REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) Hiring of a Consultant / Firm for End-of-Project Evaluation

Sindh Coastal Resilience Integrated Programme (SCRIP)

Thatta and Sujawal Districts, Sindh, Pakistan

1. Background

The Sindh Coastal Resilience Integrated Programme (SCRIP) is a multi-sectoral climate resilience initiative implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan (AKF-P) in partnership with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH). The Programme aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities in the Thatta and Sujawal districts of Sindh against the increasing impacts of climate change through integrated, community-driven interventions.

The Programme seeks to improve the adaptive capacity of approximately 8,000 vulnerable people by promoting climate-resilient livelihoods, strengthening disaster risk reduction systems, improving access to water, sanitation and clean energy services, restoring degraded ecosystems, and enhancing institutional capacity for coastal resilience planning in the Thatta and Sujawal districts of Sindh.

Programme interventions are organised around the following thematic areas:

• Climate-resilient livelihoods

• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and preparedness

• Sustainable aquaculture and regenerative agriculture

• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

• Renewable and clean energy solutions

• Afforestation and ecosystem restoration

• Community infrastructure and coastal resilience planning

As the Programme reaches completion, AKF-P intends to commission an independent End-of-Project Evaluation to assess Programme performance, results, and sustainability, and to capture lessons learned, generating evidence to inform future programming.

1.1  Programme Area

The table below presents extrapolated district-wise population figures for the SCRIP project area, based on the Population Census Report 2013, Bureau of Statistics, Government of Sindh.

Target Union Councils (UCs) and villages of SCRIP: 10 UCs and 26 villages.

1.2  Performance Measurement Framework

The endline study will collect and analyse data for the following indicators under the intermediate outcome and output-level results, based on the final version of the Programme's Performance Measurement Framework (PMF).

2. Purpose and Objectives of the Evaluation

The purpose of the endline evaluation is to assess the extent to which the SCRIP Programme has achieved its intended impacts and results by:

1. Measuring changes against the baseline across all Results Framework indicators;

2. Evaluating the effectiveness of Programme interventions under Outcomes 2 and 3;

3. Assessing the sustainability of Programme investments and institutional mechanisms across all Programme outcomes, including Outcome 1; and

4. Generating evidence-based results, best practices, and lessons to inform future climate resilience programming.

3. Scope of Work

The evaluation will cover all Programme intervention areas across selected communities in the Thatta and Sujawal districts, with the following specific objectives:

• Conduct a baseline-endline comparison of Programme results and an impact/performance assessment;

• Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of interventions under Outcomes 2 and 3 only;

• Assess the sustainability plan and investments under all Programme outcomes, including Outcome 1;

• Assess the internal and external factors influencing Programme effectiveness, efficiency, and overall performance;

• Assess inclusion, participation, and beneficiary satisfaction; and

• Generate evidence-based recommendations for future programming.

4. Main Duties and Responsibilities

The consulting firm will be responsible for developing an endline inception report covering study design and methodology, sampling (representative sampling and respondent selection), enumeration planning, data collection, enumerator recruitment and training, data quality assurance, data analysis, and report writing. The areas of inquiry and methodology for the study are detailed below.

4.1 Overall Study Approach

The endline will adopt a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative survey and qualitative research elements, to provide nuanced, triangulated results and ensure an evidence-based picture of the endline status for each indicator assessed. As the endline is focused on the assessment of outcomes, the consultant may draw on existing quantitative data and evidence – including baseline reports, case studies, and tracer surveys – to update the status of indicators. Depending on the circumstances, data collection, focus group discussions, and other assessments may be carried out using Individual In-Depth Interview and Focus Group Discussion instruments. The consultant is expected to select and train enumerators (for quantitative research) and facilitators (for qualitative research) to conduct data collection in the target geographies.

4.2  Data Collection Tools and Methods

The successful bidder will review the existing data collection tools developed for the baseline study and refine them as relevant to the needs of the endline survey. The proposed tools and implementation modalities should be detailed in the technical proposal and will include:

• Household questionnaire

• Key Informant Interview (KII) guides

• Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guides

• Observation checklists

4.3  Key Evaluation Questions

The evaluation should address, at minimum, the following questions on the overall impact of the SCRIP Programme in the target districts.

Relevance (All Outcomes)

• Were Programme interventions responsive to community priorities and climate risks?

• Were interventions appropriately designed for the coastal context?

Effectiveness (Outcome 2)

• To what extent did livelihood interventions improve household resilience and economic wellbeing?

• To what extent were ecosystem restoration activities successfully implemented and adopted?

• What factors facilitated or constrained achievement of Outcome 2?

