United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Consultancy for Design of Results Framework for CDAC Network
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 03 Feb 2014
BACKGROUND
Communication is Aid
Communicating with, and providing information to, people affected by crisis are two of the most important elements of humanitarian response. They are also two of the most overlooked. This is the case even though information can save lives and help mitigate risk.
People also have the right to participate in dialogue with aid providers; the right to ask questions and get answers. In the midst of a disaster, it is often the affected communities who have the deepest and most immediate knowledge about their greatest needs, and listening to their voices can help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian response.
Communicating with communities (CwC) is a growing field of humanitarian response that helps to meet the information and communication needs of people affected by crisis. CwC is based on the principle that information and communication are critical forms of aid, without which disaster survivors cannot effectively engage in their own recovery and response. Without information and communication, people affected by crisis cannot access services or make the best decisions for themselves and their communities; neither can they hold aid agencies to account. Conversely, when people are given the opportunity to voice their opinions and provide feedback, this enhances their sense of well-being and can help them adapt to the challenges they face. It can also better enable them to take an active role in their own recovery.
Agencies working in the area of CwC help disaster survivors to access the information they need and communicate with those assisting them, as well as among themselves. In this regard CwC is seen as a critical means through which to improve humanitarian response. An important component of CwC is the desire to shift power from the providers of aid to the recipients, and to facilitate recipients’ own action.Communication, whether through new information and communications technologies or more traditional means, is therefore essential for the engagement of disaster-affected people in humanitarian actionCwC is a cross-cutting function that facilitates greater accountability and effectiveness of aid delivery; enhances resilience-building; and promotes understanding between humanitarian organisations and the communities they serve. Yet despite its potential to save lives and improve aid delivery, communication with and information to affected communities have not been given sufficient attention by humanitarian organisations and CwC is not systematically institutionalised within the humanitarian sector. Its importance to quality programming is not widely recognised and rarely implemented effectively.
The Role of the CDAC Network
The CDAC Network was established in response to this communication and information ‘gap’ and promotes the provision of life-saving and risk-mitigating information and communication with crisis affected communities as key humanitarian deliverables. The goal of the Network is that communities affected by or prone to crises are supported to better withstand, and recover from, humanitarian emergencies through active engagement in decisions about the relief and recovery efforts in their country.
To achieve this, CDAC Network Members are committed to mainstreaming CwC approaches in emergency response. They do this by supporting humanitarian response through coordinated communication that makes use of appropriate media and communication tools and platforms. Members also focus on how partnerships, particularly with new humanitarian actors such as media development organisations, telecoms companies and the private sector, can deliver effective and locally appropriate outcomes.
The CDAC Network is unique in terms of who it convenes: humanitarian and media development organisations and, increasingly, technology and telecoms providers. By collaborating across traditional boundaries, CDAC Network Members increase mutual understanding of the challenges they face and identify opportunities for partnership in order to bring about innovative and effective field practice and, ultimately, a more sustainable and improved response. Members seek to build capacity together, share learning and research, and advocate to ensure that CwC becomes a predictable, consistent and resourced element of crisis resilience, response and recovery.
The CDAC Network delivers through four pillars identified in its Strategy: action research and learning; capacity strengthening; convening; and advocacy.
Current Members
Current Full Members of the CDAC Network are: ActionAid; BBC Media Action; the ICRC; IOM; International Media Support (IMS); Internews Europe; Merlin; UNFPA; UNHCR; UNOCHA; Plan UK; Save the Children; Thomson Reuters Foundation; Translators without Borders; UNICEF; WFP; and World Vision International. Affiliate Members include FdL Development; First Response Radio; Freeplay Energy; and Frontline SMS. Internews Europe currently hosts the CDAC Network Secretariat.
A RESULTS FRAMEWORK FOR THE CDAC NETWORK
Having recently secured a grant from DfID, the CDAC Network is increasing its programme of work and would like to put in place a Results Framework (referred to below as the Framework). The overall purpose of the Framework is to:
Support the operational work of its Members in relation to CwC programming
Provide a system to embed data collection and learning components into the work of the Secretariat, Board and Members
Support accountability for the effective use of CDAC Network funds, towards donors, Members and others the Network seeks to benefit
Assess the performance of the overall functioning of the Network (Secretariat, Board, Members) across its fours strategic pillars and its programmes
The four key elements of the Results Framework
Communication coordination mechanisms: The CDAC Network is committed to generating a body of evidence that demonstrates how to run an effective communication coordination mechanism. The emphasis in this quadrant is the further refinement of the methodology (already used twice) to generate learning reviews of different comms coordination mechanisms, led by different agencies in different contexts. This work will be influenced by a consideration of literature on humanitarian coordination, collaboration, and partnership. There will be a link to the quadrant associated with Network functioning.
Member field level M&E and learning: This element is focused on supporting CDAC Network Members to monitor and evaluate their CwC interventions at field level. Due to the difference in the mandates of Members, a generic field level M&E and learning framework is unlikely to be useful, although guidance on indicators and collection methods may be useful. This should build on the infoasaid / IFRC generic M&E framework. This element will need to consider how affected people can best be involved in field-level M&E and learning initiatives, building on methodologies that already exist for this.
Network-specific programmes: The CDAC Network needs to measure how it is meeting the objectives defined by specific grants, such as the DfID discretionary grant (which funds this consultancy). The Network requires a ‘template’ framework which it can apply across new grants as they come on stream.
