Hiring four data collectors (enumerators) for impact study on rainwater harvesting cisterns At International Labour Organization

1. General backgroundOverlapping drivers of displacement worldwide have coincided and increased the scope, scale and complexity of displacement. Approximately 25.4 million individuals are recognized as refugees who have fled their homes due to a well-found fear of persecution. This is alongside millions of internally displaced persons and those who have fled their homes but are not recognized as refugees by the 1951 Refugee Convention. In response to the considerable challenges posed by forced displacement, a strategic partnership, named PROSPECTS, was established by the Government of the Netherlands in 2019, bringing together five partner organizations, namely IFC, UNICEF, ILO, UNHCR and the World Bank. The partnership spans eight countries, including Jordan. Jordan is facing a historic forced displacement crisis and as the crisis extends into the next decade, the country is at an inflection point, given the scope, scale and protracted nature of the displacement. Through Prospects, partners will undertake interventions that will align with national strategies, helping to mitigate the impact of the current displacement crisis on both refugee and host communities, with a longer-term goal of supporting human development through support to increased economic opportunities, wider access to quality education and stronger protection mechanisms. As of January 2020, Jordan hosted over 745,000 refugees, including over 655,000 Syrians and almost 100,000 other nationalities. With refugees constituting almost seven per cent of Jordan’s population, the Kingdom is one of the top refugee-hosting countries per capita worldwide. Through the PROSPECTS partnership, the five partners aim to leverage their comparative advantages and areas of expertise to programme complementary and interdependent interventions that address three areas where challenges negatively affect the livelihoods and well-being of Jordanians, refugees, and other vulnerable groups: education, employment, and protection.
2. PROSPECTS IN JORDAN

Jordan is facing a historic forced displacement crisis and as the crisis extends into the next decade, the country is at an inflection point, given the scope, scale and protracted nature of the displacement. Through Prospects, partners will undertake interventions that will align with national strategies, helping to mitigate the impact of the current displacement crisis on both refugee and host communities, with a longer-term goal of supporting human development through support to increased economic opportunities, wider access to quality education and stronger protection mechanisms. As of January 2020, Jordan hosted over 745,000 refugees, including over 655,000 Syrians and almost 100,000 other nationalities. Children represent a little over half of the refugee community. With refugees constituting almost seven percent of Jordan’s population, the Kingdom is one of the top refugee-hosting countries per capita worldwide.

Whilst Jordan’s economic situation pre-dated the Syrian crisis, the impact of its forced displacement crisis has worsened the situation. The IMF has estimated that Jordan’s economy lost one percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) each year of the crisis due to investment and export losses. Syrian and Jordanian households across the Kingdom continue to live in highly vulnerable conditions, with all communities dependent on overstretched and weak education systems; limited, and often informal, employment opportunities; poorly coordinated protection systems; and nascent social safety nets.

Through the PROSPECTS partnership, the five partners aim to leverage their comparative advantages and areas of expertise to programme complementary and interdependent interventions that address three areas where challenges negatively affect the livelihoods and well-being of Jordanians, refugees, and other vulnerable groups: education, employment, and protection. Through an in-depth theory of change process, the combined efforts of the organizations will endeavour to bolster the medium- and longer-term development goals for Jordanians, refugees and other vulnerable groups to access quality and market-relevant education; decent engagement, work and enterprise opportunities; and comprehensive protection systems, which will in turn support more sustainable livelihoods, in line with Jordan’s national plans. Integrated into the joint programme is systematic learning and knowledge management that will feed into future planning, the scaling up of innovative approaches, and ultimately transform the way partners respond to displacement crisis.

ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Water-related climate adaptation programs, encompassing irrigation, afforestation, soil protection, and water conservation for consumption and domestic use, have long acknowledged the advantages of local-focused strategies for enhanced inclusivity and sustainability. Over the past two decades, the ILO’s Employment Intensive Investment Programmes (EIIPs) approach has been implemented across several countries to improve community assets while protecting the environment and promoting gender empowerment, and social inclusion.

