Final Evaluation of Contributing to Economic Resilience in Central Iraq- Anbar - IQ Talent Marketplace

1. Introduction:

Oxfam is a global organization founded in 1942 in Oxford, England, dedicated to ending poverty and social injustice. Initially providing aid to hungry children in war-torn Greece, Oxfam shifted its focus post-World War II to improving agriculture and food production in impoverished nations. Today, as an international confederation of 20 affiliates working in over 90 countries, Oxfam collaborates with partners and local communities on humanitarian efforts, development, and campaigning, guided by the core values of Empowerment, Accountability, and Inclusiveness.

Today, Oxfam targets key sectors for sustainable development, including poverty alleviation, equality between men and women, climate change, food security, economic justice, and health and education for marginalized groups. The organization promotes sustainable livelihoods, fights for women’s rights, supports environmentally sustainable practices, and ensures access to nutritious food.

In times of crisis, Oxfam provides critical humanitarian assistance to those affected by disasters and conflicts. Oxfam began its work in Iraq during the ISIS crisis and expanded to the Anbar Governorate in 2017, transitioning from humanitarian response to development efforts addressing climate change and agricultural challenges.

1. BACKGROUND & CONTEXT:

Iraq is facing significant instability due to large-scale unemployment, weak governance, corruption, and sectarianism, compounded by an economic shock from COVID-19. The country may experience a fiscal deficit of $40-80 billion, with 90% of its budget reliant on oil revenues. The need for economic reforms and diversification, particularly in agriculture, is urgent to combat poverty and food insecurity.

Currently, agriculture accounts for less than 9% of Iraq’s GDP. The sector has been adversely affected by decades of conflict and cheap imports. However, revitalizing agriculture could benefit both rural and urban households, including vulnerable populations like female-headed households, which typically spend a higher proportion of their income on food. A recent Oxfam assessment indicated that 99% of respondents In Anbar expressed a need for community livelihood support.

Historically, Anbar has been Iraq’s breadbasket, with over 40% of women earning their income from agriculture. Yet, infrastructure destruction from the ISIS conflict and outdated farming methods have hindered its competitiveness against cheaper imports. Many residents now migrate to cities like Fallujah and Ramadi, which struggle to provide sufficient jobs and services.

Access to agricultural financing is severely limited, with farmers lacking credit options and facing complicated regulations. Although the Iraqi government offers some support through subsidies and technical assistance, its effectiveness is hampered by infrastructural damage.

Women are critical to economic resilience in agriculture but face barriers that restrict their access to services and markets. Oxfam’s assessments indicate that while women in Anbar are interested in various agricultural activities, they lack control over necessary resources and face time constraints due to household responsibilities.

The risk of renewed conflict remains a concern. Anbar has experienced significant destruction due to ISIS, with 77% of the population reporting losses to housing or property during recent conflicts. Displacement and forced returns could further exacerbate tensions.

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW

The project titled “Contributing to Economic Resilience in Central Iraq,” funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)is scheduled to wrap up by the end of December 2024. Spanning four years and carried out in the Anbar Governorate districts of Ramadi and Fallujah, this ongoing project aims to strengthen the economic resilience of agricultural and food market systems in the region. This effort supports the social and structural economic empowerment of communities while fostering collaboration between public and private partners.

Oxfam seeks to conduct a final evaluation for this project, focusing on assessing its effectiveness in enhancing economic resilience in Anbar Governorate’s agricultural and food market systems. It will measure production and income generation outcomes, identify successes and challenges, and gather feedback from beneficiaries and stakeholders. The findings will inform future programming and provide actionable recommendations to ensure that Oxfam’s interventions effectively address the needs of vulnerable populations. Additionally, this evaluation aims to enhance accountability and refine Oxfam’s strategies for fostering resilience in communities impacted by conflict and economic instability.

Areas of interventions in Anbar Governorate:

Furthermore, four key structures are planned to benefit from the project:

• One C3P network
• One Women Economic Forum
• One Agriculture and Research Innovation Lab
• One Directorate of Agriculture Department

Collaboration with national and sub-national partners is integral to the project’s success. The Directorate of Agriculture (DoA) and its Agricultural Extension Department are actively engaged under Outcome 2, with government extension service providers being trained on best agricultural practices. The DoA also spearheads the development of the C3P model under Outcome 3, focusing on relevance and advocacy.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MoLSA) is engaged through its business support centers. Advocacy activities will inform dialogue with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Trade on enhancing the agricultural model through Oxfam’s forthcoming programming and advocacy campaigns.

