With support from US Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Rescue Committee in Northern Caucasus (IRC NC) is implementing Vperyod Economic Recovery program. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the largest humanitarian agencies in the world, providing relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of oppression and violent conflict. IRC has worked for over seven decades and today is involved in over 25 conflict zones in the world. We address both the immediate, life saving needs of conflict affected people in an emergency and the reconstruction needs in post conflict societies.
The Vperyod program aims to help communities in Chechnya and Dagestan re-energize local economies, livelihood opportunities, and improve relationships between citizens, government, and the market. IRC collaborates with two local NGO-partners to achieve the following 3 objectives:
1. Market-Led Agricultural Economic Recovery (MLAER).
- Agricultural communities in Shelkovskoy District in Chechnya and Khasavyurtovsky District in Dagestan have re-energized local economies.
- Agricultural communities in Shelkovskoy and Khasavyurtovsky have improved social cohesion through collaborative linkages among private sector, civil society and government stakeholders.
2. Support to SME Development in Chechnya. 45 graduates of vocational and business training receive in-kind grants to open small business.
3. 120 vulnerable youth in Chechnya complete vocational courses and improve their employability.
IRC is looking to hire ideally one (or two consultants: one consultant to evaluate MLAER, and another to evaluate Objectives 2 and 3 above) to conduct final program evaluation.
Purpose of the Evaluation:
The main purpose of this final evaluation includes the following;
1. To determine the level of success in achieving the expected project objectives.
2. To determine the appropriateness and how replicable this market-led, private sector-led model to post-conflict economic recovery and development is. The consultant should consider comparing the targeted communities with one or two non-targeted communities for comparison.
3. To determine the appropriateness of small in-kind grants, IRC’s income generation and skills development activities to post-conflict economic recovery and development.
4. To determine the level of coherence (existing or potential) of this market-led, private sector model with district, regional and national development plans and priorities.
5. Finally this final evaluation should identify strategic opportunities for scaling-up similar programming in the North Caucasus in the short term.
Users of the Evaluation Report:
The final report of this evaluation will be used by IRC, USAID, and potentially government and development partners in the region and beyond. IRC will use this evaluation report primarily to determine the level of success and appropriateness of this project. These lessons will guide the design of potential future programming in the region and contribute to the general body of knowledge available to IRC and its development partners in the region and beyond.
Key Questions to be answered by the evaluation:
1. How relevant was the project in a) design and b) implementation modality to the overall goal.
2. To what extent has this project achieved its expected objectives and met (and/or exceeded) with the beneficiary targets set out initially.
3. How appropriate and replicable is the project’s market-led, private sector-led model in economic recovery and development?
4. How appropriate and replicable are income generation activities, in-kind grants, and skills development to post-conflict economic recovery and development?
5. What is the level of coherence of this model within the district, regional and national recovery and development plans and priorities?
6. To what extent do the regional governments see, under their own implementation, how such a model would catalyze economic recovery and development in the region?
7. What are the future strategic opportunities for scaling-up this market-driven, private sector-approach model in the North Caucasus?
Priority issues:
- Market-led approach: The consultant should pay close attention to the market-led approach during the evaluation. How appropriate was the model for the situation, how effectively was it implemented and how may it be sustained to bring lasting improvements in household livelihoods and revitalize local economies.
- Private sector engagement: The consultant should assess the extent of private sector involvement throughout this project implementation outlining its successes and challenges
- Income generation: The consultant should access the impact of small in-kind grants and skills development during the evaluation. How do these activities contribute to SME development and post-conflict economic recovery?
- Local economies: To what level has this project contributed (or has realistic potential to contribute) to re-energizing the local economies in Chechnya and Dagestan
- Social cohesion element: the consultant should assess to what extent the project has contributed to the social cohesion as outlined in the MLAER add-on
- Participation and inclusiveness: The consultant should work closely with local staff, local leaders and beneficiaries to ensure that they understand the purpose of the evaluation and are engaged in the discussion and consultation process, and that their views are reflected adequately in the findings.
Available data and documents:
IRC has identified relevant documents that should be reviewed by the consultant. IRC will provide the consultant with baseline and project documents including; logical framework, proposal narrative, project work plans, monitoring and evaluation plan, semi-annual reports, program add-ons, field monitoring data and mid-term evaluation data. IRC will also provide all appropriate assistance to the consultant in interpreting this secondary data.
Deliverables:
- Inception report: The consultant shall submit a brief inception report, with an evaluation plan, showing specific milestones to accomplishing the assignment as per the evaluation plan, anticipated challenges, itineraries and any emerging issues. The short inception report shall be submitted two days of the starting the assignment.
- Draft evaluation report: The consultant shall present a draft report to IRC NC, on completion of field work and give IRC at least two workings days to review and revert with comments.
- Final evaluation report: The final report shall be submitted two weeks after the date of the draft report feedback session. Final report should be as concise as possible, not exceeding 30 pages; excluding annexes such as approved evaluation plan, data collection instruments, list of interviewees, maps etc.
- Presentation of findings to USAID: IRC NC, in consultation with the USAID, will potentially require the consultant to present the findings of the evaluation to the USAID mission in Moscow.
Required Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
- Advanced university degree in economic development, agriculture/agricultural economics/agribusiness, international development or other relevant field
Experience:
- 7-10 years practical experience in project design, monitoring and evaluation (DM&E)
- Demonstrable understanding and experience with rural growth strategies including local economic development
- Experience in design and evaluation of programs in a post-conflict recovery and development context preferably in the North Caucasus
- Good understanding of the complexity of the North Caucasus situation; specifically the link between the conflict as a cause and effect of limited economic opportunities in the region.
- Specific experience in agribusiness and micro-enterprise / business development.
- Experience in youth and social development programming desirable.
- Ability to analyze, and synthesize information and communicate outcomes to different stakeholders.
- Language: Fluent in English (and ideally Russian) languages.
How to apply
Applicants should submit their CV, expression of interest (not greater than 2 pages), dates of availability, and daily rates.
Selection of the consultant:
The ultimate selection of the consultant will be undertaken by IRC North Caucasus, based on the applicant’s credentials and the quality of the EOI submitted in response to the TOR.
Please apply at
www.ircjobs.org 
