FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA

MINISTRY OF LABOR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

 

MONITORING AND VERIFICATION OF BAXNAANO’S ECONOMIC INCLUSION INTERVENTION

 

The Federal Government of Somalia, in partnership with the World Bank, is implementing the Somalia Shock Responsive Safety Net for Human Capital Project (SNHCP) through the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA)’s Social Protection Platform known as “Baxnaano”. The project will support a jobs intervention pilot with the purpose of increasing employment and earning opportunities among targeted youths. The main beneficiaries of the proposed intervention will be youth between 18 and 35 years of age, who are without jobs and have experienced extended spells of unemployment or who are currently working in vulnerable jobs.  The level of education of targeted beneficiaries will be up to Form 4. The intervention aims to reach over 1,000 youths during the project period with interventions on socio-emotional and soft skills training, technical skills training through work-based learning and business support including provision of interest-free credit/grants, business development services and mentoring.

1. Scope of Work

The scope of the assignment is to undertake independent monitoring of the Economic Inclusion intervention and its activities. The firm will assess if processes and procedures are understood by the implementers and being applied as per the agreed upon design. Additionally, the monitoring will follow-up with a subset of beneficiaries benefitting from the Economic Inclusion intervention to determine their satisfaction with the activities as well as their employment outcomes after their participation in the program is over. The scope of this independent monitoring is to regularly document and assess how the activities in the Economic Inclusion intervention are being implemented and the satisfaction of beneficiaries with these activities. The specific activities the monitoring firm will be responsible for are listed below.

1. Socio Emotional Skills/Soft Skills training

MoLSA intends to have 1,000 beneficiaries receive Socio Emotional/Soft skills training in the 1^st month or 4 weeks of training before moving to the work based learning and Business Development Support. The training will be in premises accessible to beneficiaries within Daynile District and will be conducted through the Economic Inclusion firm.

2. Technical Skills Training/Work based learning / Apprenticeships

MoLSA plans to have approximately 500 youth benefit from Apprenticeships/technical skills training in the formal or informal work experience over the lifetime of the project. All youth participating in the intervention, regardless of informal or formal training work placements, will receive one month of socio-emotional/soft skills training.

Following the socio-emotional/soft skills training, about half the participants in the intervention will continue to work based training with an employer and or master craftsman. The technical training will be organized by an implementation firm in conjunction with MoLSA for a period of 5 months. The other half of the beneficiaries who completed socio-emotional skills training will proceed to receive credit/grant and business development services as highlighted below.

The firm sought under these ToRs will conduct operation reviews, spot checks and feedback surveys on all activities.

3. Grants and Business Development Services (BDS)

The aim of this intervention is to provide support for the self-employed by financing business start-up grants and relevant BDS. Over the lifetime of the intervention, approximately 500 youth beneficiaries will receive grants worth US$1,200 to help young entrepreneurs start and/or expand their business. These start-up grants will be released in two tranches and disbursement to youth will be contingent upon the beneficiaries attending one-day orientation sessions before each tranche is released. In addition, these young entrepreneurs will receive BDS and mentorship to help them manage their businesses successfully. The implementation firm will coordinate BDS and mentorship provision and will work with BDS providers. The BDS program will encompass a basic package of business and entrepreneurship counselling and will emphasize mentoring and advisory services.

The firm sought under these ToRs will conduct operation reviews, spot checks, feedback/satisfaction surveys and finally tracer surveys on all activities. The firm may also be required to conduct an impact evaluation, given that MoLSA would like to establish the efficacy and impact of these interventions for possible future scale up.

 

2. Monitoring Responsibilities

 

1. Subcomponent A–Socio-Emotional/Soft Skills Training (SE/SST) and Technical Skills Training

Visit every SE/SST and employer/master craftsmen provider in the greater Mogadishu at least twice per month. These visits to the training providers should assess at least the following:

• Ensure through Operations Review and Spot Checks that all processes and procedures details in the Operations Manual are being followed and complied with.
• Ensure trainings are taking place.
• Determine if the training providers are following the approved curriculum.
• Take attendance and compare with the training provider’s attendance list submitted to the PIU of the SNHCP to ensure accurate attendance taking.
• Determine if providers have childcare onsite or any type of provision for childcare.
• Check if providers have facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities (accessibility, helpers, interpreters, etc.).
• Check if trainers are actively engaging participants.
• Ensure participants are receiving their stipends as per the payment protocol through review of the MIS and interviews of participants.
• Ensure training providers are receiving their payments as stipulated through the payment protocol through review of the MIS and interviews of training providers.
• For SE/SST, determine if the venues comply with the standards set out in the provider terms of reference, including on the maximum number of participants per class.
• Determine if training providers are providing accurate and regular feedback to MoLSA.

