Institutionalising a Volunteer First Responder Service in Armenia (VolFiRe)

The Civil Protection system in Armenia is currently mainly based on professional responders from governmental institutions. They are to a large extent on-duty firefighters and other paid staff of the Rescue Service (RS) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). But Armenia has numerous remote areas particularly affected by the limited coverage through the regional fire and rescue services. These areas are often out of reach if we consider international standards for rapid response to emergencies and disasters. Closest MIA RS local fire brigades are established far from these municipalities, 20km to 45km, and access is often difficult (bad road conditions, mountainous roads…). In some cases, the emergency services cannot at all reach the municipalities due to snow fall in winter or landslides in spring. This fact also applies to ambulances and other medical services. Therefore, the Armenian population living in remote areas is extremely vulnerable in case of emergencies (e.g. accidents, medical emergencies, house fires) and disasters (e.g. landslides, forest fires).

The Austrian Red Cross (AutRC) implemented the StrengthVOL project (https://strengthvol.org/) from 2020 – 2022 (funded by DG ECHO and co-funded by the Austrian Development Agency). In the frame of this project the Rescue Services of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia (MES)[1], Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) and Austrian Red Cross (AutRC) developed a comprehensive model for Civil Protection volunteering for Armenia.

In this model, the volunteers are first responders, firefighters and rescuers called “Volunteer Fire Rescue Groups” (VFRGs). The volunteers are affiliated to the Armenian Red Cross Society. Volunteers also pass an exam with the MIA Rescue services (RS) and successful candidates receive from the RS an official rescuer ID. The VFRGs are alerted and deployed by the MIA Crisis Management Centre (911) for any emergency or disaster occurring within their municipality. They are available 24/7 and should deploy within 15 minutes after the alert. The groups themselves are responsible for running a VFR station, maintaining equipment and a fire truck. They are alerted and deployed on a regular basis. They are volunteer firefighters like in similar volunteer systems in many European countries, e.g., Austria.

The current project “Institutionalising a Volunteer First Responder Service in Armenia (VolFiRe)” is funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), co-funded and coordinated by the Austrian Red Cross (AutRC). It is implemented in Armenia along with three project partners: Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS), Caritas Austria (CA) and Armenian Caritas (AC). All activities are implemented in close cooperation with the Rescue Services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (MIA, formerly Ministry of Emergency Situations). The project should contribute to the further development of 4 VFRGs already established within the preceding StrengthVOL project and facilitate the establishment of 9 additional VFRGs in Armenia. The following 13 municipalities, in 9 regions of Armenia, are targeted: Aparan, Areni, Baghramyan, Chambarak, Garni, Kapan, Noyemberan, Spitak, Talin, Tsakhkadzor, Tegh, Vayk, Vedi. [1] now merged into the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Based on the lessons learned from the StrengthVOL project and its main recommendations, the following outputs have been defined for the VolFiRe project:

Output 1: A conceptual framework for Volunteer Fire Rescue Groups in Armenia is developed

Output 2: The Volunteer Fire Rescue Group model is an integral part of the civil protection system of Armenia

Output 3: Volunteer Fire Rescue Groups are established, operational and well supported countrywide

Output 4: The local Volunteer Fire Rescue Groups are deployable for regional and national disaster response

Output 5: Enhanced integration of gender equality and disability inclusion in the Volunteer Fire Rescue Groups of Armenia

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this evaluation is to derive lessons learned, capture valuable background information, and generate recommendations for future engagement in this thematic area.

The evaluation seeks to assess the overall performance of the project against its planned outcomes and outputs, identifying key achievements, challenges, and areas for improvement. Conducted during the final months of project implementation, this is the most suitable time to reflect on progress and assess the extent to which the project’s objectives have been met. The findings and insights gained will serve as an evidence base to inform future operations and the design of follow-up projects in Armenia, while also providing transferable learnings relevant to similar initiatives in other regions and contexts. The primary users of the evaluation will be the project partners, who will utilize the results to plan and enhance future interventions in the same thematic area.

Scope

The scope of this final evaluation covers the entire project duration from 1st of December 2022 to the end of data collection during the conduct of this evaluation. The evaluation will take place from March 2026 to July 2026 towards the end of the project implementation. The overall evaluation duration will be about 18 weeks (from first meetings until final report). The evaluation will generally cover all nine project regions with data collection in the field limited to six regions. The selection of the exact locations for data collection will be discussed and decided upon during the inception phase.

