Call for Consultancy Service

Baseline and Thematic Assessment in three regions of Ethiopia (Central, Southern and Tigray), and Addis Ababa City Administration

Background and purpose of the programme

Christian Aid has begun implementing a programme entitled “Strengthening Capacities, Independence and Credibility of Local and Grassroots CSOs as Actors of Good Governance and Development in Ethiopia” (referred the “EU CSF Plus”) for a period of four years in collaboration with three Ethiopian national co-beneficiaries: Civil Society Resource Centre (CSRC); Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations Forum (ECSF); and Chura Abugida Artistic Association (CAAA). The programme will be implemented in three regional states including Central Ethiopia Region, Southern Ethiopia Region and Tigray, and Addis Ababa city administration.

The action will directly target 60 local and grassroots CSOs, and their networks across the four operational areas with the provision of grants and tailored capacity building to enable them implement locally led initiatives responding to call priorities. 

Objectives of the baseline

Overall objective

The overall objective of this baseline study is to gather the required data for the programme’s log frame to ensure that we can evidence the programmes impact. The assignment involves collecting quantitative and qualitative data for the log frame and gather evidence to inform the programme on the context at the beginning of the intervention. 

The baseline will also need to identify and inform the priorities and themes for each of the 3 funding rounds and the study required this to be part of the baseline. To support this, the baseline will conduct an analysis of the current power dynamics and interactions between the key actors including civil society and government institutions, and a mapping of the vulnerable and marginalised communities in each region. With this information, the programme will be able to determine what thematic issues to focus on in the different funding rounds, ensuring the most effective impact is achieved with the funds available.

A separate analysis of the policy issues at national and regional level will be conducted that should complement the baseline’s work into the picture of engagement and participation.

Specific objectives

Specific Objective 1: One of the key objectives of this baseline is to conduct a thematic assessment. While not tied to a specific indicator, this assessment is crucial for the programme to determine the appropriate thematic priorities for each region for each funding round. 

Under this objective the consultant needs to assess on, but not limited to:

• Conduct contextualized analysis of the barriers to local and grass root CSO engagement in policy making and development initiatives.
• Identify barriers which hinder local and grassroots CSOs engagement on citizen participation, human rights, social development and good governance activities for each implementation regions. 
• What are the initiatives that support communities to assert their core civil and political rights. 
• Identify context specific local governance, social and development challenges. 

Specific Objective 2: The second specific objective of this baseline study is to provide the baseline data to inform the logframe indicators. The consultant will need to deliver this against the log frame. 

Expected Outputs

The following outputs are expected from the assessment team over the course of the assignment:

1. An inception report containing a detailed work plan for the entire duration of the consultancy service, as well as data collection tools, to be submitted within two weeks of signing of the agreement. 
2. Weekly progress report to the Christian Aid EU CSF Plus Programme Manager. 
3. Draft baseline report, containing the two sections specified under specific objectives to be shared with the Christian Aid EU CSF Plus Programme Manager for clarification and comments. The deadline for this will be Monday 7th July. 
4. Attend a workshop with the CSF Plus Programme team to present the draft baseline report and discuss any required adjustments. This will be on Thursday 10th July.
5. A final baseline report, due Monday 28th July. 
6. Present the final baseline report in a meeting with the Christian Aid EU CSF Plus Programme team and co-beneficiaries on Wednesday 30th July.

For more and detailed information please  refer the link you can access the original document 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i78etiaAJrIpHbPghCyNXq0AHmaPfp7T/edit

Expected Profile of the lead Consultant

 Qualification and Expertise Required 

The consultant needs to be an experienced development professional who understands the civil society landscape in Ethiopia, in the four target regions where the programme will be operating, as well as at a national level. We also require the consultant to have prior experience of undertaking similar baseline assessments on civil society capacity development, governance, and human rights-based approach projects. In addition to this, the consultant must have a prior experience of working on thematic assessment related to the EU CSF Plus programme. The consultant should be skilled in developing tools, data gathering, conducting surveys, running focus group discussions and interviews to gather the required information for the baseline and thematic assessment for funding round areas of intervention.

The consultant will need to be available in June and July to undertake this work. 

