Vacancy: Terms of Reference for Endline Evaluation of ICOWASH 2.0 Project

Company Profile

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. CRS Ghana was established in 1958, a year after Ghana gained independence. In Ghana, CRS works with local partners to tackle poverty on several fronts including improving health and nutrition; increasing access to safe water and improved sanitation; promoting agriculture to enhance food security; and increasing financial assets through Savings and Internal Lending Communities. 

Job Description

Terms of Reference for Endline Evaluation of ICOWASH 2.0 Project 

Introduction/Background

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives of people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through programs in emergency response, HIV, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, agriculture, education, microfinance, migration and peacebuilding.

CRS has been operating in Ghana since 1958 with majority of its interventions in Northern Ghana. The WASH sector remains a priority for CRS to build on the ongoing progress in WASH systems strengthening and consolidate gains made under I-SHINE (2014 – 2017) and ICOWASH 1.0 (2018 – 2020). Therefore, since 2020, CRS in collaboration with three (3) Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (Talensi, West Mamprusi and Mamprugu Moagduri), Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ghana Health Services (GHS) has been implementing the Integrated Community, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene improvement (ICOWASH 2.0)”. It is a 3-year project with funding from Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (HCT), focussed on expanding access to WASH services in communities, schools, and Health care Facilities, whilst building local capacities and strengthening systems for long-term sustainability.

The goal of the ICOWASH 2.0 project is to ‘improve the health and wellbeing of adults and children in rural Northern Ghana’.

The project is built on four (4) main pillars to deliver resilient and sustainable WASH services. The pillars are;

• Enhancing community ownership for accelerated behaviour change and action through linking existing community-level structures to jointly plan and take actions to resolve WASH issues.


• Strengthening WASH value chain by providing capacity and creating favourable environment for WASH businesses to thrive and provide equitable and affordable service and products to support adoption of desired behaviours.


• Expanding ICOWASH’s knowledge management by developing ICOWASH’s model and best practices into reference documents and learning briefs for widespread dissemination among WASH sector players with the intention of influencing policy changes and practice.


• Facilitating adoption and integration of best practices and lessons into national systems

The ICOWASH 2.0 project has two (2) Strategic Objectives (SO) and a Crosscutting Intermediate Result (IR).

SO, 1:  Targeted communities, institutions and private actors sustainably improve WASH services at the household, school and HCF levels.

IR 1.1: Targeted communities sustain safe hygiene and sanitation behaviours in households, schools and health care facilities.

IR 1.2: Established WASH Sanitation Markets responds to the growing needs of the communities.

IR 1.3: Target communities sustainably manage WASH infrastructure in households, schools and HCF.

SO, 2: ICOWASH best practices and protocols for WASH in schools (WinS) and HCFs (WASHCARE) are institutionalized for national adoption and scale up.

IR 2.1: ICOWASH accountability mechanisms for schools and HCFs are embedded into existing Information Management System (DHIMS, etc.)

IR 2.2: Relevant national and regional actors identify sustainable funding sources to finance WASH in schools and HCFs.

IR 2.3: Relevant sub-national actors (GHS, GES, MMDAs.) have adequate capacity and skills to champion and monitor the implementation of ICOWASH best practices.

Cross-Cutting Intermediate Result (IR):

Cross-cutting IR1: Improve WASH Knowledge Management using evidence based ICOWASH best practices, through rigorous documenting and sharing.

Objectives of the Endline Evaluation

The main objective of the endline evaluation is to conduct a utilization-focused evaluation to assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of the ICOWASH 2.0 project in accordance with CRS Meal Policies and Procedures. The evaluation will be conducted by an independent consultant hired through a competitive process. The consultant, in consultation with CRS, will design the end-line survey methodology and tools that are in line with the baseline methodology as needed to allow necessary comparisons, conduct the survey (collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data), and submit a comprehensive report. This report will include evidence-based recommendations regarding implementation, technical approach, management approach, sustainability considerations and methodologies. These recommendations aim to provide implementation gaps, lessons, and learnings for developing and designing new projects that will be more impactful and scalable.

Specific objectives are:

1. To carry out a comparative analysis between baseline and final evaluation surveys, assess changes in indicators results for the two strategic objectives in project communities and participants.


2. To identify program strategies, structures, systems, and interventions that contributed to or impeded the achievement of intended impact of program interventions and establish plausible links between inputs and impacts.


