Agency for Co-operation and Research in Development (ACORD)
The Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) was established in 1976 as a consortium of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), with the purpose of collectively responding to emergency situations in some of Africa’s poorest, most crisis prone and marginalised areas. Over the years, the work developed further from relief into rehabilitation, long-term programming research and capacity building. Informed by the analysis of its work over the three decades, the changing paradigms of development, the process of globalisation and the changing landscape of institutions and civil society in Africa, ACORD went through a transformation process with major implications on its organisational vision and role, programming framework and intervention strategy. The change was geared at strengthening the African ownership and positioning the organisation for sustainable Africa-wide impact towards social justice.
Closing date: 10 Dec 2009 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Kenya - Nairobi
1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
1.1. Historical perspective
The Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) was established in 1976 as a consortium of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), with the purpose of collectively responding to emergency situations in some of Africa’s poorest, most crisis prone and marginalised areas. Over the years, the work developed further from relief into rehabilitation, long-term programming research and capacity building.
Informed by the analysis of its work over the three decades, the changing paradigms of development, the process of globalisation and the changing landscape of institutions and civil society in Africa, ACORD went through a transformation process with major implications on its organisational vision and role, programming framework and intervention strategy. The change was geared at strengthening the African ownership and positioning the organisation for sustainable Africa-wide impact towards social justice.
During the previous strategic period 2002-2006, ACORD made significant strides, transforming itself from a Northern consortium with headquarters in London, into an Africa-Led International Alliance with headquarters in Africa (Nairobi), with a Mission to working in common cause with people who are poor and have been denied their rights to understand, challenge and change the conditions that cause poverty and exclusion.
As part of the relocation process from London to Nairobi, a primarily African Management Team was recruited, and ACORD signed a headquarters agreement with the Government of Kenya in June 2005. In November 2005, three African individuals joined ACORD’s Board of Directors, and more joined later. The ACORD governance model was adjusted accordingly in 2008 to reflect ACORD’s identity as a Pan-African organisation with membership beyond the African continent.
In that transformation process, the 45 earlier existing projects, primarily addressing consequences of poverty, evolved into 12 semi-decentralised Area-Programmes also called country or regional programmes, in 17 countries across Africa, where ACORD is collaborating with a vast network of Community Based Organisations, in Southern Africa (Angola and Mozambique), Eastern and Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya), Central Africa (DRC, Rwanda and Burundi), and Western Africa (Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Guinea – called the Sahel I Programme, and Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria, called the Sahel II Programme).
In all these countries and regions, ACORD has a well established presence, with operational offices and about 450 local staff, who are almost all nationals with strong local knowledge. These Area Programmes are focused around the four thematic leads of Livelihoods, Conflict, HIV/AIDS and Gender, and aiming to address root causes of poverty through a combination of practical work, research and advocacy.
During this period, ACORD has contributed to the emergence of a tremendous number of autonomous local organisations at local and national levels across Africa. In addition, ACORD is recognised for having supported the growth of senior African staff who today constitutes a composite of African civil society leadership, committed to social justice and social accountability systems. ACORD has also supported the effective implementation of decentralisation processes of many local governments and, through a gender equality approach, created space for critical engagement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and communities.
In 2006, ACORD made another big move, with the creation of the Pan-African Programme (PAP) on Food Sovereignty as a critical issue that concerns the majority of poor communities in Africa, and which ACORD uses as an entry point for reclaiming social justice for Africa and its marginalised people, and considering Conflict, Gender and social discrimination and HIV/AIDS as intervening factors to work along with. As part of that process, ACORD has leveraged the local and national CSOs’ engagement at regional and continental levels, supported by focused multi-country research in its four thematic priorities of livelihoods (especially food sovereignty), conflict, gender, and HIV/AIDS. These CSOs’ platforms and networks have proven capable of engineering responses to the denial of rights resulting from economic, social and political exclusion and marginalisation. Today, these organisations and networks in western, central, eastern and southern Africa are engaging with governments and other structures and constitute strong pillars for citizen engagement on critical issues that affect the continent.
The PAP also helped ACORD to reach an international recognition for its engagement at regional and continental levels in Africa as never before, and has also helped ACORD being accepted as significant member of organisations such as the Africa Trade Network (ATN) and international forums such as the World Social Forum (WSF) , the International Forum on Democracy and Cooperation (IFDC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (IGCLR) and was accredited to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2008
1.2. The Current strategic period 2007-2010
During the current strategic period 2007-2010, ACORD has made the following strategic choices or Strategic Directions, informed by a critical review of the previous period and the analysis of the working environment as at the end of the previous strategic period:
- Strategic Direction 1 (Governance and Identity): Promote a clear Identity and governance structures and practices supporting the creation of international alliances and local initiatives through an overall platform of action that facilitates unity in diversity.
- Strategic Direction 2 (Programming): Enhance the voice of the poor and the marginalized to change conditions undermining social justice in Africa through participatory people-centered research and advocacy.
