External Evaluation Consultancy (Iraq programme)

Mission East

Terms of Reference for: External Evaluation

Mission East is an international relief and development organisation founded in Denmark in 1991. Mission East has been engaged in humanitarian and development work in Iraq since 2014. To date, our projects in Ninewa and Kirkuk governorates – Iraq have centred around WASH, Shelter, Protection, Livelihoods and Emergency Response.

During 2014 – 2017, a total of 6 million people were displaced due to the conflict with ISIL, humanitarian partners estimate that 4.1 million people require some form of humanitarian assistance. Approximately 1.5 million people remain internally displaced (whole of Iraq), 70 per cent of whom have been displaced for more than three years. The impact of the conflict continues to affect the physical and mental well-being, living standards, and capacity for resilience and recovery of millions of Iraqis. The Iraqi government’s decision to close several IDP camps led to considerable secondary displacement in Ninewa, Salah Al- Din, Al-Anbar, Kirkuk and Diyala governorates.

Throughout these difficult times, Mission East (ME) has been supporting vulnerable and marginalized communities through immediate relief such as distribution of hygiene and winterization kits and medium to long term support and services to enhance resilience and capacities of the communities including rehabilitation of water networks, repair of damaged shelters and sanitation services, cash for work activities, trainings to increase employability of youth, job placement, start-up grants and enterprise development to revitalize the markets and responding protection concerns and risks of communities through GBV, CP and GP (Gender Based Violence, Child Protection and General Protection), psychosocial support services and strengthening community based mechanisms through Community Based Protection approaches.

To reach the most marginalized and vulnerable communities Mission East has been collaborating with local actors through formal partnerships and also engaging informal partners such as youth groups, women circles, local police and government authorities and departments.

Mission East are currently searching for an external evaluator for the evaluation of four years programming in Iraq from 2018 to 2021. Overall objective of the projects was to meet the critical material needs of vulnerable communities, while promoting their recovery, protection and long-term self-sufficiency.

The objectives of this consultancy are:

Overall objective:

• To provide an external review and assessment of the relevance and performance of Mission East Iraq’s last four years comprehensive response using Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus approaches in Iraq’s fragile context and protracted crisis with a strong focus on results and impact.

The evaluation will also highlight the key lessons learnt, best practices and recommendations to improve current and future programming.

The outputs / deliverables of this consultancy are:

• Assess ME Iraq programming in terms of its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact according to the context and needs of the communities
• Assess the relevance, interconnectedness, complementarities, and coherence of various sectors such as Protection, Livelihoods, WASH/Shelter and Emergency etc)
• Evaluate the medium- and long-term impacts of the programme against the proposed changes or outcomes and assess the effectiveness and sustainability of the programme.
• Evaluate the efficiency of the use of programme funds and value for money. Assess ME programming and its contribution to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Analyze programme contribution to Humanitarian Development and Peace (HDP) nexus objectives (development/resilience and social cohesion in targeted communities, especially between IDP/returnee and host communities)
• Assess programme contribution (intended and unintended/ positive and negative outcomes) related to climate change and environment.
• Evaluate programmes in relation to HRBA (Human Rights Based Approach), gender equity, intersectionality of approaches, protection, and inclusion mainstreaming.
• Evaluate contribution to localization of aid agenda, working with formal and informal partners and capacity strengthening of local actors and their role in building resilience, social cohesion, and accountability.
• Provide strategic and operational recommendations as well as highlight lessons learnt to improve future programming.

More detail on the objectives and outputs of the consultancy will be discussed during interviews and after contracting.

Consultancy timeline:

The consultancy has been scoped for approximately 15 days of work, with a final timeline and schedule agreed between ME and the consultant. It is envisaged that the consultancy will start around the 10^th December 2021.

Method of work:

The consultant is envisaged to work via:

• Desk review of project documents
• Site visits and interviews/FGD with the communities
• Interviews with ME and partner staff, and other stakeholders
• Any other methods required for achieving the objectives of the evaluation, agreed between ME and the consultant

Logistical arrangements:

The work will be carried in Iraq, Ninewa (Sinjar and Mosul) and Kirkuk Governorates. Mission East will be responsible to arrange visas, reservation of flights and accommodation, in country travel, and coordination and arrangements for all the interviews. Any other logistical arrangements will be the responsibility of the selected consultant.

Background Information:

The following documents and materials will be made available to the consultant in English:

• Full project documentation, project reports
• Project MEAL data and reports
• Any other information required to achieve the objectives of the evaluation, as agreed between ME and the consultant

Selection criteria:

• Experience in conducting holistic multi-sectoral evaluations, analysing programme relevance, impact and coherence
• Ability to conduct analysis of programme impact on climate and environment
• Knowledge of HDP Nexus, Human rights-based approach, protection and inclusion mainstreaming
• Knowledge of Iraq context would be an advantage.

