Consultancy for a final evaluation of a DRR project in Vanuatu/Solomon Islands

Together, becoming resilient!

A multihazard to Disaster Risk Reduction in the Pacific project funded by the European Commission Humanitarian’s Aid Department and the French Red Cross.

Terms of reference for the final evaluation of the DIPECHO project
Deadline for submission: 15/10/2012

Introduction

The final evaluation concerns the project “Together Becoming Resilient: a multi-hazard approach to Disaster Risk Reduction in the Pacific” (Annex 1 description of the project), implemented by the Vanuatu (VRCS) and Solomon Islands (SIRCS) Red Cross Societies, with the technical support of the French Red Cross. It is a eighteen-month program from June 2011 to December 2012, funded by the Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department of the European Commission (DG ECHO).

The main purpose of this evaluation is to provide lessons through a study on the impact of the project in terms of disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, knowledge dissemination and coordination. The second purpose is to provide accountability to the donor and the beneficiary community.

The evaluation is scheduled to take place in November 2012.

Overall objective

To assess the impact of the following objective of the programme: to build safer and more resilient communities through capacities strengthening in disaster management in the Pacific

Purpose of the evaluation

1. To assess the practical suitability of the operation to the needs identified at the programme inception.
2. To provide a clear view on the degree to which the objectives have been achieved.
3. To analyse the impact of the operation, the concrete impact/incidence of activities undertaken in the event of a disaster.
4. To assess the local impact of the project on the community beneficiaries and the National Societies.
5. To evaluate the coordination mechanisms used with the national authorities, local and international organisations and all relevant actors.
6. To develop practical recommendations to improve further similar projects in the future.

Specific evaluation objectives

• Brief description of the operation to be evaluated and its context : political, socio-economic situation, disaster preparedness needs, floods recovery, local capacities (both of the local population and of the local authorities) available to respond to local needs in case of disasters. Analysis of the relevance of the project objectives, suitability of the aid provided in the context of local practices, of the choice of beneficiaries, and of the strategy, in relation to local needs.
• Examination of the coordination and coherence of the actions carried out with local authorities, local and international organisations.
• Analysis of the effectiveness of the operation in quantitative and qualitative terms.
• Analysis of the efficiency of the operation. This analysis should cover: planning of activities, implication of beneficiaries in the project implementation, relevance of the community based and participatory approach. Elements such as logistics, selection of recipients, maintenance of accounts, quality and quantity of merchandise and services will be included.
• Analysis of the impact of the project. Indicative list below: Contribution to the reduction of vulnerability, effect on the environment of the local population, effect on local capacity-building, effect on SIRCS/VRC capacity building.
• Analysis of the visibility of the donor.
• Analysis of the integration of gender issues and climate change approach.
• Analysis of the viability of the operation. Put in perspective the continuity between the 1st and 2nd phase of TBR project
• If relevant, drawing-up of operational recommendations for the follow-up of the project and/or possible continuation in Vanuatu and/or Solomon Islands.
• A drawing up of “lessons learned” during the project implementation, on FRC and VRCS/SIRCS operational capacities.

Work plan and methodology

The evaluation will be carried out over four periods. The process will be undertaken in line with the local context and will encourage active participation of people in selected respective communities where the TBR project is implemented. It will also consider a gender sensitive way in its approaches.

1. A briefing will be held at the French Red Cross Headquarter and/or at the Delegation in New Caledonia and/or at the Delegation in Vanuatu/Solomon Islands during which the information and documents necessary for the mission will be provided.

2. Review of secondary data and briefing - FRC/VRCS/SIRCS
• Discussions with the FRC project coordinator in Vanuatu/Solomon Islands and with the project team.
• Discussions with the Secretary General/Chief executive Officer of the SIRCS/VRCS.
• Analysis of the documents regarding the program: review of the project documents (narrative and financial proposal, logical framework, work plan, intermediary reports and preliminary final report, report of final evaluation of TBR1 project, reports of the gender consultancy, tools and methodology used, IEC tools developped as well as other documents relative to the running of the program).
• Preparation of the evaluation tools and of the action plan for the field visits.

