TERMS OF REFERENCE:MID-TERM EVALUATION FOR THE AATF 2023-2027 STRATEGY

AATF - TERMS OF REFERENCE:MID-TERM EVALUATION FOR THE AATF 2023-2027 STRATEGY

A. Background

AATF is a not-for-profit organization that is driven by the vision of a prosperous, resilient, food and nutrition secure Africa, where smallholder farmers’ livelihoods are transformed through agricultural innovations. AATF has been implementing its five-year strategy (2023- 2027), dubbed Scaling for Impact. It is anchored on three Strategic Objectives (SO) which are:

  • SO1: Diversify agricultural technologies and expand frontiers for next-gen products in Africa.
  • SO2: Accelerate the commercialization and scaling of agricultural technologies.
  • SO3: Promote the creation of a functional enabling environment for increased uptake of agricultural technologies and efficient markets.

To address a wide range of issues that impact farmers, AATF has cross-cutting priorities (CCPs) that underpin the strategic objectives above, these CCPs are as follows:

  • CCP1: Improve climate change resilience among farmers in Africa.
  • CCP2: Enhance access to resources, agribusiness opportunities and technology for women and youth.
  • CCP3: Improve nutrition for farmers and consumers in Africa.
  • CCP4: Build knowledge and foster evidence-based decision making.

AATF has operationalized this strategy through a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) framework, supported by a Theory of Change (ToC) and Results Framework (RF). A baseline assessment was completed, and routine performance monitoring has been institutionalized. To take stock of progress and guide strategic recalibration, AATF is commissioning a Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) to be undertaken between August and October 2025. The mid-term evaluation will serve as a strategic reflection point to:

  • Assess the strategic aptness of the current approach and recommend adjustments to better align with emerging needs, opportunities, and delivery realities.
  • Evaluate delivery models – Examine the effectiveness of current implementation approaches, including roles of AATF and its partners, to determine whether delivery is optimized and aligned with comparative advantage.
  • Gauge progress and sustainability – Identify progress toward intended outcomes, assess what’s working or not, and identify areas needing course correction to strengthen long-term results.

It is against this background that AATF is seeking a consultant to carry out a mid-term evaluation for its 2023-2027 strategy.

B. Purpose of the Evaluation

The Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) will assess progress toward strategic outcomes and outputs while also reviewing the extent to which AATF is fulfilling the broader commitments articulated in the AATF 2023–2027 Strategy. The MTE will provide insights into what is working, what is not, and what needs to change to maximize impact in the remaining period of the strategy.

Specifically, the objectives are:

  1. To assess the extent to which the Key Performance Indicators have been achieved and assess what’s working or not and identify areas needing course correction to strengthen long-term results.
  2. To evaluate how effectively AATF is delivering on key strategic commitments, including examining the effectiveness of current implementation approaches and determining whether delivery is optimized and aligned with comparative advantage.
  3. To assess the internal and external factors on strategy performance and   identify emerging risks or opportunities with potential to significantly impact delivery
  4. To provide forward-looking recommendations for mid-course adjustments especially for those aspects of the strategy where traction is lagging.

C. Scope of Work

The assignment will include, but is not limited:

  • Document Review: Strategic plans, business plan, annual reports, baseline report, MEL reports, technical reports among other reports
  • Key Informant Interviews: With AATF staff, partners, stakeholders, and funders
  • Quantitative Analysis: The is will be based on existing monitoring/ performance data
  • Case Studies: Illustrating outcomes, strategic shifts, or innovations
  • Develop a strategic commitment scorecard which will be used to assess fulfilment of non-indicator-based goals.
  • Learning workshop with AATF staff: To determine critical success factors and appraise challenges faced during strategy implementation.
  • Validation of findings through workshop/ presentation to AATF management

These approaches should integrate strategic evaluation methods to enhance relevance, learning, and enhance decision making.

These include evaluating strategic commitments alongside results indicators, contribution analysis instead of linear attribution, learning-oriented and adaptive evaluation design, participatory methods and evidence-to-influence strategies for organizational learning and impact.

E. Expected Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

  • Inception report: Detailed workplan, evaluation methodology and interview tools that effectively address the objectives of the MET.
  • Draft Mid-Term Evaluation Report
  • Strategic Commitments Scorecard/Matrix
  • Final Synthesis Report: Serves as an intervention brief, highlighting strategy achievements, identification of opportunities for more improvement in performance of strategy, key takeaways, lessons and recommendations, as well as implications for organization strategy implementation
  • Two Workshops: Learning and Validation Workshops
  • Slide Deck for Board/Leadership presentation
  • Two-page well designed Strategy Learning Brief

F. Timeframe

The assignment will take a duration of six months from the contract start date and the definitive timeframe and planning for execution will be agreed with the Management.

G. Application Requirements

Interested Individual consultant(s)/consultancy firms are expected to submit the following:

A. Technical Proposal (Not more than 8 Pages)

  • Clear work plan and timelines describing the proposed methodology to undertake this assignment.
  • Proof of experience in handling similar projects by providing a list of past and present clients for which the consultant(s)/firm has already conducted an evaluation study.
  • Submit at least three Certificates of completion/recommendation letters from previous most recent clients preferably in areas of evaluation (include contact information).
  • Indicate qualifications of the lead team and support team, with CVs and functional responsibilities of the key people to be engaged.
  • Indicate years of experience in the field of evaluation. (Over 10 years of experience will be an added advantage)
  • Company Profile.
  • Any other information to support your proposal.

B.  Financial Proposal (Not more than 2 Pages)

  • Budget should be clearly broken down and justified including estimated days of working, expenses related to data collection, analysis, report writing, and presentation.
  • Be comprehensive and inclusive of all applicable taxes.
  • Clear cost structure for the evaluation study.
  • Indicate terms and conditions of payment.

H. Application Submission

Interested applicants should send their Technical and Financial Proposals together with other supporting documents to the Procurement Officer through Procurement@aatf-africa.org  by COB July  31st  2025, with the subject head ‘Mid- Term  Evaluation’.

I. Terms and conditions of the proposal

AATF reserves the right to request new or additional information regarding each service provider and any individual or other persons associated with its project proposal. AATF reserves the right not to make any appointment with the proposals submitted.

Service providers shall not make available or disclose details pertaining to their Project proposal with anyone not specifically involved, unless authorized to do so by AATF. Service providers shall not issue any press release or other public announcement pertaining to details of their project proposal without prior written approval.

AATF Service providers are required to declare any conflict of interest they may have in the transaction for which the tender is submitted or any potential conflict of interest. AATF reserves the right not to consider further any proposal where such a conflict of interest exists or where such a potential conflict of interest may arise.

J. Confidentiality statement

All data and information received from AATF for the purpose of this assignment are to be treated confidential and are only to be used in connection with the execution of these Terms of Reference. All intellectual property rights arising from the execution of these Terms of Reference are assigned to AATF.