Third-Party Evaluation of JPF Funded Projects in Sudan Full Time NEW

1. Background:

The JPF is an international humanitarian aid organization which offers the most effective and prompt emergency aid in response to humanitarian needs, focusing on issues of refugees caused by armed conflicts and natural disasters. JPF conducts such aid through a tripartite cooperation system where NGOs, business communities, and the government of Japan work in close cooperation, based on equal partnership, and making the most of the respective sectors’ characteristics and resources.

JPF serves as an intermediary support organization providing various types of assistance to member NGOs in Japan to deliver quick and comprehensive aid on their own. JPF has supported aid activities of 49 member NGOs, each with its own set of diverse strengths. It has delivered humanitarian assistance to 65 nations and regions about 2,400 projects, with a total financial contribution of 96 billion yen. JPF has built a strong reputation based on trust by promoting cooperation among private sectors and NGOs and by accurately reporting all its activities. Please find attached JPF Information Leaflet as Annex 1. More information on JPF can be found at https://www.japanplatform.org/index.html .

2. Purpose of the Request for Proposals:

The purpose of this request for proposals (RFP) is to solicit competitive offers for the provision of evaluation services for two projects which are funded by JPF and implemented by member NGOs through their local partners.

JPF seeks to contract a Third-Party Evaluation (TPE) contractor to accurately capture information, verify activities and analyze data on implemented project activities, and provide recommendations that can be utilized when implementing same or similar projects. In particular, the TPE contractor will be an essential quality assurance activity in project locations where JPF has no or limited access to for various reasons. JPF will use the outcome of this evaluation activity to improve the future projects. The evaluation reports will be made available to public as a part of JPF’s activity to ensure accountability to the donor and public.

3. Scope of Services:

The contractor will conduct an external evaluation of two JPF-funded projects under the Sudan Humanitarian Crisis Program. The evaluation will cover the full project cycle design, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and results, using agreed OECD-DAC criteria and Core Humanitarian Standards. The contractor will work closely with JPF, member NGOs in Japan, and their local partners in Sudan, and will receive all necessary project documents. Findings will inform evidence-based recommendations to improve future project selection and implementation in line with the evolving needs of crisis-affected communities.

4.1 Scope of Evaluations (includes, but is not limited to):

• Review of Outputs and Outcomes: Validate the timely and efficient delivery of outputs and assess whether they contributed to intended outcomes; assess progress against the approved proposal and present a summary table in the final report.
• Stakeholder and Beneficiary Feedback: Assess the satisfaction of stakeholders and beneficiaries (disaggregated by gender) and collect feedback on the effectiveness and perceived value of project interventions.
• Contribution to Humanitarian Architecture: Evaluate the project’s alignment with and contribution to relevant Cluster objectives and the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), focusing on relevance and impact.
• Participation, Accountability, and Localization: Review the extent to which crisis-affected people, especially vulnerable target groups of the project, participated in decision-making and assess how the project supported and strengthened local actors.
• Lessons Learned and Recommendations: Identify key lessons and provide actionable recommendations for implementing NGOs, member NGOs, and JPF, including improvements related to design, partner engagement, gender equity, coordination, localization, and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.
• Technical Capacity and Expertise Review: Assess the technical capacity of member NGOs and implementing partners, identify capacity gaps, evaluate technical support provided during implementation, and review the involvement of staff in needs analysis, monitoring, and information gathering.
• Partnership and Management Modality Review: Examine partnership approaches, due diligence practices, risk transfer, MEAL systems, and the effectiveness of remote management; assess subcontracting arrangements and their impact on safety, acceptance, and implementation quality.
• Leadership, Commitment, and Visibility: Assess the initiative, leadership, and commitment of member NGOs, including under restricted-access conditions; review visibility measures in line with JPF Visibility Guidelines and cooperation agreements.

4. Deliverables

The contractor will report directly to JPF and work in close coordination with member NGOs and local implementing partners. Throughout field-level data collection, the contractor is expected to maintain regular communication with JPF and provide timely feedback, especially when issues requiring immediate attention arise. All evaluation tools, templates, and reporting formats will be agreed upon with JPF following contract signing.

Expected activities and deliverables include:

• Kick-Off Meeting: Initial meeting with JPF, member NGO, and local partner representatives to launch the evaluation and gather information required for the inception phase.
• Inception Report and Meeting: Project-specific inception reports outlining the methodology, work plan, guiding questions, data collection strategy, stakeholder list, and evaluation timeline. The reports will be finalized after the inception meeting.
• Data Collection Tools: Development of project-specific data collection tools and methodologies, submitted alongside the inception report.
• Periodic Progress Updates: Submission of weekly and/or monthly updates to JPF, containing verified, timely information on evaluation progress and any emerging issues.
• Case Studies: Preparation of at least one case study for each project, highlighting significant changes, challenges, or examples of good practice.
• Project Evaluation Reports: Submission of one evaluation report per project, including one draft and one final version after two rounds of feedback.
• Raw Data and Visual Materials: Submission of all collected raw data, transcripts, datasets, photos, and other relevant materials used during the evaluation.
• Debriefing Workshops: Two debriefing workshops per project; one for implementing partners/local staff in the appropriate local language, and one for JPF and member NGOs in English, to present findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

The contractor will ensure transparent communication with all project stakeholders, respond promptly to queries from JPF and member NGOs, and support a smooth and collaborative evaluation process.

Tagged as: Japan Platform, Sudan