Closing date: 06 Dec 2016
Terms of reference for consultancy
Summary
Purpose: The Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) seeks to evaluate its Strategy 2013-2017, to assess progress in its implementation, identify achievements and possible gap areas, and make recommendations for the last year of implementation and the development of the next GSC Strategy.
Audience: The GSC Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) will use the evaluation to disseminate achievements and address possible shortcomings and gaps in the implementation of the current Strategy. The GSC partners will use it to inform the development of a new strategy for the period 2018-2022. GSC co-lead agencies and partner agencies will use it for internal advocacy with senior management for increased recognition and support to the shelter sector. Donors will use it to hold GSC partner and co-lead agencies to account. Other global clusters will use it as a reference and to identify possible areas of joint action. OCHA will use it for information and advocacy purposes as relevant. The report will be public and available at sheltercluster.org.
Commissioners: This evaluation is being commissioned by the GSC SAG.
Reports to: The evaluation will be overseen by an evaluation management team comprised of the GSC SAG co-chairs and one SAG member representative.
Duration: Thirty (30) working days.
Timeframe: to start as soon as possible until December 31, 2016.
Location: Home based with a possible visit to Geneva during the SAG retreat on 12-13 December 2016.
Background
Following the 2005 Humanitarian Response Review commissioned by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, the IASC initiated a humanitarian reform process to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian response by ensuring greater predictability, accountability and partnership. The cluster approach is one of the key developments resulting from the humanitarian reform. It strengthens system-wide preparedness and technical capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies by ensuring that there is predictable leadership and accountability in all the main areas of humanitarian response. It was designed as a way of addressing gaps and strengthening effectiveness of humanitarian action. By clarifying the division of labour, and better defining organisations’ roles and responsibilities, the cluster approach helps ensure predictability and accountability.
In December 2005, the IASC Principals agreed to designate global cluster leads in nine areas of activity, which later on has extended to eleven. The Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) is one of these areas and comprises a very diverse and broad network of humanitarian operational agencies, research and academic institutions , donors, service providers and other stakeholders encompassing a wide range of disciplines and expertise, with the shared objective of strengthening the shelter response to humanitarian crises.
In order to effectively meet its global responsibilities, the GSC agreed to organize and coordinate its activities through a management approach that allows participation and at the same time streamlines decision making. The GSC management structure includes a Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), established for the first time at the 2012 GSC Meeting, which works to advance the cluster strategic direction, overall work plan, and advocacy. The SAG is composed of self-selecting agencies and institutions of the Global Shelter Cluster based on agreed criteria, and reports to the Global Shelter Cluster.
The newly established SAG developed and endorsed the first GSC Strategy for the period 2013-2017 (Annex 1), based on the consultation and priorities identified by GSC partners at the 2012 GSC Meeting. The GSC Strategy 2013-2017 aims to more effectively meet the sheltering needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises, by strengthening the shelter response of humanitarian actors through leadership, coordination and accountability in the humanitarian shelter sector. The GSC Strategy includes three overarching strategic aims:
Strategic Aim 1: Responsive and flexible support to country-level shelter coordination mechanisms.
Strategic Aim 2: An effective and well-functioning Global Shelter Cluster.
Strategic Aim 3: Increased recognition of the shelter and settlements sector as an essential component of the humanitarian response, through enhanced advocacy and communication.
Evaluation objectivesand scope
The objectives of the evaluation are to:
Assess progress and achievements in the implementation of the GSC Strategy 2013-2017, including unintended results.
Identify possible gap areas, including both expected results that have not been sufficiently achieved and issues that may have been missed in light of the changing context and humanitarian trends.
Provide recommendations for adjustment and corrective action for the last year of implementation of the GSC Strategy 2013-2017.
Provide recommendations for the GSC Strategy 2018-2022.
The primary unit of analysis is the GSC, as the network of partners with the shared objective of strengthening the shelter response to humanitarian crises. The scope focuses primarily on global level performance and results. The evaluation should center on the GSC activities in advancing the GSC Strategy. It includes country-level clusters only in assessing the role and function of the GSC in support of country-level shelter cluster deliverables. The period of analysis is 2013-2016.
Evaluation criteria and key questions
In meeting the objectives set out above, the evaluation will consider the following criteria and key questions:
Effectiveness and impact:
To what extent have the strategic aims and results been achieved?
What are the contributing and/or mitigating factors for achievement?
What positive and negative changes, intended or unintended, have taken place as a result of the implementation of the GSC Strategy?
