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Terms of Reference Consultant to-redesign ChildFund Australia

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework

1. Introduction ChildFund Australia is an independent and non-religious international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in the developing world. We work in partnership with children and their communities to create lasting change by supporting long-term community development, responding to humanitarian emergencies and promoting children’s rights. We want every child to be able to say: “I am safe. I am educated. I am heard. I can make a difference. I have a future.” ChildFund Australia implements programs with a range of local partners in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Vietnam, and manages projects delivered by partner organisations throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas. Our work is funded through child and community sponsorship, government grants as well as donations from individuals, trusts and foundations, and corporate organisations. ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – a global network of 11 organisations, which assists more than 14 million children and families in 63 countries. ChildFund Australia is a registered charity and is fully accredited by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), which manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program. 2. Background ChildFund Australia began building a Development Effectiveness Framework (DEF) in 2010 following DFAT (then AusAID) re-accreditation in 2008 and under its 2006-2011 Strategic Plan. It was built on established project cycle management practices, which had been endorsed during DFAT accreditation. The DEF is the whole architecture under which ChildFund Australia measures its effectiveness, learns from its experiences, documents its learning and is accountable to partners and supporters.The DEF achieves this by providing the means to track and assess the results of its development programs – by counting tangible outputs, measuring immediate project results and longer-term changes over time in Program Areas (outcomes), and assessing our contribution to those changes (impact). The DEF Brochure can be found in https://www.childfund.org.au/about/publication-reports/ Some of the principal components are:

a set of 24 organisational Core and Complementary Outcome Indicators, to measure the results of our work

an Outcome Indicator Survey and community validation process, covering the 24 Outcome Indicators, which serves as a mechanism for assessing the impact of our work (including attribution) and results in a set of broad directions and priorities for ongoing development programs, recommended by stakeholders

a set of 47 standardised, organisational Outputs, enabling tracking of activities

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a format and procedure for compiling Case Studies to describe, in qualitative and personal terms, the impact on people of community development programs we implement or support

a process for conducting regular reviews of Program Descriptions

an attribution and impact workshop

project cycle management (project design, reporting, monitoring and evaluation)

External reviews of the Framework completed in July 2012, and again in 2014 confirmed that the framework compared favourably with the practice of other Australian INGOs and fit the purpose of the organisation. However, in 2017, the need to re-examine the DEF’s fit for purpose arose due to recent developments in country programs and feedback from the Country Offices. Some issues that need to be addressed are listed in Annex 1. In September 2017, the ChildFund Australia Program Review Committee (sub-committee of the Board) endorsed the move to re-think and update the DEF so that it could better represent the various country contexts, but also maintaining credibility; commitment to demonstrating program effectiveness; and focus on addressing causes of poverty. To begin the process of revision, a proposed revised framework was presented during ChildFund Australia’s Program Summit in November 2017 and this document will be the starting point for the consultancy (see Annex 2).

3. Objectives and Scope of Consultancy

1. Explore a number of possible M&E models that would best fit ChildFund Australia, include those used by partner Australian NGOs working in development and or in consortium including Plan, World Vision and Save the Children.

2. Support ChildFund Australia’s redesign of its Development Effectiveness Framework to better suit the context in ChildFund Australia-managed countries. the changing face of development and the increasingly diversified funding sources.

3. Customise various components of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning to fit the purpose of ChildFund Australia (including ChildFund Australia’s strategic plan, program priorities, and funding model).

4. Ensure that the revised Framework meets the criteria for accountability set under the revised Code of Conduct introduced by the Australian Council for International Development, and Australian NGO Accreditation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and other relevant development standards.

The Consultancy will produce the following deliverables:

1. With key ChildFund Australia staff, a fully re-designed MEL Framework applicable in ChildFund Australia-managed countries

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2. A suite of indicators that are consistent with ChildFund Priority Programs: a. Revised Organisational Outcome Indicators, Rationale and Definitions that are

measurable at the end of a Programming Cycle b. List of common Project Performance Indicators that are measurable within the

life of the project c. Revised sector-based Project Outputs and Definitions

3. Methodologies and procedure for measuring country program impact that are consistent

with programming context in countries of operation

4. Set of common program and project evaluation tools (including baseline and endline) linked to Organisational Outcomes and Project Performance Indicators

The Consultant is expected to utilise a participatory approach and should work closely with key staff during the course of work. He/she is also expected to facilitate consultations and workshops and should be available to work in the ChildFund Australia office (central Sydney) during consultations, workshops, one-on-one meetings and presentations.

4. Timetable

An indicative timetable for this work is provided below. (Note that this is subject to discussion with the Consultant)

Indicative dates

Outputs and Activities Number of Days

15 January Submission of Expression of Interest

16-26 January Screening, interviews, reference check, contract, detailed workplan

5-9 February Discussion of workplan with the Consultant

Setting up interviews with relevant staff

1 day

12 February – 2 March

Document review o Strategic Plan o The relevant chapters of the ChildFund Australia Program

Handbook o Program Approaches o Impact Reports o Outcome Indicator Survey reports from 4 Country Offices o Questionnaires and Instructions for Outcome Indicator Survey o Project evaluation tools o Initial recommendations for the revised framework

Research on other ANGOs’ M&E models

Interviews with relevant Sydney-based and in- country staff

Workshop with Sydney-based staff to discuss and develop the framework and based on findings and preliminary thinking of the Consultant

Drafting of documents as per deliverables 1-3

14 days

5 – 9 March

Presentation and submission to International Program Team (IPT) of Draft 1 of deliverables 1 to 3 on 5 March

