TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) FOR BASELINE SURVEY

Task: Baseline Survey for Gahengeri Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program located in Gahengeri Sector, Rwamagana District

1. Background

Living Water International (LWI), headquartered in Houston, Texas – USA, is a global Christian non- governmental organization whose mission is to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately needed clean water, and to experience "living water"—the gospel of Jesus Christ—which alone satisfies the deepest thirst”.

LWI’s programs are clustered into three key sectors namely, water access, hygiene & sanitation promotion and Christian witness boosted by church & community mobilization for sustainability of holistic Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services.

Living Water International is operating in Rwanda since 2007, and has been implementing water projects across the country, and 80% of its interventions were implemented in Ruhango and Nyanza districts where two WASH Program Areas have been established to serve the households, schools and health care facilities.

This year - 2024, Living Water International – Rwanda (LWI-R) is initiating a new WASH Program “Gahengeri WASH Program” to serve the people of Rwamagana district specifically starting with Gahengeri sector. It is in this context that LWI-R wishes to hire an experienced Consultant to assist in conducting baseline survey (Household survey only) for Gahengeri WASH Program located in Gahengeri sector, Rwamagana District. The baseline survey will help to collect WASH data which is required to benchmark key indicators for outputs and outcomes as described in this document

2. Baseline survey Objectives

The Gahengeri Saturate Pilot – WASH Program Baseline survey’s objectives are as follow:

• To assess and report on the context that program beneficiaries live in.
• To establish benchmarks for monitoring and assessing the project’s progress and effectiveness during implementation and develop strategic recommendations and learnings to improve the project performance.
• To guide the implementation of the program by ensuring that the program proposed interventions are responding to the needs of the communities.
• To help in accountability and learning as well as directing efforts where they are most needed. to enhance accountability and facilitate learning, while also guiding efforts where they are most needed.
• To identify challenges and opportunities which might affect achievement of the program goal, including specific recommendations about approaches, activities or partnerships for Living Water International Rwanda’s consideration.

3. The Program Goal and Outcomes

The Program Goal is to have resilient households that are transformed spiritually, physically, and socially using sustainable basic WASH services in Gahengeri Sector by 2030.

To achieve this goal, the program wants to conduct a baseline survey to effectively set/establish benchmarks for outcome and output level indicators listed below:

Goal: Resilient households that are transformed spiritually, physically, and socially using sustainable basic WASH services.

Outcomes:

• Outcome 1 : Improved access to sustainable, safe, adequate, and equitable water

services for people in Gahengeri Sector.

• Outcome 2 : Improved access to sustainable, and inclusive sanitation services and practicing appropriate hygiene behaviours for people in Gahengeri Sector.

Outcome 3 : Empowered church leaders in the Gahengeri Sector, effectively practicing integral missions, advancing WASH development, and nurturing spiritual growth within their communities.

• Outcome 4 : Increased community members' knowledge and action on disaster preparedness and response.
• Outcome 5 : Enhanced community members' knowledge and action on Creation Care / Environmental Stewardship.

4. Baseline survey area and Population

The Gahengeri WASH Program is set to encompass the Gahengeri Sector, which boasts a population of 35,732 individuals, comprising 17,391 males and 18,341 females. This population resides across eight administrative Cells as presented in the table below

5. Baseline Survey Approach

The Baseline Survey will be carried out by an External Consultant / Consulting Firm who will advise on the appropriate methodology and review the existing tools to be used in data collection and will take charge of data analysis as per the program indicators. The consultant or consulting firm will work with relevant Living Water International Rwanda Staff to ensure that proposed tools are appropriate for data collection.

As initial qualitative data collection was already carried out at institutional and community level by Living Water International Rwanda; the consultant is expected to focus efforts on quantitative data collection at household level only and use available qualitative data/report and secondary data to adequately respond to the Baseline Survey objectives above mentioned and benchmark any indicators which are not covered by household survey data/findings.

The Consultant will propose methodological adaptations compatible with the local context and based on the requirements of the performance indicators of the program. The data collection tools will need a clear translation in local language to ensure their consistent application during data collection.

The consultant will develop a detailed methodology for data collection, data management and analysis in their technical proposal which will be discussed prior to the final hiring process.

For efficiency and consistency, Baseline Survey will make as much use as possible of reliable secondary data and existing qualitative information collected during the design phase of Saturate Pilot Program.

6. Sampling method and Sample Size

Household surveys should collect data on key indicators from a representative, randomly selected, and statistically significant sample of households in the Saturate Pilot Program area, with a 95% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. The consultant will advise the best approach for sample calculation and selection taking into consideration the nature of the Saturate Program as a pilot program using a community gradual implementation approach in eight communities (cells) of Gahengeri Sector. However, Living Water International rule of thumb is that a sample size of any evaluation in the WASH Program Areas should be at least 600 households.

