Оцінювач/ка (місцевий/а консультант/ка для проведення оцінки)

The Embassy of Switzerland in Kyiv is looking for

Reviewer of the Small Actions project (Emergency Activities)

part-time work

Terms of Reference

1. Background

The Russian Federation’s war on Ukraine has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis, characterized by widespread death, destruction, displacement, and immense human suffering. As of 2024, an alarming 14.6 million people find themselves in urgent need of multisectoral humanitarian assistance. Within this staggering number, 3.6 million individuals are internally displaced, 2.5 million are returnees, and 8.5 million have valiantly remained in their homes despite the ongoing conflict.

After nearly two years of enduring the full-scale aggression from Russia, the Swiss Humanitarian Aid has steadfastly assumed the role of coordinator and executor of various small-scale humanitarian projects. These initiatives are strategically designed to provide direct support to vulnerable residents, returnees, and internally displaced people (IDPs) residing in the war-affected territories of Ukraine.

In tandem with project coordination, Switzerland has been a beacon of relief, regularly donating and delivering tons of humanitarian equipment and aid to address the pressing needs arising from the crisis. This commitment underscores Switzerland’s dedication to alleviating the immediate hardships faced by those affected by the conflict.

Switzerland’s humanitarian engagement in Ukraine extends beyond the delivery of relief items and encompasses the coordination and implementation of diverse small-scale projects. These initiatives are specifically tailored to meet the needs of vulnerable populations, returnees, and IDPs in the regions directly impacted by the war. The projects are essential in addressing critical gaps left by larger-scale humanitarian programs, responding promptly to the unique and immediate needs on the ground.

Emergency actions form a pivotal component of Switzerland’s humanitarian strategy in Ukraine by providing flexibility and opportunities to directly address unmet needs. These actions enable a swift response to requests received by the Swiss Embassy from state authorities, institutions, local governments, NGOs, and the private sector and/or based on direct field assessments. The objective is to provide rapid, direct financial support to fulfill one-time needs related to the restoration, repair, and sustenance of resilience among vulnerable groups. These emergency actions play a crucial role in bridging gaps left unattended by larger humanitarian programs, ensuring that immediate needs are met with efficiency and compassion.

Emergency actions are implemented under the umbrella credit (strategic framework). It allows to conduct rapid emergency responses for vulnerable groups – female-headed households, persons with disabilities, the elderly, children, IDPs and others affected groups – to support repairs and small-scale reconstruction, critical protection initiatives, the purchase of essential equipment, and the return/resettlement of people and their businesses up to 200’000 CHF.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this comprehensive review is to systematically evaluate the efficiency, relevance, sustainability, and impact of the small action projects initiated and implemented by Switzerland in response to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the Russian Federation’s war on Ukraine.

This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the small action projects, offering insights that will inform decision-making processes for ongoing and future humanitarian initiatives in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the continuous improvement of Switzerland’s humanitarian engagement and ensure the most effective support to those affected by the conflict.

The review will cover the strategic frameworks and will not include the assessment of each implemented project but instead assess the value and relevance of the umbrella credit. 2-3 projects will be selected for a review to understand the approach and mechanics of the portfolio implementation.

1. Objectives

1. Efficiency Assessment:

• Examine the internal effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation process of small action projects.
• Evaluate the allocation and utilization of resources, including financial, human, and material resources, to determine the cost-effectiveness of the projects.
• Identify potential areas for improvement in project management and execution to optimize resource utilization.

2. Relevance Analysis:

• Evaluate the extent to which the projects address the specific challenges and vulnerabilities faced by the target groups.
• Assess the adequacy of this Swiss financial instrument to address unmet needs of target groups.

3. Impact Assessment:

• Measure the tangible and intangible impact of the small action projects on the well-being and livelihoods of the targeted beneficiaries.

4. Recommendation Formulation:

• Based on the findings from the review, develop actionable recommendations to enhance the efficiency, relevance, sustainability, and impact of future small action projects.
• Propose adjustments or modifications to existing project strategies and methodologies to address identified challenges and capitalize on successful approaches.

4. Methodology
5. Document Review and Content Analysis:

• Analyze project documentation, including reports, proposals, and correspondence, to identify challenges, lessons learned, and areas for improvement.
• Conduct content analysis to extract relevant information related to project efficiency and sustainability.

2. Consultations:

• Engage with key stakeholders, including project implementers, beneficiaries, local authorities, NGOs, etc.
• Conduct interviews and surveys to gather diverse perspectives on the projects’ efficiency, relevance, sustainability, and impact.

3. Field Visits:

• Undertake field visits/online interviews to selected project sites to observe project activities firsthand and assess the on-the-ground impact.

4. Reporting and Recommendations:

• Compile the findings into a comprehensive report in English, clearly outlining the methodology, data sources, analysis techniques, and key conclusions.
• Formulate actionable recommendations based on the review findings to guide future project design and implementation. Integration of recommendations to better include Age, Gender & Diversity (AGD) considerations into project design and implementation, as well as other cross-cutting themes (sustainability, environmental aspects, conflict-sensitivity, etc.) would be appreciated.

5. Deliverable
6. Review Report (max 20 pages.), including: (a) Executive Summary with key findings and conclusions; (ii) Short overview with a list of completed small direct actions (number of actions, types, locations, budget). (iii) Methodology; (iv) Findings, including successes, gaps and lessons learnt; (v) Recommendations to enhance project efficiency, relevance, sustainability, and impact.
7. Action Plan, outlining steps to be taken based on the recommendations, including responsible parties, timelines, and resource requirements.

6. Time frame

15 days, with results delivered by 31 July 2024 or earlier.

7. Requirements

1. Local consultant with minimum 5 years of experience in the area of humanitarian/development response, preferably in Ukraine;
2. Solid experience in conducting review assessments, monitoring and evaluation missions;
3. Knowledge of the Ukrainian context (including humanitarian actors, Government structure, Ukrainian civil society etc.);
4. Experience of working with international projects, organizations as well as local and governments;
5. Competence in gender, AAP, AGD, and protection mainstreaming;
6. Ability to work independently and in a collaborative manner within a multicultural team;
7. Fluency in English and Ukrainian language skills

Application & documents to be submitted

Interested candidates should send their application as per following instructions:

1. Technical proposal (max. 3 pages, no predefined format), including the following parts:

• Understanding of the mandate, context and challenges;
• Proposed methodology for the implementation of the whole exercise;
• Process description and estimated timeframe for the assessment.

2. Curriculum Vitae of the consultant, clearly stating the relevant experience.
3. Financial proposal, including all costs related to the mission.

Selection criteria

1. Quality of the technical proposal (weight: 40%);
2. Experience of the national consultant (weight: 30%);
3. Costs according to the financial proposal (weight: 30%).

The proposals should be submitted by 31 May 2024 to the Swiss Embassy in Kyiv [email protected] with cc to [email protected]