Terms of Reference (ToR) for Professional Services for Documenting “ADVANCE” Project Good Practices and Success Stories in a single booklet

Organizational Background

Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) is an Ethiopian Development Organization established in 2005 and registered at Agency for Civil Society Organizations as Ethiopian Development Organization with Certificate no. 0321 under the Proc. No. 1113/2019. ECDD is working with other organizations to promote and facilitate the inclusion of persons with disabilities and disability issues in mainstream service delivery and development programs envisioning an Inclusive Ethiopia where persons with disabilities exercise the same rights and have access to the same services and opportunities enjoyed by other citizens.

With the financial support of the Finland Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM), ECDD has been implementing a project titled Advancing Disability Voices, Rights Advocacy and National Coordination in Ethiopia (ADVANCE) since 2022. The project was designed to ensure that persons with disabilities are aware of their rights, have those rights respected, and enjoy improved quality of life and opportunities through the adoption and implementation of inclusive laws, policies, practices, and effective coordination mechanisms. The project has been implemented in four regions and one major city administration in Ethiopia, specifically Bahir Dar City in the Amhara Region, Adama City in the Oromia Region, Dilla City in the South Ethiopia Region, Hawassa City in the Sidama Region, and the Addis Ababa City Administration.

As the project approaches its conclusion on December 31, 2025, ECDD is seeking the services of a professional consultancy firm or company to collect, synthesize, and document best practices, and to develop a comprehensive and visually engaging booklet. The booklet will be designed to capture lessons learned and highlight successful approaches that can be replicated or scaled up beyond the current project sites. It will also serve as a strategic advocacy, communication, and knowledge-sharing tool for stakeholders, donors, OPDs, and the wider public, thereby contributing to the protection and promotion of the human rights of persons with disabilities and supporting their full and effective inclusion in society.

Objectives of documenting project’s Best Practices

Documenting best practices from the ADVANCE project serves multiple strategic purposes that strengthens the capacity of OPDs to claim their rights and to improve the capacities of OPDs to execute disability rights advocacy and lobbying efforts and to empower Persons with disabilities and become aware of their rights and have their rights respected.

The specific objectives are to:

• Harvest and consolidate the outcomes of the project over the past four years to capture what has worked and why.
• Identify and Compile documents evidence of activities that have led to significant structural or systemic changes within OPDs and CSOs in their advocacy and lobbying efforts for disability rights, both at local and national levels.
• Share the project’s impact with relevant stakeholders to build support for continuity and sustainability.
• Strengthening stakeholders’ capacity for evidence-based advocacy through the dissemination of practical examples and lessons learned.
• Preserve and transfer knowledge related to the project’s implementation processes, achievements, and insights for future application.

Target groups

To ensure that the lessons learned are captured and shared, a professional consultancy firm will be responsible for identifying, collecting, and documenting best practices and success stories generated through the project. ECDD has implemented this project in close collaboration with OPDs and relevant government stakeholders, including the Federal Parliament, various government and public offices, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the Prison Commission, umbrella OPDs and individual OPDs, Ethiopian Lawyers with Disabilities Association (ELDA) and its regional chapters, among others.

Scope of the Work

The consultant will carry out the following specific tasks:

• Document Review: Review relevant project reports, internal and external evaluations and monitoring data, and other relevant project documents
• Field Visits and Interviews: Conduct field visits to selected partner organizations, OPDs and hold interviews with project staff, beneficiaries, and partners to collect qualitative data and personal stories.
• Develop well structured, engaging, and inclusive written contents
• Design the booklet layout incorporating text, photographs, infographics, and branding elements following ECDD and FELM visibility guidelines.
• Present the draft booklet for feedback to ECDD.
• Incorporate comments and finalize the booklet for publication.

The firm is expected to conduct field visits, interviews, and on-site observations to gather high-quality evidence, narratives, and success stories that reflect meaningful achievements of the project objective. The process must ensure the inclusion of diverse voices, accessible communication methods, and culturally appropriate storytelling techniques.

Duration of the Assignment

The consultant is expected to complete and submit the final deliverables including all collected and documented best practices and success stories within twenty-five (25) calendar days from the date of signing the consultancy contract.

Deliverables

The consultant shall be responsible for executing the following key tasks and outputs:

• Inception Report – Submission of a report detailing the proposed methodology, data collection tools, and a clear work plan outlining the assignment’s timeline and approach.
• Technical and Financial Proposal – Provision of a comprehensive technical proposal that outlines the proposed methodologies, along with a corresponding financial proposal.
• Final Documentation of Best Practices (Booklet) – Development of a final, high-quality booklet (in both soft and hard copy) that presents selected best practices and success stories incorporating text, photographs, infographics, and branding elements following ECDD and FELM visibility guidelines.

  Roles and responsibilities of both parties

1. ECDD

• Provide technical guidance and input at all stages of the assignment, as necessary.
• Oversee and monitor the entire process of collecting and documenting best practices.
• Disburse the agreed-upon consultancy fee to the contracted firm, subject to applicable income tax deductions.

2. Consultancy Firm

• Ensure that all processes adhere to ethical standards, including compliance with ECDD’s Safeguarding Policy and obtaining informed written consent from all participants, especially persons with disabilities.
• Deploy competent and qualified professionals to execute the assignment effectively.
• Actively seek and incorporate feedback from ECDD at key stages of the documentation process.
• Submit a draft version of the documented best practices for ECDD’s review and feedback.
• Finalize the documentation based on ECDD’s input and submit the approved version in both soft and hard copy formats.

Mode of Payment:

• 40% upon signing of the contract and submission of an inception report
• 60% upon satisfactory completion and delivery of all the deliverable and acceptance by ECDD.

Qualification of the Consultant

Eligible applicants for this short-term consultancy service include professional consultancy firms, companies, or individual consultants possessing the following competencies and qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Communications, Journalism, Development Studies, language and linguistics or a related fields
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in documentation, communication, or publication development for NGOs or development organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in writing and designing impact documentation or project booklets, preferably in disability inclusion or social development sectors.
• Proficiency in graphic design and layout software (Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, or equivalent);
• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills in English
• Proven experience in disability inclusion and working with OPDs and government organizations, especially in relation to the rights of persons with disabilities.
• Possession of a valid business license and tax registration certificate, as required by law.
• Clear commitment to meeting deadlines, supported by adequate staffing, logistical and professional capacity.
• Applications from consultancy firms or consultants that include members who are persons with disabilities are highly encouraged.