Consultant MERL & Outcome Harvesting at Equal Access

Background:
Equal Access International is an international not for profit organization working throughout Asia and Africa. A communication for social change organization that combines the power of media with community mobilization, Equal Access creates customized communications strategies and outreach solutions that address the most critical challenges affecting people in the developing world in the areas of peace and transforming extremism, women’s and girl’s empowerment, governance, civic participation, youth development, human rights, and health. EAI is currently implementing the Voices for Peace (V4P) US Agency for International Development (USAID) focusing on P/CVE, radicalization, and conflict resolution in the Sahel region of Africa.
V4P is a 5-year, $31 million project working to reduce vulnerabilities to violent extremism in the Sahel. Country offices implement activities in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, with each country following a unique workplan tailored to address locally identified drivers of extremism. V4P uses public media and dialogue, primarily radio shows produced across a network of over 80 local stations broadcasting in over 12 local languages, to create a two-way information exchange between governments and citizens, encourage social cohesion, and encourage behavior change.
V4P seeks a monitoring and evaluation consultant with experience in complexity awareness modelling, specifically to work with the V4P M&E team on a follow-up exercise to an outcome harvesting evaluation originally performed in 2020. The consultant will guide five M&E countries in selecting outcomes from the 2020 evaluation for follow up, and to determine which activities or investments of the last calendar year also merit an outcome harvesting investigation. Once outcomes are collected at the country level, the consultant will use an existing outcome database to update project findings and provided updated analysis on where the project’s deepest impacts are found. The consultant will work remotely but be in regular contact with the Senior Technical Manager (Washington DC), regional project leadership (Cote d’Ivoire), and the five V4P country offices.
Statement of Work Deliverable Deadline & LOE

1. OUTCOME HARVESTING EVALUATIONS
   Review 2020 Outcome harvesting evaluation of the V4P project for familiarity of subject matter.
   Then, in an introductory call with V4P field teams, consultant and staff will mutually agree on a Introductory call with project leadership and M&E officers LOE: 1 day
   Deadline: 2 July 2021
   methodology and timetable for the follow-up
   evaluation to take place in July 2021.
   Individual working sessions with each M&E officer to review harvesting plan
   5 calls LOE: 1 day
   Deadline: 9 July 2021
   Review country level data for thoroughness, accuracy, and relevance. Combine data into master spreadsheet database (to be provided). Consultant will be available as a resource person in case of issues, obstacles, or
   methodological questions. Updated database LOE: 7 days
   Deadline: 30 July 2021
   Provide analysis of updated results using tables and chart formats from 2020 exercise One visual report LOE: 5 days
   Deadline: 9 August 2021
   Supervision
   The MERL Consultant will be managed by the EAI Senior Technical Manager and liaise with the Deputy Chief of Party for V4P and work frequently with field based V4P staff to ensure quality and impactful implementation of the task.
   Duration of Assignment
   The assignment will take up to 14 days from 1 July 2021 to 9 August 2021.
   Logistics
   EAI will facilitate the Logistics, Accommodation and Meals for the Consultant if undertaking work-required visits beyond their home of record. However, no travel is envisioned for this consultancy and work is to be done remotely, with communications over Skype or Microsoft Teams.
   Required Skills & Qualifications:
   • At least 10 years of relevant work experience in MERL, preferably in West Africa
   • Good understanding of complexity awareness/outcome harvesting approach
   • Experience in designing and implementing MERL systems
   • An understating of media work, peacebuilding, and CVE work
   • Strong analytical skills, including expertise in the modeling and analysis of data
   • Fluency in English and French required
   Required
   The Consultant is expected to share an implementation plan for the assignment indicating the actual dates for the tasks based on the LOE provided.