Consultant(s) - Accelerating Change Through InnoVation In Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE)

Terms of Reference – Consultant(s) 

Accelerating Change Through InnoVation In Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE)

Work Package:  Consultant(s)  
Location: Ghana 
Duration of Contract: March  2026 – February 2027 with the possibility of extension through June of 2029
Reports to: MERL Manager
Application Deadline: 08th February, 2026
Expected Start Date: 01 March , 2026
Level of Effort: 50 days

1. WUSC Background

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization dedicated to expanding education, economic, and empowerment opportunities to improve the lives of disadvantaged youth globally, particularly young women and refugees. WUSC envisions a world where all young people can thrive in safe, secure, and supportive environments; access high-quality education from early childhood through adulthood; secure fair, decent, and fulfilling economic opportunities; and actively participate in the development of their societies.

WUSC works as a facilitator and convener, bringing together diverse stakeholders to address complex development challenges at a systems level. The organization leverages a broad network spanning civil society, post-secondary institutions, the private sector, and youth themselves to design and implement initiatives that generate sustainable, long-term impact.

WUSC operates in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget exceeding CAD 45 million and more than 300 staff globally. WUSC implements development projects in collaboration with donors such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Mastercard Foundation.

In Ghana, WUSC has worked since 1997, contributing to national development priorities through partnerships with the Government of Ghana, civil society organizations, private sector actors, and other key stakeholders. WUSC has co-designed and implemented innovative youth-focused programs, particularly in business environment reform and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), to improve employment and entrepreneurship outcomes nationwide.

 2. ACTIVATE Project Background

Accelerating Change Through InnoVation in Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE) is a five-year national initiative aimed at improving the well-being and resilience of young women and men by strengthening an industry-led, demand-driven Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) system in Ghana.

The program blends education and skills training while fostering collaboration among public and private sector actors, academia, and agricultural value chain stakeholders. ACTIVATE addresses key challenges in agriculture and adjacent sectors, prioritizing youth aspirations and integrating a strong gender and disability inclusion lens.

Over its five-year lifespan, ACTIVATE will reach more than 80,340 individuals, including approximately 79,360 youth aged 15–35. Youth will be engaged through:

• Market-relevant, high-quality skills training in agricultural sub-sectors such as agro-processing, vegetables and primary processing, fabrication and maintenance, and specialized services.
• Non-formal and informal training modalities (improved apprenticeships, on-farm/on-the-job training, Recognition of Prior Learning), targeting approximately 65% of participants.
• Formal ATVET institutional training, including job readiness, career guidance, employment referral, and workplace experience learning.

The program aims to achieve employment outcomes (wage or self-employment) for approximately 68,289 youth (85% of participants), with at least 70% being young women. By strengthening a more inclusive, gender-responsive, and market-relevant ATVET system, ACTIVATE seeks to deliver lasting impact beyond the project lifecycle.

3. Consultancy Background and Purpose

WUSC seeks to engage an independent Learning Partner (Consultant or consultancy firm) to provide high-quality data collection, analysis, and learning facilitation services to support adaptive management of the ACTIVATE project.

The consultancy will be for a one-year period (March 2026 – February 2027), renewable annually based on performance and project needs.

The purpose of the consultancy is to strengthen ACTIVATE’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) systems and evidence-based decision-making by:

• Leading the design and implementation of ACTIVATE’s Annual Outcome Survey;
• Integrating participatory and outcome-based learning methodologies, including the Most Significant Change (MSC) approach;
• Conducting Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) of ACTIVATE and partner MERL systems;
• Generating learning insights to inform adaptive management through Pause and Reflect sessions.

This consultancy will provide an external perspective to enhance accountability, learning, and continuous improvement in project implementation.

4. Scope of Work

The Learning Partner will be responsible for the following components:

4.1 Annual Outcome Survey

• Lead the design, methodology development, data analysis, and reporting of the Annual Outcome Survey.
• Support enumerator training (with recruitment and field coordination led by the WUSC ACTIVATE team).
• Produce a comprehensive analytical report detailing progress against outcome indicators and stakeholder feedback on implementation strategies.

4.2 Most Significant Change (MSC)

• Apply the MSC methodology to collect twelve (12) significant change stories annually (four per quarter) from participants, partners, and staff.
• Generate qualitative evidence explaining how and why change occurs.
• Analyze emergent changes in behaviors, relationships, policies, and practices to support adaptive management.

4.3 Data Quality Assessment (DQA) and External Feedback

• Develop and apply standardized DQA tools and checklists.
• Conduct structured DQAs of WUSC and partner MERL systems to assess data validity, reliability, and consistency.
• Produce a DQA report with findings, recommendations, and capacity-strengthening actions aligned with donor and best-practice standards.