The following criteria will be assessed in the course of this evaluation: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Sustainability. The Evaluation will also assess how gender equality and social inclusion (in particular disability inclusion) have been addressed.

The evaluation has to adhere to the current quality standards, norms and principles for evaluation specified by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD/DAC) and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) . Based on the objectives of this evaluation the questions stated below are formulated to facilitate the evaluation process. The Final Evaluation will include a consultation meeting with all project partners on the findings of the evaluation.

Evaluation Questions

Effectiveness:
1) To what extent is the developed Volunteer Fire Rescue System (VFRS) considered functional and to what extent is the performance of the VFRGs successful based on actual deployments and capabilities?

2) How did the achievement of Output 3 (VFRGs are established) and Output 5 (Gender equality and disability inclusion) differ by communities? What were the reasons for the differences in the communities? Which lessons learnt can be drawn and what enabling and hindering factors influenced the achievement of Output 3, and 5?

3) How and to what extent was Output 2 (VFRG model as integral part of the civil protection system in Armenia) achieved? What difference does the intervention make for the civil protection system in Armenia? What difference does the intervention make for strengthening the operational capacities of the MIA Rescue Service fire brigades?

4) To what extent did the project management decisions influence the results considering the challenges and uncertainties encountered during project implementation?

5) To what extent were the project resources used for the direct benefit of the population?

Efficiency:
6) What have been facilitating and hindering factors for an efficient project implementation and how have they affected results delivery and what are important lessons learned in this context?

Sustainability:
7) How and to what extent is the functionality of the Volunteer Fire Rescue System (VFRS) ensured beyond the project period? What are hindering and facilitating factors in this context?

Design and Approach

The evaluation must be conducted in a gender-sensitive and inclusive manner respecting the principle of “do not harm” through-out the process. The proposed approach should sufficiently address the issues and questions outlined within this ToR, specifying the specific evaluation issues, data collection and analysis methods that will be undertaken to achieve a comprehensive evaluation. The evaluation should use mixed-methods research design with respective quantitative and qualitative data collection. The evaluation should be participatory and should actively involve all project partners. The evaluation will be done by an external consultant or an evaluation team. Strong support from staff and volunteers of all project partners at HQ and field level is provided where needed and appropriate.

The evaluation should be conducted using:
• Available project documents such as baseline data, project reports, monitoring reports; documents developed in the project (review by fire rescue expert of the Volunteer Fire Rescue System and standard equipment, VFRG handbook, Fire Rescue Instruction Manual (FRIM) for rescue volunteers, etc.)
• Key Informant Interviews of individual stakeholders
• Focus Group Discussions with relevant stakeholders (MIA Rescue Service, MIA Educational Complex, ADA delegation, local organizations supporting women and people with disabilities, UNDP, etc.)
• Visit and data collection in targeted communities, inspection of Volunteer Fire Rescue stations, fire trucks, pedagogic material and equipment

Deliverables:

All deliverables shall be presented in English and need to adhere to the ADA Guidelines for Programme and Project Evaluations. The following deliverables are expected:

1) Inception Report
Draft and final inception report is to be provided, maximum 10 pages. For structure and content requirement see Annex 5, ADA Guidelines for Programme and Project Evaluations . The Inception report can also include suggestions for ToR amendments (if any). It should include the following points:
1. Background, Purpose and Objectives
2. Evaluation Design and Approach
2.1. Methodology and Methods
2.2. Evaluation Matrix
2.3. Data Collection Instruments
2.4. Data Analysis
2.5. Limitations, Risks and Mitigation Measures
3. Quality Assurance and Ethical Considerations
4. Workplan

2) Evaluation Report
For structure and content requirement see Annex 6, ADA Guidelines for Programme and Project Evaluations. A comprehensive evaluation report, including both a draft and a final version, with the main body of about 40-45 pages without annexes and the Results Assessment Form. It should include the following points:
1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
3. Background and Context Analysis
4. Evaluation Design and Approach
4.1. Methodological Approach
4.2. Data Collection and Analysis Tools
4.3. Limitations, Risks and Mitigations Measures
5. Findings
6. Conclusions
7. Recommendations

• Report to be coherently structured with a logical flow
• Sources of information to be clearly stated
• Methodological limitations, assumptions, concerns and any constraints encountered need to be acknowledged and their impact to the findings assessed
• Constructive analysis of the findings to be included, findings and recommendations to be clearly linked in the report
• Comprehensive answering of the main evaluation questions

3) Presentation of Results
A Microsoft Power Point Presentation summarizing the findings of the assessment is to be presented to the project team at the end of the evaluation.

