Consultant - LEGEND MID-TERM REVIEW

The Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications from consultants or consulting firms for a Mid-Term Project Review of the Leveraging Equality for Gender Inclusive Economic Development (LEGEND) project, across eleven counties in Kenya. To learn more about MEDA and our work, please visit www.meda.org**.**

1.  Background

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is a non-profit organization which brings hope, opportunity, and economic well-being to low-income people around the world, through a business-oriented approach to development. In Kenya, MEDA is currently implementing a project called Leveraging Equality for Gender-Inclusive Economic Development (LEGEND), which started in 2022 and will be completed in 2028.

The LEGEND project is funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and seeks to increase business profitability and economic growth in 11 counties across Kenya with high levels of poverty, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and human-rights (HR) constraints. The project focusses on three sectors namely, aquaculture, horticulture and poultry across two regions of Kenya i.e., Lake region (Busia, Homabay, Kisumu, Migori and Siaya counties) and Coast region (Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa, Makueni, Taita-Taveta and Tana River counties). LEGEND’s desired ultimate outcome is to improve the socio-economic prosperity and decent work opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and small entrepreneurs (SE/farmers) with a focus on women, particularly young women, people with disabilities (PWDs) among other marginalized populations.

The project aims to accomplish the above ultimate outcome through the achievement of the following immediate outcomes:

• Improved business capacities of SMEs including lead firms (LFs)
• increased access to finance for SMEs, including LFs for value chain upgrading
• Enhanced capacity of GESI, women’s rights and leadership, human rights and Environment Sustainability (ES) for SMEs, including LFs.
• Increased business and financial capacities of SEs via LFs and service providers.
• Strengthened alliances of SEs with a focus on the participation of women, youth and marginalized populations.
• Enhanced leadership capacity of SEs on ES, GESI and Human rights (HR).
• Increased capacity of enabling environment actors to support SMEs led by women, youth and marginalized populations and actively promote ES and GESI/HR.
• Increased awareness and capacity on the impact of Gender Lens Investing (GLI) approaches.

The project will benefit 250 SMEs and 40,000 SEs with a breakdown below:

• 20 SMEs selected as lead firms (LF) receive matching grants to support a total of 30,000 SEs in their supply/distribution chains
• 220 SMEs benefit from business development service (BDS) grants through BDS providers
• 10 business alliances (BA) receive matching grants to support 10,000 SEs in their networks

2. Purpose of Mid-term Review

The primary objective of the midterm review (MTR) is to assess the project's progress towards its stated outcomes, with a focus on the appropriateness of the design and overall efficiency in driving results. The review will evaluate the project's effectiveness, relevance, opportunities and threats ensuring that current implementation strategies align with the intended impact. Additionally, it will provide actionable recommendations that will help the project staff adjust program strategy and optimize resources to improve delivery and success in the next phase of implementation. The following data should be collected:

1. Details of project operations including the socio-cultural context of the intervention communities or Zones of Influence.
2. Demographic characteristics of program participants.
3. Collaborative partnerships with ecosystem actors
4. Perspectives on internal processes and general implementation challenges from staff at lead firms and Business Associations and other SMEs
5. Analysis of project strengths, weaknesses, and challenges, with specific focus on project management and resourcing – including Identifying facilitating and inhibiting factors vis-à-vis project results

3. Mid-term Review Objectives

• Assess the relevance of the LEGEND’s Project Design in addressing the needs of clients and achieving the desired outcomes –with careful analysis of the projects intervention strategy as articulated within the three broad components in its logic model i.e., socioeconomic prosperity of SMEs, socio-economic prosperity of SEs and reduced barriers.
• Assess the project’s assumptions to determine whether enabling factors are still present and detracting factors are being managed
• Assess the relevance and effectiveness of the project’s GESI and ES strategies.
• Assess whether and/or to what extent the project is aligned with the government’s agriculture priorities and needs.
• Evaluate the efficiency of project implementation and assess the long-term sustainability of the interventions introduced – including Gender Transformative Approaches, Environmentally Sustainability Practices, and the Market System Approaches.
• Engage key stakeholders, including project clients and local partners, to ensure their perspectives are integrated into the review of project design, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Document lessons learned and best practices.
• Review Project Management and Internal Processes to ascertain whether the resources and capacities are adequate and can carry out the project outputs.
• Report on the project’s preliminary results, identify facilitating and inhibiting factors towards the achievement of project outcomes.
• Identify and describe the project’s sustainability plans, especially in relation to local ownership, capacity-building efforts, and the ability of clients and local partners to sustain results beyond the life of project.
• Provide recommendations to improve project delivery.

