Assignment Background:
Initiative for Hygiene, Sanitation and Nutrition (IHSAN) Mid-Term Formative Evaluation
Initiative for Hygiene, Sanitation, and Nutrition (IHSAN) is a USAID Initiative that assists the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) to implement at-scale, evidence-based nutrition and WASH interventions to improve the nutritional status of women and children less than five years old, with a focus on the first 1,000 days (conception to 24 months of age). Over the five-year contract period (2016-2021), IHSAN seeks to: 1) enhance capacity to institutionalize nutrition programs; 2) increase the adoption of optimal nutrition and hygiene behaviors at community and household levels; and 3) increase the availability of nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation services and products.
The project started in May 2016 and it will reach its mid-point in October 2018. The purpose of this formative evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of IHSAN’s implementation, the progress of IHSAN toward achieving its intended results, and indications as to whether IHSAN’s results are sustainable. The findings and recommendations will inform USAID’s implementation of the remaining period of the IHSAN project and designs for similar programs in the future.
The Evaluation Team will consist of two expatriates and two Afghan research assistants (1 male & 1 female). The overall period-of-performance is approximately 54 work days, of which 45 are in Afghanistan. Travel by expats outside of Kabul to Mazar, Herat and Kandahar for data collection may be required. The anticipated start date is o/a July 15th.
Position Descriptions:
Evaluation Team Leader: The Team Leader (TL) shall possess at least a Master’s degree in Public Health or in a related field with at least 10 years of experience in conducting project evaluations using mixed methods. The TL should have extensive knowledge and experience in conducting formative evaluations related to health programs and show a history of proven critical thinking skills. Work experience in Afghanistan, and knowledge of developmental evaluation techniques would be a plus. The TL will be responsible to coordinate and lead all the evaluation activities, monitor and provide oversight; collaborate with the stakeholders, prepare the draft and final reports, be responsible for findings, and present the findings of the evaluation to USAID and possibly GoA officials.
Technical Evaluation Specialist: The Technical Evaluation Specialist should have a Master’s degree in Public Health or closely related field, with at least five years of experience in conducting evaluations of, and/or implementing nutrition/WASH-related projects. The Technical Evaluation Specialist must have strong communication and writing skills in English and s/he should be able to travel to all the four (4) provinces targeted by the evaluation, if security permits. The Technical Evaluation Specialist should have strong knowledge and experience of designing formative evaluation tools and methodology, data analysis (both qualitative) as well as training of local staff for data collection.
Checchi and Company Consulting, Inc. (Checchi) has worked in international development for over 40 years. The company has operated in more than 140 countries, including a number of fragile states and post-conflict zones, and has implemented nearly 300 long-term contracts. Checchi’s principal areas of specialization include rule of law, anticorruption and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Since launching one of the first international rule of law practices in the late 1980s, Checchi has provided technical assistance and training in the core areas of improving access to justice; court systems administration; legislative and policy reform; judicial training and legal education; public legal awareness; and security sector reform. The company has implemented a number of long- and short-term activities focused exclusively on anticorruption. In addition, many of Checchi’s rule of law projects have included significant anticorruption components and activities. Checchi’s M&E work encompasses projects in more than 50 countries and spans the spectrum of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches to managing and evaluating performance.
