External Evaluator - Midterm Evaluation

Job Description

Planet Aid Inc. (PAI) seeks a contractual agreement with an international M&E consulting team to conduct a mid-term program evaluation for a USDA funded McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program in Manhica, Magude, Matutuine and Moamba districts in Maputo Province of Mozambique. The project is implemented in Mozambique by Planet Aid (PAI) and Ajuda de Desenvolvimento de Povo para o Povo (ADPP), Planet Aid’s local partner in Mozambique, in partnership with the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program (WISHH) of the American Soybean Association (ASA) and Cambridge Education (CE).

FFK2 builds upon the project that PAI implemented under FFK from 2012 to 2016. According to the project’s theory of change, improving the quality of literacy instruction, by providing intensive, targeted literacy instruction to teachers in project schools, thereby increasing the skills and knowledge of primary school teachers and giving learners improved access to school supplies and materials, is expected to contribute to improving child literacy. Improving students’ attendance, through a combination of improved school infrastructure and increased enrolment, brought about by increased access to food, as a result of the school feeding program and other interventions to increase enrolment, is expected to further contribute to improving child literacy. The project aims to increase the use of health and dietary practices, through a combination of increased knowledge of nutrition, increased access to clean water and sanitation services and increased access to preventative health interventions, such as de-worming.

Given the scale and complexity of interventions, the deliverables set forth in this RFP respond to a clear project need to evaluate the progress achieved towards the goal and objectives proposed for this program. The deliverables of this RFP would implement a performance evaluation process, enable the program to identify and measure progress and/or constraints occurring during its implementation and provide feedback for the decision-making process related to mid-term and long-term planning. This enables FFK2 project staff and stakeholders to determine and evaluate the progress achieved towards the results with reference to the strategic objectives and outcomes proposed for this program.

FFK PROGRAM

The overall goal of this five year Food for Knowledge Phase 2 (FFK2) McGovern Dole (MGD) program is to improve the literacy of primary school children and to improve health and dietary practices, through interventions aimed to improve the quality of literacy instruction, student attentiveness, and student/teacher attendance.

To achieve this goal, FFK2 focuses on the following objectives all of which are fully integrated and interdependent:

• Objective 1: Improve literacy of school-age children through improved quality of literacy education, improved attentiveness, and improved student attendance
• Objective 2: Increased use of health and dietary practices through improved knowledge of health and hygiene practices, increased knowledge of safe food prep and storage practices, increased knowledge of nutrition, increased access to clean water and sanitation services, increased access to preventative health interventions and increased access to requisite food prep & storage tools and equipment.

II. PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES

PAI is seeking a contractual agreement with an international M&E consulting team to measure the extent to which the FFK2 Program is on track to achieve outcomes and investigate the viability of project transition plans and indicators for sustainability.

• Assess implementation progress and constraints and provide an early signal of the effectiveness of the interventions and identify, explain and learn from successful strategies as well as challenges;
• Assess early signs of sustainability, review service and input delivery mechanisms and the quality of services (e.g. trainings, sensitization sessions, school activities or other learning approaches used, food and non-food items distributed) and highlight stakeholder’s views on or perception of project interventions, i.e. what is working and what adjustments need to be made;
• Identify and document key lessons learned, challenges, good practices and recommendations.

III. QUALIFICATIONS

Consultants/firms/organizations interested in this opportunity are required to have expertise and minimum experience in the following:

• Educational level required: MSc/MA Degree in program evaluation, international development, statistics, anthropology, applied research, organizational development, sociology and/or organizational change)
• Possesses extensive evaluation experience using mixed methods in developing countries
• Knowledgeable in conceptual frameworks
• Experienced in evaluation of food security and education programs, with strong preference toward USDA FFE
• Must be bilingual in Portuguese and English, with high writing proficiency in English.

IV. CONTACT PERSON

INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS OR COMPANIES MUST OBTAIN A COPY OF THE DETAILED TERMS OF REFERENCE FROM PAI BY EMAILING jteppih@planetaid.org

To ensure transparency, all questions received and corresponding responses will be shared with everyone participating in the RFP.

PAI contact person: Jana Teppih – jteppih@planetaid.org

Note all bids must be submitted by email to Jana Teppih at jteppih@planetaid.org no later than December 21, 2018 by 12:00pm EST.

Thank you for considering this opportunity.

About the Organization

Planet Aid is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is best known for its yellow bins that accept clothes and shoes to be reused and recycled. From its recycling program, Planet Aid is able to support development projects worldwide, and is a registered private voluntary organization (PVO) with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Planet Aid is also a member of the Humana People to People Federation, and it works with and supports other member organizations in many developing countries.