Location: Home based review of materials, with meetings at HPIC Offices in Montreal and Toronto, and with field travel to Kabul, Afghanistan
Duration: 28 days – or, a reasonable and similar timeline based on cost feasibility –, to be conducted and completed before May 31, 2012
DEADLINE FOR COMPLETE PROPOSALS (including workplan and budget): MARCH 23, 2012 and sent to Kendall Nicholson at knicholson@hpicafghanistan.ca
A. Introduction
Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC) is a humanitarian not-for-profit relief and development organization dedicated to improving access to medicine and enhancing health in the developing world. HPIC contributes to well-being by providing donations of essential medicines, supplies and vaccines, building national health sector capacities, and responding to emergencies and health threats. We partner with a network of ministries of health, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and healthcare professionals, with healthcare product companies, and with Canadian government departments ; and we count on the financial support of individual donors, foundations and corporations. Currently HPIC is implementing a project to build the capacity of the national health sector in Afghanistan through the Capacity Building and Access to Medicines (CBAM) project.
B. Background
The goal of the CBAM project is to support the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Afghanistan to effectively ensure greater and more equitable access to priority pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for all Afghans, with a specific emphasis on women and children. Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC), in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of Afghanistan, concentrates on five specific areas in an effort to build the capacity of the government and to improve access to vital pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for the population.
As a short term solution, the CBAM project focuses on improving the availability of essential medicines to meet the immediate public health needs of the population, with an emphasis on women and children, through the provision of donated medicines. These donations are solicited from Canadian pharmaceutical companies and sent directly to partner hospitals in order to provide for the immediate needs of the Afghan population. In terms of a long term objective, the project provides capacity building, training, and support that facilitates the CBAM project’s aim to build the capacity of the MoPH to nationally manage independent supply chains of high quality medicines in Afghanistan in an equitable manner.
The project is split into five different project areas where activities are implemented simultaneously; each unique, but contributing towards the overall goal of the project.
MEDICINE DONATIONS – Improved provision of quality medicines and supplies enabling an increased ability to treat health needs in Kabul and Kandahar, with a targeted emphasis on the needs of women and children.
PHARMACEUTICAL DONATIONS OFFICE – Improved national co-ordination of pharmaceutical donations, with an emphasis on the equitable accessibility to medicines and supplies for women and children.
CENTRAL WAREHOUSE – Strengthened national capacity of the MoPH to manage the logistics supply chain of quality medicines due to the improved operational efficiency of the MoPH Central Medical Stores to handle and distribute medicines and supplies in Afghanistan in an equitable manner.
QUALITY CONTROL LAB – Improved efficiency and effectiveness of national drug quality control procedures and systems of the MoPH to ensure that medicines of high quality are available to the population.
ASSESSMENT STUDY – Enhanced opportunities for pharmaceutical manufacturing industry development in Afghanistan.
These five components aim to encourage and facilitate increased equitable participation in decision making and increased capacity of the MoPH staff in gender awareness and the implementation of environmentally sound policies and procedures. As part of the project management cycle, HPIC is seeking a consultant to conduct a Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) of Years 1 through 3 of the CBAM project, to measure the achievements of the project and identify successes, lessons learned, challenges and best practices. The MTE serves as an agent of change and plays a critical role in supporting accountability and sustainability of the project.
C. Objectives of the Evaluation
The main objective of this MTE is to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of project activities , in relation to stated objectives and to produce recommendations and lessons-learned on how to improve project management practices and activities during the remainder of the project; scheduled to be completed March 2014.
Objectives
• Review overall progress made towards achievement of the immediate objectives of the project in terms of establishment and delivery of project activities and stakeholder engagement. This review will encompass the following aspects:
i. Review the problem addressed by the project and the project strategy;
ii. Assess the appropriateness of the immediate objectives, planned outputs, activities and inputs;
iii. Review the appropriateness of the established executing modalities and managerial arrangements in Canada and Kabul – including the effectiveness of management;
iv. Assess the implementation of the project in terms of quality and timeliness of inputs and efficiency and effectiveness of activities carried out; and,
v. Assess the extent to which the implementation of project activities has been inclusive of relevant stakeholders and to which it has been able to create collaboration between multiple partners.
• Identify good practices as well as areas for improvement and lessons-learned in delivering CBAM project activities in all five project components.
This review will encompass the following aspects:
i. Review the relevance of indicators and targets, review workplans, planned duration and budget of the project;
ii. Assess the project management ‘s strategies for lessons-learned and the use of adaptive management practices in project implementation;
iii. Asses the quality and timeliness of monitoring, evaluation and reporting practices;
iv. Assess the outputs, outcomes and impact achieved to date by the project;
v. Evaluate the likely sustainability of project activities and impact, including recommendations to ensure transition practices can be achieved;
vi. Assess the achievement of the immediate objectives and the contribution to attaining the overall objective of the project; and,
vii. Examine if the project has had significant unexpected effects, whether of beneficial or detrimental character.