ChildFund Australia to circulate draft for feedback

Feedback sent to Consultant on 9 March

5 days

12-16 March Revisions on Draft 1

Submission of Draft 2 on 16 March

3 days

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Indicative dates

Outputs and Activities Number of Days

ChildFund Australia to circulate Draft 2 for feedback

19-23 March Presentation of Draft 2 Program Review Committee, Program Operations Team, and IPT (date to be confirmed)

5 days

26-30 March ChildFund Australia to send consolidated feedback from Sydney and country-based teams on 26 March

Revisions on Draft 2

3 days

2-6 April Submit Final versions of deliverables 1-3 on 2 April

ChildFund Australia to sign-off on deliverables 1-3

9 -13 April Drafting of deliverable 4 (note that development of deliverable 4 cannot commence until deliverables 1-3 is approved)

5 days

16-20 April Submit Draft 1 of deliverable 4 on 16 April

ChildFund to circulate Draft 1 to relevant staff

23-27 April Feedback sent to Consultant on 23 April

Final revisions on deliverable 4

Submission on 27 April

3 days

30 April Acceptance/sign-off of final report (date maybe extended based on the quality of submitted report)

Total number of days 30 days

5. Management and Reporting Arrangements The Consultant will report to ChildFund Australia Senior Advisor for Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning. All reports must be written in English and provided in an electronic format (Microsoft Word). 6. Confidentiality All discussions and documents relating to this ToR will be treated as confidential by the parties. 7. Child Safeguarding The successful applicant will be required to comply with ChildFund Australia’s Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and to sign a Code of Conduct. The consultant will also have in place an Australian Federal Policy Criminal Background Check or equivalent, e.g. Working with Children Check. 8. Counter-Terrorism ChildFund Australia acknowledges its obligation under the Australian laws relating to counter-terrorism. In order to meet its obligation, the consultant’s name will be reviewed against Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and National Security Australia lists at the onset of any financial relationship. 9. Insurance The successful applicant will be required to have in place insurance arrangements appropriate to provision of the requirement in this TOR including (without limitation) travel insurance. 10. Acknowledgment and Disclaimer ChildFund, its Board and staff make no express or implied representation or warranty as to the currency, reliability or completeness of the information contained in this ToR. Nothing in this ToR should be construed to give rise to any contractual obligations or rights, expressed or implied,by the issue of this ToR or the submission of Expression of Interest in response to it. No

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contract would be created until a formal written contract is executed between ChildFund and a selected consultant. Selection Criteria for Consultant

ChildFund Australia is seeking a consultant with experience in designing organisational Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks; experience in conceptualising, designing and implementing quantitative and qualitative evaluations at community level. The successful consultant should have appropriate knowledge and experience of developmental projects in rural contexts, demonstrable track record of quantitative and qualitative evaluation of multi-sector holistic development programs. Knowledge and experience of innovative/creative ways of M&E, participatory approaches and appreciative enquiry methods are desirable. The Consultant must be available for face-to-face meetings, workshops and presentations between February to April 2018. The Expression of Interest should include resume, referees, proposal containing competence for the required work, professional fee, approaches and timeline based on the Terms of Reference. Submission Submit CV and proposal on 15 January 2018 to Lauren Caleo through lcaleo@childfund.org.au

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Annex 1: Country context that needs to be considered in the redesign of Development Effectiveness Framework (DEF):

Only Vietnam and Cambodia have a steady source of revenue from child sponsorship and programs have expanded into new districts. These two countries have been implementing the four-yearly (previously 3-yearly) Outcome Indicator Surveys and Impact Workshops. As at June 2016, 43% of projects belong to these countries. Considerable time and financial resources are utilised to sustain this cycle. There is a need to rethink mechanism for measuring impact in other countries.

PNG had grown significantly through grants. Although Central Province is the main geographical focus, the grants expand ChildFund’s coverage beyond a small number of villages. The scope of big grants are either national or at ward level and M&E scope and budget are based on donor requirements. Although the projects are in-line with ChildFund’s four themes based on its Theory of Change (Access to Assets; Voice and Agency; Protection and Power), PNG’s program set-up limits the implementation of a number of DEF components e.g. Outcome Indicator Surveys.

Laos have one major grant (BEQUAL) and most projects are dependent on ANCP funding. BEQUAL, however, paved the way to expanding into other districts. BEQUAL also has a centralised M&E system. Although Laos have target programs in 3 districts, it is now consolidating its projects and will be streamlining its sectoral focus.

Myanmar is mainly dependent on ANCP and ChildFund Alliance funding, projects are implemented through partners. Although geographic areas were identified within the MOU with the government (Dawei, Yangon and Mandalay), long -term programming commitment with partners and specific geographic areas is yet to be established. Myanmar office will also have a streamlined sectoral focus, mainly education and child protection.

ANCP feedback raises the issue of measuring outcomes at project level and how outcomes were separated from the broader portfolio. The Outcome Indicator Surveys take place every four years, and project cycles do not necessarily fall at the same period. Although project evaluations measure project level results, there is a room to improve project level indicators and quality of evaluations; and a need to establish mechanism for meta-analysis of priority programs.

With the increasing investment in priority programs set out in the Strategic Plan, there is a need to revisit Outcome Indicators and Outputs, and to explore the idea of re-organising and revising outcome indicators and outputs based on priority programs and sectors. There is also a need to ensure that emerging projects are adequately captured e.g. gender based violence work in PNG and national level capacity building work in the Pacific, and on-line safety in Vietnam.

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Annex 2: Proposed revised framework presented during ChildFund Australia’s Program Summit in November 2017

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Annex 2: Proposed revised framework presented during ChildFund Australia’s Program Summit in November 2017