Location:

Montserrado
Salary:

negotiable
Job type:

consultancy
Posted:

2 years ago
Category:

Assessment
Deadline:

October 5, 2022

Request for Application

External Evaluation of the Liberia Media Initiative

Background

Civil wars in Liberia were partly caused by non-accountability of governments, endemic corruption, and the mismanagement of the country’s resources. 19years after the civil wars, considerable progress has been made toward rebuilding government capacity, re-establishing the rule of law, and ensuring the political rights and civil liberties of citizens.

While Liberia’s constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press, these rights are often restricted in practice. Due to their accessibility, radio stations are the main source of news for Liberians, much more than newspapers, whose consumption is limited by illiteracy and by their relative cost in a poor country.

A 2022 study by Internews found that Liberia has approximately 165 radio stations, mostly owned by politicians or by people with political interest and influence.

Liberia’s FOI Act is rarely used, the government is very slow in response to information requests, and transparency guidelines for public procurement are not entirely enforced.

The upsurge in social media usage in Liberia coupled with the growing interest in citizen journalism is bringing a new challenge for the delivery of accurate and verified information for public consumption. Conventional social media users seem to have domineering influence among online audience in Liberia more than traditional media with online presence.

Project Overview

The European Union in 2020 awarded Internews and co-applicants the 24-month project, ‘Liberia Media Initiative.’ The project that seeks to strengthen democracy by enhancing freedom of expression (FOE) and information (FOI) and strengthen media professionalism and quality delivery of information across Liberia to allow people to make informed decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities and to mitigate the impacts of misinformation.

The project has, among other things, successfully set up Liberia’s first fully functional fact-checking agency that has produced and published close to 100 fact-checked reports; trained more than 75 local journalists in fact-checking, ran educative radio programs aimed at combating fake news and misinformation; supported the Liberian government through the IIC to meet statutory obligations of running outreach activities on Liberia’s FOI regime and submitting the first annual report to the national Legislature; developing draft media self-regulation and standalone legislation on personal data privacy and protection for Liberia; and trained journalists in the use of FOI as an investigative journalism tool.

Intervention Logic

The LMI Project is posited on the logic that IF journalists have the capacity to fact-check, verify and counter online disinformation campaigns; AND IF the legal environment on protection and security of data privacy is improved; AND IF government information is more widely available through a strengthened FOI process; THEN the impact of online disinformation and misinformation campaigns, hate speech and rumours are reduced; THEN there will be higher levels of government transparency and accountability; AND THEN freedom of expression and access to information is enhanced.

The main assumptions of the of project is that training in fact-checking and verification can address gaps in the provision of accurate, quality reporting, and that as capacity increases, the participants will produce more and better-quality content. It is also assumed that misinformation can be countered through trusted platforms and credible channels of information flow, and that awareness of the consequences of misinformation leads to higher levels of responsibility and ethics. The main risks are associated with the increasing impact of COVID-19 on journalists’ ability to work effectively, and for the implementation of stakeholder events. Another risk associated with the Action is that the degree of openness among government officials and other stakeholders to participate may vary.

Project Stakeholders

The project has two co-applicants. The Center for Media Studies & Peacebuilding (CEMESP) led activities largely around Freedom of Information while Local Voices Liberia (LVL) Media Network led the Fact Checking initiatives. The Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL) and the Independent Information Commission (IIC) of Liberia are third-party partners who implement sub-activities. Both PUL and PAL worked on personal date privacy and protection activities. The IIC worked alongside CEMESP for the FOI activities.

Project Summary

Duration: 24 months
Start Date: November 23, 2020
End Date: November 22, 2022
Location: Liberia, nationwide.

Assignment

Internews is looking for an external evaluator(s) to conduct a final evaluation of its Liberia Media Initiative (LMI) project. The LMI is co-financed by the European Union and implemented by Internews and Liberian partners. The external consultant will conduct a final evaluation and produce a comprehensive report assessing the performance and achievements of the project, as well as the project team’s overall methodology and approach, and highlighting challenges and providing recommendations for future projects.

Objectives of the Evaluation

The main objectives of this evaluation are to provide the European Union, Internews, and its partners with:

An overall independent assessment of the performance of the LMI, paying particular attention to its results against its expected objectives and the factors contributing toward such results;
Key lessons learned conclusions, and related recommendations to improve future Actions.

This evaluation will assess the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, achievements, results, “early signs of” impacts, sustainability, and visibility of the LMI. The evaluation will follow the quality standards for development evaluation as per the OECD DAC Guidelines[1]. This common international evaluation standard includes quantitative and qualitative analysis elements. The review should pay particular attention to gender issues, if relevant. The evaluator should be willing and able to travel to select counties of Liberia and conduct interviews with partners and community members.

Indicative Research and Evaluation Questions

The proposed evaluation questions below are indicative. Based on consultations with Internews and document analysis, the consultant/s will propose in the Inception Report a complete and finalized set of evaluation questions with an indication of specific criteria and indicators, as well as the relevant data collection sources and tools.

