External Mid Term Evaluator

Request for Proposals: Mid-Term Performance Evaluation for the Helping Survivors Heal Activity

The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is a U.S.-based non-governmental organization dedicated to creating a world without torture. Since our founding in 1985, we have evolved to provide culturally competent and interdisciplinary interventions to survivors of torture and trauma. We have served tens of thousands through trauma-focused services, enhancing the skills and resilience of human rights defenders while facilitating justice for survivors.

As part of our ongoing commitment to quality and accountability, CVT is seeking proposals from qualified evaluation consultants to conduct a Mid-Term Performance Evaluation (MTPE) for the Helping Survivors Heal (HSH) Activity. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this global capacity development program runs from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2026, with a total budget of $17 million. The HSH Activity aims to enhance access to evidence-informed Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services for survivors of torture through organizational capacity development and subgrants to twelve partner organizations worldwide.

The MTPE will focus on evaluating the performance of the HSH Activity to date, assessing progress towards intended outcomes, and offering recommendations for optimizing project management and support. We aim to understand how well the HSH supports partner organizations’ capacity development needs and the efficiency of the implementation processes. The evaluation will commence in November 2024 and conclude by February 2025, requiring approximately 40 working days.

Interested consultants are invited to submit their proposals, which should include a technical proposal and a financial proposal, as outlined in the attached detailed Statement of Work (SoW). The technical proposal should contain a cover letter, CV(s), a description of the proposed methodology, a work plan and timeline, and should not include pricing information. The financial proposal should provide a clear breakdown of fees and expenses in U.S. Dollars.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and appreciate your interest in contributing to the important work of the HSH Activity.

Qualifications of the Evaluation Team

CVT is seeking a qualified consultant, with a preference for diverse teams, to conduct a complex, multi-country evaluation. The Lead Consultant should possess strong leadership and evaluation experience, with additional consideration given to those who have subject matter expertise, either as a Lead or as part of the team. The duration of the evaluation is estimated to be four months from the contract issue date. However, the evaluator is expected to specify, with proper justification, the level of effort required for all members of the evaluation team (if applicable). A gender-balanced and culturally diverse team composition is strongly encouraged. The evaluator should consider hiring local researchers (if needed) to support the case studies component of the evaluation, and to facilitate easier and culturally sensitive interactions with potential partners. The desired profile of the evaluator is summarized below. The consultant should plan and budget for translation services to communicate with partners in languages other than English, such as Arabic and Spanish.

Lead Evaluator: The Lead Evaluator will guide and manage the evaluation process and oversee other team members, if applicable. Candidates should have a proven track record in leading evaluations. Additionally, a working knowledge and understanding of one or more of HSH’s four lenses (Organizational Development, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, and Strategic Management) is essential. The qualifications include:

• An advanced university degree in public policy, social sciences, organizational development, or related fields; additional relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.
• Over 10 years of experience leading and managing evaluation teams, with practical experience in conducting evaluations.
• Knowledge of HSH focus areas, gained through research, programming, or academic work, is advantageous.
• Familiarity with one or more partner countries is a plus.
• Skills and experience in developing results frameworks, tools, or guides for monitoring and evaluation.
• High proficiency in English, including strong report writing skills, and functional proficiency in another language relevant to our partners is preferred.
• Familiarity with results-based management practices and the preparation of USAID-style products; knowledge of U.S. government programming and management systems is a plus.

The Lead Evaluator is strongly encouraged to work with qualified experts who possess the following qualifications:

• Extensive experience in MHPSS programming, psychosocial support, organizational development, service delivery for vulnerable groups, and/or international development program planning and evaluation.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in the evaluation, planning, and/or delivery of MHPSS programming, with prior experience in USAID evaluation processes highly desirable.
• Familiarity with evaluation approaches, methodologies, results-based management practices, and USAID-style products; knowledge of one or more partner countries is a plus.
• High proficiency in English, including strong report writing skills, and functional proficiency in another language relevant to our partners is preferred.

Additional details and a list of deliverables related to this consultancy can be accessed via this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SaHu4U_S8Y2NZkdQCQ2yKJ0mcfnEVrWEgjmpDQ5s2Q4/edit?usp=sharing

Interested applicants may also request a copy of the Scope of Work (SOP) by e-mailing [email protected].