4.4 Pause and Reflect Sessions

• Plan, facilitate, and document biannual Pause and Reflect learning sessions with staff, partners, and stakeholders.
• Review the project learning agenda and integrate findings from learning questions.
• Develop learning products (e.g., briefs, knowledge notes, presentations).
• Identify recommendations and support the development of action plans to promote adaptive management.

5. Expected Deliverables

The Learning Partner is expected to deliver the following during the contract period:

1. Inception Report – Draft and final versions outlining the methodology, approach, detailed work plan, and timelines.
2. Annual Outcome Survey Report – Comprehensive report covering survey design, implementation, analysis, findings, and recommendations.
3. Most Significant Change Report – Documentation and analysis of twelve (12) MSC stories, including thematic insights.
4. Data Quality Assessment Report – Findings, recommendations, and capacity-building measures for MERL system strengthening.
5. Pause and Reflect Session Report – Documentation of sessions, lessons learned, action points, and adaptation recommendations.

6. Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy is expected to require approximately 50 days of level of effort over the period March 2026 – February 2027.

Task                                                                                                                                           Days                       Timeline

Contract signing                                                                                                   0                   March  2026

Inception Meeting                                                                                                0.25               March 2026

Submission of draft inception report, including detailed year-one work plan 2.75              March 2026

Submission of final inception report                                                                    0.5               March 2026

Annual Outcome Survey (design, implementation, and reporting)                   12.5      April- December 2026 

Integration of participatory and outcome-based techniques (i.e.,Most Significant Change)          16           April - December 2026

Pause and Reflect Session (planning, facilitation, reporting, development

of knowledge products)                                                                                         12       April - December  2026

Data Quality Assessment of ACTIVATE and anchor partner MERL systems       6           April - August 2026

                                                                                                                                              Total  50

7. Consultant(s) / Firm Qualifications

The Consultant(s) or firm should meet the following minimum qualifications:

• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) and/or research within international development programs
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing outcome surveys, including quantitative and mixed-methods approaches
• Strong background in qualitative research methodologies, including the Most Significant Change (MSC) approach
• Proven experience conducting Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) in development or donor-funded programs
• Demonstrated expertise in facilitating Pause and Reflect sessions or similar adaptive learning and reflection processes
• Experience applying systems-based approaches to MERL
• Demonstrated ability to integrate Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) considerations into MERL design, implementation, and analysis
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and facilitation skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of Ghanaian languages will be considered an asset
• Familiarity with Ghana’s TVET/ATVET sector is desirable
• Familiarity with Mastercard Foundation shared measurement frameworks is an added advantage

8. Reporting and Supervision

The Consultant(s) will report directly to the MERL Manager and will work closely with the ACTIVATE Project team, including ATVET staff, partner institutions, and relevant national agencies.

9. Application Process

Interested consultants or firms are invited to submit a technical and financial proposal comprising the following:

9.1 Technical Proposal

The technical proposal should include:

• Brief profile of the consultant or firm (maximum 0.5 page)
•  Understanding of the assignment (maximum 1 page)
• Proposed methodology and strategies for delivering each of the itemized deliverables (maximum 3 pages)
• Relevant experience in similar assignments, including references to past work (maximum 1.5 pages)
• Summary of consultant/team experience relevant to the assignment (maximum 1 page)
• Detailed work plan, including timelines and assigned responsibilities (Annex 1)
• Summary CVs (maximum 2 pages each) of at least three (3) key personnel who will be involved in the assignment (Annex 2)
• References (minimum of three) from previous clients (Annex 3)

9.2 Financial Proposal

Applicants are required to submit a financial proposal outlining professional fees and reimbursable expenses for the estimated 50 days of level of effort. The budget must be submitted in Ghana Cedis (GHS) and presented in a clear, itemized format.

10. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be assessed using the following criteria:

• Technical Approach (30%)
  Demonstrated understanding of the scope of work, including the appropriateness and robustness of the proposed methodology for each thematic area.
• Expertise and Experience (30%)
  Proven experience in delivering similar assignments, supported by relevant qualifications and performance history.
• Suitability and Clarity of Work Plan (10%)
  A realistic, coherent, and well-structured work plan demonstrating a clear pathway to achieving the deliverables.
• Value for Money (30%)
  A cost-effective and well-justified budget aligned with the proposed deliverables and level of effort.

11. Submission of Applications

Interested parties should submit their complete application package to the BambooHR link,  “Independent Consultant(s)”

The application must include both a technical proposal and a financial proposal using the attached budget template.

NB. Applicants Who failed to use the budget template for the financial proposal will be disqualified

The deadline for submission of applications is 8th February 2026.