Terms of Reference
Mid-Term review
Enhancing Mobile Populations Access to HIV & AIDS Services Information and Support (EMPHASIS) Project in Nepal/ Bangladesh and India
Background
Enhancing Mobile Populations’ Access to HIV & AIDS Information and Services (EMPHASIS) is a regional initiative in Asia that seeks to reduce the vulnerability of key mobile populations to HIV & AIDS along two mobility routes between Bangladesh/India and Nepal/India by delivering focused and coordinated interventions at source, transit and destination points. This innovative project recognizes a complex issue that transcends national borders requires a regional response. The project also aims to influence national and regional policies relating to HIV and mobility through evidence generated regionally.
Management structure
A Regional Secretariat (RS) located in Kathmandu provides overall guidance and leadership to the project; CARE country teams operate in Bangladesh, India and Nepal, under respective CARE Country Offices and grass-root level interventions are deployed by CARE’s partners in implementing countries, which are:
· Gardef and SSA in Nepal (2);
· Ad-Din and Rights Jessore in Bangladesh (2);
· and Anchal Charitable Trust (ACT), Bhoruka Public Welfare Trust (BPWT), Modicare foundation, Bhartiya Gramin Seva Vikas Sansthan (BGSVS), Action Research Centre (ARC) in India (5).
ODI is the research partner in this initiative and provides overall guidance for the research component of the project.
A Steering Committee provides strategic direction and is composed of CARE Nepal Assistant Country Director, CARE Bangladesh Health Director or Assistant Country Director, CARE India COO, CARE ARMU regional deputy director, CARE UK Asia Team Leader and EMPHASIS Senior Project Director.
A Consultative Regional Advisory Group has also been created with representatives from various organizations such as UNAIDS, FHI360, ICDDRB, and Raksthai etc. This body reviews critically the project strategies, provides recommendations and acts as a relay for advocacy in the region. They hold a meeting twice a year.
Geographic coverage
The project is implemented:
At source: Accham and Kanchanpur districts in Nepal and Jessore and Satkira in Bangladesh;
At transit: Banbasa/Gaurifanta area on Nepal/India border and Petrapole/Benapole area on Bangladesh/India border;
At destination: in Kolkotta, Mumbai and Delhi
In July 2011, a grant variation was submitted and approved by the donor related to changes in the project strategies. These changes are captured in the documentation provided in the mid-term review package (“changes in the strategies”) which will be provided to the consultant. Indeed, a thorough review and reflection exercise was done taking into consideration the two years of implementation and the evidences generated by the studies conducted in the project (quantitative and qualitative study for the baseline). Thus, present strategies – as they are formulated - have been implemented for almost (only) one year.
In parallel, the logframe of the intervention was revised and the new logframe was submitted and approved by BIG in February 2012 (included in the documentation package).
Duration of the Project:
EMPHASIS is a five year initiative (3 August 2009 to 2 August 2014) funded by Big Lottery Fund (BIG) from UK.
Overall portfolio goal:
Contribute to reduce vulnerability of mobile populations (particularly women) to HIV infection across selected cross border regions within India, Bangladesh and Nepal
Expected Outcome of the Project:
Outcome 1:
By the end of the grant, an effective and integrated cross border model of HIV prevention, care, treatment and support will be developed working with and impacting on a cohort of at least 141 000 direct beneficiaries consisting of mobile populations and their families and target groups at source, transit and destination locations who are vulnerable to acquiring and spreading HIV and Aids
Outcome 2:
By the end of the grant, the capacity of at least 30 partners organizations (including regional authorities, government agencies, border police, customs officials, research institutions, NGO, CBO and key stakeholders) engaged in the project portfolio will be significantly enhanced by 25-30% from the baseline data in order to deliver improved and integrated services to mobile populations vulnerable to HIV
Outcome 3:
By the end of the grant, there will be increased recognition of vulnerabilities of mobile population and demonstration of ways to address them in source and destination communities that will inform policies in the area. This will be done by raising awareness of the issue of HIV-Aids and mobility within the regional policy environment by producing robust evidence based advocacy messages with which to lobby government stakeholders.
Rationale of the Mid-Term Review:
EMPHASIS is a five year initiative and is completing its third year of implementation. Based on the changes in strategies approved in July 2011 by the donor following a review exercise, the mid-term review of the project has been slightly postponed so that progress related to the implementation of the new strategies could be captured. The mid-term review will focus on the progress made so far in relation to achieving the project’s goal and objectives by exploring effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of the intervention. The mid-term review will also focus on identifying sustainability mechanisms that need to be in place and working effectively when the project phases out in August 2014.
Overall objective:
To review progress to date and capture emerging lessons for CARE in the following areas: regional programming, migration and HIV, community ownership and women empowerment. These domains are the four main areas identified as specific learning sites for the project.
