Introduction

Five organizations (Farm Africa, SoS Sahel Ethiopia, IWMI, FZS and PHE EC) has formed a consortium and implemented EU supported SHARE BER Phase I Project for about four years from 2014 to 2018. The overall objective of the project was to enhance drought resilience, food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations in Southern and Eastern Ethiopia. The project’s specific objective was to conserve biodiversity, ecosystems functions and services in BER and increase resilience and well-being of highland/lowland communities. It was implemented project aims to test the benefits of adopting a participatory, multi-sectoral and integrated approach. The project was implemented in seven pilot woredas namely Dinsho, Harenabuluk, Dellomena, Goba, Medawolabu, Berbere and Adaba which are located in West Arsi and Bale Zones of Oromia Regional State. The primary beneficiaries of the project were about 878,000 people living the project areas. In addition, around 12 million people living in the downstream of Ethiopia and Somalia indirectly benefit from the project.

The project has employed integrated and multi-sector eco-regional approach covering the highland, midland and lowland ecological zones. The interventions were identified inline to fitting the different ecological zones and with consideration of the ecosystem linkages.  The project has implemented different integrated interventions and identified important lessons for up scaling into all 16 woredas of the Bale Eco-region. The SHARE BER Phase I implementers has obtained support form EU and initiated SHARE BER Phase II Project entitled “scaling out integrated and multi-sectoral approach”. The SHARE BER II project will be implemented for five years from May 2019 to April 2024.

 In this SHARE BER II Project, it was found important to have further scientific evidences for some of the tools used in SHARE BER I Project. Multi-sector taskforce were one of the important tools used for implementing the eco-region approach which served as a means for vertical and horizontal integration, creating better coordination among stakeholders, and as a learning and knowledge sharing platform. Thus, Population Health and Environment Ethiopia Consortium (PHEEC) as one of the responsible organization in leading the multi-sector sector integration, it would like to get the assessment done by the external qualified expertise. This term of reference is prepared for identifying qualified and competent expertizes who have proven experiences in the area. The details of the assignments are provided in the subsequent sections.

 Objectives

The objectives of the assessment:

• The overall objective of the assessment is to generate scientific evidence into the performance of Multi-sector taskforce as a tool for integration, coordination, partnership and knowledge sharing.
• Specific objectives
• Assess on the status of the kebele, woreda and zonal level multi-sector taskforces established by SHARE BER I Project
• Identify on the strengths and weaknesses of the MSTF and recommend possible solution for a better use to other actions
• Assess on feasibility of establishing and sustaining the MSTFs
• Demonstrative the comparative advantage of the multi-sector taskforces with the other platforms under use by different actors
• Based on the assessment results develop standard MSTF guidelines and a step by step practitioners facilitation toolkits

 Methodology and assessment framework

This assessment has to employ mainly qualitative assessment methodology with mix of some quantitative data collection tools engaging statistically significant portion of the stakeholders engaged in the SHARE BER I Project. The standard sampling procedures of the target population has to be followed. The assessment has to engage capture ideas of the representatives’ of multi-sectors taskforces at kebele, woredaand zonal levels. In addition, the representatives from the five SHARE BER I Project implementer organizations (Directors, field coordinators, program managers, community development facilitators) and the higher level platform members need to be engaged.

The assessment has to come up with innovative and practical framework that would help to get relevant results. It has to make analysis of the different scenarios with the current program and project implementations frameworks, the existing multifaceted challenges and the demands of for holistic and integrated interventions.

In the summary, the assessment can consider but not limited to the following methods.

Document review:  all relevant documents such as MoU, Monitoring and learning plan, project reports, taskforces minutes, action plans term references, project document, national level strategic and policy documents, national and regional level multi-sector platform working documents.

Key Informant Interviews: Consultations with key project stakeholders (key government offices, beneficiaries, Consortium members, taskforce members, higher officials, CBO’s).

 Focus group discussions:discussions will be conducted so as to gather more in depth information on the progress, challenges and opportunities of the project as well as to verify delivered outputs. FGDs will be done with project beneficiaries, CBOs, government staff, taskforce members.

 Knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) survey; data collection template will be provided by the SHARE project  

Expected Deliverables

The consultant will deliver the following outputs:

Inception report including methodology, data collection tools, budget breakdown and detailed work plan to be discussed and agreed in advance.

Draft assessment report including key results including different scenario analysis, strengths and limitations andrecommendation. The draft report will be shared with relevant stakeholders for inputs.

Final assessment report including with consideration of the comments

Multi-sector taskforces guide and practitioners toolkit

The draft and final report will containcover pages with name/logo of the implementing NGOs and the EU, the title of the assessment andreference number of the funding

It has to include disclaimer

Management and Responsibility

 The proposal will be evaluated by the review team composed of  Program Coordinator, Finance and Admin Head, Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication Coordinator

Once the potential consultant is identified the project focal person at PHE Ethiopia Consortium will be technically responsible to manage and provide all necessary guidance to the assessment team. Furthermore, the Director will provide overall support and direction to the consultant, issue support letters and assign field staff to provide necessary support  

The consultant will be responsible  to cover all costs and fulfill the necessary logistic arrangement, select, train and deploy data collectors as needed

Whenever the consultant want to make any change to original plan and agreement it must be approved by PHE Ethiopia Consortium

 Time frame

 The entire period of this consultancy work will take a total of 60 days that will include preparation, development of the assessment tools, actual data collection at desk and field level, data analysis, preparation of draft and final reports. The time frame will not be extended unless otherwise proven evidences presented.

 Table 1: Timeline of assessment

Qualifications and Required Competencies

Assessment team should have a combined team of qualified professionals in the following areas:

• The lead consultant should have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in leading assessment, impact evaluations and demonstrate knowledge in the areas of multi-sector and integrated approaches. A team of experts with demonstrated knowledge in of policy, natural resources management, environment and project evaluation.
• Demonstrated knowledge of conducting assessments, project and program evaluation, organizational capacity assessment, and surveys for renowned national and international NGO’s, experience in evaluation of consortium-based working arrangements.
• Demonstrated academic and practical experience in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, data collection, analysis and evaluation.
• Strong analytical, facilitation and communication skills.  
• Excellent reporting skills
• Fluent in professional English
• Commitment to meet the deadlines, with available resources and human power to make necessary logistical arrangements.
• Team members need to have the basic communication skill of the local language, Oromiffaa.