In Jordan between 2017 and 2019 the ILO through its EIIPs and with funding support from the Norwegian government[1], supported the government to address the labour market impact of the Syrian refugee crisis. The initiative honed on the agricultural sector, a critical source of income and sustenance for poor communities, encompassing migrant workers, refugees, and vulnerable locals. Despite accounting for only 4.81% of Jordan’s GDP in 2022, agriculture remains a significant employer. Approximately 25% of poor households rely on this sector for their livelihood. It is also the second largest employer of refugees in Jordan. Given that 77% of Jordan is arid desert, receiving less than 200mm of annual precipitation, bolstering this sector not only aids those in need but also enhances the ILO’s reputation and trust, positioning it to influence changes at higher levels in the future.

The project, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, sought to enhance the living conditions of Syrian refugees and local communities through the creation of decent jobs, enhancement of agricultural and forestry infrastructure, and improvement of environmental protection. The project’s goals were realized through a series of strategic actions, including the construction of rainwater harvesting cisterns built through the EIIP method in eight (8) governorates over two (2) phases: Ajloun, Jerash, Al Balqa, Karak, and Tafila in Phase 1, followed by Madaba, Zarqa, and Ma’an in Phase 2. In the first phase 143 cisterns were established, followed by an additional 119 in phase 2.

In 2019, the ILO conducted an impact assessment on the initial 143 cisterns built across five (5) governorates—Ajloun, Jerash, Al Balqa, Karak, and Tafeileh—to evaluate their usage and the subsequent effects on agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of the beneficiaries.

The ILO has contracted a lead consultant to carry out an updated impact study on the 262 cisterns that were established by the ILO between 2017 and 2019 in the eight (8) governorates of Ajloun, Jerash, Zarqa, Balqa, Madaba, Karak, Tafeileh, and Ma’an. The aim of the impact study is to assess the sustainability of the rainwater harvesting cisterns and to make recommendations for future EIIP interventions. The study also aims to build on the previous 2019 impact assessment conducted by the ILO by utilising the same questionnaire (with new additional follow-up questions) to measure the effectiveness of the original intervention (such as whether the cisterns are still used to support the increase in cultivated farm areas, did the cisterns lead to substantial water cost savings, an increase in plant varieties, did the farmers employ more workers, did farmers increase or introduce new technologies to their farms after the cisterns, etc). In addition, the study intends to analyse the success factors in a systematic and replicable manner, with emphasis on how women including other vulnerable groups, primarily refugees have been included, and the impact on decision-making and the benefits to them in terms of their livelihood and quality of life. Therefore, the ILO is seeking the services of four (4) enumerators to work closely with and provide support to the lead consultant by carrying out the data collection of the impact study. Each enumerator will be responsible for conducting the data questionnaire developed by the lead consultant for two (2) governorates, and entering the data into the prescribed computer database.

[1] Job creation for Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities through green works in agriculture and forestry.

SCOPE OF WORK AND METHODOLOGY

The assignment of each enumerator will focus on supporting the lead consultant in data collection. The capturing of information will be local using a combination of data collection tools (being developed by the lead consultant) including local interviews and survey tools across a range of stakeholders including local authorities, farmer-beneficiaries, women, and refugees. The collected data will aim to measure the effectiveness of the original intervention (such as whether the cisterns are still used to support the increase in cultivated farm areas, did the cisterns lead to substantial water cost savings, an increase in plant varieties, did the farmers employ more workers, did farmers increase or introduce new technologies to their farms after the cisterns, etc).

Since the data collection will require a lot of travel between the scattered sites of the 262 cisterns, each enumerator will cover only two governorates (as per the table below). A list of beneficiary names, contact details[1], and GPS location will be provided by the ILO.

