Terms of Reference for hiring MEAL Consultant

Request for Proposal | To develop MEAL System for HRHB

Context:

Habitat for Humanity (“Habitat”) is the world’s largest affordable housing civil society organization. With programs in more than 70 countries and thousands of communities, our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat works collaboratively with communities, governments, and the private sector to find housing solutions. We are recognized for the meaningful changes our programs bring to communities. However, we understand that the housing deficit is far greater than what any one organization can address on its own. Therefore, we are enhancing our capability to influence broader systems that affect access to housing, aiming to ensure greater access to affordable, resilient housing for all.

Habitat for Humanity International Bangladesh (HFHB), a branch of Habitat for Humanity International Inc., began its journey in 1999 as an affordable housing organization and has since operated in 24 districts across Bangladesh. Currently, we are active in six locations: Khulna, Dhaka, Satkhira, Cox’s Bazar, Kurigram, and Noakhali, with an average annual budget of around $2 million USD.

We intend to engage a qualified consultant to facilitate the development of National MEAL System for HFHB.

Objectives:

HFHB seeks an experienced MEAL Consultant (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) to provide technical guidance and support to HFHB’s current MEAL team, its practices and systems for projects being implemented across different regions of Bangladesh.

The MEAL Consultant will have two main work streams:

  1. Provide technical guidance, support and quality review of all MEAL components of current project deliverables, including the baseline studies and associated reporting, project progress reports, post-distribution monitoring, end line studies and end of project reporting. The consultant will also drive and guide MEAL components of various program and project designs for proposal development.
  2. Establish and adapt MEAL systems and practices to meet all project and funder requirements, including developing and delivering targeted trainings (as required) for relevant MEAL staff on project-specific MEAL technical topics.

The MEAL consultant will provide advanced technical support to the HFHB MEAL specialist to ensure that HFHB is aligned to the broader Habitat organization-wide monitoring and evaluation standards and systems that will serve as the foundation for the successful completion of all MEAL requirements for all projects. The MEAL consultant will support the MEAL specialist and team members in establishing and refining MEAL tools, routines, analysis and reporting process flows across all project locations, including ensuring adherence to all data ethics, data protection and data quality standards for MEAL data. They will provide technical support and quality oversight to the results reporting and MEAL components of funder deliverables for HFHB during the consultancy period.

Scope of work:
This position will be based in Dhaka with frequent travel to field office locations (Cox’s Bazar, Khulna, Noakhali, Satkhira) as required. This position works closely with the National Director and heads of Program and Resource Development departments. They will report to the head of programs department and receive guidance through close coordination with the HFHI Asia Pacific Regional MEAL focal point.

Key Deliverables:

  • In coordination with MEAL specialist and regional MEAL focal point, supports the continued improvement of key MEAL standards, processes and systems/tools for HFHB with a focus on the standards and systems required to directly support both project deliverables and respective donor standards.
  • MEAL System: Based on the needs observed and in alignment with organizational standards, provide technical support to MEAL specialist in refining a national-level MEAL system and processes (incl Country Strategy development/Annual Operating Plan) that meets donor requirements and incorporates organizational accountability and learning (coordinated with regional and global focal points as needed).
  • Standard Operating Procedure Development: Drive, guide and provide technical assistance and support to the MEAL specialists to develop SOPs for data collection, analysis and reporting for the various projects.
  • Knowledge Transference: Drive, guide and provide support to the MEAL specialist in development of knowledge products (guidance, tools, template, etc.) and training all program staff members of MEAL systems developed.
  • Capacity Building: Provide capacity building for all staff on the monitoring and evaluation system and processes throughout the program cycle. This aspect requires a full understanding of all donor and respective grant MEAL requirements, the operating context, challenges and barriers, as well as a full understanding and comprehension of how MEAL is integrated into the program cycle.
  • Quality Assurance: Provides quality assurance for technical aspects of all external (HQ and donor-facing) deliverables with a MEAL component, including reach tracking and program results reporting; supporting MEAL team in continual improvement processes to ensure high-quality deliverables.
  • Regional & Global Alignment: Guide and supports the MEAL team in ensuring national processes, systems, tools and deliverables are aligned with regional and global MEAL standards.
  • Evaluation & Assessment: Provides technical assistance to assessment and evaluation activities, including TOR development, evaluator recruitment and in-country oversight of external evaluation timelines and deliverables.

Locations: The work will be conducted in the following locations: Khulna, Dhaka, Satkhira, Cox’s Bazar, and Noakhali.

Contract Duration: The consultancy will be undertaken for a period of 6 months from date of contract signing, expected to begin during April 2025.

