Innovative HIV and Harm Reduction Solutions for Underserved Segments of Key and Bridge Populations in Ukraine 

Project funded by Elton John AIDS Foundation and implemented by the Alliance for Public Health

External Evaluation

Terms of Reference

1.     Background

The project Innovative HIV and Harm Reduction Solutions for Underserved Segments of Key and Bridge Populations in Ukraine was launched in June 2019 and is scheduled to be completed by October 2021. The project introduced and implements a range of innovative online and field HIV and harm reduction services for underserved segments including:

• Community-based MSM HIV testing and prevention service in Kharkiv focusing on self-testing service and popularisation of PrEP
• Digital platform for experimenting young people Drugstore.org.ua with associated mobile app Free2Ask and social media channels. The platform introduced the concept of smart pleasure and offered objective information on a range of subjects related to psychoactive substance use, reduction of drug-related harm, sexual and reproductive health, mental health and other related topics; online counselling on these subjects by qualified specialists and referrals to more specialised health services 
• First harm reduction intervention for recreational users of psychoactive substances in Ukraine including drug checking services. Introduction of operational study outreach model to engage new clients and deliver harm reduction information and commodities using virtual entry points  
• Systematic studies of recreational use of psychoactive substances in Ukraine and associated issues including use of psychoactive substances in sexual contexts
• Development, introduction and distribution of the Party Box (safer chemsex kits) to clients who practice chemsex
• Offline Smart Pleasure facility offering drug checking advice and commodities, harm reduction, sexual and mental health services.

The Alliance for Public Health is looking for an experienced consultant to implement an external evaluation of the project in order to define its contribution to the Ukrainian response to HIV epidemic and other challenges associated with the use of psychoactive substances and identify any learning that can be further applied in Ukraine and/or transferred to other countries facing similar challenges. 

2.     Purpose of the evaluation

The evaluation is designed primarily for organisational learning but also for accountability purposes. It will assess the work of the project and define practical value and further usability of the developed interventions.

The evaluation will review progress against the key performance indicators and the goals and targets of the project. It should identify the practical value of implemented interventions and provide practical recommendations on further development of these directions of work.

The evaluation should explore the full spectrum of activities implemented by the Alliance of Public Health and its partners as part of the project. Their practical value should be examined in view of the key tasks related to control of HIV infection in underserved populations, further development of harm reduction interventions in Ukraine and the region, the relevance of the introduced activities in the context of COVID-19 pandemic and associated quarantine measures, as well as sustainability of services introduced within the project.

Specifically, the evaluation should answer the following questions related to impact and effectiveness of the project interventions:  

Impact:
- What are the positive effects of the project on Key Populations, PLHIV, service providers, and government and non-government institutions foreseen by its objectives, expected outcomes and target groups (positive intended direct effects)?
- What are the positive effects of the project beyond its objectives, expected outcomes and target groups (positive unintended, direct or indirect effects)?
- What are the negative effects of the project on KPs, PLHIV, services providers, and government and non-government institutions?

Effectiveness:
- What strategies/approaches were effective in achieving expected results, and why?
- What strategies/approaches were not effective in achieving expected results, and why?
- What strategies/approaches produced unintended results, and why?

3.     Key Deliverables

The consultant is required to produce the following deliverables through the duration of the project:

• Deliverable 1: Inception report with methodology Deadline 12^th July 2021
• Deliverable 2: Intermediate products presenting draft findings Deadline 9^th August 2021
• Deliverable 3: Draft evaluation report and PowerPoint presentation Deadline 6^th September 2021
• Deliverable 4: Final evaluation report with executive summary and PowerPoint presentation. The final report shall include learning briefs on the key learning themes identified in the evaluation in the format appropriate for sharing among the interested internal and external stakeholders: Deadline 4^th October 2021

4.     Consultant Services

• Engage with Elton John AIDS Foundations and the Alliance for Public Health as requested on technical matters and make sure the evaluation meets their needs. The Alliance for Public Health Strategic Information Director will be the Client’s contact point on technical matters.
• The consultant will attend an internal induction meeting with the project team and communicate regularly with the team as required during the course of the evaluation.
• The consultant will produce the inception report with the key areas of focus for the evaluation and contextual description based on a brief preliminary desk review.
• The consultant will collect required data through further analysis of project related documentation and interviews with the project team, partners and beneficiaries.
• The consultant will analyse the data and draft the key deliverables outlined above.
• The draft deliverables will be presented to the Alliance for Public Health and Elton John AIDS Foundation for feedback, which will be taken into account during finalisation of the deliverables.

5.     Timeframe and Days

The evaluation will run from the 28^th of June to the 4^th of October 2021. Within this time the consultant will be expected to work up to a maximum of 15 days.

6.     Timeframe and Days

TO BE CONSIDERED PLEASE SEND YOUR CV WITH A BRIEF COVER LETTER explaining your interest in this assignment and highlighting relevant qualifications and skills to the following e-mail addresses: [email protected] and [email protected]. Please include “External Evaluation: Drugstore” as a subject for your message. Please submit your documents to us no later than 25^th of June 2021.