Exclusion criteria:

If any of the following are true for the applicant at the time of submitting their application or at any time during the procurement process, they will be excluded from consideration for winning a contract with Mission East. The bidder may also be blacklisted for participation in future Mission East procurements.

Violations of sanctions & support for terrorism

a) The company, organisation or an individual associated with the tender are listed in the sanction and embargo list of the UN Security Council, the European Union or EU Member States, United States (OFAC) or United Kingdom (OFSI).

b) They have provided support (material or other) or any resource to any individual or entity that advocates, plans, sponsors, engages in, or has engaged in terrorist activity; or to anyone who acts as an agent for such an individual or entity;

c) They have association with a designated terrorist entity or their ownership, control, or influence;

d) They are not compliant with laws and regulations stipulated by the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism and Sanctions policies, as well as those stipulated by the European Union and its member states, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America.

Unacceptable interaction with Mission East

e) They have engaged in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive practices in their interactions with Mission East or its partners in relation to the current procurement process or any time in the past;

f) They are subject to a conflict of interest. If there is any personal or business relationship between the bidder and Mission East staff, its partners or its donors, the bidder must state this at the time of tendering, and this may result in exclusion of the bidder;

g) Following another procurement procedure or grant award procedure with Mission East, its partners, or financed by the European Union, they have been declared to be in serious breach of contract for failure to comply with their contractual obligations;

h) They are guilty of misrepresenting the information required by Mission East as part of the procurement procedure or fail to supply this information.

Unethical practices by the bidder

i) They are engaged in the exploitation of child labour or other forms of trafficking in human beings;

j) They do not respect their employees’ basic social rights and working conditions as per international labour standards;

k) They are actively supporting a conflict or are engaged in the manufacture of arms and/or landmines, or the sale of such to governments which systematically violate the human rights of their citizens, or where there is internal armed conflict or major tensions, or where the sale of arms may jeopardise regional peace and security.

l) They are involved in unethical exploitation of natural resources, in particular sensitive commodities such as precious metals, stones, and rare earths.

m) They are engaged in activities which directly cause harm to the population that Mission East is aiming to assist, including environmental harm to their communities.

Unacceptable legal situation of the bidder

n) They are bankrupt, subject to insolvency, or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business activities, are the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations;

o) It has been established by a court’s final judgment or by any means that Mission East can justify that the bidder is guilty of grave professional misconduct by having violated applicable laws or regulations or ethical standards of the profession to which the bidder belongs, or by having engaged in any wrongful conduct which has an impact on its professional credibility where such conduct denotes a wrongful intent or gross negligence.

p) They have not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with applicable laws;

q) They have been the subject of a court’s final judgement for acts of fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation, money laundering, hiding unlawfully obtained financial benefits, or any other illegal activity detrimental to Mission East or its donors’ financial interests;

Applicants must complete and sign the ‘Consultant Statement Confirming Eligibility’ below and submit the signed ToR together with their application package to confirm that that they are not in one of the situations listed above. Even if such confirmation is given by a bidder, Mission East will investigate any of the situations listed above if it has reasonable grounds to doubt the contents of such confirmation.

Anti-Fraud Policy:

Mission East has a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and fraud in all its forms. Mission East aims to prevent fraudulent activities and to respond to any allegations or potential fraud swiftly and effectively. In line with Mission East’s Anti-Fraud Policy, which can be viewed on the Mission East website, Mission East requires the consultant to report any suspected fraud, waste, theft or abuse to Mission East. Any reports of such misconduct can be reported to Mission East headquarters through contact details on their website.

Other Requirements if Selected:

• Mission East will require the successful consultant to sign our organisational Code of Conduct.
• Mission East upholds high standards in Counter Terrorism (COTER) and sanctions regulation compliance. In view of the nature and location of Mission East’s work, Mission East will conduct background checks of the successful consultant, including checking through relevant sanctions lists.
• The successful consultant will also be required to commit to the following clause relating to the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment: The consultant agree to actively prevent sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH), and to ensure, in the best possible way, that the intervention is carried out in an environment free of all kinds of exploitation, abuse and harassment, sexually or otherwise, especially in the case of particularly vulnerable groups.
• Mission East upholds high standards in all aspects of Safeguarding. In view of the nature of this role potentially requiring unsupervised access to children or vulnerable individuals (including situations where there are potential imbalances of power), you may be required to provide a certificate of good conduct.

Consultant Statement Confirming Eligibility:

By signing this Terms of Reference, the consultant certifies that that they are not in one of the situations listed above under ‘*Exclusion Criteria’*. The consultant also certifies that all the information provided, and any related documents submitted are truthful and correct at time of signature.

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