Name of the Assignment: Results and Impacts Consultancy Services (RICS) for Western Economic Corridor & Regional Enhancement Program (WeCARE) Phase-1
Project Location: Jashore, Jhenaidah. Chudanga and Magura Districts
Project Authority: Local Government Engineering Department (LGED)
Financier: The World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
Project Background: WeCARE program is aimed at providing efficient, safe, and resilient connectivity along a section of a regional transport corridor in Western Bangladesh. To that end, intended outcomes of the program are: Reduced transport and logistics costs (including post-harvest losses) along a regional transport corridor in Western Bangladesh, Safer and resilient road network in Bangladesh, and Faster and reliable internet connectivity in Western Bangladesh, and The WeCARE program will support the Bangladesh Roads and Highways Department (RHD) to upgrade 260 km of the national highway from a two-lane single carriageway to four lanes which will reduce the time and cost of travel for passengers and freight. The local impacts of the corridor would be transmitted through investments in LGED managed rural roads, local markets, and agro-logistics in the ten districts through which the corridor passes.
Objectives of the Assignment:
(a) M&E Framework Monitoring: Collect baseline, midline, and end-line indicators for project progress monitoring as provided in the results framework and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan in the Project Appraisal Document (for component 2) and listed below; and
(b) Impact Evaluation: Design and implement an impact evaluation to understand the economic and social impacts of Program Phase I (referred to as project henceforth) of LGED components.
Actual Services provided by SAMAHAR:
M&E Framework Monitoring:
As part of the M&E Monitor SAMAHAR monitor progress on the following indicators:
- Transportation costs for select value chains in project districts;
- Post-harvest losses for select value chains in project districts;
- Change in nighttime lights intensity in the vicinity of project investments;
- Farmers benefiting from improved rural market facilities;
- Waterlogging incidents in and around improved rural markets;
- Direct beneficiaries of the project (of which female);
- User satisfaction with road condition and markets (of which females).
Develop methodologies, collect data through surveys and analyze the data using the developed methodologies to estimate the baseline, midline and end-line values for each of the indicators outlined above. The estimated baseline values will provide a picture of the present situation in the Program Phase 1 areas in terms of the outcome of the results and act as a benchmark. By estimating benchmarks, the baseline surveys will initiate a process for continued monitoring to measure the impact of the planned interventions. The methodologies developed to estimate the indicators and the surveys conducted should be designed in such a way so that it can be replicated to conduct midline and endline surveys later in the project cycle. When midline and endline are measures, compare and contrast the progress on each indicator.
Impact Evaluation: Develop/design and implement an impact evaluation of the Program Phase 1. The impact evaluation will seek to examine whether the anticipated benefits have been generated by the investments made through the Program, and to identify any unintended effects, thereby allowing the project performance to be assessed in light of the evidence after implementation. A rigorous design is a precondition for the evaluation to deliver sound evidence. In this context develop/design and implement an experimental or quasi-experimental evaluation method underpinned by an appropriate theoretical framework and estimate the outcomes and impacts (both intended and unintended) that have been caused by the intervention ruling out the influence of external factors. The results of the evaluation will have a key role in building the evidence base for future Program design and value for money assessment as well as support organizational learning to inform policymaking and subsequent investment decisions. Reveal, through a range of outcomes, the impact that Program Phase 1 has had on the surrounding project area. The evaluation results should provide rigorous measurements of the effect of Program Phase 1, who or which segment of the population benefitted the most, how, and why.