ABOUT OXFAM
One person in three in the world lives in poverty. Oxfam is determined to change that world by mobilizing the power of people against poverty. Around the world, Oxfam works to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive. We save lives and help rebuild livelihoods when crisis strikes. And we campaign so that the voices of the poor influence the local and global decisions that affect them. In all we do, Oxfam works with partner organizations and alongside vulnerable women and men to end the injustices that cause poverty.
OVERVIEW OF THE PVP PROJECT
The FAIR for ALL consortium – comprising Oxfam Novib, Huairou Commission, SOMO, Third World Network-Africa (TWN-Africa), and other developing countries will support people in their collaboration with, and rightful demands towards companies, governments and multilateral organizations for economic, social and environmental justice, promoting global trade and value-chains that are fair for all. Thus, the strategic objective of FAIR for ALL is a strengthened Civil Society which is capable of creating space and mobilizing people across geographies to demand and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable trade and value-chains that respect human rights, protect the environment and promote women’s economic empowerment. This implies rebalancing developing countries’ reliance on dominant primary-commodity value chains, reforming tax and trade regimes and increasing investment/national budget allocations in local and national value chains that benefit small-scale farmers; in particular women and their communities. The strategic objective is accomplished through the following four pathways:
Pathway 1 strengthens civil society to co-create alternative business practices which share value more equally and empowers women.
Pathway 2 strengthens Civil Society to advocate for a more responsible private and financial sector that upholds land rights, decent work, living wages, women’s and environmental rights and space for civil society to act.
Pathway 3 strengthens civil society to advocate for more accountable governments, multilateral institutions and regulatory frameworks – that is, for governments to effectively regulate the private sector.
Pathway 4 strengthens civil society to mobilize citizens for fiscal and trade reforms that enable domestic revenue mobilization for increased social spending and investment in locally owned and diversified economies that produce jobs and income for local communities.
SUMMARY OF UGANDA’s PVP FAIR for ALL Project
Project Name: Power of Voices Partnership-Fair for All
Project partners: Agency for Community Empowerment (AFCE), Uganda Agribusiness Alliance (UAA), Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF), Southern and Eastern Africa Trade and Information Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) Uganda, Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) and Oxfam in Uganda
Target Location: National level and at sub-national level in West Nile districts of Nebbi and Zombo as well as selected districts in Acholi sub-region
Project Duration: 5 years: January 2021- December 2025
Project description: The project is focusing on supporting CSOs, women/producers/young entrepreneurs and their communities to have equal opportunities and agency in agribusiness and trade with a more accountable, sustainable and inclusive public and private sector which develops and implements policies and practices aimed at tackling extreme economic and gender inequality.
Overall project objective: A strengthened Civil Society capable of creating space and mobilizing demands of small scale producers, contributes to more inclusive and sustainable agribusiness value-chains that respect land and economic rights and promote women’s economic empowerment in Uganda.