This comprehensive approach aims to build economic resilience in Central Iraq, empowering communities and enhancing their capacity to withstand economic challenges and conflicts.

1. PROJECT INTERVENTION AND TARGET GROUPS:

The project has the following goals, outcomes, and outputs:

Overall objective: Strengthened economic resilience of agriculture and food market systems to contribute towards social and structural economic empowerment of communities and public pri-vate partners (C3P) in Central Iraq.

Outcome 1: SSPs, SMEs, and public private partners have increased production, income generation, and market development opportunities.

Outcome 1 Indicators:

1.1. % of targeted enterprises report expanded business activities in agriculture & food market systems.

1.2. % of women led enterprises are fully functional by end of project.

1.3. % of individual (SSP/SME) market actors report increased & improved quality of production.

1.4. % of individual (SSP/SME) market actors report increased access to services and improved marketing environment.

Outcome 1 Target: Benefiting 18,840 individuals (9,420 women and 9,420 men).

Outcome 2: Improved adaptive agriculture and food market system through institutional development.

Outcome 2 Indicators:

2.1. % of SSPs/SMEsare satisfied with the type and level of extension and advisory services provided through business support centre and farmer’s school.

2.2. % of the government agriculture staff reported increase utilization of knowledge and skills on modern agriculture practices.

2.3. % of farmers, SMEs, and government departments adopted at least one innovation or new agriculture practices learned through research and innovation initiatives

Outcome 2 Target: Benefiting 11,830 individuals (5,915 women and 5,915 men).

Outcome 3: Improved market system model established in Anbar that includes mechanisms to inform policy reforms and create synergies within and across market sectors

Outcome 3 Indicators:

3.1. ‘Charter of Demand’ developed and presented to national level government with policy recommendations is considered for incorporation into national agriculture development plan.

3.2. % of C3P network partners report satisfaction with the C3P model and endorse the Charter of Demand.

Outcome 3 Target: Benefiting 6,000 individuals (3000 women and 3000 men).

Outputs:

Output 1.1: Climate-smart agriculture infrastructure is rehabilitated or reconstructed for improved production

Output 1.2: Small Scale Producers (SSPs) have improved production and income generation potential in alignment with market demand and quality standards

Output 1.3: Value chain actors mapped and capacitated to add value to products and increase their market share

Output 1.4: “Buy local’’ campaign launched for promotion of local agriculture & food products through C3P model

Output 2.1: Institutional capacity of C3P partners strengthened in agriculture & food market systems for integrated and mutually owned programming.

Output 2.2: Research and innovation centres established to promote innovative practices related to agri-culture and food market systems.

Output 3.1: C3P learning forums established and develop Charter of Demands based on gaps in human and financial capital in agriculture market systems.

Output 3.2: Legal and financial frameworks to support C3P model effectively lobbied for

4. OBJECTIVES OF THE FINAL EVALUATION

The BMZ-funded project is set to conclude in December 2024, with an external final evaluation scheduled for November and December 2024. Despite this timeline, some activities are still in progress and expected to finish by late November or early December 2024.

Oxfam aims to carry out the evaluation to fulfil its commitment to the donor and to measure the project’s impact and performance. This evaluation will provide Oxfam with valuable insights that can be used in future projects.

The evaluation’s scope is defined by the OECD-DAC criteria for assessing humanitarian efforts. These criteria are linked to several key questions that need to be addressed and examined.

Specific Objectives of the Evaluation:

• To assess the design, planning, delivery and management of the project by Oxfam and its partners in accordance with Oxfam Programme Standards and donor requirements.
• To identify and assess key internal and external factors that have contributed, affected, or impeded the achievements of the project, and how Oxfam and the partners have managed these factors.
• To assess and conduct data collection for learning purposes about the aspect of OECD-DAC criteria relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability based on the questions in the following section.To conduct a data collection of outcome and output indicators (endline survey) and update the project’s logframe by its conclusion.To assess the beneficiary targeting, verification, and selection processes/approaches of the project.
• Describe and assess efforts of stakeholders in support of the implementation of the project.

5. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND KEY QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE EVALUATION:

The project evaluation should be organised taking into consideration of Oxfam’s key evaluation criteria, and program quality standards. The evaluation will also consider key sector and sub-sector indicators for assessing the performance. The following provides a guide to the questions to be addressed by this evaluation, under each of the criteria below:

Relevance and Appropriateness:

1. Have Oxfam and its partners effectively identified and targeted the most vulnerable populations in their operational areas?
2. How well does the intervention address the specific livelihood needs of women, men, boys, and girls within the targeted communities?
3. To what extent did beneficiaries and partners participate in project design, and how did this impact the project’s relevance?
4. How responsive were project activities to the evolving needs of displaced, returnee, and host community members?
5. Did Oxfam and its partners target and support beneficiaries who had ongoing projects and did the assistance provided lead to the expansion of their projects.
6. Did Oxfam target agricultural areas where most people depend on agriculture and livestock.

Efficiency

1. Was the project implemented using the best available resources and capacities of Oxfam and its partners?
2. How cost-effective was the intervention compared to other potential alternatives?
3. Were the financial and human resources allocated to project activities sufficient to achieve the intended results?
4. What limitations were encountered regarding resource utilization, and how can future projects enhance efficiency?

Effectiveness

1. How effectively has the project progressed toward achieving its desired outcomes for beneficiaries?
2. What tangible impacts has the project had on beneficiaries’ lives, both positive and negative?
3. How well were beneficiaries selected, and were they adequately informed of the selection criteria?
4. How inclusive and culturally sensitive were the activities carried out in terms of the approach, quality of participation, information and its dissemination? What challenges did the project face, and how effectively were those challenges addressed?
5. To what extent justice between men and women has been mainstreamed into the project? How could justice between men and women be better mainstreamed in a future project?
6. What system and mechanism are in place (at Oxfam and partners) to ensure accountability to the beneficiaries and how well have they been working throughout the project?
7. What factors have contributed to achieving or not achieving intended outcomes and set objectives of the project? Identify any exceptional experiences/achievements of the project substantiated with evidences, such, but not limited to case studies, best practices, etc.

Impact

1. What positive and negative changes has the project produced for the target populations?
2. How have these changes contributed to the overall aspirations of the project?
3. What is the extent of the project’s impact on beneficiary resilience compared to before the intervention?
4. Has the project made a significant change in market linkage and improved /enhanced local products?
5. How likely are positive changes to be sustained in the short- and medium-term following project completion?

Sustainability

1. To what extent did the project consider long-term impacts during its planning and implementation phases?
2. How effectively did the project address the nexus between humanitarian action, recovery, and development?
3. What measures were taken to ensure a successful transition and exit strategy for sustainable outcomes?
4. How well are project outputs aligned with long-term objectives to ensure ongoing benefits after project funding ends?
5. What were/are the major factors which influenced the achievement or non-achievement of sustainability of the project?

6. METHODOLOGY:

1. Use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods.
2. Design tools, collect data, analyze data, and write reports using both methods.
3. Conduct endline HH survey in selected intervention areas.
4. Compare endline values of outcome indicators against baseline survey values.
5. Use structured questionnaires to measure the project’s impact on conflict-affected communities.
6. Target different groups of men & women in the evaluation.
7. Develop a methodology endorsed by Oxfam based on expected deliverables and OECD-DAC criteria.
8. Use focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and case studies for qualitative data collection.
9. Integrate desk review findings with primary data collection and analysis.

The consultant should develop all the necessary data collection tools and sampling methods and share them with the Oxfam MEAL & PQ team for review and approval. And the data collection tools proposed by the consultant should be able to address the key evaluation questions mentioned above.

For the quantitative approach, the consultant will conduct the data collection activities of the endline HH survey in the selected intervention, and the consultant will be responsible for collecting qualitative data through conducting focus group discussions and key informant interviews.