The consultant(s) must conduct the work in accordance with the Red Cross Fundamental Principles (humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, universality), the principles outlined in ADA project guidelines and in the “Austrian Red Cross Code of Conduct”. All relevant documents will be provided to the consultant(s) in due time.

The total number of days for the assignment planned is about 61 working days.

Details of the workplan to be discussed in the contracting and inception phase.
Duration of the contract will be from March 23 till July 17, 2025.
The international evaluator will be based partly abroad and partly in Yerevan, Armenia (for field visit and data collection) with regular travels to the communities. The national evaluator will be based in Armenia.

7. Evaluation Management Arrangements
The evaluation management team will consist of at least one member of each project partner (Austrian Red Cross, Armenian Red Cross Society, Armenian Caritas). It will respect the ethical standards and guiding principles from OECD/DAC for the evaluation, especially impartiality and independence.

Responsibilities of the external evaluator/external evaluator team leader
• Coordinate with the evaluation management team to ensure the quality and independence of the evaluation.
• Be responsible for determining the evaluation methodology, schedule, content and
materials required for meetings, interviews and workshops.
• leading and facilitating the evaluation process
• Planning field itinerary/schedule/duration (Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, etc.)
• Communicate additional data needs
• Keep up continuous exchange with the evaluation management team
• Conduct field work within agreed period
• Timely reporting as per agreed time frame
• Comply with guidance provided by the evaluation management team regarding security regulations and code of conduct

Responsibilities of the Evaluation Management Team
• Sharing of existing data and documents
• Support general preparations for the field work in collaboration with the evaluator and give suggestions to the field work itinerary
• Feedback on all developed interview guides and draft reports
• Organize meetings with key informants as guided by the evaluator, mobilize community for FGDs
• Organize transport to the regions and accommodation
• Adhere to time frame
• Support to the actual field work as needed

Requirements for the Evaluator(s)

An evaluation team consisting of both national and international members, with one member designated as team leader, as well as gender-diverse teams, are strongly preferred. The team must possess the following qualifications and competences:

Education:

• Academic degree or equivalent education in relevant field

Knowledge / experience:

• experience of working as a professional or volunteer firefighter is highly desired
• Knowledge of regulatory and organisational frameworks of European volunteer fire rescue services and their integration into national civil protection systems
• Proven experience conducting evaluations of international programmes funded by institutional donors
• Proven experience in the use of participatory evaluation methods
• Familiar with Armenian context is a strong asset

Skills:

• Intercultural sensitivity and ability to work across language barriers
• Excellent writing and presentation skills and ability to formulate clear and concise
• Strong computer skills in word processing and formatting
• Ability to work self-organised, independently and in a very structured manner
• Strong interpersonal and organisational skills
  Languages:
• Fluency in English (C1 written and spoken) is required
• Proficiency in Armenian or Russian is a clear asset
  

Other:

• The evaluator(s) have not been involved in the design or implementation of the project.

Specifications for the Submission of Offers

Bidders shall submit both a compact technical (max. 5 pages) and financial proposal (max. 2 pages), both excl. annexes, until 04 January 2026 incl. the following at minimum:
a) CV of lead evaluator and other evaluators involved
b) Cover letter clearly summarizing their experience
c) a detailed proposal (incl. work plan, methodology, list and examples of similar work, names and contact details of two referees demonstrating their ability to deliver on this assignment)
d) Consultancy fee, working days and budget breakdown incl. all connected costs.
e) example of an evaluation report written by the applicant in the same or similar field relevant to the ToRs (desirable)

The estimated net costs for this assignment are indicated with a maximum of EUR 35,000.00 and the applied ratio for the selection of the proposal will be weighed with 80% technical aspects and 20% financial aspects.

Submission should be made via the application system. In case of any questions, please contact Mareta Gantemirova mareta.gazikova@ifrc.org

Leadership
Managerial effectiveness
Results focus and accountability
Professional mastery and innovation
Judgement and Decision Making
Communication
Collaboration and Teamwork