ToR: For conducting baseline study in for nutrition centered CORE project in Moyale district in Oromia region.

Description of Programme Location and Context

SOS Children’s Village Arba Minch Programme is the newest program under SOS CV Ethiopia, established on August 19, 2025, to help realize the strategic objectives for 2030. We act for children as an independent, non-governmental social development organization. Currently, six projects are being implemented by the Programme Location (PL), categorized under three major areas: alternative childcare, family strengthening and humanitarian action programs. The projects include Arba Minch FCS, under humanitarian projects, Moyale Triple Nexus, Yabello HRP, and Geze Gofa rehabilitation projects are actively implemented in the South Ethiopia Regional State and Oromia Regional State.

Rationale and overall objective of terminal evaluation:

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia has planned to conduct a baseline assessment for its nutrition centered CORE project in Moyale district. The study/assessment is intended to get an analysis of the situation on the ground, against which progress can be compared at the end of the project’s intervention. The baseline study establishes the starting indicator value (the baseline) for indicators included in the results framework and tests the source of verification to ensure that it is reliable, and data can be accessed and collected. It is crucial to have accurate baselines from which changes can be measured and reliable sources of verification that can be used during monitoring and evaluations. Baseline studies are essential to demonstrate that change has taken place, as they provide a point of comparison.

Objectives of the Baseline Study:

Overall objective:

The overall objective of the baseline study is intended to assess the baseline values for selected indicators in the project result framework and establish baseline values in Twelve integrated Moyale kebeles of the Borena zone, Oromia region.

The Specific objectives are:

• To know the status of selected indicators before the project implementation and set achievable and realistic targets for the indicators in the project’s Results Framework and develop M&E Plan
• To set achievable and realistic targets for the expected results that have been defined in the results chain.
• To assess the situations of the communities, families and their children and young people in the target locations and recommend the appropriate support based on their needs.
• To assess access to inclusive and protective education services, dropout rates, resource availability, and teacher capacity
• To assess structural capacity and governance of stakeholders such as Community organizations, associations, community forums, and family-based structures.
• To assess households’ considering child and PLW services, nutritional status Malnutrition such SAM, GAM rates, Stunting,

Project outcomes and outputs:

The project has the following goal, outcomes and outputs.

Goal/Impact: Improved Food and Nutrition Security of Conflict Vulnerable Populations in Moyale.

Outcomes and Outputs

Outcome 1: Inclusive and Sustainable Local Planning & Development

Objective: Establish functional, inclusive, and gender-responsive community structures that co-design, implement and monitor local development.

Output 1:1 Functional Local Development Associations Established in all of the 12 Kebeles.

Output 1:2 Functional, Inclusive, and Gender-Responsive Planning Systems, Resilience-Oriented Development Plans developed and aligned with Woreda to Region priorities

Output 1:3 Community Awareness, Engagement, and Accountability Mechanisms Institutionalized

Outcome 2: Strengthened Multisectoral Coordination & Governance

Objective: Improve Food Security and Nutrition Council (FSNC) functionality at Woreda and kebele levels.

Output 2:1 Functional, Well-Governed FSNC Coordination Platforms Established at Zone, Woreda and NC-HDP targeted Kebeles

Output 2:2 Strengthened FSNC Capacities for Nexus-Oriented Coordination and Decision-Making

Output 2:3 Sustainable FSNC Financing and Donor Coordination Secured

Outcome 3: Integrated Humanitarian Response for Nutrition, Health, Protection, Education, and WASH

Objective: Deliver timely, multi-sectoral humanitarian services while building resilience.

Output 3.1: Inclusive Humanitarian Targeting, Vulnerability Mapping, and Early Warning System Strengthened

Output 3.2: Local Systems and Workforce Capacities Enhanced for Humanitarian Response

Output 3.3: Prepositioned Humanitarian Commodities and Supply Chains Mapped Out

Output 3.4: Integrated Multi-Sector Humanitarian Services Delivered to Crisis-Affected Populations

Outcome 4: Resilient, self-reliant, and stable livelihoods for vulnerable households in Moyale, driven by inclusive local development Associations

Objective: Strengthen livelihoods through inclusive value chains and nutrition-sensitive agriculture.

Output 4.1: Inclusive Livelihood Mapping, Value Chain Analysis, and Community-Driven Business Model Development

Output 4.2: Access to Productive Assets, Inputs, and Enabling Infrastructure Enhanced

Output 4.3: Capacitated Community Institutions and Households for Sustainable Enterprise Management

Outcome 5: Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion

Objective: Strengthen local capacity to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts.

