Tender document: Theory of Change assessment for multi-year organisational development programme, ‘Pursuing excellence through Learning and Effectiveness (PELE)’, December 2020.
Islamic Relief Worldwide
Islamic Relief is an international aid and development charity, which aims to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people. It is an independent Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) founded in the UK in 1984.
With an active presence in over 40 countries across the globe, we strive to make the world a better and fairer place for the three billion people still living in poverty. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities - regardless of race, religion or gender.
Our vision:
Inspired by our Islamic faith and guided by our values, we envisage a caring world where communities are empowered, social obligations are fulfilled, and people respond as one to the suffering of others.
Our mission:
Exemplifying our Islamic values, we will mobilise resources, build partnerships, and develop local capacity, as we work to:
· Enable communities to mitigate the effect of disasters, prepare for their occurrence and respond by providing relief, protection and recovery.
· Promote integrated development and environmental custodianship with a focus on sustainable livelihoods.
· Support the marginalised and vulnerable to voice their needs and address root causes of poverty.
At the international level, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council and is a signatory to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Code of Conduct. IRW is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) through raising awareness of the issues that affect poor communities and through its work on the ground. Islamic Relief are one of only 13 charities that have fulfilled the criteria and have become members of the Disasters Emergency Committee (www.dec.org.uk), and is certified by CHS
IRW endeavours to work closely with local communities, focussing on capacity-building and empowerment to help them achieve development without dependency.
Please see our website for more information http://www.islamic-relief.org/
Background
In 2017 Islamic Relief USA supported Islamic Relief Worldwide via a project called Pursuing excellence through Learning and Effectiveness (PELE). The funding which was repeated in 2019 and 2020 aimed to increase the quality of Country programmes through organisational change including systems and behaviour.
These project focused on establishing a culture of learning which results in improved programming and subsequently impact on poverty. The overall impact and outcomes remain while outputs and activities were semi-flexible in that they aligned with opportunities, needs and the shifts within the sector.
The projects theory of change was:
“If Islamic Relief has assurance methods that identify areas of improvement and evidence progress, has technical experts that ensure staff are trained, with systems updated, and with staff who are engaged in learning and contributing to the external environment, our programmes will then be able to incorporate that learning into a continuous improvement cycle; staff will have the skills to improve programme design; and will be able to influence and learn from the sector.
This will then result in interventions that are stronger and more effective in alleviating poverty, which IRW systems will be able to evidence”
The logic models impact statement is ‘Improved Quality and Effectiveness of IR Country office programming is resulting in more evidenced impact in relation to poverty alleviation’ with three outcomes a) IR Programmes are built on a culture of continual improvement and evidence b) IR organisational capabilities in the areas of conflict sensitivity, inclusivity/protection, and MEAL improved c) IR has developed a reputation through influencing and partnerships in the area of, inclusion and MEAL.’ (See appendix 2)
This report will assess progress in the context of the Theory of change to inform future such funding and phases of PELE.
Objective
This tender is seeking a consultant with a proven track record in assessing Theory of change and strategic project funding. The consultant is expected to:
· Test PELE theory of change indicating areas of progress, challenge and recommendations for the future.
· It will reflect on the value add of the funding in the context of the impact if this funding was not made available (additionality).
· An opinion on whether this investment provided value for money is expected.
· Consolidate evidence of the process and impact of PELE for IRW and IRUSA learning to strengthen future investments in the future.
scope
The consultancy is expected to take place remotely and is desk based. It will involve document reviews, emailing, virtual-and tele-meetings, interviews and online surveys with key stakeholders in IRW (Birmingham and Country offices) and IR USA.
The scope of the evaluation will cover PELE from its inception in September 2017 to July 2020. A financial audit or financial report analysis is not in scope rather a Programme focused value for money analysis is requested.
The report will inform the donor (IRUSA) and the implementer (IRW) when agreeing future investment plans.
Methodology
Consultants are invited to propose the specific methodology as part of this call, however we do expect this to be based on the OECD-DAC criteria. In general, it is envisaged this evaluation will involve document reviews, emailing, online surveys and virtual interviews.
The consultant will have core documentation but is expected to undertake extensive interviews/ focus group discussions from range of stakeholders using appropriate communications tools.
requirements
The successful consultant is expected to have:
· A strong understanding and experience of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methodologies, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) especially Theory of change
· Experience of different methods for measuring and reporting on value for money
· Ability to work independently and to manage large amounts of information; to work systematically and to produce to deadlines
· Good knowledge and experience of organisational change processes
· An understanding of cross cutting technical programming areas of Protection, Inclusion, conflict sensitivity, FSL and climate
· Experience of working with international civil society organisations in the UK and internationally
· Experience of working with a culturally, geographically and linguistically diverse groups
· Excellent communication skills and strong writing skills in English
· Excellent interpersonal skills and professional manners are essential
output
The outputs for this particular project are;
Written implementation plan agreed with the IRW within one week of commencement.
Narrative report not exceeding 30 pages.
Executive summary incorporated in the above, not exceeding 3 pages.
A summary of the key findings and recommendations in a power point presentation.