- Strategic Direction 3 (People Management and Organisational Learning): Promote an organisational culture of learning and accountability to harness the competences of a diverse human base through an enabling working environment, efficient knowledge management, policies and accountability systems.
- Strategic Direction 4 (Communication and External Relations): Improve the impact of ACORD’s work through efficient internal communication and external marketing, strategic networking and alliance building.
- Strategic Direction 5 (Funding and Finance Management): Ensure ACORD’s financial sustainability through the diversification of funding sources, increased unrestricted funding and funds for institutional development.
The Strategic Plan 2007-2010 has undergone an annual review at the end of 2007, and an internal mid-term review in December 2008, which reports will be made available to the consultants.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE EXTERNAL EVALUATION
ACORD has decided to undertake an external evaluation of the current Strategy one year before the end, in order to get an external opinion to be taken into account in the process of preparing the coming Strategy for the period 2011-2015.
The overall objective of the evaluation is to assess the performance and to document lessons learnt in the implementation of the 2007-2010 Strategy.
The specific objectives are:
1. To ascertain whether the objectives of the Strategy continue to be relevant, appropriate and realistic;
2. To assess the progress and achievements by comparing actual and expected results, including unintended results;
3. To assess strengths and weaknesses and any constraints in the implementation of the Strategy;
4. To document lessons learned and possible catalytic effects of actions implemented;
5. To make strategic and operational recommendations, based on the analysis of evolution of the external environment.
3. EXPECTED OUTCOMES
- Clear analysis of ACORD Performance during the period and major lessons learnt coming out from the implementation of the Strategy;
- Clear recommendations for the next strategic period of the organisation, taking into account the evolution of the external environment.
4. SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION
In relation to the previous objectives, the scope of the evaluation involves following assessment criteria: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and design. Questions to be addressed for each point are as follow.
Relevance and Coherence
- Are the programmes and projects implemented in line with ACORD strategic framework?
- Are activities and outputs in coherence with the Strategic Directions and Expected Outcomes?
- Are they complementary to other interventions?
- Are indicators and mechanisms of feedback relevant and effective for use of evaluation results?
- Should the approach/priorities be adjusted in light of new needs, priorities and policies?
Effectiveness
- To what extent are planned outcomes / Policy and Practice Changes (PPCs) achieved?
- What is the quality of the outputs and outcomes achieved?
- What are the contributing and/or mitigating factors for achievement?
- What are the evidences of impacts of the 2007-2010 Strategic Plan? (i.e. What has changed? For whom? How significant are the changes?)
- What is the perception of Secretariat and Area Programme staff in relation to the implementation of the Strategy?
- How effective are the interactions among Programmes and between the Secretariat and Programmes (i.e. Area Programmes and the Pan-Africa Programme)?
- How effective are the interactions between ACORD and Partners, including donors?
- How has the 2007-2010 Strategic Plan impacted on the way ACORD is viewed by donors, civil society, and beneficiary governments and communities, and the general public?
- What lessons can be learnt about the effectiveness of the intervention strategies used in order to achieve outcomes and policy and practice changes?
Efficiency
- Did the actual or expected results justify the costs incurred?
- Have the resources been spent as economically as possible?
- Did the activities overlap and duplicate other similar interventions (funded by the donors)?
5. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY
The evaluation methodology will be based mainly on external evaluation approaches/activities.
The external assessment will be carried out by consultants. Mainly qualitative information gathering methods will be applied. They include (but not limited to):
- Documentation review (physically available at the ACORD secretariat and also on-line);
- Semi structured or/and structured interviews with different stakeholders (face-to-face, by emails or by teleconference); this include but not limited to programme managers and programme staff, relevant Nairobi staff including the Executive Director, and other members of the Senior Management team, some members of ACORD Board and ACORD General Assembly, key/relevant persons in partner organisations, etc…
- Country visits to two or three ACORD area programmes, plus in-country partners.
The methodology will also include non-formal feedback sessions to the lead team within ACORD in charge of this process and will be organised at mid-term and end of the assignment. After production of the draft report a formal restitution session will be organised with the participation of ACORD representatives.
A detailed external assessment methodology will be submitted by consultants in a process of tender and discussed with the ACORD lead team. The proposed methodology will be in line with ACORD’s core values and will include justification of methodological choices.
6. THE FINAL REPORT AND ANY OTHER PRODUCTS
The consultant will produce and submit a quality report to the ACORD Executive Director.
The report will have a maximum of 30 pages plus annexes, accompanied by a summary report of maximum 5 pages. This report, written in English will be primary used by ACORD, and will be shared when necessary with its broader stakeholders.
The documentation report will contains at least the following elements:
- a cover page
- table of contents
- an executive summary, including the major findings and summary conclusions and recommendations
- the objectives of the Evaluation
- an outline of the methodology and its justification
- limitations of the evaluation process if any
- presentation of the findings and analysis, including unexpected relevant findings
- conclusions
- recommendations
- Annexes and appendices
Reference Code: RW_7Y3ETH-85
