Quotation are invited for Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Consultancy. Closing Date: 30 Jun 2025 Type: Consultancy Over the past decade, it has become increasingly difficult to sustain healthy information ecosystems where people can access reliable, trustworthy news to make informed decisions. Media freedom and freedom of expression have sharply declined worldwide, with journalists facing rising threats, harassment, displacement, and economic precarityparticularly in conflict-affected contexts. Disinformation, shrinking civic space, and failing business models have further weakened public trust and the viability of independent media, while gendered and digital threats continue to disproportionately affect women and marginalized media actors. The AGILE project is a European Union (EU)-funded project launched in December 2024 and led by Internews and its consortium partners CFI, Thomson Media, ARTICLE 19 and Fojo Media Institute. AGILE aims at supporting independent journalism in countries where media freedom is under attack. Through five main workstreams (Good Information, Inclusive Access, Sustainable Business Models, Accountable Institutions, and Learning & The Future of Journalism), the project will encourage innovation in AI and technology, enable newsrooms to experiment with new approaches to specialist reporting and nurture the journalists of the future. It will also enable journalists and other actors to protect themselves online and help the sector develop techniques for dealing with stress and trauma. Within the framework of the AGILE project, CFI is responsible for implementing Workstream 2 of the action, focusing on promoting inclusivity for minority and marginalised communities. These communities include, but are not limited to, refugees, migrants, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and ethnic and religious minorities. This workstream combines research, capacity building, innovation, and advocacy to address barriers these groups face in accessing and sharing information, and to promote more inclusive media ecosystems. Additionally, CFI will contribute to the implementation of one activity under the Workstream 1 - Good Information, led by Internews, to strengthen the resilience of exiled media outlets through regional or subregional approach. The Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Consultant will support the design and implementation of the monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework for CFI activities over the course of the project. The Service Provider will help define key performance indicators, track progress against objectives, and ensure that learning and evidence inform programmatic decisions throughout the implementation period. The MEL Consultant will also contribute to internal reflection and reporting processes, supporting project coherence and accountability. The services entrusted to the Service Provider will be: 1. Refine the existing logical framework: o Review, analyse, and where needed, adjust the current logical framework to strengthen feasibility and relevance, particularly regarding outcome and impact indicators to which CFI contributes. 2. Design the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) system: o Propose appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods, including data collection tools, to track and assess the Project performance and impact over time. 3. Track and analyse progress: o Guide the Project team and partners on how to use the MEL system, particularly regarding the accurate and timely collection, validation and organisation of data. o Monitor implementation against defined indicators and targets across all Project activities. 4. Support Mapping activity: o Review the Mapping methodology and tools, including survey questionnaires. o Review the Mapping findings and provide feedback to ensure they can serve as a baseline for tracking changes. 5. Contribute to Research activity: o Provide MEL inputs and technical advice for the design and implementation of two (2) planned Research initiatives. o Review the Research reports and provide feedback to ensure findings can be translated into actionable recommendations and effectively disseminated. 6. Support learning and reporting processes: o Work with the Project team to ensure findings from ongoing monitoring and activities are used to inform the Project and, where needed, adapt its design and implementation to meet targets. o Provide inputs to internal and external reporting, ensuring MEL coherence and quality, as well as alignment with partner and donor requirements. Support the Project Manager in responding to MEL- and reporting-related questions. o Contribute to internal reflection and learning sessions, including preparation and facilitation of at least one annual learning session with the Project team; this includes interpreting findings, assessing progress, identifying challenges, and helping document lessons learned to support adaptive management. 7. Promote inclusive and ethical data practices: o Ensure data collection, analysis, and reporting approaches are inclusive and sensitive to gender, minority status, and other relevant variables, and that data is disaggregated accordingly. o Guarantee that all data practices comply with ethical standards, including informed consent, confidentiality, and applicable data protection regulations. Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4157879/call-quotations-monitoring-evaluation-learning-mel-consultancy