3. To assess the effectiveness of ICOWASH 2.0 approaches in achieving intermediate results and objectives.


4. To assess the sustainability of the programs’ interventions and positive impact.


5. Make specific recommendations on improving strategies and program interventions for future programming.

In addition to the specific objectives, the evaluation would specifically measure progress on the following indicators which are pertinent for establishing a comparison with baseline values. Specific definitions of the indicators can be found in the project Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT) and the MEAL Performance Management Plan (PMP) to be provided to the consultant as part of the supporting documents for the endline studies.

NB: This is not an exhaustive list. The final list of indicators will be agreed on during the inception meeting.

Survey Questions

The table below shows the questions the survey intends to answer, different tools that should be developed for the data collection and summarizes the primary information to be collected. The consultant may however propose other tools upon discussions with CRS WASH and MEAL Teams.

Scope and methodology of the study

The endline study is to collect and analyse endline data on water, sanitation and hygiene services and practices from communities, schools, and Health Care Facilities in three districts (West Mamprusi, Talensi and Mamprugu Moagduri Districts). The study will include but not limited to.

• Water access, coverage, quality, and utilization


• Sanitation access, coverage, and utilization


• Hygiene practices and behaviour in communities, schools and Health Care Facilities


• Activities of Savings Internal Lending Communities (SILC)


• Existence and vibrancy of WASH Management structures (WSMTs, Latrine artisan, SAGs, Health Committees etc)  


• WASH market development.


• Documentation, knowledge management and sector influence


• Relevance impacts and sustainability of ICOWASH interventions.   

The ICOWASH 2.0 endline study will employ a mixed-method approach to gather data, utilizing both probability and purposive sampling techniques from communities, institutions, and study populations. The quantitative aspect will focus on gathering data on the numbers and proportions of existing water and sanitation facilities, access to services, and establishing relationships. On the other hand, the qualitative assessment will seek to identify project impact, challenges, risks, and ways to improve for future programs. Data collection will occur at both primary and secondary levels. Primary data collection will involve the use of questionnaires for household and institutional surveys, conducting focus group discussions, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and observations. Secondary data collection will entail desk review of documents (Base line reports, effectiveness survey reports, key activity reports, project proposal, IPTT, MEAL documents, etc.). To ensure swift data transmission and maintain reasonable quality, quantitative data will be collected electronically.

The Prospective consultant will be required to submit a rigorous methodology detailing the sampling techniques, data collection methods, data quality assurance and appropriate ways of analysing the data to give meaning to it. Note: All data must be disaggregated and analysed by gender and other variables where applicable. The prospective consulting firm will be required to propose sampling technique that provide representative samples of the population at multiple levels for each suggested method of data collection (questionnaire, FGD, KII, observation, etc.) to generate a comparative analysis that demonstrates project impact comparing the start of the project and the end of the project.

Key reference documents

CRS will provide important project documents, including the project proposal, MEAL system (MEAL plan, IPTT, baseline report, etc.), list of project communities and interventions, project yearly effectiveness survey reports, ICOWASH technical approaches and strategies, and CRS MEAL policies and procedures for use as guides in the development of methodology and strategies to conduct this endline study.

Security and safeguarding

All safety and safeguarding protocols will be observed in relation to CRS policies and procedures during the duration of the study. CRS’ safeguarding protocols and code of conduct will be shared with the successful consultant as an annex in the agreement.

Ethical considerations and confidentiality

With reference to CRS MPP policy 9, CRS staff engage with our partners to collect, manage, utilize, archive and (when necessary) responsibly destroy data in a way that protects constituent privacy and rights, and is in accordance with CRS Responsible Data Values and Principles and international and local regulations. The endline study therefore will be conducted with this as the guiding principle. The consultant will be mandated to collect consent or assent from respondents in order to improve data privacy protection and ethics in all evaluation and research activities. Respondents’ data will also be de-identified in the collection and processing of personally identified data to ensure respondents rights to privacy and security.

The consultant shall demonstrate a professional level of confidentiality with all documents received from CRS and shall not share the whole or part of the document with any third party without written request and approval from CRS.

