ThaiNGO

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Baseline of

Building Capacity of Civil Society Organizations on Supporting Marginalized Populations to Access to Public Services and Respond to Global Warming

EU NDICI CSO 2023/450-865

1. Project Title:

“Building Capacity of Civil Society Organizations on Supporting Marginalized Populations to Access to Public Services and Respond to Global Warming”   

2. Background:

ActionAid is an international social justice organization operating in over 45 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Americas, striving for a world free from poverty and injustice. With Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), it aims to strengthen the capacity of people living in poverty and exclusion to assert their rights. We believe in the power of people to bring about change for themselves, their communities and entire societies. ActionAid has been working in Thailand since 2001 and was registered as ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation-AAITF in 2011 as a local non-profit organization. ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation works throughout Thailand with communities, civil society organizations, small school networks, government entities, academia, and media to support for changing the lives of the poorest and the most disadvantaged women and children.

Since 2023, Thailand has been experiencing economic growth, benefiting Thai people through socio-economic development and trickle-down effects. However, the gap between the rich and the poor has widened, and not all segments of society have equally benefited, particularly vulnerable and marginalized groups who face difficulties accessing state services, healthcare, social welfare, social protection, and natural resources. Those marginalized people are stateless, small-scale farmers, sea gypsies (Chao Le) and ethnic groups who live in highland. This project will be responsive to urgent needs of the target groups in access to essential services as well as improving target groups socio-economic and livelihood through strengthening CSOs working on supporting the marginalized populations to access public services and respond to global warming. With the support of European Union (EU), ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation is implementing a consortium approach along with two co-applicants: Chumchonthai Foundation (CTF) and Northern Development Foundation (NDF). Additionally, three third parties are involved as sub-grantees-- CSOs and Youth Groups working in areas of ethnic minority groups (Kareni, Chao Le), small-scale farmer, as well as women. The project aims to design and advocate for state policies and measures, and to develop muti-stakeholder partnerships that promote, and scale community-led projects focus on inclusive socio-economic development and natural resources management initiatives and models. The project aims to reach out and raise awareness and understanding among marginalized communities, private sector, government sectors including local authorities to improve access to public services and respond to the impacts of climate change at provincial and national levels through campaigning and publications.

This project will response to 54 targeted villages, 4,200 households, 14,000 marginalized populations, including final beneficiaries are over 470,000 stateless people, 11,000 sea gypsies (Chao Le), 226,773 populations in Mae Hong Son province, and 7,000 women and youth who live in poverty, targeted in 5 provinces; Mae Hong Son, Phang Nga, Ranong, Satun, and Bangkok. This project aims to strengthen CSOs and local networks in supporting marginalized populations in access to public services and repond to impacts of global warming. It also objects to ensure that the marginalized communities will be reached by CSOs working on improving access to public services and natural resources that increased people participation and awareness and influence in policy design and action in practices. This project objectives to develop opportunities for multi-stakeholder partnerships in supporting community-led inclusive socio-economic and natural resources protection.  

Estimated Output 1:  CSOs and marginalized communities have increased capacity on policy analysis, advocacy, and public services at local level

Estimated Output 2: marginalized communities have reached and increased awareness on human rights based approach, participation and influence in state policy and practical implementation.  

Estimated Output 3: opportunity and environment increased for multi-stakeholder partnerships in community-led development project implementing through inclusive socio-economic and natural resources protection.

Finally, the project baseline will provide quantitative data on how specific groups within the target populations are affected by the problem. It will assess the extent and quality of change before and during the project’s implementation of its objectives.

3. Objectives of the project baseline  

The objective of the baseline survey is to assess data and information that will enable the project implementation to establish improvement in the targeted areas (provinces and communities). This includes assessing the capacity of CSOs, state policies and services, local authorities, marginalized populations, response to global warming, as well as identifying constraints, challenges and needs of target population. The specific objectives of the baseline survey are:

• To assess potential skills and expertise of targeted CSOs in supporting marginalized populations to access public services and respond to global warming
• To understand the situation of the targeted population faced with constraints and challenges in policy participation, human rights, public services accessibility, social protection, livelihood, agriculture, and climate change
• To assess the specific needs of targeted population in basic infrastructure, public service, socioeconomic factors, natural resources and the environment, and to determine appropriate intervention   
• To develop the project objectives’ indicators and to define the degree and quality of change in impact and outcome indicators between baseline, midterms, and final evaluations.

