Field Survey Manager for the baseline household survey

Job Description

Section 5. Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference

Monitoring and Evaluation Consultancy

BACKGROUND

The Smallholder Agriculture Development Project (SADP) is a rural community development project designed to encourage further and sustainable economic growth and enhance community participation and local governance in the rural areas of two oil palm growing provinces (West New Britain and Oro Province).

It follows a previous World Bank funded project in the oil palm sector and would consolidate its results, but would also include a new component addressing local governance and community participation in the same targeted areas.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Project Components

The SADP has the following three components:

1. Component 1 – Smallholder Productivity Enhancement. The component would support: (a) planting additional oil palm blocks (up to 9,000 ha) along existing provincial access roads through infilling of land still available within the areas covered by oil palm infrastructure in response to smallholder demand; (b) the upgrading (reconstruction) and restoring of provincial access roads to existing smallholder oil palm blocks (about 550 km), and maintaining all existing and upgraded roads used for oil palm fruit collection, with the establishment of sustainable financing mechanisms for road maintenance; and (c) enhancement of smallholder productivity through improved extension services. To achieve this, the Project would use the existing smallholder services and enhance this capacity where necessary through project implementation arrangements and institutional support;

1. Component 2 - Local Governance and Community Participation. The objective of this component would be to develop and demonstrate sustainable mechanisms for local governance and community participation, for possible replication in other parts of the country after project completion. This would be achieved through providing development grants to Local Level Governments (LLGs) and communities in the project areas and promoting participatory planning and budgeting and local accountability at the community level. The implementation of this component would be phased and the approach would be to promote self-reliant local development;

1. Component 3 – Project Implementation and Institutional Support. OPIC would take overall responsibility for project management, coordination and performance of the various components of the project. Implementation of Component 1 would be undertaken through OPIC and its field offices with the support of the milling companies and of the PNG Oil Palm Research Association (PNGOPRA). Implementation of Component 2 would be managed by an agency contracted out by OPIC.

Project Area

M&E activities under this consultancy will focus on Components 1 and 3 of the Project. Project activities under these components will be located in the three oil palm scheme areas centered at Popondetta in Oro, and at Hoskins and Bialla in WNBP. In addition to these project areas a number of project administrative functions will be performed at the Port Moresby office of OPIC. Component 2 on local governance and community participation supports activities in Ijivatari and Sohe districts in Oro, and Talasea district of WNBP.

Funding

The SADP will be funded through a number of sources to the value of US$68.8 million. The sources and value of their contribution to the project area as follows: IDA (US$), GOPNG (US$), West New Britain Provincial Government (US$), Oro Provincial Government (US$), PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd (US$), Palm Oil Smallholders (US$) and Palm Oil Mills (US$).

Duration of the SADP

The duration of the Project is 47 months. The Project became effective on 28 January 2009. The Project closing date is 31 December 2012, however, a request for a two year extension to the project closing date has been made by GoPNG.

Consultancy Tasks

The consultancy will have three main components. (1) a baseline survey to be completed and reported on, (2) the design and implementation of an M&E system for the Project and for OPIC’s other information requirements and which can be adaptable to OPIC’s needs at the end of the Project, and (3) the integration of the M&E system with other elements of the OPIC Management Information System (MIS).

1. 1. Baseline Survey Tasks

The Baseline survey will be the primary yardstick for measuring the impact of the Project over time.

1. Determine appropriate indicators to be included in the baseline for Component 1. Baseline indicators will reflect the Project Results Framework. The framework is labeled Annex 3 and is attached to this TOR. In addition to the results framework indicators, other indicators should be included in the baseline survey both to capture relevant impacts of the Project as well as to facilitate process monitoring by OPIC. The baseline should include indicators on relevant social aspects and environmental impacts and should include measures of household incomes and expenditures. There is a need to capture total household incomes and not just income from oil palm. The Consultant will work with the Project Coordinator to finalize the baseline indicators.

1. Develop a strategy for collecting the baseline data. The consultants’ inception report should include a strategy for collecting the necessary data. Some information such as data on individual smallholder production, income from oil palm, fertilizer and tool usage, levy payments, and loan repayments are available from industry sources (the milling companies’ smallholder payment systems). Based on the list of agreed indicators, the consultant will need to determine what existing data are available, what additional data needs to be collected, and the method of data collection. It is expected that the consultants will need to conduct a household survey in order to collect the relevant socio-economic data for the baseline, including for example, information on household incomes. A statistically robust sampling strategy will need to be defined for the household survey, but it is expected that the sample will include at least 600 oil palm growing families and 200 non-oil palm growing families (the control sample).
2. Collect the data. The Consultant will be responsible for the collection and compilation of the baseline data. Some data may be available from OPIC and from the Milling Companies in each location. PNGOPRA intends to collect environmental data (water sampling) and they may have other sources of appropriate data, especially social and environmental. In addition, the consultant will be responsible for the collection of the relevant primary household survey data. The consultants will be responsible for the design of the data collection instruments, field testing all survey instruments and for all field operations, including logistical arrangements for data collection and obtaining household consent. The consultant will have to identify and train a sufficient number of field workers to ensure that the survey is completed as per schedule. The Consultant will recruit, train, supervise and compensate all field workers/enumerators it needs to carry out the survey. The consultant will be responsible for contacting local officials and community leaders to explain the project and obtain community consent for the baseline survey. The household surveys should be conducted in Tok Pisin.

