Private Sector Development Expert for Mid-term Performance Evaluation of the Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Activity (IPSC)

Private Sector Development Expert

Mid-term Performance Evaluation of the Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Activity (IPSC)

USAID Learns

Hanoi, Vietnam

Apply here

https://phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=SOCIIMPA2&cws=39&rid=4480 [1]

Note: This post is open to the local candidates only.

About Social Impact

Social Impact (SI) is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity-building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

Project Objective

SI is implementing the USAID/Vietnam Learns Contract (USAID Learns). The scope of the five-year activity is to support USAID/Vietnam staff and partners to implement more efficient, effective, and transparent programs by improving: (1) USAID and Implementing Partner (IP) capacity to achieve expected results; (2) USAID’s understanding and tracking of project/activity performance; and (3) collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA).

Background

IPSC (the Activity) is expected to help the Government of Vietnam (GVN) harness the entrepreneurial spirit of Vietnam’s small and growing businesses (SGBs) to facilitate a dynamic, Vietnam-led private sector transformation into one that can compete globally and provide increased equal opportunity for all, including disadvantaged women and ethnic minorities. The Activity is to contribute for USAID’s overall Vietnam Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Development Objective #1 (DO1): Economic Competitiveness Increased.

The Activity also supports building the capacity of local market actors and promoting social inclusion, and adopting measures consistent with USAID’s Digital Strategy. The Activity also supports the Global Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative. Lastly, the Activity is consistent with USAID’s Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Policy to leverage and engage the private sector to contribute to its own success.

To achieve these objectives, IPSC implements four interrelated components with interventions to be performed to meet each of the objectives of the Activity as follows:

• Objective 1. Building business management capacity of SGBs, including those led by vulnerable populations.
• Objective 2. Improving efficiency and productivity by promoting innovation, technology adoption, and sustainable business models;
• Objective 3. Enhancing business enabling environment for a broad-based inclusive economy;
• Objective 4. Strengthening business-to-business (B2B) and cross-sectoral linkages.

Purpose and Use of Evaluation 

Since the activity launch, IPSC has tested and adapted many strategies and approaches to skill building and creating an improved enabling environment for SGBs. As IPSC reaches the midpoint of its implementation, USAID/Vietnam is commissioning a midterm performance evaluation to:

• Review the delivery of IPSC’s interventions and its coordination with the GVN, while taking account of the wider implementation context and noting key gaps in the approach.
• Assess the Activity’s progress against its objectives and whether IPSC is on or off track to achieve these objectives by the end of implementation.
• Make actionable recommendations for the remainder of IPSC implementation enhancing the likelihood of sustainable impact on SGB and PE performance in Vietnam.
• Capture any wider lessons that may be applicable to similar activities in Vietnam.

The Mission and IPSC will use the evaluation to guide implementation for the second half of IPSC and inform more strategic USAID investment in the future. Evaluation findings and recommendations will be shared and discussed with the Mission, IPSC, the Agency for Enterprise Development (AED - MPI), and other relevant partners. 

USAID and IPSC are key users of the evaluation findings. This includes OGEG, PRO, Front Office, as well as IPSC, to inform the rest of the Activity implementation and additional USAID programming in this area. AED and MPI are also users of the evaluation findings, aiming to strengthen coordination and partnership, and to encourage commitment to changes in IPSC implementation where recommended.

Position Description

USAID Learns seeks a consultant to act as a Private Sector Development Expert to support this assignment. The Expert will work with the Team Leader and an Evaluation Coordinator to conduct the evaluation. Members of the USAID Learns team will provide support to the evaluation team. Logistical coordination and interpretation, as well as scheduling, will be managed by the USAID Learns Research Team in conjunction with USAID/Vietnam and IPSC. 

Evaluation Questions

The evaluation will respond to the following questions:

Assessing IPSC implementation performance against its objectives

1.     What are the results to date of IPSC interventions?

• To what extent have IPSC support packages and facilitation of business linkages built the capacity of SGBs? To what extent have these interventions helped SGBs to increase revenue, access new markets, apply new business models, and introduce improved business management practices?
• How relevant is IPSC’s work supporting PEs to GVN priorities and the original Activity scope? Is the definition of PEs clear and commonly understood? How could the process for selecting, assessing, and action planning with PEs be improved? To what extent are the interventions supporting PE growth and development?
• To what extent is IPSC technical assistance (e.g. supporting business support organizations, business service providers, business networking, and technical innovation) contributing to strengthening business development services? Which aspects are most promising?
• How have IPSC’s interventions contributed to GVN agencies improving their policy making on SGB competitiveness?

Reviewing Activity coordination and co-management

2.     How has IPSC worked with GVN and other stakeholders to deliver the Activity? How could coordination, information sharing, and the process for approvals be made more efficient?

