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Tenders are invited for Consultancy "External Evaluation - SMAC" - NES. Closing Date: 11 Apr 2026 Type: Consultancy ABOUT SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL Solidarités International (SI) is a French NGO, independent of any political, economic, ethnic or religious group. For more than 40 years, it has been providing humanitarian aid to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their vital needs (water, food, shelter) and strengthening their resilience. Particularly committed to the fight against water-borne diseases, the leading cause of death in the world, SI provides expertise in the areas of access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, as well as in the essential area of food and livelihood security. SIs teams are present in more than 27 countries and supporting close to 5 million people. ABOUT THE MISSION After thirteen years of conflict in Syria, the impact of present and past hostilities on civilians remains the principal driver of humanitarian needs. Northeast (NES) and Northwest Syria (NWS) contexts are both characterized by: (i) ongoing and protracted displacements with low return opportunities, into densely populated areas where humanitarian assistance is overstretched, (ii) no availability of alternative durable solutions, such as eventual re-installation or re-integration within host communities due to social and cultural barriers, as well as the will of authorities to protect local communities, (iii) the depletion of productive assets and savings, (iv) limited economic opportunities, exacerbated by the continued depreciation of the Syrian Pound and rising inflation, and (v) the widespread destruction and contamination of agriculture and water-related infrastructure by explosive remnants, as well as other infrastructures. These dynamics have been further complicated by recent political developments, including the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the resulting instability, which continue to shape displacement patterns and the operational environment. Additionally, uncertainty surrounding international aid flowsparticularly following the termination of U.S. foreign assistancehas disrupted community engagement and eroded trust in humanitarian actors in some areas. PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTATION - ABOUT THE MARKET Purpose of the evaluation The purpose of the external evaluation is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, impact, sustainability, and coherence of the SMAC project and to determine the extent to which the project has improved market functionality, accessibility, and capacity of market actors. The evaluation will generate practical, evidence-based findings and recommendations to support accountability to donors and stakeholders, inform future market-based and livelihoods programming, and strengthen Solidarités Internationals learning and decision-making. scope of the Evaluation The external evaluation will assess the SMAC project as a whole, covering all key activities implemented in Al Jazrat market (Deir-ez-Zor) and Markada market (Al-Hasakeh), including market rehabilitation and upgrading works, accessibility and safety improvements, WASH services, capacity building of market actors, and the establishment and functioning of market committees. The evaluation will examine the projects relevance, effectiveness, impact, sustainability, and coherence, taking into account contextual factors, inclusion and accessibility considerations, and any unintended effects. The scope covers the full implementation period up to the time of data collection. TIMETABLE FOR THE CONSULTATION Task and/or deliverable Timeline (approximate, to be confirmed) Final Selection of the Consultant/ Consulting agency April 2026 Start of the consultancy April 2026 Kick of meeting with SI team April 2026 Inception report (including detailed data collection methodology and plan, data collection tools) April 2026 Tool development and Validation April 2026 Start of data collection May 2026 Data cleaning and preliminary analysis May 2026 Preliminary findings presentation May 2026 Draft report writing May 2026 SI feedback on draft report May 2026 Final Report Submission +PPP with the most essential findings May 2026 REQUIRED PROFILE In general, the evaluation consultant or consulting firm is expected to demonstrate the following qualifications: Proven experience in external evaluations and/or learning assessments of humanitarian, early recovery, or resilience-oriented interventions, preferably in Northeast Syria or comparable complex and protracted crisis contexts; Demonstrated experience evaluating market-based, livelihoods, and infrastructure rehabilitation interventions, including market rehabilitation and upgrading, accessibility improvements, energy and solar solutions, WASH services in public or commercial spaces, and support to market actors and governance structures; Familiarity with assessing integrated and complementary interventions, including the interaction between infrastructure rehabilitation, service provision, livelihoods support, market functionality, and governance mechanisms such as market committees; Ability to assess relevance, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability, including functionality of rehabilitated infrastructure, appropriateness of technical solutions, inclusiveness and accessibility (including for persons with disabilities), and adaptability of interventions in volatile and resource-constrained environments; Strong expertise in qualitative and mixed-methods data collection and analysis, including triangulation of data from multiple sources (programme data, market actor perspectives, beneficiary and customer feedback, partner inputs, and field observations), with sound understanding of data protection, ethical standards, and Do No Harm principles; Experience conducting evaluations under remote or partially remote management arrangements, including coordination with field teams, local partners, community structures, and authorities across different geographic locations and operational constraints; Demonstrated capacity to integrate gender-responsive approaches throughout the evaluation process, including the deployment of qualified female field staff or enumerators to ensure safe, culturally appropriate, and meaningful engagement of women and girls during data collection and field-based activities; Excellent command of English, with strong analytical writing and synthesis skills suitable for donor-facing evaluation reports; Working knowledge of Arabic is a strong asset; Demonstrated capacity to coordinate or supervise evaluation activities across multiple locations and markets in Northeast Syria, either through direct access or through structured remote support, partner facilitation, and locally based data collection mechanisms. How to apply HOW TO APPLY Interested applicants are required to submit their proposal, using the following guidelines: Cover letter one-page maximum (this document should be signed and/or stamped) Technical proposal - 10 pages maximum (this document should be signed and/or stamped) including the following but not limited to: Understanding of the Evaluation scope of work Proposed methodology, sampling, and data collection methods Proposed approach for data collection, cleaning and analysis Composition of team and assigned roles in the survey Confirmation of availability to work in NES NB: Considering that the methodology and data collection approach will be co-designed by SI and the selected consultant during the first weeks of the consultancy, at this stage, applicants are not required to submit a fully finalized methodological approach or assessment timeline at this stage. However, applicants are expected to suggest appropriate methodological and data collection approaches, based on key considerations outlined in Section 6 of this TOR. Financial proposal, including breakdown of costs in USD (this document should be signed and/or stamped). Consultant(s) resumes: Training and qualifications Professional experience (if relevant to consultancy, specific skills and/or specific context conditions) Experience in evaluation/research in similar context and sector Experience in facilitating learning and participatory processes (in the case of a learning-oriented evaluation with co-construction of lessons learned and recommendations) Knowledge of the country/area of intervention Languages Availability to work across NES Sample copy of at least two similar assignments in past work. 3 references for similar / relevant consultancies All documents should be sent in PDF version. Criteria of evaluation of the offers will be: Price: 40% Quality of technical proposal: 30% Team capacity and references: 30% Applications that do not include at least three references from previous relevant consultancy or research assignments will not be considered. Solidarités International considers individual candidates and teams equally. The applicants must send off requested documents by email to tender@solidarites-syria.org With subject GIZ SMAC Evaluation, before the deadline of: 11th of April 2026. Offers received after the deadline will not be considered. Questions may be submitted to SI until 10th of April 2026. All applicants will receive answers to their questions and questions of other applicants on rolling basis. Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4204444/syria-consultancy-external-evaluation-smac-nes
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