Call for Proposal: Baseline Study for Strengthening Social Cohesion Project (SSCP)

 

Term of Reference (ToR)

Baseline Study for Strengthening Social Cohesion Project (SSCP)

Project Ref.	NDICI STABILITY/2022/438-691
Project Title	Strengthening Social Cohesion Project: Promoting Inclusive and Culture-Based Practices for Conflict Prevention, Preparedness, and Resolution through Youth-Focused Peacebuilding in Indonesia and Timor-Leste
Project Location	South Lampung, Indonesia and Liquiçá, Timor Leste
Project Duration	30 Months (Feb 1, 2023 to July 30, 2025)
Budget Ref #	5.2.1. Project Baseline Study

 

A. RATIONALE

Strengthening Social Cohesion Project (SSCP): Promoting Inclusive and Culture-Based Practices for Conflict Prevention, Preparedness, and Resolution through Youth-Focused Peacebuilding in Indonesia and Timor-Leste is an EU-funded project implemented by ChildFund International in Indonesia in collaboration with the ChildFund Australia in Timor Leste, Yayasan Pengembangan Sosial Katolik in Lampung, Ba Futuru, and Belun in Timor Leste. Overall objective: Communities in Lampung (Indonesia) and Liquiçá (Timor-Leste) live in increased peace through enhanced conflict prevention and resolution through culture-based practices. The specific objective is: “Empowered and connected, youth-focused CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) actively contribute to peacebuilding, conflict prevention, preparedness, and resolution by integrating culture-based practices

The project will support the youth-based organization, schools, local government, and religious leaders in South Lampung and Liquica Districts to: (i) improve the capacity of youth-led CSOs and community actors to promote peacebuilding, conflict prevention, preparedness, and resolution: (ii) strengthened peace education with a focus on culture-based practices in secondary schools; and (iii) enrich public narrative and dialogue by youth-led CSOs, youth changemakers, and networks on peacebuilding, conflict prevention, preparedness, and resolution toward traditional leaders, administrators, and communities at large.

SSCP will undertake assessment and baseline activities in the 2 intervention areas (South Lampung and Liquica Districts) to provide a reference for measuring the contribution of the Project in the future and will inform program design and strategy. The baseline will measure the situation against the agreed indicators, as well as the added context-specific indicators (to be defined locally) and the key elements as proposed in the full proposal. It also determines the extent to which the objectives and results of the action are met for the entire project, so the baseline of the identified outputs and outcomes needs to be defined. It will also be done to gather data on the actual situation in the target communities and inform whether adjustments are needed in the project. As for resource effectiveness, the baseline study consultancy will be offered to a team of experts, firms, or organizations that will conduct the study simultaneously in Lampung and Timor Leste.

B. OBJECTIVES

In addition to the initial gender-sensitive assessment, a baseline study will be done to gather data on the actual situation in the target communities and will be conducted in Lampung and Liquiçá to collect and document the initial state of the impact, outcome, and outputs indicators as presented in the Logical Framework. CFI will conduct the study by involving implementing partners and the target groups. The study will be integrated into Activity A1.1, A1.2, and A3.1. The baseline will include local youth-focused/led CSOs, schools, teachers, school children and out-of-school youth (OSY) aged 16-30 years old, community people, civil society representatives, elected representatives of local government institutions, representatives of different government service providers, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders of the project. The study shall be conducted in the form of a survey, key informant interview, and focus group discussions if needed. The information will be collected and analyzed, and a report will be generated in English and Bahasa Indonesia which will be shared with partners for consultation before it is finalized.

This baseline will be conducted for several objectives:

·       To determine the extent to which the action's objective, results, and impacts are met for the whole project, the baseline of the identified outputs and outcome need to be defined;

·       To gather data on the actual situation in the target communities and inform whether adjustments are needed in the project;

·       The baseline study will be combined with a needs assessment and formative research to reflect on and address knowledge gaps in order to improve the programme design and to inform the strategies related to the pathways on public support, advocacy, and capacity strengthening of CSO’s;

·       The baseline study will contextualize the current indicator framework as developed during the first proposal phase at the country level;

·       The baseline study will set the baseline values for indicators (if relevant);

·       The baseline study will inform the target setting of output and outcome indicators

 

C. METHODOLOGY

The baseline survey will be proposed to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. A total of 13 villages in South Lampung and 10 villages in the Administrative Posts of Liquiçá and Bazartete in the Municipality of Liquiçá will be target areas for this baseline survey – A valid and reliable sampling methodology might be considered for resource effectiveness. Also, for resource effectiveness, particularly time, the baseline study should be implemented in parallel in Lampung and Timor Leste.