7. Baseline data collection tools, data analysis and enumerators

A household questionnaire will be administered to the respondents to collect quantitative data. In case of need, Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key Interview guide may be organized only for information triangulation cross-checking of data collected at household level.

During data collection, the Consultant is expected to use digital data collection means such as “Kobo collect App” which works well on tablets and smartphones to save time for data entry and to easily check on the quality of the collected data instantaneously. Qualified enumerators will be hired by LWIR, trained and deployed to collect data. The Consultant will have full access to Living Water International Rwanda’s Kobo Collect to be able to follow up closely the data collection process and timely take appropriate measures to ensure the good quality of collected data. No other external server is allowed to be used during data collection.

Quantitative data analysis shall be also carried out using appropriate statistical analysis software (preferably SPSS). For qualitative data analysis the consultant is allowed to use any qualitative statistical software.

8. Major Outcome of the Baseline Survey

The consultant will work together with Living Water International Rwanda staff at each step of review of data collection tools, data collection, data cleaning, analysis and reporting. The ultimate outcome of the assignment is to produce a survey factsheet, a draft survey report and then final report be submitted for approval. After approval of the final report, the consultant will facilitate a half-day synthesis workshop bringing together community representatives, local government stakeholders and Living Water International staff to review, validate or clarify preliminary findings.

9. Timeline

The whole process of baseline survey of Gahengeri WASH Program is expected to start mid-September 2024 and the consultant is expected to propose a detailed timeline to complete the exercise including field data collection and compilation of the survey report. Once reports are submitted and reviewed, the consultant should be expected to respond to the feedback from reviewers at country, regional and global office levels.

10. Qualifications of the Consultant and Obligations of the parties

10.1 Qualifications of the Consultant or consultancy firm

The team to perform this consultancy should possess a minimum of the following qualifications

• At least Master’s degree (equivalent) in the fields of Statistics, Public Health, Water Resources and Environmental management, Water Sanitation Environmental Engineering, International development, Development studies and any other related field.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively working experience in designing and coordinating surveys or assessments or research studies within Rwanda WASH sector.
• Experience of undertaking similar assignments (WASH surveys) with International NGOs
• Knowing how Rwanda WASH sector operates is essential
• Experience in working with government officials, community leaders and women’s groups.
• Experience in managing mobile data collection (paperless) in the field – especially Kobo collect application.
• Thorough understanding of research methods like qualitative and quantitative is compulsory
• Excellent knowledge of research related software for like SPSS is essential.
• Excellent analytical skills to review and provide substantive feedback on documents.
• Excellent communication skills – oral and written – pertinent to all elements of work.
• High degree of computer proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, power point.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills

10.2 Obligations of the consultant and LWIR during baseline survey

11. HOW TO APPLY

Proposal for Gahengeri WASH Program Baseline Survey

Part 1: Technical Proposal

This should be in Times New Roman 11, normal page margin and 1.0 line spacing. It should have eight (8) pages maximum and should provide responses to the following questions:

• Which methodology will be adapted to accomplish these baseline survey?
• What are profiles of the key personnel for these assignments?
• What is your experience in undertaking similar assignments?
• How will you undertake the various tasks for these assignments?
• How long will it take you to accomplish these assignments?
• Annex of 3 sample reports of similar assignments (WASH surveys)
• Updated CVs of the key personnel (3 persons -Max) - Each Resume not exceeding 4 pages.
• Recommendation letters. Alternatively, you can attach past contracts.
• Any another relevant item

Part 2: Cost Proposal and Work plan (Attachments)

• Detailed budget or cost proposal (in excel). Include all costs associated with the assignments and remember to cater for applicable taxes. Please while preparing the financial exclude the cost related to enumerators fees, their transport because that will be covered by LWIR
• Detailed timeline or work plan (in excel or word) - this should be in days.

Note: ALL proposals that do not meet the above format will not be considered for evaluation.

How to submit application

Applications should be submitted via e-mail with relevant attachments to rwanda@water.cc before 9th September, 2024, by 17:00. All documents in PDF should be zipped in one folder and ensure to note “Baseline Survey for Gahengeri WASH Program” as the subject of email during submission. Please note that only applications from competent Rwandan consultant(s) or firms/companies will be considered. Individual consultants are required to submit valid copies of their national identity cards or passports while the consulting firms/companies submit their valid copies of business registration certificates. Note that hard copies are not acceptable.

12. Application review process

Each application will be assessed on the quality of technical proposals, previous work experience, and financial proposal. The technical proposal will be reviewed and scored prior to reviewing the financial proposal.

While all applications will be screened and reviewed by the LWI Team, only the top applicants will be invited for face-to-face interview at LWI Rwanda Country Office.

Hastings Banda

Country Director

Living Water International Rwanda