Specific objectives:
1. To review the level of achievements of the project objectives against the logical framework (output and outcome level) and milestones based on the monitoring data information and risk analysis, as appropriate;
2. To review and analyze current processes in place, organizational structure and flow of information and to draw recommendations;
3. To review and analyze activities in place and to assess the appropriateness of the intervention strategies and to draw recommendations;
4. To document the lessons learnt so far in the four identified “learning sites areas”: regional programming, HIV outcome and migration, community ownership and women empowerment;
5. To assess how this project has developed partner organizations' capacities in programming and operations (ex. accountability, inclusiveness, networking, decision-making processes).
Approach/Methodology
The review will be mainly qualitative but analysis of routine monitoring data will also help in drawing the full picture of the project. The primary information will be generated from the qualitative field study and by using other tools such as key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and consultations. The review team will have detailed interactions and discussions with the Implementing partners, other stakeholders (border security forces, truckers/rickshaw unions, national programs such as NACO, NCSAC) as required and also with the impact population (mobile population and the family members). The methodology of the review will be participatory to ensure the effective participation and ownership of the review by all participants. The consultant will be part in the 4 days workshop – from 4th to 7th of June 2012 - in Bangkok (annual review workshop and round table discussions with external stakeholders) as an opportunity to collect data.
The Consultants will be responsible to design and develop review tools and techniques/methodologies used to ensure successful achievement of the proposed objectives of the review. The proposed methodology and study tools will be developed and shared with the project team before implementation.
The consultant will visit selected project areas and will cover all aspects of the project. The following tentative activities are suggested:
- Participate in the Bangkok Annual review workshop (4th to 7th of June);
- Discuss/interact with the project team and CARE country offices staff ;
- Review all project's relevant documents for reference/background information;
- Prepare a detailed methodology and timeline for discussion with EMPHASIS team;
- Plan field visit and interactions with implementing partners, external stakeholders (government line agencies, UN bodies etc.) and impact population;
- Analyze the information/data collected from the interactions, discussions and sharing from all levels and prepare a detailed final report (draft) for comment and finalization.
Cross cutting themes
The project team has identified four specific areas for the learning sites: community participation/ownership, women empowerment, HIV outcome and regionality. The mid-term review will document any progress made so far, any lesson learnt in relation with these themes.
Competencies and Experience of the Consultant:
The Consultant should have extensive work experience and expertise on:
a. Migration and HIV AIDS issues, policies, strategies in the region;
b. Familiar with political, social, cultural environment, and with government and non government sector.
The Consultant should have considerable experience in conducting similar assignments at the international level with excellent research and documentation skills, report writing, presentation and facilitation skills.
Tentative Schedule:
The review will tentatively start by the third week of May 2012 and final report will be submitted by the 31st of July 2012. It is expected that the consultant will join the regional team for the annual review workshop in Bangkok. This will be an opportunity for data collection in the mid-term review process.
Proposed tentative schedule for the consultant would be as follows:
SN / Activities / Tentative time frame (days)1 / Study relevant project documents and background information, discussions, consultations planning, design etc by the consultant / 4
2 / Field visits/works of the consultant (including Bangkok workshop) / 22
3 / Data processing, sharing and analysis by the consultant / 7
4 / Reporting preparation and submission of first draft report / 5
5 / Submission of final report by the consultant / 2
Total / 40
Reporting and Deliverables:
The Consultants will work closely with the Regional Monitoring and Knowledge Manager, Senior Project Director, Team Leaders and other project staffs of EMPHASIS as required. The Consultant should first submit a draft evaluation report in electronic copy for review to EMPHASIS as per the agreed schedule. The project team will review it and provide comments/inputs/feedbacks/suggestions to the Consultant. The Consultants will incorporate them and submit the final version of the report electronically as well as hard copies within two weeks of receipt of the comments/inputs/feedbacks/suggestions.
Preparation and Logistical Support:
EMPHASIS Country team will make available an information package comprising of all relevant materials/background information related to the project to the Consultants prior to the review. The project will facilitate the Consultants work by arranging meetings, field visits, logistical and other supports as required.
Overall Co-ordination and Communication:
The Consultants will work closely with the Team Leader and Monitoring and evaluation Manager in the country office and Regional Monitoring and Knowledge Manager at Regional Secretariat. The Consultants will participate in consultation meetings held with Country teams as necessary.
Reference materials to be provided by the Project:
- EMPHASIS project documentation including grant variation request, logical framework, quarterly reports, organizational chart;
- Baseline study reports;
- Relevant strategies and documentation produced by the project (advocacy strategy, BCC strategy, design of knowledge management system)
Next Step:
Interested candidates are requested to submit:
- Letter of Interest (LoI). This is fixed price contract the consultant should include all related cost while submitting the cost proposal.
- Filled Vendor Profile with signature and date on second page, you may down load clicking here -
Vendor Profile
Also,
- If an individual: Curriculum Vita, Identification card (Copy of Passport, Citizenship or equivalent) and Permanent Account Number (PAN).
- If an institution or company is applying: Company registration document, Permanent Account Number (PAN) or VAT number of company and CV of consultant.
Plese send these documents to:
The deadline for submission of is 15th of May 2012 at 17:00 Nepal Standard time.