Applications for this posting have been closed. Thank you to the applicants and for your interest.
Terms of Reference (TOR) for Ethiopia Baseline Study of the VCP 2020-2028: Champions For Gender Equality
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Crossroads international is a Canadian international cooperation NGO that has been fighting inequalities for 60 years. It is an organization that brings together people from different walks of life for a common cause, to create lasting solutions to overcome poverty and promote the rights of women and girls. Since the first volunteer served overseas in 1958, more than 9,000 people in Canada and the countries where we work have volunteered with Crossroads. With the support of donors, volunteers and local partners, cooperatives and collective enterprises generating income and advancing the autonomy of young people, women, and vulnerable rural people, are developed. By engaging and empowering individuals and communities, Crossroads works to eradicate violence against women and girls. Thus knowledge, expertise and financial support are mobilized to create a more just and equitable world in a sustainable environment, where gender equality prevails and where the rights of women and girls are respected.
It is in this context that Crossroads has developed its Volunteer Cooperation Program (VCP) 2020-2028, entitled Championing Gender Equality Together, which will mobilize champions of gender equality to build a global community of change-makers for the advancement of gender equality in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa. Through this program, Crossroads will tackle the root causes of inequalities and discrimination based on gender through a multidimensional holistic and human rights-based approach that will aim to: 1) promote women’s rights; 2) promote access to justice and the reduction of gender-based violence (GBV); 3) promote equal representation of women and men 4) women economic empowerment.
The VCP is realized with the financial support of the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada and will be implemented by Crossroads International, in Ethiopia, in partnership with Children and Youth Development Organization (ECYDO), the Network of Ethiopian Women Association (NEWA), Progynist and The Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) for the achievement of results.
To measure the progress achieved but also the impacts in the implementation of the VCP, it is important to have an exact idea of the situation in Ethiopia at the start of the program, among other things based on measurable indicators. This is why Crossroads is looking for a data collector and collator to carry out a baseline survey, using the framework provided by Crossroads, with local partners, the beneficiaries of local partners, and other relevant stakeholders including decision makers.
2.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE BASIC STUDY
Overall objective of the baseline study:
The overall objective of this study is to establish a detailed baseline situation by proposing benchmark values (qualitative and quantitative) for the results indicators as presented in the survey questionnaires developed by Crossroads. This exercise will make it possible to establish the starting point of the various indicators and facilitate the comparison between the baseline pre-intervention and the situation after the implementation of the VCP (final situation). This will make it possible to qualitatively assess the contribution of the project to the achievement of the set objectives as well as to the key indicators of the sectors of intervention under Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.
The aim of carrying out the baseline study is to analyze both the overall and specific contexts of the program in Ethiopia, determining the accuracy of the indicators formulated during the development of the performance measurement framework, as well as carrying out an initial data collection.
Specific objectives of the baseline study:
- Plan, in collaboration with the country team, the schedule of appointments to carry out the baseline survey, including the scope and the people or organizations targeted;
- Measure the current state of the VCP indicators with local partners, their beneficiaries and other stakeholders related to the project such as community leaders and other relevant decision makers of Ethiopia;
- Ensure that the data collected is accurate, cleaned, complete, verified, correctly submitted and stored in the tools provided by Crossroads in accordance with Crossroads’ confidentiality principles.
3.0 SCOPE
The baseline study will cover Crossroads’ local partners as well as their beneficiaries (5-10 by partner) and other stakeholders who have or may have an impact or influence in the project expected results such as community and religious leaders and other decision-makers (duty bearers): Children and Youth Development Organization (ECYDO), the Network of Ethiopian Women Association (NEWA), Progynist and The Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO). This is a participatory evaluation, and the evaluator should use participatory methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data from a representative sample of the diversity of groups (women, adolescent girls, rural areas, working in the informal sector, etc.) and adapted to rights holders as well as duty bearers.
The consultant performs all major tasks associated with baseline execution in-country, and leads the process of data collection, data entry, data cleaning under the supervision of Crossroads International.
4.0 METHODOLOGY
The proposed methodology must be detailed in the narrative proposal of the consultant, when submitting their application. It will then be negotiated with the Crossroads International technical team and country staff before the start of the study. However, it is important that all data is disaggregated by gender, age group and vulnerabilities.
The most vulnerable populations, especially women, adolescent girls and girls, are targeted in this project (rights holders). In the survey sampling, special attention must be paid to the inclusion of the most vulnerable groups, taking into account any discriminatory factor increasing their situation of vulnerability. This may include people with disabilities (physical or mental), widows, teenage mothers, orphans, out-of-school children, survivors of gender-based violence, internally displaced persons, survivors of human trafficking, or those facing discrimination based on sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religion. Duty-bearers and responsibility-holders will also be targeted with the baseline study, in-line with the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA).
5.0 BUDGET / REMUNERATION
- When submitting their application, the consultant must provide:
- A remuneration for consultant daily wage fee (that would include their internet/phone, supplies, materials);
- A budget for estimated costs of accommodation, meals and transportation when traveling to country program areas at least 100 km out of the capital zone to carry out data collection activities;
- A budget to support data collection activities when mobilizing participants (refreshments, room rental, workshop supplies).