Project Outcomes focusing on Pathway 1,2 3 and 4:
Uganda specific Outcome/s 1.1:
- Small scale producers are empowered and fully participate in coffee and horticulture value chains by 2025
- Increased production, productivity and quality of coffee and horticulture products by smallholder producers by 2025
- Strengthened CSOs, private and public sector that value and promote women economic empowerment
Uganda specific outcome/s 1.2:
- Increased incomes and employment of smallholder producers through inclusive sustainable production and marketing of coffee and horticulture products
- Strengthened CSOs and small scale producers have co-created alternatives to business practices with private and public sector actors in Uganda
- Evidence generated for policy advocacy on public financing and investment for boosting agriculture
Uganda specific outcome/s 2.1:
- Strengthened Civil Society have capacity to collect evidences on human rights abuses attributed to large scale land based investment
- Amplified voices of women on land and environmental rights enhanced and redress mechanisms for rights defenders and people seeking redress in place
Uganda specific outcome/s 2.2:
- Strengthened CS engagements with coalitions/networks and alliances hold private-sector actors accountable
- Strengthened Multi-stakeholder platforms for private and public dialogues on coffee and horticulture value chains
- Increased access to agriculture credit financing by small holder producers
Uganda specific Outcome/s 3.1:
- Progressive reforms that guarantee human right are adopted in the investment code
- Strengthened Civil Society, small holder producers, women and young entrepreneurs advocates, campaign for, monitor enforcement of legislative changes to better regulate value-chains and trade
Uganda specific Outcome 3.2:
- Enhanced capacity of CSOs, smallholder producers, women and young entrepreneurs to engage in public policy processes and demand for their rights protection
Uganda specific Outcome/s 4.1:
- Increased CSOs’ technical expertise on Public Finance Management and coalition building for equitable social service delivery
- Strengthened capacity of civil Society to effectively contribute to fair, inclusive and progressive revenue mobilization and accountability in implementation of fiscal policies, trade and value chains at global, national and subnational levels
- CSOs supported to establish multi-stakeholder dialogues on fiscal policies, trade and value-chains
Uganda specific outcome/s 4.2:
- Citizens become active participants in budget making processes
- Enhanced citizens voices to demand for an equitable and progressive domestic revenue mobilization and accountability system
- Enhanced Public campaigns that address women small-scale producers’ needs, fairness of tax regimes and public spending
NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The baseline intends to assess the conditions and understand the context prevalent in the project implementing areas before the start of the project. Based on this, progress made throughout the implementation of the project with respect to its targeted outcomes could be reliably measured. This is intended to develop measurable indicators and their present status, which enables generating evidence of changes and the impact as per agreed objectives and expected outcomes. The baseline will guide and provide feedback to all partners to reflect on the present strategies and challenges related to the program working areas and will be useful in materializing the strategic goal in a systematic way.
The specific objectives of the baseline study are:
- To provide situational analysis of the current status and dynamics of coffee and horticulture agribusiness value-chains, land rights, fiscal justice and related practices, policies/frameworks, influential stakeholders, civic space etc.
- To establish benchmarks on Uganda PVP FAIR for ALL key outcome indicators for comparison and analysis upon project completion.
SCOPE OF THE BASELINE STUDY
The scope of the baseline study has two dimensions: a geographical dimension and a content dimension. As for the geographical dimension: the PVP project is being implemented in West-Nile subregion specifically in Nebbi and Zombo districts as well as selected districts in Acholi sub-region.
As for the content dimension, the baseline study should provide answers to the research questions.These answers should be written down following the three-legged structure of the report:
- Situational analysis related to research questions on the four pathways. To this end, the consultant, in consultation with the PVP FAIR for ALL Uganda project team and partners, will answer selected and specified questions meaningful to the Uganda project outcomes provided.
- Related Civic space analysis.
- Target setting and MEAL framework on outcome and output indicators for all four pathways related to Uganda project outcomes, outputs and activities. These Uganda outcome and output indicators have to be linked with overall PVP FAIR for ALL project indicators for impact, outcome and output indictors for each pathway
METHODOLOGY
In the inception report, the consultant will be required to present a methodology for collecting, analyzing and presenting the data that will allow for the provision of clear and robust answers to the research questions. Robust methods are to be used towards the fulfilment of the objectives of the baseline study. The methodology will be discussed and finalized in consultation with Oxfam’s MEAL Coordinator and the PVP Project team. The study is to be designed as a qualitative assessment and also a quantitative assessment for Outcome 4.2 During the baseline study, the consultant will be required to collect information from relevant primary and secondary sources.
DELIVERABLES
The consulting firm/bidder will submit the following:
Output 1: Inception report on the execution of the assignment within three days of the commencement of the consultancy; setting out how they will approach the assignment, proposed methodology and timetable and data collection tools and outline of the final report.
Output 2: The consultant shall submit a draft version of comprehensive baseline study report. The document should be very precise and address each research questions
Suggested Outline of Uganda’s Baseline report:
- Introduction to the PVP Fair for ALL Uganda Project
- Collecting and analyzing baseline data: approach, methodology and limitations
- Summary on Civic space (current situation and trend)
- Pathway 1: Co-creating alternative business practices which share value more equally and empowers women
- (Qualitative) values for Pathway 1 (situational analysis along the pathway’s baseline research questions).
