Call for Consultant for External Evaluation

About Adyan

Adyan, Foundation for diversity, solidarity and human dignity, works locally, regionally and internationally for pluralism, inclusive citizenship, community resilience, and spiritual solidarity, through homegrown solutions in Education, Media, Policymaking, and intercultural and interreligious relations.

Adyan is registered in Lebanon as a non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO), under registration number 1103 by a ministerial decree dated 18 September 2008.

Brief about the project

Over the past few years, Adyan has had several opportunities to work in Iraq and with Iraqi beneficiaries. Informed by these experiences, Adyan was able to identify a major need for national dialogue between the different factions of Iraqi society that leads to an inclusive vision for citizenship in Iraq.

For this reason, the “National Dialogue for Citizenship and Coexistence in Iraq” (NDCCI) project was launched in 2018 by the Rashad Center for Cultural Governance (Adyan’s department for policy-making and advocacy). The project is a three-year initiative involving mechanisms to bring together key decision makers, community leaders and activists to discuss and set policy recommendations for the top challenges currently facing inclusive citizenship in Iraq. The NDCCI project is funded by Act Church of Sweden (CoS).

Consultancy overview

A Consultant is required by Adyan Foundation to perform an external evaluation of the NDCCI project. The external evaluation has four objectives:

1. Evaluate the goal fulfilment of the project (looking backward).
2. Identify the lessons learnt, the major challenges, and the potential for these to be a baseline for a new three-year plan for Adyan’s engagement in Iraq for inclusive citizenship and social cohesion (looking forward).
3. Map stakeholders related to Adyan’s areas of engagement in Iraq, including civil society organizations, youth activists and influencers, and international organizations working in the same field.
4. Conduct a critical review of Adyan’s engagement in Iraq (which involves policymakers, civil society, political activists, trainers, media professionals and religious communities), with recommendations for a coherent strategic plan for the coming three years. 

The consultancy will consist of between 24 and 32 days of work depending on the applicant’s methodology, work plan and timeline, spread over August – November 2020. It is possible for all work to be carried out remotely, using available technology.

Methodology

1. Data Collection:

The evaluation should adopt a participatory approach with mixed methods to ensure a range of inputs. The data collection will consist of:

1. 1. Secondary data:

Desk review, including of relevant publications, reports produced by international or local institutions, media coverage, etc.

1. 1. Primary data:
      1. Key informant interviews and focus-group discussions with beneficiaries, partners and stakeholders
      2. Stakeholder survey
      3. One or several workshops (at least one with the involvement of CoS) with Adyan staff and partners to discuss ideas of future strategic involvement of Adyan in Iraq based on the key findings of the desk review, the interviews and the focus-group discussions.

1. Inputs:

Adyan will provide the contact details of Adyan staff and partners’ team members, and direct beneficiaries of the program. It is necessary to note that desk review materials, focus-group discussions, survey and workshops will be in Arabic and/or English depending on the participants, while the reporting language will be in English.

1. First Output: Inception Report

A brief report that follows the initial meeting with the project management and the desk review. This report ensures mutual understanding of the Consultant's methodology, work plan and timeline for conducting the evaluation. It also provides additional guarantee of adherence to, and interpretation of, the ToR.

1. Second Output: Summary of Results

Brief written summary of key findings from interviews, focus-group discussions and survey which will be used by the Consultant to prepare for the evaluation workshop(s) and to inform the final report.

1. Evaluation Workshop(s):

The Consultant will conduct one or several evaluation workshops with Adyan staff and/or partners. A specific workshop should be dedicated to discuss and facilitate the design of the logical framework of the next engagement phase of Adyan in Iraq (2021-2023).

1. Third Output: First Draft of Final Report

First draft report compiling the key findings of data collection:

• Evaluation (looking backwards) based on desk review, interviews, focus-group discussions and survey
• Lessons Learnt and Recommendations (looking forward), based on workshop(s) and final analysis  

1. Additional Workshop:

Carried out with the “core group” of Adyan and partners to review the first draft of the final report.

1. Fourth Output: Final Report

The Consultant will make necessary amendments based on the workshop with the core group to write an updated draft of the final report. Adyan will make any necessary comments and send them back to the Consultant. The latter will make final amendments and send back the final version of the report that outlines the four main objectives stated in the “Consultancy overview” section of these ToR.

The final report will be written in English, to a professional standard. As needed, references to materials used during the consultancy and other external materials will be included as footnotes or as an appendix.

Timeline & Budget

1. The Consultant should follow the below timeline to complete all aspects of the consultancy:

August

Meeting with Adyan to Finalize the Consultancy Work plan and Sign Agreement

Desk Review

First Output: Inception Report

September

Interviews, Focus-Group Discussions and Survey

Second Output: Summary of Results

Workshop(s) – preparation and facilitation (& October)

October

Third Output: First Draft of Final Report

November

Additional Workshop

Final Report (second draft + final version)

1. The allocated budget for this entire consultancy is USD $18,000.
   1. No additional expenses other than this lump sum will be paid by Adyan.
   2. Bank charges and due taxes are to be covered by the Consultant, or deducted from the payment. If relevant, this will include the 7.5% taxes for non-resident consultants and any other taxes that are the Consultant’s responsibility.
   3. If needed and outlined in the work plan, and agreed in the contract, Adyan can cover travel and accommodation expenses for the Consultant.
   4. The Consultant can have support from local/field assistants if needed, however their fees must also be included in the total budget presented by the Consultant.

Consultant Profile

The Consultant must:

• Be able to fluently understand written and spoken Arabic and English, personally or with the support of an assistant engaged by him/her in the consultancy, with professional standard in producing the reports in English.
• Be independent from Adyan, CoS and the NDCCI project.
• Have a proven track record in delivering high quality and complex external evaluations, and up-to-date knowledge of evaluation tools, techniques and best practices. Experience in the fields of inter-religious dialogue and peacebuilding is important.
• Have knowledge and awareness of the nuances of the social and political contexts of Iraq.
• Be sensitive to and respectful of religious, social and cultural differences and comfortable with working and communicating across difference, including able to communicate complex ideas in accessible ways and gather data from and with partners across society.
• Be skilled and experienced in offline and online workshop facilitation.
• Have access to their own computer. To note: no hardware/software or IT support will be provided by Adyan.
• Have access to fast, stable internet connection and a webcam. Even if the selected Consultant is based in Lebanon, a work station at Adyan’s office in Lebanon will not be provided.