Income Support Program for the Poorest (ISPP)-JAWTNO Project
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Operational Review Services (ORS)
The Income Support Program for the Poorest (ISPP)-JAWTNO (ISPP-Jawtno, the “Program”) - a co-responsibility cash transfer (CCT) safety net program, implemented by the Local Government Division with the help of the World Bank, provides income support to poor mothers in 444 Unions in 43 of the poorest Upazilas in Dhaka and Rangpur Division. The objective of the Program is to (a) increase mothers’ use of child nutrition and cognitive development services, and (b) enhancing local level government capacity to deliver safety nets. Quarterly cash transfers are made to eligible households based on four types of co-responsibilities related to ante-natal care (ANC) and growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) activities. Implementation is based through the Safety Net Cell (SNC) at the Union Parishad, which is responsible for overall coordination and monitoring of the Program, and involves partner stakeholders including Community Clinics (CC) to deliver services and awareness sessions and Union Post Offices to make electronic payments to beneficiaries using Postal Cash Cards upon compliance with co-responsibilities.
The Government has received a Credit from the International Development Association (the “Bank”) in an amount equivalent to US$250 million, toward the cost of the ISPP-Jawtno, which includes a technical assistance component to support and facilitate implementation of the CCT program for targeting beneficiaries, including enhancing local-level government capacity and monitoring and evaluation of the Program. The Government intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this Credit to eligible payments for an Operational Review firm.
The Program is at the last stage of its implementation phase with an official closing date of June 15, 2022. An operational review of the last 6-8 months of project activities is expected to provide a qualitative assessment of the Program’s operational aspects.
The objective of the assignment is to review the program implementation activities on the ground through process evaluations and spot checks to:
Description of Activities
The Firm will be responsible for two main tasks: (1) process evaluation and (2) spot checks. A variety of quantitative and qualitative tools would be used to accomplish the objectives of the process evaluation and spot checks. These tools might include, but would not be restricted to direct observation, in-depth interviews, questionnaires, focus group discussions. The data acquired will be critically analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques.
Process Evaluation
The process evaluation will provide a qualitative assessment of the project’s operational aspects. It will assess administrative issues and constraints for a sample of locations and consolidate feedback from different stakeholders on the implementation of the program. The firm will observe and assess the activities of all implementing partners, including the SNC, CCs and the social mobilization and CNCD services firm.[1] This will help the Government understand the effectiveness of key components of the Program and its partners.
The process evaluation will be carried out to assess whether:
Spot Checks
Union level spot checks will provide feedback on program implementation; impact of CNCD sessions; utilization of program benefits and progress in harmonization of SSN implementation at the local level.
Spot checks should include, although is not limited to:
ISPP is implemented in 444Unions in 43 of the poorest Upazilas in Rangpur and Mymensingh Divisions. The Program is at its last stage of implementation with six months of services, compliance and payment activities to be observed. At least 20 percent of all implementing unions (or 90 unions) must be covered through the operational review. This can be done by observing 15 unions each month, with no more than 2 unions taken per upazila per month. A work plan for the duration of the assignment specifying unions to be covered each month must be shared with the Project Management Unit for approval.
Through the combination of process evaluations and spot checks, the Firm will gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of ISPP-Jawtno processes and outputs / outcomes by reviewing the following activities and processes during the course of the project:
The Firm will also be responsible for the following aspects related to conducting the operational review:
Hiring and training of staff: The firm will ensure that every person who takes part in the assignment is properly trained and clearly understands the details of the program. All training material, including the Operations Manual, as well as any other additional material deemed necessary, shall be distributed to the staff.
Resource mobilization: The Firm will mobilize necessary human, physical and financial resources to complete the tasks assigned as part of the consultancy. This would include the logistics (offices, office furniture, communication setup, transportation, office supplies, computers, printers, scanners, photo copiers, maps, survey material, etc.) as well as sufficient resources for management and oversight for appropriate quality control.
Institutional arrangements: The Firm shall ensure that appropriate reporting structures are in place to manage the Operational Review process.
The firm will report to the Project Director, ISPP-Jawtno Project, Local Government Division and will be required to produce the following outputs:
In addition, the Firm is expected to provide the following:
Time schedule for deliverables
Inception Report |
Within two weeks of contract signing |
Draft Operational Review Report and presentation |
Within two weeks of completing every three months of the review services |
Final Operational Review Report |
Within two weeks of receiving feedback on draft report. |
The duration of the assignment would be Nine (9) months and the agreed time schedule of tasks must be followed strictly.
