TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. General information

1.1 About Handicap International

Handicap International, also known globally and Humanity & Inclusion, is an international non-government organization working to support the empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities in society. HI is an independent and impartial aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict, and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

1.2. Context and Background of the Evaluation

In its concluding observations on the initial CRPD report submitted by the People’s Republic of China in 2012, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stated “The Committee is concerned that organizations of persons with disabilities outside of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation are not included in the implementation of the Convention.”

The disability movement in China is not well structured; opportunities for sharing lessons learned and coordination of advocacy initiatives are limited. Moreover, CSOs focused on disability inclusion lack sufficient funding and technical capacities to fully achieve their mandates. The specific challenges include limited institutional management skills and an inability to define clear policies and procedures in relation to administration, financial management and human resource management, and limited operational skills in relation to project cycle management. These weaknesses contribute to challenges to achieve organizational registration, access to funding and resources and mobilize support from their communities.

2. Evaluation context

2.1 Presentation of the project to be evaluated

In 2019, HI launched the “Promoting Inclusion by strengthening CSO contribution to CRPD and SDG implementation and monitoring in China” project.  With funding from the European Union for the period 01 November 2019 – 31 October 2022, the project is implemented in partnership with two national civil society organizations.

    1) NAPO is a national level network initiated by 17 parents’ organizations for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It started systematic advocacy work in 2015, and in April 2017 registered as a non-profit organization called Beijing Ronghe Lianhui Support Center for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities authorized by Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau as a regular operations entity. NAPO acts as a platform for capacity building parents’ organizations, enabling information and experience sharing and implementing a united campaign on policy advocacy and awareness-raising to the general public. NAPO currently supports more than 150 parents’ organizations nationwide.  

    2) PEER was officially registered as a municipal social organization on November 27, 2017 in the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau. Since 2012, PEER has maintained disability research, policy advocacy, inclusive employment and psycho-social support for women and girls with disabilities as their core areas of intervention. PEER has provided professional support for the sustainable development of more than 100 CSOs, participated in and influenced the establishment of 5 national disability related legislation, and written more than 10 industry support manuals and research reports.

PEER and NAPO have each supported the growth of a national network of disability CSOs.  Each of the project’s implementing partners currently supports networks of over one hundred disability CSOs, which extend throughout all provinces in the country. To maintain these networks, ensure their quality and promote continued growth, the project’s implementing partners have defined a strategy of establishing “regional hub” organizations to act as mentors to newly emerging CSOs within their respective regions.  

The project is designed to support piloting of this strategy by investing on the development and mobilization of 4 regional hub organizations to strengthen the organizational capacities of 40 disability focused CSOs in 14 provinces. With oversight of HI, NAPO and PEER, 4 regional hub CSOs are in process of guiding 40 local CSOs in organizational self-assessment processes and definition of tailored capacity development action plans. Implementation of action plans relies on mentoring/coaching by regional hub coaches to support development of internal policies or procedural manuals related to human resource management, financial management, gender and ethnicity non-discrimination, child protection, sexual exploitation and abuse, and environmental impact mitigation.  HI, NAPO and PEER project staff at national level provide continuous support to regional hub coaches and, when necessary, are mobilized from national level to directly support provincial/district CSOs alongside regional hub coaches.  

2.2 Reasons for the evaluation

A mid-term evaluation is mandated by the project’s primary donor (the European Union) as well as by HI’s internal policies on project planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME). At this stage of project implementation, capacity building of regional hub organizations has included the following activities:

- Use of organizational capacity self-assessment tools have supported regional hubs to define organizational capacity development action plans

- Small grants for regional hubs have allowed them to invest on the implementation of their organizational capacity development action plans

- Training of trainer workshops have prepared regional hubs to provide training, coaching, and mentoring to local CSOs in areas of Governance, Executive Leadership, Strategic planning, Project Management, Human Resource Management, and Finance Management.  

- Small grants for regional hubs have allowed them to initiate training, coaching, and mentoring to targeted local CSOs.

3. Evaluation objectives

3.1 Overall objectives and expectations for the evaluation

The objective of the evaluation is to provide an objective assessment of the project’s strategy for the organizational capacity development of regional and local CSOs, including recommendations for the improvement of the delivery of this strategy and related activities. The evaluation will specifically examine the actions carried out for the achievement of expected results one and three of the project, which has been the focus of the first 18 months of the project implementation period.  The evaluation report will be utilized to support lessons learning, modification, replication and potential scale-up of the project’s key interventions.

