Consultancy for Outcome Documentation

Date:  19 Mar 2025

Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to bring change that lasts.

PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT

The project completed an internal review at the end of 2024 and the review has recommended the project undertake more documentation of project outcomes and stories to illustrate project impact and lessons learned for both donors and the People We Work With (PWWW), including partners and community members. The consultancy aims to work with Oxfam country offices and project partners to harvest outcomes and develop cases and stories of change for the SCR project against its three project outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Mekong region encompasses a significant portion of the estimated 60 million people who depend on the Mekong River and its tributaries for various essentials like drinking water, food, transportation, and commerce. The Mekong region is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and this is exacerbated by the complexity of the governance and management of the river and tributaries. In the year 2024, there is a greater frequency of extreme and unpredictable weather events causing flash flooding, persistent droughts, and changing river water flows that have negatively impacted agricultural production, fisheries, and the use of local forests that local communities have depended on for generations for their livelihoods, food security, cultural heritage, and their very existence.

The Strengthening Climate Resilience in the Mekong Subregion (SCR) project (AUD 4.5 million), spanning from 2022 to 2025, is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). This project aims to improve the capacity of the Mekong riverine communities and local government authorities to minimize the impact of disasters and climate risks by working together to develop locally appropriate and socially inclusive climate change adaptation and disaster risk management plans. The SCR Project aims to achieve the following outcomes:

1. Target riverine communities are implementing inclusive Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation (DRM/CCA) plans
2. Local authorities are supporting communities to manage disaster and climate-related hazards
3. Improved hydro-meteorological data is used by riverine communities and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) authorities.

The project is implemented in four countries in the Mekong region (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam). The project interventions are designed based on the specific context and needs of the respective countries that include interventions such as supporting the community to develop disaster management plans, improving early warning systems, integrating inclusive DRM/CCA into the social economic development plan at the commune level, piloting climate-smart agriculture, and strengthening the technical capacity of the local authorities on inclusive DRM. Oxfam implements the project through partnerships with national and sub-national governments and authorities, academics, and civil society organizations at both national and regional levels.

Purpose of this consultancy

The SCR project completed its Mid-Term Review at the end of 2024; as the remaining implementation period is short, the MTR made recommendations for the project to document project outcomes and stories to illustrate project impact and lessons learned. This consultancy aims to support partners to write and harvest outcomes as well as stories of change against the three outcomes of the project.

The consultant will report to the Oxfam- MEAL coordinator.

SCOPE, APPROACH, AND METHODOLOGY

Methodology

The external consultant will lead the story and case study collection, with necessary support from the project MEAL focal point, carrying out the following tasks:

• Desk review

Project reports, MEAL framework, Indicator Tracking sheets, existing case studies, Mid Term Review report, technical reports.

• Briefing sessions with the project team (PMU)

A series of sessions to discuss and agree on the overall process, schedules, selected stories to be documented, and expectations.

• Field data collection plan development and submission

In consultation with and technical support from the Project MEAL Coordinator and Country Coordinator, the consultant will develop a field data collection plan that includes a timeframe, methods of data collection, case study/story topics, interviewees, and the format for stories and case studies. The plan will then be submitted for approval by Oxfam.

• Preliminary Presentation (Hybrid/online)

Postthe field data collection, the consultant will prepare the draft of the case studies and stories to present to Oxfam (program management and country and partner representatives) to outline the outcome of the data collection, including how many products will be developed, format of the case studies and level of confidence in the data. This probably requires a half-day workshop to validate the data collection.

• Product delivery

Once the consultant completes the draft of each case study and story, these will be submitted for Oxfam to review (first pass), amended and resubmitted for approval (second pass).

Scope

The deliverable is for 15 stories and case studies reflecting and balancing across the three outcomes of the project. These products will cover the following outcomes or evidence requirements:

• Evidence of communities implementing inclusive DRM and/or CCA plans
• Evidence of Local and sub-national authorities are implementing inclusive development plans that are informed by climate and disaster risk information and analysis
• Evidence of communities demonstrating new/improved/adapted livelihood strategies that promote resilience to disaster and climate change
• Evidence of local authorities making climate-related information and data available to communities
• Evidence of local authorities integrating the perspective of women, People with Disability, and marginalized groups into DRM/CCA policies and programs
• Evidence of local authorities with increased resource allocations for DRM and/or CCA in target communities, in particular climate-smart livelihood options
• Evidence of authorities using ‘improved’ hydro-meteorological data to inform their plans and interventions supporting riverine communities
• Evidence of target communities taking actions to reduce the impact of climate-related hazards based on hydro-meteorological information
• Evidence of target communities changing or adapting livelihood strategies based on hydro-meteorological information
• Evidence of target communities understanding and having timely access to hydro-meteorological data
• Evidence of local authorities accessing and promptly sharing hydro-meteorological data with communities
• Evidence of hydro-meteorological data and information meets the needs of the target users.

The final selection of stories and products for this consultancy will be reviewed and finalized in consultation with the SCR’s Program Management Unit, following MEAL tracking. This process will take place during field data collection planning, as outlined in the methodology above.

Deliverables

• Inception report (field data collection plan)
• At least 15 case studies or stories captured through Outcome Harvesting. These should include a mix of formats to ensure comprehensive and engaging documentation:

• Written narratives providing detailed context, processes, and outcomes.
• Photographic or photovoice elements to visually represent the outcomes, processes, and participants’ perspectives, strengthening the depth, accessibility and authenticity of the case studies.

PROFILE REQUIREMENTS

The service provider/private company/ individual(s) candidates should have the following competencies:

Essential criteria:

• Demonstrated knowledge of climate resilience (Disaster Risk Management and Climate Adaptation), particularly in the Mekong context.
• Demonstrated experience in research, MEAL management and Outcome Harvesting.
• At least 5 years of international/regional experience in water resource management and governance, climate resilience, climate-smart agriculture and disaster risk management, preferably in the Mekong context.
• Strong professional writing skills in English.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE 

Payment will be made based on the agreed monthly deliverables upon submission of an official invoice (and timesheet) to Oxfam, detailing the number of days the consultant worked on each deliverable.

Oxfam will deduct and remit a 15% withholding tax for resident taxpayers or a 14% withholding tax for non-resident taxpayers to the Cambodian government from the respective net fee.

Key timeline:

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

Others

• Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women’s rights. 
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.

The details of the application process can be accessed

https://oxfam.box.com/s/1sde21rdlaf5x1z2aag9ri8ql7c8ko5n