Request for Proposal- Consultancy Services to Conduct Mid-Term Review of Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development Plus (RAPID+) Consultancy

A. Background

The Millennium Water Alliance (MWA) is a permanent global alliance of leading humanitarian and private organisations that convenes opportunities and partnerships, accelerates learning and effective models, and influences the WASH space by leveraging the expertise and reach of its members and partners to scale quality, sustained WASH services. MWA seeks to advance exacting standards for program quality, transparency and accountability and work with its members, governments, communities, private sector partners and other key stakeholders to bring to scale effective and sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene education solutions. MWA therefore sees WASH beyond a service but as a platform for advocacy, social enterprise, economic empowerment, and gender justice.

The Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development Plus (RAPID+) program is a five-year program running from November 2021 – September 2026 convened and led by MWA. The program has primary funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Corporation (SDC) and contributions and investment funds from private sector actors, four facilitating partners including CARE Kenya, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Food for the Hungry (FH) and World Vision (WV) and five hosting county governments. RAPID+ aims to improve access to water and rangeland services for 200,000 people in the five counties of Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Turkana, and Wajir. RAPID+ activities are being implemented using a gender transformative lens and systems development approaches. These two aspects are expected to embed sustainability and inclusivity in the program.

B. Project Goal and Objectives

The goal of RAPID+ is to improve access to safe and sustainably managed water and rangelands in RAPID+ counties to contribute to resilient livelihoods for communities in a peaceful environment. The program is contributing to this goal through two outcomes: (1) Pastoralist communities have increased access to sustainable and safe water for multiple uses benefiting men, women, and youth, and (2) Pastoralist communities have improved access to safe and ecologically healthy rangeland resources that promote greater integrity, social cohesion, and gender equity.

The RAPID+ Theory of Change states that “If we improve access to sustainable and safe water for multiple uses that benefit men, women and youth and also improve access to safe and ecologically healthy rangeland ecosystems, that promote greater integrity, social cohesion and gender equity through strong public, private and community institutions; then communities in the target areas will have increased income, gender equity and empowerment, enhanced livestock systems, a more peaceful environment, conserved ecosystems and improved health status; and therefore, resilient livelihoods that promote peaceful cohesion and gender equity will be achieved.”

C. Purpose of the Midterm Review

The Midterm Review (MTR) will assess the progress of the program against its anticipated outputs over the last two-and-a-half (2.5) years of the implementation period from November 1, 2022, to April 31, 2024, and recommend course corrections. It will also highlight barriers and opportunities for effective and efficient implementation of activities. The review will provide an opportunity for improved program delivery for the remaining 2.5 years as the information gathered will be used to revise the program design/plan, and implementation arrangements to achieve the envisaged impact effectively and sustainably.

D. Review Questions / Objectives

The Review will have three key objectives outlined below:

1. Assessing the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the program based on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Criteria.
2. Establishing and recommending course corrections on the program design with a focus on what components can be scaled, interventions to be kept with adjusted approaches, and those that the program can drop during the final two-and-a-half-year phase.
3. The Review will inform MWA and its partners if the approaches currently employed are successfully meeting the project’s goal of expanding sustainable access to water and rangelands services through systems development approaches.

The Midterm review will provide conclusions and recommendations on the following questions:

1. Relevance: To what extent is the RAPID+ design responding to beneficiaries’ and institutions’ needs, policies, and priorities, and will it continue to do so if circumstances change?
2. Coherence: Are result indicators for the RAPID+ program and their means of verification adequate? What adjustments to the program are needed?
3. Effectiveness: To what degree have the program activities met the intended outcomes and results set out in the logical framework?
4. Efficiency: To what extent is RAPID+ delivering or likely to deliver results economically and promptly?
5. Impact: To what extent has RAPID+ generated significant positive or negative, intended, or unintended, higher-level effects?
6. Sustainability: To what extent will the net benefits of the intervention continue, and how can more sustainability measures be integrated into programming?
7. Is there evidence of program design components that cannot continue to be implemented in the second phase and would need to be dropped?
8. Gender mainstreaming: To what extent was the program gender transformative[1] (Gender integration in RAPID+?
9. Synergies: To what extent were synergies achieved with other activities implemented by other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as with local initiatives?
10. To what extent has the program embraced Systems Development (SE), Private Sector Engagement (PSE), and Development (PSD) in water and rangelands service delivery? What are recommendations for scale-up (Scalability of some innovations e.g., PAYGO)?
11. Program design: Which program design components need to be improved, changed, and or omitted in the second phase of the program?
12. Integration of peace initiatives into the program

E. Scope of work

Review Methodology

The consultant shall propose the methodology to be used to conduct the review that adopts a consultative and participatory approach. The proposed methodology should sufficiently address the preliminary questions outlined within the Terms of Reference (TOR), specifying the review approaches, questions, methods of data collection and analysis that will be undertaken. It should encompass a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods.