7. REQUIRED EXPERTISE FOR THE EVALUATION CONSULTANT(S):

This final evaluation should be led by a person (or persons) or firm have following:

Mandatory qualification:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in humanitarian and development interventions in conducting evaluations for international humanitarian organisations and donor agencies
• Demonstrated experience in the monitoring and evaluation of Livelihoods and economic justice, with preferably some experience in justice between men & women and protection in emergencies programming or programmatic knowledge of these two sectors.
• Experience in the use of quantitative and participatory qualitative methods of data collection.
• Strong facilitation and English writing skills are also required.
• Knowledge of ICT tools for mobile data collection (Survey CTO).
• Commitment to safeguarding policy.
• Commitment to feminist principles in Evaluation.
• Knowledge of the context in Iraq or in middle east and familiarity or direct experience working in Iraq or in the Middle East broadly .

Following are not mandatory but desirable:

• Familiarity or fluency in Arabic is an advantage.

Experience of working modalities of Oxfam, is preferred.

8- TIMEFRAME, KEY ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED LEVEL OF EFFORT

Timeframe***:*** The evaluation is to be carried out in December 2024, with the final report submitted to Oxfam as per the timeline below. The exact dates of the evaluation are to be confirmed with the selected consultant(s) or firm.

Total expected level of effort: 30 working days

Note: Following are the suggested number of days. Actual days will be agreed with the selected consultant(s)/firm as per workplan to be delivered during the time frame.

• Review essential documents of the project, including but not limited to the original project proposal, interim or on-going internal reports, and evaluations and lessons learned exercises undertaken thus far and review the key questions suggested and if necessary, propose adjustment (2 to 3 days) – work to be done from consultant’s/firm’s home location, all documents will be shared by Oxfam via email).
• Develop and submit the draft inception report with a detailed evaluation plan (to be endorsed by Oxfam) (3 to 4 day);
• Developing and translation of evaluation tools (Tools must be developed in English and translated in Arabic to administer in the field. (3 to 4 days)
• Primary data collection (quantitative and qualitative) (9 to 12 days in Iraq- Anbar Governorate).
• Data analysis and preparation of draft evaluation report (8 to 10 days).
• Meeting (online) to share and validate the findings from the evaluation (1 day). Selected Oxfam and partner staff will participate in this meeting.
• Finalize the final evaluation report and send it to Oxfam (2 to 3 days). Oxfam will then prepare a management response to be annexed to the evaluation report.

Working closely:

The consultant(s) /firm will report directly to the Program Quality and MEAL Lead and will work closely with Programme Managers and field teams. The Program Quality and MEAL Lead will coordinate and facilitate the evaluation process with the selected firm/consultant(s) in collaboration with the Program Managers and MEAL & PQ team.

9. EXPECTED OUTPUTS:

1. The evaluator’s understanding of the evaluation questions.
2. Description of the phases related to the suggested evaluation methodology.
3. Sources of information for gathering primary and secondary data.
4. Sampling techniques, such as sample size, sampling methodology, the area and population group the sample represents.
5. Tools to be used for data collection.
6. The type of software or ICT tool used for data analysis.
7. Reference indicators and benchmarks for each evaluation question (if relevant).
8. Develop a detailed evaluation plan (to be submitted after the document review but before the data collection – to be endorsed by Oxfam), outlining the proposed methodology.
9. Draft evaluation report in English to be presented to Oxfam (no more than 40 pages excluding annexes, including executive summary not exceeding 3 pages);
10. Meeting to present the draft findings of the evaluation, and to give feedback to Oxfam staff and the partners.
11. A draft copy of the evaluation report within one week (7 days) of the meeting with Oxfam and partner staff. Feedback from Oxfam will be provided within one (1) week after the submission of the draft report. The consultant/firm will review, then submit a second draft, which will also be subject to Oxfam’s feedback within 2 days. The final report will be produced in 3 working days of submission of the comments. It will include changes/modifications, agreed between Oxfam in Iraq and the consultant/firm. Some minimum guidelines on the evaluation report:
    • The report should systematically answer the key questions posed.
    • It should fairly and clearly represent the views of the different actors/stakeholders.
    • It should give the conclusions of the evaluator, in a way that is clear and substantiated by the available evidence.