1. Analyze the baseline data and prepare a report on the findings of the baseline survey. The report on the baseline survey will summarize the key findings plus the Consultants evaluation of the findings. For analysis of the baseline survey data the consultant will develop a data entry program using software that can check for ranges and consistency of the data and generate reports indicating missing data, data outside of the accepted ranges, inconsistent answers and the response rate. Tabulation of data for reporting mean/median values of indicators should be statistically robust and appropriate sampling weights should be used. Any primary data collected will belong to OPIC and should be made available in an agreed upon software and ASCII format. The data should be accompanied by detailed documentation including variable and value labels.

1. 2. Monitoring and Evaluation Tasks

The Consultants will develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation system for the SADP. This will include:

1. A comprehensive M&E framework for the SADP. The M&E framework will define indicators and data that will be tracked (as per 1a above), include data collection formats as appropriate, identify who will collect the data and the frequency of data collection for different indicators. The framework will include relevant guidelines on collecting, analyzing and reporting data. Data collection should be simple, user friendly, and should not consume exorbitant amounts of extension officer time. Existing data sources to be utilized include the milling companies who collect production and payment data weekly. A smallholder information system (SHIS) is being developed for the industry and this system will need to be integrated with the M&E system.

1. The design of the M&E system should include efficient and simple reporting methods from the field to Project Management and on to Port Moresby H.O. In addition to capturing the Project’s outputs, outcomes and impacts, the M&E system will also measure the environmental and social performance of the project, in accordance with the Environmental Management Plan.

1. Train project management and personnel involved with project operations in the M&E system and its implementation.

1. Prepare half-yearly M&E Reports for the Project.

1. 3. MIS Integration Tasks

The OPIC Management Information System will ultimately comprise of:

• A Smallholder Information System (SHIS) – a database of production and other smallholder data that is being developed for use by the milling companies, PNG OPRA and OPIC.
• A Road Asset Inventory and Management System that is being developed under a separate consultancy
• Accounting systems, currently using MYOB, at each project site and at head office.

A diagrammatic representation of the proposed MIS is presented at Appendix 1.

It is planned that the SADP M&E indicators will be recorded in the SHIS and reports will be standardized and drawn from that database. An independent MIS consultant is being contracted to assist the OPIC MIS officers to embed the data transfer and reporting systems for the overall OPIC MIS.

Data from non-oil palm growing families (control group) will not be captured by the SHIS.

There will be a primary SHIS database resident at each of the milling companies Smallholder Affairs Department (SAD’s). This database will be duplicated at the local OPIC office and also centrally in Port Moresby. Regular data feeds from the SAD’s will enable a wide variety of users to report from the individual or combined datasets.

The M&E consultants will be required to:

1. Work with the MIS Consultant and MIS Officers to systemize the data recording and data transfer to OMP-OG.

1. Work with the MIS Consultant and MIS Officers to specify the format for output reports from OMP-OG.

1. Work with the MIS Consultant and MIS Officers to design an independent reporting system that draws data from OMP-OG but also incorporates baseline data from the control (non oil palm growing) group.

Deliverables

Deliverable

Description

Schedule

(months after signing)

Inception Report

The Report will include:

• a detailed work program
• timeline for completion of tasks
• Key indicators that will be monitored (for negotiation with client)
• Proposed methodology for collection of baseline and monitoring data
• Proposed sample design for the collection of primary data for the baseline survey.

2 months after signing of the contract

Draft Baseline Questionnaires

• Drafts of the questionnaires that will be used for the baseline survey need to be cleared with OPIC before the field work can commence. The final sample design needs to be cleared by OPIC.

3 months after signing of the contract

Draft M&E Framework/Strategy

• Draft report on the SADP M&E Framework.

3 months after signing of the contract

Final M&E Framework/ Strategy

• Final report within 2 weeks of receiving OPICs comments on the draft SADP M&E Framework.

4 months after signing of the contract

Draft Baseline Survey Report

Comprehensive report summarizing the methodology and findings of the baseline survey.

