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About the Consultancy Assignment

Assignment Title: External Consultancy for Baseline Study

Project: Improving the resilience and food security of vulnerable groups in the Oromia Region (Project No. P10876)

Implementing Partners: Bright Future Initiative (BFI) & Christian Blind Mission (CBM)

Funding Agency: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Target Location: Oromia Region, Ethiopia (North Shewa Zone: Kembibit, Aleltu, and Abichuna Gne’a districts; spanning 21 kebeles)

Target Group: 1,895 direct smallholder households (focusing on female-headed households and people with disabilities)

Employment Type: External Consultancy Contract

Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 – 12:00 PM (Midday)

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Purpose of the Baseline Study

BFI and CBM are seeking a qualified external evaluation or research firm to establish rigorous benchmark data for a five-year, co-funded project. The baseline study will define key performance indicators, deliver a descriptive analysis of target smallholder households, and provide actionable evidence to validate target-group selection and optimize localized Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) frameworks.

Scope of Sub-Objectives to Evaluate

• Income Diversification: Baseline for 750 vulnerable farmers (<1 ha land) organized into 30 Village Economic and Savings Associations (VESAs) regarding financial literacy and small livestock/poultry/beekeeping initiatives.

• Agricultural Productivity: Baseline for 830 smallholders (1–2 ha land) regarding sustainable mixed farming (organic vermicomposting + inorganic fertilizers), post-harvest systems, and cooperative market access.

• Climate and Disaster Resilience: Baseline for 1,580 micro-farmers regarding climate-resilient agriculture (CRA) and Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) early warning systems.

• Socio-Economic Participation and Rights: Capacity benchmarks for local Organizations of People with Disabilities (OPDs) and women’s groups advocating for the “3 Rs” (Rights, Representation, and Resources).

Expected Deliverables

The consulting firm handles technical design, data digitization, field sampling, and analysis:

1. Inception Report: Finalized mixed-methods methodology, multi-stage stratified sample designs across the 3 woredas, and complete questionnaires in English and Afaan Oromoo.

2. Field-Ready Materials: Digitized field tools featuring disability-inclusive indicator modules matching CBM standards (e.g., IND2000, IND4000, IND7000), consent forms, and barrier-free protocols.

3. Cleaned Datasets: Anonymized SPSS/Stata/CSV raw datasets paired with clear codebooks and analysis syntax files.

4. Narrative Reports: Comprehensive Draft and Final Baseline Reports matching project indicator matrices, followed by a dedicated stakeholder validation workshop in Addis Ababa.

5. Summary Briefs: One non-technical policy brief for target communities and one internal technical M&E summary for the project team.

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Evaluation and Selection Weights

Proposals are scored via a technical committee using a 70/30 split (70% Technical, 30% Financial Cost):

Component	Max Points	Core Evaluation Focus
Technical Proposal	70 Points	Methodological rigor, stratified sampling design across 3 districts, data quality protocols, past performance with international NGOs, and team fluency in English and Afaan Oromoo.
Financial Proposal	30 Points	Cost realism relative to local market rates, granular unit-cost formatting (per-diems, travel, software), and clear logic within the budget narrative.

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Submission Requirements

Firms must submit their applications split into two distinct, structured parts:

1. Technical Proposal (Max 12–14 pages, excluding annexes)

• Contextual Breakdown: Demonstrated understanding of North Shewa Zone agricultural realities and BMZ funding compliance.

• Methodology: Stratified clustering formulas, FGD/KII qualitative designs, and safe, inclusive data management workflows.

• Key Personnel Structure: Full CVs of the required core team:

  • Team Lead / Evaluation Specialist: 8+ years of experience leading complex baseline evaluations.

  • Qualitative Research Lead

  • Field/Data Collection Manager

  • Data Analyst

2. Financial Proposal (No Page Limit)

• An itemized, transparent budget presenting clear unit costs (personnel daily fees, travel logistics, hardware/software, overhead).

• A descriptive budget narrative justifying all primary spending assumptions.

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How To Apply

Interested consulting firms must send their technical proposal, financial proposal (clearly stating professional fees), CVs, and a short cover letter digitally via email.

• Submission Email Address: bfih2015@gmail.com

• Hard Cut-off Deadline: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 – 12:00 PM (Midday)

 Application Assembly Sequence