The baseline survey will be conducted by external consultant/evaluator team to assess the situation prior to identifying constraints and challenges faced by the target populations in specific areas of the action; Building Capacity of Civil Society Organizations on Supporting Marginalized Populations to Access to Public Services and Respond to Global Warming (EU NDICI Project). This process will consist of a desk study, field visits, surveys, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and interviews with key stakeholders, including targeted populations. On-site, online or telephone methods can be properly arranged for gathering necessary data and information.  

4. Scope of assessment

This is a baseline survey of EU project “Building Capacity of Civil Society Organizations on Supporting Marginalized Populations in Access to Public Services and Respond to Global Warming” (EU NDICI) (January 2024 – December 2028), which is being implemented by ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation and two co-applicants, Chumchonthai Foundation (CTF) and Northern Development Foundation (NDF), along with three subgrantee organizations. The survey aims to examine the situation, needs, and gaps, of targeted marginalized populations as well as expected outcomes of the intervention. The project target areas are in 5 provinces: Mae Hong Son, Phang Nga, Ranong, Satun, and Bangkok. Its target populations include marginalized populations such as ethnic minorities (sea gypsies, hill-tribe, highlanders), small scale-farmers, and women and youth, who are expected to directly benefit from project’s intervention and implementation.

5. Target populations and Sampling

• Target Group 1: 14,000 marginalized populations, 4,200 households, and 54 targeted villages,
• Target Group 2: CSOs and local organizations: NDF, CTF, Big Tree Foundation, 2-Youth Groups, 10 local CSOs  
• Target Group 3: Government agencies national and provincial levels: Social Development and Human Security, Public Health, Education, Social Development, Water Resource, and Natural Resources and Environment and local media    
• Final beneficiaries: > 470,000 stateless people, and 11,000 sea gypsies (Chao Le), and 226,773 populations in Mae Hong Son province, and 7,000 women and youth who live in poverty, in 5 targeted provinces; Mae Hong Son, Phang Nga, Ranong, Satun, and Bangkok.

6. Design and methodology:  

An external consultancy team will be recruited to conduct the baseline survey. The project will be implemented in 5 provinces: Mae Hong Son, Ranong, Satun, Phang Nga, and Bangkok. This baseline survey aims to collect data and information from targeted CSOs, local partners, and marginalized populations. The project baseline design should comprise both qualitative and quantitative data. Secondary and primary sources of data will be gathered, presenting sex, age, and inclusive representation of marginalized people. The methodology will include literatures/desk review, evaluation framework, data collection, data analysis, key findings presentation, and formulating recommendations.

The external consultant team carrying out the project baseline must ensure that key aspects according to OCED-DAC evaluation criteria -- relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability and cross-cutting issues such as gender, youth, and environment ---, are being considered and presented.

7. Expected approach to the project baseline

ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation is committed to ensuring all aspects of the project baseline process are included as listed below:      

Reporting back: The external consultant/evaluation team should commit to feeding key findings and recommendations back to the communities involved in the baseline survey.

Transparency, ethical standards: The external consultant/evaluation team should clearly explain to the communities involved in the baseline the purpose of the exercise and their information will be used. The baseline should follow ActionAid’s ethical standards for research and data collection and should include a risk assessment covering security risks to the communities.

Community voices: It is essential that the evaluation reflects the voices of affected communities. People should be consulted as part of the baseline survey, and their voices should be included in the baseline report as direct quotes and case studies. In line with ActionAid’s mandate the baseline should prioritize people living in poverty and marginalized people, especially women and youth.

Women’s participation: It is essential that women’s voices are clearly heard in the baseline. As a guide, at least 50% of the people consulted should be women. The timing and location of assessment activities, as well as the composition of the evaluation team, should be designed to maximize women’s ability to participate in the baseline survey.

Participatory approaches: ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation expects that the assessment to be as participatory as possible. A participatory evaluation approach should be used, engaging partner organizations and communities’ representatives in the assessment process.

Transparency about methodology: The project baseline should include detailed and transparent discussion of the methodology used and key decisions made in designing and implementing the baseline. This should cover information about the sampling approach (including the number of people/communities covered and the extent of its representativeness), the tools used and the reasons for their selection, and methodological limitations and gaps in the baseline survey.

Disaggregated data: Data must be disaggregated in as much detail as possible. At a minimum, this means disaggregation by age, sex, ethnicities and/or group of populations.

Responding to urgent issues: Any information identified by the project baseline that requires urgent action should be immediately highlighted to ActionAid Thailand, without waiting for the submission of the formal baseline report.

ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation expects to use both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect and analyze data for the project baseline. The external consultant/evaluation team should ensure that the methodologies used in this assessment are designed to encourage participation from the target audiences. Additionally, a gender perspective should be incorporated into this process.  Furthermore, the findings should be made available for incorporate and application in future interventions.  

