STTA Title: Mid-term Evaluation of Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan (RASS) Activity
Contract Name: Resilience through Agriculture South Sudan (RASS) Activity
Estimated Period of Performance: 30 calendar days from the contract award date
Place of Performance: Five States and nine Counties in South Sudan: Wau, Jur River, Pibor, Akobo, Budi, Duk, Panyijar, Baliet, Kapoeta North
Donor: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Sub-contract Partners: Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) International, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), and the Waterfield Design Group, Inc. (WDG)
RASS ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan (RASS) Activity is a four-year (2021-2025), project led by Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) and its sub-contractor partners: Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE)International, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), and the Waterfield Design Group, Inc. (WDG).
The overall purpose of the RASS Activity is to reduce long-term reliance on humanitarian assistance by significantly improving food security, community resilience, and household recovery in up to thirteen livelihood and four private sector productivity priority counties. RASS employs a resilience pathway approach to improve the effectiveness of local systems and strengthen capacities to sustain gender- responsive, diversified, and market-sensitive agricultural production; increase availability of, access to, and utilization of diverse, safe, and affordable diets; and expand opportunities for sustainable, locally driven livelihoods, thereby graduating communities from high Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) to lower phases, reducing dependence on humanitarian assistance. Taken together, these activities will help graduate communities from crisis, emergency, to less acute phases of food insecurity, and ultimately support a transition from reliance on humanitarian assistance to development and economic growth.
CONTEXT OF THE CONSULTANCY AND GENERAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS RASS is seeking the services of a reputable and experienced consultant or consultancy firm to conduct a mid-term evaluation of RASS activity implementation covering October 2021 to September 2023 in nine (9) counties. The overall and primary purpose of this mid-term evaluation is learning-oriented, to guide adaptive management for the remaining period of the RASS activity. There is also an accountability dimension to the mid-term evaluation, to the project’s stakeholders, and in particular to USAID, assessing the key project results achieved so far in line with the outcome indicators.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the evaluation is to collect data and report on the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, sustainability, and impact of the RASS Activity on the project participants. The RASS Activity is being implemented in alignment with the USAID South Sudan country strategic framework. The work aims at transitioning communities from humanitarian assistance to inclusive development assistance and economic growth. The broad objective of this mid-term evaluation is to conduct an in-depth assessment of the RASS Activity from October 2021 to September 2023. This exercise is expected to document emerging and achieved program results so far and generate insights to inform on the program implementation approaches as well as strategies for the RASS Activity. The evaluation will facilitate the identification and documentation of lessons learned, best practices, and areas requiring improvement in the remaining project period to enable the attainment of desired project outcomes.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF KEY PERSONNEL
The Consultant firm’s team must include at least the following key personnel:
7.1) AGRICULTURE AND LIVELIHOOD SPECIALIST
At minimum, the consultant must possess the following:
▪ Relevant Master’s degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, and developmental studies or any other related field
▪ Experience conducting research, Evaluations and assessments using the following methodologies: The resilience index and measurement analysis (RIMA), FCS, HDDS, WDDS and Minimum Dietary Diversity-Women (MDD-W)
▪ Proven Strong demonstrated experience of market and value chain assessment of a similar or related assignment. This should be backed up by the number of similar research that has been conducted by the individual or institution
▪ Minimum experience of 5 years in conducting market and value chain assessment using participatory methodologies with proven results.
▪ Demonstrated ability to write high quality, methodologically sound, analytical papers in English.
▪ Excellent organizing, facilitating, presentation, communication, and report writing skills
▪ Experience using feminist methodologies will be considered an asset
▪ Experience in facilitating participatory workshops or consultations
▪ Experience designing and implementing resilience measurement frameworks
▪ Good knowledge and proven experience in research design, implementation, and data analysis
▪ South knowledge of the context in South Sudan and the geographic scope of the study
▪ Experience working or relating with relevant South Sudan authorities including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), RRC, State, County, Payam, and Boma administrations.
▪ Excellent English language and writing skills
7.2) GENDER SPECIALIST
At the minimum, the consultant/s must possess the following:
▪ Relevant Master’s degree in Gender and developmental studies or social sciences.
▪ Proven Strong demonstrated experience of gender analysis and power analysis of a similar or related assignment. This should be backed up by the number of similar research that has been conducted by the individual or institution.
▪ Minimum experience of 5 years in conducting gender analysis using participatory methodologies with proven results.
▪ Clear understanding of USAID Gender Domains
▪ Specific experience in designing, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Gender and SBC strategies and materials as well as related training
▪ Demonstrated ability to write high quality, methodologically sound, analytical papers in English.
▪ Experienced in pre-testing and concept testing SBC approaches and content
▪ Excellent organizing, facilitating, presentation, communication, and report writing skills.
▪ Experience using feminist methodologies will be considered an asset.
▪ Experience in facilitating participatory workshops or consultations
▪ Good knowledge and proven experience in research design, implementation, and data analysis
▪ South knowledge of the context in South Sudan and the geographic scope of the study
▪ Excellent English language and writing skills
7.3) NUTRITION SPECIALIST
At the minimum, the consultant/s must possess the following:
• Relevant Master’s degree in Nutrition, Public health, or any other related medical field
• Proven Strong demonstrated experience collecting, analyzing, and reporting on nutrition and food security.
• Experience conducting research, Evaluations and assessments using the following methodologies: The resilience index and measurement analysis (RIMA), SMART surveys, FCS, HDDS, WDDS and Minimum Dietary Diversity-Women (MDD-W)
• Minimum relevant experience of 5 years using participatory methodologies with proven results.
• Demonstrated ability to write high quality, methodologically sound, analytical papers in English.
• Experience using feminist methodologies will be considered an asset.
• Experience in facilitating participatory workshops or consultations
• Good knowledge and proven experience in research design, implementation, and data analysis
• Knowledge of the context in South Sudan and the geographic scope of the study
• Excellent English language and writing skills
Place of Performance
The consultant firm will meet with RASS Activity Offices in Juba and then travel to the following nine counties in
South Sudan: Wau, Jur River, Pibor, Akobo, Budi, Duk, Panyijar, Baliet, Kapoeta North,
How to apply
Please send CVs or applications to: rass_recruitment@rassactivity.org