Adapting IPSC interventions to achieve sustainable impact

3.     In light of progress made, how should IPSC adapt its interventions in the latter part of implementation in order to achieve its objectives?

• Are IPSC’s expected results achievable in the remaining time of the activity?
• What should be scaled up or scaled down?
• How should the IPSC theory of change or work plan be adjusted based on these recommendations?

Answers to all above evaluation questions will discuss the relevant contextual and other factors enabling or hindering progress. Where possible, the evaluation team will also explore the gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) dimensions of the answers to these questions to understand differential impacts and design implications.

The evaluation team will review and finalize these questions in collaboration with the Mission prior to finalizing the evaluation design.

Methodology

The evaluation will employ a primarily qualitative approach, supplemented by a secondary desk review and review of quantitative data provided by the activity. Data will be triangulated from different sources including secondary data from a desk review, available assessment studies, reports, and primary data collected from site visits. If recommended by the Evaluation Team, a mini survey might be conducted to better triangulate the information collected.

USAID expects that, at a minimum, the evaluation team will:

• Upon award, familiarize themselves with documentation about the IPSC activity. USAID will ensure that this documentation is available to the team prior to the commencement of the work. 
• Review and assess the existing performance and effectiveness information or data.
• Meet and interview activity beneficiaries, partners, and Government of Vietnam counterparts at appropriate levels.
• Interview USAID staff and a representative number of experts working with IPSC.

The evaluation team will conduct a desk review of available literature including Activity documents, particularly data from the Activity’s results framework and MEL system. The evaluation team will also look at sectoral assessments and other analysis that were used to determine interventions. The desk review will include at a minimum:

• Material related to IPSC and similar USAID investments in Vietnam.
• Material related to the activity: Annual and Quarterly Reports, Annual Work Plans, MEL Plans, sector assessments, trip reports, performance reports, and gender analysis reports.
• Miscellaneous thematic reports from other sources and projects by other donors.
• National policy and strategy documents related to private sector development. 

The contractor will submit the preliminary evaluation design in response to this SOW for review by USAID. The activity’s Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will approve the finalized evaluation design two weeks or more prior to the team’s arrival in the country.

The evaluation design matrix should include a methods and data analysis plan for each evaluation question. The evaluation team, in collaboration with USAID, will finalize the evaluation methods before fieldwork begins.

Deliverables and Timelines

The evaluation is set to commence in June until December 2023. The evaluation inception will tentatively take place June/July, allowing for implementation (e.g., data collection) to begin August. Regular check-ins must be held with USAID Vietnam and IPSC to ensure that findings are able to inform IPSC work plan development for the upcoming fiscal year. Preliminary results are expected in September 2023, and the final report should be approved by December 2023. An indicative list of deliverables and its corresponding timelines is set out in the table below.

Timelines: June – December 2023

Level of effort (LOE): up to 60 days

Responsibilities

• Perform desk review and identify additional information required for analysis
• Provide technical expertise and support the Team Leader’s efforts in evaluation design, methodology, and data collection instruments.
• Schedule and interview key stakeholders and beneficiaries; conduct data collection
• Provide ongoing analysis of qualitative and quantitative data 
• Support the preparation and presentation of the key findings and recommendations to USAID
• Write assigned sections of the draft evaluation report in coordination with team members, taking into consideration feedback from the preliminary findings presentation
• Work collaboratively with team members throughout design, implementation, analysis, and report writing to complement each other's areas of expertise

Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in a discipline related to business administration, economics, public policy, international development, or other relevant field
• At least eight years of experience working with private sector development, business enabling environment, and/or SGBs technical assistance programs
• Programmatic experience supporting growth and competitiveness of SGBs in Vietnam
• Experience engaging with government officials on private sector development issues
• Ability to navigate and advise on government and private sector actors that should be engaged in the evaluation
• Ability to lead interviews and focus groups and conduct data analysis as agreed with the Team Leader
• Ability to work independently to meet deadlines and adhere to high quality standards?
• Fluency in Vietnamese and in-depth knowledge of the operating environment in Vietnam required?
• Professional working capacity in English.
• The candidate must be Vietnamese and reside in Vietnam
• No relations with IPSC or Deloitte Consulting LLP or other interests that may compromise the Private Sector Engagement Specialist’s actual or apparent impartiality.
• Experience either working with or assessing foreign donor led development programs in Vietnam in Economic Growth and Private Sector Competitiveness.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with gender and social inclusion issues
• Knowledge of USAID evaluation policy and expectations.

The closing date for application: May 14, 2023. Selection and interviews will be performed constantly and interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To apply, please merge both your CV and a cover letter into one pdf file and submit it through the online portal.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website:http://www.socialimpact.com [2]

SI is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls, no visits.