Job Description
Rationale and Background:
The concept of an Afghanistan Institute for Civil Society (AICS) emerged from the 2007 Enabling Environment Conference convened by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Aga Khan Development Network, in partnership with the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program and the Asia Development Bank. One of the key recommendations from the conference was to establish an independent certification body for civil society organizations (CSOs) that are recognized by Government, the private sector, donor agencies, and civil society.
Following additional stakeholder consultations, AICS was launched on February 17th, 2015 through a partnership between the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and Counterpart International under the USAID funded Afghanistan Civic Engagement Program (ACEP). AICS is registered with the Directorate of NGOs, Ministry of Economy.
AICS’s programmatic strategy for the period 2016-2020 consisted of four objectives.
- Raise the credibility of the civil society sector by certifying local NGOs, using locally defined and internationally recognized standards.
- Systemize capacity building efforts by coordinating initiatives using measurable performance indicators.
- Strengthen the role of civil society in Afghanistan’s development through policy dialogue and active engagement with the government, donors and the broader development sector.
- Provide a channel for resources for civil society by strengthening philanthropic and corporate social responsibility efforts.
AICS has recently completed a strategic planning process for the period 2020-2024.
Evaluation Purpose and Users:
Although an evaluation of AICS operations was conducted in 2019, this evaluation will be the first comprehensive review the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, sustainability of AICS since the organization’s launch. The purpose of the evaluation is to ascertain the extent to which AICS’s activities and future roadmap are high quality, relevant and valued by key stakeholders.
This evaluation was specifically requested by the Board of Directors of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) at their meeting in July 2019. AKF is a founding supporter of AICS, and has been deeply engaged in the creation, strengthening and sustainability of the organization.
The primary user of this evaluation will be the AKF Board of Directors who will use the analysis to understand the merit of their investment to date, and to inform future investment decisions.
The secondary users of this evaluation will be the staff of AKF who will use the analysis to understand the impact of their support to AICS, and engage in a sense-making process to translate evidence into insights that inform future support to AICS.
Another group of secondary users of this evaluation will be the Board and staff of AICS, who will use the analysis to reflect upon their trajectory to date and to support future planning and action.
Evaluation Questions:
The evaluator is requested to respond to the following four questions:
- To what extent has AICS made progress towards each of the four programmatic objectives set out for AICS at its inception?
- Raise the credibility of the civil society sector by certifying local NGOs, using locally defined and internationally recognized standards.
- Systemize capacity building efforts by coordinating initiatives using measurable performance indicators.
- Strengthen the role of civil society in Afghanistan’s development through policy dialogue and active engagement with the government, donors and the broader development sector.
- Provide a channel for resources for civil society by strengthening philanthropic and corporate social responsibility efforts.
- To what extent is AICS recognized, respected and valued by other stakeholders (government, civil society, funders, etc.) within the Afghanistan context?
- To what extent does an investment in supporting, maintaining and strengthening AICS represent value for money? Are there alternative investments that could more effectively achieve the proposed objectives for AICS?
- What is the future roadmap for AICS, as laid out in the new organizational strategy? To what extent does this roadmap represent a unique and relevant value proposition for supporting civil society in Afghanistan? Are there alternative ways forward for AICS that could more effectively support Afghan civil society?
In responding to the above questions, the evaluators are requested to consider dimensions of effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, sustainability, impact and lessons learned.
Proposed Methodology:
A mixed methodology of quantitative and qualitative methods can be used for undertaking this evaluation. Considering the key questions, the consultants should provide details of their proposed methods.
AKF recommends that the evaluators consider incorporating:
- Review of Existing Documents and Data, including:
- Incorporation and strategic planning documents of AICS
- Proposal documents and project reports
- Research documents produced by AICS
- USAID Civil Society Sustainability Index
- AICS Program Review Report
- AICS certification program review report
- Other independent analyses of the Afghan civil society context
- Collection of primary data through key informant interviews and/or focus group discussions key stakeholders, including:
- Relevant stakeholders from the Government of Afghanistan Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Finance.
- Members of the international donor community including USAID, EC, DFID, GFFO and UNDP, EU.
- Implementing partners of AICS including the Aga Khan Foundation, Oxfam, Counterpart, and The Asia Foundation
- Afghan Civil Society Network organizations including ACBAR, Afghan Women’s Network, SWABAC, ANCB, ACSFO, Afghanistan National Education Coalition (ANEC), Civil Society Joint Working Group.
- Organizations that have been reviewed by AICS, including both those that have been certified and those that have not.
- Current and previous members of the AICS staff and board.
Evaluation Team Qualifications:
The evaluation lead should:
- Have at least 10 years’ experience conducting evaluations of complex initiatives.
- Be affiliated with a recognized research organization, and/or have significant prior experience implementing evaluations for international organizations.
- Be highly competent in qualitative approaches to evaluation.
- Have experience working in the international development sector in Afghanistan.
- Communicate fluently in written and spoken English.
- Ability to communicate in Dari or Pashto a plus.
Evaluation team members should:
- Have at least 3 years’ experience conducting evaluations of complex initiatives.
- Include a mix of male and female team members.
- Incorporate strong language skills in English, Dari, Pashto and/or other local languages.
- Have strong competency in document review and/or in-depth interviewing.
- Have experience working in the international development sector in Afghanistan.
- Afghan citizens highly encouraged.