Output 5.1: Conflict Early Warning, Response, and Information Systems Operationalized

Output 5.2: Inclusive Community-Based Peace Structures Established and Strengthened

Output 5.3: Strengthened Inter-Community and Cross-Border Dialogue and Agreements

Output 5.4: Improved Access to Justice, Peace Education, and Community Awareness

Outcome 6: Responsive Learning and Adaptive HDP Programming

Objective: Establish rigorous monitoring, learning, and accountability systems.

Output 6.1: Local Capacities Strengthened for Adaptive, Data-Driven Planning and Decision-Making

Output 6.2: Community Feedback and Accountability Systems Institutionalized

Major evaluation /research questions:

The commissioned consultant should list relevant and possible baseline study questions by referring to the project document and the project result framework and show the baseline study questions and tools during the inception report presentation.

Scope and project targets:

Geographically, the baseline study focuses on assessing the situation of the project participants’ women, girls, boys and families, the communities and key implementation partners in Arba Minch programme location of South regional state, specifically in Moyale woreda of Borena zone, Oromia region. The project will be implemented in 12 kebeles of Moyale. The NC-HDP program will be implemented in Moyale Woreda, where SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia (SOS CVE) will establish a dedicated field office to oversee operations.

The humanitarian and development pillars of the project will be directly implemented by SOS CVE, while the peace pillar will be led by its local partner, the Gayo Pastoral Development Initiative (GPDI). In addition, respected academic and research institutions—including Borena University, Addis Ababa University, and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI)—are expected to be mandated to lead and manage the project’s longitudinal study, ensuring high-quality evidence generation and research credibility.

The project implementation will cover the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2028.

Borena zone CORE project of Moyale woreda will have the following direct project participants

Project Target participants of the Woreda
CORE beneficiaries	Participants by gender
	Male	Female	Total
PLW-based Maternal care and support for their under-two-year-old children		12,769	12,769
HHs with children under 5 suffering from SAM	167	165	332
GBV survivors			300
People with disabilities			150
OVC			5,550
PLW affected by GAM prevalence		3575	3575
Experts			789

Baseline evaluation methodology:

The consultant is expected to develop appropriate and standard quantitative and qualitative methodologies that can generate the highest quality and most credible evidence. The commissioned consultant should use a mixed method approaches (quantitative and qualitative methods) to answer the baseline study questions. The methodologies must be sensitive to the local context and ensure that all respondents, regardless of their background, have an equal opportunity to participate in the baseline study.

The baseline study should be designed to provide safe and inclusive spaces that encourage all participants to respond freely, irrespective of gender, age, disability, origin, or religious beliefs. As far as possible, the consultant should disaggregate data by sex, age, and disability while collecting and analyzing data.

Furthermore, the consultant should also clearly explain which questions will be answered using which methods. The Consultant should also ensure that the survey and qualitative methods (such as focus group discussion (FGD), key informant interview (KII) and group discussion) with participants are representative of the project’s target groups and key stakeholders (Community members, women, girls, boys and children.)

Moreover, the consultant should ensure integration of GDI indicators and markers in the survey.

Sampling

The consultant is required to propose statistically sound sampling strategies to ensure representativeness. He/she is required to clearly state the sample size and the acceptable margin of error. The consultant will develop a detailed data analysis plan, outlining the statistical methods to be used for the quantitative data and the thematic analysis approach for the qualitative data. All data collection activities should be conducted following the highest ethical standards, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and the safety of all participants.

Work plan and expected deliverables:

Work plan/timetable

The baseline evaluation task is expected to be finalized within 45 days after the contractual agreement is signed. The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table.

Activities	Dates	Time frame	Location

Deliverables:

The commissioned external consultant must deliver the baseline evaluation findings within 45 days of the contract signed. Based on the work plan, SOS Children’s Villages Arba Minch programme location project intervention and the national office MEAL and Core project teams expect the following deliverables:

• An inception report of 8 pages on the baseline evaluation design, methodology, sampling frame, sampling technique, sample size, assessment tools and work plan
• Draft baseline study report.
• The consultant is expected to analyze the data and present findings (for both draft and final findings) by intervention areas separately by specific project objectives
• Final report – The findings of the baseline evaluation report, including an executive summary and data collection tools in both electronic and hardcopy formats should be submitted.
• Raw data, which has been cleaned (both qualitative and quantitative, including original field notes for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and recorded audio material), should be submitted with the report. SOS CVE and Nexus Ethiopia will have sole ownership of all final data, and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of SOS Children’s Village Ethiopia and Nexus Ethiopia.

Report criteria

• The reporting criteria for CORE project baseline study shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia result-based management (RBM) toolkit and should be shared with the winner consultant along with the data review process and/or for the preparation of the inception report.