- It is important to note that if there is a problem in the delivery of the deliverables regarding the quality of those or the respect of the schedule, it is expected that the consultant will take the necessary corrective measures in order not to affect overall project execution.
- Crossroads will not assume any additional cost to what will have been heard and signed by all the parties in the initial agreement.
- The budget allocated for this project must not exceed $3500 to guide bidders in preparing their proposals. Bidders are encouraged to propose optimized solutions that respect this budget limit while meeting the project’s objectives and requirements.
6.0 EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
- During the initial meeting
- Data collector has reviewed Baseline tools provided by Crossroads.
- Data collector has completed all training materials and videos provided by Crossroads on the Baseline tools and comes to meeting prepared with questions or comments on instructions.
- Data collector provides to country office planned methodology for data collection.
- Data collector and country office agree on collection plan and schedule.
- At the end of Week 1 and Week 3
- Data collector will send to adescoteaux@cintl.org a sample of the completed tools, along with any questions or major obstacles.
- Throughout the data collection process
- The consultant will be required to provide a weekly update on the study’s progress to the Crossroads project team (adescoteaux@cintl.org).
- Data collector will have continuous access to support from Baseline tool creators, Crossroads HQ M&E support, as well as the in-country Crossroad office. Technical issues with data quality or support with the tool itself should be addressed to adescoteaux@cintl.org. Administrative or organizational issues (such as organizing meetings with partners and beneficiaries) should be addressed to: jmwandu@cintl.org
- The final presentation of the Data.
- Data collector will provide all data collected, as well as details of sampling in electronic format.
- Data collector will make themselves available for a two-hour review meeting with Crossroads HQ to go through data to provide clarification and explanation. This review meeting is the final deliverable in the contract.
7.0 CALENDAR
Contract days may occur at any point over the agreed upon 3-week period falling in December after the signature of the contract. Estimated number of contract days were calculated by multiplying the number of in-country partners by the number of days necessary to complete data collection with a partner and their beneficiaries, plus two additional days for training and debriefing with Crossroads.
(4 (number of partners) X 2) + 2 = 10 (number of approximate contract days)
The baseline data must be submitted to Crossroads International no later than December 22nd, 2024. Any delay will result in a penalty of 50 CAD per day (24 hours) of delay, deducted from the amount payable for this contract.
Timeline to follow:
| Activity | Responsible | Deadlines |
| Deadline for submission of proposal files | Consultant | November 8, 2024 |
| Examination of the technical proposal and preselection | Crossroads | November 11-15, 2024 |
| Complete interviews and select candidate | Crossroads | November 18-22, 2024 |
| Signature of the contract by the consultant | Crossroads | November 18-22, 2024 |
| Presentation and training on evaluation methodology, tools, etc. | Consultant | November 25-29, 2024 |
| Validation of the collection calendar and appointments | Crossroads | November 25-29, 2024
|
| Data gathering period, with submission of data at the end. | Consultant | December 2nd-20, 2024 |
| 2- hour validation of completed baseline study data with Crossroads HQ. | Consultant | January 2025 |
| Weekly check-in with Crossroads HQ | Consultant | WEEKLY |
VCP staff will ensure the timely provision of project documentation and help plan stakeholder interviews as required.
8.0 BASELINE STUDY MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION
The country representative and/or the programming support advisor or program officer will supervise the work of the consultant in the field.
- The consultant will also be required to provide a weekly update on the study’s progress to the Crossroads project team (adescoteaux@cintl.org), as well as data samples- so issues can be identified early.
9.0 COMPETENCIES OF THE CONSULTANT
- Undergraduate degree related to sociology, statistics, gender, development, monitoring-evaluation, or equivalent experience;
- At least 5 years of experience carrying out surveys and evaluation, in particular with women and adolescent girls (design, methodologies);
- Excellent knowledge of the human rights-based approach and experience working with non-governmental organizations considered an asset;
- Ability to integrate a gender-sensitive approach and provide data disaggregated by sex and age;
- Knowledge of and experience in data compilation as well as Excel software to organize data;
- Ability to maintain ethical judgment, a strong feminist lens, and act at all time in-line with Crossroads’ Code of Conduct when collecting data;
- Able to work in remote, hard to reach areas and very difficult terrain for long hours to access respondents;
- Ability to maintain the reputation and credibility of the organization within partner communities during the survey period;
- Deliver expected outputs / deliverables in a timely manner, possess a good work ethic, be punctual and comply with the terms of the contractual agreement;
- Excellent command of English /and Amharic is an asset
10.0 PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING TENDER
Interested candidates must submit a letter of interest and curriculum vitae (in ONE document) and a technical and financial proposal including:
- Details of the relevant skills to undertake this task and past experience in connection with the ToR of this call for tenders;
- A detailed presentation of the technical offer meeting the specific objectives of the call for tenders, the methodology to be used and the key selection criteria, the initial work plan and;
- Detailed budgets (two budgets: 1) Renumeration 2) Participant workshop costs) based on expected daily rates and the initial work plan in Excel;
- Include 3 references (and contact details) from a previous employer with whom you conducted similar work.
- Include 1 written sample of your previous work (qualitative observations or post-analysis).
DEADLINE: Complete proposal files must be submitted by email no later than November 8, 2024 to adescoteaux@cintl.org
