Evaluation of MSPNG’s DFAT-funded Partnering for Stronger Families (PSF) project

Background

The Marie Stopes Papua New Guinea (MSPNG) mission is to ensure individuals’ fundamental right to have children by choice, not chance. MSPNG works to support the Ministry of Health (MoH) of PNG to implement national sexual and reproductive health (SRH) strategies and achieve national maternal health goals through the delivery of a broad range of high-quality family planning (FP) and SRH services and health systems strengthening approaches. MSPNG is part of the MSI Reproductive Choices (MSI) global partnership, which works to improve the health and quality of life of communities in 37 countries world-wide.

Since 2017, MSPNG has received funding by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), managed by PNG-Australia Transition to Health (PATH), to implement the Partnering for Stronger Families project. The overarching goal of the project is to contribute to the reduction of maternal, infant, neonatal, and under-five mortality in PNG through the increased coverage and uptake of high-quality FP and SRH services. PSF focuses on reaching women, men, adolescents, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) across PNG. PSF supports service delivery, training and quality assurance through various service delivery mechanisms, including National Family Planning and Training Program (NFPTP) providers, MSPNG hospital embedded providers, outreach teams, and MSPNG’s contact centre. This initiative also seeks to enhance partnerships, collaboration, and capacity at national and sub-national levels with government and other stakeholders.

Purpose and objectives

The PSF project is due to end in December 2024, and MSPNG wishes to conduct an evaluation of the project’s effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact from its inception in 2017 to date. Findings and recommendations will be used internally to inform decision-making within MSPNG regarding potential future phases of the project or similar initiative, guide broader programming across MSPNG, and provide valuable insights to project stakeholders (including PATH), and contribute to the dissemination of best practices and lessons learned. A key part of this evaluation will include an assessment of the PSF project’s progress in addressing relevant recommendations from the 2022 independent evaluation of the PSF project.

The objectives of this evaluation are to:

1. Examine the sustainability of project activities and results and their potential for long-term impact, including the extent to which the project aligns with current and emerging national priorities

1. Review the project’s progress in addressing key recommendations from the independent project evaluation conducted in 2022, and provide recommendations on ways the project could better respond to these

1. Analyse the efficiency of project implementation and overall value-for-money

1. Identify lessons learned and best practices that can inform future programming at MSPNG.

The following questions will guide data collection:

1. How well have the project’s activities contributed to sustainable access to high quality FP/SRH services across PNG, and what is the likelihood of long-term impact beyond its conclusion in December 2024? How could sustainability be better addressed, and in particular, what strategies should MSPNG employ as it increases its focus on transitioning aspects of the project to government ownership?

1. To what extent has MSPNG addressed relevant recommendations from the 2022 independent evaluation of the PSF project? How could the project better respond to the evaluation’s recommendations in a potential next phase? 

1. To what extent has the project demonstrated value for money?

1. How can MSPNG apply the lessons learned from this evaluation to our overall health systems strengthening approach and potential next phase of the PSF project?

Scope of work

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Developing the protocol and research tools for the assessment as guided by MSPNG
• Conducting the research and analysing the results
• Presenting initial results and conclusions to MSPNG team members through a sense-making workshop
• Integrating feedback from the workshop into a final evaluation report.

Existing information sources 

The consultant/s should use the following sources:

1. PSF project documents and reports, including proposals/project design documents, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and workplans

1. Budget and financial reports related to the PSF project

1. External reports, including the 2022 PSF Evaluation conducted by Human Development Monitoring and Evaluation Services

1. Interviews with relevant project staff and stakeholders (excluding clients).

The consultant will also have access to service data from MSPNG’s digitised client records and financial data, as well as relevant data from MSPNG’s annual Client Exit Interview (CEI) survey. They will be required to protect the confidentiality of any personal data relating to clients, service providers, as well as MSPNG’s financial data. 

Methodology 

The consultant will use a mix of quantitative and qualitative analysis to answer the broad research questions outlined above. These are likely to include:

• Analysis of service data from the teams/service delivery sites supported through the PSF project

• Analysis of financial data related to the PSF project
• Review of relevant national health policy and strategy documents
• Review of key project documentation, reports, and evaluations (including the 2022 PSF Evaluation conducted by HDMES)
• Interviews with relevant service providers as well as key members of MSPNG’s support office team
• Review of data from MSPNG’s CEI survey.
• Key informant interviews with other relevant stakeholders (excluding clients) as needed.

Activity/deliverable	Deadline
Signing of contract with the consultant	17th Nov 2023
Initial informational meeting with relevant members of the MSPNG team	20th Nov 2023
Draft protocol submitted	22nd November 2023
Final protocol approved	27th November 2023
Research and analysis activities completed	10th December 2023
Preliminary results presented to MSPNG team for feedback and sense-making	15th December 2023
Draft report submitted	26th January 2024
Final report approved	7th February 2024

 

Skills and experience 

The consultant/s will need the following minimum qualifications, skills and experience:

• A post-graduate degree in relevant subject (Gender, Public Health, International Development, Evaluation etc.)  
• A good understanding of sexual and reproductive health, including family planning
• Demonstrated experience using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Experience evaluating DFAT/PATH-funded projects is desirable, preferable in the area of health.
• A good understanding of PNG’s health system, including current strengths and challenges
• A sound understanding of gender, equity, disability and social inclusion best-practice in health programming 
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Tok Pisin desirable. 
• Experience delivering presentations and facilitating group discussions
• Experience working in development projects in PNG or Pacific Island Countries
• A pro-choice supporter of sexual and reproductive health rights for all
• Highest level of integrity and ethics including a commitment to protecting the confidentiality of individuals and organisations and to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Logistics and procedures 

The consultant/s will be responsible for their own office space, IT software and hardware, communications, transport and logistics, with the exception of:

• Organisation of the initial meeting with the MSPNG team.
• Extraction and compilation of relevant MSPNG datasets.
• Organisation of the end-of-project workshop.

• Any printing or publication costs relating to the final report.

Support for travel arrangements (in line with MSPNG’s travel policy) may be provided on request.

Outputs/deliverables and remuneration

The consultancy fee will be paid based within 30 days of submission of invoices on completion of evaluation deliverables as detailed below:

• 30% on submission of the approved evaluation protocol
• 50% following presentation of preliminary results at the end-of-project workshop
• 20% on submission of the approved final report

Rights and ownership of all data, reports and other outputs relating to this evaluation will remain with MSPNG.

Submission of proposals and selection process 

Interested individuals / agencies should apply no later than COB 8th November 2023. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as interviews may begin before the application deadline. Applications should include: 

• Curriculum vitae for all lead consultants, including references 
• At least two samples of a report from a similar evaluation or piece of research conducted by the consultant/s
• Short proposal addressing the above terms of reference, outlining sufficient detail about the methodology to assess whether this will allow for the research questions to be answered
• Budget, broken down by each activity, including travel costs and additional expenses incurred.

Applications and enquiries should be directed to Sara Hudson (Senior Advisor, Programme Design and Development): [email protected] 

 

MSIAP is a child-safe organisation and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation abuse and harassment. All successful applicants will be required to abide by our Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct and our Global Code of Conduct in addition to undergoing a police check prior to commencement.