TERMS OF REFERENCES FOR RECRUITMENT OF A CONSULTANT FOR MIDTERM EVALUATION OF KUNGAHARA PROJECT.

Introduction

Actionaid Rwanda (AAR) is a Non-Governmental Organization and an Affiliate member of the Actionaid Global Federation. AAR is committed to combating poverty and working with marginalized communities. Since its inception in Rwanda in 1982, AAR has strived to achieve social justice, gender equality, and poverty eradication by empowering communities, redistributing resources, and advocating for the rights of those living in poverty and exclusion with a focus on women and girls.

To achieve this mission, AAR supports communities and advocates for food rights, women’s rights, and empowerment, and based on AAR Country Strategy Paper (CSPIII) aiming at strengthening resilient livelihoods and secure climate justice. This focuses on specific issues namely:

• Access to land, resilient livelihoods, and food security,
• Agro-ecology and sustainable environment
• Access to markets and financial services

One of the outcomes to achieve priority 2 is that women smallholder farmers are able to practice agro-ecology, increase productivity, advance value chain management and are linked to financial institutions for credit to expand their businesses.

To achieve this, AAR has secured a grant from the European Union to implement a 3-year Project entitled “Improving Food Security and Boosting Farm Income for Women Smallholder Farmers in Rwanda-IFS Project”. This Project under implementation from November 2023 will close with October 2026. It is being implemented jointly with TUBIBE AMAHORO and operates in Nyaruguru, Gisagara, Nyanza, Musanze and Karongi Districts and work with women cooperatives supporting women cooperatives.

In this regard, Actionaid Rwanda would like to recruit a consultant to documents stories of change after one year and half of implementation of the Project.

Project overview

The Project is a food security initiative aimed at improving livelihood of vulnerable communities through practice of agroecology, reduction of post harvesting losses and income generation from farm produces by linkage with markets. It works with 3,300 members from 110 cooperatives in eleven sectors in aforementioned Districts. In its first year, the project focused on capacity building of beneficiaries to equip them with knowledge and skills to boost food production, value addition, cooperative and business management as well as market linkages.

The project has made significant progress in addressing issues of food security, including increasing access to nutritious food, empowering smallholder farmers, and enhancing community resilience to climate shocks. The project’s impact needs to be captured through stories of change that reflect both individual and community-level transformations.

Purpose of the Consultancy

During the project initiation process, the consortium (AAR and TUBIBE AMAHORO) developed a project log frame with project objectives and indicators that will be measured to ensure project performance. The baseline study was conducted and determined the initial values of different indicators to be evaluated. Therefore, this assignment consists of collecting information on the current status of 110 women cooperatives supported by Actionaid Rwanda after one year and half of implementation of the Project as well as individual women in the above-mentioned project implementation area in order to determine the progress of implementation and achievement of the Project’s objectives.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will need to read the project proposal and its annexed log frame to as well as the annual report to determine the most appropriate methodology to be adopted in undertaking this assignment. However, the study will have to consider the following categories of the targets groups (TGs) who are direct project participants.

 TG1: 3,300 small-scale women farmers organized in 110 cooperatives that already have legal status with an average of at least 30 members each.

TG2: 55 schools with a School Feeding Programme that depends on local food production to cover their nutritional needs.

TG3: 21 extension service providers (10 from target districts and 11 operating at a sector level) already in place and whose mandate is to ensure sustainable and sufficient food production and availability within households and local communities.

TG4: Four main agricultural input supply companies categorized into seeds, fertilizers, irrigation and post-harvest covering the target communities.

TG5: representatives of local authorities including District and Sector-level officials in Districts of intervention (cooperatives Unit, Agriculture, gender…).

Timeline:

The consultancy assignment is expected to be completed within two months from the commencement date, including reporting.

The project indicators to be measured.

