Consultant/Participatory Community Assessments

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

 Design, review and implementation of

 Participatory community assessments

In Port au Prince, Haiti

January - May 2012

1. 1.    Background

Following the January 12th 2010 earthquake,Haitihas experienced tremendous difficulties in its recovery, especially in urban and densely populated neighborhoods known as slums. In order to allow the affected population to return to safe homes, it is necessary to address their diverse needs more effectively and efficiently, through an integrated approach encompassing shelter, water and sanitation, health, disaster risk reduction and livelihoods issues.

The American Red Cross (ARC) is developing a program that will focus on the reconstruction and upgrading of Baillergeau andCampeche, two neighborhoods of Carrefour Feuilles, aPort-au-Princedistrict characterized by a high destruction rate, multiple risks due to steep slopes and ravines, limited or non-existent basic urban services and a low-income population.

A first phase of this program (“Phase 1”) has been planned to gather information, build partnerships and mobilize communities, over a period of two months. Working together with the national and local government, international organizations, community organizations and residents is a key to success. Phase 1 will also be the occasion to acquire a deeper knowledge of the physical, environmental, economic, social and legal context in the area thanks to joint assessment work led by ARC program staff and consultants. Results from Phase 1 will be used to inform the development of the ARC’s longer term Integrated Neighborhood Reconstruction and Recovery Program.

During Phase 1, ARC will conduct the following assessments:

1. Integrated Participatory Community Assessment[1] (i.e. this TOR)
2. Enumeration
3. Assessment of Household and Market Economies
4. Environmental Impact Assessment (TBC)
5. Mapping exercise and geospatial analysis

By way of these Terms of Reference, ARC seeks an experienced consultant/firm in order to contextualize, adapt, develop and apply urban participatory community assessment tools and methodologies in order to collect information that will inform an Integrated Neighborhood Approach program. Information Needs and Tools for the Participatory Assessment (Health, DRR, Livelihoods, Shelter, Water & Sanitation, and Social Dynamics) provides an overview of the anticipated needs and tools to conduct this assessment in Port au Prince, Haiti.

ARC will conduct participatory vulnerability and capacity assessments in urban communities, in order to ensure community participation throughout the program cycle. Community-based programs, as well as community-based participatory tools such as Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA), Community Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA), Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST), Participatory Approach To Safe Shelter Awareness (PASSA), are not new to the global Red Cross network; however, they have not been previously applied in an integrated fashion in urban communities inHaiti.

The ARC intends to conduct training for its staff on how to apply finalized assessment tools, and to carry out participatory assessments in targeted urban communities in order to develop an integrated program proposal. 

As mentioned above, in addition to the participatory community assessments, ARC will also carry out sector specific technical assessments (technical baseline survey) and enumerations (for the shelter program). ARC will work to ensure there is adequate coherence and coordination between these various assessments.  

1. 2.    Statement of work

An external consultant, firm or group of consultants are sought to lead the design and implementation of participatory community assessments in targeted urban communities inHaiti. The scope of work includes the following:

1. Reviewing secondary information (i.e. ACT assessment)
2. Adapting, contextualizing and/or developing participatory assessment tools
3. Designing training curriculum on participatory assessments
4. Conducting learning-by-doing training, and
5. Facilitating the implementation of assessments to develop community action plans in targeted urban communities inHaiti.

1. 3.    Purpose of consultancy 

The main purpose of this consultancy is to contextualize, adapt and/or develop and apply participatory assessment tools and methodologies in communities in two targeted urban neighborhoods in Haiti (Baillergeau and Campeche), in order to inform the development of an Integrated Neighborhood Approach program; this work will ensure community participation, identify community needs and adhere to ARC standards and best practice.

1. 4.    Deliverables

The consultant(s) will be responsible for the following deliverables over an anticipated period of two months.  Specific deadlines will be determined through discussion with the consultant: 

1. Work plan
2. Finalized participatory urban community assessment tools
3. Training curriculum on for ARC staff on conducting participatory community assessments
4. Draft report with analysis and recommendations (findings will inform community action plans and Integrated Neighborhood Approach program)
5. Community Action Plans (2 neighborhoods, 4-5 urban communities )
6. Final report with analysis and recommendations

1. 5.    Methodology

Using a participatory process, the consultant(s) will conduct training on implementing participatory assessments in urban communities for 15-20 ARC field staff using learning-by-doing training techniques. Trained field staff will be deployed to the two targeted neighborhoods to carry out participatory community assessments along with community representatives. The consultant(s) will coordinate the assessment process and supervise and support the assessment teams in order to ensure community participation and the quality, consistency and credibility of assessment results

The consultant(s) will be expected to undertake the following activities:

Step 1:   Review secondary information (including ACT assessment)

Step 2:   Develop, contextualize and/or adapt existing ARC participatory tools and methodologies, based on information needs presented in Annex 1a

Step 3:   Develop a contextualized training curriculum

Step 4:   Conduct participatory assessment skill development training for 15-20 ARC field staff

Step 5:   Create 3-4 teams from trained field staff

Step 6:   Supervise each team as they carry out participatory assessments and community action planning (each team to cover 1-2 communities; each community to be assessed over a period of 10 days)

Step 7:   Facilitate the development of a community  action plan in each of the 4-5 communities within the two targeted neighborhoods (Bailergeau andCampeche),

Step 8:   Draft and finalize report with findings of the participatory assessments and with the community action plans

The participatory assessment process and outcomes are to be coordinated with the other assessments listed above.  In particular, the consultant(s) will need to closely coordinate and share information with the mapping team and GIS consultant/s as this team will be developing a profile of the targeted neighborhoods.

