Consultancy to Conduct Endline Evaluation of The Strengthening Partnerships for Nurturing Care Project at Child Fund International

Joint Responsibilities between International and Country Based Evaluator

• The country-based evaluator will work in coordination with the international evaluator, to review and provide inputs to the design of a Kenya M&E plan. This will involve developing a detailed implementation plan for the endline assessment, which will be inclusive of:
• Proposing the number of enumerators and developing/finalizing a ToR inclusive of competencies to use to identify enumerators.
• Identifying the timing needed to hire enumerators.
• Proposing the timeline (number of days per community, time required per assessment activity per site, etc.) and logistics (transport, quality assurance mechanisms, ensuring data storage and security in the field) for field data collection.
• Identifying time and resources needed for developing the training agenda and modules for training enumerators on data collection tools and piloting tools.
• Identifying the time and resources required for finalizing assessment tools post-pilot and either printing or including in mobile data collection forms.
• Identifying the time required for creating the data entry forms; entering data; and cleaning data prior to sending to an international research partner.
• Contextualize, translate, and finalize endline data collection tools in consultation with the international evaluator.
• International Evaluator
• Finalize all endline evaluation enumerator training agendas and modules. The International Evaluator will share the draft guidance for any contextualization needed and will complete the final technical review.
• Develop quantitative and qualitative data entry forms for use by the enumerators.
• Conduct preliminary analyses of qualitative and/or quantitative data for the endline evaluation
• Develop draft endline evaluation report and briefs produced by the international evaluator in coordination with ChildFund Kenya and ChildFund International.
• Country Based Evaluator.
• Enumerator recruitment, management, and payment. The country-based consultant will be responsible for fully managing enumerators’ ToR and identifying enumerators with adequate competencies to fulfill the respective ToR.
• Train enumerators on how to utilize the endline evaluation tools as well as pilot the tools.
• Identify and facilitate the enumerators’ entering the quantitative data collected for the endline assessment using agreed upon data entry forms determined in consultation with ChildFund’s international evaluator.
• Identify and facilitate the enumerators’ entering and translating the qualitative data for the endline evaluation collected using agreed upon data entry forms determined in consultation with ChildFund’s international evaluator.
• Clean qualitative and quantitative data sets entered for the endline evaluation.
• Conduct preliminary analyses of qualitative and/or quantitative data for the endline evaluation as per an agreement with ChildFund’s international evaluator using the data analysis plan per outcome study’s assessment.
• Review and provide feedback on the drafts of the report and briefs produced by the international evaluator in coordination with ChildFund Kenya and ChildFund International.
• Provide access to documents and information needed to undertake the survey,
• Provide day-to-day coordination of activities and as the need arise including mobilization.
• Pay the agreed costs for the assignments and as per the deliverables completed.
• Socialize the consultant and team on Child safeguarding and have the team sign the policy.
• Implementing Partners
• Mobilization of respondents in their respective geographical areas.
• Provision of guidance and support during community entry and data collection

Expected deliverables for this assignment.

• The evaluator is expected to satisfactorily complete the deliverables outlined in the table below for each stage of the assignment:
• Evaluation Stage A Deliverables: M&E Plan
• Requested inputs provided to the international evaluator to finalize the Country M&E Plan based on review of project documents and consultation with Country Team. 2 Days
• Evaluation Stage B Deliverables: Endline Evaluation Planning, Implementation and Report
• Spreadsheet of enumerators hired characterizing their competencies against the ToR for enumerators. This is inclusive of timing for hiring and determining enumerators. 0.5 day
• Final set of training agenda and modules for the endline assessment enumerators’ training that have been reviewed and finalized in consultation with ChildFund’s international evaluator. 2 days
• Review contextualized and translated endline assessment data collection tools to utilize for training enumerators established in coordination with ChildFund’s international evaluator. 1 day
• Training of enumerators and pretest of the tools 4 days
• Endline assessment field data collection. 10 days
• Complete set of entered, cleaned (and translated for qualitative data) raw qualitative and quantitative data as per the final endline assessment data entry forms agreed with ChildFund’s international evaluator. 4 days
• Preliminary analysis of agreed upon data (to be determined with ChildFund’s international evaluator). 2 days
• Validation of the preliminary results with the county stakeholders 2 days
• Update the Perfomance Measurement Table endline values for the outcome indicators and data summary of the key findings 0.5 day
• Tracked changes and comments provided on the draft(s) of the international evaluator’s endline assessment report and brief. 2 days

Proposed Time Frame

• Not more than 30 days starting from November 11th, 2024 to December 12th, 2024. Specific timelines with breakdown of activities applicable to this evaluation will be set out in consultation with the international consultant.

Scope of Evaluation

• The endline evaluation will be undertaken in 6 wards in the two counties. These are Bunyala Central, Bunyala West and Bunyala South in Bunyala Subcounty, Busia County and Kanyamwa Kologi, Kanyamwa Kosewe and North Kabuoch in Ndhiwa Subcounty, Homabay County.

Evaluation Approach

• The evaluation will be done in line with Endline Study Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan for Kenya whose draft will be developed by the International Consultant. The international and country based evaluator will jointly review the existing plan from baseline and develop one for endline immediately after contract signing. The plan and inception report will be the first deliverable.

Qualifications of consultant(s)

• As the consultancy is multifaceted, the consultancy team is expected to have a mix of skills relevant for the assignment:
• Over 10 years’ experience managing household-level surveys of similar scale and preferably in the ECD, child protection, maternal and child health, maternal and child nutrition, and/or other related sectors.
• Experience in carrying out evaluations, particularly demonstrated experience with research and participatory methods. This can be shown by:
• Strong capacity and experience in planning and organizing survey logistics working in multiple counties simultaneously.
• A good network of experienced enumerators, supervisors, and data entry clerks in the target areas.
• Have relevant experience in working with governments and/or international organizations on consultancy assignments.
• Strong capacity in data management and statistics.
• Strong knowledge in using qualitative and quantitative statistical packages such as NVivo, SPSS, STATA, and others.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a team-oriented spirit.
• The team should have an expert in Early Childhood Development (ECD), Child Health or Child Protection, and statistics expertise.
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience with the application of a human rights-based approach to programming.
• Strong writing and analytical (a sample of a recent analytical report is requested).
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and ability to establish good and effective relationships with other national and international partners.
• Knowledge of issues of Child protection and violence against children will be an added advantage including knowledge of the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).
• An excellent working knowledge of Swahili and some knowledge of at least two local languages spoken in the targeted counties i.e. Dholuo and any other Abaluhya Dialect such as Kinyala etc
• Have excellent proven written and spoken English and communication skills.