[1] Contacts details is mainly mobile phone, some of the mobile’s number might be not in use, some more effort needed from the Enumerators to identify the beneficiaries based on the GPS location provided

Governorates covered

• Jerash & Zarqa ( Number of cisterns 57 )
• Ajloun & Balqa ( Number of cisterns 59 )
• Karak & Madaba ( Number of cisterns 87 )
• Tafeileh & Ma’an ( Number of cisterns 59 )

The methods and processes for carrying out the data collection, entry, and validation, are detailed below:

1. Preparation for field work

Each enumerator is to attend a 2-day induction and training workshop in Amman. During this workshop, the ILO and the lead consultant will provide the survey tools and questionnaire to the enumerators and carefully go through the methodology, including the use of smartphones/tablets for data collection, and the Kobo toolbox[1].

1. Data collection
   1. The contact details for each beneficiary will be assigned and shared with each enumerator from the outset of the assignment. The enumerator is to develop a workplan accordingly and share with the ILO and lead consultant.
   2. Each enumerator is to contact the beneficiary ahead of the data collection and inform them of the time that the survey will take place.
   3. The enumerator is to undertake the data collection and validation through the scheduled field visits. The enumerator is to check and ensure consistency in the responses throughout the entire questionnaire and that all responses are complete before leaving the respondent’s location. Should there be any incomplete entries after completion of the survey and departure from the respondent’s location, it is the enumerator’s responsibility to obtain further/ missing information.
   4. The enumerator is to enter the data collected from the source documents into a prescribed computer database (Kobo) using the relevant associated tools (tablets, mobile applications etc.) The ILO will detail these prior to the start of the contract.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

1. Experience in data collection particularly in the agriculture sector, utilising different methodologies, surveys, and interviews.
2. Experience in data entry, using applications and software such as Kobo and excel.
3. Very good familiarity with the two governorates he/she is applying for.
4. Excellent attention to detail
5. Must be currently living/located in one of the two governorates they are applying for.
6. Must have a car/means of transportation, as the assignment requires many field visits across the two designated governorates for each enumerator
7. Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The selection criteria for this consultancy will be based on the following:

(a) Relevance of the applicant’s CV and proven experience

(b) Cost

The most economically advantageous offer will be selected based on a weighted evaluation of the relevant experience (weight: 70%) and financial proposal (weight: 30%).

SUPERVISION AND LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the lead consultant and the ILO PROSPECTS National Agriculture Officer and PROSPECTS National Data Analysis Officer. Overall work will be overseen by the ILO PROSPECTS Project Manager.

TIME FRAME

The duration of the consultancy is from 30th June to 30th July, with the number of working days as follows for each enumerator:

16 working days for the enumerator collecting data from Jerash and Zarqa

16 working days for the enumerator collecting data from Ajloun and Balqa

16 working days for the enumerator collecting data from Tafeileh and Ma’an

20 working days for the enumerator collecting data from Karak and Madaba

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Payment will be made in two (2) tranches, in Jordanian dinars, at the satisfaction of the ILO with the consultant’s work and presentation of invoices.

• First payment – 25% of the total contract value upon completion of the 2-day training in Amman, submission of workplan, and submission of invoice.
• Final payment – 75% upon submission of all tasks and the consultant’s invoice, to the satisfaction of the ILO.

How to apply

The individual national consultant must submit:

(1) a technical proposal comprising of the applicant’s CV which highlights the relevance of his/her background to this assignment. The CV must also include the applicant’s contact information and current address.

(2) a financial proposal including the consultant’s daily fee; any other required fees related to carrying out this assignment (transportation costs to Amman, to the site visits, etc).

Each applicant should submit their technical and financial proposals in one email to info.prospect-jo@ilo.org , and mention in the subject line the relevant duty station as follows:

1. Data_Jerash & Zarqa
2. Data_Ajloun & Balqa
3. Data_Karak & Madaba
4. Data_Tafeileh & Ma’an

Any application that does not include the above-mentioned subject line will be disqualified.

The deadline for submission is COB on Monday 16th of June 2024.