ThaiNGO

Consultant Type:                     Individual or Firm

Project/Consultancy Title:      Smallholder Rice Farmer Baseline Survey

Project Location(s):                 Ubon Ratchathani

Date Posted:                            June 1, 2017

Closing Date:                           June 15, 2017

Submissions to include:       1) Qualifications & Experience (including CVs)

                                                2) Approach to the SoW

                                                3) References from previous (similar) work

                                                4) Writing Samples (2)

                                                5) Cost proposal (including all incidental expenses)

Background:

Raks Thai Foundation, a Thai non-profit organization, is working to improve the incomes of smallholder rice farmers in Ubon Ratchathani, a northeastern province of Thailand. The three-year program is taking a market systems development approach, working with market actors, to address key constraints that rice farmers face, particularly in accessing advisory services, inputs, mechanized equipment, finance and markets. The program has three main objectives: 1) Increase smallholder farmers’ adoption of improved agriculture techniques; 2) Promote smallholder farmers’ adoption of good financial and business practices; and 3) Strengthen farmer organizations.

The purpose of this consultancy is to establish a baseline measurement for the project’s objectives, results and indicators.

Objective: Smallholder rice farmers in Thailand increase their incomes and improve the long-term profitability of their farms.

Outcome 1: Smallholder rice farmers are adopting improved agriculture practices.

Outcome 2: Smallholder rice farmers are implementing good financial and business management practices.

Outcome 3: Farmer organizations are operating as sustainable business enterprises offering a wide variety of services to their members.

Consultant Objectives:

In close collaboration with the Program Manager and M&E team, the consultant is expected to lead the baseline assessment process. The consultant will create the sampling strategy, methodology and data analysis plan (along with the schedule of fieldwork, specifying how the information will be collected, organized and analyzed according to the information needs specified in this Scope of Work and through consultation with the program team.) In addition, the consultant will review, test and finalize a survey tool using draft questions provided by Raks Thai and set guidelines for the use of the tool as well as documentation of the baseline study process. The consultant will manage data collection in the field, provide daily debriefs, respond to data collection challenges, and collect, clean and analyze data. The baseline survey will be conducted in the rice farmer communities where the project is being implemented in Ubon Ratchathani. The consultant will be supported by the Raks Thai field staff in arranging the first meeting with target rice farmer communities.

To Achieve this aim, the consultant will have the following responsibilities:

• Establish baseline measurements for the program’s objectives and outcomes (disaggregated by sex, age, and location).
• Develop and oversee the successful implementation of the baseline assessment, ensuring that all deliverables are met on time.
• Review draft survey provided by Raks Thai, provide feedback and draft additional questions as needed. Test and finalize survey protocols and questionnaire. (Code into XLS for ODK Collect)
• Design sampling methodology, pre-analysis plan, and schedule of field work.
• Train survey team on survey methods, interview skills and digital data collection.
• Supervise and actively participate in data collection
• Analysis of data collected, including coding and interpretation of qualitative interview notes.
• Write baseline study report with review by Raks Thai
• Present findings to Mercy Corps including presentation of final report and slidedeck with summary findings.

Target Geographies:  10 Community Rice Center (CRC) in three districts in Ubon Ratchathani, including:

1. Khuang Nai: Khotong CRC, Kho Ae CRC, Klangyai CRC
2. Mueng Samsip: Nalueng CRC, Nongmuang CRC, Laobok CRC, Phasouk CRC
3. Trakan Phutphon: Kashem CRC, Takdad CRC, Nasamai CRC

Target Beneficiaries:   TBD

Full Project Timeline: July 1, 2017 – August 23, 2020

Consultant Deliverables:

• Detailed Workplan: Including pre-work, pre-analysis plan, survey tool design, testing and coding, training plan, data collection logistics and management plan, data collection debrief, and final deliverables schedule to include dataset, final report in English, presentation with slide deck of final report and summary findings.
• Pre-Analysis plan: Comprehensive sampling note, variables to summarize and levels of disaggregation, analytical approach for analysis, strategy for leveraging baseline data in future analysis (midline or endline)
• Finalized and tested tools in English and Thai. Tools must be coded in XLS or CVS file for ODK Collect.
• Specialized training on interview skills, digital data collection, and survey questions for data collection team
• Outputs of the quantitative data analysis surveys, including summary statistics of variables and a bulleted summary of the findings
• Final datasets in XLS or CSV file (raw and cleaned files)
• Final report in Word format in English (20 pages max, excluding annexes) to include sections such as:
  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • Background
  • Methodology
  • Sampling Plan
  • Key Findings by Objective
  • Completed target table (Template provided by Raks Thai)
• PowerPoint presentation on summary findings
• Presentation of findings to program team

Estimated Timeframe / Schedule: 

Estimated total number of working days: 35

Qualifications

• Technical expertise in data collection and survey design
• Four-year university degree (Master’s Preferred) in agriculture development, social sciences, or other related field
• Strong participatory facilitation skills
• At least two years of experience conducting field research, including designing and conducting baseline and/or endline assessments, development of M&E systems, program startup M&E activities, evaluation of agricultural/market systems programs, technical assistance, consultancies, etc.
• Familiarity with digital data collection methods in general, and ODK Collect and Ona in particular. Experience digitizing questionnaires into XLS or CSV files preferred.
• Fluency in both English and Thai with highly professional report writing capabilities (samples will be requested)
• Experience with agriculture/market systems development programs strongly preferred
• Experience in the North-eastern region of Thailand, particularly Ubon Ratchathani, preferred
• Professional Fluency in both Thai and English, spoken and written
• Locally based consultants are encouraged to apply

Application Information:

Applications can be made by email to sirikanya@raksthai.org  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.