Baseline Assessment and MEAL Technical Support

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultancy for Project LIFE Baseline Assessment and MEAL Technical Support

Reporting to: Humanitarian Manager

Baseline Assessment Location: SGA, BARMM

Background

Relief International (RI) is implementing the Project LIFE – Life-saving Health Support with Integrated Psychological Support in Crisis-affected Communities in the Special Geographic Area of BARMM, funded by DG ECHO. The project aims to improve the physical and mental well-being of conflict- and displacement-affected mothers, children and other vulnerable populations through integrated, community-based and gender-responsive health and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical assistance to the Project LIFE team in reviewing, validating, collecting, analyzing and documenting baseline data for the project's agreed performance indicators.
The consultancy will ensure that baseline values are appropriately established and supported by reliable sources, consistent with the Project LIFE MEAL Plan and indicator definitions, and suitable for measuring project progress throughout implementation.

The Consultant shall make all necessary logistical arrangements for the assessment, including hiring enumerators, travel, accommodation, local transportation, venue coordination (where applicable), and scheduling field activities.

Objectives and Scope
The consultant will:

• Review the proposal, logframe, MEAL Plan, indicators, targets and existing assessments.
• Map baseline requirements, validate existing values, identify data gaps and determine appropriate primary or secondary sources.
• Develop the baseline methodology, workplan, data collection tools, sampling approach (where needed), and data quality assurance procedures.
• Ensure appropriate disaggregation by sex, age, disability and other relevant characteristics, with protection, informed consent and confidentiality measures.
• Coordinate with RHUs, LGUs, BARMM Ministry of Health, DOH and other stakeholders to obtain and validate relevant health and project records, including FHSIS, immunization, maternal health, ANC and disease surveillance data.
• Where secondary data are insufficient, support primary data collection, including staff orientation, technical supervision, coordination and data quality checks.
• Clean, analyze and validate quantitative and qualitative data; calculate baseline values according to approved indicator definitions and identify limitations.
• Prepare and present a draft baseline report and finalize it based on feedback.
• Provide a complete handover package: final report, cleaned dataset, tools, data dictionary/codebook, analysis files, source documentation, indicator matrix and recommendations for routine monitoring and data quality assurance.

Deliverables and Timeline

• Inception Report and Workplan – Week 1
• Baseline Indicator Matrix and Data Gap Analysis – Week 1
• Baseline Methodology and Tools – Week 2
• Data Collection/Secondary Data Validation – Weeks 2–4
• Cleaned and Validated Dataset – Week 4
• Draft Report and Findings Presentation – Week 5
• Final Report and Handover Package – Week 6

Six (6) weeks, with the possibility of adjustment based on the availability of secondary data, accessibility of target communities and the requirements of the baseline assessment.

Reporting
The consultant will work under the Humanitarian Manager, in coordination with the Project LIFE health/program team, designated MEAL focal person, and relevant government and community stakeholders.

Safeguarding

• Ensure that all activities are gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive, culturally appropriate, and compliant with ethical standards, including informed consent, confidentiality, and data protection.
• Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to safeguarding and protection of vulnerable communities.
• Ensure that research processes do not harm respondents and are aligned with RI’s safeguarding policies.
• Maintain ethical standards in data handling, privacy, and engagement with conflict-affected communities.

Requirements for submission

1. Letter of intent addressed to the Humanitarian Manager
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Initial workplan and proposed budget

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field;
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in monitoring and evaluation, baseline assessments, research or humanitarian/development programming;
• Demonstrated experience conducting baseline assessments and developing MEAL systems/tools;
• Strong experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection, data analysis and interpretation
• Experience working with health, humanitarian, community-based or development programs;
• Experience working with government health facilities, LGUs and/or community stakeholders is an advantage;
• Strong analytical, report-writing and presentation skills;
• Knowledge of ethical data collection, safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection principles.

As a humanitarian organization, Relief International is committed to the safeguarding of all those we come into contact with through our work. We are committed to the core humanitarian principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviors outlined in the Code of Conduct.

Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.