2. Subcomponent B–Work Based Learning and job placement with employers

Visit all employers at least twice during the work-based learning period (to be prioritized based on attendance data from the MIS). These visits to the employers should assess at least the following:

• Confirm employers have interns/apprentices from the MoLSA Economic Inclusion intervention.
• Assess if interns are present, actively engaged and receiving relevant employment experience.
• Ensure participants have occupational insurance coverage.
• Ensure participants in the work-based learning/apprenticeship are receiving their stipends as per the payment protocol through review of the MIS and interviews of participants.
• Assess if beneficiaries are transitioning into jobs and being assisted in this by the employer training provider with whom they received their technical training.
• Conduct visits to a random representative sample of at least 250 beneficiaries to confirm employer/master craftsmen placement of youth in employment.
• For technical training providers providing work-based learning, determine if the venues, equipment, tools, and materials are appropriate for the technical skills training.
• For employers/master craftsman, check if they have retention plans or connections to other job placements for the youth.

3. Subcomponent C–– Work Based Learning and job placement with MCs and Trade Tests

Visit a random representative sample of at least 200 master craftsmen at least twice in the cycle. Attend at least 3 test centers to observe the trade test certification. These visits to the master craftsmen and trade test centers should assess the following:

• Confirm master craftsmen are training participants from the intervention and confirm attendance is accurate.
• Assess if the master craftsmen are following the training plan and ensure youth are actively engaged.
• Ensure the space for training is adequate and appropriate for the type of training and can accommodate the number of participants assigned to the master craftsmen.
• Ensure tools and equipment are appropriate and available to the participants.
• Ensure participants in the informal training and apprenticeship are receiving their stipends as per the payment protocol through review of the MIS and interviews of participants.
• Ensure that the master craftsmen are receiving their payments as stipulated in the payment protocol through review of the MIS and interviews with the master craftsmen.
• Determine if master craftsmen are reporting feedback to MoLSA’s representative firm on the training and progress of participants during the apprenticeship.
• Assess actual attendance at the trade tests compared to the expected list of trainees (to be provided by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs) and if equipment and tools are appropriate for each trade test visited.
• Determine gaps in trade tests in each locality (i.e. if some youth are not informed or if some trades are not available for testing in a given locality).
• For technical training providers providing work-based learning, determine if the venues, equipment, tools, and materials are appropriate for the technical skills training.
• For employers/master craftsman, check if they have retention plans or connections to other job placements for the youth.

4. Subcomponent D–Grants and business development services

Verify credit/grant beneficiaries receive their credit and/or business development services and ask about the beneficiaries’ business in the specified timeframe with in-person visits and phone calls. In each cycle, the population of beneficiaries surveyed must be representative in the locality and intervention received and have an equal number of men and women. Follow-up with beneficiaries to ensure credit/grant payments are being made and that BDS advisory services are being provided, this can be done through phone interviews for about 150 beneficiaries per cycle, in addition to 200 in person visits.

3. Beneficiary Satisfaction

For each cycle, while undertaking spot checks of all Subcomponent A activities, the Consultancywill interview a sample of beneficiaries to assess beneficiary satisfaction with the training received and the intervention in general. Satisfaction assessments are required to cover the following: (1) SE/SST; (2) Technical training and internships with formal training providers; (3) apprenticeships with master craftsmen (4) overall satisfaction with the intervention. In each cycle, the sample of beneficiaries surveyed must be representative of urban/rural areas and have an equal number of men and women.

In addition, during the visits/phone calls and verification of youth in subcomponent B, the firm will sample and interview beneficiary youth for grants and BDS to assess beneficiaries’ satisfaction with the processes and intervention received. In each cycle, the population of beneficiaries surveyed must be representative of urban/rural areas and have an equal number of men and women.

4. Methodology

Monitoring will be achieved through in person visits to training providers, master craftsmen, employers, and beneficiaries. Information will be collected through observation, review of key attendance registers and any relevant training material, and interviews with instructors, employers, and a select group of participants receiving services or grants from the intervention. Attendance information and payment information to prepare for the monitoring will be obtained through review of the Baxnaano MIS.

Beneficiary satisfaction will be measured through surveys as explained in section 4.

The consultancy firm will collect data and either feed into the MoLSA-Baxnaano MIS, or collect data using their own MIS and share the information to MoLSA through an API

5. Tracer Surveys:

After completion of each cycle a tracer survey of 100% of the beneficiary will be done 3 months after completion of the final intervention for the 2 main interventions.

