Germany: Independent Joint Evaluation and Learning Exercise for Cross-Border Projects in the context of the Syria Crisis - Evaluators Team required

Malteser International is the worldwide relief organization of the Sovereign Order of Malta for humanitarian aid. The organization has more than 50 years of experience in humanitarian relief and covers about 100 projects in currently operative in about 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas. One of the main tasks is to carry out emergency relief worldwide as well as to link relief, rehabilitation and development measures. Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Islamic Relief, Germany (IR-D) and Malteser International (MI) are among those German NGOs implementing German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) funded cross-border projects of humanitarian assistance to war-affected populations within Syria, managed predominantly from Turkey. In an effort to strengthen evaluation and learning activities, all four parties concluded to undertake an independent joint evaluation of GFFO-funded cross-border projects in the context of the Syria Crisis, with Malteser International acting as the lead coordinating and contracting organisation. To conduct an Independent Joint Evaluation and Learning Exercise for Cross-Border Projects in the context of the Syria Crisis Malteser International is looking for an

Evaluators Team

It is foreseen that this evaluation will be carried out by a team of probably two experienced evaluators with proven expertise in the area of humanitarian interventions in the context of political crisis and conflicts. The team should ideally consist of a lead and an additional, possibly a local evaluator.

Bids will be accepted by individual consultants as well as from commercial companies, NGOs or academics.

For more information, please see the Terms of Reference.

Objective

The overall objective of this evaluation is a learning exercise for all four parties with regard to major components of humanitarian interventions for war-affected people based on a cross-border approach and access.

The evaluation shall include tangible observations and judgements/assessments of the cross-border assistance provided by the selected GFFO-funded projects. The evaluation’s results shall provide a direct benefit for the NGOs engaged as wells as support the further strategy development of GFFO and these 3 NGOs in particular with regard to cross-border programming.

Concrete recommendations of the evaluation team shall serve to revise and improve/optimize the implementation as well as the outcomes and possibly impacts of humanitarian cross-border interventions, keeping in mind the do-no-harm principle. This shall eventually also contribute to an improved effectiveness of humanitarian assistance to the affected people.

Timeframe

The evaluation is expected to take place as soon as possible and it is foreseen to be completed by April 21^st, 2017 and might cover an estimated amount of 39 “team-working days”. A draft timeframe is included in the ToR.

Required expertise

The lead evaluator is responsible to select an adequate additional evaluator in order to complete the evaluation team. All evaluators involved are required to have

• proven experience in evaluating humanitarian projects, including complex/protracted crises contexts
  lead evaluator: minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in evaluating humanitarian projects

• experience in multi-methodological approach in evaluation of emergency and/or development programmes

• expertise in the sectors health, psycho-social care and education as well as non-food-items’ distribution

• experience in facilitating lessons learnt exercises

• demonstrated cross-cultural skills

• demonstrated capacity to work both independently and as a team

• demonstrated oral and written communication skills

• proven language skills within the evaluation team:
  all evaluators: fluent in English (orally and written)
  additional/local evaluator: proficiency in Arabic and possibly Turkish language is an additional asset
  optional additional team member: fluent in German (orally and written)

• German language skills for the analysis of official GFFO files as well as for translating the final report into German are necessary or relevant translation services have to be provided for

Tenders and Evaluation Management

Bids must include:

• Description of Methodology (incl. reference to perceived feasibility of the ToRs)

• Work Plan

• Financial Offer, Budget ; all as a lump-sum (incl. fees/honorarium per working day, travel costs, accommodation, per diems)

• References, CVs of all persons to be involved (incl. proof of professional registration and taxation)

Bids should be submitted electronically to Malteser International by the closing date of January 6^th, 2017 COB to: Dr. Juergen Clemens, Senior Program Advisor, juergen.clemens@malteser-international.org, and in cc-email to the German Federal Foreign Office, contact person: Ms Esther Wolf, s09-02@auswaertiges-amt.de.