1.  Introduction and Background

An international humanitarian/development organization seeks the services of a consultant/evaluator (an Individual not a firm) to assess call for proposals for the selection of universities under a European Union funded project “Power to the Youth.” It is a youth-centric initiative to address key socio-economic challenges affecting low income and vulnerable groups (particularly young women, people with disabilities, transgenders, and religious minorities), which have been worsened by the COVID19 pandemic. The programme will benefit 6,200 low income and marginalized youth and 25 CSOs in five districts i.e., Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad over four years from January 2021 to December 2024. Financial Support to Third Party (FSTP) will be provided to 25 CSOs to implement an array of projects that tackle governance and development challenges due to COVID-19. Also, three universities will be engaged in small projects on climate resilient actions by working with low-income youth through the modality of FSTP.

1.1. Partnership with Public/Private Universities

Pakistan is among the countries worst affected by climate change globally. Pakistan’s Climate Risk Index score is 29 and it is ranked 8 which speaks of country’s vulnerability to the climate change. It has far reached implication including economic, social, and political for the country. Climate change affects every segment of society including youth affecting their jobs, sources of livelihoods and impacts their future. Climate change is a central theme of youth’s training under the project. Trained youth will engage diverse stakeholders in collaboration for the cause of the climate resilient.

The NCA will partner with three universities of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Lahore, Mirpurkhas to be engaged in small projects on climate resilient actions with low-income youth. The projects will focus on climate change and environmental issues in Lahore, Mirpurkhas, Rawalpindi/Islamabad in collaboration with potential universities. These initiatives will complement the Ministry of Climate Change’s District Task Force to contribute towards sensitization on climate change issues. The support provided to universities includes technical fees of academia to undertake and follow-up activities with communities that lead towards climate protection on sustainable basis. The key objectives of partnership with the universities are:

• Design and execution of climate resilient pilot in collaboration with low-income youth in project’s target districts. These projects must have potential for replication during the life of the project.
• Contribute towards sensitization on climate change issues
• Replicate the learnings from the pilot projects in other areas through communities/low-income youth that would lead towards climate protection.

 2.     Scope of the Work

In pursuit of SO3 of the project, Contracting Authority has advertised the Call for Proposal (CFP) in local newspapers as well as on the online project web portal (www.pty-fstp.org). The interested private and public universities will apply and submit their proposals and requisite documentations online through the portal. The primary goal of this assignment is to assess the applications received from universities working in the three districts (Mirpurkhas, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad) of the project intervention areas. 

The initial screening of the applicants will be based on the criteria to ensure merit, impartiality, and transparency in the selection process. The evaluator will assess the applicant’s relevancy with the overall goal of the universities engagement in the project by examining documents and capacity assessment during the review process.

 The evaluator will visit shortlisted universities for an onsite assess   by undertaking a physical assessment of the selected universities to finalize the 3 universities for the financial support. This exercise will help the evaluator to validate the findings of the initial screening of applications. The selected 3 universities will be supported to design and pilot eco-development projects that will contribute towards sensitization on climate change issues in collaboration with low-income youth aligned with project objectives

3.     Roles and Responsibilities

1. Providing all requisite documents to the consultant to design and conduct assignment.
2. Approval of proposed design, methodologies, tools, and work plan to conduct the assignment.
3. Providing guidance to the consultant as and when required.
4. Coordination with implementing partners and project steering committee.
5. Review and provide feedback on workplan, inception and final reports.
6. Processing consultant’s invoice and paying fee as per agreement.
7. Ensure logistic arrangements for the field visits during capacity assessments of universities.
8. Seek guidance as and if required from the designated focal person of NCA for the assignment.
9. Evaluator will comply with applicable policies, protocols, and standards of EU and NCA.
10. Produce all deliverables as per agreed timeline.
11. Conduct physical assessment of 6-8 shortlisted universities (2-3 from each target district) to finalize 3 universities in total and 1 from each district (Lahore, Mirpurkhas and Rawalpindi/Islamabad).
12. Undertake at least one field visit per district to physically assess the shortlisted universities.
13. The Evaluator may engage his/her team for the field visit/physical assessment. The team shall comply with the qualification criteria as described under Team Qualification Criteria.

3.1.  Contracting Authority

3.2. Evaluator Role

4.     Timeline and Deliverables

The duration of the assignment will be 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks) protracted over 2 months, starting from 25th October 2021 till 24th December 2021. The evaluator/consultant will be offered a fixed-price contract to include all the activities and deliverables listed above. Payment will be made in instalments upon satisfactory completion of work. All the payments are inclusive of the tax in accordance with country laws.

 5.     Selection Criteria and Essential skills for Hiring an Independent Evaluator

The following points will be considered to select the external evaluator:

• Minimum master’s degree holder preferably in a social science discipline, including environmental sciences. Environmental planning, environmental policy, sustainability science or social work. Higher education in related discipline will have an advantage.
• Specialization in a discipline related to environmental issues, especially on climate change and global warming with a gender implications perspective. Minimum ten years of managerial level and above experience of working in the development sector in Pakistan.
• Have a local knowledge and information about universities is a must. 
• In-depth understanding and knowledge of Pakistan’s context related to universities is a must. 
• Previous experience of universities capacity and system assessment is a must
• Very well versed with institutional assessment tools and approaches.
• Experience in designing and delivering community engagement project with a special focus on climate/ eco-development.
• Have experience in designing and executing climate-resilient projects in collaboration with low-income youth in the project’s target districts.

5.1. Team Qualification Criteria

The following points will be considered to in case of team for field assessment:

• At least a master's degree, in any social science, preferably including gender, governance and leadership, or social work
• At least five (5) years of experience of conducting assessments, evaluation and/or baseline.
• Good analytical skills
• Familiar with local cultural and social values, working dynamics of the universities.
• Effective communication skills in English, Urdu, and local language.
• Ability to produce professionally written, analytical reports in English.

 6.     Type of Contract and Payment

The duration of the assignment will be 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks) protracted over 2 months, starting from 25^th October 2021 till 24^th December 2021. The evaluator/consultant will be offered a fixed-price contract to include all the activities and deliverables listed above. Payment will be made in instalments upon satisfactory completion of work. All the payments are subject to tax in accordance with country laws.

7.     Submission of EOI and Contract Details

The applicants are requested to share their EOI with no more than three pages including evaluator’s CV and details of relevant experiences. The Evaluator should provide detailed CVs of his/her team for field visits/physical assessment, as applicable. The application/EOI should include:

• CV with Cover letter outlining match to skills and qualifications
• Financial proposal (in separate file.)

Interested candidates are requested to submit Expression of Interest (EOI) by 15 October 2021 no later than 5 P.M. to the email address: [email protected]. Must give the reference of TORs in subject line. (Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted).