National Consultancy Services to Strengthen Safeguard Mechanisms in Donor-supported Development Programs in Ethiopia

The consultancy will have three parts, which may be conducted in sequence.

The first part will be an extension of the AMU study to cover the PSCAP and GEQIP programs. This will be a desk-based study of the systems in place in the two programs in question to prevent, detect and address distortion, and a review of the existing evidence about how effectively these systems work. This will involve:

* Compilation of known concerns about distortion in donor-supported programs, and about the effectiveness of systems to prevent, detect and address distortion;
* Review of documentation (program documents) and consultation with informed parties to understand how the various programs are supposed to work in terms of preventing, detecting and addressing distortion;
* Review of documentation (monitoring, evaluation, and audit reports) and consultation with informed parties to gather existing evidence about how the various programs have worked in terms of preventing, detecting and addressing distortion;
* Review of ongoing initiatives to address concerns that have been raised about distortion;
* Draft a report on findings.

The second part of the work will concentrate on a thorough review of safeguards in place, as a follow-up to the AMU study. This will involve, through a process of substantial fieldwork a review of all programmatic safeguards, including those present at design or as a result of ongoing joint reviews and program supervision missions, and the recommendations of the AMU. The work will assess the strength of safeguards, the relevance and feasibility of any recommendations already made, and work performed as part of ongoing reviews undertaken by the programs themselves. Where relevant, it will also assess the extent to which specific recommendations have been acted upon resulting from either ongoing programmatic review activity or the AMU study, and what further progress can be made to enhance accountability, transparency and freedom from distortion. In respect of the AMU, this will include:

* For PSNP, a study of the effectiveness and targeting information now produced for the program, along with appeals process information and key performance data, along with analysis of the extent to which key information is publically disclosed, and a review of the progress of establishment of Regional Information Centres;
* For PBS, a study of measures to increase financial transparency and social accountability. In particular, the review will ask what measures are in place to eliminate distortion around access to employment or goods and services, or use of funds for political training.
* For the Relief Program, initiatives taken for enhanced relief monitoring, and for improvements in targeting;For the targeted Supplementary Feeding Program, the review will assess the progress made in improving targeting, reducing levels of false inclusion and improving monitoring and evaluation.
* For GEQIP and PSCAP the field review will be determined according to the outcomes of the first phase, in the same spirit like for PBS.
* Wherever possible this should be augmented by a first-hand analysis of the situation that exists on the ground, particularly in respect of citizens and their ability to hold the roll-out of the programs to account. Wherever possible, such analysis should be cross-cutting, viz. not restricted to one or other specific program.

This study will then make further recommendations for monitoring and evaluation going forward, recognizing that:

* Where possible, country systems rather than stand-alone donor mechanisms should be utilized, exemplifying a partnership between donors and the Government of Ethiopia to strengthen core systems of accountability and effectiveness;
* Despite this, where appropriate, balance is needed. There may be times when, to maintain credibility of evaluation, some processes may need to be independent of government, or of implementing donors, or both. There may be other times when a joint approach is the most feasible and cost effective way forward.
The third part of the consultancy will involve a review of the options around how the appraisal of safeguards, accountability mechanisms and transparency initiatives of the programs can be better institutionalized and synthesized. This will start by recognizing that in various donor supported programs, donors are striving to supplement the established country systems of accountability with additional means of validation and cross-checks. Based on this, the consultancy work will look at:

* the ways to bring together findings from different programs on an on-going basis and to provide the DAG and the GOE with a comprehensive picture of the situation on the ground;
* the possible scope for transplanting lessons learnt from one program across others (or, indeed, to government service delivery more generally);
* Arrangements for co-ordination and maintenance of dialogue around this monitoring and evaluation, looking at options around reporting to the DAG, GoE and the people of Ethiopia, and considering mechanisms for the management and discussion of these processes (e.g. via stakeholder steering groups, etc.).

Conditions of work:

The consultant will be hired of an initial period six months. Under the supervision of the Team Leader (International Consultant), the national consultant will liaise closely with leads from DAG member agencies.
The national consultant will provide research and other related support to the international consultant. He/she is expected to enhance the quality of work through their knowledge of the local environment.
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Competencies

* Experience in research and consultancy work with international organizations is an added advantage.

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