Child safeguarding and ethical issues.

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to ensuring that all research, evaluation and data collection processes (i.e. evidence-generating activities) undertaken by SOS Children’s Villages and its partners are ethical and respect child safeguarding policy and procedure.

The consultant must respect the rights, dignity and protection of children and other vulnerable population groups and should ensure special protection for children and other vulnerable groups during any data-generating activities to minimize any potential risks. Any research, evaluation and data collection SOS Children’s Villages is directly carried out or is involved in as a partner.

Ethical practices need to be ensured in the following circumstances:

• Any research, baseline, midterm or final evaluations and data collection SOS Children’s Villages has commissioned for ethical oversight of these processes.
• Any research, evaluation and data collection carried out by researchers/consultants on SOS Children’s Villages programmes and participants.

Hence, the CORE project coordinator and location MEAL coordinator in Arba Minch programme location and Nexus Ethiopia will ensure that any researchers, evaluators and data collectors should receive awareness training on, sign and adhere to SOS Children’s Villages core policies:

Obtaining consent from research participants is central to the research relationship and signals respect for the research participant’s dignity, their capability to express their views and their right to have these heard in matters that affect them. Informed consent is an explicit agreement which requires participants to be informed about and understand the research/assessment. This must be given voluntarily and be renegotiable, so that participants may withdraw at any stage of the research process.

Logistical arrangements:

The awarded consultant shall show feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal. National or location-level staff (SOS CVE) will be available to help organize the interviews including contacting SOS CVE, announcing and local preparation of evaluation, and linking to community duty bearers and national authorities if required.

Duration of the contract and terms of payment

Payment will be made only upon SOS Children’s Villages’ acceptance of the work performed in accordance with the above-described deliverables. Payment will be effected by bank transfer in the currency of birr.

Funding and Payment: The consultancy firm will be paid by SOS Children’s Villages as follows:

• 30% on the submission and approval of the inception report/Technical Proposal.
• 30% on completion of the draft report.
• 40% on completion of the final report.

Duration of contract: the contract is effective from the moment it was signed until the acceptance of work by the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia management team.

Notice of delay

Shall the successful bidder encounter a delay in the performance of the contract which may be excusable under unavoidable circumstances; the contractor shall notify SOS Children’s Villages in writing about the causes of any such delays within one (1) week from the beginning of the delay.

After receipt of the Contractor’s notice of delay, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia shall analyze the facts and extent of the delay and extend the time for performance when in its judgment the facts justify such an extension.

Copyright and other proprietary rights:

SOS Children’s Villages shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, and trademarks, with regard to products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials which the Contractor has developed for SOS Children’s Villages under the Contract and which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents, and other materials constitute works made for hire for SOS Children’s Villages.

All materials: interviews, reports, recommendations, and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under the Contract shall be the property of SOS Children’s Villages and shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to SOS Children’s Villages authorized officials on completion of work under the Contract. The external consultant is obliged to hand over all raw data collected during the assessment to SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

Termination:

The termination of the service agreement for the assignment will be in accordance with the contractual agreement to be included at the formal agreement’s actual signing.

Qualification of the Researcher/Research Team

• The applicant consultancy firm team leader shall have at least a master’s degree in a relevant field of study such Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, development studies, Economics, Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation and other related fields per the required assignment
• At least 5 years’ work experience & proven competency in assessments, monitoring, research, terminal evaluations, baseline assessments or organizational/program evaluation (baseline, midterm, and final evaluations). The applicant consultancy firm shall attach at least one sample final evaluation report produced on a similar topic.
• A good understanding of the current core humanitarian standards sphere and other humanitarian principles.
• A good understanding of and exposure of northern Ethiopia culture and context including, Amhara region.
• proven experience in working with conceptual frameworks and data collection methods (including age-appropriate data collection methods)
• Proven experience in participatory processes and data collection methods
• Strong skills in coordination, good facilitation, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Proven experience in participatory processes
• Strong skills in coordinating teamwork
• analytical and conceptual skills on market and livelihood assessment
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.
• Ability to transfer complex concepts and ideas into practical and simple language.
• Experience in organizing research processes with SOS Children’s Villages or similar child focused organizations.
• Experience and credibility in providing humanitarian response program evaluation in the context of the conflict.
• Experience in managing baselines, final evaluations and livelihood assignments in respect of the participating communities’ culture, social norms, values, and behaviour; and maintain appropriate relationships with participants of this evaluation.
• Legally registered firms with renewed license, VAT registration and TIN number

Required Skills

• Quantitative and Qualitative research skills
• Knowledge of thematic areas included in the project