6. Key Deliverables

In every cycle (spanning approximately six months), the monitoring firm is expected to produce regular prescribed reports on all activities of the Economic Inclusion intervention as detailed in the terms of reference. The reports must provide county specific information to make follow-up on any findings easier. The proposed reports and deadlines for submission to the MoLSA are as follows:

 

Specific Activities	Deliverable
Inception Report The inception report must cover: ·         A timeline of activities. ·         Procedures for monitoring of each activity. ·         Procedures for measuring beneficiary satisfaction. ·         Data protocols. ·         Tools to be used for data collection for each activity. ·         How data will be shared electronically   Monitoring work must adhere as closely as possible to the procedures outlined in the report and any significant changes to the plan must be approved by MoLSA	1) Inception Report and tools for data collection
Notifications to the MoLSA for any follow-up action During training and internships, the Consultancywill need to alert MoLSA and relevant implementing agencies within 2 days of an in-person visit if any of the below is occurring: ·         Attendance is below 80%. ·         There are significant problems with the venues (e.g. that could endanger trainees). ·         Less than 80% of beneficiaries have received payments. ·         If trainers (in SE/SST, technical training, BDS. Or apprenticeships) are absent and not being replaced (or another mitigation measure in a given class ·         For internships and apprenticeships, if youth beneficiaries are not engaged (as per observation and review of the intern log). ·         Any reports of discrimination, harassment, or abuse.	2) Written communication to MoLSA on any urgent issues for immediate action
Socio Emotional Skills Training (SE)/ Soft Skills Training (SST) Monitoring report following the completion of SE/SST Beneficiary satisfaction of participants in SE/SST	3) One monitoring report following SE/SST, including beneficiary satisfaction
Formal Technical Skills and work based Training Monitoring reports every month during technical training (total of 2 reports) Beneficiary satisfaction of participants in technical training at the end of technical skills training (either a separate report or part of the final monitoring report)	5) 5 monitoring reports on technical training 6)Beneficiary satisfaction report on technical training (can be part of the final monitoring report for the cycle)
Informal Technical Skills Training Apprenticeships Monitoring reports each month during apprenticeships (total of 5 reports) Beneficiary satisfaction of participants in apprenticeships (either a separate report or part of the final monitoring report) Report on trade tests	8) 5 monitoring reports on apprenticeships 9) Beneficiary satisfaction report on apprenticeships (can be part of the final monitoring report for the cycle) 10) Report on trade tests
Employment Report on employment outcomes and beneficiary satisfaction with the intervention	11) Report on employment post intervention ( Tracer studies)
Grant and Business Development Services (BDS) Report on BDS at most 2 weeks after completion of BDS class training Monitoring report on credit/grants. The first report should be after the first grant tranche is released The second report should be after the second tranche is released (total of 2 reports). Beneficiary satisfaction report at most 2 months following the completion of a cycle for credit/grant beneficiaries.	12) Report on BDS training 13) 2 monitoring reports on grant recipients 14) Beneficiary satisfaction report for credit/grants
Final Cycle Reports At the end of each cycle, the Consultancywill submit a report summarizing the findings from the regular reports. The report will also include any recommendations on improvements for the future cycles. This final report will be submitted 1 month following the end of a cycle.	15) Summary report of a cycle
Raw and Clean Data Sets and all Analysis Files At the end of each Cycle, the Consultancywill be required to submit their raw and clean data and all data analysis files for all activities to MoLSA	16) Delivery of raw and clean data sets and analysis files

 

Payment Schedule

Cycle / Activity	Deliverables	Amount
	Contract signing	10%
	Inception Report	4%
Cycle 1	Deliverables 3-10; 12-13	25%
	Deliverables 11, 15-16	18%
Cycle 2	Deliverables 3-10; 13	25%
	Deliverables 11, 14-16	18%

 

7. Qualifications and Relevant Consultancy Experience

The consultancywill be a renowned firm or consortium of firms with extensive experience in conducting implementation and operational monitoring with emphasis on, data collection and analysis. Experience in carrying out similar work for at least 5 years are essential.

The firm should be able to demonstrate experience in conducting similar assignments in both remote rural and urban areas of Somalia.

The firm should also demonstrate its ability in the following areas:

• Strong experience in conducting Monitoring and Evaluation;
• Experience in data collection and analysis using qualitative and quantitative methods, and report writing. The reports should be of sufficiently high quality, well-written and structured, simple and accessible to the management of MoLSA;
• Experience and capacity to conduct research among diverse communities with diverse cultural backgrounds;
• Capacity to organize logistics in remote parts of Somalia and the urban Internally Displaced areas of the major towns;
• Capacity of the firm to identify fiduciary risks in financial management of the SNHCP, particularly in the management of the payment system in providing stipends, credit, and awards to youth beneficiaries;
• The firm should demonstrate to have a team of staff that has been working in the firm or a data bank of specialized/skilled staff that is recruited in the firm.

Additionally, the firm will be expected to:

• Demonstrate that it is a legal entity and professionally authorized to carry out its functions in consultancy (Registration certificate);
• Provide the list and qualifications of the core team expected to perform different duties and responsibilities during the proposed contract period.