Please note that the consultant should submit the final evaluation report with Oxfam before/on 31 December 2024

10. Payment and instructions for interested consultants/firms

Overall expression of interest/EOIs/ will be evaluated based on technical and financial proposals demonstrating value of money and strong technical description.

Payment will be done in two instalments, 10% upon contract signature, 40 % upon submission of the draft report, and 50% upon Oxfam’s approval of the final evaluation report.

What costs to include in the offer: Consultants/firms should include the following costs in their offer’s budget: daily rate, cost of international travel (home location of consultant/firm to Erbil and back, applies to international consultants only); cost for enumerators/data collectors for the endline survey.

What costs not to include in the offer: Oxfam will pay for and procure the following for the evaluation and therefore the following costs should NOT be included in the offer: pick-up/drop-off of consultant(s) from airport, travel inside Iraq for data collection and meetings, interpretation services during meetings with beneficiaries/the partner, printing/photocopying costs.

Note that payment will be made based on the budget in the offer (not based on actual expenses incurred by the consultant). No receipts will be requested from the consultant towards the end of the evaluation.

11. CODES OF BEHAVIOUR:

The evaluation process will be directed by Oxfam’s guidelines for the ethical conduct of evaluations and research, guiding the evaluation team through careful consideration of the key ethical implications at every stage of the evaluation. These guidelines are available at this link: http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/undertaking-research-with-ethics-253032

Selected consultant or firm will be asked to sign and adhere with Oxfam’s Code of Conduct.

12. SHARING AND USING FINDINGS:

The Oxfam International’s Policy on Program Evaluation requires Confederation members to act on the commitment to transparency by making public the Executive Summary and a Management Response to all final evaluations. The Policy is available at this link: http://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/oxfam-program-evaluation-policy-dec10.pdf

13. DISCLOSURE:

Although free to discuss with the authorities on anything relevant to the assignment, under the terms of reference, the consultant is not authorized to make any commitments on behalf of Oxfam. All data collected as part of this consultancy belongs to Oxfam and public dissemination of the data and evaluation products can only be done with the written consent of the Oxfam.

TOR LINK: https://oxfam.box.com/s/lvsap3w9a33w1qnnb5nspoz6xbjmwnyl

Interested Individuals, organizations or research/consultancy firms, with the experience and skills descried in the ToR should submit Expression of Interest/EOI/. The EOI must include

1. A cover letter of no more than 2 pages introducing the evaluator/organisation and how the skills and competencies described above are met, with concrete examples. Please also use this cover letter to indicate the consultants’ availability for the proposed period. Note: the evaluation should start as early as possible in November 2024 to conclude in December 2024
2. Technical Proposal: The technical proposal should include an interpretation of the objectives of the consultancy, detailed methodology and an elaborate work plan. Organization/individual capacity statement, past experience and activities related to evaluation, CVs of the consulting team and their roles in the achievement of the assignment; names, addresses and telephone numbers of three professional referees.
3. Financial Proposal: A one-page budget of the offer, covering all major anticipated costs; (proposed budget should not be included in the technical proposal).
4. Two to three samples of evaluation reports for evaluations conducted in livelihoods ,economic justice or in other sectors

How to apply

How to Apply

Please submit the EOI and other documents by 12:00 am Iraq time by 31 October 2024 to [email protected] with “Final Evaluation of Contributing to Economic Resilience in Central Iraq- Anbar” in the subject line. No EOIs will be accepted after deadline.

All questions or clarifications of a technical nature are to be sent to [email protected] Interested applicants can collect the Terms of Reference/ToR/ from OXFAM in IRAQ Country Office, starting from October 21, 2024. Or Oxfam Logistics/HR team can send the ToR for interested applicants via email. Applicants are required to carefully read through the ToR, make a note of the planned timetable, and submit their responses by 31 October 2024 (5:00 Pm). No questions or clarification will be entertained after 31 October 2024 COB.

This invitation to tender has been issued for the sole purpose of obtaining offers for the provision of the services requested against the TOR. OXFAM reserves the right not to enter into or award a contract as result of this invitation to tender. OXFAM also reserves the right to terminate any contract issued as a result of this invitation to tender as set out in the contract terms and conditions.