Evaluation dissemination Plan

After the evaluation, stakeholders including implementing partners, National, Regional and District GES/GHS representatives, local government authorities and other organizations implementing similar interventions will be invited to a workshop to review, discuss, and validate evaluation findings and recommendations. CRS will share the final report with the donor, and prepare a summary report highlighting findings, lessons learned and recommendations to disseminate among relevant stakeholders, including the National, Regional and District GES/GHS, local government officials and other actors working in the WASH sector in Ghana. Key findings and lessons learned will also be shared with project beneficiaries in each target community followed by discussion on actions that communities and institutions will undertake to sustain projects activities and results. Communities’ action plans will be compiled and shared with local authorities for follow-up. Program field agents will facilitate a meeting in each target community to share key findings and lessons learned.

Consultant will share in at least a one pager, lessons learnt and good practices during the endline study as part of the project’s learning focus.

Evaluation key audience 

The endline evaluation’s primary anticipated audiences are:

• The donor (Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust): appropriateness of strategies and project design to the context, and recommendations for future designs.


• National, Regional and District government actors: project design, implementation strategies, and recommendations to effectively improve the design and implementation to achieve greater and sustainable impact.


• Program implementation team for future designs.

Tasks under the assignment

The consultant will work in conjunction with the WASH Program Director, the ICOWASH Project Manager, Senior Project Officer MEAL, MEAL Coordinator and ICOWASH Senior Project Officers to finalize the design and plan for the study. During the field survey, the consultant will coordinate with the Senior Project Officers - Community Mobilization and WASH Project Officers and local stakeholders to conduct the study.  The consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

1. Carry out a desk-review of relevant project documents (to be provided upon signing the contract), including project proposal, results framework/output and outcomes table and other relevant documents, a range of which will be agreed upon and made available prior to the conduct of the study.


2. Email/telephone communications with WASH Program Director, ICOWASH Project Manager, Senior Project Officer MEAL and MEAL Coordinator for detailed briefing.


3. Develop an inception report, detailing the evaluation design, methodology, indicators, data collection tools, work plan schedule and budget to carry out the assignment in the project districts. This will be developed and finalized in consultation with the ICOWASH team in CRS.


4. Finalize a Sampling Design and Data Collection & Management Protocol that is standardized including key rapid catch indicators. The data collection tools should adequately address the gender (men and women) perspectives around WASH in schools, HCFs and communities.


5. Facilitate training of field staff / data collectors / enumerators (supervisors, interviewers, observers/record reviewers) and pre-testing of data collection tools.


6. Finalize work plan and lead field data collection, data entry into a suitable digital platform (preferably on CommCare, or any other platform that can be easily synchronized with CommCare), data cleaning, data analysis, and interpret and synthesize survey findings.


7. Develop and submit the first draft of the endline evaluation study report and debriefing to CRS, GHS and GES. The reports should be comprehensive and provide detailed specific findings within each project district, providing key recommendations for implementation, identify key gaps in implementation and capture key lessons for consideration in new projects. Any other research information presented must include proper credit to sources. Note that both CRS and our partners will provide a thorough review of the draft to ensure reporting is complete, specific and quantifiable.


8. Submit the final endline evaluation report to CRS and this should comprise three (3) Hard Copies and an electronic copy. The raw data, the database which has been cleaned (both qualitative and quantitative, including original field notes for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, as well as recorded audio material), signed consent forms, final data collection tools and photos/pictures taken during the study used in the evaluation should be submitted together with the report. A simple inventory of material handed over will be part of the record. CRS has sole ownership of all final data, and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the written permission and receipt of same from CRS. The lead consultant will be expected to compile and submit the draft report, make a presentation to CRS, incorporate comments from presentation and submit a final report within 14 days of the end of the evaluation.


9. Presentation of endline study: The consultant will be required to develop a detailed PowerPoint presentation of the endline study and will lead its presentation to CRS and selected partners at the District, Regional and National levels. The consultant shall bear their own cost of travel and accommodation for any presentation at any location within the country as directed by CRS.


10. The consultant will be responsible for guiding the entire evaluation process and all other specific responsibilities as stipulated in the Terms of Reference and Evaluation Plan.

Deliverables

The following are clear deliverables or milestones for the assignment.

• Inception report containing revised workplan.


• Survey tools (Questionnaires, guide for KIIs, guides for FGDs etc)


• Draft endline narrative report


• Final endline narrative report


• All data, including photographs, short videos, and transcripts.


