ThaiNGO

Terms of Reference for

“Final Project Evaluation Consultant”

Project: Resilience, Adaptability and Competitiveness: A Roadmap for the Health and Wellness Tourism Sector ASEAN SMEs in a Post-Crisis Age

who are we

Kenan Foundation Asia, a non-profit development organization working in partnership with companies, governments, academia, and committed individuals to empower people with the knowledge, technology, and skills necessary for a better future.

project NAME

Resilience, Adaptability and Competitiveness: A Roadmap for the Health and Wellness Tourism Sector ASEAN SMEs in a Post-Crisis Age

project sUMMARY

The project will develop a strategy for ASEAN Member States to apply a cluster development model, to promote inclusive economic growth in the health and wellness tourism sector. The project will be conducted through an analysis of the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis; how COVID-19 has influenced consumer behaviours in seeking health and wellness tourism services, and how MSMEs can prepare to benefit from growth opportunities once COVID-19 related travel restrictions ease, whilst being better positioned to withstand similar disruptions in the future. Health and wellness tourism has been identified as a sector with strong growth potential for the ASEAN region. A cluster model offers a strategic approach to identify opportunities for MSMEs across ASEAN to offer enhanced services, attracting tourists to the ASEAN region. The COVID19 pandemic has had significant impact in the region, with the tourism sector particularly affected. This pandemic crisis has highlighted the importance of integrating resilience and adaptability into economic growth strategies for MSMEs. The project responds to requests from ACCMSME with follow on activities from the previous phase. It also aligns with the priorities identified to strengthen ASEAN’s economic resilience in response to COVID-19, highlighting regional information sharing and coordination, and identifying priorities to build resilience and sustainability among MSMEs. The project comprises several activities: cluster supply-side analysis in six AMS (Brunei, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore), complementing the completed Phase 1 project; updating analysis in the other four AMS considering COVID-19; consumer demand-side analysis; demand-supply gap analysis of health and wellness tourist services; regional consultations and workshops to develop and promote a regional cluster roadmap; updated e-learning materials for MSMEs to benefit from the cluster development strategy and promote growth for the health and wellness tourism sector in the region.

POST TITLE

Final Project Evaluation Consultant

DURATION

The consultancy will require an estimated at least 20 working days during the final 2 months of the project (March 2026 – April 2026).

Tasks to be undertaken by the consultant

The purpose of this End-of-Project Evaluation is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of the project “Resilience, Adaptability and Competitiveness: A Roadmap for the Health and Wellness Tourism Sector ASEAN SMEs in a Post-Crisis Age.”

The evaluation will examine the extent to which the project has achieved its intended objectives in strengthening the resilience, adaptability, and competitiveness of ASEAN SMEs in the health and wellness tourism sector. It will assess the effectiveness and practical value of the key project components, including the development of the Regional Roadmap, research outputs, e-learning modules, and related dissemination and stakeholder engagement activities.

The evaluation will focus on how these components have contributed to enhancing knowledge, policy dialogue, regional alignment, and potential application among ASEAN Member States and relevant stakeholders. It will also assess the quality of implementation processes and the extent to which the project supports ASEAN regional priorities and long-term sectoral development.

The findings of the evaluation will provide evidence-based insights to inform future ASEAN regional initiatives, strengthen the design and delivery of capacity-building and knowledge-based programs, and enhance sustainability and scalability of similar interventions. In addition, the evaluation will identify lessons learned, good practices, and areas for improvement, and provide practical and forward-looking recommendations for ASEAN Member States, development partners, and implementing agencies.

The Consultant/Consulting Firm will conduct a comprehensive End-of-Project evaluation and impact assessment of the project, including the development of Regional Roadmap, E-learning modules, and Research outputs. The Consultant will apply qualitative evaluation methods to generate evidence-based findings and practical recommendations.

Task 1: Design Qualitative Research Plan and Inception Report

The Consultant will design a qualitative evaluation framework and develop a detailed research plan to guide the final project evaluation.

This task includes:

• Conducting a desk review of relevant project documents, including the project proposal, progress reports, e-learning structure, Roadmap outputs, and Research outputs.
• Developing clear research objectives and evaluation questions aligned with project goals
• Proposing a list of key informants to be interviewed
• Designing interview guides and data collection tools
• Defining and justifying the proposed methodology
• Identifying potential implementation challenges, risks, and ethical considerations
• Addressing any additional program design considerations
• Developing a detailed implementation work plan and timeline

Deliverable: Inception Report including desk review summary, methodology, research questions, proposed interviewees, ethical considerations, and work plan.

Task 2: Conduct Remote Qualitative Interviews with Key Informants

The Consultant will conduct remote qualitative interviews with agreed key stakeholders.

This task includes:

• Coordinating and scheduling interviews with selected key informants
• Conducting qualitative interviews in accordance with the approved methodology
• Gathering perspectives on project relevance, implementation effectiveness, usability of outputs, and sustainability
• Consolidating and organizing qualitative data for analysis

Deliverable: Completed qualitative research and documented interview findings.

Task 3: Data Processing, Analysis, and Synthesis

The Consultant will conduct comprehensive data analysis of all qualitative data collected.

This task includes:

• Systematically analyzing qualitative findings across countries and stakeholder groups
• Identifying key themes, patterns, and emerging insights
• Assessing the extent of achievement of project objectives and the project’s contribution to ASEAN regional priorities and MSME resilience
• Preparing a PowerPoint presentation summarizing research findings and highlighting topline conclusions

Deliverable: PowerPoint presentation of research summary and topline findings.

Task 4: Preparation of Final Evaluation Report and Presentation

The Consultant will prepare a comprehensive Final Evaluation Report and present findings to the project team.

This task includes:

• Drafting a structured Final Evaluation Report containing:
• Executive Summary
• Background and objectives of the assessment
• Project description
• Evaluation methodology and limitations
• Summary of main activities and implementation results
• Key findings and analysis
• Conclusions
• Successes and areas for improvement
• Practical and forward-looking recommendations
• Preparing annexes including:
• Terms of Reference
• List of stakeholders consulted and interviewed
• Interview summaries
• Literature and documentation reviewed
• Revising the report based on feedback from the project team

Deliverable: Final Evaluation Report incorporating feedback and finalized for submission.

Expected Outputs

• Inception Report
• Completed qualitative interviews with key informants
• PowerPoint presentation summarizing research findings and topline results
• Final Project Evaluation Report with findings and recommendations

Qualifications / Special Skills or Knowledge

• Advanced academic qualifications in social sciences, evaluation, development studies, public policy, or a related field
• Strong expertise in qualitative research and evaluation methodologies
• Knowledge of ethical research and evaluation standards
• Excellent analytical writing and presentation skills in English

RElevant Experiences

§  Minimum 5 years of experience conducting project or program evaluations

§  Proven experience in qualitative research and key informant interviews

§  Experience working with donor-funded, regional, or multi-country projects

§  Familiarity with digital learning, education, SME development, or capacity-building programs is an asset

Consultancy Fee

USD 11,000

Interested applicants are invited to submit full resume indicating qualifications

And experiences, and cover letter to Khun Nattha Lertpanyawiwat (Senior Consultant) at Natthal@kenan-asia.org 

Further information, please contact 02-260-0380