3. Field visits
• Collection of all required informations:
Primary data collection:
- Interviews with the key actors of the project (technical and administrative team) and other institutional actors (as National Disaster Management Office).
- Interviews with direct project beneficiaries and use of participatory tools (maps, diagrams, matrices, etc.).
- Group interviews with the technical team of the project and use of participatory appraisal techniques.
- Direct observation, visit of different sites and communities and participation to the project activities.
Secondary data:
- Review of the French Red Cross documents.
- Review of documents of other institutions working in the same field.
• Preliminary analysis of the data collected.
• Preliminary presentation of the evaluation results to the team of the project and A debriefing at the FRC Delegation in Vanuatu/Solomon Islands.

4. Report submission and discussion
• The report will be drafted in English.
• The draft report will be submitted to the Head of Delegation and to the Headquarter at the latest 2 weeks after the end of the field evaluation.
• A debriefing with the Head of the Delegation in Vanuatu/ Solomon Islands and/or with the DRR Desk at the Headquarters will take place upon reception of this first version to clarify misunderstandings and inaccuracies.
• Once the necessary amendments to the draft report have been incorporated, the revised text will be resubmitted to the FRC.
• The consultant will have 1 week maximum to submit a final report in a computer format.

The consultant will be responsible of the coherence of the report, both in terms of content and presentation.

Evaluation report

The report will have the following format:

• Cover page (report title, country, organization, sector of intervention, global funding amount, name of the donor(s), dates of the evaluation, name of the consultant(s), indication that the report has been produced at the request of the French Red Cross, financed by the FRC and the European Commission and that the comments contained therein reflect the opinion of the consultant only).
• Table of contents
• Executive summary: two to three pages maximum, summarizing the key points of the evaluation (purpose and methodology, main conclusions, recommendations, lessons learned).
• Main report (about 15 pages): the main body of the report should start with the method used and should be structured in accordance with the specific objectives formulated under point 3 above.
• Some Annex if needed (terms of reference, list of people met and sites visited, list of abbreviations, pictures, information collection and analysis tools)

The consultant will be responsible of the coherence of the report, both in terms of content and presentation.

Role of the evaluator/ functional link manager

• The French Red Cross attaches a great importance to the appraisal/evaluation of its humanitarian activities, firstly because of the important financial amounts involved and secondly because of its constant concern to improve the effectiveness and impact of its international operations and the way the funds granted to those operations are used.
• The evaluator must be able of demonstrating common sense and independence in its judgment during the mission, whenever he is on the field or during the redaction of the report.
• He must be able to produce a direct and accurate answer to each point of the terms of reference avoiding a theoretical or academic language.
• The evaluator will work in close cooperation with the following people:
- The FRC projects coordinators in Salomon and Vanutau Islands and their counterparts at the Vanuatu Red Cross Society and the Solomon Islands Red Cross.
- The Head of the French Red Cross delegation in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.
- The regional Head of Delegation located in New Caledonia.
- The referent in charge of the Disaster Risk Reduction department at FRC Headquarters.
- The Head of zone (Americas, Europe, Indian and Pacific Oceans, Asia) at FRC Headquarters, considered as his immediate superior (n+1).

Consultant profile

This evaluation should be carried out by a consultant with:
• Academic background on geography, disaster risk reduction and/or capacity building.
• Experience in the field of project management.
• Experience in project evaluation.
• Experience in community based disaster preparedness.
• Good knowledge of the pacific context, melanaisien preferably.
• Knowledge of english is compulsory.

The consultant will be responsible of the coherence of the report, both in terms of content and presentation.

Resources

Human resources: the consultant will be welcomed and accompanied (if necessary) by the project team.

Material resources: the FRC delegation will make available means of transportation, of communication and of work required for the proper conduct of the evaluation.