Technical assistance for the design, supervision and monitoring of the Cash Transfer component of the CRESCER project in Angola At Acción contra el Hambre España

Terms of Reference (ToRs)

Technical assistance for the design, supervision and monitoring of the Cash Transfer component of the “Operational research against chronic child malnutrition in Angola” CRESCER Project.

Ref. No.: ESMD01705

1- Background

Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organization that fights the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children. We guarantee access to safe water, food, education and basic health care. We make it possible for children, women and men to free themselves from the threat of hunger.**

To date, some 4,000 people work in the Action Against Hunger International Network in more than 42 countries, coordinated from the headquarters in Paris, Madrid, London, New York, Toronto, Milan and Mumbai around the following areas of intervention: nutrition, health, food security and livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene.

While Action Against Hunger is an operational organization, we see our research and innovation activities as our primary means of evaluating and improving the effectiveness, scalability and sustainability of our programs. Action Against Hunger’s research and innovation work focuses on prevention, treatment and the drivers of undernutrition. Our portfolio is diverse: in 2019 alone, we contributed to 46 active research and innovation projects in 25 countries, in collaboration with 58 partners and with financial support from 21 different institutional donors.

In 2020, with the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, we have developed a new line of research on chronic malnutrition.

2- Justification

The overall objective of the CRESCER Project is to contribute to the transfer of evidence and knowledge on the effectiveness of different specific and nutrition-sensitive actions in the context of the Angolan crisis during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, to contain malnutrition and under-five mortality in the provinces of Huíla and Cunene.

The CRESCER project aims to determine, through research and operational innovations, the impact of various equitable and scalable nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive strategies on reducing undernutrition and under-five mortality.

With this objective, the progress and implementation of FRESAN’s multisectoral strategies and projects will be evaluated, as well as their relevance, adequacy, coverage, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and scalability, which can be the basis for recommendations on future scalable interventions to reduce indicators of chronic malnutrition and mortality in children under 5 years of age.

3- Object of the contract

To contract the provision of services necessary for the design, supervision and monitoring of the Cash Transfer component of the CRESCER project “Operational research against chronic child malnutrition in Angola”.

It consists of the following:

1) Carry out the necessary assessments and analysis of the operational and technical design of the trial arm for the Cash Transfer intervention (risk analysis, assessment of financial providers, quantification of needs, gender dynamics), and incorporate good practices for the protection of beneficiary data throughout the intervention, feedback mechanism linked to cash transfers to mitigate identified risks.

2) Design the trial arm for the Cash Transfer intervention (confirm eligibility and targeting criteria, delivery mechanism and frequency, amount of money, protocol and distribution plan…).

3) Participate in the definition of the research protocol and trial monitoring system in coordination with the research team.

4) Define/develop operational monitoring tools for cash distributions and train teams for the proper planning and implementation of the Cash Transfer intervention.

5) Supervise on-site cash distributions and provide ad hoc remote support to ensure the quality and smooth implementation of the Cash Transfer intervention. Formulate recommendations and proposals for improvement.

6) Participate in the analysis of data and publication of trial results.

Expected Result(s) and Output(s)

1) Analysis of the risks associated with the Cash Transfer intervention and assessment of the delivery mechanism for distribution:

· Organisation of a remote workshop on risk analysis and definition of risk mitigation measures with the project team.

· Development of a risk matrix / mitigation measures with operational recommendations to reduce identified risks.

· Conducting a data protection impact assessment.

· Preparation of a comparative table of the financial service providers evaluated.

· Review of the service contract with the selected provider for the delivery of the money.

2) Designing the trial arm for the Cash Transfer intervention

· Elaboration of the trial arm design document for the Cash Transfer intervention with the detailed definition of the intervention and the intervention monitoring plan.

· Elaboration of a communication plan towards the identified counterparts within the project (communities, local authorities…) defining key messages about the Cash Transfer intervention.

· Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) defining the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in the intervention from implementation to monitoring and evaluation of the intervention.

· Develop a distribution and collection plan for the Cash Transfer intervention.

3) Contribution to the definition/presentation of the research protocol and trial monitoring system.

· Participation in regular meetings of the research team.

· Definition of a data quality control system for the intervention of Money Transfers.

· Development and testing of monitoring tools for the Cash Transfer intervention.

· Elaboration of a plan for analysis of the monitoring data of the Cash Transfer intervention.

4) Revision and/or creation of tools for operational monitoring of the intervention and training of teams.

· Development of tracking tools and sources of verification of cash distributions.

· Development of market monitoring and analysis tools.

· Creation of a dashboard for operational monitoring of the Cash Transfer intervention.

· Development and delivery of face-to-face training workshops for the teams implementing the Cash Transfer intervention.

5) Supervision of money distributions

· Organisation of regular follow-up meetings with the focal point of the intervention in Angola (to be defined according to the frequency of distributions) and production of meeting minutes or updating of a follow-up table with the planned actions.

· Annual monitoring visits of the Cash Transfer intervention and production of visit reports after each visit.

· Continuous identification of blockages and/or areas for improvement and formulation of recommendations.

6) Analysis of data and publication of trial results

· Quality control and analysis of the monitoring data of the Monetary Transfers intervention.

· Contribution to the presentation of the results of the trials for the Monetary Transfers intervention.

· Support in the identification of dissemination channels and publication of results.

5. Indicative timetable

The first cash distributions are planned to be launched in February-March 2022.

Consultancy from end 2021 to 2025. Please see detail in the timetable available in the attached ToR.

1) Analysis of the risks associated with the Cash Transfer intervention and assessment of the delivery mechanism for distribution.

2) Design of the trial arm for the Cash Transfer intervention

3) Contribution to the definition/presentation of the research protocol and trial monitoring system.

4) Revision and/or creation of tools for the operational monitoring of the intervention and training of the teams.

5) Oversight of money distributions

6) Analysis of data and publication of trial results

6. Requirements and required documentation

6.1. Professional profile

• Higher studies in areas related to the development of the contract.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Cash Transfer projects.
• Knowledge and application of nutrition security, gender, environment and protection concepts and approaches.
• Previous participation in public health research projects and/or studies will be highly valued.
• Experience working in the area where the project will be carried out will be an asset.
• Basic Office skills (Word, Excel, Power Point).
• Languages required: Spanish and English. Portuguese desirable.

6.2. Documentation required for application

• Resume with certifications of work experience.
• Technical proposal specifying the methodology to be used, chronogram (3 pages maximum).
• Economic proposal on a separate page in pdf format, detailing the total cost of the consultancy activity, addressed to Fundación Acción contra el Hambre, indicating date, place, method of payment, validity of the offer, signed with identity document number. With all applicable taxes included in the offer.

It is important to note that expenses related to monitoring visits to the project area must be included in the financial proposal. These expenses will not be covered by Action Against Hunger and will be justified with the invoices to be submitted to Action Against Hunger.

• Read, accept and return signed the following documents, which are attached to these Terms of Reference.

· Regulation of Good Practices Signed (self-employed and companies)

· In the case of companies, Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire

· Data Processor Questionnaire (self-employed and companies)

• The validity period of the quotation or economic proposal must be at least 90 days.