Call for proposals for purchasing evaluation services for the joint EC/CoE ROMACT Programme
The Council of Europe is currently implementing the ROMACT Programme until 31 May 2021. In that context, it is looking for a Provider for the provision of evaluation services of the ROMACT Programme. (See Section A of the Act of Engagement and Appendix I of this tender file).
This evaluation concerns the ROMACT Programme, with focus on the implementation aspects of its methodological process and interventions for capacity building at local level. ROMACT is a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission with the main aim to promote the social inclusion of marginalized Roma communities at local level.
The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of ROMACT and its methodological approach, in order to support the reviewing and improvement of relevant lines of intervention under the Programme, for an optimal impact on the target groups.
For all information on this call and details on the procedure please refer to the documents below.
The deadline for applications is 7 September 2020.
- Tender file
- Terms of reference - See ERRATUM below in Q&A
- Act of engagement
- Table of municipalities and periods of implementation in Bulgaria and Romania
Questions and answers:
Q: Could you please confirm if expenses for the field work related to the ROMACT evaluation (e.g. travel, accomodation, per-diem) are to be covered by the evaluator/s (from the up to EUR 40,000 budget), or these will be covered separately by the CoE as travel and subsistence allowance?
A: The budget of the Evaluation is set at maximum 40000 € and should cover all the costs of the evaluation, including travel and per diem costs.
Q: I have been pre-selected to provide consultancy services for the ROMACT Programme, however, I have never been actually hired to provide such services. Can you please confirm if I am eligible to apply for this evaluation, or there is a conflict of interest?
A: Tenderers that were selected as qualified providers through a call for tenders and signature of a framework contract in the frame of ROMACT programme but were never addressed an order are eligible for this call for evaluation services.
Q: We are two researchers that would like to team up for this evaluation (I am from Bulgaria and my colleague is from Romania). Should each of us submit an individual application or there is a way we can apply with a joint application?
A: The call is for evaluation services for assessing the effectiveness of ROMACT and its methodological approach in Bulgaria and Romania. Tenders should cover both countries. Tenders covering one country only will not be considered as eligible.
Q: Do we need to send you only the names and contact details of our referees, or we need to send you reference letters?
A: Referees names and contact details are sufficient.
Q: The Terms of Reference ( p.3) refers to an appendix "Table of municipalities and periods of implementation in RO & BG. We could not find this in the TOR's attachments. Is it possible to share this file?
A: The missing appendix has been made available here and on this page.
Q: Due to the unpredictable situation with COVID 19 especially in view of the forthcoming fall and winter where a possible second wave might be anticipated - to what extent the methodology could provide some flexibility in the approaches to data gathering to include also using online and mobile technology tools?
A: The methodology could be adapted in case of a worsening of the situation in relation with COVID19, in consultation and agreement with the Evaluation Reference Group.
Q . The Inception Report shall be submitted on 1st November 2020, but the 1st meeting with the Evaluation Reference Group takes place in November (somewhere later). As we understand from the ToR that the report has to be jointly discussed with Evaluation Reference Group, do we understand correctly that after discussion a revised version of the report should be submitted ?
A. The Inception Report should detail the Evaluator’s understanding of what is being evaluated and why, showing how each evaluation question will be answered by way of: proposed methods, proposed sources of data and data collection and analysis procedures. The meeting with the Evaluation Reference Group will take place after the Inception Report is submitted.
Q. It seems that there is a discrepancy between the ToRs Appendix 1 document and the Tender File. The Appendix 1 specifies "Experience with similar contracts in Romania, Bulgaria or the region” as an eligibility criteria while the Tender File quotes the following "eligibility criteria "At least 3 years of experience on evaluation of programmes and projects in Romania and Bulgaria”. Which of the two statement relating to eligibility criteria is to be considered: Bulgaria and Romania strictly or including the region?
A. The Tender File describes all conditions for applying to this tender. In case of any differences in documents of the tender, all criteria from the Tender File supersede criteria in appendices. The eligibility criteria "At least 3 years of experience on evaluation of programmes and projects in Romania and Bulgaria" applies in this tender.
Q. The interim report and draft evaluation reports should both be submitted on 1st March 2021 and each of them reviewed by Evaluation Reference Group. As the comments on interim report might have an impact on draft evaluation report, it seems difficult to submit both et the same date. Is it an error or how do you expect that to be done?
A. There is an erratum in the ToR. The correct Evaluation Work Plan (I) is the following, the Interim Report and Draft Evaluation Report being considered as a sole document.
1. The deliverables that the Evaluator will be accountable for producing are:
a) Inception Report - An Inception Report should be prepared by the Evaluator before going into the full-fledged data collection exercise; this should detail the Evaluator’s understanding of what is being evaluated and why, showing how each evaluation question will be answered by way of: proposed methods, proposed sources of data and data collection and analysis procedures. The inception report should include a proposed schedule of tasks, activities and deliverables. The inception report has the aim to set the clear parameters over the understanding about the evaluation and to clarify any misunderstanding at the outset. The Inception Report shall be submitted to the Evaluation Reference Group and discussed in a joint meeting to be decided upon.
b) Interim Report/Draft Evaluation Report – The Draft Evaluation Report should contain horizontal findings of the evaluation and draft case studies in the two countries covered, drawn up based on documentation review, semi-structured interviews, surveys and field visits. The report should also include a short ROMACT methodology implementation assessment for each of the targeted municipalities. The Evaluation Reference Group will review the Interim Report/Draft Evaluation Report to ensure that the evaluation meets the required quality criteria.
c) Final Evaluation Report – The Final Evaluation Report shall respect the Quality Assurance Checklist attached to the Technical Specifications and should include the following elements:
- Executive Summary
- Description of the object of evaluation
- Purpose of the evaluation
- Evaluation methodology
- Challenges encountered during the evaluation
- Horizontal findings related to evaluation questions
- Country and municipal assessments for the targeted municipalities of the two countries covered, including overall conclusions and recommendations for each country
- Conclusions and lessons learned
- Appendixes (including the case studies, the lists of people interviewed and of relevant documents reviewed, formats and content of semi-structured interviews etc.)