3.2 Evaluation criteria and questions  

The evaluation should examine, at a minimum, the following key questions related to the actions which have been implemented in the first 18 months of the project duration.  

In addition to the above technical assessment of the project’s detailed activity implementation to date, the evaluation should also include an overall assessment of the below cross-cutting elements:

4. Evaluation methodology

4.1 Collection method

The method of data collection will be determined by the evaluator. However, a mixed method approach is highly recommended to complete a comprehensive assessment of the project’s evaluation criteria (above).  It is recommended that the data collection methodology will include the following:

- Review of the available internal reports of the project

- Individual interviews with senior staff from HI and implementing partners

- Focus group discussions with project target groups and key stakeholders (staff of regional hubs and local CSOs)

This evaluation may be carried out remotely. Applicants outside of China will not be allowed to enter the country for the purpose of this evaluation unless they currently hold a valid visa for entry into the country. HI will support the organization of the meetings and focus group discussions. If needed, HI will provide a qualified translator.  

5. Principles and values

The evaluation consultant will commit to full compliance with HI’s ethics, values and policies, which will be shared with the consultant prior to contract validation.  

6. Expected deliverables and proposed schedule

6.1 Deliverables

Following initial review of the literature and initial meetings with the project’s senior staff, an inception report will be shared with the HI China Operations Coordinator and Country Manager to provide a clear and detailed outline of the field mission objectives, agenda, and evaluation methodology (including questionnaires).  

The consultant will facilitate one ½ day key findings meeting with project staff to present the initial findings of the evaluation and provide an opportunity for discussions related to the project. 

The consultant will develop one evaluation report including the following elements:

- Background of the Evaluation

- Objectives of the Evaluation

- Methodology of the Evaluation

- Evaluation Findings

- Recommendations for project enhancement and next steps

6.2 Evaluation date and schedule

The evaluation may be carried out during the months of August, September, and/or October. The below timeframe dates indicate the latest possible acceptable dates for completion of the key steps of the evaluation.  The consultant’s proposal should include a work plan that meets each of these key deadlines.

7. Resources   

7.1 Expertise required from the consultant(s)

The qualified candidate will have significant experience in project assessment and evaluation. The following qualifications will be considered as highly desirable:

- Sound knowledge and understanding of the UNCRPD, social model of disability and rights-based development approach

- Significant experience in civil society organization strengthening including use of organizational capacity assessment tools, strengthening of social networks, financial sub-granting processes within social networks, etc.  

- Experience working on development projects within the context of China will be seen as an added value

- Chinese language fluency will be seen as an added value

7.2 Budget allocated to the evaluation

The maximum budget available for the evaluator’s consultancy fee is 10,000 Euros (inclusive of any daily per-diem required by the consultant).  Additional costs which will be covered directly by the project will include the following:

- Domestic flight tickets for consultants who are already in China

- Accommodation during site visits for consultants who are already in China

The consultant’s daily fee, per-diem, and any other required materials will be covered by the consultant via the consultancy fee.

7.3 Resources available to the evaluation team (data, document, etc.)

Prior to the consultancy, HI will provide the consultant with all requested project documents and data (as available).  

8. Submission of bids

Qualified and interested applicants should submit the follow to HI.  

- CV of the Consultant and any team members

- One Cover Letter

- One Proposal including the following components:

   • Background and Experience of the Consultant

   • Proposed Methodological Approach

   • Proposed Budget Plan 

   • Proposed Work Plan (including specific dates)

The deadline for submission of applications is the 30th June 2021.

Applications can be submitted only by email to the following address: j.liu@hi.org

9. Annexes

HI’s Program Quality Framework has defined specific criteria for evaluating project quality.  The below framework includes a list of HI’s quality framework criteria and examples of questions that can be used by the evaluation consultant to ensure that the project evaluation is aligned with HI’s internal quality criteria and standards.  

The Terms of Reference is also available at: 

https://www.chinadevelopmentbrief.org.cn/rs/editor/20210608/user2103/files/TOR_DPO%20Internal%20Evaluation%2001June2021.docx