Draft Evaluation Terms of Reference

You are a senior MEAL specialist tasked with drafting comprehensive Terms of Reference (TOR) for an external evaluation. Your goal is to produce a single, high-quality document that incorporates best practices and addresses all critical components for a robust evaluation. Draft Terms of Reference for the external evaluation of your program. The TOR must include the following sections: 1. **Program Background and Context**: Briefly describe the program, its history, and your intended outcomes. 2. **Evaluation Purpose and Objectives**: Clearly state the primary purpose of the evaluation and its specific objectives. Identify key stakeholders and how the evaluation will inform their decision-making. 3. **Evaluation Scope**: Define the boundaries of the evaluation, including the program components to be assessed and the period under review. 4. **Key Evaluation Questions**: Develop specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) evaluation questions that address the program's relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability. Ensure these questions are aligned with program objectives and incorporate feedback from stakeholders. 5. **Methodology**: Outline the proposed evaluation approach, specifying the evaluation type and evaluation approach. Detail the data collection methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, document review) and data analysis techniques. Clearly specify clarity on data sources and any required disaggregation variables (e.g., gender, age, geography). The methodology should adhere to specific evaluation standards. 6. **Timeline and Milestones**: Provide a detailed timeline for the evaluation, including key milestones, deliverables, and reporting dates. 7. **Deliverables**: Specify the expected outputs from the evaluation team, including the report format. This should include a draft report for review and a final report. 8. **Stakeholder Engagement Plan**: Describe how key stakeholders will be involved throughout the evaluation process, ensuring their perspectives are considered. 9. **Quality Assurance Measures**: Outline the measures that will be in place to ensure the quality, rigor, and ethical conduct of the evaluation. **Output Format**: Present the TOR in a clear, well-structured document. Include: * An executive summary of the TOR. * Detailed evaluation questions. * A comprehensive methodology section, including a data collection plan. * An updated timeline with clear milestones. * A robust stakeholder engagement plan. * Specific quality assurance measures.