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:
Objective 1
Reduce consumption and improper disposal of plastic waste that contributes to natural disaster and climate change risks;
〉 Number of kilos of plastic waste recycled
〉 Number of organizations, institutions or businesses engaged in the 3Rs activities
Objective 2
Increase Government of Timor Leste and other key stakeholder capacity to respond to flooding and tsunamis;
〉 % targeted HH's reporting increased awareness of disaster risks and/or what to do if receive alerted (Flood & Tsunami)
〉 # of people benefiting from COVID-19 awareness and prevention campaigns
〉 # of people benefiting from Municipality Task Force actions\\
Objective 3
Strengthen Government of Timor Leste capacity to apply for international DRR or climate change funding.
〉 Number of strategies for policies to support recycling or use of recycled products created and disseminated
〉 Number of government supported advocacy events, reports supporting utilization of recycled/upcycled plastics in construction materials
〉 # of government officials trained in proposal development
〉 # of climate change or DRR funding proposals submitted by GoTL
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