Request For Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC)
Review of the health component of the ‘Empowering Rural Afghanistan-II’ Programme (RFP#01)
Background
Founded in 1980, the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC) is a member-based solidarity organisation. NAC’s vision is to contribute to a peaceful Afghanistan, free from poverty, where rural communities are empowered and resilient, valuing equality and diversity.
NAC has been working with humanitarian assistance and development programmes since the early 1980s. Se information about our work and programmes at www.afghanistankomiteen.no/en
The Empowering Rural Afghanistan-II 2023-2026 (ERA-II) programme is funded by Norad, and is our current largest programme which has three components: (1) TVET and Education; (2) Health, and (3) Food Security and Natural Resource Management, with disaster risk reduction, dialogue and conflict transformation, gender and human rights as cross cutting within the main programme sectors. The ERA-II Programme built on the learnings and results of ERA-I (2019-2021), and three phases of the Integrated Rural Development Programmes between 2012-2018. All other NAC current projects and programmes are aligned with one or more components of the main ERA-II programme portfolio.
The Norad funded NAC health programme covers activities in Faryab, Ghazni, Kabul, Kapisa, Nangarhar, and Paktia. The programme has been adapted in response to changing needs and contextual shifts throughout the four years of implementation.
Objective Improved access to trained healthcare personnel and quality health services at sub-national levels
Outcome 2.1 Improved capacity of the Ghazanfar Institute of Health Sciences (GIHS) and the supported regional IHSs
Outcome 2.2 Increased number of skilled professionals available for public and private healthcare providers.
Outcome 2.3. Community members have improved access to quality healthcare in Faryab, Ghazni, Kapisa, and Paktia provinces
Outcome 2.4. Improved capacity of associations of healthcare professions to mobilise new and existing members
For an overview of all activities see the Results Framework attached.
Purpose
To support learning, better understand the impact of our work, and future programme development, NAC seeks to engage an independent external organisation/research institution/ review consultancy to conduct a comprehensive review of the component 2 of ERA-II programme: health, aligned with OECD evaluation criteria.
Areas of investigation should address:
| Relevance |
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| Coherence |
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| Effectiveness |
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| Efficiency |
are the results achieved worth the resources used? |
| Sustainability |
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Methodology
Applicants are expected to propose an appropriate and robust methodology, which may include:
- Desk review of programme documents – NAC will provide access to all relevant programme documents after signing the contract
- Individual interviews with relevant target groups, e.g., personnel at health centres, graduated students from NAC health education courses, and relevant government authorities
- Focus group discussions (FGD) including a workshop with NAC health and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team on programme deliverables, scope, and approaches
- Site visits to selected health care centres and NAC supported health institutions in the targeted provinces
- Data analysis and validation, including a workshop with NAC staff to validate initial findings of the review
The methodology should ensure ethical standards, and gender and cultural sensitivities. Quantitative data, if gathered, should be (1) provided in an electronic file, in easily readable format; (2) organised and fully documented for use by those not fully familiar with the programme or the evaluation; (3) owned by NAC and made available to the public, barring rare exceptions.
Deliverables
The selected consultant / organisation will be expected to deliver:
Inception report detailing the methodology and work plan: The consultant will prepare, submit, and present the inception report with a work plan, presentation of the methodology, and details of the literature sourced. This should also include staff involved in the review. The inception report will be reviewed and agreed by NAC, prior to commencement of actual field work.
Draft report: The consultant will submit draft report to NAC based on the timelines below.
Debriefing with NAC: The consultant will present the main findings to NAC’s management, key staff and Norad. The debriefing can include a discussion of achievements and issues found during the review as well as any preliminary recommendations. Reflections from the discussion/briefing can be included as an annex to the report.
Final review report: The consultant will submit a final review report. The report will be submitted in English, electronically. Final report not exceeding 60 pages (excluding annexes), including an executive summary.
The format/template for reporting will be agreed upon and finalised during the Inception Phase. The final report should strike a balance between depth and breadth and should include: a table of contents, table of figures (as appropriate), list of acronyms, executive summary, introduction, purpose of the review, section on research design and methodology, and sections on findings, conclusions, lessons learned and recommendations. Where appropriate, the report can utilise tables and graphs to link with data and other relevant information. The report may include, as an annex, any dissenting views from consultant team members, or NAC staff, on any of the findings, or recommendations.
Duration
The assignment is expected to be completed by 10th August 2026
Budget and resources
The total budget available for this assignment is up to USD 17 500 including all consultant fees, travel, and other related costs (e.g. visa fees and insurances over and above the NAC travel insurance).
Food and accommodation at NAC staff houses, offices, and health facilities and travel insurance for international consultants (as per Europeiske insurance provisions) be covered by NAC.
For the consultant/organisation who are not currently based in Afghanistan NAC can assist with accommodation, transportation and other logistical arrangements as necessary. All costs should be included in the proposed budget. Applicants are requested to submit a detailed financial proposal that clearly outlines all cost components.
Eligibility
This RFP is open to:
- Consultants
- Research institutions
- National and international NGOs working within the field of health (peer review)
Applicants must have:
- Documented experience of working in Afghanistan
- Documented experience in health programme evaluations or reviews
Proposal submission requirements
The applicants will be required to provide the following documents as part of the application:
- Cover Letter
- Application (including detailed workplan, methodology, number of interviews and/or FGDs for different stakeholders, proposed outline of report)
- Budget (including breakdown of travel in/out of country, insurance, accommodation, etc.)
- CV(s) of consultant(s) (and key project team members, if not independent)
- Examples of similar previous work
- Proof of in-country capacity to undertake field visits and related data gathering in Dari/Pashto
- Minimum 2 references from review assignment (completed after 2021)
Submission deadline
Proposals must be submitted via email no later than 1st May 2026 to: mustafa.himmati@nacaf.org
Additional information
- Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
- All members of external review team contracted by NAC must adhere to NAC’s Ethical Guidelines and Commitments and NAC security protocols.
- The consultant is responsible for visa and visa costs (in budget) (with administrative support from NAC for documentation required).
- The review is to be done in accordance with OECD’s DAC Principles for Review of Development Assistance.
- The external consultants/review team must demonstrate an understanding of the logical results frameworks.
- All information provided to the external consultants/review team should be treated as confidential.
- The intellectual property and copyrights of findings and the report will remain with NAC.
- The publication of the report remains the responsibility of NAC and Norad.
- Proposal, contract, and report must all to be in English language.
- NAC will not cover any costs associated with preparations undertaken as part of the application process.
- Payment is proposed to be disbursed in 3 stages:
- 30% upon signing of the contract.
- 30% upon submission of draft report.
- 40% after submission of final report and presentation.
Timeline
| Proposal submission deadline | 1st May 2026 |
| Notification of award / Signing of Contract | 15th May 2026 |
| Inception report | 31st May 2026 |
| Submission of draft report | 10th July 2026 |
| Final report and presentation | 10th August 2026 |