Multi-sectoral needs assessment in Niger

Country: Niger

Geographical coverage: The regions of Diffa, Tillabery and Tahoua

Duration: August/September 2018

1. CONSULTANCY ASSIGNEMENT BACKGROUND

NRC conducted a first assessment in Niger from 25^th of September to 15^th of November 2017. The objectives of this assessment were to evaluate humanitarian needs against NRC start-up criteria and to identify possible gaps in the humanitarian response with regards to the relevance of NRC programming in the most affected parts of the country. The assessment did not identify immediate gaps in the humanitarian response and concluded that an NRC emergency intervention was not required. However, the report highlighted the presence of “medium to longer terms” needs not yet covered in livelihoods and food security, transitional shelter, and Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA).

Niger is facing multiple interconnected crises: food security and malnutrition, forced displacements due to the ongoing conflict and terrorist attacks, recurrent epidemics, and natural catastrophes (floods during the short rainy season and extreme drought periods). In 2018, 2.3 million people will need humanitarian assistance (21% more than in 2017) and 1.4 million of people will be food secure during the lean season.

Since November 2017, the security situation in Niger has deteriorated. In the Diffa region, the ongoing military offensive against Boko Haram by the Joint Multinational Task Force on the islands of Lake Chad and areas along Komadougou river is restricting humanitarian operations in the nearby Bosso town and other localities. On the 4^th of June, 40 people were injured in Diffa in a co-ordinated suicide bombing by suspected Islamist militants. In Tillabery region, the access to the population affected by the crisis is very difficult due to the insecurity and to bad roads conditions. Since January 2018, more than 11 000 people have been displaced in the Tillabery region due to the spill over of conflict in Mali. In Tahoua region, the situation is relatively calm apart from the north and the south-west (Tilla) where terrorist threats and violent clashes between the communities are observed on the border between Mali and Niger.

Considering all these changes, NRC is looking for an experienced multisectoral consultancy team to strength NRCs overall understanding of the context, needs and gaps in the regions of Diffa, Tillabery and Tahoua; to identified specific more vulnerable areas in these regions and carry out in these areas a more in-depth multisectoral assessment.

The result of this assessment will be used by NRC’s management to decide about future programmatic interventions in the country.

1. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF THE WORK

   This consultancy has 3 main purposes:

   1. Have an update on the context, needs and gaps in the humanitarian assistance in Diffa, Tillabery and Tahoua regions (through secondary data review and KII interviews with relevant stakeholders).
   2. Propose a list of specific more vulnerable areas in Diffa, Tillabery and Tahoua to be considered for a more in depth multisectoral (Livelihoods and Food Security, ICLA, Shelter, and Education) needs assessment and carry out additional primary data collection in these targeted areas.
   3. Advice on future programmatic interventions in the country for NRC and potential models for intervening in the country.

      The objectives of this assessment are:

• Overview of the humanitarian situation, needs and gaps, both for emergency and for transitional/early recovery assistance in the 3 regions (Diffa, Tillabery and Tahoua);
• Have a deeper multisectoral analysis and understanding of the vulnerabilities and capacities of people affected by the crisis in the selected target area of the 3 regions;
• Identify the needs prioritised by the communities in the selected target area of the 3 regions;
• Identify gaps not covered by other actors both for emergency needs and for transitional/early recovery needs;
• Establish if and how NRC presence in Niger will have an added value for the population living in the selected target area of the 3 regions.

   

  The assessment will answer the following tentative main questions (for sub questions and more details see attached ToR) :

• What is the current situation in the 3 regions? How this situation is expected to change in the near future? What are the trends in the movement of populations?

• What are the vulnerabilities and capacities of people affected by the crisis?

•  What are the needs and priorities of people affected by the crisis?

•  What are the gaps in the response?

• Has NRC an added value in intervening directly in Niger?

• METHODOLOGY

  A review of available secondary data will be carried out prior to the deployment of the evaluation to the field for the regions of Diffa, Tillabery and Tahoua.

  Data collection in specific targeted areas in the 3 regions will be carried out to have a deeper analysis and understanding of multisectoral needs of the affected population.

  The assessment shall include a mixed-method approach comprising of both qualitative and quantitative methods. This will include a combination of key informant interviews (KII), surveys (of maximum 30 minutes), focus group discussions (FGDs), semi-structured interviews at households’ levels and direct observation.

  FGDs will be carried out in homogenous groups (with gender parity). Direct observation will be done within the community to assess dynamics in the local economy and markets, and to map the area (presence and status of infrastructures). KIIs, FGDs and observations shall apply semi-structured guides, while the surveys will be closed questions.

  If some specific areas will not be accessible to the assessment team for security reasons, secondary data review and KII will be the only source of information.

  1. MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSESSMENT

     NRC will assign a focal point from the Regional Office who will be the primary interlocutor and will give continuous feedback throughout the whole study process, including regular Skype calls with the consultancy company/team to evaluate the progress in the study.

     Other NRC relevant staff will also be involved in the definition and approval of the methodology and tools for this assessment, as well as in giving feed-back on the first draft of the assessment report.

      

     As NRC is not present in Niger, the consultancy company/team will be responsible for all the logistics and administration in the country, including organising transportation and accommodation, obtaining all legal authorisations for field visits, identifying and training enumerators and translators (if necessary). The consultancy company/team will also be in charge of contacting all relevant stakeholders in the capital and in the field.

