Call For Proposals Fy 23/01/002
Terms of Reference for Conducting the End-line evaluation under Let’s Keep Playing Project
1. Introduction
About Plan International
Plan International Rwanda opened in January 2007 and is currently working in the Eastern and Southern Provinces of Rwanda in the districts of Gatsibo, Bugesera and Nyaruguru and operating in all five refugee camps in Rwanda.
Plan International Rwanda has a Country Strategy (2020-2024) of which the overall goal is" To contribute to the access to comprehensive ECD services and the reduction of SGBV so that vulnerable children and young people, particularly girls grow up, develop and realise their rights to make decisions about their lives in protective, healthy, resilient and inclusive environments in both development and humanitarian settings". This country strategy focuses on four Country Programmes (CPs):
(i) Early Childhood Development, (ii) Child Protection, (iii) Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and (iv) Disaster Risk Management and Resilience. We have adopted Youth Economic Empowerment and Gender Transformative Programming as cross-cutting thematic areas and enablers to support the four country programs.

2. Background on the topic/ issue
As a child centred community development organization, Plan International Rwanda secured funds from The LEGO Foundation to implement a project entitled “LET’S KEEP PLAYING”. This Project will be located in Gatsibo, Bugesera, Nyaruguru, Kirehe, Gisagara, and Nyamagabe. The project timeframe is 21 months starting 01st October 2021 to 30thJune 2023. The project aims to strengthen early childhood caregiving and community education workers, teachers for an improved ability to facilitate learning through play with children aged 3 to 9. It also aims to have Parents and caregivers trained on Parenting under Pressure and can give responsive care to children’s needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The broad objective of the project
The project will build on the foundation laid by Play Matters- a project that was also funded by LEGO Foundation at the height of the first lockdown when schools and ECD centres were closed to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s Keep Playing Project currently implements two components which include Play Matters,and Parenting Under Pressure (PUP. This aims to strengthen early childhood nurturing care and positive parenting under pressing context in order to improve the ability to facilitate learning through play with children aged 3 to 9.

• Intended project’s outcomes and indicators:
Outcome 1: Early childhood caregivers and community education workers/ lower primary teachers have an improved ability to facilitate learning through play with children aged 3 to 9.
• Indicator 1.1: % of parents/caregivers who report that they meaningfully engaged with their young children (between 3 to 9 years old) in activities that are critical to promoting their learning and socioemotional development.
• Indicator 1.2: % of parents/caregivers that report using the Play Matters at home paper packet in the past seven days.
• Indicator 1.3: % of educators using self-learning model in the past week.
Outcome 2: Parents and caregivers are trained on Parenting under pressure tool kits and can give responsive care to the children’s needs during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Indicator 2.1: % of parents and caregivers who can describe key nurturing care practices for children following the end of the program.
• Indicator 2.2: % of parents with basic knowledge of the benefits of male engagement in the care and development of their children
• Indicator 2.3.% of targeted parents/caregivers who can describe at least two positive coping strategies that can be used in crises or emergencies
Outcome 3: Children continue learning through play while the ECD centres /schools are closed, and final-year children are prepared to enrol in primary school (Transition to primary).
• Indicator 3.1: % of parents/caregivers that report listening to the radio show in the past month.
3. Purpose of the Evaluation
The purposes of the End-line evaluation for Let’s Keep Playing project is
1. to assess the extent to which the project outcomes have been achieved by measuring the status of indicators on both components of the project (PlayMatters at home and PUP) against baseline findings/survey data, and
2. to capture the key learnings, challenges, good practices and recommendations for the future projects/programs improvement and also set the tone for the project sustainability.

