Consultant for an external evaluation of the project: “From Emergency Food Security to Durable Livelihoods: Building Resilience in OPT” (project code: PAL-UA-191; internal code: 56/15) funded by the Belgian Development cooperation-DGD.

1.    BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Oxfam was originally founded in Oxford in 1942 as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. Oxfam has been growing ever since, and today is an international confederation counting 17 organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries.

Oxfam has been working in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and Israel since the 1950s, and a country office was established in Jerusalem in the 1980s. Oxfam mainly works with humanitarian and development programs in the most vulnerable communities, such as Gaza, East Jerusalem, and Area C, which represents the 61% of the West Bank and where the Israeli government maintains full military and civil control.

In this framework, Oxfam is looking for a consultant to conduct an external evaluation of the project “From Emergency Food Security to Durable Livelihoods: Building Resilience in OPT”, financed by the Belgian Cooperation (DGD). This two-year project aims at strengthening the resilience of most vulnerable Palestinian communities at risk of forced displacement in Area C of West Bank. Specific objective of the project is to improve the food security and livelihood of herders’ communities in Area C (E1/Jerusalem periphery) through support for livestock and an increased protection mechanism, while the expected results are the improvement of animal health and livestock related assets (animal shelter and solar panels), the establishment and use of integrated rangeland management and water harvesting systems, the establishment/strengthening of community-based protection systems and the challenge by international stakeholders of key policies, imposed by the Government of Israel (GoI) in violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL, including demolitions and forced displacement). The project is implemented by Oxfam and the local partners Land Research Center (LRC) and Palestinina Livestock Development Center (PLDC).

A final external evaluation will be carried out in order to assess if the project has been able to deliver the outcomes it was intended to for the beneficiaries and whether the targets/outputs envisaged in the logical framework have been realized. The proposed evaluation shall last indicatively four (4) weeks and end maximum on 20/02/2018. The evaluation will include field visits.

2.    OBJECTIVES OF THE EVALUATION

The general objective of the evaluation is:

Assess whether the project “From Emergency Food Security to Durable Livelihoods: Building Resilience in OPT” has been able make the impact it was intended to for the beneficiaries and whether the targets/outputs envisaged at the beginning of the assignment have been realized.

The specific objectives are to provide Oxfam and project partners with sufficient information:

• To make an informed assessment on the performance of the project, its relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability, with regards both to the specific objective and to the results. In particular, to make an informed assessment on the improvement of the food security and livelihood of herders communities in Area C as well as the improvement of animal health and livestock related assets, the establishment and use of integrated rangeland management and water harvesting systems, the establishment of community-based protection systems and the challenge by international stakeholders of policies in violation of International Humanitarian law (IHL), imposed by the Government of Israel (GoI);

• To document lessons learned and to provide practical recommendations for follow-up actions.
• To explore if there were any positive or negative unintended/unexpected effects that have come out as a result from the implementation of the project

3.    EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation assignment will be guided by the following evaluation criteria, therefore five

• key questions need to be considered while evaluating the project:

1. Effectiveness: the reasons behind the achievement (or not) of objectives;
2. Efficiency: the degree to which the financial resources of the project have been used economically and efficiently;
3. Relevance: the extent to which the intervention is suited to the priorities and needs of the people and communities it is intended to benefit; moreover, the evaluation should consider assess the extent of which the project is aligned with the Oxfam Saving Lives change goal and with the overall Oxfam Country Strategy.
4. Sustainability: in terms of linking relief with rehabilitation and development, the level of appropriation of the benefits of the project by local actors and beneficiaries, the strengthening of their capacities and the possibility to pursue the obtained results over time, making the outcomes likely to be sustained in the long
5. Impact: the significant changes have occurred in the beneficiaries’ lives. Moreover, the evaluation should consider the contribution of the project to the Oxfam Saving Lives Change Goal in OPT, in order to contribute to the development of future

4.    APPROACHES AND METHODOLOGIES

The consultant will conduct field assessments through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methodologies. . The consultant will also collect, review and analyze relevant secondary data (project documentation, relevant policies, etc.). The consultant will thus evaluate the impact of the project on the targeted communities, elaborate a technical evaluation on the activities implemented in the framework of the project, and assess whether the project has reached its initial objectives in a sustainable way and to which extent beneficiaries’ resilience and protection have been increased. The consultant shall draw out evidence based conclusions through data verification and triangulation, and provide recommendation accordingly.

The selected consultant will submit a detailed methodology in his/her inception report prior to the beginning of field data collection.

5.    EVALUATION RESPONSABILITIES AND MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

For analyzing the impact of the project activities in comparison with the indicators contained in the Log Frame, the Consultant shall undertake the following activities:

• To analyze project reports;
• To analyze and triangulate the data collected through the agreed methodology;
• To interview project staff (Oxfam and partners) and other relevant

Oxfam staff will take charge of assisting and supporting the consultant throughout the whole period of the evaluation in order to facilitate the field mission and the evaluation process.

6.    EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

• Inception report with a detailed methodology within 4 days after the signature of the contract;
• Guidelines for conducting key informants’ interviews and focus group discussion (FGD);
• A draft report to be shared with Oxfam within 7 days after the end of the mission;

• The final evaluation report containing lessons learnt and recommendations, to be submitted to Oxfam within 7 days after the submission of feedback and comments on the first draft by Oxfam

A first restitution workshop will be organized at the end of the mission in the Country in OPT. Then, a final restitution workshop will be organized at the end of the consultancy via Skype.

The report shall be composed by 30-40 pages and written and submitted in English.

7.    TIMEFRAME AND LOGISTICS

The consultancy shall be carried out indicatively in four (4) weeks of which two (2) weeks must be spent in the Country in January/February 2018. The deadline of submission of the final version is the 20/02/18. All taxes, allowances and incidentals, supplies necessary for delivering the evaluation, travel expenses and all logistic costs must be included into the budget proposed.

8.    PROFILE OF THE CONSULTANT

• Degree in veterinary studies OR legal and/or humanitarian studies OR in other relevant fields;
• Extensive professional experience in the humanitarian sector, human rights and protection;
• Extensive professional experience in conducting evaluations, especially of humanitarian interventions;
• Expertise in project cycle management and extensive knowledge of MEAL and data collection methods;
• Previous experience with INGOs’ procedures, approaches and operations;
• Acknowledged similar consultancies with recognized organizations;
• Demonstrated analytical and writing skills;
• Excellent knowledge of English (Arabic would be an asset);
• Computer skills (advanced user of Microsoft Excel or similar software; STATA is an asset);
• Desirable: previous experience and knowledge of the