      

  2. DELIVERABLES

     The expected deliverables are:

1. What is the context in the 3 regions (Diffa, Tillabery and Tahoua)?

    

• Inception report to be submitted before the field visit, explaining secondary data review, clear identification of the specific targeted areas preselected in the 3 regions for primary data collection, work programme and timetable for the primary data collection assessment and clearly outlining the proposed methodology and data collection tools (to be approved by NRC before starting data collection);
• Draft assessment report for review by NRC staff;
• Final report in French and English max. 40 pages, excluding appendices) that consists of:
  • Executive summary (in French and English) with focus on lessons learned, conclusions and recommendations;
  • Methodology;
  • Assessment findings with associated data structured around methods and assessment questions;
  • Recommendations for the country strategy;
  • Conclusions;
  • Appendices, which include e.g. TOR, Inception report, data collection tools;
  • Databases with the assessment data.
• PowerPoint presentation in English and French containing findings and recommendations to be presented to NRC during restitution workshop (skype conference).

   

  Note:

• Reports should be submitted in Microsoft Word format. All text should be unformatted. Graphs or other graphical devices should be editable (i.e. not pictures). All references must be cited according to convention, and detailed in a bibliography, using the Harvard system as set out in the UNESCO Style Manual. All verbatim quotations must appear in quotation marks and must not be of excessive length. All data collected under the consultancy must be submitted with the deliverables, in a widely recognised format such as Microsoft Excel.
• Everything submitted to NRC must be the original work of the consultant. Any plagiarism in any form, or any other breach of intellectual property rights, will automatically disqualify the consultant from receiving any further payments under the contract by NRC, and NRC will seek to recover any payments already made.

   

1. TENTATIVE IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

2. Description	Deliverables	# working days
   Inception phase	Inception report and assessment tools available	13
   Data collection in the field (Diffa, Tahoua and Tillabery targeted areas)	Preliminary report findings presentation	20
   Analysis and report writing (draft, feedback, revision)	Draft report	13
   Report validation and approval	Final report (in English or French)	5
   PowerPoint preparation	Power point in French and English available	1
   Restitution workshop (skype conference)	Presentation of Final report findings and recommendation	1
   Translation of report	Final report in English and French	2
   	TOTAL DAYS	55

3.  

4. QUALIFICATION OF THE CONSULTANCY COMPANY/TEAM

    

   The consultancy company/team will be responsible for all the implementation of the consultancy, including the design, collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, writing reports, presenting the findings and recommendations to NRC in a workshop, and producing the reports. The consultancy company/team will also supervise and provide guidance to the enumerators and design the surveys/questionnaires, sampling framework, data collection, analysis and reports. The consultancy company/team will be in charge of organising all the logistic in the field, including transport and accommodation for the consultancy team and the local evaluation team (enumerators), identifying the local enumerators, obtaining the local authorisations for field visits, etc.

    

   Mandatory requirements for the consultancy company/team

    

• Given the multi-sectoral nature of this assessment, a consultancy team composed of member with different backgrounds (Livelihoods and Food Security, Education, Shelter and Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA)) is highly encouraged.
• Advanced degree from an internationally recognized university in International development, Livelihoods and Food Security, Agriculture, Social sciences, Economy, Statistics, Law or other related fields;
• Minimum 5 years of proven experience in emergency/development project assessment for multi-sectorial programmes;
• Experience of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and strong analysis capacity;
• Experience in the use of participatory appraisal techniques in data collection;
• Good knowledge in economic analysis of emergency/development projects;
• Experience with Assessment and Evaluation Projects funded by Donors;
• Fluency in written and spoken French and English, for all team members;
• Good communication and demonstrable team leadership experience;
• Computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, statistical analysis software application, internet research, etc);
• A previous experience in Niger and personal knowledge of the Niger context is an asset.

   

  The Consultant/Consultancy company will be guided by the following ethical considerations:

• The views expressed in the report will be the independent professional opinion of the evaluator;
• Openness - of information given, to the highest possible degree to all involved parties;
• Broad participation - the interested parties should be involved where relevant and possible;
• Reliability and independence - the evaluation should be conducted so that findings and conclusions are correct and trustworthy.

   

APPLICATION PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS

The deadline for the application is: 10/08/2018

The title of the email should be ' Consultancy for needs assessment – NIGER’.

Applications must include the following:

• 1 technical offer detailing the evaluation framework, methods, evaluation matrix, and evaluation team (max. 6 pages);
• 1 financial offer (Excel) detailing the costs of the evaluation (including transport costs, enumerators costs; personal insurance, etc.);
• CV of the of research lead and team members demonstrating relevant experience / knowledge (max 10 pages);
• 2 references of organisations to be consulted to be informed about the consultant prior experience in this area of study;
• Please include feasible start date and mention where you found this posting.
• Preference will be given to applicants who include at least an executive summary or abstract of a similar work conducted.

Interested candidates are invited to send an email to both these contacts: Chiara Gaburri, Regional Livelihoods and Food Security Adviser for Central and West Africa, chiara.gaburri@nrc.no and Erin Hutchinson, Regional Programme Director, erin.hutchinson@nrc.no .