Relevance:

To what extent are the objectives of the LMI project consistent with the EU priorities, strategies, and policies?
To what extent did project activities/objectives address the needs of project beneficiaries at national and community levels?

Efficiency:

How well have project inputs been used to achieve expected results in terms of quality, quantity, and timeliness?
To what extent were implementation modalities, including the level of involvement of media partners and other stakeholders in the project, appropriate for the project?
To what extent were outputs and desired effects achieved with the lowest possible use of resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, administrative costs, etc.)?

Effectiveness:

To what extent has the project achieved its intended objectives within the given timeframe, and assess whether and how the project has contributed to the freedom of expression and information, strengthening media professionalism and quality delivery of information while addressing challenges generated by online disinformation campaigns in Liberia?
Were there any unintended results, either positive or negative, attained as a result of the project?

Impact:

What evidence is there of any early positive and/or negative long-term effects resulting from the project, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended?
In what ways has the project resulted in significant change in the lives of the target beneficiaries?

Sustainability:

To what extent will results and benefits be maintained after project completion?

Key Specific Questions

To what extent did the project meet the below-listed outcomes?

Outcome 1: Journalists counter misinformation, and audiences have access to quality fact-checked information
Outcome 2: Government makes progress on legislative change addressing the protection of data and privacy, and the media industry progress toward self-regulation
Outcome 3: Public entities respond to FOI requests in a thorough and timely manner

Learning and recommendations

What can we learn about what has and hasn’t worked and why?
What immediate follow-up action is required if any?
What recommendations can be drawn for future projects in Liberia?

Gender Consideration

To what extent did gender equality and women’s empowerment mainstream, and the principle of Leave no one Behind and the HRBA?

Communication and Visibility

How much were communication and visibility factored in implementation?

Timeline and Deliverables

Timeline & Feedback

The evaluation will take place between 10 October – 10 November 2022. Dates may vary slightly. Here are key dates

Deadline for submission of application – October 5, 2022
Deadline for Selection of successful applicant – October 10, 2022
Submission of Inception Report – October 15, 2022
First draft Report due – October 30, 2022
Final draft Report due – November 10, 2022
Presentation: PowerPoint presentation of evaluation findings to key Internews staff

For each report, Internews will send the evaluator comments or the approval of the report within five calendar days. The revised reports addressing the comments will be submitted within at least 5 days calendar days from the date of receipt of the comments. The evaluator should provide a separate document explaining how and where comments have been integrated or the reason for not integrating certain comments

Location

The evaluation is expected to be largely conducted in Monrovia, where all the project implementing partners are situated. Evaluator(s) may be required to travel to at least one county to speak with members of the Radio Listener Groups. However, reports from assessment already conducted with the Listener Groups will be shared with the evaluator(s).

Deliverables

This assignment has four key deliverables: Inception Report, First Draft Report, Final Draft Report and a PowerPoint Presentation.

Inception report: The selected consultant must submit an inception report with a workplan, a matrix of the key evaluation questions and data sources based on the criteria provided above, methodology, data collection tools, and an outline of the report structure (3 days following the beginning of the assignment).

Introduction	Short description of the context of the evaluation, its objectives and focus
Reconstructed Intervention Logic	This will be based on initial analysis of secondary sources and consultation with key stakeholders
Stakeholder map	Free format: this will represent the key stakeholders of the intervention(s) under evaluation and their relations with the intervention(s)
Finalised Evaluation Questions with Judgement criteria and indicators (Evaluation Matrix, part A)	See the template
Methodology of the evaluation	This will include: o Overview of entire evaluation process and tools o Consultation o Case studies (if aplicable) o Approach to the following phase of the evaluation, including planning of field missions
Analysis of risks related to the evaluation methodology and mitigation measures	In tabular from (free style)
Ethics rules	Including, but not limited to, avoiding harm and conflict of interest, informed consent, confidentiality and awareness of local governance and regulations
Work plan	Free text description of the plans

Final Report

The Draft Final and the Final Report have the same structure, format, and content. They should be consistent, concise. The Final Report should not be longer than 20 pages, excluding annexes. The cover page of the Final Report should carry the following text:

“This evaluation is supported the Liberia Media Initiative and presented by Internews. The report does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Commission.”

The main sections of the evaluation report should be as follows:

Executive Summary	The Executive Summary is expected to highlight the evaluation purpose, the methods used, the main evaluation findings and the conclusions and recommendations. It is to be considered a “stand alone” document.
1. Introduction	A description of the intervention, of the relevant country/region/sector background and of the evaluation, providing the reader with sufficient methodological explanations to gauge the credibility of the conclusions and to acknowledge limitations or weaknesses, where relevant.
2. Findings	A chapter presenting the answers to the Evaluation Question headings, supported by evidence and reasoning. Findings per judgement criteria and detailed evidence per indicator are included in an annex to the Report.
3. Overall assessment (optional)	A chapter synthesizing all answers to Evaluation Questions into an overall assessment of the intervention. The detailed structure of the overall assessment should be refined during the evaluation process. The relevant chapter has to articulate all the findings, conclusions and lessons in a way that reflects their importance and facilitates reading. The structure should not follow the Evaluation Questions, the logical framework or the evaluation criteria.
4. Conclusions and Recommendations
4.1 Conclusions	This chapter contains the conclusions of the evaluation, organized per evaluation criterion. In order to allow better communication of the evaluation messages that are addressed a table organizing the conclusions by order of importance can be presented, or a paragraph or sub-chapter emphasizing the three or four major conclusions organized by order of importance, while avoiding being repetitive.
4.2 Recommendations	They are intended to improve or reform the intervention in the framework of the cycle underway, or to prepare the design of a new intervention for the next cycle. Recommendations must be clustered and prioritised, and carefully targeted to the appropriate audiences at all levels.
4.3 Lessons learnt	Lessons learnt generalize findings and translate past experience into relevant knowledge that should support decision making, improve performance and promote the achievement of better results.
5. Annexes to the report	The report should include the following annexes: · Terms of Reference of the evaluation · names of the evaluators (CVs can be shown, but summarized and limited to one page per person) · detailed evaluation methodology including: the evaluation matrix; options taken; difficulties encountered and limitations; detail of tools and analyses · detailed answer by judgement criteria · evaluation matrix with data gathered and analysed by (EQ/JC) indicator · Intervention Logic/Logical Framework matrices (planned/real and improved/updated) · relevant geographic map(s) where the intervention took place · list of persons/organizations consulted · literature and documentation consulted · other technical annexes (e.g., statistical analyses, tables of contents and figures, matrix of evidence, databases) as relevant. · Bibliography · Relevant maps and photographs, where applicable

Scope of Work:

Inception phase

Evaluation Planning: Initial discussion with the project management team, its key partners, and EU delegation to identify internal priorities, lines of inquiry, and sensitivities. Based on this activity, the consultant/s will draft an evaluation workplan and methodological framework detailing the qualitative and quantitative tools and key evaluation questions to be used during the primary data collection phase. This workplan and framework will be shared with the Internews Country Director and LMI Project Director for review.

Research/Study

Desk Review: Review and analyze project documents, including proposal documents, narrative reports, surveys, and partner reports. Document analysis should be focused on the evaluation questions, identification of information gaps, and methodologies design of the field phase (quantitative and qualitative data collection). Desk research should also include reviewing other background research using relevant external articles, reports, or studies to understand Liberia’s media environment better.
Quantitative Data Collection: Design survey(s), send to project partners/beneficiaries, and analyze results. The evaluator should determine with the program team how the survey will be deployed safely.
Qualitative Data Collection: Conduct in-depth interviews with key project partners and focus groups with community members – which should be linked to the online surveys. The evaluator should determine with the program team how the interviews will be conducted safely.

Analysis, Report, Presentation

Analysis and Drafting First Report: Synthesize findings and draft a report detailing the answers to the evaluation questions, findings, and recommendations.
Send First Draft of Report for Internews Review: Submit the first draft of preliminary findings to Internews for comments and feedback.
Finalize report: Incorporate comments and feedback.
Presentation: Organize and conduct a presentation of key findings, recommendations, and lessons learned to Internews, key partners, and the EU delegation.
Regular meetings with Internews: Participate in regular check-in meetings with Internews throughout the process to discuss the overall evaluation process and troubleshoot any issues.
Internews will approve the final report.

Evaluation Ethics

The evaluation must be credible and free from bias. Evaluator(s) must respect dignity and diversity and protect stakeholders’ rights and interests. Evaluator(s) must ensure confidentiality and anonymity of informants and be guided by professional standards and ethical and moral principles in observation of the ‘do no harm’ principle. These obligations must be explicitly addressed in the ToR methodology, and implemented by the evaluation team throughout the evaluation, including during dissemination of results.

Qualifications for Applicants

Must be based in Liberia.
Hold an advanced degree in media, journalism, communication, international development, evaluation, or related field.
Have at least five years of experience conducting research and/or evaluation in media, civil society, and/or democracy and governance areas for donor-funded projects.
Have experience with qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods.
Has native proficiency in spoken and written English.
Has strong facilitation, presentation, writing, and communication skills.

Desirable Qualifications for Applicants

Has knowledge or expertise in the work of independent media, community media, civil society, and access to information in Liberia.
Has experience working in the journalism field or with civil society organizations.
Has academic research experience in a relevant field (social sciences, journalism, human rights, freedom of expression, etc.).

To Apply

Interested parties should submit an application that includes:

A 1–2-page statement of interest that describes how your profile meets the qualifications mentioned above and highlights how your methodological approach will address the scope planned for this evaluation.
A CV or resume and the names of at least two references (these should be clients for whom you have previously conducted external (preferably media-related) evaluations or individuals who can speak to your equivalent experience).
Evidence of evaluation and/or written work (e.g., link to evaluation reports or PDF attachments)
The deadline for application submission is COB October 5, 2022.
Submit your application to the following emails: skonneh@internews.org and hrliberia@internews.org
**Please apply early, as applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.**
The consultant will be under the direct supervision of the Internews’ LMI Project Director.

[1] https://www.oecd.org/dac/evaluation/daccriteriaforevaluatingdevelopmentassistance.htm

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