ThaiNGO

Plan International

Terms of reference for a Research, Monitoring and Learning (RML) Consultant to support research, monitoring and evaluation, and learning activities by the FAIR Fish Project

I. About Plan International

We strive to advance children’s rights and equality for girls all over the world. As an independent development and humanitarian organization, we work alongside children, young people, our supporters and partners to tackle the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. For over 86 years we have been building powerful partnerships for children, and we are active in over 80 countries.

The Fostering Accountability in Recruitment for Fishery Workers Project (FAIR Fish) is an effort to reduce forced labor and human trafficking in the seafood-processing sectors of Thailand. The project is supported by the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT) at the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), United States Department of Labor (USDOL). The FAIR Fish project is led by Plan International, an NGO with expertise in addressing forced labor (FL), human trafficking (HT) and child labor (CL) among fisherfolks and seafood processors in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Project implementation started in January 2019 and will end in December 2024.

II. Background

The FAIR Fish Project is approaching the end of its implementation period. In a bid to complete the implementation of all the planned research, monitoring and evaluation and learning activities, particularly the final evaluation and reporting, by December 2024, the project needs an additional team member with advanced skills and solid experience in results-based monitoring and evaluation to support the project.

III. Objective of the TOR

The project is looking for a consultant well-versed in results-based monitoring and evaluation to support the project’s research, monitoring and evaluation and learning activities, especially the data analysis for project reporting and supporting the final evaluation process by external evaluator.

IV. Tasks

The selected consultant is expected to:

1. Attend two days onboarding session on the project’s expectation on consultancy services, relevant compliance requirement, activity timeline, and timesheet recording and payment process;
2. Read the project’s key documents, particularly the Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (CMEP) for FAIR Fish Project, which will track company-led approaches to address forced labor in the recruitment process, compliance with recruitment policies/procedures by third-party recruiters, and increase action on promoting responsible recruitment policies among private sector actors;
3. Ensure all activity results are captured and reported;
4. Guide project team members to use reporting tools and written procedures for data collection, cleaning, analysis and reporting;
5. Supervise data collectors in the field;
6. Conduct data quality assessments;
7. Maintain records on monitoring and evaluation;
8. Oversee research regarding recruitment of workers in the Thai seafood and fishing industries in order to better understand the nature of forced labor in the recruitment process; 
9. Support the project director in the preparation of reports in English on the progress and impact of project implementation; 
10.  Provide technical support to implementing partners on activity reporting and data collection;
11.  Maintain records, monitoring and evaluation for efficient systems/project
12.  Oversight of other MERL initiatives outside of the regular monitoring, and
13.  Submit timesheets with records on tasks completed in English for approval by authorized persons in Plan International on the monthly basis.

V. Timeline

Activities under this TOR are expected to start in August 2024 and be completed by December 2024.

The consultant can work remotely within Thailand with occasional onsite presence to provide onsite support to the project when required. The consultant is expected to meet with the FAIR Fish Project team on a weekly basis, mostly virtually through an online meeting application.

VI. Payment

Plan International will pay the consultant according to the agreed professional fee per day and level of efforts recorded in monthly timesheets. The consultant is expected to work up to 21 days per month only. Plan International Thailand will disburse the payment after the consultant’s monthly timesheet is approved by an authorized representatives of Plan International Thailand and Plan International USA, and after receiving an invoice from the consultant.

VII. Ethics and Child Protection           

Plan International is committed to ensuring that the rights of those participating in data collection or analysis are respected and protected in accordance with our Ethical MERL Framework and our Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy.

VIII. Qualifications

Candidates should have the following qualifications:

• Minimum of a Master’s in statistics, demographics, public policy, international development, economics, social science or related field. Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree plus an advanced certificate in M&E, statistics or economics preferred.  
• Minimum of five to seven years professional experience in a senior M&E position responsible for implementing research, monitoring and learning activities of international development projects. 
• Proven success in designing, implementing and operating project M&E systems from project initiation to closeout stages.
• Five to seven years of experience in designing and leading research including writing protocols/TORs, designing data collection tools, and data analysis, especially quantitative analysis. Experience in labor recruitment, supply chains, human trafficking or market-based systems preferred.  
• Experience in strategic planning and performance measurement.
• Proven track record in design and implementation of research activities particularly regarding labour recruitment, supply chains, human trafficking or market-based systems preferred.  
• Experience with translating information from research and M&E activities to support communication of lessons learned. 
• Knowledgeable about business and human rights principles and social compliance initiatives is a plus.
• Knowledgeable about human rights issues related to the Thai fishery industry is a plus.
• Experience working in development projects funded by the United States (US) Government is a plus.
• Professional proficiency in English (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening) is required.
• Native-level fluency in Thai.
• Ability to facilitate and serve as project liaison for externally managed evaluations.
• Experience with translating information from research and M&E activities to support communication and dissemination of research findings and lessons learned

IX. How to apply?

• Submit the application with a cover letter to Thailand.Procurement@plan-international.org referencing “ FAIRFish: RML Consultant for the FAIR Fish Project.” by July 29, 2024.                                                                                                                                                                                        
• The application should include the following information:
  • • CV with contact details;
    • Daily professional fee;
    • Supportive documents justifying the proposed professional fee, such as evidence of payments received recently.
• The selection of consultants will be done through application reviews and candidate interviews.
• For more information, please call Mr. Preedee Ittipong at Tel. 02-259-8284.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.