Country: Myanmar
Closing date: 28 Aug 2017
Introduction
Pact seeks a consultant to conduct an evaluation of its women’s empowerment model, WORTH, implemented under the Shae Thot project. The evaluation’s purpose is to foster learning by providing a comprehensive understanding of the various changes that WORTH has contributed to in Shae Thot communities and guidance for improving and implementing the program in different contexts.
Purpose
The evaluation has a primary learning focus to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various changes that WORTH has contributed to and guidance for improving and implementing the program in different context. Key secondary audiences are USAID and communities.
Travel
Yangon, Burma/ Myanmar and selected sites in the Dry Zone and Kayah State
Project Donor
USAID Burma
Reporting to
Senior Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Specialist
Duration
04 October 2017 – 29 December 2017
Background
Shae Thot started as a five-year project in September 2011 and later received a cost extension for an additional 18-month period, which will end in March 2018.
Funded through USAID’s humanitarian assistance mechanism, Shae Thot is working in areas where civil society has traditionally been weak, and space for citizen participation is limited. For this reason, Shae Thot is working at the community level to support the development of grassroots organizations to play an essential role in identifying and addressing local needs, and ensuring inclusive service delivery to the poorest and marginalized community members. Shae Thot is currently active in 1,994 villages across 22 townships in the Dry Zone, Yangon, and Kayah State, and has implemented activities in 2,844 villages.
WORTH is Pact’s women’s economic empowerment program that has been implemented under Shae Thot in areas with limited market access. WORTH has been implemented in 588 villages, with a total of 26,579 group members across the Dry Zone and Kayah State under Shae Thot. Of these, 236 villages are currently active implementation villages, while others continue to receive support from Pact through a different project or have been phased out.
Purpose
The evaluation’s purpose is to foster learning by providing a comprehensive understanding of the various changes that WORTH has contributed to in Shae Thot communities and guidance for improving and implementing the program in different contexts. Primary audience is Pact Myanmar and USAID. Key secondary audiences the communities. The evaluation will support communities, particularly WORTH women, to systematically reflect on the program and its results and make adjustments themselves. For USAID the evaluation will provide an in-depth understanding of the program and its merit.
Pact is seeking a contractor who can effectively study and respond to the following specific objectives and key research questions.
Objective 1: Assess the contributions of WORTH to changes in the economic situation of its members.
Objective 2: Assess the contributions of WORTH to gender equality related social transformation.
Objective 3: Determine the value of the program from the perspective of WORTH group members.
Objective 4: Based on the insights gained through addressing the other objectives, formulate clear and actionable recommendations, as well as context-overarching principles for maximizing the ways in which women empower themselves through WORTH.
Each objective and question outlined above needs to be reflected against the following cross-cutting aspects:
· Social domains: Empowerment may differ across different social domains. This will particularly focus on empowerment at individual, household and community level.
· Equity: An equity lens will particularly examine the program’s ability to support the most vulnerable women in communities.
Deliverables
The inception report should provide details of the contractor’s understanding of, and approach to accomplishing the assignment. This includes a description of the assignment and methods applied for implementation, sampling framework, an agreed workplan with timeline, ethical considerations, draft data collection tools, an evaluation matrix outlining which tool will be applied to which target group and for answering which study questions, and outline of the final report.
The debrief should be brief PowerPoint slides and a presentation provided to Pact. The debrief will outline preliminary findings within one weeks after data collection has been completed and before the compilation of the final report.
The final report should include as a minimum the approach implemented for the completion of the assignment, collected evidence and in-depth analysis for addressing the purpose, objective and evaluation questions, and recommendations and context overarching principles. The final report shall not exceed 15,000 words, excluding executive summary and annexes. The report will focus on case overarching findings relevant to the study objectives.
Desired qualifications
The team leader shall minimally meet the following requirements:
- Advanced degree, preferably in sociology, gender studies, anthropology, international development or related field
- Ten (10) years of experience in research, monitoring and evaluation; thereof at least:
- Seven (7) years related to qualitative methods and non-experimental causal analysis such as contribution analysis
- Seven (7) years related to quantitative analysis
- Five (5) years of leading research and evaluation studies
- Extensive experience in mixed-method research
- Track record of producing concise narrative reports that provide actionable recommendations based on findings, in English.
- Prior experience with USAID projects is considered a strong asset
Moreover, the overall team will be assessed by its cumulative experience in the proposed research methods, in the programmatic area of the program and in Myanmar. At a minimum, the team must include one member with at least ten (10) years of experience with gender and women’s empowerment related research. CVs and level/type of engagement of the team leader and key staff must be clearly indicated in the proposal.
Instructions
The full RFP along with guidelines and instructions for submission is available here.
The deadline for submitting questions about this call for proposals is 8:00 am, Yangon time August 28, 2017. Answers to questions will be sent to all potential applicants by September 1, 2017. Questions should be sent by email to htethtetlwin@pactworld.org. All applicants are also requested to state intent to apply to this solicitation by August 28,2017 so that answers to questions can be sent out to all interested applicants.
Both institutions and teams of individuals are invited to submit proposals. Applicants are required to send an electronic copy of their proposal and writing examples of prior relevant work via email to htethtetlwin@pactworld.org. Technical and financial proposal must be submitted separately. Submissions must be received by the due date and time or they will not be considered.
Proposals should be submitted in English**.**
Although funding has been provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), all responsibility for the administration and communication of the contract will be handled by Pact. Applicants should not contact USAID regarding this solicitation. All questions, submissions, and matters related to this solicitation should be addressed to Pact at htethtetlwin@pactworld.org.
How to apply:
Instructions
The full RFP along with guidelines and instructions for submission is available here.
The deadline for submitting questions about this call for proposals is 8:00 am, Yangon time August 28, 2017. Answers to questions will be sent to all potential applicants by September 1, 2017. Questions should be sent by email to htethtetlwin@pactworld.org. All applicants are also requested to state intent to apply to this solicitation by August 28,2017 so that answers to questions can be sent out to all interested applicants.
Both institutions and teams of individuals are invited to submit proposals. Applicants are required to send an electronic copy of their proposal and writing examples of prior relevant work via email to htethtetlwin@pactworld.org. Technical and financial proposal must be submitted separately. Submissions must be received by the due date and time or they will not be considered.
Proposals should be submitted in English**.**
Although funding has been provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), all responsibility for the administration and communication of the contract will be handled by Pact. Applicants should not contact USAID regarding this solicitation. All questions, submissions, and matters related to this solicitation should be addressed to Pact at htethtetlwin@pactworld.org.