Qualification/Experience of the Consultant
The Firm should fulfill the following criteria:
Applicants will be expected, at a minimum, to:
Annex A: Summary of Main Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities
Project Management Unit (Local Government Division): Design and develop the program and the implementation plan. Forge partnerships with the following government agencies: (i (i) the DGHS to work with CCs to coordinate the ANC visits and GMP sessions and facilitate the CNCD awareness sessions; and (ii) the BPO to facilitate biometric-enabled electronic payments. Recruit a firm to conduct CNCD sessions, as well as supporting the CCs in ensuring ANC visits and GMP sessions. Manage fund flows to ensure timely payment to CCT compliant mothers. Contract independent third party process evaluation and spot check consultants. Communicate, coordinate and facilitate the work of above implementing partners.
Upazila offices: Through the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) with the support of the Safety Net Program Supervisor (SPS), coordination of Upazila level project related processes. The existing Upazila level Coordination Committees headed by the respective UNO act as the core institutional structure at this administrative level to support implementation and supervision.
Safety Net Cells: At the Union level, a SNC is set up at the existing Union Parishad Complex, staffed by a Safety Net Program Assistant (SPA), to facilitate implementation at the local level. SNC supports all administrative functions of the ISPP, i.e. beneficiary enrolment; compliance monitoring; payment; appeals and grievance redress.
BPO: Responsibilities of BPO include printing of JAWTNO cash cards; transferring appropriate amounts to beneficiary accounts as per PMU instructions; conducting regular cash withdrawal camps and supporting beneficiaries in withdrawing their funds; addressing payment-related grievances; preparing and sharing a summary of all transfers made or otherwise returned, and reconciling all transactions with the PMU.
Community Clinics: Community Clinics serve as the service point for ANC and GMP services.
Social mobilization and Child Nutrition and Cognitive Development Services: The Projecthas appointed BRAC to work with CCs to support delivery of ante-natal care and growth monitoring and promotion services, as well as deliver CNCD services to beneficiary mothers. BRAC is also responsible for community social mobilization activities.
Beneficiaries: Beneficiaries are pregnant women or mothers of children under the age of five from poor households. They are expected to utilize services related to their children’s nutrition and cognitive
development against which they receive quarterly cash transfers.
# |
District |
Upazila |
Number of Unions |
1 |
Mymensingh |
Phulpur |
10 |
2 |
Mymensingh |
Tarakanda |
10 |
3 |
Mymensingh |
Dhobaura |
7 |
4 |
Mymensingh |
Nandail |
13 |
5 |
Mymensingh |
Muktagachha |
10 |
6 |
Sherpur |
SherpurSadar |
14 |
7 |
Kurigram |
Bhurungamari |
10 |
8 |
Kurigram |
Chilmari |
6 |
9 |
Nilphamari |
Jaldhaka |
11 |
10 |
Lalmonirhat |
Hatibandha |
12 |
11 |
Kurigram |
Phulbari |
6 |
12 |
Kurigram |
Rajarhat |
7 |
13 |
Kurigram |
Ulipur |
13 |
14 |
Kurigram |
Nageshwari |
14 |
15 |
Kurigram |
Sadar |
8 |
16 |
Kurigram |
Char Rajibpur |
3 |
17 |
Gaibandha |
Sadullapur |
11 |
18 |
Gaibandha |
Palashbari |
8 |
19 |
Gaibandha |
Gobindaganj |
17 |
20 |
Gaibandha |
Sundarganj |
15 |
21 |
Gaibandha |
Fulchari |
7 |
22 |
Gaibandha |
Saghata |
10 |
23 |
Gaibandha |
Gaibandha Sadar |
13 |
24 |
Jamalpur |
Melandaha |
11 |
25 |
Jamalpur |
Sadar |
15 |
26 |
Jamalpur |
Dewanganj |
8 |
27 |
Jamalpur |
Bakshiganj |
7 |
28 |
Jamalpur |
Sharishabari |
8 |
29 |
Mymensingh |
Haluaghat |
12 |
30 |
Mymensingh |
Trishal |
12 |
31 |
Jamalpur |
Islampur |
12 |
32 |
Mymensingh |
Bhaluka |
11 |
33 |
Mymensingh |
Fulbaria |
13 |
34 |
Sherpur |
Nakla |
9 |
35 |
Mymensingh |
Mymensingh Sadar |
11 |
36 |
Mymensingh |
Ishwarganj |
11 |
37 |
Sherpur |
Sreebardi |
10 |
38 |
Sherpur |
Jhenaigati |
7 |
39 |
Sherpur |
Nalitabari |
12 |
40 |
Jamalpur |
Madarganj |
7 |
41 |
Kurigram |
Raumari |
6 |
42 |
Mymensingh |
Gauripur |
10 |
43 |
Mymensingh |
Gafargaon |
15 |