6 months after signing of the contract

Final Baseline Survey Report

Final report within 30 days of receiving OPICs comments on the draft baseline report.

8 months after signing of the contract

Half-yearly M&E Reports

Consultant will deliver a half-yearly report including:

1. Progress against work program
2. Progress in achievement of project outputs and outcomes
3. Deficiencies in progress against targets, reasons for delay, proposed remedial action
4. Threats and risks to the project

The first report would be due by December 2011

Reporting - General

After submission of the deliverables by the Consultant, OPIC will meet to review the substance and quality of the deliverables. OPIC shall review the progress with reference to the agreed TOR and advise necessary corrections and modifications, if any, within 2 weeks from the date of submission of the deliverables. OPIC will advise the consultants if additional time is required for review. The Consultant will incorporate OPIC’s suggestions in the subsequent report. OPIC must provide its clearance on the sample design and design of the household questionnaires before any field work can commence.

During the course of the study OPIC will share the draft and final versions of the baseline questionnaires, the sample design, and the M&E framework with the World Bank for review and comments. The draft and final baseline report will also be shared with the World Bank for review and comments.

Staffing

In order to undertake this consultancy, the selected firm will need to have key personnel with the following qualifications:

1. A Team Leader/M&E Specialist The Team Leader/M&E Specialist will have overall responsibility for design of the project M&E framework, design and implementation of the baseline survey and preparation of the half-yearly M&E reports.

Education: Graduate degree in Social Science, Development Planning, Statistics or related field

Language: The candidates should be fluent in spoken and written English

Experience: At least 10 years international experience in development and implementation of M&E systems for development projects, including substantial experience with M&E of projects involving natural resource management and conservation and/or smallholder agriculture.. The principal should have extensive experience with the design and implementation of household surveys and proficient in the statistical analysis of household survey data.

Technical: Good knowledge of computer management and applications. Very good analytical and reporting skills.

Desirable: Self motivated, dynamic and able to relate easily in an international and multi-cultural environment. Previous experience with World Bank or other donor funded projects is highly desirable and previous PNG experience would be well regarded.

2. A Field Survey Manager for the baseline household survey. The survey manager will be responsible for overseeing all day-to-day field activities.

Education: Advanced University degree in Social Science, Development Planning, Statistics or related field

Language: The candidate should be fluent in spoken and written English and Tok Pisin

Experience: At least 7 years experience in the design and implementation of high quality household surveys.

3. A Data Manager will have responsibility for the input and organization of the baseline survey data.

Education: Advanced University degree in Computer Science or a relevant field

Language: The candidate should be fluent in spoken and written English.

Experience: At least 5 years experience in data entry software customization and data coding for large scale household surveys.

4. A Statistician/Sampling Expert to design the baseline survey.

Education: Advanced University degree in Statistics, Economics, or a related field.

Language: The candidate should be fluent in spoken and written English.

Experience: At least 7 years experience as a senior statistician and/or econometrician with extensive experience in survey sample design and data analysis.

While evaluating the proposal, qualifications and experience of the above personnel will be considered.

The overall team should also include:

1. Three Field Supervisors for the baseline survey (one for each of the Project areas). Bachelor’s degrees and at least 5 years experience with managing field surveys
2. Field Enumerators (should have completed high school and should have at least 3 years prior experience with field surveys)
3. Data entry staff

If the firm does not have expertise in any of the above mentioned specializations, they are free to hire the services of specialists with the above mentioned skills. Inputs in terms of man months of each of these staff should be included in the technical and financial proposals.

Duration and time schedule for the Monitoring and Evaluation Consultancy

Baseline survey: The baseline survey shall be completed within 8 months of signing the consulting contract. A mobilization period of 30 days shall be allowed after the date of signing the contract. The date of starting the work shall be the 30th day following the date of signing the contract. A detailed time schedule of various activities to be undertaken during the consultancy must be provided by the Consultant.

M&E – In addition to the Team Leader/M&E Specialist’s inputs for the baseline survey, inputs of the Team Leader/M&E Specialist would be required for M&E activities for three months in 2011 (two months for preparation of the M&E framework and strategy and one month for preparation of the half-yearly report), and two months in 2012 (for preparation of the half-yearly M&E reports). Should the project be extended, it is envisaged to seek the services of the consultant for two months per year in every additional year.

Facilities to be provided by client

The client will not be responsible for the provision of office space, transportation, or computers and communication. The consultants will need to make their own arrangements for these facilities.

OPIC will collect data for the regular M&E activities, and they will assist to access data collected by PNG OPRA and the milling companies.

The M&E Specialist will be provided transport by OPIC for the M&E activities (1 month in 2011 and 2 months in 2012). The consultants will need to hire vehicles for the baseline survey field work.