INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT: Evaluation of Irish Aid funded Adolescent pregnancy reduction projects implemented by UNFPA in Sierra Leone

Purpose of Consultancy:  

Conduct an Evaluation of Irish Aid funded Adolescent pregnancy reduction projects implemented by UNFPA.

Context

Background

UNFPA Sierra Leone is implementing the “Girls’ Access to Education and Services” (GATES) project, with funding, Gender and Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA), and NGOs Fambul Initiative Network for Equality (FINE) Salone and Rainbo Initiativefrom Irish Aid, from January 2018 – November 2019. The GATES project is implemented by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) through the Directorate of Non-Formal Education, and other relevant line ministries; Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS), and Ministry of Social Welfare.       

Main objective of the consultancy:

The objectives of this consultancy are to conduct an evaluation to:

1. Review Irish Aid funded adolescent pregnancy reduction projects implemented by UNFPA between 2015-2019 to assess whether the programme design is still relevant, appropriate, acceptable and feasible given the evolving context in Sierra Leone;
2. Determine whether the GATES programme of activities have been implemented as intended and has resulted in the outputs envisaged;
3. Draw lessons learned from design through implementation to inform development of a new multi-annual adolescent project.

Roles and responsibilities of the Consultant:

• Provide overall technical guidance and leadership to the evaluation;
• Provide the inputs for quality aspects of the overall process;
• Develop the inception report with inputs from the team'
• Compile draft and final reports, considering the quality assurance aspects;
• The consultant will have primary responsibility for the timely completion of a high-quality evaluation that addresses all the items required in the TOR;
• Responsible for debriefing the findings when required;
• Liaise with UNFPA focal point on evaluation design, field work and reporting;

Key activities:

The key activities of this consultancy are to:

1. Conduct a Desk Review of relevant project documentation - 4 days;
2. Develop inception report, outlining the research strategy, including developing/revising data collection tools and procedures - 2 days;
3. Develop and implement training of research assistants - 2 days;
4. Conduct and supervise primary data collection – 11 days;
5. Collate and analyse data collected using qualitative methods – 5 days;
6. Write an evaluation report comprising of primary and secondary data analysis, key findings and recommendations (using the UNFPA template)  - 5 days;
7. Hold a validation meeting with Irish Aid, UNFPA, Government of Sierra Leone, representatives from intervention districts and other implementing partners – 2 days;
8. Hold exit briefing meeting with UNFPA and present report – 1 day;

Deliverables:

Activities under this Independent Sub-Contractor Agreement are to be completed in the period between late September – October 2019.  It is estimated that the deliverables required will take 32 working days to complete.

 Phase 1: Late September 2019

1. Inception report, outlining the research strategy, including developing/revising data collection tools and procedures.
2. Training of research assistants completed.

Phase 2: 30 October 2019

3. Final Assessment Report to an acceptable standard:–

The report must include:

• Executive summary (not more than 3 pages)
• Brief Literature Review
• Research Methodology
• Key findings, including quantitative and qualitative data
• Discussion of findings
• Conclusions and summary of recommendations

All deliverables should be delivered via electronic copies, with the final assessment report submitted in three hard copies. 

Qualifications and Experience

Knowledge and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies or a related field;
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in conducting/managing research or evaluations;
• Preferable experience in evaluating/researching sexual reproductive health, adolescent, gender based violence and/or male engagement programming;
• Familiarity and working experience with the UN agencies will be an added advantage.

Competencies:

• Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills;
• Leadership and good management skills;
• Ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team of experts;
• Excellent problem identification and solving skills;

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English, verbal and written.

HOW TO APPLY:

All applications (CV and cover letter) including a technical proposal, should be sent to the email address registry-sl@unfpa.org latest by 20 September 2019.