It is expected that a draft of the report will be submitted to the Project Management Team (PMT) of EU NDICI project at an agreed time before the final submission date, to allow for review and comments before the report is finalized. 

8. Intended Users:

ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation and partner organizations will incorporate and carefully examine the key findings from the project baseline report to understand the contextual situation of target areas and populations. The baseline report will be submitted to the European Union Delegation (EUD) with the annual report of the project. Recommendations from the external consultant/evaluation team will be proposed to the project stakeholders.

9. Expected timetable

Budget: 3,428.58 EUR (THB 126,857.46)

10. Roles and responsibilities

The external consultant/evaluator team will be hired to conduct the project baseline for the EU NDICI project, working closely with the EU NDICI Project Manager, Program and Policy Manager, and partner organizations of the project. The activity will be overseen by the EU NDICI Project Management Team (PMT), and project staff of the EU NDICI project will assist in contacting the target groups, key stakeholders and beneficiaries, as well as facilitating during field visits. In case of emergencies or any concerns related to field visits and data collection approaches, the hired external consultant/evaluator team is required to contact or update the EU NDICI Project Manager. During the conduct the baseline for the EU NDICI project, expenses related to logistics, accommodations, fees, food and beverages, paperwork, data analysis, documentation, arrangements for key informants for interviews, and surveys shall be covered by the hired external consultant/evaluator team.

11. Expected outputs/deliverables

The agreed outputs of the final report of the project baseline are:

• Final baseline report of no more than 30 pages (excluding annexes) in both English and Thai languages, to include:
  • Cover page (title of the baseline report, date, name of consultants, photo)
  • Table of Contents
• Executive summary of no more than 2 pages outlining the key purpose of the baseline, main points of analysis, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations
  • Introduction outlining the background to the EU NDICI Project baseline
  • Purpose and objectives of the EU NDICI Project baseline
  • Methodology/approach, project objectives and indicators used, and limitations of the baseline
  • Major findings (data analysis, including gender analysis, and lessons learned)
  • Recommendations
• Annexes: details of data collection tools, schedule of field visits and meetings, list of participants interviewed, and the approach used, bibliography of key documents consulted, photos and related documents.
• The external consultant/evaluation team is required to make a presentation of key findings and recommendations to the EU NDICI Project Management Team (PMT), project staff and key stakeholders under the project.
• A Power Point presentation summarizing key findings and recommendations that can be used to disseminate findings within ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation and with external stakeholders.
• The raw data (all transcripts, quantitative and qualitative data, data collection tools, photos etc.) must be handed over to ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation together with the final report of baseline report.

12. Key references

• Proposals and logical framework related to the EU NDICI project
• ActionAid International (Thailand) Foundation guidelines on gathering content (photos, case studies etc.)
• Contact details for key staff and stakeholders
• Internal guidelines and policies (AAT Strategy, etc.)
• Staff security policy

13. Evaluation team qualifications and how to apply:

• Master’s degree in social sciences, Monitoring and Evaluation, International Development Studies, Human Rights and related fields, etc.;
• At least 5 years of experience in conducting and managing evaluations, assessments, audits, research, or review of development projects, and programmes;
• Extensive knowledge of Monitoring and Evaluation in project development, as well as approaches and methodologies in Monitoring and Evaluation, especially Theory of Change (ToC) and Logframe is preferred;
• Proven record in conducting research, surveys, baselines, endlines, including monitoring and evaluation of project development funded by international donors;
• Proven experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning of project development in the development sector is preferred;
• Fluent in English and Thai;
• Good understanding the Thai CSOs, policy advocacy, state services, and not limited to, social protection, human rights, marginalized populations, poverty, global warming, sustainable agriculture and natural resources, and inclusive socio-economic development is an asset;
• Good presentation and reporting skills, especially the ability to produce high-quality reports;
• Strong commitment to social justice, gender equality, and human dignity;
• Excellent attention to detail and evidence

Selection Criteria

The interested external consultant/evaluator team is required to submit an expression of interest stating the team members skills and experiences of the project baseline and project assessment related (max 1 page), proposed technical and financial proposal: outline of baseline framework and methods, timeframe, work plan and budget-breakdown (max 4 pages), and Curriculum Vitae (CV) of proposed individual/s and evidence of record for similar baseline/project assessment carried out previously.

How to Appy 

Interested candidates are requested to submit expression of interest, an electronic copy of  the Curriculum Vitae, previous baseline/assessment, proposed baseline proposal and financial proposal by July 26, 2024 with the subject Baseline of EU NDICI Project to jobs.thailand@actionaid.org and Kanchana.Somsakul@actionaid.org