• Two-pager summarizing the approach, findings, and recommendations of the survey.


• PowerPoint presentation of the endline study

Location and Duration

The evaluation will require approximately 10 weeks of work, which will include desk review and fieldwork (Possibly spanning April 22 to June 24, 2024). The work will initially take place in Tamale to review information and finalize the methodology. The team will then travel to the Talensi, West Mamprusi and Mamprugu Moagduri districts to collect appropriate data based on the endline study methodology.

Workplan/Implementation schedule

Final Reporting format

Reporting: Please note that the contents of the report will be analyzed, and final payment will only be made upon approval of the evaluation and comparative analysis report by CRS.

The final report is expected to be organized as follows:

1. Cover page


2. Table of contents


3. List of acronyms and tables


4. Executive Summary


5. Introduction


6. Study Description


7. Methodology


8. Summary of key findings (quantitative and qualitative) including key indicators and other prioritized indicators as well as comparative analysis between the baseline and end-line studies


9. Conclusions (including gaps and challenges) and Recommendations for future directions.


10. Annexes:
    
    
    
    1. Cleaned data sets.
    
    
    2. The Study Team Members
    
    
    3. List of Interviewers
    
    
    4. Methodology
    
    
    5. Questionnaire, Guides/ tools
    
    
    6. Evaluation plan
    
    
    7. Terms of Reference
    
    
    
    

Budget

A proposed budget in Ghana cedis shall be included with Consultant’s submission (Consultancy fee, training and field testing and quantitative and qualitative data collection, logistics, reporting, etc.), and the final budget approved shall be fixed and not subject to negotiation. Payments shall be made in local currency at the determined payment schedule in the agreement. Email: [email protected] for budget template

Payment schedule 

The assignment is fixed sum contract and not subject to variations in scope or amount. All payments will be subject withholding tax deductions. Payments will be structured as shown in the table below:  

The consultant(s) will be paid as follows:

• First tranche payment - 30% of the entire contract sum will be paid upon signing of contract and submission of inception report and revised workplan.


• Second tranche payment - 40% of the entire contract sum will be paid upon completion of data collection and submission of draft survey report.


• Final and third tranche payment - 30% of the entire contract sum will be paid after submission of final survey report, 2-pager and all data associated with the survey.

Required Skills or Experience

Profile of the Consultant:

The lead consultant and his/her team are expected to hold the following qualifications to be eligible for this call:

1. A recognized university degree in development studies, public health, population studies, international development, medical anthropology or related social science (at a minimum of master’s degree level), as well as professional qualifications in project management


2. At least 8 years’ progressive experiences in the WASH sector (WASH in communities/households, HCFs and educational sector, especially basic education) in the development context, gender issues and impact evaluations both in organizations and in projects


3. Good knowledge of the institutional framework for WASH services in Ghana, including sustainability issues, decentralization policies and private sector participation. Knowledge of the context in Ghana is a requirement.


4. Good knowledge on community-based savings and loans strategies and knowledge of the Ghana context (Northern Ghana experience preferred)


5. Experience in the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of projects in WASH in schools, healthcare facilities and CLTS.


6. Should be highly familiar with evaluation design methodologies, performance measurement, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.


7. A demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in high-pressure situations under tight deadlines.


8. Strong interpersonal and communication skills


9. High proficiency in written and spoken English.


10. Proficiency in the use of mobile data collection platform (IFORM builder, CommCare, Survey CTO, ODK, etc.)

Evaluation Criteria

Prior to the detailed evaluation, the prospective consultants are expected to meet the following minimum standards.

• Properly registered with Registrar Generals Department
  
  
  
  • Valid Certificate of incorporation
  
  
  • Valid Certificate to commence business.
  
  
  • Valid Form 3
  
  
  
  


• Have valid tax clearance certificate from GRA.


• Valid SSNIT Clearance Certificate


• Submit properly labelled and separated technical and final proposals in separate attachment for submission.


• Proposal submission letter duly signed by authorized official of the consultant firm.

All technical proposals that meet the preliminary qualification criteria will be evaluated in accordance the criteria outlined below.

Any bidder who scores lower than 52.5% out of the maximum 70 marks allocated under technical valuation shall not have their financial proposal considered in part 2 of the evaluation (Final Decision will be made by the Evaluation Committee).