Consultant to undertake Baseline Assessment for EU Thailand COVID19 Response and Recovery – Three Southern Border Provinces Project

1. Background

EU Thailand COVID19 Response and Recovery-Three Southern Border Provinces is a programme sponsored by the European Union (EU). The overall objective of the proposed action that will be implemented in three provinces of the Deep South (Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani) for 24 months is to increase the participation of Thai CSOs in preventing, addressing and mitigating risks and vulnerabilities in the fragile context of COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand.

The action will be implemented in partnership with the Prince of Songkhla University (PSU), Prince of Songkhla University Alumni Association of Volunteers (PSUAAV) and led by Save the Children (SC) in collaboration with 4 local sub-grantees. The specific objective is to strengthen capacity and engagement of CSOs to mitigate health, social and economic impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and building resilience for the most vulnerable target groups in the Deep South. Comprises three main components

• Outcome 1: Improved ability for the most vulnerable households in target communities to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak through communications and supplementary relief kits. Activities that contributing to increase CSOs capacity are a) distributing relief support for affected and vulnerable communities and b) online communication and awareness campaigns led by 8 youth groups.
• Outcome 2: The most vulnerable youth, women and migrant workers in Thailand’s Deep South access social and economic recovery opportunities. Activities under this outcome will focus on increasing civil society's engagement in addressing broader social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis for the most vulnerable target groups, supporting and building capacities for sustainable livelihoods.
• Outcome 3: Establish role-model resilient communities to advocate establishment of provincebased preparedness standard. Activities under this outcome will include PSUAAV empowering local community representatives of 6 target communities to assess outbreak-related hazards, their capacity to respond and their community’s vulnerability to the outbreak to strengthen local risk reduction protocols to build resilience of communities to face future health outbreaks, shocks and crisis.

Project areas in Southern Border Provinces targeting youth, women and migrant workers in Thailand's Deep South access social and economic recovery, The most vulnerable target groups include youth and migrant workers age 15 to 30 years old with a focus on vulnerable women and adolescent girls returning from Malaysia, who have lost their livelihood due to effects of COVID-19

2. Purpose and scope of this consultancy:

Save the Children would like to conduct a baseline assessment for the EU Thailand COVID19 Response and Recovery – Three Southern Border Provinces Project to generate evidence, knowledge and information needed for the program planning, implementation and support the reporting. A consultant is therefore being sought to:

1. Gather primary data and review relevant report, research and publication to identify level of participation of Thai CSOs and other entities in preventing, addressing, and mitigate risks and vulnerabilities in fragile context of COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand.

2. Conduct context analysis and establish baseline indicator values (as show in project log frame) for civil society organization partners on organizational and operational capacities to empower youth and migrant women to access socio-economic opportunities and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

3. Conduct context analysis and establish baseline indicator values (as show in project log frame) for community members on resilient skill, capacity to access security in terms of health safety and socioeconomic wellbeing in case of emergency

4. Conduct context analysis and establish baseline indicator values (as show in project log frame) for community members on ability to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak through communication and supplementary relief kits.

3. Design and methodology:

An independent consultant will be recruited to lead this baseline assessment. The following is the outline of a suggested process; however, it would be expected that this would be further refined by the consultant in coordination with SC staff. The baseline assessment shall be undertaken based on the Save the Children International requirements and must be in line with Save the Children’s ethical guideline.

Literature/ Desk review

• Literature review of relevant programme documentation;
• Desk research of key concepts, programme elements and pre-existing research, learning notes, briefs and other relevant materials that can feed into key identified indicators
• Development of data collection tools (survey/interview protocol/Pre-Post test tools and other as agreed with SCI) to be used for collection of primary baseline data (Quantitative and Qualitative);
• Development of sampling methodology for administering surveys (as applicable and in line with statistical and ethical standards and following best practices);
• Prepare and upon SCI agreement conduct training of data enumerators (as applicable);

Field Work:

• Leading the administering of baseline survey tools (including preparation and monitoring activities, as well as data quality management and data protection components);
• Leading other consultations with project beneficiaries, partners and CSOs as deemed necessary during baseline methodology design, data collection and field findings validation;

Data Processing, Analysis and Reporting:

• Data entry and analysis of completed baseline survey tools with gender disaggregated data;
• Discussion on preliminary findings of baseline and field findings validation;
• Draft Report and Final Reports;
• Presentation on key findings;

4. Target area and respondent

The project targets implementation in one selected village in Yala, three villages in Narathiwat, and two villages in Pattani Province. This baseline assessment expects to collect information to adequately represent each of the project locations. The key informants should comprise of youth and migrant women returnees from Malaysia, village leaders and villager in the general, Civil Society Organizations, academic institutions, as well as departments, organizations and actors engaged in ensuring disaster and crisis preparedness in the local communities and on provincial level.