1. 6.    Main audience  and dissemination of the of participatory assessments

1. 7.       Future use of data

All collected data will be the sole property of the American Red Cross and its dissemination will be done only by the American Red Cross. The consultant/firm may not use the data for their own research purposes, nor license the data to be used by others, without the written consent of the American Red Cross.

1. 8.       Timeline

1. 9.       Qualifications of consultant(s)/firm

The assessment will require a consultant with strong participatory research skills and extensive experience in qualitative data collection in post-disaster urban development settings.

Qualifications – Required:

-          Extensive experience and proven track record in the design and implementation of community-based programming, particularly in an urban and/or post disaster recovery context in developing countries 

-          Demonstrated expertise in qualitative data collection and analysis

-          Demonstrated experience in training for participatory assessments (VCA, CBFHA, PRA)

-          Fluency in English and French required

Qualifications – Preferred:

-          Professional work experience in Haiti

-          Post graduate degree from a recognized institution relating to community development,  social research or social sciences

-          Red Cross experience

Please note:  The participatory assessment process and outcomes are linked with other assessments and the ARC is also seeking consultants or firms to prepare a map and geospatial profile of the targeted area and to establish a plan to reconstruct the neighborhood. The TOR for this consultancy will be posted separately.  Consultants and firms who have expertise in both are encouraged to apply for both assignments.

1. 10.   Logistics and Administrative Support

Negotiable.

1. 11.   Reporting relationship

The consultant/firm will report to the designated Assessment Manager.

1. 12.   Obligations of Key participants

Obligations of the Consultant(s)/Firm

1. Implement the activities as planned, and inform Assessment Manager in a timely fashion of progress, challenges and/or the need for any significant changes.
2. Coordinate and interact with the GIS consultancy team in order to provide them with the data collected from the participatory assessment.
3. Coordinate with the sector leads to design the participatory assessment tools.
4. Coordinate with the sector leads to gather the information related to each sector.
5. Report on a timely basis any possible conflicts of interest.

Obligations of the Assessment  Manager

1. Assure that the consultant(s)/firm are provided with the agreed-upon human and logistical resources and answer any day-to-day inquiries.
2. Facilitate the work of the consultant(s)/firm with beneficiaries, Red Cross partners and other stakeholders.
3. Monitor the daily work of the consultant(s)/firm and flag any concerns.

Obligations of the Sector Leads

1. Support and guide the consultant(s)/firm on the technical aspects to be collected by each sector during the design of the tools, training of staff and implementation of the assessment.
2. Provide technical oversight in the review of all deliverables.
3. Provide timely comments and feedback on relevant deliverables (i.e. assessment tools, training curriculum, draft and final report).

Obligations of NHQ Technical Team

1. Provide technical oversight in the review of all deliverables.
2. Provide timely comments on the draft report.
3. Sign off on deliverables.

Obligations of the HAP Management

1. Receive and sign off on deliverables.

1. 13.    International Standards & presentation of evidence

Standard evaluation and survey methodologies and good practices utilized in the international humanitarian community should be applied. Such resources should include but are not limited to those promulgated by the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.  In particular, all findings and conclusions should be based on evidence or reasoning which is presented in the assessment report.

1. 14.    Ethical Guidelines

It is expected that the collection of information will adhere to ethical guidelines [as outlined in the American Evaluation Association’s Guiding Principles for Evaluators. A summary of these guidelines is provided below, and a more detailed description can be found at www.eval.org/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesPrintable.asp.  These all apply to any assessment:

1. Informed Consent: All participants are expected to provide informed consent following standard and pre-agreed upon consent protocols.
2. Systematic Inquiry: consultants conduct systematic inquiries.
3. Competence: consultants provide competent performance to stakeholders.
4. Integrity/Honesty: Consultants display honesty and integrity in their own behavior, and attempt to ensure the honesty and integrity of the entire evaluation process.
5. Respect for People: Consultants respect the security, dignity and self-worth of respondents, program participants, clients, and other evaluation stakeholders. It is expected that the evaluator will obtain the informed consent of participants to ensure that they can decide in a conscious, deliberate way whether they want to participate.
6. Responsibilities for General and Public Welfare: Consultants articulate and take into account the diversity of general and public interests and values that may be related to the assessment/study.

1. 15.   References

The following is a list of some reference materials will be available to the selected consultant:

-          ARC strategic plan (2011-2015) including sector specific plans

-          ARC Concept note of integrated programming

-          ARC program  proposal (phase –I) on integrated programming

-          ALNAP Lessons RESPONDING TO URBAN DISASTERS, Learning from previous relief and recovery operations, www.alnap.org

-          ALNAP , Haiti Earthquake Response, Context Analysis July 2010

-          Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC): Urban disasters – lessons from Haiti, March 2011

-          Education Cluster - Rapid Joint Needs Assessment (RJNA) Haiti Earthquake 2010, RJNA Final Report L. Bender 15 March 2010

-          Empowering Haiti to Build a Better Future, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ,  March 2010

-          Haiti Earthquake PDNA-2010: Assessment of damage, losses, general and sectoral needs

-          Independent Evaluation Group. World Bank Group Response to the Haiti Earthquake: Evaluative Lessons. World Bank, IFC, MIGA. 2010. http://www.alnap.org/pool/files/ALNAPLessonsEarthquakes.pdf

-          IFRC, VCA publications ( tools , manuals )

-          IFRC, CBFHA tools

-          IFRC, PASSA publications

-          IFRC, World Disaster Report (2010)

-          Oxfam Briefing Paper “Haiti: A Once-in-a Century Chance for Change”, Beyond reconstruction: re-envisioning Haiti with equity, fairness, and opportunity, Oxfam International, March 2010

-          WWF publication ( environment assessment  tools

-          Other relevant publications on participatory planning