Evaluation Criteria
The following evaluation criteria should be considered as part of the focus of the evaluation process:
i. Relevance: extent to which project initiatives and activities as well as the intended outputs and outcomes are consistent with the identified national and local policies and interests and the needs of the intended beneficiaries.
ii. Validity: extent to which the project design and management is logical and coherent.
iii. Effectiveness: extent to which the project initiatives and activities intended results have been achieved.
iv. Efficiency: how resources (such as funds, expertise and time) have been used and converted to results.
v. Sustainability: extent to which benefits of project initiatives and activities continue after external project assistance has come to an end. a. Evaluators will look at factors such as the establishment of sustainable financial and capacity building mechanisms and the mainstreaming of project objectives.
vi. Impact: what changes in human development and people’s capacity that are brought about by project initiatives and activities, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended.
vii. Gender Equity: extent to which the project accounts for gender differences when implementing project interventions and activities; and, how gender considerations are mainstreamed into project interventions.
viii. Environmental Best Practices: extent to which the project accounts for environmental best practices when implementing project interventions and activities; and, how environmental best practices are mainstreamed into project interventions.
D. Methodology/Approach
Methodology: The evaluation methodology proposed by the consultants will be discussed, validated and agreed upon with HPIC before it is implemented.
The structure of the evaluation process should include the following: i. A review and analysis of the design and organizational structure of the project. ii. A review of the activities, inputs, outputs, and immediate and intermediate outcomes set forth in the project design phase, and a comparison of the current situation. iii. An analysis of the project’s performance on the basis of the evaluation criteria, as described above.
The MTE will include findings on the following information sources and ensure the following methodology strategies are ensured:
i. Documentation review (desk study)
ii. Field visits to the project sites
iii. Interviews and questionnaires with the following stakeholders (not an exhaustive list): a. HPIC management and staff in Kabul and Canada b. MoPH project participants in all five project components – to be discussed and decided with the consultant c. Members of the CBAM Steering Committee d. Focus group discussions with project participants e. Project beneficiaries f. Other stakeholders as necessary
iv. Participatory techniques and other relevant approaches in the gathering and analysis of data.
The MTE will maintain the following principles:
i. Provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. It must easily be understood by project partners and applicable to the remaining duration of the project.
ii. Provide as much gender disaggregated data as possible.
iii. Ensure that the key principles of participation and rights-based approach are used throughout the process.
Training Consultant Competencies and Qualifications:
HPIC anticipates engaging an individual that should have the following qualifications:
i. 7 years proven expertise and experience in conducting evaluations (including at least 5 years of conducting evaluations on the international level) of small- and mid-size international development projects ;
ii. At least 5 years of technical knowledge and experience in capacity building activities; with preference for experience in pharmaceutical supply chain management ;
iii. Sound results-based management knowledge;
iv. Holding a relevant masters degree;
v. Clear understanding of relevant and necessary international environmental best-practices;
vi. Understanding of gender equitable and mainstreaming practices;
vii. Fluency in technical written and spoken English;
viii. Experience in post-conflict settings and instability an asset.
Stakeholders and Participants:
The MoPH project partners will have a participatory role and will be involved in providing insight, access to necessary documents, information, employees and facilities; they will also participate in interviews and discussions groups. The MTE consultant will have access to and meetings with HPIC project staff in relation to project information and evaluation and in providing assistance during the evaluation process. Other stakeholders and participants identified as required.
Resources Available:
During the assignment, the consultant will have access to the following resources:
i. The consultant will have access to an office space at the HPIC offices in Kabul and Canada.
ii. HPIC Kabul and Canada will provide access to documentation and printed documents as necessary.
iii. HPIC Kabul will arrange necessary interviews, focus groups and discussions.
E. Deliverables and Deadlines
Deliverables
i. Inception report. Based on this ToR, initial briefings with HPIC Canada and Kabul project staff and the desk review, the evaluator will develop an inception report. The inception report will include: a. Evaluation purpose and scope b. Evaluation criteria and questions c. Evaluation methodology d. Evaluation key questions and how they will be answered e. Detailed resource requirements tied to evaluation activities and deliverables detailed in the work plan
ii. Draft mid-term evaluation report. The report should be logically structured, contain evidence-based findings, conclusions, lessons and recommendations. Prior to submission of the final report, the draft version shall be reviewed and circulated for comments to HPIC CBAM project team, beneficiaries and MoPH counterparts.
iii. Final mid-term evaluation report. With a maximum of 30 pages (not including annexes), the final report will be submitted upon review and acceptance of the draft report and presented in a way that will make the information accessible and comprehensible.
iv. Evaluation executive summary. The evaluation report should include a comprehensive and information-rich executive summary. The summary will be used as a stand-alone product to enhance the readership of the evaluation.
v. Evaluation brief. This should be a one to three page non-technical summation of the executive summary to increase general interest without overwhelming the reader.
Timeframes
The MTE is expected to commence in mid-April 2012 and be completed by the end of May 2012. The MTE shall not exceed 28 consultancy days – HPIC will also accept a reasonable and similar timeline based on cost feasibility.
Timeframe (not to be exceeded and excludes travel time)
1. Inception report – 7 days
2. Draft mid-term evaluation report – 14 days
3. Final mid-term evaluation report; Evaluation executive summary; and, Evaluation brief 7 days
F. Remuneration and Terms of Payment
1. 25% of the agreed costs will be paid upon signing of contract; 25% at the submission of the first draft of the evaluation report; and 50% upon the submission and approval of the final evaluation report.
2. If consultant is from outside of Kabul, HPIC will negotiate accommodations and travel arrangements as well as other associated costs.
The consultant is responsible to abide by HPIC security protocols, administrative instructions as well as policies and procedures of HPIC.
How to apply:
DEADLINE FOR COMPLETE PROPOSALS (including workplan and budget): MARCH 23, 2012 and sent to Kendall Nicholson at knicholson@hpicafghanistan.ca