Effectiveness (Outcome 3)

• To what extent did Programme interventions improve access to WASH and renewable energy services?

• Are facilities functional, accessible, and being utilised by intended beneficiaries?

• How satisfied are beneficiaries with the services provided?

Sustainability (All Outcomes)

• Are community institutions and committees established under the Programme still functioning?

• Are preparedness mechanisms and local plans being maintained and updated?

• Are livelihood interventions continuing beyond project support?

• Are WASH and renewable energy systems being operated and maintained effectively?

• What institutional, financial, and community mechanisms support long-term sustainability?

4.4  Data Analysis

Quantitative data will be analysed using statistical software such as SPSS, STATA, or equivalent, including descriptive statistics such as frequencies and cross-tabulations. Qualitative data will be analysed thematically and used to triangulate and interpret quantitative findings, potentially using qualitative analysis software such as NVivo. Qualitative analysis will also produce, at minimum, two Most Significant Change (MSC) stories. The consultant's technical proposal should elaborate a robust data analysis approach aligned with these Terms of Reference, to be further detailed in the inception report.

5. Ethical Standards and Safeguarding

The endline survey must conscientiously adhere to AKF's Global Safeguarding Manual and its adaptations to the study context. All members of the consultant's team must sign AKF's Safeguarding Statement of Commitment upon contracting.

The consultant must obtain all relevant research permits from national and provincial authorities, as applicable. AKF/AKRSP, AKAH will provide the consultant with a letter and all survey-related documentation required by government authorities, and will support the consultant with backstopping and liaison as needed. The consultant will be responsible for pursuing the required research No-Objection Certificate (NOC) and providing any documentation government authorities may request.

Each researcher involved in the study must reference the applicable codes of conduct and confirm their commitment in writing. The study design must clearly specify how data collection and use will be undertaken with integrity and honesty, respecting human rights and differences in culture, custom, religion, and belief among all stakeholders. Provisions for obtaining informed consent and ensuring confidentiality and data security must be explicit, as must an explanation of how researchers will remain sensitive to gender roles, ethnicity, disability, age, language, and other differences throughout the design and implementation of the study.

The study must strike an appropriate balance between the potential benefits of the research and the protection of participants from research-related harm. Safeguarding principles to protect key informants from sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, bullying, and to ensure youth protection must be explicit.

6. Deliverables

The main deliverables for this assignment are as follows:

Inception Report

A detailed inception report meeting AKF's requirements, including:

• Study protocol covering methodology, design, sampling strategy, and proposed sample sizes for quantitative and qualitative components

• Detailed work plan covering all tasks, team member responsibilities, overall study timelines, and level of effort per team member

• Description of enumerator and facilitator training and piloting exercises

• Data collection tools covering all project indicators referenced in the Scope of Work

• Data collection, management, and analysis plan

• Detailed study budget

• Gender equality, safeguarding, ethics, and risk management provisions

• A finalised data analysis plan containing all definitions and computations for each project indicator, with illustrative planned tables and figures (dummy tables)

Data Collection Documentation

• Data collection tools translated, where required

• Ethical and other national/provincial government research approvals obtained

• Data collectors recruited and trained

• Data output tables

• Data collection, entry (where applicable), and quality assurance completed

Endline Study Report

A completed endline study report presenting quantitative and qualitative findings, completed tables, data visualisations, and analysis, structured per AKF's requirements, and including the following annexes:

• Endline datasets: raw and fully cleaned datasets in English, in an agreed file format (e.g., XLS, SPSS), accompanied by the analysis code and a variable codebook

• Transcribed and translated transcripts: complete, edited transcriptions and translations of all survey responses, focus group discussions, and interviews, in English

• Data interpretation workshop: a PowerPoint presentation of preliminary results for feedback and validation with AKRSP, AKF, and other local stakeholders

• Presentation of results: a summary PowerPoint highlighting key findings and recommendations for adaptive management

• Final endline study report: final draft on an agreed template, including all findings, proofread to publishable quality

Report Requirements

All reports must be submitted in both electronic form and hard copy (final report only), in English.

Detailed Work Plan

Bidders must provide a detailed work plan incorporating all relevant tasks and milestones from start to finish of the endline study, including the project milestones set out in Section 7 below. Bidders should add further steps and detail as appropriate; any proposed modification to deadlines must be justified and must not affect the overall deadline for submission of the final report.

7. Timeline

The evaluation is expected to be completed within 4–5 weeks of contract signing.

8. Reporting Line

The consultant/firm will report directly to the Project Manager, SCRIP, and will work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Unit of AKF-P throughout the evaluation process.

