“Empowering Local Radios with ICTs”, UNESCO seeks evaluators

UNESCO invites external independent evaluators to assess the implementation of the project “Empowering Local Radios with ICTs” and to produce a mid-term external evaluation report. The report should evaluate the relevance of objectives and progress made to achieve them. It will be used by UNESCO to assess the implementation of activities gearing to results and consider adjustments.

UNESCO, with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), is executing a three-year project entitled “Empowering local radios with ICTs” in 32 radio stations located in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.

The project intends to increase the quality of local radio programming and broadcasting by fully integrating the use of ICTs, strengthening local reporting on development issues and engaging poor people’s participation in debates related to their livelihood and development.

A mid-term evaluation has been planned in order to demonstrate achievements realized between the start of project’s full implementation (15 March 2012) and 15 July 2013, and to make suggestions for the following period.

More particularly, the evaluation report aims to:

• enhance the project’s relevance, efficiency and effectiveness;
• suggest improvements for the following stage of implementation and project replication;
• demonstrate the project’s achievements, challenges and lessons learned;
• Generate findings regarding the effectiveness of trainings in local radios and its effects on community, especially women and girls;
• indicate any risks that may compromise the successful implementation of the project and suggest actions to overcome it.

The evaluation is expected to start on 15 July 2013. The final report must be delivered by 31 October 2013.

UNESCO invites interested external independent entities and individual evaluator to submit their proposals, according to the Terms of Reference, by email to Jonathas Mello on or before 24 June 2013, 9 a.m. (Paris time).

Proposals must consist of the following:

• description of the research methodology (including strategy to achieve an assessment per country);
• timeline;
• competitive fee in US dollars;
• company description (if applicable); and
• relevant examples of previous work.

‘The evaluator should comply with the following requirements: extensive knowledge of, and minimum five years’ experience, in applying qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods; proven record in designing and leading evaluations; a minimum of ten years’ experience in project evaluation at international level’.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted by UNESCO.