Myanmar: Research team to conduct mid-term review

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultant Team for

Durable Peace Programme (Kachin) Mid-Term Review

Position: Research team to conduct mid-term review

Type of Contract: Consultancy

Location: Kachin State and Yangon

Length of assignment: estimated 25 working days for lead consultant, but less for the overall research team

Application deadline: September 11^th 2016

1.Background of the Programme and Consultancy

Oxfam manages a consortium of seven national and international NGOs, plus a further 18 CSOs, delivering the Durable Peace Programme (DPP) in Kachin. Supporting peace, reconciliation, rehabilitation and development across 12 townships of Kachin, the DPP delivers a broad range of activities under four main objectives, as follows:

1. To support greater community participation and influence in peace processes, particularly for women and youth;

2. To support the peace process through improving trust and reconciliation;

3. To link relief with rehabilitation and development by supporting improved education and livelihoods outcomes; and

4. Local authorities and community structures are more receptive to community peace and development needs.

Key themes underpinning the programme include a priority focus on supporting women and youth, mainstreaming advocacy throughout programme activities, and extensive capacity development for civil society and to a lesser extent, authorities. Indicative activities include peace and civic education, peace seminars and consultations, trauma healing, personal and community-level reconciliation initiatives, small-scale livelihood activities, early childhood education, research to support conflict-affected communities, and advocacy towards authorities. Over the course of three and a half years, the DPP will reach over 85,000 conflict-affected people, primarily displaced people living in IDP camps, but also some villages, both in Myanmar Government-controlled areas and KIO-controlled areas.

Funded by the European Union, the DPP launched in March 2015 and will finish in August 2018, hence the need for a mid-term review.

2.Purpose and Deliverables of the Consultancy

This consultancy is to deliver a mid-term review of the DPP, as part of our accountability processes, to support consortium learning/reflection, and to inform implementation for the remainder of the programme. The review will require review of existing documentation and available data, in addition to further quantitative and qualitative data collection, and an overall critical analysis of the programme, plus facilitation of consortium learning/reflection.

The consultancy team will be expected to complete the following at a minimum, but are not limited to:

· Literature review of programme and external documents;

· Minimum two weeks of field work, including KIIs, FGDs and observation, ideally in both Myanmar Government controlled areas and KIO controlled areas;

· Meetings with all consortium members and some CSOs involved in the programme;

· Write up of a draft review, not exceeding 20 pages (excluding annexes);

· Presentation and discussion of key findings; and

· Incorporating consortium feedback, write up of a final draft, not exceeding 20 pages, in addition to annexes.

3.Key Review Questions

The review should employ a critical analysis approach, delivering informed insights with practical recommendations that can improve future programme implementation, in addition to facilitating consortium-wide learning. At a minimum, the mid-term review should address the following (OECD) evaluation areas:

1. Relevance

2. Effectiveness

3. Efficiency

4. Impact

5. Sustainability

Furthermore, the programme recommends and will look favourably upon innovative review methodologies, genuinely participatory review approaches and processes that also deliver capacity development for consortium members.

4.Scope of the Evaluation

The programme operates across 12 townships in Kachin, both in Myanmar Government and KIO controlled areas. Active armed conflict, land mines, militarisation, travel authorisations and other issues pose many challenges for moving freely in Kachin (particularly for foreigners) and thus conducting the mid term review. Thus, it is not expected that the review team will visit all programme locations, but a diversity of locations is expected and encouraged. Additionally, as the programme operates a broad array of activities from early childhood education to national level advocacy on the peace process, it is not expected that each area will be covered in depth during the review. Nonetheless, the review will be expected to spend a minimum two weeks conducting fieldwork in Kachin, ideally in both Myanmar Government and KIO controlled areas.

5.Review Team and Oxfam Responsibilities

The review team is expected to work largely autonomously, but with support from Oxfam and the consortium as required. The following is an approximate division of responsibilities:

Review Team

· Ideally, arrange all logistics (transport, accommodation, etc.) for the review;

· Arrange a translator if required (Burmese and Jinghpaw recommended);

· Conduct data collection without Oxfam or consortium accompaniment, except where introductions need to be made, such as with village/camp leaders;

· Write the review, present the findings, and make revisions accordingly;

· Facilitate consortium-wide learning; and

· Conduct all of the above according to agreed timelines.

Oxfam/Consortium

· Arrange visas and travel authorisations, as required;

· Provide all required programme documentation and existing data, which includes extensive quantitative baseline data, and subsequent KIIs and FGDs;

· Provide additional Kachin-focused literature relevant to the programme;

· Provide contact details for relevant people;

· Respond to adhoc requests; and

· Conduct all of the above in a timely and responsive fashion.

6.Requirements and Selection Criteria for the Review Team

The following are minimum requirements that must be collectively met by the review team:

· Bachelor degree in development or conflict studies, social science or related field;

· Proven experience conducting reviews and/or evaluations (an example of relevant previous work preferred and would be kept confidential);

· Experience in Myanmar essential, experience in Kachin preferable;

· Proven advanced understanding of conflict dynamics/sensitivity in Kachin and at least some of the thematic areas of the programme, such as peace, gender, youth, livelihoods and advocacy;

· Proven gender analysis skills and demonstrated gender sensitivity; and

· Advanced English and Burmese essential, advanced Jinghpaw preferable. If English is not a native language of any team member, budgeting for and involving an English copy editor is strongly encouraged.

The following are the key selection criteria that the review team will be assessed against:

· The team’s capacity against the minimum requirements outlined above;

· Demonstrated understanding of the TOR and quality of the proposal to meet the needs of the mid-term review;

· Willingness and capacity for innovation, genuinely participatory approaches and capacity development for the consortium;

· Ability to work autonomously; and

· Value for money.

7.Indicative Timeline

The mid-term review must be completed between November 2016 and the end of January 2016. The proposal must outline the timeline for completion of the review, including a minimum of two weeks field-based research in Kachin.

Applications close on September 11^th 2016, interviews should be conducted by September 23^rd 2016 and final selection should be completed by September 29^th 2016.

8.Application Process and Payment

Proposals for the review must meet the following technical requirements:

· Cover letter of no more than one page;

· CVs of each research team member, totalling no more than three pages;

· Contact details of at least two references for the team leader;

· Proposed review process, including context analysis, methodology, report structure and timeline, totalling no more than three pages;

· An indicative budget of no more than one page including all expected costs. An overall fee that incorporates all travel and other costs is favourable, but not mandatory; and

· All text in size 12 font, single-spaced and with standard margins.

Applications that fail to meet or exceed (such as submitting too many pages) the above application process technical requirements will be disqualified. A more comprehensive methodology and plan will be required and negotiated upon selection.

Payments: based on the estimated budget, out of pocket expenses will be paid up to a maximum of 40% of the overall fee upon signing of the contract and the remaining 60% or more paid upon completion of the review to a satisfactory standard.

All applications should be submitted electronically with the subject title ‘DPP Review Application, name of lead consultant’ to:

myanmarhr@oxfam.org.uk

and

dustin.barter@oxfamnovib.nl

Any questions should also be directed to both of the above email addresses. jidic