1)     Quantitative data collection methods

The reference of this survey is the project's logical framework. The project team is intended to have baseline data at goal, outcome, and if applicable, output levels. Possible key respondents or data sources are initially determined by the project team. A consultant will propose target respondents based on the project’s target groups to be reviewed and approved by the project team.

Objectives	Indicators
IMPACT (OVERALL OBJECTIVES)	% Improvement of public perception of the relevance and effectiveness of Piil Pesenggiri/Tara Bandu as mechanisms for preventing conflicts, responding to crises, and building peace. (M/W)
	The intervention minimized negative risks and maximized positive outcomes on peace and security.
OUTCOME (SPESIFIC OBJECTIVES)	# of CSOs and inter-group network members (including schools and religious groups) acting to prevent and resolve conflict and build peace using Piil Pesenggiri/Tara Bandu, disaggregated by ethnic, religion, sex, and age)
	# of members (%) of target groups who consider that their concerns have been or are being addressed (M/W/B/G)
	Alignment of the intervention with the correct understanding of the conflict situation.

 

2)     Qualitative data collection methods

Key methods will be focus group discussions and key informant interviews with selected respondents. Key partners include in the part of project audiences. The selected consultant might need to consult the Project team on the respondents of the FGDs (Focus Group discussions) and Key Informant Interviews in each respective district.

3)     Document Review

The baseline team will use relevant project documents. Once selected, the project team provides the documents. Also, secondary data sources will be used for further data analysis.

4)     Data analysis and interpretation

Primary data and data analysis process will be disaggregated by ethnicity, religion, sex, age, and disability status. Collected data will be processed using the SPSS statistical data analysis software. Draft findings will be presented to the project team and key partners to validate.

5)     Indicative baseline and need assessments questions:

·       What is the current level of public perception of peace and social cohesion

·       What are the current peacebuilding interventions that minimize negative risks and maximize positive outcomes for peace and security?

·       What is the current number of civil society organizations that engage in formal or informal peace architecture?

·       What is the current number of populations that have access to and are willing to use cultural-based peacebuilding practices?

·       What is the current number of populations that have access to Youth-led peacebuilding practices?

·       What are the current attitudes of community members regarding providing adequate space for women and girls to participate in peacebuilding and conflict prevention activities?

·       Is there conflict risk assessment, early warning, mitigation, prevention, and resolution mechanism in place?

·       Other questions during the briefing between the project team with the selected consultant

 

 

D. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

The following results are expected to be produced by the selected consultant or expert team in the assignment:

1.     Inception Report - Analysis of the existing situation and plan of work for the assignment. The inception report will include a timeline, research questions, methodologies (study design, and suggested instruments and tools) to be applied, and a detailed outline of the report.

2.     Development of data collection tools.

3.     Draft Baseline Report to be submitted within 5 days of completion of the data collection for review and comments from ChildFund International Indonesia. The review and feedback of the report could be more than one round depending on the quality of the report and the extent to which the comments and suggestions from the first round have been incorporated.

4.     Coordination of a validation session. This session also includes a presentation of the findings.

5.     Final Baseline Report in English and Indonesian.

6.     Dataset (excel or SPSS upload) with raw data in soft copy.

E. KEY QUALIFICATIONS

To determine the extent to which the action's objective and results are met for the whole project, to gather data on the actual situation in the target communities, and inform whether adjustments are needed in the project, the consultant team for this baseline project needs to satisfy the following criteria:

·       One or more team members had an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in alternative dispute resolution, administration, human resources management, law, social sciences, or related area.