During the project design period, the consortium defined and established a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will be used to measure project success over time. The consortium also planned that the indicators whose value were determined by the baseline study will be measured at midterm and at the end of the project to identify project progress. In detail, the evaluation will assess the following:

Assessment of Progress

• Evaluate the progress made toward achieving project goals and objectives, such as improved food security, increased income, malnutrition, capacity building…...
• Review whether the planned activities and outputs have been implemented as scheduled.

Effectiveness of Strategies

• Assess the effectiveness of strategies and interventions in improving food security and income for target beneficiaries.
• Identify successful practices and approaches that contribute to project goals.

Impact Measurement

• Measure the impact of the project on food security, nutrition, and income levels of households and communities.
• Assess changes in agricultural productivity, dietary diversity, and income-generating opportunities.

Efficiency Analysis

• Evaluate the use of resources, including time, funding, and personnel, to determine whether they are being used efficiently.
• Identify potential areas for cost savings or resource optimization.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Assess the level of involvement and satisfaction of stakeholders, including beneficiaries, local governments, and partners.
• Evaluate the capacity building of local organizations and their role in project implementation.

Identification of Challenges

• Identify challenges, barriers, or bottlenecks that hinder the achievement of project objectives.
• Explore unintended negative consequences or risks that may have emerged.

Sustainability and Scalability

• Assess the sustainability of project outcomes and the potential for scaling up successful interventions.
• Evaluate community ownership and the ability of local institutions to sustain the project’s benefits.

Recommendations for Improvement

• Provide actionable recommendations to address identified challenges and improve project implementation.
• Suggest adjustments to the project design, activities, or targets based on findings.

Documentation of Lessons Learned

• Document lessons learned during the project implementation to inform future projects and programs.
• Share insights on what worked and what didn’t to improve the design of similar initiatives.

Deliverables of the assignment

Listed below are the main deliverables that are expected from the consultant:

An inception report: The consultant will produce an inception report in which they will describe the consultant’s understanding of the Terms of References and outline the objectives, methods, and expectations of the assignment. As part of the inception report, the consultant will include as an annex well-structured tools and instruments, which will be used for data collection, including a list of key documents that will be consulted for desk review, survey questionnaires, interview guidelines, and any other data collection forms.

A Report of the midterm evaluation: The primary deliverable that will be produced by the consultant is a comprehensive midterm evaluation report, which will provide values for the measured project Key Performance Indicators at its halfway. This report will include an overview of the project's objectives, the methodology used for data collection, a description of the population and the sample, a description of the study area, and detailed findings based on the data collected, anticipated risks and the proposed mitigation measures. Additional information that will be presented in the evaluation report will include the following:

Data Analysis Report: The consultant will present an analysis of the collected data, including both quantitative and qualitative data. This report will include statistical summaries and data visualization, and a clear interpretation of the findings; highlighting strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks related to small holder women cooperatives.

Comparison with Benchmarks: The consultant will compare the actual findings to relevant benchmarks or best practices in food production and women small holder cooperatives. This will help identify areas where women small holder cooperatives as well as individual women may need improvement to reach the for the project.

Stakeholder Engagement Report: The consultant will identify and document the key stakeholders involved in the project. This report will detail their roles, interests, and levels of engagement to document involvement in the implementation of the Project.

Feedback Mechanism: The consultant will propose a feedback mechanism to the consortium to gather input and insights from project stakeholders.

Annexes to the report will include:

• Raw Data: The consultant will share the raw data collected, including survey responses, interview transcripts, and any other data sources.
• Documentation of Data Sources: The consultant will include a detailed list of all data sources used during the midterm evaluation. This documentation is crucial for transparency and for future evaluations of the project.
• Presentation Materials: The consultant will prepare presentation materials/PowerPoint and a summary report, to facilitate communication of evaluation findings to the project team and stakeholders.

Proposal specifications

Competent bidders are invited to apply on the assignment described above not later than April 30^th 2025 at 14h00. Well bound bid documents will be submitted at the Office of Actionaid Rwanda at Remera, Kigali. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.