This Review will adopt a non-experimental research design (mixed approach). The Review team is expected to propose a Review methodology and analysis tools that guarantee the highest degree of rigour to ensure credible findings. Qualitative data will be collected from diverse stakeholders, individuals, and groups in the community. Qualitative data-gathering procedures will entail but are not limited to Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with RAPID+ facilitating partners, Borehole Rapid Response Teams (BRRTs), Borehole Operators, households, private sector partners, and County Government Water Department and Rangelands staff, among others. The consultant will identify the respondents in the exercise purposively.

Data collected should align with the program’s log frame to answer specific Review questions linked to outcomes and outputs and to provide a platform from which to understand systemic, behaviour and actors’ changes over time. The project is targeting 200,000 beneficiaries, of whom 150,000 should be rural, peri-urban, and urban dwellers with access to water for multiple uses, and 50,000 should be pastoralists with access to improved rangelands and rangeland management services. The consultant will propose a clear sampling methodology and sample size to be employed in the Review. The program sites will purposively be selected by the project implementing partners in each County, in consultation with MWA Kenya. The consultant shall propose data management, validation, and dissemination.

F. Roles and responsibilities

1.Millennium Water Alliance (MWA)

The MWA will collaborate with the selected consultant to undertake the following roles:

• Provide the consultant with background documents, reports, and available secondary data for review.
• Host an inception session for the consultant and implementing partners to agree on timelines.
• Organize validation and dissemination workshops for the presentation of preliminary findings to the program stakeholders.
• Review and provide input on all consultant’s deliverables.
• Ensure smooth flow of consultancy engagement processes including contractual obligations.
• Share the final Review report with all key stakeholders, including key program staff, partners, donor representatives, and national and county governments.
• Organize a reflection session for the presentation of a new program approach with all RAPID+ stakeholders.

2. Facilitating partners

The roles of the facilitating partners shall include the following:

• Approve the list of enumerators that the consultant will recruit.
• Review documents and confirm that all enumerators have been paid by the consultant after the successful completion of tasks.
• Coordinate with the consultant to plan for logistics and support during the enumerators’ training.
• Facilitate the consultant to successfully engage with target communities and stakeholders by ensuring community sensitisation and mobilization of sampled respondents.
• Scheduling Key Informants with the County Government and other required KIIs.
• Provide supervision support during the field data collection.

3. Consultant

The roles of the consultant(s) shall include the following.

• Conduct desk review of relevant program documents and other secondary sources.
• Develop an inception report, detailing the agreed upon study design, methodologies for data collection and analysis, indicators, data-gathering tools, work plan schedule and budget to conduct the assignment, in consultation with MWA. Methodologies must be detailed enough to support replication for the end-line evaluation.
• Develop or refine quantitative and qualitative data-gathering tools in consultation with MWA.
• Recruit and pay enumerators in each county.
• Plan and coordinate quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Conduct training for the data collection teams including pre‐testing of data collection tools.
• Work with the facilitating partners in midterm review planning.
• Review, clean, and analyse collected data. Consultant to share either the Syntax files (SPSS), Script (Python/R) or do-file (STATA).
• Document indicators progress from baseline values to inform on progress and give related recommendations.
• Write and submit to MWA a Midterm review report capturing findings and recommendations.
• Facilitate the program reflection session and present the revised program design to all RAPID+ stakeholders in collaboration with MWA. Incorporate input from program stakeholders and develop and submit the final Midterm review reports (full and summary versions).
• Produce country-specific reports (Maximum 5 pages)
• Arrange and pay for travel, accommodation and per diem during the assignment.
• Provide tablets/mobile phones for data collection.

G. Deliverables and Timelines

1. Inception report: The report shall detail the Review methodologies which must include the proposed data collection and analysis methods to address the key Review questions and required indicators, limitations, and ways to mitigate them, and an operational work plan. The inception report shall also include questionnaires and interview protocols. The timeline for submission of the inception report is ten working days after the inception meeting with MWA.
2. Weekly Reports: During fieldwork, the consultant must submit weekly reports to update on progress and any logistical challenges that require mitigation. There reports are to be provided within the field data collection period.
3. Draft Review Report: The consultant must submit a consolidated draft Review report ten working days after the end of fieldwork, including all data aggregated per county and combined, for preliminary comments. This will facilitate effective review by MWA in preparation for the presentation during the validation meeting. A cleaned quantitative dataset (for quantitative data collection methods) in Excel must be submitted alongside the draft Review report. Fieldwork is expected to take about 14 calendar days (including weekends).
4. Copies of raw and cleaned data sets including field notes, audio tapes, photographs, transcribed material, and documentation of the processes followed in data verification and cleaning must be submitted alongside the draft report.
5. Presentation of Report: The team will present the major findings of the Review to key stakeholders virtually. A PowerPoint presentation will be developed by the Review team and submitted two days before the presentation. The debriefings shall include discussions of methodology, limitations, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
6. Final Report: Seven working days after the online debrief, a definitive version of the Midterm review report shall be presented. The final report shall incorporate the comments and suggestions from MWA and stakeholders. The final report must not be more than 50 pages excluding annexes. The report will be presented as one consolidated report with county-specific reports as annexes (Maximum 5 pages). The report must outline the final findings and have a dedicated section capturing the proposed new program design approach and new results framework including activities that can be incorporated into the new program design.
7. A summary of the final Midterm review report (the popular version), not exceeding 15 pages, excluding any potentially procurement-sensitive information shall be submitted (electronically, in English) for dissemination among implementing partners and stakeholders. The summary will be submitted 10 days after the submission of the final report.

