Description

Background
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Since establishing operations in Timor-Leste in 2007, we have earned a reputation for innovative and high-quality programming. We promote a community-led, market-based approach to addressing key challenges to improved wellbeing through greater resilience, resolved root causes of poverty, and inclusive economic growth so that Timor-Leste is able to thrive beyond oil.

Like many countries around the world, Timor-Leste faces the urgent challenge of finding waste management solutions for plastic. Currently, plastic is burned in trash piles, clogs critical drainage infrastructure, or washes up on the country’s shores and beaches. The growing stream and improper disposal of plastic waste threaten the health of communities, increase urban flood risks, undermine the potential of the tourism industry, and contribute to climate change risks for which the country is not adequately prepared.

Strengthening Critical Resilience Capacities to Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Timor-Leste (PREPARADU) project funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) aims to strengthen and reinforce Timor-Leste’s environmental resilience and response capacities to natural disasters and climate change for a more stable future through three specific objectives, which are:

• Objective 1. Reduce consumption and improper disposal of plastic waste that contributes to natural disaster and climate change risks;

• Objective 2. Increase Government of Timor Leste and other key stakeholder capacity to respond to flooding and tsunamis;

• Objective 3. Strengthen Government of Timor Leste capacity to apply for international DRR or climate change funding

Purpose

The purpose of the consultancy is to conduct an endline evaluation of the PREPARADU program. This endline evaluation will assess overall program performance against indicator targets, aggregate program successes, lessons learned and provide recommendations for future programs.

The evaluation aims to answer the following evaluation questions:

Effectiveness

• Are the activities implemented in accordance with the project plans? If not, why?
• What outputs have been achieved? To what extent do they contribute to the objectives?
• How effective are the approaches and structures in delivering the desired outputs? How can they be improved?

Efficiency

• Are the available technical and financial resources adequate to fulfill the project plans?
• Have there been any unforeseen problems? How well were they dealt with?
• Is there an effective process built into the management structure for self-monitoring and assessment, reporting and reflection?

Relevance

• Establish whether or not the design and approach are relevant in addressing the identified needs, issues, and challenges
• To what extent is the project contributing to the strategic priorities of GoTL and other stakeholders.

Sustainability

• Is the approach used likely to ensure a continued benefit after the end of the project?
• Are all key stakeholders sufficiently and effectively involved? Are their expectations met and are they satisfied with their level of participation?
• Are alternative or additional measures needed and, if so, what is required to ensure continued sustainability and positive impact?

Impact

• Is the project bringing about desired changes in the behavior of people and institutions?
• Have there been any unintended positive or negative impacts arising from particular outcomes?
• What could have been the likely situation (of the environment and its management) without the project?

PREPARADU interventions fall within the following overarching sectors:

Methodology

The methodology for the review is to be developed through consultation with the Mercy Corps team taking into account the budget and the ToR. The methodology adopted should update the preliminary issues and questions outlined within the ToR, specifying the specific review issues, questions, methods of data collection and analysis that experts will undertake. It should include:

i. A desktop review of all relevant documentation, including (but not limited to):

• The project document
• Midterm review
• Baseline report
• Annual workplans and budgets
• Bi-annual/Annual Reports

ii. Interviews and discussions with key stakeholders involved in the project

• A list of key partners and stakeholders will be identified at the onset and a consultation process developed. All stakeholders consulted should be in a position to present their views in confidence to the team and to identify issues, opportunities, constraints and options for the future.

Note:
●The methodology for the review is to be developed through consultation with the Mercy Corps team. The methodology adopted should update the preliminary issues and questions outlined within this SoW, specifying the specific review issues, questions, methods of data collection and analysis that the consultant will undertake.

The evaluation will utilize both primary and secondary data. The survey will rely on data collection from primary sampling units at the household level, institutions, and school level from the population within the program targeted areas. A detailed analysis plan will be developed together with Mercy Corps using indicator definitions and data collection tools.

Consultant Activities

• Desk review
  • Review relevant data, reports and publications, as part of the overall analysis and reporting
• Data Collection Tools development(in close consultation with Mercy Corps)
  • Develop relevant / questionnaire(s)
• Conduct endline survey.
  • Provide training to enumerators, if required
  • Conduct data gathering
  • Establish mechanisms to ensure data quality
• Data management, analysis, and reporting
  • Perform data analysis
  • Prepare the endline report
  • Present endline results

Deliverables

• • • Proposed methodology plan, including data collection
    • Draft report for Mercy Corps’ feedback
    • Final report incorporating Mercy Corps’ feedback

Timing & Schedule

The anticipated timeframe is April-May 2024 for an estimated 20 working days broken down as follows:

• • • Review of background documentation and preparation of methodology – 2 days
    • Discussion and agreement on proposed methodology with Mercy Corps – 1 day
    • Assessment of project progress and performance – including field visits and interviews with project partners and key stakeholders – 10 days
    • Analysis of findings and production of draft report – 4 days
    • Debriefing – presentation and discussion of findings to project partners – 1 day
    • Finalization/revisions of the report and submission – 2 days

The Consultant will report to:
Director of Programs, Mercy Corps Timor-Leste. The consultant will work closely with Program Manager and MERL Manager

Qualifications
Mercy Corps is looking for a consultant who will be responsible for ensuring the endline evaluation utilizes methodologies that meet quantitative and qualitative research standards.

• Minimum 7 years of demonstrated work experience in sustainable development, green technologies, economic and market systems development, field experience in disaster risk reduction related projects or programming or other relevant areas.
• Fluency in both Korean and English
• Knowledge of the circular economy, including experience with inclusive recycling initiatives in low- and middle-income countries, ocean plastics prevention, social and behavior change reduction strategies, and green policy reform advocacy
• Demonstrable understanding of the plastics industry and global markets
• Prior experience with similar types of research and evaluation.

Application Procedure

Interested applicants should submit:

• Detailed CV including a list of previous work.
• A copy of relevant work that speaks to the applicant’s ability to perform the expected deliverables.
• A financial proposal Note:Travel arrangements and costs including per diem will be covered by Mercy Corps and therefore should not be included in the financial proposal.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.