A small, virtual, half-day workshop to discuss key findings with key IRW staff
Time frame and budget
The timeline for this project is outlined in the table beneath;
Action
By when
Who
Tender live date 1st December 2020 IRW
Final date for submission of bid proposal 16th December 2020 (1pm) Consultant
Proposals considered, short-listing and follow up enquiries completed 7th January 2021 IRW
Consultant interview and final selection 11th January 2021 IRW
Meeting with the consultant and agreement on methodology, plan of action, working schedule (half a day) 14th January 2021 Consultant/IRW
Writing and submission of Inception Report (1 day) 21st January 2021 Consultant
Desk Review and research (max 20 days) 28th January 2021 – 23rd February 2021 Consultant
Submission of the first draft to IRW for comments 25th February 2021 Consultant
IRW response to draft report 1st March 2021 IRW
Final report written and submitted to IRW (2 working days) 10th March 2021 Consultant
Preparation of power point slides and presentation of the report to IRW and key stakeholder discussion workshop (half day) 15th March 2021 Consultant
Final output received 15th March 2020
Contract duration: Maximum 20 days
Direct report: Programme Quality Department
Location: UK, Birmingham
Job Title: Consultant: Outcome assessment of PELE
Under the guidance of and in collaboration with IRW’s Head of the Programme Quality Unit, the Consultant shall work with IRW’s International Programmes Division, Programme Quality Unit, Global Operations and Global Advocacy at IRW, IR family partners and country office levels.
Proposal to tender and costing:
Consultants (single or teams) interested in carrying out this work must:
a) Submit a proposal/bid, including the following;
i. Detailed cover letter/proposal outlining a methodology and approach briefing note
ii. CV or outline of relevant skills and experience possessed by the consultant who will be carrying out the tasks and any other personnel who will work on the project including faith leaders/scholars/activist
iii. Example(s) of relevant work
iv. The consultancy daily rate
v. Expenses policy of the tendering consultant. Incurred expenses will not be included but will be agreed in advance of any contract signed
vi. Be able to complete the project within the timeframe stated above
vii. Be able to demonstrate experience of similar work
Terms and conditions
Payment will be made in accordance with the deliverables and deadlines as follows:
· 40% of the total amount – First upfront payment
· 30% of the total amount – submission of the first draft and delivering mock-up facilitation session**
· 30% of the total amount – submission of the final report including all outputs and attachments mentioned above**
We can be flexible with payment terms, invoices are normally paid on net payment terms of 28 days.
Additional information and conditions of contract
During the consultancy period,
IRW will only cover:
· Consultancy fees
· Any travel costs to visit IRW
IRW will not cover:
· Sub-contracting other consultants ex for theological review
· Tax obligations as required by the country in which he/she will file income tax
· Any pre/post assignment medical costs. These should be covered by the consultant
· Medical and travel insurance arrangements and costs. These should be covered by the consultant.
To view or download the full tender and guidelines document please click on the link beneath;
https://www.islamic-relief.org/tenders/category/open-tenders/
How to apply:
Consultancy contract
This will be for an initial period that is to be specified by the consultant commencing from December 2020 (exact date to be mutually agreed). The selected candidate is expected to work from their home/office and be reporting into the Programme Quality Department.
The terms upon which the consultant will be engaged are as per the consultancy agreement. The invoice is to be submitted in accordance with the payment terms and will be paid on net payment terms of 28 days though we can be flexible.
All potential applicants must fill in the table beneath in Appendix 1 to help collate key data pertaining to this tender. The applicant must be clear about other expenses being claimed in relation to this consultancy and these must be specified clearly.
For this consultancy all applicants are required to submit a covering letter and CV’s of all potential consultants including the project lead.
A proposal including, planned activities, methodology, deliverables, timeline, and cost proposal (including expenses) are expected.
Other relevant supporting documents should be included as the consultants sees fit.
All applicants must have a valid visa or a permit to work in the UK (if travel is required to the UK). A valid visa/work permit is also required for those areas required to be visited as part of this consultancy.
During the Covid-19 crisis we are not expecting international travel to be possible so work will largely be remotely conducted.
TENDER DATES AND CONTACT DETAILS
All proposals are required to be submitted by Wednesday 16th December 2020 at 1.00pm UK time pursuant to the attached guidelines for submitting a quotation and these be returned to tendering@irworldwide.org
For any issues relating to the tender or its contents please email directly to tendering@irworldwide.org
Following submission, IRW may engage in further discussion with applicants concerning tenders in order to ensure mutual understanding and an optimal agreement.
Quotations must include the following information for assessment purposes.
Timescales
Full break down of costs including taxes, expenses and any VAT
References (two are preferred)
Technical competency for this role
Demonstrable experience of developing a similar piece of work including a methodology
Note: This criteria is subject to change.
Appendix 1
Please fill in the table below. It is essential all sections be completed and where relevant additional expenses be specified in detail. In case of questions about how to complete the table below, please contact tendering@irworldwide.org
Cost evaluation of a consultancy
consultancy on the outcome assessment for multi-year organisational development programme (PELE), November 2020
Full name of all consultants working on this project
Full company trading name
No of proposed hours per week
No. of proposed days
Preferred days
Non preferred days**
Earliest available start date
Expected project finish date
Day rate (required for invoicing purposes) £
Total cost for consultancy in GBP (less taxes and expenses) £
Expenses (flights) £
Expenses (accommodation) £
Expenses (transfers) £
Expenses (in country travel) £
Expenses (visa) £
Expenses (security) £
Expenses (food) £
Expenses (print/stationary) £**
Expenses other (please specify) £
Total expenses £
Total VAT or taxes £
Total cost for consultancy in GBP (inclusive of taxes and expenses) £
Note
The applicant is expected to take responsibility for paying full taxes and social charges in his/her country of residence.
To view or download the full tender and guidelines document please click on the link beneath;
https://www.islamic-relief.org/tenders/category/open-tenders/