Terms of Reference: Baseline for Trócaire’s Global Hub on Partnership and Localisation At Trócaire

About Trócaire

Trócaire is the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Trócaire was established to express the concern of the Irish Catholic Church for any form of human need, but particularly for the needs and problems of communities in the Global South. With our partners we work with some of the world’s poorest people, supporting women, men and communities for long-term change. In Ireland, we raise awareness about the causes of poverty through our outreach programmes in the education sector, through parish networks, and through our public campaigns and advocacy work. More information about Trócaire is available at www.trocaire.org.

Context of Work

Trócaire has worked in partnership with local organisations in the countries where we work for nearly 50 years. As a partnership agency, Trócaire is committed to the ‘Localisation of Aid’ agenda that has been at the forefront of humanitarian discourse since the World Humanitarian Summit, 2016. In its new Strategic Plan (2021-2025)[1], Trócaire has committed to making a step-change from Partnership to Localisation by shifting the power more profoundly to local and national partners. To deliver on this commitment, Trócaire established a Global Hub on Partnership & Localisation[2] in Nairobi.

The initial phase of the Hub is funded by the Irish Aid Programme Grant-II until December 2022. The role of the Hub is to provide strategic direction to the organisation globally, as well as to provide technical support to Trócaire’s Country Programmes to deepen their approaches to and expertise in partnership and localisation. Trócaire’s approach to Localisation is focused around four key pillars – 1) Increasing the voice and influence of local/national partners in key development and humanitarian decision-making structures; 2) Providing effective capacity strengthening support to local/national partners towards becoming more resilient, independent and sustainable organisations; 3) Improving the quality of our partner relationships, and 4) Supporting our partners to access increased funding and resources.

As part of the commitment to Irish Aid, Trócaire has developed a results framework to assess the impact of the Hub’s work. The results framework was developed with reference to existing frameworks and approaches on measuring progress towards localisation[3], while being cognizant of the specific remit and scope of the Hub’s work within the organisation. The results framework for the Hub is distinct from the framework measuring Trócaire’s progress on Localisation at an organisational level (currently under development), although the two will be linked and complementary. The purpose of this consultancy is to support Trócaire’s Hub on Partnership and Localisation to conduct a baseline assessment for the Hub’s results framework, to be submitted to Irish Aid by October 2021.

Scope of the Work

The Hub results framework is comprised of a total of fourteen indicators across four long-term outcomes aligned to Trócaire’s Localisation approach, as follows –

· LTO 1: Increased voice and influence of local and national partners in key spaces nationally and internationally (3 indicators);

· LTO 2: More effective capacity strengthening support by Trócaire for local and national partners (4 indicators);

· LTO 3: More equitable partnerships between Trócaire and local and national partners based on reciprocal accountability (4 indicators);

· LTO 4: Local and national partners receive increased quantity and quality of funding and resources from Trócaire and other sources (3 indicators).

The indicators aim to assess Trócaire’s progress towards localisation at the global organisational level, at country programme level for each of Trócaire’s 17 country offices and programmes[4], as well as in the perception and experiences of local/national partners.

The consultant will be expected to review the results framework and indicators to determine the appropriate data sources and methods for the baseline assessment, assess the availability of relevant data through secondary sources, develop tools for primary data collection and collect data through a combination of methods. The analysis of the collected data is to be presented in the form of a baseline report, including recommendations for refining indicators, updated results framework with baseline data, and a recommended monitoring and evaluation plan. The consultant will also be expected to deliver adapted tools for data collection for tracking indicators through the various stages of the project cycle.

Proposed Methodology

The following is an initial proposed methodology; however, Trócaire assumes that the consultant will recommend modifications based on their expertise and experience. The consultancy will be entirely virtual, with no travel required.

· Document Review of the following to determine existing secondary data sources for baselining indicators –

• Hub Results Framework
• Keystone Partner Feedback Report – Trócaire global report as well as country-specific reports
• 17 Charter 4 Change surveys submitted by each of Trócaire’s country offices, as well as the global analytical report on Trócaire’s performance against C4C indicators.

· Inception meeting with Trócaire’s Global Hub on Partnership & Localisation for questions or clarifications, and to agree on the plan for the consultancy on the basis of the document review. The consultant may be required to submit a brief Inception Report outlining the approach to the consultancy agreed upon after discussions with the Hub team.

