BASELINE ASSESSMENT FOR TRAIL BRIDGE SUPPORT UNIT

Terms of reference FOR A BASELINE Assessment for Trail bridge Support Unit (TBSU) under the Rural Connectivity for Food Security Program (RCFSP)

Background

The Rural Connectivity and Food Security Program (RCFSP), funded by the World Bank and implemented by Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia, aims to improve food security, livelihoods, and access to essential services through the construction of 373 trail bridges across Ethiopia by 2028, benefiting an estimated 5–7 million people. The program seeks to address persistent rural accessibility challenges that limit access to markets, schools, health services, and economic opportunities. A baseline assessment is required to establish pre-intervention conditions and provide benchmark data for monitoring and evaluating project results. 

Objectives of the Baseline Assessment

The consultancy will establish baseline values and assess the current situation in project areas to inform program implementation and future evaluations. Specifically, the assessment will:

• Establish baseline values for all key impact and outcome indicators.
• Assess household food security and access to markets, schools, healthcare, and other essential services.
• Estimate the population currently lacking safe rural connectivity.
• Assess institutional capacities for bridge planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and quality assurance.
• Assess availability and utilization of locally produced construction materials and identify opportunities for strengthening local sourcing systems. 

Scope of Work

The assignment will cover all RCFSP intervention areas across 12 regional states and one city administration, including communities surrounding the planned 373 trail bridge sites. The selected consultant will:

• Design and implement a mixed-methods baseline assessment using quantitative and qualitative approaches.
• Conduct household surveys, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and secondary data reviews.
• Develop data collection tools, sampling plans, and indicator measurement frameworks.
• Assess food security, rural connectivity, access to services, travel time, institutional capacity, and local construction material systems.
• Analyze data and produce evidence-based findings and recommendations.
• Facilitate stakeholder validation and submit final reports and datasets. 

Duration

The assignment is expected to be completed within approximately 60 working days during the period August–October 2026. 

Required Qualifications

The consulting firm should demonstrate:

• Proven experience in conducting baseline surveys, impact assessments, and mixed-methods research for donor-funded rural development or infrastructure programs.
• Expertise in rural transport/accessibility analysis, food security and livelihoods assessments, and monitoring & evaluation frameworks.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical capacity.
• Experience using digital data collection systems (e.g., Kobo Toolbox) and statistical software (e.g., Stata, SPSS, R).
• Experience working in Ethiopia or comparable contexts.
• Ability to produce high-quality analytical reports and actionable recommendations.

The proposed team should include, at minimum:

• Team Leader / M&E or Research Specialist
• Food Security Expert
• GIS Specialist
• Data Analyst / Statistician
• Field Supervisors and Enumerators

Firms must also possess a valid business license, VAT registration, and TIN certificate. 

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) can be accessed using the following link:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gcBO-aYhDM4bz3ajV4I5vOgUg31uNpbP/view?usp=sharing