·       Previous experience in high-quality Baseline Study of development projects (preferably 10 years in developing donor-driven Baseline/End-line/Evaluation studies)

·       Experience in research or studies on dispute resolution, social institutions, indigenous knowledge, traditional laws, gender studies, peacebuilding, and community empowerment.

·       Able to provide the sound and appropriate research methodology to address the objective and the expected results of this assignment.

·       Excellent command of English for report writing and documentation.

·       Knowledge about the related cultural-based values and mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution for the area of the study.

·       Able to read, digest and accurately analyze large amounts of information, provide succinct summaries, and explain the significance of that information.

F. REPORT OUTLINE

The assigned consultant or expert team is required to submit 2 final reports after the completion of these assignments (1 report to cover the results of the baseline study in Lampung and 1 report in Liquica). The report should be presented in the following format:

·     Report title: Baseline Study of Strengthening Social Cohesion Project in Lampung/Liquica.

·     Introduction: Describing the scope and the objective of the assignments.

·     Study Approach and Methodology: Outlining the technical approaches in collecting and analyzing data and information to address the study's objective.

·     Description of Baseline Study Area.

·     Results: Presenting and analyzing the findings based on the available quantitative and qualitative data to address the objective of the baseline study.

·     Analysis of the findings: Synthesizing the findings to address the objective of this baseline study, potential opportunities, and constraints for achieving the objectives, and implications to the project and the communities.

·     Recommendation: Outlining the best strategy to integrate and promote the cultural-based value and mechanisms by considering the identified context/factors, stakeholders, institution, and the duration of the project.

·     Annexes: Containing information on the contact list of the participants of the baseline study, photos reflecting the baseline processes; survey questionnaire; data or additional information relevant to the assessment.

G. TIMEFRAME OF BASELINE STUDY

The selected consultants or expert team for this assignment will implement the task based on the following timeframe:

The total number of days of the whole process of this baseline study is 60 days.

The total number of days of consultancy work is 30 days.

 

Step	Tasks & Deliverables	Estimated Days
1	Inception Report – Draft of Baseline Study Design, Strategies, Methodologies, Tools, and Detailed Work Plans	3 days
2	Review and Feedback of Inception Report – Final Baseline Study Design, Strategies, Methodologies, Tools, and Detailed Work Plans – 1st Tranche of Payment	2 days
3	Baseline Study Implementation – Implemented in parallel in Lampung and Timor Leste by the consultant team, with support from enumerators if necessary.	15 days
4	Draft of Baseline Study Report – Draft report document of baseline study in Lampung and Timor Leste.	5 days
5	Review and Feedback – in written and through an online meeting with the project team and partners – 2nd Tranche of Payment	3 days
6	Final Report – 3rd Payment	2 days
	Total :	30 days

 

H. PAYMENTS

The cost for the baseline study should consider all travel costs, daily allowances, and other expenses for the selected consultant team. The consultant and project team will discuss and make necessary budget revisions to accommodate, if deemed necessary, travel costs of the project team to Lampung and Timor Leste to support the coordination and supervision of baseline study implementation. CFI will make payments by bank transfer to the firm’s/individual’s bank account according to the contract. Payment will be made based on deliverables upon submission of invoice and completion of work

·       1st Payment: 20% of the contract value will be paid after the Inception Report is discussed and finalized with project team.  

·       2nd Payment: 50% of the contract value will be paid based on submission and acceptance of draft of baseline study report

·       3rd Payment: 30% of the contract value will be paid based on submission and acceptance of final baseline report

Applicable taxes will be deducted as per Indonesian Government policies.

 

I. SELECTION PROCESSES

An interested party for this assignment must submit their proposal outlining the technical and financial capacity to meet the assignment objectives and results. The technical capacity should inform the selection team: (i) methodology to address the objectives, (ii) techniques to be applied in data analysis, (iii) results of the analysis to be presented in the accomplishment report; and (iv) resume of the baseline study team. The financial capacity should be presented in the budget plan for conducting the assignment.

Completed proposals should be submitted in electronic format to indonesiaoffice@childfund.org  latest by 18^th August 2023 with the subject line ‘EU-Strengthening Social Cohesion Project – Baseline Study Proposal’.