- Targets for PVP Fair for ALL Uganda project on key program outcome indicators
- Reflection on programmatic choices Pathway 1
5. Pathway 2 More responsible private and financial sector
- (Qualitative) values for Pathway 2 (situational analysis along the pathway’s baseline research questions)
- Targets for PvP-Fair4All Uganda project on key program outcome indicators
- Reflection on programmatic choices Pathway 2
6. Pathway 3 Public sector regulating the private sector
- (Qualitative) values for Pathway 3 (situational analysis along the pathway’s baseline research questions).
- Targets for PVP FAIR for ALL Uganda project on key program outcome indicators
- Reflection on programmatic choices Pathway 3
7. Pathway 4 Advocate for Fiscal & Trade reforms
- Qualitative) values for Pathway 4 (situational analysis along the pathway’s baseline research questions).
- Targets for PvP-Fair4All Uganda project on key program outcome indicators
- Reflection on programmatic choices Pathway
- Note: outcome 4.2 may have a quantitative assessment
8. Recommendations and lessons learnt
- For the ToC and programmatic choices
- For the set of key outcome indicators
- Recommendations for linkages and learning across pathways
Output 3: The consultant shall deliver a Power-Point presentation of the report before finalizing the assignment.
Output 4: Final report, incorporating Oxfam’s, partners’ and stakeholders’ input, will be completed after input is received.
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE OF CONSULTANT
The desired specification and qualities of the consultant(s) are as hereunder:
- At least a Master’s degree in Agriculture, Economics, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences or relevant field for the lead consultant and a minimum of bachelor’s degree on the relevant academic areas for support team.
- Demonstrated knowledge, experience in conducting high quality, credible evaluations in the development sector, taking into respect aspects of gender sensitivity and gender justice.
- Demonstrated experience in the area of agriculture, human rights and fiscal justice (tax, budget and social accountability) at the national and subnational levels -especially with the contribution of NGO sector.
- Familiarity with policy advocacy work and political sensitivities
- Excellent writing and verbal communication skills in English
- Experience in designing and implementing baseline studies with particular emphasis on participatory & inclusive methods. Also, should include methods that enable meaningful participation of women and other marginalized groups.
- Knowledge & use of evaluation ethics processes.
- High level of understanding of Oxfam’s approach.
- Confidentiality of information: All documents and data collected will be treated as confidential and used solely to facilitate analysis. Interviewees will not be quoted in the reports without their permission.
TIME FRAME
The process will be as follows: The total study period is 25 days which includes preparation, field work, data analysis and report writing. The expected date of the start of the study is 22nd September, 2021 and final baseline study report will be produced on 22nd October, 2021.
BID REQUIREMENTS
Consultant(s) who meet the above requirements should submit bids, which at minimum, include the following:
- Suitability statement
- Commitment to availability for the entire assignment in the months of September – October 2021
- Brief statement of the proposed study methodology including a detailed work plan
- Detailed financial proposal, including daily costs
- Information on the team composition and level of effort of each team member – include updated curriculum vitae that clearly spell out qualifications and experience
- Contacts of three organizations that have recently contracted the consultant to carry out relevant study
Financial proposals must indicate all-inclusive costs for conducting the survey.
Note: The entire bid should be a MAXIMUM OF TEN (10) PAGES inclusive of CVs and budgets. Bids which do not meet this requirement will not be considered.
REPORTING LINES
The consultant shall work under the supervision of the Oxfam’s MEAL Coordinator with a strong liaison with the PVP Project team.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Oxfam Uganda invites individuals who meet the above criteria to submit Expression of Interest that clearly articulates the consultant(s) understanding of the terms of reference, methodology for executing the work including key deliverables and tentative budget should and clearly indicated “Baseline Survey for FAIR for ALL: Improving Value Chains at Scale (PVP)” Expressions of interest shall be sent to ugandalogistics@oxfam.org not later than 12:00HRS on 17th September 2021. Only applicants who qualify will be contacted.