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3.1 Evaluation Criteria and Questions
The following are the key criteria and questions to be assessed in the End-line evaluation:
Effectiveness: This end-line will assess the extent to which, and track whether the project objectives and indicators have been effectively achieved or not, including any differential results across groups. This assessment will also indicate the reasons why if the project’s objectives have not responded to the project’s outcomes. The focus should be on outputs' and outcomes’ delivery and quality (not activities). The level of achievement of results should be assessed as reflected by indicators covering the specific outcome. The following questions should be answered:
• Were the expected results realised? Did the achievement of the results conduct to the achievement of the project outcomes?
• What were the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of set objectives and outcomes?
• If there is a gap between the benefits brought by the activities and the objectives and outcomes of the project, how can it be explained?
Relevance: End-line Evaluation will assess the extent to which the interventions and the approaches used were suitable and responded to the priorities needs of the project’s participants and the communities at large. The following questions should be answered:
• To what extent has the intervention objectives and design responded to beneficiaries‘ needs, and have they continued to do so if/when circumstances have changed?
• To what extent have lessons learned from what works well and less well been used to improve and adjust intervention implementation?
Efficiency: End-line evaluation will assess the extent to which financial resources were used economically and efficiently The following question should be answered:
• To what extent has the intervention delivered, or is likely to deliver, results in an economic and timely way?
Impact: End-line Evaluation will assess the extent of project’s contribution to the communities’ good practices on wellbeing, early childhood nurturing care, positive parenting and the improvement of quality education delivery on learning through play. Moreover, it will assess any observed positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects observed
• To what extent has the project generated, or is expected to generate, significant positive or negative, intended or unintended, high-level effects?
Sustainability: The End-line evaluation will also assess the probability of continued long-term benefits of the project to the target participants after the project has been completed. The following questions should be answered:
• What evidence is there to suggest the project’s interventions and/or results will be sustained after the project end?
• What are the possibilities for replication and extension of the project’s outcomes?
Child rights, gender and inclusion: It will assess the extent to which the project applied gender and inclusion sensitive approaches and explicitly aimed for results that improve the rights of children and young people and gender equality.
The evaluation will establish the level at which the key project beneficiaries and the stakeholders are responsibility to ensure that the outcomes and benefits are or will be sustainable after the phaseout.
• Users of the Evaluation:
This End-line evaluation will be used by project’s stakeholders including Plan international Rwanda, Denmark National Office (DNO), Plan International ECD Hub and network, LEGO Foundation as well as project’s staff and participants; in terms of learning, future programming and influence work.
4. Methods for Data Collection and Analysis
• Qualitative surveys with parents/caregivers in both development and humanitarian settings
• Focus group discussions with community volunteers/ caregivers and friend of families
• Key informant interviews with Sector Education Officers (SEOs), teachers, head teachers, camp community leaders and local community leaders.

4.1 Mixed method survey questionnaire(s)
It is recommended to use a mixed methods approach. The Consultant shall ensure that triangulation of information is done where possible. The evaluator(s) will develop appropriate tools for data collection with different stakeholders as outlined in this TOR.
The methods, approach and tools originally used to assess PUP indicator assessment/ survey and others used in Play Matters monitoring will also be used when developing the overall evaluation methodology, to set criteria and answer evaluation questions
Specifically for the assessment of the PUP indicators, the mixed questionnaire used for the initial indicator assessment must be integrated in the tools for the end-line, and the same PUP participants much be surveyed in order to enable comparison.
The research will involve an administration of tools/ questionnaires for parents/caregivers, PTP leaders ,community education workers (lower primary teachers, head teachers),camp community leaders as well as community members (indirect participants) to provide data and information relevant for the project end line with consideration of the same questions for the same parents as the initial assessment as well as other quantitative surveys, plus the focus groups and Key informant Interventions. If possible, specific names of the respondents to the survey will be provided to the evaluator; if this is not possible, the evaluator will be expected to randomly select the project participants.
The consultant is expected to work with Plan International team on refining the tools that fit with the local context, project’s M&E Framework and also to include additional questions as needed to inform the end line.
The hired Consultant and data enumerators will be given induction briefing on Plan International’s safeguarding, code of conduct and data privacy prior to data collection.

4.2 Qualitative
For qualitative interviews, the research will involve the main methods of data collection that will answer questions related to end line evaluation. The following methods may be employed:
Focus Group Discussions (semi- structured discussions with groups) with a random selection of participants, with the following distinct groups.
• Parenting under pressure /Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA)
• Caregivers, volunteers and friend of families
• Lower primary teachers
• Male parents
• Education officers and head teachers
• Plan staff, education officers etc.
Key Informant Interviews with purposefully selected individuals, each of whom will be asked questions according to the expected results of the project.
• With education workers, local authorities, plan staff and PTP Leaders who are relevant to the study. Key informant interview guides will contain questions that both address issues related to the end-line study.
• Other various methods should be used in the evaluation process. These include:
1. Document review (project reports and other related documents)
2. Observation in and around home based ECD, schools and camps communities
3. Testimonies from PUP VSLA members, etc.
Sample
The primary data collection will take place in both development and humanitarian settings. The consultant should, after consulting relevant documentation of the project, develop and suggest a sampling strategy including a description of the sample size such as the baseline population, disaggregated as per Plan International guidelines; location and the sampling approach.
The PI standards on Minimum Beneficiary Disaggregation will be shared with the consultants. The minimum requirement is a disaggregation according to gender and age, but how this standard needs to be applied in this specific study will need to be discussed with the project’s staff.
• Participant Selection and Recruitment:
The participant selection and recruitment will be done by the evaluator basing on the above targets and the evaluation’s requirements in terms of evaluation scope based on resources and time.
The consultant in consultation with Plan International Rwanda can also identify and suggest additional or excluded stakeholders that he/she feels are important to involve to ensure he/she gets the information he/she needs to assess the baseline values thoroughly.

Ethical and Child Protection
As a child right based organization, Plan International has a strict child protection policy and guidelines that partners or staff follows. It is thus expected that the selected evaluator will adhere to child protection policy and code of conduct when working with children and youth. Prior to data collection, a Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment for MERL will be done to assess the level of risks to potential participants and propose appropriate strategies to overcome them.
Plan International is committed to ensuring that the rights of those participating in data collection or analysis are respected and protected, in accordance with Ethical MERL Framework and our Global Policy on Safeguarding Children and Young People. All applicants should include details in their proposal on how they will ensure ethics and child protection in the data collection process. Specifically, the evaluator(s) shall explain how appropriate, safe, non-discriminatory participation of all stakeholders will be ensured and how special attention will be paid to the needs of children and other vulnerable groups. The evaluator(s) shall also explain how confidentiality and anonymity of participants will be guaranteed.

Key deliverables
The reports must conform to Plan International’s requirements and standards; this will be assessed by Plan International Rwanda’s MERL team, project staff as well as DNO.
The consultant is, expected to lead, accomplish and submit the following deliverables within the agreed timeframe and budget:
An inception report, will entail the tools and methodologies to be used and it will serve as an agreement between parties on how the evaluation will be, conducted. Items to include:
• Understanding of the issues and questions raised in the ToR
• Data sources; how to assess the questions in the ToR
• Research methodology, including suggested sample and size
• Schedule of activities and traveling (timeline)
• Proposal for a learning event/validation of evaluation findings
• Detailed budget
• Appropriate validated draft data collection tools (e.g. methodological guidelines, group interview questions)
• Raw data in any of the following statistical packages (STATA, SPSS,) and also transcribed qualitative scripts
• The inception report should be submitted within 10 days after signing the contract.
A maximum of maximum 50-page draft and final report using the structure set out below.
Therefore, the end line report will respond to analysis and compare the progress that have been made from project baseline to its end line. The report should be presented within 10 working days from the conclusion of the data collection.
Final report (hard copies and an electronic copy in English) with the same specifications as mentioned under 2 above, incorporating any comments received from Plan International Rwanda and donor at a validation workshop on the draft report, to be presented within 5 days of the receipt of the comments. The consultant will generate a “Factsheet” in a “Flyer Format” summarizing the key findings for each outcome. The fact sheet should indicate each endline indicator value. It is preferable to illustrate the findings by appropriate graphs, visuals, tables and/or a dashboard with an accompanied explanatory text.
The report should consist of:
• A standard cover sheet;
• Executive summary;
• Description of background and objectives;
• Methodology, including sampling and limitations;
• Description of findings (analysis and interpretation);
• Conclusions and recommendations and annexes-not limited to:
1. End-line evaluation ToR
2. List of people consulted and their identifications (including age and sex)
3. List of documents consulted
4. Final data collection tools/instruments (e.g., Key Informant Interview Guides, Observational Checklist, Identifying Household Information, Adolescent Survey, Caregiver Survey, Study Introduction, Permissions, Informed Consent Form, Study Introduction, Interviewer Training Schedule)
5. Cleaned data (including data files (e.g. Excel, STATA SPSS), transcripts of qualitative data, syntax/ code books etc.)
6. Completed Consent Forms (including for children and their caregivers and adults)
7. End-line fact sheet.