4. Evaluation Questions

• How well does the LEGEND’s Project design address the needs of women smallholder farmers/ entrepreneurs, agribusinesses (SMEs), and associations?
• To what extent is the project design aligned with its long-term goals, the Government of Kenya’s agricultural priorities, ensuring local ownership and capacity-building for sustained outcomes beyond the project lifecycle?
• How efficiently have project resources (financial, human, technical) been allocated and utilized in delivering project interventions?
• Are the Gender Transformative Approaches (GTAs), Environmentally Sustainable Practices, and Market System Approaches being implemented effectively and efficiently?
• What are the key factors contributing to or inhibiting the project’s operational efficiency?
• To what extent are the interventions introduced by the project sustainable, particularly in fostering local ownership and building the capacity of clients and partners?

5. Review Scope

The review will assess all areas of the project’s operation including activities, outputs and results generated over the first three years of project implementation, using a participatory approach to gather data from a diverse range of stakeholders across the project's zones of influence including priority value chains. The review should consider the project’s learnings in two stages:

• Initial design: a desk review and KIIs with staff to understand the initial design (its relevance, strengths, weaknesses or gaps, credibility of project assumptions; risk mitigation strategies)
• Implementation progress and learnings: What elements of the project are doing well and why? What elements are less successful or are not serving the intended purpose and why? Where/What are the gaps? Are there innovations?

6. Review Approach and Methodology

The review will use the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach that maximizes shared learning. The review will use multiple lines of evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, to triangulate findings. The study will make use of existing project monitoring and results to develop data collection instruments and make comparative assessments.

• Development of research questions.
• Desk review of current criteria and recruitment processes for clients (farmers and SMEs).
• Calculate a representative sample for the evaluation
• Qualitative data collection: select KIIs and FGDs.
• Validation Workshop of evaluation findings.
• Other methods as suggested by the Consultant.

A Review Advisory Committee (RAC) will be formed comprising key project stakeholders to guide the process of internal review. The review will use multiple secondary sources of evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, to triangulate findings.

Data gathering tools and findings should capture progress and results related to such crosscutting themes as gender equality and environmental sustainability.

7. Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Evaluation Advisory Committee, the Consultants will prepare a detailed work plan that details the proposed methodology including the sampling techniques, the timelines of the different stages of the evaluation, and deliverables. At a minimum, the work plan should include the following:

• Detailed evaluation methodology with sampling protocol.
• Data gathering tools.
• Proposal for data analysis (component areas aligning with evaluation objectives and priority areas).
• Proposal for data validation and reporting

8. Review Deliverables and Timelines

Activity 1: Inception Phase

Initial Desk review of relevant project document and discussion with EAC and key MEDA staff to gather more insight and clarify expectations and identify any specific areas of focus.

Responsible - Consultant with support of EAC

Deliverables - Inception Report -Including review detail work plan with research and sampling methods, timeline by activity, data collection tools (word and electronic versions)

Timing - Jan 27 to Feb 7, 2025 (2weeks)

Activity 2: Data collection and Analysis Phase
Data collection training, pretest, identify project clients, Interviews, discussions, sector analysis.

Responsible - Consultant with support of LEGEND’s country team

Deliverables - Training report -Including non-coded primary data (cleaned quantitative dataset) with valid contact information of respondents

Timing - Feb 10 to Mar 7, 2025 (4 weeks)

Activity 3:Reporting and Validation Phase

Validation Workshop

Responsible - Consultant with feedback from EAC

Deliverables - Draft Report -Including power point presentation slides. Incorporating feedback for the sector and project stakeholders

Timing - Mar 10 to March 21, 2025 (2 weeks)

Activity 4: Final Reporting and Recommendations

Responsible - Consultant

Deliverables - Final Report Including any related data analysis files (syntax files)

Timing - Due by April 4, 2025 (2weeks)

9. Technical Oversight

An Evaluation Advisory Committee (EAC) will be formed, comprising key project stakeholders, to provide technical guidance to ensure alignment with industry and MEDA’s research and evaluation standards.

The Evaluation Advisory Committee will meet with the consultants at the end of the first three phases of the evaluation as described in the table above; and will be available as needed for technical guidance.

10. Logistical Arrangements

The local project team, coordinated by the Impact and Knowledge Management Manager, will be responsible for logistical arrangements for field visits and scheduling interviews with key stakeholders.

11. Budget

The budget for the midterm review will cover professional fees, data collection and other related costs. The consultant/team should submit a detailed budget proposal along with the application. The budget for the final evaluation is KES. 2 million only.

Applicants are kindly requested to provide a detailed proposal with budget, along with CVs that detail relevant experience.

Please share application and supporting documents to fkaesha@meda.org, copy kndirangu@meda.org  and rguilland@meda.org

The deadline for applications is December 20, 2024.

Keywords

ConsultantReviewEvaluationProjectGenderEconomicDevelopmentKenyaSMEsGESIHRSustainability