Efficiency:
Did the actual, intended or unintended, results justify the costs incurred?
Have the resources been spent as economically as possible?
Did the activities overlap and duplicate other similar initiatives?
Relevance:
Did the GSC Strategy goal, strategic aims and expected results reflect the needs and ambitions of GSC partners? To what extent did the GSC partners engage and participate in GSC activities?
Should the priorities be changed or adjusted in light of new needs, policies and humanitarian trends (i.e. Transformative Agenda, Agenda for Humanity, WHS Commitments to Action, Habitat III).
Was the GSC Strategy 2013-2017 too narrow or too broad? Is there anything it overlooked?
Evaluation outputs
An inception note (2-3 pages long) detailing the proposed methodology, data collection and reporting plans with draft data collection tools such as interview guides, a timeframe with dates for deliverables, and travel and logistical arrangements if applicable.
Draft report– A draft report, identifying key findings, conclusions, and recommendations will be submitted for review and feedback.
Final report– Concise, written report in English (20-25 pages long maximum) with key findings and recommendations and supporting information. The final report will contain a short executive summary and a main body of the report. Recommendations should be specific and feasible. This document should be of use for discussing the GSC experience in the implementation of its Strategy internally and also with key donors and other stakeholders, and address the objectives and areas of inquiry outlined above.
Annexes - Additional notes, summary of evaluation activities undertaken including interview guide, list of stakeholders interviewed, questionnaire or survey if applicable, visits conducted with dates, list of documents reviewed, timeline that captures the milestones regarding the implementation of the GSC Strategy, and any other supporting documentation as appropriate, as annexes to the report.
Methodology
The specific evaluation methodology will be further detailed in the inception note in close consultation between the evaluator and the GSC evaluation management team, but will draw upon the following methods:
Desktop review: Review of available documentation, relevant background documents and records, reports, and any relevant sources of secondary data.
Key informant interviews: with key stakeholders, including GSC SAG members, GSC partners and donors, OCHA, and others as relevant.
Focus Group Discussion: with SAG members during SAG Retreat – to be confirmed after SAG’s approval of the SAG Retreat agenda.
Other methods, such as a possible online survey or focus group discussions, will be detailed in an inception note to be developed by the consultant, as time and capacity allows.
An initial draft report will be prepared for a review process, which should occur within 1 week of submittal of the draft report to the evaluation management team, and will involve the following stakeholders in the following order:
Days 1-2 of review process: the evaluation management team to check content is in line with TOR and standards.
Days 3-7 of review process: GSC SAG agencies and other stakeholders participating in the evaluation.
The review process will be followed to ensure stakeholder input while maintaining the integrity and independence of the report according to the following criteria:
· Inaccuracy. Inaccuracies are factual, supported with undisputable evidence, and therefore should be corrected in the evaluation report itself.
· Clarifications. A clarification is additional, explanatory information to what the evaluator provided in the report. It is the evaluators’ decision whether to revise their report according to a clarification.
· Difference of opinion. A difference of opinion does not pertain to the findings (which are factual), but to the conclusions and/or recommendations. These may be expressed to the evaluator during the review process. It is the evaluator’s decision whether to revise their report according to a difference of opinion.
The external evaluator will provide an independent, objective perspective as well as technical expertise to the evaluation, and will be the primary author of the evaluation report. S/he should not have been involved or have a vested interest in the GSC activities being evaluated, and will be hired in accordance with the IFRC procedure for the contracting of consultants, through a transparent recruitment process, based on their professional experience, competence, ethics and integrity for this evaluation. It is expected that the evaluator will be able to conduct a reliable and informed assessment of the implementation of the GSC Strategy that has legitimacy and credibility with stakeholders.
Timeframe
This assignment is for a maximum of 30 working days, during the period up to December 31, 2016.
Management of consultancy
An evaluation management team comprised of the GSC SAG co-chairs and one SAG member representative will oversee the evaluation. The evaluation management team will provide the required briefing to the consultant, provide backstop support in dealing with any questions the consultant may have regarding the scope and content of the evaluation, facilitate information and background documentation required to gather data and analysis, and monitor progress of the evaluation to ensure timely completion. Communications with the consultant will be held as required.
How to apply:
The Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) seeks to evaluate its Strategy 2013-2017, to assess progress in its implementation, identify achievements and possible gap areas, and make recommendations for the last year of implementation and the development of the next GSC Strategy. Interested and qualified candidates, please send your CV, a letter of interest, and expected daily fee rate topablo.medina@ifrc.orgas soon as possible and no later than November 30, 2016.