- Background on the OECD DAC guidance
In 2006, ALNAP published a guidance document designed to help evaluation professionals better understand and use the OECD DAC criteria in humanitarian settings: ‘Evaluating Humanitarian Action using the OECD DAC Criteria’. The guidance is one of ALNAP’s most popular evaluation guides.
The guidance recognised that additional criteria – connectedness, coherence and coverage – were needed in these settings. Moreover, it explicitly acknowledged that the DAC criteria were often used mechanistically, and that humanitarian actors need specific guidance on good practice when applying the criteria in the field. The guidance provided practical examples of how humanitarian practitioners have used the criteria, as well as real-world cases of how they have been applied.
ALNAP is now updating the 2006 guidance through an evidence based and participatory process. As part of the process, ALNAP has commissioned a literature review, and to capture the diverse views on how to best apply the criteria in humanitarian contexts, ALNAP has also organised a series of in-person and online consultation events and launched a global survey for humanitarian evaluation practitioners.
In updating the original publication, ALNAP is exploring evaluation issues specific to humanitarian action, including common constraints and challenges of applying the criteria in humanitarian settings over the past 18 years.
For more information on the revision process and to view recordings of different consultation events please visit https://www.alnap.org/guidance-update
2. The assignment
ALNAP is now looking to contract 1-2 co-authors who will work on the revised guidance in close collaboration with ALNAP’s research lead for the project. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to key evaluation guidance used widely in the humanitarian sector.
The revision and writing process will be based on the evidence collected through the literature review, the global survey and consultations with key stakeholders. A utility focused approach will inform the writing process, i.e. the guidance is expected to be as useful as possible to the humanitarian sector, including humanitarian evaluators and users as well as commissioners of humanitarian evaluations. The co-author(s) are expected to draft the guidance based on the evidence gathered but are also expected to contribute with their own expertise in the area.
It will be highly important for the co-authors to be able to work collaboratively with each other, but also be able to take on feedback from the project’s advisory group as well as other key stakeholders, both internal and external to ALNAP. The revised guidance will be published in a long form written text accompanied by a shorter checklist/brief. The draft guidance will be written in English by the authors and will be translated into other key languages in a staggered approach.
3. Activities and deliverables
Start-up meeting – April/May 2024
Key informant interviews and focus group discussions – May 2024
Contribute to data analysis – May 2024
Validation workshop – May 2024
Writing of first draft of the new guidance – May-July 2024
Deliverable: Draft first version of guidance
Participate in the feedback process on the first draft – August-September 2024
Draft revision – September-October 2024
Deliverable: Revised version of the guidance
Launch of the new guidance (launch event) – 2025
This timeline is preliminary and subject to change.
4. Preliminary timeline and number of days
The contract will span between April 2024 and early 2025, with the bulk of the work undertaken between April and October 2024. This timeline is preliminary and subject to change. Depending on the profile of the contracted co-author(s) and size of the team, each writer will be contracted for 20-50 workdays.
5. Qualifications
Required
- At least 5 years’ experience of evaluation in humanitarian or development contexts
- Proven track record of conducting research or evaluations collaboratively
- Able to write, in English, in a clear and consistent style, adhering to the agreed document length
Desired
- Proven track record of writing evaluation guidance, preferably sector wide guidance and/or used by a wide variety of agencies
- Extensive experience of conducting evaluations in humanitarian contexts for a wide range of commissioning agencies
- Proven track record of research in the areas of culturally responsive evaluation, locally-led M&E, decolonisation of evaluations, positionality in evaluation or similar theme
- Able to write proficiently in Spanish, French and/or Arabic
For more information please visit – Co-authorship of ALNAP’s revised guidance on the use of the OECD DAC criteria in humanitarian evaluation | ALNAP
How to apply
Candidates are expected to submit the following documents:
- CV outlining relevant experience (shall not exceed 4 pages)
- Cover letter detailing the supplier’s relevant experience and capability/skills, and confirmation of availability (shall not exceed 2 pages)
- Written sample of previous work relevant to this assignment, preferably as sole author, if not please indicate sections/chapters written by the applicant – two samples shall be submitted. The samples must be in English and not be more than 5 years old.
- Price quotation including daily fee rate
- Two references from professional assignments undertaken in the last 5 years. The assignments must be thematically relevant to the scope of work of this assignment.
Applications are welcomed from a team of two, or individuals.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed before the final selection is made.
Deadline for applications:
Application shall be submitted by 15 March, 2024. Applications shall be sent to: evalcriteria@alnap.org.
For queries, please write to evalcriteria@alnap.org.