Tenders Are Invited For Consultancy - Evaluation Of The Impact Of Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade Facilitation Initiatives For Social Cohesion In The Region

Tenders are invited for Consultancy - Evaluation of the Impact of Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade Facilitation Initiatives for Social Cohesion in the Region Closing Date: 21 Mar 2025 Type: Consultancy International Alert (Alert) is an international organization under British law that works in peacebuilding through local civil society organizations through research, advocacy, capacity building, inclusive dialogue, and political and citizen participation. Alert works with populations directly affected by violent conflict to improve their prospects for peace. We also seek to influence the policies and working methods of governments, international organizations such as the UN, and multinational companies to reduce the risk of conflict and strengthen the prospects for peace. Alert works primarily with national civil society organizations and other stakeholders, such as democratically elected institutions, to build their capacity in a reciprocal relationship of healthy and open collaboration. Alert considers that its role is to support the population and the structures of society in access to information, in capacity building, and in strengthening mechanisms that can allow the participation of all in development and peacebuilding. In order to improve their efficiency, Alert provides its partners with the necessary technical and financial resources. Thus, since 2010, International Alert has been working in initiatives to facilitate small-scale cross-border trade in favor of social cohesion in the Great Lakes region of Africa. International Alert has implemented several projects aimed at facilitating small-scale cross-border trade and promoting social cohesion. These projects have mainly targeted women small-scale cross-border traders (FPCTs), their husbands and families, FPCT associations and cooperatives, microfinance institutions, border authorities and decision-makers at the provincial, national and regional levels. Indirectly, the projects also targeted populations living in border towns, local leaders as well as platforms of municipal (PALPGL) and religious (ACEAC) authorities in the 3 countries. After more than 10 years of implementing cross-border projects in the region, International Alert wants to assess the impact of these projects, as well as the relevance of its approaches, by identifying recommendations that the second phase of the Mupaka Shamba Letu project (ongoing until December 2027) could take into account. Evaluation Objectives General objective The overall objective is to assess the long-term effects of International Alerts projects to facilitate small-scale cross-border trade on beneficiaries. This includes examining whether projects have achieved their intended outcomes and whether any unintended consequences have occurred, as well as the extent to which our approaches and initiatives have contributed to these outcomes. Specific objectives The specific objectives of this evaluation are: Brandish the contribution and attribution of our projects to the broadest and most significant changes/effects Gather evidence to understand how our approaches, methodologies and activities have contributed to these effects. Analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of project design and implementation Identify potential areas for improvement that could be addressed by our ongoing project to facilitate small-scale cross-border trade; and other projects to come. Document the long-term effects, positive and/or negative, induced by our projects, whether direct or indirect, expected or not. Evaluation Questions What were the main objectives and expected results of the projects? Were they clear and measurable? What were the main approaches and activities of the projects? Have they been implemented as planned? What were the challenges? Who were the main beneficiaries of the project? Have they been achieved as planned? What were the main indicators of the projects? How has they evolved since the first project? What has been the evolution of the data collected for these indicators? What are the concrete effects (changes in perceptions, attitudes and behaviours, and changes in practices and policies), positive and negative, direct or indirect, expected or not, that have occurred? Who or what has changed? When and where did these changes occur? Has the impact been maintained over time? To what extent have our approaches, methodologies and activities contributed to these changes? What were the strengths and weaknesses of the project design and implementation? What about opportunities and threats? Which approaches, methodologies and activities have been most effective? What lessons can be learned from the projects? Are there areas for improvement? How can they be applied to the current project? Scope, timing and duration of the assessment This study will be carried out in the borders, cities and provinces targeted by the projects and at the national