1. Introduction

The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) is a coalition formed in 2004 to bring together CSOs at national and district levels to influence Government decisions on resource mobilization, allocation, and utilization for equitable and sustainable development. CSBAG’s Vision is “a Uganda with a people centered budget that dignifies Humanity”. The Mission is “to work towards ensuring that resource mobilization, allocation and utilization is inclusive for a transformed Uganda.

CSBAG’s interventions are guided by its Strategic Plan. CSBAG has developed its new strategic plan. The Strategic Plan is anchored on the theme of Supporting Public Accountability for Revenue and Expenditure (SPARE). SPARE is the third -generation Strategic Plan for CSBAG, and it provided the road map for the period between 2024-2028.

2. Statement of Work and rationale

2.1 Purpose

The objective of the consultancy is to develop an institutional M&E plan that will monitor the implementation of its programs aligned with its new strategic plan 2024- 2028. M&E plan will align with the operating context of current and future projects, the organization’s scope, as well as the requirements of donors and partners in order to achieve effectiveness and efficiency and enhance the impact and sustainability of CSBAG’s programs.

The M&E Plan will increase knowledge, confidence, and success in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning. It will strengthen our organizational MEL practices and enhance our capacity to become more effective and to maximize our impact through review and learning with partners and the communities CSBAG works with.

2.2 Specific Objectives

a) Conduct a desk review of the relevant documents including the Strategic plan, project documents, annual work plan, any baseline survey report(s), and existing monitoring tools to provide the information required in developing the MEL plan.

b) Develop a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning plan for the implementation of the Strategic Plan (2024-2028), that includes:

o A proposed timeline for M&E; a learning component with relevant M&E questions to ask at different stages of the implementation of the strategic plan; a

o Monitoring and evaluation framework (i.e. results framework, theory of change, etc.); identifying key relevant indicators (output and outcome); defining who will implement the various components of the M&E plan; identifying data collection tools and methodologies; identifying where data would be stored and how it would be analyzed; defining how M&E findings would be reported to donors, stakeholders and internal staff members to ensure strategic plan improvement; transparency and data-driven decision making; other required resources and capacities.

o Develop a performance indicator reference tool for all program performance indicators in the M&E plan.

c) Conduct 1-day M&EL training for CSBAG staff on the basic concepts of M&E and the use of the PIRS.

3. Outputs and Time frame.

The M&E plan development process should be completed within 21 days, and not later than 23rd November 2023. The consultant will produce the following outputs by the stated deadline:

1. Inception report
2. Institutional M&E plan
3. Train CSBAG staff in basics of M&E including use of PIRS in the developed M&E Plan.

4. Reporting
Administratively, the consultant will be reporting directly to the Executive Director on this assignment and will have a technical reporting and working relationship with the CSBAG M&E officer who shall approve the deliverables.

5. Qualification
The resource person (Firm/Individual) must have:

A minimum of a post-graduate or university degree in Monitoring and Evaluation or any relevant qualification.

Experience in M&E frameworks and systems development

At least five (5 years of relevant work experience in development planning and monitoring and evaluation. The consultant should have prior experience in designing, developing, and supporting implementation of M&E plans.

Considerable experience in the design and operationalization of similar CSO’s work is an added advantage.

6. Submission of proposals for the tasks

CSBAG is inviting proposals as specified in this Terms of Reference. Interested consultants/firms are requested to submit technical and financial proposals based on guidance below:
a) An independent financial proposal quoted in UGX and not more than 2 pages .
b) The technical proposal should not be more than 4 pages and should contain:
i. Description of the understanding of the tasks, including comments on the TORs.
ii. A description of the methodology to be followed, to achieve the desired objectives.
iii. Work plan and time scheduling of information gathering and other activities; and
iv. CVs of the consultant/firm

7. Application Process.

Interested candidates should submit their application letter, updated CVs, technical and financial proposals, and references for similar work conducted previously, addressed to the Executive Director: Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), email: hr@csbag.org by Monday, 6th November 2023. E-mail subject line must include “M&E Plan” development Consultant”. We appreciate all interest in this opportunity, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.