5. Timeframe

The consultant will be required to dedicate an estimated 27 working days to this consultancy work during January– March 2021 period, subject to the requirements and agreements with Save the Children.

6. Schedule and deliverables

Deliverables 1; Submission of draft Inception report and work plan

• Mapping of available data and plan for data collection
• Draft of baseline framework
• Draft of data collection tools
• Consultation meeting with Save the Children project team

Timeframe; 7 working days after confirmation of contract.

Remarks; Desk review process: Save the Children will review and approve the Inception report within 5 working days (5 working days)

Deliverables 2; Submission of finalized Inception report include: (i) Introduction; (ii) Study context; (iii) Study purpose; (iv) Detailed Methodology (data collection and analysis methods, samplings, limitations and mitigation strategies); (v) Work plan; (vi) Assessment matrix (annex); (vii) Data collection instruments – draft (annex).

Timeframe; By 1^st week of March 2021

Remarks; 2 working days

Deliverables 3; Data collection, validation and analysis

Timeframe; During 2^nd and 3^rd week of March 2021

Remarks; 12 working days

Deliverables 4; Presentations of preliminary findings to Save the Children

-Presentation file shared with Save the Children by consultant, and conduct validation workshop in at least one of communities by program team, at least 3 days prior to the presentation

Timeframe; 1^st week of April 2021

Remarks; 1 working days

Deliverables 5; First draft of reports in English with recommendation

Timeframe; By 3^rd week of April 2021

Remarks; Save the Children will provide feedback on the first draft within 5 working days (5 working days)

Deliverables 6; Final draft of reports

-2 pages assessment summary report (in English and Thai)

-Full report (25 pages maximum excluding appendices) in English and Thai including (i) Executive summary; (ii) Context and purpose of the evaluation (evaluation scope, evaluation criteria); (iii) Evaluation framework and methodologies; (iv) Findings; (v) Conclusions and recommendations for future actions.

-Power Point Presentation (20 slides, containing purpose, methodology and key findings present to Save the Children by consultant, and one study community by program team)

Timeframe; By 1^st week of May 2020

Remarks; 2 working days

All materials and raw data collected during the consultancy process should be submitted to the MEAL team focal point prior to the termination of the contract.

7. Management of the consultancy:

The consultant(s) will report to Livelihood Program Coordinator, with technical support from Child Poverty Sector lead, MEAL Coordinator and Programme Director who will provide inputs throughout the baseline assessment process including on the proposed methodology and data collection tools, analysis and interpretation and recommendations. Furthermore, the Save the Children team will support logistics and arrangements for data collection and consultation with stakeholders.

The consultant/s will be responsible for

• Developing the baseline framework, processes and tools
• Coordinating the data collection and consultation
• Training the data collection team and interpreters/notetakers as appropriate
• Overseeing the data collection and ensuring/guaranteeing data quality and participants protection during the process
• Data entry, data cleaning and data analysis
• Compiling and submitting the baseline report including documentation of process, methodology, findings, learnings and recommendations for programme.

Save the Children should approve all plans and documents developed by the consultant.

8. Consultancy Fee

The consultant(s) is asked to propose the budget. The competitiveness of the financial proposal will be considered in the selection process. Costs involved in the assessment, such as materials, interpreter, travel, accommodation and applicable taxes, should be included in the proposed budget.

9. Qualifications

• At least master’s degree in social sciences or other related field.
• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Strong qualitative and qualitative data analysis skills.
• Expertise in issues related to child empowerment, capacity building or advocacy is an asset.
• Thai/English language proficiency
• Ability to work within strict deadlines
• Ability to travel to the deep south provinces of Thailand
• Experience in conducing evaluation in multicultural, multilingual and sensitive context will be an asset

10. Submissions for the consultancy

The submission must address the terms of reference and include:

• The resume of the candidate
• A cover letter explaining the candidate’s interest and suitability A technical proposal including research scope, design, methods, field implementation approach and work plan (7 pages maximum)
• A detailed budget outlining all expense and consultancy fee in USD and THB (including travel and other costs)
• Examples of work: reports previously developed by the candidate as the lead researcher in similar context or using similar approaches as the one in the technical proposal

11. Close date for submissions:

Applicant should submit their interest by 17 January 2021.

Submissions should be addressed to: THA_Procurement_BKK@savethechildren.org

Further enquiry: admin.thailand@savethechildren.org

Contact : yonradee.wangcharoenpaisan@savethechildren.org

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ที่ปรึกษา / Consultant