline Data Collection for Rigorous Impact Evaluation (RIE)

Project Title: Strengthening Inclusive Local Governance and Vertical Social Cohesion in Lebanon

1. Background

The Berghof Foundation (BF), in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin (WZB), is implementing a Rigorous Impact Evaluation (RIE) for the project “Strengthening Inclusive Local Governance and Vertical Social Cohesion in Lebanon.” This seeks to assess how participatory planning and decision-making processes at the municipal level impact trust between citizens and local governments, as well as enhance vertical social cohesion. A baseline study was conducted in 24 municipalities in the past months.

To assess the impact of the intervention, an end line study will be commissioned to assess whether and how trust levels have been impacted as a result of the project intervention.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to contract a survey firm to:

1. Conduct endline data collection in the 24 municipalities to assess socio-economic conditions, trust in local governance, and willingness to engage in participatory processes.
2. Provide high-quality, anonymized data to support robust quantitative and qualitative analysis following a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT).

3. Scope of Work

The contracted firm will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Preparation Phase:
   • Review and validate survey tools and protocols provided by BF and WZB.
   • Translate survey instruments into Arabic (if needed) and pilot test tools in the target areas.
   • Lead training sessions for enumerators on data collection protocols and enumerator guidelines with support from WZB researchers.
2. Sampling and Recruitment:
   • Conduct end-line surveys with the individuals who took part in the working groups across 24 municipalities (15 per municipality).
   • In addition, enumerators will contact control group members to survey them (also 15 per municipality). Overall 30 people per municipality will be surveyed i.e. N = 720. Please note that the lists of people to be contacted will be shared with the enumerators i.e. they will not randomly select people to survey, so additional effort will be required to reach the appropriate respondents.
3. Endline Data Collection:
   • Deploy trained enumerators to conduct household surveys and key informant interviews in the 24 municipalities.
   • Ensure data is collected using conflict-sensitive, inclusive, and ethical approaches, adhering to "Do No Harm" principles.
   • Document socio-economic conditions, attitudes toward local governance, and social cohesion indicators.
4. Data Management and Reporting:
   • Submit cleaned, high-quality, anonymized data in a format agreed upon with BF and WZB.
   • Provide a report summarizing key findings, recruitment challenges, and observations from the field.

4. Methodology

The baseline survey will employ a quantitative approach (structured household surveys) complemented by qualitative data (observations from enumerators). The survey tools will measure:

• Levels of trust in local authorities.
• Perceptions of municipal governance performance.
• Willingness to engage in participatory decision-making processes.
• Social cohesion indicators (e.g., intergroup trust, collaboration willingness).

5. Deliverables

The firm is expected to deliver the following:

1. Inception Report:
   • Work plan with a timeline for endline activities.
   • Strategy to contact participants in 24 municipalities.
   • Translation and piloting of survey tools.
2. Endline Data:
   • Cleaned quantitative and qualitative data for the 24 municipalities.
   • Thorough report on challenges and learning when recontacting treatment and control groups.
3. Baseline Summary Report:
   • Summary of recruitment outcomes, key findings from data collection, and field observations.
4. Raw Data Submission:
   • Provide raw data files in an agreed-upon format (e.g., Excel).

6. Required Qualifications

The selected firm must demonstrate the following:

• Proven experience in conducting household surveys and baseline assessments in Lebanon, Experience in Beqaa, Shouf, Baalbeck and Hasbaya regions is a plus.
• Capacity to recruit and train enumerators experienced in data collection in fragile settings.
• Familiarity with rigorous evaluation methodologies, including randomized sampling and treatment/control group setup.
• Knowledge of social cohesion, participatory governance, and socio-economic dynamics in Lebanon.
• Experience working with municipalities in Lebanon
• Access to a strong data management team capable of delivering high-quality, anonymized datasets.

7. Timeline

The assignment is expected to be completed within 6 weeks from contract signing. The tentative timeline is as follows:

Phase

Duration

Notes

Inception Phase

1 week

Submit work plan, recruitment strategy, and any translated tools for review and approval.

Training

1 week

Training enumerators: Make research goals clear and communicate strategy for contacting treatment and control groups.

Data Collection

3 weeks

Endline data collection should follow a rolling submission approach. Once data collection is completed in a municipality, the cleaned and verified data must be submitted for that municipality in parallel. This ensures real-time review and quality control.

Data Cleaning & Reporting

1 week

Submit the final cleaned data set and summary baseline report for all 24 municipalities.

Important Note: Data for each municipality must be submitted to Berghof Foundation, and WZB within 2 days of completing data collection for that municipality. This allows for timely feedback and ensures adherence to quality standards.

8. Submission Guidelines

Interested firms should submit:

1. Technical Proposal:
   • Work plan and methodology for data collection.
   • Team composition and CVs of key personnel.
2. Financial Proposal:
   • Budget breakdown in USD, including all costs.
3. Company Profile:
   • Relevant experience and past assignments in similar contexts.
   • Proof of registration with the Ministry of Finance (if applicable).