CDAC Network functioning: This needs to focus on how the different elements of the Network are functioning, primarily the Secretariat and the Board. It will also need to consider Member engagement. This may include using a self-assessment tool or similar. It needs to give a picture of the viability of the Network, over time. It will need to include how the Network is delivering against its four strategic pillars of capacity strengthening, action research and learning, advocacy, and convening.
MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
The main purpose of the consultancy is to lead the design of the Results Framework across the Network’s four strategic pillars and the four suggested components noted above, and ensure there is coherence across these. A challenge for the consultant undertaking this work is to determine a creative way of ensuring that the Framework is grounded in the experiences of affected people.
The final Framework should:
Outline the Framework’s overall purpose, specific objectives, indicators and associated activities for data collection;
Take into consideration the CDAC Network’s 2012 – 2016 strategy and existing commitments (e.g. the Network’s discretionary grant from DfID);
Recommend a frequency for any data collection activities within the Framework, including the possibility of using a self-assessment survey across the Membership;
Include baseline information for indicators where possible;
Identify strategic evaluation and research themes for Network learning;
Suggest relevant quality standards (e.g. OECD-DAC for evaluations) that should be adopted for the Network’s monitoring, evaluation and learning work;
Estimate the resources (monetary, personnel, time, other) required to implement the activities outlined in the framework from the Secretariat perspective;
Be designed in a way that monitoring and evaluation activities contribute to effective learning for Network Members;
Suggest innovative ways in which the Network can demonstrate that its work impacts crisis-affected communities.
The consultant is also invited to contribute to what the final Framework should include.
TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED AND DELIVERABLES
The consultant shall accomplish the following tasks as a basis for the final report:
• Lead the development of the Framework for the CDAC Network through a process which takes into account work done to date and input from the CDAC Network Secretariat, Members and Board;
• Present a draft Framework to stakeholders for comment;
• Deliver a final Framework document, which should comprise:
Background information to the proposed Framework, including a summary based on the desk/literature reviews outlining the rationale and evidence on which the Framework is based;
Relevant guidance notes or suggested plan of action for implementation of the Framework;
The Framework itself;
Baseline measurements where possible.
As far as possible, the Framework should be complementary to Members’ own results / M & E and learning frameworks.
METHODOLOGY
The approach to be adopted throughout the consultancy will be participatory and consultative and will draw upon views and perspectives of a number of different stakeholders from the CDAC Network, including focal points of the Members, CDAC Secretariat staff, the CDAC Network Board and advisors involved in the Research and Learning CoP. It will also draw on external expertise where appropriate. Applicants are requested to submit a detailed methodology and work-plan for achieving the stated objectives of the consultancy. With this regard, results and deliverables listed in the previous paragraph should be considered only as guiding terms of reference. Any proposal to enhance the quality of the work will be considered in the selection phase. However, in widening the activities and elements it should be always kept in mind that the approach and final Framework should not be unnecessarily complicated or unwieldy, but outline processes that could be easily integrated within the programme of works and produce a smart, quality product.
The anticipated timeframe for the consultancy is approximately two months, though this does not have to constitute two months of continuous work. The Network requires final delivery by end-April 2015. Note: The consultant will be responsible for overall delivery of the Framework and specifically for components 3) and 4). S/he will work with the Secretariat’s Research and Learning Officer – with whom the consultant will be required to play a mentoring role – who will lead on delivery of components 1) and 2).
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Internews Europe will contract the consultant on behalf of the Network.The consultant will report to the CDAC Network Secretariat’s Senior Programme Manager, who will oversee the content and quality of the consultancy. The consultant will also work closely with the Secretariat’s Director and Research and Learning Officer, who will contribute to outlining this piece of work.
The CDAC Network Secretariat will be responsible for providing the consultant with the necessary support in terms of background information, project documentation and other relevant information. The Secretariat’s Programme Assistant will facilitate flow of information and relations with stakeholders and will assist the consultant in setting up relevant meetings.
QUALIFICATIONS
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential task.
Necessary
• Minimum 10-years relevant experience and minimum 5 years demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and learning in a relevant field;
• Extensive experience with the logical framework approach and other strategic planning processes, and with M&E and learning methodologies and approaches (including quantitative, qualitative and participatory approaches, outcome mapping and behaviour changes of multiple stakeholders);
• Extensive experience planning, designing and implementing M&E and learning systems, including experience of M&E for networks, consortia or similar with a convening component;
• Experience in designing M&E and learning systems for capacity strengthening and/or advocacy;
• Aptitude for smart design in response to complex demands;
• Experience of facilitating processes to develop an M&E and learning framework with multiple stakeholders;
• Knowledge of INGO, UN, media development organisations and/or technology companies;
• Strong writing skills to produce a high-quality written Framework document;
• Ability to feed in key lessons and good practice derived from experience on similar work;
• Must be fluent in English.
Desirable
• Knowledge of the communication is aid sector.
CONDITIONS
• Starting date: ideally within 2 weeks of application deadline. The Network requires final delivery by end-April 2014.
• Duration: approximately two months, though this does not have to constitute two months of continuous work.
• Type of contract: Consultancy.
How to apply:
• Interested candidates meeting the qualifications should forward a cover letter including an outline of how they meet the required qualifications, the methodology and indicative timeline that is proposed,a CV and day-rate (in GBP) to jobs@internews.eu.
• Please mention “CDAC – MEL CONSULTANCY” and your name in the subject line.
• Deadline for applications: Monday 3 February 2014