8. Team composition

It is expected that the TPM firm’s team will be composed of the staff members listed below. An alternative team composition can be proposed, in which case a justification must be provided that demonstrates that the proposed team composition is more effective.

• A Team Leader (1 person): Must hold a master’s degree in economics or other social sciences with experience in the field of social protection. He/she must have at least five (5) years of field experience in designing and managing large-scale monitoring and evaluation surveys. Experience in Africa and especially Somalia is highly desirable. Fluency in English is required.
• Quantitative Research Specialist (1 person): Experience in the design and supervision of surveys and qualitative research. He/she must have at least five (5) years of experience with a minimum of a Master’s Degree in a quantitative social science field or any other related field. He/she should be familiar with monitoring processes of social protection interventions. Fluency in English is required.
• Qualitative Analysis Specialist (1 person): Experience in the design, supervision, and analysis of qualitative data. He/she must have at least five (5) years of experience with a minimum of a Master’s Degree in social science or any other related field. He/she should be familiar with monitoring processes of large-scale interventions in social protection or related fields (e.g. education, public health). Fluency in English is required.
• Gender-based Violence Specialist (1 person). Experience in designing qualitative instruments, conducting and supervising qualitative data collection and analysis, and training field staff on socially sensitive issues, especially gender-based violence, but also clan and tribal relations. He/she must have at least five (5) years of experience on issues of gender-based violence and socially sensitive issues with a minimum of a Master’ Degree in social science or any other related field. He/she should be familiar with monitoring processes of large-scale interventions in social protection or related fields (e.g. education, public health). Fluency in English is required.
• Data management and statistics officer (1 person): Expert on empirical social research investigations, and statistical analysis with at least a master’s degree in a quantitative social science field (statistics, econometrics, economics, demography, etc.) and five (5) years of experience in evaluation and/or monitoring activities. The person holding this position must be able to carry out the analysis of data collected in the field and in the grievance management database. Fluency in English is preferred.
• Quantitative Supervisors, Enumerators, and Data Entry Officers. The number of these staff members will depend on the proposed fieldwork and resource allocation plan outlined in the proposal and supported by expected productivity calculations.
  • Supervisors: Must have at least 3 years of experience in conducting or coordinating fieldwork and hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
  • Enumerators: Need to have a minimum of 2 years of post-secondary education and should have at least two (2) similar surveys. They must be able to use different interview techniques and methods of data collection and observation.
  • Data Entry Officers: Need to have a minimum of two 2 years of post-secondary education and should have experience in entering and processing survey data in at least two similar assignments.
• Qualitative Supervisors and Social Research Officers. The number of these staff members will depend on the proposed fieldwork and resource allocation plan outlined in the proposal and supported by expected productivity calculations.
  • Supervisors must have at least 3 years of experience in conducting or coordinating qualitative data collection and fieldwork and hold at least a Bachelor’s degree.
    • A sufficient number of Supervisors must be familiar with handling qualitative data collection on socially sensitive issues, especially gender-based violence, including interviewing victims and perpetrators in a sensitive manner. Competency and previous competency in the GBV area in Somalia are an advantage, but training will be provided.
  • Social Research Officers need to have a minimum of two (2) years of post-secondary education and should have experience of conducting qualitative data collection on two similar assignments.
    • A sufficient number of Social Research Officers must be familiar with handling qualitative data collection on socially sensitive issues, especially gender-based violence, including interviewing victims and perpetrators in a sensitive manner. Competency and previous competency in the GBV area in Somalia are an advantage, but training will be provided.

Required inputs

The following is an indication of the types and quantities of inputs required to complete the terms of reference over the first year. The firm will, however, be expected to propose inputs and levels of efforts based on their understanding of these TOR.

Technical Team Leader:                     50 staff days

Field/Survey Manager:                       150 staff days

Data Manager:                                    30 staff days

Project Expert/Report Writer:             30 staff days

Additional to the above indicative core team, it is expected that the bidder will have to provide a field team with necessary oversight and quality controls to field the survey, and then enter, transcribe and analyze the data.

Reporting Arrangements

MoLSAis responsible for the supervision of monitoring and evaluation activities. The monitoring firm will coordinate all activities closely with the MoLSA. The monitoring firm will report directly to and send all deliverables to the Project Manager of MoLSA.

Five paper copies and one electronic copy of all deliverables shall be submitted to MoLSA.

Contract Duration

The Consultancy will work under the frame of a Result Based Contract for a period of 2 years.

This contract is for a one-year period but is renewable for the duration of the intervention upon: 1) satisfactory performance (as assessed by MoLSA), 2) continued funding, 3) continued need, and 4) suitability to modified TOR.