H. Duration of assessment

*The Midterm review will be conducted in April and May 2024 and is expected to take a maximum of 45 working days.

I. Consultant Qualification

Below are the preferred qualifications for the consultants applying for the consultancy:

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in the evaluations of WASH and rangelands programs including leading evaluations of multistakeholder programs for development organizations in Kenyan ASALs.
• Experience in program formulation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• The Review team will need a multi-disciplinary team with ability in RAPID+ core areas of Water, Rangelands Management, Market Systems Development and Gender. The consultant(s) must show the management structure for the assignment and the role each staff will play including the CVs of the key personnel who will take part in the consultancy. Consultants proposed for the Midterm Review must be kept and not changed at any given moment unless there are extenuating circumstances. Such changes must be pre-approved by MWA.
• Demonstrated skills in research, data collection, monitoring and Review of water, rangelands, Market Systems Development, and gender donor-funded programs in ASAL areas with at least eight years of practical experience.
• Proof of experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative studies using mobile data collection.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative statistical analysis packages (SPSS, STATA, NVivo and MAXQDA) and excellent experience in mobile data collection.
• Excellent report writing, analytical, and communication skills are essential.
• Consultants based in Kenya are preferred.
• Consulting firm must provide tablets/mobile phones for data collection.

J. Reporting and Communication

Internal: The consultant will be reporting to the RAPID+ Monitoring Evaluation Reporting and Learning Manager while keeping a close working relationship with the WASH Systems and Rangelands Managers at the Program Hub. The consultant will be expected to communicate regularly with the County Program Hub and the County Coordination Units (CCUs) in the field during the exercise.

External: The consultant will be in close communication with other stakeholders including County Government staff, private sector goods and service providers, water management committees and the community members served by targeted boreholes. Consultants must adhere to the MWA Code of Conduct and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies when performing their duties and interactions with external parties.

K. Application Process

Interested firms must submit detailed technical and financial proposals (in Kenya Shillings) that clearly explain their understanding of the Terms of Reference, approaches, and methodologies to be used to undertake the assignment.

Preparation and Contents of Proposals

1. The Technical Proposal

The proposal shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

• An application/cover letter. The letter should be no longer than two pages.
• The CVs of the team leader and other key team members.
• A company profile.
• Description of the firm’s experience in providing similar consultancy services to international development agencies or organizations. A specific listing and description of engagements, current or prior, with Foreign Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) funded activities, if any in the last three (3) years. Provide contact details of three (3) organizations.
• Examples of three similar works undertaken
• Proposed methodology and a detailed workplan based on an understanding of the objectives of the assignment.
• One sample report produced for a similar assignment within the last three years.

2. The Financial Proposal

The proposal shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

• The fees proposed must be a total “fixed price” quotation indicating the overall total amount in Kenya Shillings. With a breakdown of costs related to:
  • Professional fees. The calculation of fees should indicate the cost associated with the time and effort included in your technical proposal.
  • A detailed breakdown of reimbursables including logistics, travel, per diem, communication, and any other related costs.
• Payment terms.

Administrative and fiscal documents to be provided:

• A valid certificate of Tax Compliance Certificate
• Certificate of incorporation
• Company KRA Pin certificate.

L. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated to ensure that they meet all mandatory requirements and are responsive. To determine responsiveness, a proposal must include all documentation as listed above. The proposals that fail to meet these requirements will receive no further consideration. Responsive proposals will be evaluated and ranked according to the criteria below.

1. Technical Qualification

• Technical and education experience of the team
• Understanding of the scope and/or assignment
• Proposed methodology and approach.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting and coordinating similar studies.
• Experience in conducting similar studies in the ASALs.

Consultants with a minimum score of 70% will be considered technically qualified, their applications will proceed to the financial evaluation stage, and they will be invited for an oral interview.

2. Financial Proposal

Only the financial proposal of the technically qualified consultants will be evaluated. The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal. All other financial proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

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