Confidentiality Clause:
All data/materials and information with respect to the consultancy and findings will be the sole property of HFH Bangladesh which should not be disclosed to third parties. On completion of the consultancy, all soft copies of the consultancy should be deleted from your records after completing the whole process/project, deletion confirmation to be sent to HFH Bangladesh. Any violation of this obligation to maintain confidentiality shall make you liable to payment of damages or indemnification of losses that HFH Bangladesh shall suffer as a consequence of the same.

Transparency and Code of conduct:
You will be governed by the code of conduct and expectations of HFH Bangladesh, while representing the organization in coordination.

Safeguarding:
The consultant and the field staff engaged in the project must adhere to the safeguarding code of conduct in both their professional and personal lives, which includes doing "NO HARM" to vulnerable children and adults, whether directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, knowingly or unknowingly. Each employee must take proactive steps to prevent, respond to, and report safeguarding- related risks and concerns by extending support and encouraging a "Speak Up" culture using the established reporting system. Any breaches would invite immediate disciplinary action, including the termination of the contract.

The following steps are part of safe-guarding related screening:

  • Undergo orientation to have a comprehensive understanding of HFHB (including its values), its safeguarding obligations and the personal responsibility to maintain the same, the available reporting system and the consequences of non-adherence to the safeguarding code of conduct.
  • Submission of the signed code of conduct and acknowledgement of Safeguarding.
  • A self-declaration stating that they have no involvement, past or present, in any case of any form of abuse against any child or adult.

Relationship:
During the term of your association with HFHB, you shall perform your services in the capacity as an independent consultant and shall have no claims/benefits or entitlements that an employee of HFHB shall be entitled to.

Working Relationship: The Consultant will work closely with the National Director, HFHI Asia Pacific Regional MEAL focal point, MEAL Specialist of HFHB.

Pre-Closure or Termination:
The consultancy can be pre-closed or terminated mutually by providing written notice of 15 days by either party, without assigning any reasons in writing for such Pre-closure or termination. On Pre-closure or termination of the agreement all the materials, documents in your possession will be returned to HFHB and percentage of fees returned after determination of progress achieved at the discretion of HFHB. Subsequent to termination, you shall refrain from holding yourself out as a representative of HFHB, in any manner whatsoever.

As acceptance of the terms and conditions stipulated, please sign the duplicate copy of this letter for our
Records.

Required Qualifications of the Consultant

  • Graduate in relevant field required.
  • 10+ years of work experience in MEAL required.
  • Bangla and English fluency required.
  • Background in (or at minimum, exposure to) humanitarian or refugee issues preferred.
  • Ability to manage, track and report on program data; proficiency with Excel in tracking and analyzing data required.
  • Excellent writing and communication skills, including demonstrated experience with writing high-quality reports, SOPs and other program management documents required.
  • Experience with training and capacity-building for colleagues on MEAL systems and topics required.
  • Experience in use of data management systems, statistical software and/or data visualization platforms preferred.
  • Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and meet strict deadlines.
  • Excellent critical thinking skills; ability to multi-task.

Selection Criteria:
Evaluation criteria will include but may not be limited to:

  • Proven track-record of success with similar analyses
  • Subject matter expertise & experience in developing MEAL System
  • Strong analytical skills and the ability to articulate the policy in simple language

Applications should include:

  • A brief overview of relevant working experience
  • Proposed overall approach of work with brief plan of action
  • A copy of CV and a breakdown of estimated time for completing the relevant task
  • Estimated total costs for proposed consultancy and expected deliverables
  • Declaration of any conflict of interest

The Technical Proposal must include:

  • An expression of interest letter that clearly states their interest in and suitability for the role (1-2 pages),
  • Scope of work.
  • The proposed methodology 
  • Outputs/deliverables.
  • Sample of MEAL system
  • Any other relevant documents

Financial Proposal:
The financial proposal will include an indicative budget including taxes, if applicable, with detail appropriate breakdown for fees and administrative expenses including applicable taxes.

Terms of Payment:  

This consultancy is deliverable-based and payment will be made as follows:

  • Upon submission and acceptance of Inception Report – 30%
  • Upon submission and acceptance of a mid-term report detailing progress and updated workplan -  30%
  • Upon completion and approval of the Final Report - 40%.

The Consultant shall submit both the “Technical” and “Financial” Proposal in PDF format by email mentioning the subject - “Development of National Level MEAL System for HFHB." This TOR is subject to contract.

Application deadline: April 16, 2025

Please submit applications to:
e-mail: hr@habitatbangladesh.org