9. Qualifications of the Consultant / Firm Required

Bidding firms must clearly identify and provide CVs for all proposed Study Team members, stating their roles and responsibilities for this evaluation. The Study Team will include a lead evaluator (statistician/economist) responsible for the design and execution of the analysis and related study deliverables, a qualitative expert responsible for analysis and triangulation of KII and FGD findings, and a gender specialist to ensure integration of gender equality, diversity and inclusion considerations and feminist MERL perspectives. Local field supervisors/researchers will be considered an additional asset. The consultant remains ultimately responsible for all enumerators and facilitators subcontracted for this assignment.

The proposed consultant team should demonstrate the technical expertise and practical experience required to deliver the scope of work and evaluation outputs, specifically:

• A postgraduate degree for the team leader in Climate Change, Environmental Sciences, Natural Resource Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, or a related discipline

• At least seven (7) years of experience conducting endline evaluations, impact evaluations, or programme assessments for climate resilience or multi-sectoral development programmes

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience administering studies, collecting data, and producing quality mixed-methods baseline/endline study reports, preferably for international non-profit organisations or multilateral agencies, including multi-country studies

• Demonstrated expertise in climate adaptation, coastal resilience, natural resource management, disaster risk reduction (DRR), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), renewable/clean energy, food security, livelihood development, and gender and social inclusion

• Prior experience working in Sindh, particularly in coastal areas, will be considered an advantage

• Demonstrated experience designing baseline and endline studies, including survey statistics, impact-oriented sampling, mixed-method approaches, and tool development

• Demonstrated experience recruiting, training, and managing enumerators and facilitators for both quantitative and qualitative studies

• Demonstrated experience in quantitative data and statistical analysis using software such as SPSS or Stata

• Demonstrated experience in qualitative data analysis techniques, including relevant software

• Demonstrated experience using Open Data Kit (ODK) or comparable computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) software. All resulting datasets, Kobo tool data, MaxQDA files, and other outputs remain the property of the project; non-assignment data or reports may not be replicated or published without AKF-P's consent

• Specialisation in women's economic and social empowerment and gender equality analysis

• Demonstrated experience managing gender- and age-disaggregated data and information systems capable of handling large datasets

• Country knowledge and experience conducting research and evaluation studies in Sindh Province

• Demonstrated experience in safeguarding and respecting vulnerable populations

• Fluency in English and Urdu is mandatory; field teams should be proficient in Sindhi

10. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be assessed in two stages. Technical proposals will first be evaluated against the criteria below; only firms that achieve or exceed the minimum passing score of [70]% on the technical evaluation will proceed to have their financial proposals opened and scored.

10.1  Technical Evaluation

10.2  Overall Weighting

The overall score will combine the technical and financial evaluations as follows:

Financial proposals will be scored in inverse proportion to price (i.e., the lowest compliant bid receives the maximum financial score, with other bids scored proportionally).

11. Application Package

Qualified and interested parties are asked to submit the following:

5. Letter of interest, including the names and contact information of two previous clients who can be contacted regarding relevant experience. Firms must also disclose any conflict of interest related to this mandate with AKRSP, AKAH, or AKF.

6. A detailed technical proposal of no more than 8 pages, clearly demonstrating a thorough understanding of this Request for Proposals, including:

• Description of the mixed-methods study approach and methodology, including preliminary sampling strategy, data collection, data management and analysis, gender equality, and ethical standards

• Demonstrated previous experience in mixed methods and other qualifications outlined in this TOR

• A proposed timeframe detailing activity and a schedule/work plan (including a Gantt chart)

• Team composition and level of effort of each proposed team member

7. A financial proposal with a detailed breakdown of costs for the study (accounting for all applicable taxes under Pakistan's taxation rules), including:

• Itemised consultancy fees/costs

• Itemised field data collection expenses

• Itemised administrative expenses

• Validity period of the quotation

• Expected payment plan and method

8. CVs of all proposed team members outlining relevant experience (annexed to the technical proposal)

9. A copy of a previous report of similar work undertaken – either (a) a baseline study, or (b) an endline study

10. Copy of legal registration (for registered firms/companies)

11. A consulting firm/company profile

11.1  Submission

The deadline for applications is 16th August 2026. Proposals should be submitted to Mr. Arslan Adil

Aga Khan Foundation, Pakistan (AKFP),Level 9, Serena Business Complex, G-5/1, Islamabad.

Email: [email protected]

Landline: 051-111-253-254 

Only short-listed consultants/firms will be contacted.

AKF(P)/AKRSP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and partners to share this commitment.