ESSENTIAL

• At least have master's degree in social science, (Law, Sociology, economics, demography, anthropology, Management, development Studies, Political Sciences or other relevant field. Specific training and certification in baseline Management.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience managing surveys of similar scale such as programme strategy development, design and evaluations and must have demonstrated experience with research of similar type 
• Should have experience of conducting similar baseline /endline assessments for programme's log frame to ensure the programme impact and conduct a thematic assessment.
• The firm has demonstrated knowledge and experience on civil society organisations strengthening programme and understanding of the strengthening capacities, independence and credibility of local and gross roots CSOs as actors of Good Governance in Ethiopia and other relevant frameworks.
• Have proven experience in conducting analysis of the current power dynamics and interactions between the key actors including civil society and government institutions, as well as mapping vulnerable and marginalised communities in each targeted region and analysis of policy issues.
• Experience in using participatory research methodologies. 
• Strong knowledge on civil society organization policy framework, standard protocols and guidelines of the country.  
• Have excellent proven written., spoken Amharic, English and other local language.  
• Strong capacity in data management and statistics. Strong knowledge in the following software; CS-Pro, SPSS and STATA. 
• Strong writing and analytical skill (a sample of recent and related analytical report will be requested). 
• Registered and have license on consultancy service in Ethiopia (only firm/ business is considered). 

DESIRABLE 

• The lead consultant must have excellent inter-personal skills and demonstrated ability to engage at various levels including local communities. 
• Plans, supervises and manages the entire survey with the assistance of the field and data managers recruited by the firm. 
• Strong capacity and experience in planning and organizing survey logistics. Good team of experienced enumerators, supervisors and data entry clerks.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and ability to establish good and effective relationships with national partners. 
• Knowledge on issues of safeguarding including knowledge on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), criminal records checks and references.
• Prior knowledge of thematic analysis in the targeted regions where the programme is designed to be implemented. 
• The consultant should complete the assignment as per the agreement between the consultant and Christian aid. 
• Willingness to accept unsatisfactory work which will be corrected at the expense of the consultant. 
• Responsible for their own tax and social security or welfare payments. 
• Responsible for submitting tax return of earning to the relevant tax authority. 
• Knowledge of the local language is a plus.  
• The payment modality will depend on Christian Aids’ procurement guidelines. The selected consultant is expected to provide equivalent amount of bank warranty or Performance Bond for first trench of payment. 

For more and detailed information please  refer the link you can access the original document 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i78etiaAJrIpHbPghCyNXq0AHmaPfp7T/edit

How To Apply

Application Procedure

Potential Consulting firms are invited to collect documents for this assignment through email from Wworkneh@christian-aid.org  or Ebegashaw@christian-aid.org .

Please mention – ''EU-CSF _PLUS Program "' in the subject line 

Thus, interested consulting firms should submit the following with sailed envelops separately: 

• Technical proposal of up to 10 pages (excluding annexes). The proposal should include a paragraph of consultant’s own understanding of the TOR, the methodology and steps they will take to deliver this work, examples of prior similar work, a description of roles and responsibilities in their team and proof of capacity to deliver this work. 
• Financial proposal – including all costs incurred to deliver this work and VAT only in Local Currency (ETB)
• A completed version of the data management table listed in section 6.
• CVs of all consultants involved in the work and eligibility and financial records of the consultant

All eligible consultants interested and fulfilled the requirements should submit their applications with an updated CVs on or before the COB May 09,2025, to Christian Aid Office physically or through P.O Box 20172, Address,

CHRISTIAN AID ETHIOPIA OFFICE, Tel. +251-115536850/1/2

Ethio-China Friendship Avenue, Infront of Tebaber Berta Building 

Wollo safer, Norwegian Church Aid Compound

Addis Ababa 

PLEASE NOTE,

• Only shortlisted firms will be contacted for discussions /interviews
• Cost-effectiveness and quality of proposal will be considered 
• Incomplete submission will not be reviewed
• Submission from firms not demonstrating the required skills and experience will not be considered 
• Christian aid has zero –tolerance for fraud, corruption, and bribery 

For more clarifications, please contact Wondifraw Workneh: Wworkneh@christian-aid.org,  or Eyerusalem Begashaw: EBegashaw@christian-aid.org

For more and detailed information please  refer the link you can access the original document 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i78etiaAJrIpHbPghCyNXq0AHmaPfp7T/edit

Note: Eligible consultancies can submit their applications from Monday to Friday, during the hours of 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.