Roles and Responsibilities:
The evaluator/evaluation team will:
- Propose a detailed methodological and sampling approach and budget for the evaluation
- Collect and analyze data
- Prepare a draft report for feedback
- Present findings to AKF Afghanistan and AKF Global stakeholders via webinar
- Finalize the report incorporating written feedback on the draft report and verbal feedback from the webinar
AKF/AICS will provide the following support:
- International logistical and travel arrangements (AKF Global)
- Local logistical and travel arrangements (AKF Afghanistan)
- Access to relevant documents and information (AKF Afghanistan and AICS)
- Management of contracting process and evaluator liaison (AKF Afghanistan)
- Comments on draft report (AKF Global and AKF Afghanistan)
- Approve final report (AKF Global and AKF Afghanistan)
Reporting requirements:
The expected format for the report is as follows:
- Written Report: This should initially be shared as a draft document for review and comment, then as a final document. Document should include an Executive Summary (maximum 3 pages), in-depth analysis and recommendations (maximum 25 pages), annexes as appropriate (no page limit).
- Webinar: A presentation and discussion of findings to be conducted at the same time as submission of the draft report. Presentation should be maximum 30 minutes to allow for at least 30 minutes of Q&A.
- Data sets: Completed data sets (filled out questionnaires, surveys, interview notes and tapes, etc.) should be returned to AKF Afghanistan
- Restriction on publication: The evaluation team will not be given permission to publish or share any information based upon this evaluation exercise
Work Location(s):
The consultancy firm will need to be present in Kabul for an initial series of orientations and kick-off meetings. Also, for undertaking the evaluation, collecting data, contacting the key stakeholders and updating AKF, the evaluation team should have representation in Kabul throughout the evaluation.
Terms of Payment
Payment throughout the assignment period will be based on accomplishing assigned deliverables to an agreed upon quality as per the consultancy timeline, and will be made as follows:
- 20% paid after the completion of an orientation meeting, evaluation design, and data collection tools and plan.
- 30% paid after the completion of data collection from the field and data analysis, upon the submission of a draft report for feedback.
- 50% paid after the approval of high-quality, final analytical reports, and presentation to AKF relevant team and management.
Proposals
Proposals from prospective evaluation teams should include the following information:
- Rationale for responding to this request for an evaluation
- Proposed evaluation team (including CVs and reference contacts for all team members)
- Proposed detailed methodological approach, including:
- Procedures for sampling/identifying key informants
- Procedures for collecting and analyzing data
- Proposed work plan
- Analytical framework
- Description of deliverables
- Approach to ensuring utilization/uptake of evidence
- Proposed budget. This should cover time and expenses only as all travel/logistical arrangements will be made by AKF.
Application
Individuals/organizations interested in leading this consultancy must submit their CVs/fact sheets and a technical and cost proposal through electronic mail by COB Oct 29th 2019 to jobs.afghanistan@akdn.org
Important Notes:
Please quote the Vacancy Number as the Subject of the e-mail when sending your application.
Supporting documents, e.g. diplomas, recommendation letters, identification card(s) etc., are not required at this stage, therefore not to be sent along with the application.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted for further assessment.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply. Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to equal opportunity and safe guarding of children, beneficiaries, partners, community members and employees in accordance with AKF (Afg)’s safeguarding policy.
Your details and information shared on this advertisement shall remain confidential.
Ethical Principles and Guidelines (Adapted from Australasian Evaluation Society)
Ethical Principles
- The evaluation should be designed, conducted and reported in a manner that respects the rights, privacy, dignity and entitlements of those affected by and contributing to the evaluation.
- The evaluation should be conducted in ways that ensure that the judgements that are made as a result of the evaluation and any related actions are based on sound and complete information.
- The evaluation should be reported in such a way that audiences are provided with a fair and balanced response to the terms of reference for the evaluation.
Ethical Guidelines
- In responding to a brief, evaluators should disclose any of their roles or relationships that may create potential conflict of interest in the conduct of the evaluation. Any such conflict should also be identified in the evaluation documents including the final report.
- Account should be taken of the potential effects of differences and inequalities in society related to race, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical or intellectual ability, religion, socio-economic or ethnic background in the design conduct and reporting of the evaluation.
- Evaluators should identify themselves to potential informants or respondents and advise them of the purpose of the evaluation and the identity of the commissioners of the evaluation.
- The informed consent of those directly providing information should be obtained in writing. They should be advised as to what information will be sought, how the information will be recorded and used, and the likely risks and benefits arising from their participation in the evaluation. In the case of minors and other dependents, informed consent should also be sought from parents or guardians.
- The evaluation should be rigorous in design, data collection and analysis to the extent required by the intended use of the evaluation.
- Where the evaluator or evaluation team is faced with circumstances beyond their competence, they should declare their limitations to the commissioner of the evaluation.
- During the course of the evaluation, the results and other findings should be held as confidential until released by the commissioner, and in accordance with any consent arrangements agreed with contributors.
- Confidentiality arrangements should extend to the storage and disposal of all information collected.
- If the evaluator discovers evidence of an unexpected and significant problem with the program under evaluation or related matters, they should report this as soon as possible to the commissioner of the evaluation.
- Oral and written evaluation reports should be direct, comprehensive and honest in the disclosure of findings and the limitations of the evaluation. Reports should interpret and present evidence and conclusions in a fair manner, and include sufficient details of their methodology and findings to substantiate their conclusions.
- The source of evaluative judgements (whether evaluator or other stakeholder) should be clearly identified. Acknowledgment should be given to those who contributed significantly to the evaluation, unless anonymity is requested, including appropriate reference to any published or unpublished documents.
- After completion of the assignment, the contractor should submit all the data including hard copies to AKF and should delete data from their own laptops/cloud data storage after final submission.