The Technical Proposal should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the tasks set forth and the candidate’s capacity to perform the assignment. The following information should be provided in the technical proposal:

• In-depth description of the candidate’s recent experience in a similar assignment.
• Description of the methodology proposed to reach the outcomes.
• Estimated days for preparation and completion of the assignment.
• Up-to-date C.V. of the Lead Consultant and his team members note more than 4 pages.

The following information shall be disclosed as part of the technical proposal:

• Statement to certify that all the information provided in the candidate’s bid is, to the best of its knowledge, accurate and complete. Any misleading or false information may result in disqualification of the candidate at the sole discretion of Actionaid Rwanda.
• References (at least three references for similar work with supporting documents)
• List of previous contracts and their amounts.

The financial proposal should be submitted in FRW with sufficient details to facilitate cost comparison and assessment. The candidate must specify the cost of:

• Consultant fees, Per diem.
• Travel/transportation.
• Other direct costs.

The financial proposal of the selected candidate will be reviewed during contract negotiations to determine the final contract price. The contract will be drawn up during the negotiation stage.

Evaluation of proposals

Technical proposals will be evaluated and ranked on the basis of the assessment specified below. The technical evaluation may also include interviews with the experts named in the proposals. The results of these interviews will be factored into the final technical score of the proposals and the original ranking of the bidders will be adjusted accordingly. The following criteria will be used to assess proposals:

Criteria	Marks
Technical approach and methodology: Creative and effective mechanisms or methods proposed for implementing the services	30
Team members: Qualifications and demonstrated track records of the candidate in carrying out similar missions	20
Interview of the proposed team members	20
Financial proposal: Cost-effectiveness of the proposal	30
Total marks	100

The minimum pass marks for financial evaluation will be: 50/70

Qualifications and skills:

1. The consultant(s) should possess a master's or Ph.D. degree in a relevant field such as agriculture, agroecology, crop production, economics, data science, M&E, agriculture marketing or a related discipline
2. Knowledge of result-based management evaluation methodologies
3. Knowledge of participatory monitoring approaches
4. Experience in applying SMART indicators
5. Prior experience in conducting baseline studies, endline evaluations, impact assessments, or research related to agriculture production, cooperatives management, women empowerment and emancipation or similar areas. Copies of certificate of completion for three similar tasks are desirable
6. Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and data collection techniques
7. Familiarity with the dynamics, challenges, and opportunities in agriculture, women cooperatives and their role in food production
8. Strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage with women, government officials, and other stakeholders involved in the project
9. Knowledge of ethical considerations in research, including obtaining informed consent and ensuring the privacy and safety of research participants, especially when working with women
10. Proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda to facilitate effective communication and data collection

Reporting and supervision:

The consultant(s) will report to the Programme Policy and Business Development Lead and directly supervised by the Project Coordinator.

How to apply

Qualified and interested individuals/ institutions are invited to submit a full proposal (technical and financial) both in English properly bound in sealed envelopes will be submitted to ActionAid Rwanda Head offices in Remera, KG 178 ST, 5 Amahoro Village, RUKIRI II Cell, Remera Sector, Gasabo District, Near Amahoro National Stadium next to RSSB/CSS Building not later than April 30^th, 2025 before 3:00PM.Late submitted proposals shall not be considered.

N.B: Actionaid Rwanda reserves the right to cancel this procurement process without justification at any time and will not be held liable for any costs associated with responding to this call for proposals.

Note that Successful consultant will be expected to abide to ActionAid’s values and adhere to ActionAid policies including the Safeguarding Policy, the Child Protection Policy and anti-modern slavery policy, among other ActionAid policies.

Contact Information:

For inquiries or clarification regarding this consultancy assignment, please contact +250280300142.

Done at Kigali, 18/04/2025.

Assoc. Prof. Jeanne N. KAGWIZA,

Interim Executive Director