Request for Expression of Interest to Conduct End-Of-Term Evaluation of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Humanitarian Response Following Cyclone Freddy in Blantyre and Mulanje Districts of Malawi Project

Consultancies

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REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO CONDUCT END-OF-TERM EVALUATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE FOLLOWING CYCLONE FREDDY IN BLANTYRE AND MULANJE DISTRICTS OF MALAWI PROJECT

1. Background of the Organization
Saint John of God Hospitaller Services Malawi [SJOG] is a non-profit, faith-based organization established in Mzuzu in 1994 and incorporated in 2011 it is affiliated to the Hospitaller Oder of Saint John of God – an international catholic health care NGO with operations in 53 countries and with 5 centuries of experience in mental health and child disability. SJOG Malawi’s mission is to contribute to the development of Health for all by providing community-based mental health promotion and care and services for children with disabilities. It is the leading and only provider of community-based mental health promotion and care in the Northern and Central Regions of Malawi. It works in partnership with the Government of Malawi, the community, and individual families, to provide quality mental health and disability services that are accessible, sustainable, and comprehensive. Starting with an outpatient mental health outreach service, the organization’s programs now include residential service for persons with psychosocial disabilities in both Mzuzu and Lilongwe cities; primary health care outreach program for persons with psychosocial disabilities including a child and adolescent psychiatry program and maternal mental health services. Related programs include rehabilitation and vocational training for persons recuperating from mental illness, vulnerable youths, those with other disabilities and special needs; community-based rehabilitation for children with disability and epilepsy; early child development services for children with both physical and intellectual disabilities and those operating in and on the streets of Mzuzu City. In addition, SJOG also delivers interventions for older persons; psychosocial counseling, an addiction recovery program, and a self-help group approach for women empowerment. SJOG has a College of Health Sciences offering tertiary-level training for psychiatric nurses, psychiatric clinicians, psycho-social counselors, and general nurses. It has different cadres of staff totaling 306 and 2,499 volunteers working in its various programs/ projects and support departments in both Mzuzu and Lilongwe.

2. The overall purpose of the Assignment
The evaluation is sanctioned by our partner Kinderothilfe Luxembourg [KNHL] to evaluate, assess, and consolidate the overall performance of the mental health and psychosocial humanitarian response following cyclone Freddy in the Blantyre and Mulanje districts of Malawi.

The assignment is an end-of-project evaluation, which is to be conducted to examine the project’s impact and assess the level of achievement of the project goal, outputs, outcomes, and targets, and establish the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, impact and sustainability (OECD Criteria). The evaluation exercise will assess whether the overall objectives, approaches, strategies, and interventions were relevant considering the social and cultural factors in Mulanje and Blantyre where the project was being implemented. The evaluation will use the proposed project goals, objectives, deliverables, and indicators as guides for assessment. In addition, the evaluation also looks at project designs, steps of implementation, lessons learned, replicability, and recommendations for future projects. The evaluation is also expected to identify other cross-cutting issues such as HIV and AIDS and gender may be addressed in future projects.

3. Specific Tasks for the Consultant

  1. Assess the relevance, effectiveness, coherence, impact, sustainability, and efficiency (OECD criteria) of the interventions based on the implementing structure, systems, timeframe, and budget allocation
  2. To assess performance and results based on the design, defined achievement of the objectives (at outcomes and output levels), and to identify the supporting factors and constraints that have led to this achievement and /or lack of achievement.
  3. To identify evidence of potential or emerging impact and results and sustainability of the interventions on the target group, final beneficiaries, other stakeholders, and the organization itself.
  4. To analyze best practices and strengths for potential scaling-up and replication of similar programmatic interventions
  5. To document lessons learned, draw out policy implications and insight of the projects as well as the target groups, final beneficiaries, and the partner
  6. To come up with conclusions and recommendations that can be made for future design, programming, and organizational development support, management capacity development support, and communication for project support in the future
  7. Establish values for the four key outcome indicators.

4. Deliverables 

  1. The Inception report should provide a detailed methodology outlining how the consultant will carry out the evaluation assignment. It will include content including, but not limited to the conceptual framework, showing the Consultant’s understanding of the assignment, methodology, tools, and schedule of activities (execution plan), and a general overview of the key documents to be used for the desk review. The consultant will also be expected to develop and share an inception report before commencing fieldwork.
  2. Mid-line meeting with SJOG staff on progress being made on the assignment.
  3. Debrief/validation meeting with SJOG staff and other relevant stakeholders, including KNHL.
  4. Draft evaluation report: the draft report must be submitted to SJOG’s designated contact person within 7 working days after completion of fieldwork and data analysis. The final report of the consultancy, after integration of the various comments made, must be submitted within 5 working days after reception of the comments from SJOG and KNH.
  5. Power point presentation: This presentation should be used to present findings to SJOG and KNHL. The presentation can also be shared with relevant stakeholders.
  6. Final evaluation report, following feedback from SJOG and KNHL.
  7. All materials produced by the evaluation, including notes taken in the field (raw data), are to be submitted to SJOG.

5. Time Frame
SJOG prefers that the assignment be started with the signing of the contract around 10th September 2024 with the initial draft report to be submitted by 30 September and to be completed by 11th October 2024. The actual duration of the assignment though is 15 days

6. Qualifications and Expertise
Prospective Consultants must possess the following:

  1. A minimum of a Master’s Degree in Mental Health, Psychology, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a relevant field.
  2. Experience in conducting end-line evaluations and be familiar with Disaster Risk Management, Community Development, and Social Work.
  3. A reputable practitioner(s) who possess a mix of appropriate qualifications and expertise.
  4. Significant expertise in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), humanitarian, and emergency context-related evaluations.
  5. Five-plus years of experience in similar work.
  6. An understanding of and experience in result-based management and undertaking evaluation guided by results framework and log frames
  7. Knowledge and expertise in MHPSS & child development, rights, protection, and working with vulnerable persons and community development.
  8. Strong knowledge of participatory methodologies and creative facilitation evidenced by previous projects.
  9. Previous experience in the evaluation of donor-funded projects
  10. Ability to produce high-quality reports and meet deadlines
  11. Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills

7. Terms of Reference (TORs)

Interested and eligible Consultants should send their requests for TORs for the assignment to sjog@sjog.mw.

Submission of Expression of Interest

  1. Short cover letter explaining the Consultant’s motivation and experience in conducting similar assignments. The letter should also show the roles and responsibilities of the team of consultants.
  2. Curriculum Vitae of the team members, including contact details of three traceable referees who can attest to the Consultant’s work regarding similar assignments conducted, etc.

Send the proposal document through email to procurement@sjog.mw indicating the assignment title on the subject line with copies to chimwemwe.limani@kindernothilfe.com and david.immer@kindernothilfe.lu

The closing date for submitting the proposals is 6th September 2024.

Note: Late submissions and canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.

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