5. Timeline
The project’s end-line evaluation will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will cover PUP and Play Matters at home in the development settings. This, is expected to start 31st January 2023 till 24th Feb 2023. The second phase will be carried out from 3rd April 2023 and ends 3rd May 2023 in humanitarian settings.
# Activity Days of work Responsible Individuals involved
1 ToR development and submit 28th Nov-5th December 2022 PIR/DNO PIR/DNO
2 Call for tendering 9thJanuary 2023 to 26th January 2023 PIR Procurement, project team
3 Background Checks and Contracting; 27th -30th January 2023 PIR Procurement and the evaluator
4 Inception Call/ Inception Workshop; 31th January 2023 PIR Procurement
5 Submission of Inception Report; 6th February, 2023 Evaluator
6 Preparations for Data Collection (tool testing, translation of tools, mobilisation of respondents, training of enumerators where applicable, ethical or government approval for data collection (where applicable)); 7-10th /February 2023 Evaluator/PIR Enumerators
7 Data Collection for first phase; 13-24th February 2023 Evaluator/PIR Enumerators
8 Data Collection for second phase; 3rd/-14thApr 2023 Evaluator Evaluator
9 Data cleaning, entry and analysis
17th -28th Apr 2023 Evaluator Evaluator
10 Submission of zero draft report 6th May 2023 Evaluator PIR
11 Validation of the report with PIR and stakeholders 19th May 2023 Evaluator PIR/key stakeholders
12 Final report 25th May 2023
6. Budget
The payments will be made in three instalments in local currency (Rwandan Francs RWF) as detailed below:
• After submission and acceptance of the Inception Report: 40%
• After submission of the first draft report for both Humanitarian and Development settings: 30%
• After submitting the final report; (having incorporated comments from the validation workshop) and other materials 30%
Expected Qualifications:
Interested bidders are required to clearly indicate the person who will be leading this end-line evaluation, hereby known as the evaluator and also detail the specific tasks of the other members who will work with him/her.

Therefore, the evaluator will be expected to have the following key competencies:
• A Master’s degree in Social/Educational Research, Project management, Development studies, Economics, Education, or other related field from a recognized university.
• Thematic expertise in at least one of the following: ECD and education, economic security and resilience, community engagement, Child protection or financial education for at least 5 years
• Proven experience of at least 5 years in undertaking similar project consultancies for reputable organisations (baseline survey, midline survey, endline survey, project designs/planning among others).
• Experience in the use of qualitative methods and analysis of research. studies
• Experience in quantitative methods and analysis and in integrating quantitative data into evaluation reports.
• Strong data analysis skills (especially using STRATA, SPSS, MS Access; or Epi Info)
• Excellent English report writing skills and data interpretation
• Familiarity with research projects related to education, child protection, ECD and community engagement
• Ability to conduct research independently.
• A history of published articles, studies, or research work.
• Fluent in English, ideally with working level of Kinyarwanda
SUBMISSION OF THE PROPOSAL
Interested evaluators or consultancy firms are expected to submit a detailed proposal with the following components:

Technical proposal to include:
• A Cover letter expressing interest in this assignment;
• A one-page consultant’s understanding of the TOR
• Proposed methodology, activities and expected outcomes;
• A detailed activities schedule/work plan with time frame (including a Gantt chart);
• Ethics and child safeguarding approaches, including any identified risks and associated mitigation strategies
• A profile of the consulting firm including the full names, physical address, telephone numbers and contact person of the firm/company; date of registration, registration number, copy of registration certificate and VAT certificate; names of directors, Tax status of the consultant/Consultancy Firm in Rwanda and legal registration
• Copies of CVs of the consultant and his/her team who will undertake the end-line research.
• Two previous examples of similar work entrusted by a well-recognized Organization/NGOs.
Financial proposal detailing:
• Itemized consultant’s fees
• Itemized field data collection expenses
• Itemized administration expenses
• Validity period of quotation
• Expected payment plan and method

Submission Procedure
Kindly submit your offers clearly marked “Consultancy to Conduct the end-line Evaluation for Let’s Keep Playing Project” separating Technical and Financial Proposals in sealed envelope by not later than 24th January 2023 at 2:00 pm.
Done on 11th January 2023
Submissions should be addressed to
The Chairperson -Tender Panel
Plan International Inc. Rwanda
Golden Plaza Building, Floor # 4, KG 456 St
P.O. Box 6211, Kigali, Rwanda.