Call for proposals: Evaluation of Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres (ALACs)

1. Summary

Transparency International (TI) is inviting expressions of interest from highly motivated consultants to carry out an evaluation of TI’s Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres (ALACs) in 7 African Countries: Niger, Senegal, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda and Burundi.

This evaluation is expected to focus on the process, relate processes in place to the achievement the expected objectives, and produce recommendations on what needs changing, what needs reinforcing, and on how to improve effectiveness and performance.

2. Background

TI is the global civil society movement leading the fight against corruption. Through more than 90 national chapters worldwide, and an international Secretariat in Berlin, Germany (TI-S), TI raises awareness about the devastating impact of corruption and works with partners in government, the private sector and civil society to develop and implement effective measures to tackle it.

Within a regional strategic framework that has identified the link between corruption and poverty as a key thematic priority, TI national chapters in sub-Saharan Africa are currently implementing a number of regional programmes focusing on empowerment of citizens and promoting systemic change at administrative, legal or institutional levels.

One of these programs, the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centers (ALACs) is a TI approach seeking to empower citizens to make and pursue corruption related and translate these concerns into structural changes. For that the ALACs provide free legal advice and assistance to victims or witnesses of corruption, help citizens pursue corruption-related complaints and undertake advocacy for broader reform.

There are more than 60 Advocacy and Legal Advice Center (ALAC) in the world in more than 40 countries. The ALACs are managed by TI National Chapters in those countries. The first center was created in Eastern Europe in 2003 and in the African continent in 2008. Nowadays there are around 25 ALACs in Africa and the Middle East.

Based on evidence gathered on corruption in diverse sectors and from victims and witnesses of corrupt acts, the NCs advocate for effective anti-corruption policy and practice at the national, regional, municipal and local levels. TI National Chapters seek constructive engagement with the authorities and other partners to push for change in laws, practices and public participation. Based on the new TI Strategy 2015 one of the main identified priorities for the movement is to increase empowerment of people and partners around the world to take action against corruption, and the ALAC is one of the main tools of the NCs to contribute to this priority.

3. Evaluation Focus and Questions

The evaluation is expected to:

• Focus on process.
• Focus on performance, i.e. relate processes in place to the achievement of the expected objectives.
• Focus on learning:

- Difficulties encountered in the process of implementation, as well as facilitating factors.
- Assessment of the ways by which, and in which, countries are adapting, or not, the concept of the ALACs to their context-specificities.

The main evaluation questions are:

1. How are the ALACs being implemented at country level (process)?
2. To what extent the main activities in place are, or not, contributing to the achievement of the expected objectives (performance)?
3. To what extent processes in place are, or not, contributing to the achievement of the expected objectives (performance)?
4. What, if any, have been the difficulties encountered in the process of implementing the ALACs, as well as the factors that have facilitated this process (learning)?
5. To what extent, and through which main activities and processes, are the ALACs in these countries being adapted to contextual realities (learning)?

4. Description of Tasks

It is expected that the consultant(s)/expert(s) will carry out the following tasks over a period of 4 weeks:

• Document review;
• Design of the evaluation approach;
• Fieldwork in four of the seven countries;
• Data analysis;
• Final report, with actionable recommendations.

5. Profile / Consultancy Requirements

TI is inviting expressions of interest with detailed costing based on daily rates or as a delivery/outcome based lump sum.

TI welcomes proposals from a team of consultants to carry out the evaluation given that more than one country should be visited

• Minimum of 10 years experience in designing and facilitating participatory evaluation processes, ideally also of multi-country programmes and engaging a broad range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience of working with civil society organisations or networks in Francophone Africa.
• Demonstrable knowledge of issues and programmes relating to good governance, legal redress, corruption and/ or social accountability.
• Highly motivated and committed to the values of transparency and integrity.
• Spoken and written fluency in French, with fluency or working knowledge in English.
• Based in the region a distinct advantage.

6. Application Process

Applications (in English) must be sent by email to alacevaluation@transparency.org by close of business of January, 2 2012 and contain the following elements:

• Detailed proposal of how the assignment will be approached, including detailed cost estimate.
• Curriculum Vitae with full description of the applicant’s profile and experience. In case of a team CVs for all involved consultants.
• One sample of previous work (confidentiality guaranteed).
• Contact details for at least two independent referees with in-depth and proven knowledge of the applicant’s expertise and relevant work experience.

Please indicate “Expression of Interest – ALACs in Africa” in the subject line of your email application.

TI retains the right to reject any or all of the applications and/or to enter into additional negotiations with one or more of the tendering parties.