Terms of Reference
****Midterm evaluation of****
****“HIV Risk Reduction among Vulnerable Youth” project in Egypt****
Project name: HIV Risk Reduction among Vulnerable Youth in Egypt
Implementing Organisation: UNAIDS
Project duration: 48 months
Project start date: 15 May, 2013
Funding agency: Drosos Foundation
- Summary of project
HIV prevalence remains low (below 0.1%) among the general population in Egypt. Nevertheless, evidence of a concentrated epidemic has been documented among most at risk populations, namely MSM and IDUs in two bio-behavioural surveillance surveys (BBSS) in 2006 and 2010. Recent behavioural data revealed that less than 25% of at risk youth use condoms.
Pattern of sexual practice and the multiplicity of partners render some population groups at higher risk. Discrimination prevents at risk populations from disclosing their sexual orientation, accessing medical treatment or reporting for HIV services.
This project aims to scale up outreach coverage of services to most at risk youth and their female partners in Alexandria and Gharbia governorates placing more emphasis on rural and slum areas to reduce overall vulnerability, prevent new infections and expand access to care, support and treatment to HIV positive individuals. The design model combine extensive field-based outreach activities with strong existing referral system to public and private service providers who offer comprehensive quality package of medical, legal, psychosocial, counseling and testing services at subsidized fees. UNAIDS partnered will 4 local NGOs for the implementation of the project, builds their capacities to allow a smooth gradual handover and phasing out plan that guarantees sustainability.
The goal of the project is to prevent new HIV infections and increase access to care, support and treatment for people living with HIV (PLHIV).
The project has 3 specific objectives:
- Empower NGOs to expand coverage and quality of prevention programmes addressing key populations in urban and rural settings
- Reduce risk of new HIV infections among most at risk youth and their female partners and improve quality of life for PLHIV
- Expand knowledge and understanding of HIV risk and vulnerabilities among key and bridging populations
2. Purpose and scope of evaluation
Drosos Foundation and UNAIDS submit the project to an external evaluation to assess the project progress towards achieving its objectives. It is undertaken primarily with the intention of assuming the perspective of the end users and beneficiaries to assess the extent to which services are improved. The evaluation is intended to help the implementing partners improve their programming and make any necessary adjustments to maximize effectiveness. The evaluation should also inform about the efficiency of project management structure and the relations between main partner and implementing organisations and stakeholder. The evaluation should inform Drosos Foundation about the effectiveness of its contribution to this sector with potential elements for ensuring sustainability; and to propose practical and applicable recommendations for future design and implementation / as basis for decision on future funding by Drosos or others.
3. Methodology
Evaluators’ applicants are invited to send a technical and financial proposal addressing but not limited to aspects of the evaluation questions mentioned below taking into account that decision will be made based on most competitive, scientifically sound and robust proposal. The evaluator (s) will engage with Drosos Foundation, UNAIDS and implementing partners during this evaluation. Evaluators will have an opportunity to further propose detailed inception report after selection. The evaluation should address the following:
a. Relevance
The midterm evaluation should assess the extent to which project objectives, activities and approaches are consistent with beneficiaries' requirements, and needs.
- Extent to which stated objectives correctly address identified problems and social needs.
- Extent to which the nature of the problems originally identified have changed; extent to which approaches have been updated in order to adapt to changes in the context.
- Extent to which stakeholder and particularly the implementing NGOs have ownership over the project, engage in decision making, management of the project.
- Analysis of current assumptions and risks that would impact sustainability of results.
- Appropriateness of the project's interventions, logic, logical framework matrix and the objectively verifiable indicators.
- Appropriateness of the monitoring and evaluation arrangements and adjustments.
b. Effectiveness
The midterm evaluation would assess the extent to which project’s objectives achieved, or expected to be achieved.
- Extent to which beneficiaries from youth have access to services and those living with HIV have been impacted.
- Quality of services delivered to the youth and their female partners in Urban and rural settings.
- Extent to which behavioural patterns changed among the beneficiaries or groups at various levels.
- Extent to which the capacity of the stakeholders to plan and implement interventions changed and the extent that this may impact sustainability.
- Extent to which the project successes to access new untapped areas as slums, rural setting; or address untapped populations as female partners of most at risk youth.
- Extent to which unintended outcomes affected the benefits received positively or negatively.
c. Efficiency
The midterm evaluation should inform about the extent to which the projects transform resources into outputs:
- Extent to which the originally planned project assumptions, inputs and resources matched actual implementation. A budget/expenditure analysis is expected to be conducted in order inform future programming and to guide any intended budget reallocations in the remaining period of the project.
- Quality of day-to-day management, for example work planning, management of personnel, and information, etc.
- Whether management of risk has been adequate, i.e. whether flexibility has been demonstrated in response to changes in circumstances
- Relations/coordination with local authorities, institutions, beneficiaries, other projects
- Quality of monitoring: its existence (or not), accuracy and flexibility, and the use made of it; adequacy of baseline information.
- Quality of information management and reporting to Drosos and key stakeholders.
- Extent to which the NGOs are collaborating with and engaging existing local, regional or international networks on harm reductions (e.g. ENNAA, NAHR, RANA etc)
d. Sustainability and Impact
Drosos Foundation is keen to learn about the extent to which outputs and outcomes of the project and the flow of benefits likely to continue beyond current support.
- Extent to which the project contributes to improving living conditions and improving capacity or institutional strengthening of stakeholders
- Extent to which ownership of objectives and achievements, responsibility of beneficiaries, institutions and level of support from civil society organizations and government support.
- Extent to which stakeholders are prepared for taking over, technically, financially and managerially.
- Extent to which this project contributes to the national response for most at risk groups particularly with new population size estimates.
- Financial sustainability: Are services affordable for beneficiaries and likely to remain so. Who will take the lead to find alternative resources? How will the civil society organizations replace existing external resources?
4. Deliverables and reporting requirements
- Inception report to detail the methodology proposed, and time plan for Drosos approval (after the desk research phase)
- Draft evaluation report with initial findings to be shared with Drosos Foundation and UNAIDS for comments.
- Final evaluation report that includes findings, main challenges and means to overcome them, recommendations for scale up and sustainability and a budget/expenditure analysis to guide future reprogramming and budget allocations.
- The evaluator(s) are expected to conduct a workshop with project stakeholders on the evaluation findings to contribute to external dissemination of the findings.
5. Expected experience of the evaluator(s)
The evaluator (s) should possess:
- a solid and diversified experience in evaluating development projects
- Experience in evaluation of HIV and AIDS, or health system related projects is an asset.
- Experience in Egypt/MENA region,
- Relevant experience in budget/ expenditure analysis,
- Full working knowledge of Arabic and English; excellent writing and communication skills.
6. Work plan and timetable
- The evaluator(s) are expected to propose in their evaluation proposal a work plan with dates and deliverables..
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications
The midterm evaluation is expected to commence early July 2015. Interested consultants should submit a proposal including the following:
- Capability statement and background information on similar tasks performed by your organization/main evaluator.
- The composition of the evaluation team appropriate to complete the required tasks
- Proposed evaluation methodology as specified in the terms of reference.
- Work plan; and
- Detailed budget
Please submit technical and financial proposals by 9 July, 2015 via email to:
- Dr. Wessam El Beih, Drosos Foundation Country Director - Egypt: elbeih@drosos.org
- Dr. Ahmed Khamis, UNAIDS Country Manager – Egypt: khamisa@unaids.org
