Canadian Co-operative Association 

Terms of Reference for 

CCA Partnership Program “Sustainable Livelihoods Through Cooperatives” 

Evaluator (Mid-Term Evaluation) 
 

The Canadian Co-operative Association is seeking a qualified consultant to contribute to an 

evaluation of CCA’s Partnership Program “Sustainable Livelihoods through Cooperatives” (2011-

2015).  CCA operates the programme with funding from the Partnerships with Canadians 

Branch of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).  

The Sustainable Livelihoods Program uses a partnership approach to development. The 

Program responds to local needs through extensive consultation and direction from local 

partner organizations. The Program works to improve the skills, physical assets, environmental, 

social and economic capital of poor rural and urban households by working closely with local 

co-operatives, all through the lens of sustainable economic growth. By working with cooperatives, the Program strengthens local institutions that are controlled by local people and 

whose mandate is to continue to generate positive social and economic results long after the 

Program has been completed.  

The Program operates in 12 countries on 18 projects related to financial services and rural 

enterprise (agriculture and micro, small and medium enterprises). CCA offers technical inputs in 

support of sustainable credit unions and financial co-operatives including focused efforts on 

micro-finance and micro-insurance.  Rural enterprise, which includes agriculture and micro, 

small and medium enterprises, focuses on maximising both long and short term production 

quality and quantity and to improve appropriate market access. The Program employs a gender 

perspective, bringing into sharper focus the need to ensure equality of results for women, men 

and youth through every initiative.  
 

The Canadian Co-operative Association is a national association for co-operatives in Canada, 

representing more than seven million co-operative and credit union members from over 2,000 organizations. CCA members come from many sectors of the economy, including finance, 

insurance, agri-food and supply, wholesale and retail, housing, health and the service sector. 

CCA provides leadership to promote, develop, and unite co-operatives and credit unions for the 

benefit of people in Canada and around the world. For more information on CCA, please visit 

the website at www.coopscanada.coop
 

The program is completing the second year of a four year initiative. The proposed consulting 

assignment would contribute to two areas, a midterm evaluation of the Program and an 

evaluability assessment for the midterm and final evaluations of the Program. Key issues to be 

addressed include: What are the intended outcomes and how is the program designed to 

achieve them? What program elements need to be modified in order to maximize the intended 

outcomes? Which aspects of this program are amendable to subsequent monitoring or impact 

assessment?  How can the program be improved? Is implementation meeting its benchmarks?  
 

1. Evaluability Assessment 
 

The first part of the assignment is to conduct an evaluability assessment (EA) of the program 

with the key deliverable being a proposed framework for the evaluations both midterm and 

final. The process of conducting an EA of the program would involve assessing the 

organizational needs to be met by the evaluations; the key research questions to guide the 

evaluations; the quality & availability of data; and how the evaluations will be utilized.    

 

In conducting both parts of the assignment, the consultant would work as part of a team, 

including an internal consultative working group. It is expected that the consultant will work 

closely with working group to develop the methodology and scope of the EA including the 

framework for the midterm and final evaluations.  
 

2. Midterm Evaluation 
 

The midterm evaluation will be comprised of two components, the first is the collection of data 

for the midterm indicators; the second is the collection of qualitative data from our partners 

and key stakeholders on the program’s progress. The Program is collection of 18 projects each 

of which have project specific mid-term evaluation plans for the midterm data collection. The 

project officers responsible for each project will ensure that the data for the midterm indicators 

are collected. The data will be compiled by the CCA Program Analyst, Research Manager, 

Program Manager and reviewed by the consultant.  
 

In addition to the data collection at the project level the mid-term evaluation will also assess 

the progress to date through focus groups and key informant interviews. The second piece of 

conducting key informant interviews and regional focus groups would be completed as part of 

the consultant’s assignment. The questions of what works; to what extent;  for whom; in what 

conditions and why, will be asked in focus groups with partners in the Americas, Africa and Asia. The focus groups will be conducted at varying times and the consultant will be expected to 

develop the focus group questions and discussion guide. The consultant will travel to at least 

one of the focus group regions but most likely not all the regions. The consultant would be 

asked to compile the data from the focus groups and key informant interviews and submit a 

report that would feed into the overall midterm evaluation.  
 

1. Evaluability Assessment:  

Develop frameworks for midterm and final evaluation of the program in consultation with 

consultative working group.   

- Develop research questions based on input from partners and key stakeholders.  

- Determine with evaluation team how the data from the midterm & final evaluation will be utilized.  

Determine the program’s capacity for data collection, management, and analysis; 

- What data are collected?  

- Will the evaluation require additional data collection? 

- How well are data collected? Are they reliable? Is the program capable of collecting and 

managing the data needed for an evaluation? 

- Prepare report of recommendations  

   
2. Midterm Evaluation  

- Develop a focus group guide for regional focus groups and interview questions for the key informant interviews.  

- Work with focus groups to validate the theories of change for the program.  

- Analyze the data to determine the extent to which the program is properly 

implemented, sufficiently developed, and activities appropriate, to reasonably predict 

that desired outcomes will be met. 

- Prepare report on findings to be included in Program Mid Term Evaluation prepared by 

CCA Program Manager.  

Proposed Timeline and Deliverables 

Develop methodology & research tools - March, 2013 -  4 days

Key informant interviews CCA staff  - June - August, 2013  -  5 days

Focus groups (travel to one of three focus groups)  - September, 2013 - 10 days

Data Analysis  -  August – November, 2013  - 5 days

Draft framework for final evaluation  - November 15, 2013 - 3 days

First draft of final report  -  November 15, 2013  -  7 days

Final report (including mid-term evaluation components and final evaluation framework)  - November 30, 2013 - 4 days

Presentation of findings to CCA staff - No later than December 15th - 2 days
 

It is expected that this Evaluation will take approximately 40 days over the course of 10 months 
 

- Proven professional experience conducting evaluations of development projects, with 

experience using a variety of participatory methodologies in the field. 

- Experience conducting Evaluability Assessments of complex programs.  

- Experience with developing outcomes based frameworks recognising TBS requirements 

- Demonstrated experience applying a gender-sensitive approach to research 

- Educational background in social sciences, international development, gender and 

development is an asset. 

- Experience and knowledge of co-operatives, preferably in a developing context, is an asset 

- Demonstrated cross-cultural sensitivity and ability to work in cross-cultural environments. 

- Excellent analysis skills 

- Membership in the Canadian Evaluation Society 

Compensation 

CCA will provide the consultant with appropriate compensation commensurate with experience.  

CCA will pay travel and expenses for the assignment, including: 

- Economy air and ground transportation to and from Ottawa, as well as to one overseas location 

- Travel Visa costs; 

- Reasonable accommodation and per diems (food, incidental) while travelling to Ottawa 

and in the field  
 

The Consultant is expected to: 

- Hold a valid passport; 

- Meet visa and entrance requirements; and, 

- Provide CCA with proof of health, evacuation, and travel insurance if required. 
 

experience and indication of daily rate to: 
 

the TOR. 
 

Sarah Feldberg 

275 Bank Street, Suite 400 

Ottawa ON 

K2P 2L6 

613-238-6711 ex. 214 
 

CCA thanks all applicants for your interest.  Due to a small staff and a large number of expected 

applicants, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.