General Background
Overlapping 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
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 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. 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 crises.
ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
- Background information on the assignment
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 in 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 120 in phase 2.
In 2019, the ILO conducted an impact assessment on the initial 143 cisterns built across the five (5) governorates—Ajloun, Jerash, Al Balqa, Karak, and Tafila—to evaluate their usage and the subsequent effects on agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of the beneficiaries. This assessment aimed to understand the tangible benefits these structures brought to local farming communities. Five years on, the ILO’s PROSPECTS project funded by the Government of the Netherlands, aims to reassess the structures established, including those from Phase 2, to evaluate the interventions’ effects on beneficiary livelihoods. This review will enhance the comprehension of the long-term outcomes and will provide valuable insights to inform future initiatives, specifically for EIIP activities under PROSPECTS Phase 2.
[1] Job creation for Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities through green works in agriculture and forestry.
2. Objective of the consultancy
The ILO is seeking the services of a consultant whose roles and responsibilities will be to carry out an updated impact study on the 263 cisterns that were established by the ILO between 2017 and 2019 in order to assess their sustainability and to make recommendations for future EIIP interventions relating to rainwater harvesting cisterns. The study aims to build on the 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.
Based on the findings, the study also aims to draw lessons learned that will be useful for rural water policy, employment creation for Jordanians and refugee communities, and on the implementation of agricultural development and social inclusion.
SCOPE OF WORK AND METHODOLOGY
The individual consultant will perform the following work:
- Conduct desk review of available information and materials about the selected subprojects including data available in the area related to socio-economic, environmental and poverty parameters
- Prepare an Inception Report outlining the scope, selection criteria, data collection and analysis methods to support the objectives of the study
- Oversee the data collection for a sample of the 263 cisterns at selected sites with respondents (with the support of up to 5 enumerators to be provided by the project to assist the individual consultant)
- Undertake the analysis of the collected information and data
- Prepare (i) a full report and; (ii) a short summary report to the ILO
The impact study should include but not be limited to these indicators:
- Direct effect on participants
- Productivity effects
- How much rainwater on average does the cistern collect during the winter? Do the water supply facilities or systems provide sufficient water all-year round or how much of the season does it cover?,
- Is there a sense of project ownership or acceptance of the community as a whole?
- Is the beneficiary able to independently maintain the water facilities?/ How many times over the past 5 years have they had to do maintenance on the cistern? What are the maintenance costs?
- Did the provision of the water facilities lead to an increase in output
- Agriculture and livestock, if applicable- did the beneficiary grow more plant varieties after the cistern construction?
- Local multiplier effect in terms of increase in outputs – was there an increase cultivation area after the cistern construction? Were any infrastructure or technologies added to the farm after the cistern construction?
- Change in real household income / how much money did the beneficiary save from irrigation water costs/ did the yield per Dunam increase after constructing the water cistern?/ Did the income from agriculture production increase after the cistern’s construction?
- Labour – did the beneficiary more labour on their farm after construction of the cistern, including women and refugees?
- Any spillover effect (positive or negative) on the local economy.
- Refugee and gender inclusion:
Identify systematic approaches involving refugees and women that contribute to the successes of such scheme, improving the social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits to them and the local community. Recommendations for enhanced integration should be part of the final report.
The capture of information will be local using a combination of data collection tools including local interviews and evidence-based information across a range of stakeholders including local authorities, farmer-beneficiaries, women, refugees, and other disadvantaged groups affected by the intervention.
Methodology
The study will use a combination of data collection tools primarily qualitative methods but also to incorporate quantitative elements (review of secondary data relevant to the target project of interest). The capture of information will be across a range of stakeholders including local authorities, communities including refugees and women affected by the intervention. The ILO will provide enumerators to carry out the data collection.
Outputs :
The consultancy shall deliver the following:
- Inception report
- Impact study report + recommendations
- Summary of the study 4 pages to be utilized as a communications material, be simpler and more visually attractive to readers
Location of assignment, timeline and duration
The assignment will be mainly undertaken in Jordan, in the eight (8) governorates of Ajloun, Jerash, Al Balqa, Karak, Tafila, Zarqa, Madaba, and Ma’an. Some initial data collection including project background may be carried out in Amman as necessary. The duration of the consultancy assignment is for a period of 21 working days over the period of 30th June to 31st August 2024.
Tasks
- Develop a workplan; and collect material and information from ILO EIIP and PROSPECTS team ( 1 working day )
- Compile the inception report, complete with methodology and questionnaire ( 4 working days )
- Provide guidance to the enumerators on the methodology and questionnaire for data collection ( 1 working day )
- Coordinate the data collection with the enumerators, including 5 field visits companying and overseeing the work of the enumerators ( 5 working days )
- Data analysis ( 5 working days )
- Report writing ( 5 working days )
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION PROCESS
The consultant should be experienced in the art and science of sampling and data collection and analysis, particularly in water supply infrastructure-related projects, or in the agriculture sector. The consultant must have at least 8 years of experience in survey design and socio-economic analysis. It would be an advantage for the consultant to have proven experience in the inclusion of vulnerable groups, specifically refugees and women.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The selection criteria for this consultancy will be based on the following:
(a) Quality and relevance of the proposal to the TORs
(b) Relevant and proven experience of the consultant
(c) Cost
The most economically advantageous offer will be selected based on a weighted evaluation of the technical proposal (weight: 70%) and financial proposal (weight: 30%).
Clarity of the proposal, provision of all required documentation, and innovative delivery are considered as a cross-cutting measurement criteria.
SUPERVISION AND LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the PROSPECTS project National Agriculture Officer, with work overseen by the Project Manager. There will also be technical oversight and support from the EIIP teams in Jordan and at HQ.
Role of the ILO
- Provide overall guidance to the consultant concerning the scope of work, including history of the previous intervention and support in the current assessment (locations, who to interview, etc).
- Provide up to 5 enumerators to collect data from the 8 target governorates
- Avail relevant support to the consultant with regard to adherence to ILO guidelines in the consultant’s undertaking of contract activities.
TIME FRAME AND ESTIMATED BUDGET
The work is to be implemented between 30/06/2024 – 31/08/2024, totalling 21 working days.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
The total number of working days for this assignment is 21 days. Payment will be made in two (2) tranches, in Jordanian dinars, at the approval of all deliverables to the satisfaction of the ILO and presentation of invoice.
- First payment – 20% of the total contract value upon submission of the inception report to the satisfaction of the ILO.
- Final payment – 80% upon submission of the final report and summary to the satisfaction of the ILO.
How to apply
The individual national consultant must submit (1) a technical proposal and; (2) a financial proposal. Each proposal must be saved in a separate digital folder labelled “Technical Proposal” and “Financial Proposal”. The two digital folders are to be saved under one digital folder (zipped) with the title saved as the full name of the bidder and date of submission.
The technical proposal should include the CV of the applicant, relevance of his/her background to this assignment, and an outline of how the consultant intends to carry out the work. The financial proposal should include the consultant’s daily fee; any other required fees related to carrying out this assignment; and the total fee. Applications should be submitted by email to:
- Mr. Samer Al Rawashdeh, National Agriculture Officer: alrawashdeh@ilo.org
- Ms. Ola Flaifel, Admin and Finance Officer: flaifel@ilo.org
The deadline for submission is COB Wednesday 5th June 2024. Both technical and financial proposals should be valid for 30 days
