Consultancy to conduct Mid-Term Review

Terms of Reference

Local consultancy/firm to conduct Mid-Term Review of the Improved access to health services for women, infants and young children (WASHIC Project) in Saravane and Oudomxay provinces.

 
1.      Introduction
Plan Laos seeks a local consultant/s/firm to conduct, design and analyze data collection, report writing for the mid-term evaluation of the Plan International in Laos Improved access to health services for women, infants and young children (WASHIC Project), in Saravane province (Samouai district) and in Oudomxay province (Houn district).

2.      Background
The project has been implemented in 2023 by the two local civil society organizations, with the partnership agreement (PA) signed with the Promotion of Family Health Association (PFHA) and Community Health and Inclusion Association (CHIAs), with the technical advice from Plan International in Laos. The project is funded by Plan International Germany and the Federal German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The overall objective of the project is:

To improve the status of reproductive health and reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and morbidity, including malnutrition, in Lao PDR in line with the RMNCH Strategy 2016-2025.

The project has three interrelated objectives as below:

Project Objective 1: Strengthen health services for quality service delivery in Maternal and Newborn Child Health (MNCH), nutrition and WASH.

• Sub-goal 1.1 Health center staff are trained and supervised to provide quality integrated maternal and child health services.
• Sub-goal 1.2 Health facilities are equipped with the necessary equipment and WASH infrastructure
• Sub-goal 1.3 Support target communities to sustain ODF with integrated MNCH, nutrition, gender and inclusion.
• Sub-goal 1.4 Change harmful gender norms affecting MNCH and WASH in target communities and health facilities.

The Plan International in Laos, Promotion of Family Health Association (PFHA), Community Health and Inclusion Association (CHIAs) has been working in collaboration with the provincial and district government agencies to strengthen and support their capacity to monitor, plan and respond to community needs and demands for improved health and sanitation services, and to deliver RMNCH.
3.      Objective of the Mid -Term Review
The objective of the mid-term review is to assess the progresses and the results of mid-term indicators in both (quantitative and qualitative), that was identified in the project framework in order to measure against the program outputs and outcomes.  The qualitative session will also seek to gather information about the current knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) for MNCH, nutrition, WASH, gender and inclusive, people with disability (PWD) and climate change resilience. The quantitative session will collect data in kobo toolbox and measurement weight and high of CU5 in order to compare progress against baseline data in 2023 and to bench mark for endline survey in 2026.
4.      Scope of the Consultancy
The consultant/s/firm will focus on the outlined tasks as below:

• Consultative meeting – understanding of ToR and reporting requirements. (documents provided by Plan Laos).
• Review methodology design of MTR survey.
• Revise data collection tools and develop/revise as needed –focus on WASH (and GESI) and climate change resilience in communities WASH.
• Programming of the revised data collection tools in Kobo Toolbox.
• Supervise testing of the tools and tool revisions as needed.
• Provide ToT training to Plan core team at Vientiane capital for survey methodology and data collection tools.
• Facilitate training to Saravan and Oudomxay enumerator team (government staffs) together with Plan staffs.
• Supervise data collection team in two target districts (both in field and distance).
• Data management as data cleaning, analyzing and Data quality assurance during data collection (daily data quality check via distance support to filed data collection teams).
• Consolidating, cleaning and delivering MTR data in tables.
• Data analysis and documenting key findings and analysis points.
• Debrief MTR key results.
• MTR report (comparing baseline and MTR data in narrative, PowerPoint, and all data set)

5.      Design methodology
The consultant will support two CSOs (PFHA and CHIAs) and Plan International, Public Health and Nutrition Program (PHNP) and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) team for the mid-term review by setting up questionnaire in KOBO Tool, distance monitoring data collection for 15 target communities /villages (10 communities in Samouai district, Saravane Province and 5 communities in Houn district, Oudomxay Province), including 7 health centers and 1 district hospital in Samouai district, Saravan province.

The selected communities will be representative of rural or remote regions and different ethnic groups.  The sample size will be focusing on the most marginalized households and households with people with disabilities (PWD), female-headed households, poorest income households, and households with children age under 5 (CU5).

The enumerators are government partners, PFHA, CHIAs and Plan staffs (The cost will be excluded from this ToR budget).

Gender, disability, Child Protection and Ethics

The data collection process will involve gender and disability inclusion, child protection, gender norms identification in MCH and ethical standards in their data collection plans.  This includes informed consent, length of surveys, questions and survey methods taking a ‘do no harm’ approach, capturing the voices of the most marginalized, not raising expectation during the survey, gender considerations in interviewer and interviewee, etc.