· Development of the necessary tools for primary data collection to baseline the indicators in the results framework. It is anticipated that 3 types of tools will be necessary –

• Tool for indicators to be tracked at the global level by the Global Hub on Partnership & Localisation
• Tool for indicators to be tracked at the country level by Trócaire’s country programme teams
• Tool for indicators to be tracked at the Partner level – this is expected to take the form of a simple partner feedback survey to be administered on an annual basis with Trócaire’s network of nearly 300 local/national partners across all country offices. However, we anticipate baseline data for these indicators to be available through the Keystone Partner Feedback Survey conducted in 2020. The new tool developed under this consultancy will be used in the next round of the partner survey, scheduled for November 2021. The analysis of data collected in November 2021 is outside the scope of this consultancy.

· Data collection through both, available secondary sources as well as primary data collection through remote surveys.**

· Data analysis and updating the results framework with baseline data for all indicators**

· Report drafting to outline findings against each of the indicators, recommendations for refining the results framework and indicators based on learnings from the baselining process, as well as an indicative M&E plan for the project cycle.

· Any necessary adaptation of baseline data collection tools for future M&E requirements.

· Report revision based on Trócaire’s feedback on the draft document.

· Final report submission, along with updated results framework and data collection tools.

Timeline

This consultancy is expected to commence in early September with the final report delivered by mid to late October 2021. The consultant should propose the amount of time required for the completion of the report in the submission of their application, based on the information provided above.

Final Product

The following outputs are expected to be delivered by the end of the consultancy –

1. Final baseline report – Time should be factored in for Trócaire to review and comment on the report, and for the consultant to make revisions based on Trócaire’s feedback. The submitted final product will require the final review and approval by Trócaire for the consultancy to be brought to conclusion.
2. Refined and updated results framework with baseline data for all indicators
3. Tools for data collection to track indicators throughout project cycle –

a. Tool for Hub indicators

b. Tool for indicators at tracked Country-office level

c. Tool for indicators tracked at partner level

Experience/Skills:

Essential: **

• Proven expertise and experience in the MEAL sector in an international NGO environment;
• Relevant professional experience and technical knowledge to carry out the intended report writing.
• Advanced degree in a related field of study (for example, development studies, public policy, social sciences, or a related field).
• Up-to-date understanding and knowledge of discourse on localisation and relevant global instruments such as GB 2.0, C4C etc.
• Excellent spoken and written English skills (including reports and publications).
• Excellent time management skills, with an ability to deliver high-quality outputs on time.
• Commitment to the safeguarding of programme participants, as demonstrated by signing Trócaire’s Safeguarding Programme Participants Policy.

Safeguarding

All consultants who work for Trócaire will be required to sign and abide by Trócaire’s official position statement on exploitation and abuse, including zero-tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. Trócaire recognises that abuse of power has led, and continues to lead, to many forms of exploitation and abuse. The nature of Trócaire’s work creates a power differential between those employed by or working with Trócaire and programme participants and partners. Trócaire acknowledges that the potential exists for those who work with programme participants and partners to abuse their position of power. Trócaire’s commitment to safeguarding is inclusive of its staff and all those with whom it comes into contact through its work.

[1] https://www.trocaire.org/documents/trocaire-strategic-plan-2021-2025/

[2] https://www.trocaire.org/our-work/localisation/

[3]- NEAR Localisation performance measurement framework: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc4fd249698b02c7f3acfe9/t/6011621dba655709b8342a4c/1611751983166/LMPF+Final_2019.pdf;
HAG Report ‘Measuring Localisation: Framework and Tools’:
https://humanitarianadvisorygroup.org/insight/measuring-localisation-framework-and-tools/ Charter for Change Commitments: https://charter4change.org/commitments/

[4] Trócaire has offices in in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, DRC, Rwanda, Ethiopia (joint office with CAFOD & SCIAF), Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lebanon, and Myanmar. Trócaire has programmes and a presence in different forms in: South Sudan (joint office with CAFOD, who are the lead agency), South Kordofan (Sudan), Syria, and Israel/Occupied Palestinan Territories.