level in DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. The study will focus on feedback on the experiences of women small-scale traders and their husbands, members of cross-border communities, local, municipal and national authorities, cross-border service officials, local leaders, microfinance institutions, civil society organizations and international organizations that have also implemented initiatives to promote cross-border trade in the Great Lakes region in the same period. [1] The study will also focus on members of the border community who have not been direct beneficiaries or stakeholders in the initiatives but who may have indirectly benefited from or observed the changes brought about; and to donors who have supported these projects since 2010. The evaluation will be carried out between April and August 2025. The exact evaluation period (number of days) and the precise timeline will be discussed and agreed upon with the evaluation team, but we are considering a work schedule based on the following phases: Document review, development of detailed methodology and data collection tools, finalization of the work plan and production of the inception report Data collection Restitution/validation of results workshop Data analysis and drafting report Integrate comments and finalize the report after feedback Diffusion des résultats de lévaluation Méthodologie La méthodologie détaillée sera proposée par léquipe dévaluation et sera révisée et approuvée par International Alert. Lévaluation adopterait une approche beaucoup plus qualitative que quantitative. La dimension de la causalité et de lattribution des changements est primordiale, elle fait appel à la notion de contrefactuel qui fait recours au groupe de comparaison (groupe de contrôle ou groupe témoin). Une des grandes limites pour cette évaluation est la difficulté didentifier le groupe de comparaison approprié étant donné que les projets étaient complexes et ont eu un effet élevé de contamination des éventuels groupes de comparaison. La méthodologie utilisée devra également comparer les résultats atteints sur des frontières qui ont eu toujours dintervention de nos projets depuis 2011 à aujourdhui avec celles qui ont eu peu dintervention (bcp moins dactivités). Ainsi, International Alert laissera la latitude à léquipe dévaluation de proposer les démarches méthodologiques mixtes et innovantes, qui concilient la rigueur et la flexibilité et qui peuvent sadapter à lévolution des contextes et permettre une compréhension plus nuancée de limpact. Cette évaluation inclura les principales étapes suivantes : Revue documentaire, développement de la méthodologie détaillée et des outils de collecte de données, finalisation du plan de travail et production du rapport de démarrage. La documentation principale des projets sera fournie à léquipe dévaluation pour une revue documentaire et inclura pour chaque projet concerné : la proposition du projet, le cadre logique, le budget, le rapport final soumis au bailleur, létude de base et les rapports dévaluation, et tout autre rapport pertinent. Après la revue documentaire, léquipe dévaluation préparera la méthodologie détaillée, le plan de travail et les outils de collecte des données. Tout ça sera inclus dans le rapport de démarrage, qui devra être examiné et validé par léquipe dInternational Alert. Collecte des données. Les travaux sur le terrain seront effectués dans un échantillon des zones dintervention convenues. International Alert fournira à léquipe dévaluation les listes et contactes des différentes partenaires des projets, des bénéficiaires, et des parties prenantes afin que léquipe dévaluation puisse faire une sélection. Atelier de restitution des résultats. À lissue des travaux de collecte des données sur terrain et avant la soumission du projet de rapport, léquipe dévaluation dirigera un atelier de restitution avec les principales parties prenantes afin quelles présentent leurs observations initiales. Analyse des données quantitatifs et qualitatifs et rédaction du draft rapport dévaluation, répondant pleinement à ces termes de référence Intégration des commentaires et finalisation du rapport après retour dinformation Diffusion des résultats de lévaluation. Cette phase sera menée par International Alert, mais léquipe dévaluation pourra proposer des idées et recommandations sur la diffusion, et fournira une présentation power point avec un résumé du rapport. Livrables Dans le cadre de cette évaluation, les principaux livrables attendus et les dates limites provisoires (à confirmer par léquipe dévaluation) pour les fournir sont les suivants : Rapport de démarrage, en incluant les résultats de la revue documentaire, la méthodologie détaillée, le plan de travail et les outils de collecte des données : 21 mars 2025 Facilitation de latelier de restitution, pour présenter un aperçu de données collectés aux principales parties prenantes : 2 mai 2 Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4137265/consultance-evaluation-de-limpact-des-initiatives-de-facilitation-du-petit-commerce-transfrontalier-en-faveur-de-la-cohesion-sociale-dans-la-region