Regarding disability, adapted Washington Group Questions to be used
6.      Deliverables
The following table sets out the deliverables to be provided by the consultants:

1. Distance support data collection workplan and detail.
2. Full set of mid-term review data collection tools.
3. Data collection tools (English and Lao) in ODK/Kobo Toolbox format.
4. Soft copies of final versions of all data collection tools in English and Lao (the final survey forms deployed, in excel or word format).
5. Note of Debriefing with Plan Laos, PFHA, CHIAs (and Plan International Germany).
6. Code book explaining the variable numbers in English used in the dataset.
7. Recommendation to the project finding to project logframe.
8. Midterm review report (with all data set).

7.      Time frame (estimates)

Activity
Deliverables
Estimate Timeframe
Estimate

Consultative meeting – understanding of ToR and reporting requirements.
N/A
21 April 25
1 day

Develop methodology design (including incorporating feedback)

Methodology design
22-24 April 25
3 days

Meeting with PIL team (CHIAs and PFHA) for preparation data collection

Full set of mid-term review data collection methodology and tools

(Trail questionnaire by using KoboCollect/ KoboToolbox)

25 April 25
1 day

Data collection Trainings, field testing, including field data collection + distance supervision
Data collection tool, enumerator training material
28 April- 13 May 25
13 days

Data analysis and report writing draft
Full dataset, cleaned and syntax/tabulation sheet
19-22 May 25
4 days

Debrief mid-term key finding presentation to Plan team
Key finding PowerPoint presentation.
23 May 25
1 day

Finalize and submit study report and submission of data and analysis file.
MTR report with completed M&E project results framework and data set.
26-27 May 25
2 days

TOTAL
25     days

8.      Qualifications and competencies

• Demonstrated previous experience in data management and data analysis for health or WASH sector surveys including baseline, endline and technical impact evaluation.
• Demonstrated previous experience in programming for digital data collection.
• Demonstrated experience in data analysis for development programs.
• Preferable to be highly proficient in written and spoken Lao and English (translation needs should be provided for in the application and budget.)
• Experience in MNCH, Nutrition and WASH desirable.
• Experience in gender equality and socially inclusive surveys desirable.
• Strong ability to work collaboratively in a team (including good communication skills, openness, flexible, reliable and responsive).

Other requirements and expectations

This evaluation must consider and abide by Plan International’s Policies and Standards. This means, for example, ensuring that principles of gender equality, inclusion and non-discrimination are considered and acted upon throughout. Furthermore, the assessment is required to be conducted in-line with Plan International’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and internal guidelines on Child Protection and ethical standards in Monitoring, Evaluation and Research.  These will be provided to the Consultants and must be signed before commencement of the Consultancy.

The consultant is also expected to lead and work collaboratively in a team demonstrating good communication skills, openness, flexibility, reliability and responsiveness.

No international travel for this consultancy.  Any expenses incurred by the international consultant for this TOR and contract to be covered by the international consultant.

Refer to contract for this consultancy for invoicing acceptability and other contractual requirements.

9.      Application Procedure
To apply, please submit the following documents in soft or hard copy:

• Covering letter detailing suitability for the consultancy, with reference to previous relevant experience and the competencies listed in Section 8 above
• The names and contact information of two referees who can be contacted regarding relevant previous experience
• Expected daily fee/detail budget proposal
• CVs

If you are applying as a team (group of consultants), describe the role, number of days and daily rate of each person, and the average daily cost of the team for 25 days, the consultancy service cost should be including of all costs relevant to government (VAT, Tax…), including daily allowances, accommodations and travel cost for consultant team.

Please note that other cost for mid-term evaluation including daily allowances for enumerators and cost of enumerator workshops, will be responsible by the Plan staffs.

Please download mid-term evaluation ToR and baseline information via the following link:

Baseline_WASHIC Project 2023-PLAN

Questions about the ToR or technical term should be directed to: Bounyang.Latsamy@plan-international.org

Please submit applications via email to Laos.procurement@plan-international.org with cc: Maniphone.Phoutphong@plan-international.org no later than 4 April 2025 (Lao time).  Include the text “Local consultancy for WASHIC and Nutrition Mid-Term Evaluation in Saravan and Oudomxay province” in the subject line.

Proposals will be assessed on demonstrated experience of the applicants with respect to the selection criteria, and budget proposal.

We strongly encourage equally qualified female candidates to apply!

All applications received after the time of the deadline will not be accepted without exception and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to participate in an in-person or online interview process.