International Labour Organization (ILO)

<h2>1.Introduction and Purpose</h2><p>The forced displacement crisis has increased in scale and complexity in recent years. According to UNHCR, there were about 117.3 million forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) in 2025, of whom about 39 million refugees and asylum-seekers.1 The impact of forced displacement is substantial both among those in displacement and hosting communities.</p><p>In this context, the Government of the Netherlands in 2019 launched the PROSPECTS Partnership Programme, built on the combined strengths, experience and values of specific development and humanitarian organizations. The partners include the Government of the Netherlands, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the ILO, UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Bank. The programme aims to transform the way governments and other stakeholders respond to forced displacement crises, in particular by enhancing the enabling environment for socio-economic inclusion of forcibly displaced persons; improving access to education and child protection for vulnerable children on the move; and strengthening the resilience of host communities through inclusive socio-economic development that also benefits displaced populations.</p><p>Currently in its second phase, the programme is grounded in results-based and country-led approaches in MENA (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon) and the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan). It seeks to accelerate sustainable solutions through evidence-based and context-specific interventions, including testing innovative operational solutions and improving the availability, collection and use of data and evidence. ILO’s vision within the programme is to strengthen decent work in displacement-affected countries to support inclusive socio-economic outcomes for host communities and forcibly displaced populations.</p><p>In Kenya, the PROSPECTS Programme is implemented primarily in Garissa and Turkana Counties, the country's two largest refugee-hosting counties. The programme works closely with county governments, relevant public institutions, employers' and workers' organizations, private sector actors, development partners, and other key stakeholders. At the national level, PROSPECTS collaborates with line ministries, government agencies, social partners, and development partners to promote policies and interventions that foster the socio-economic inclusion, self-reliance, and resilience of refugees and host communities.</p><p>According to UNHCR data as of 31 May 2026, Kenya hosted 852,3882 refugees and asylum seekers. Of these, 417,767 (49%) resided in Dadaab, Garissa County, while 316,460 (37%) lived in Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement in Turkana County. The remaining 118,161 individuals (14%) resided in urban areas, primarily Nairobi. Garissa and Turkana are arid and semi-arid counties where livelihoods are predominantly pastoralist and communities face recurrent droughts, climate-related shocks, limited economic opportunities, and persistent development challenges. These vulnerabilities affect both refugee and host populations and underscore the need for integrated and sustainable approaches to economic and social inclusion.</p><p>Within this context, the PROSPECTS Programme seeks to strengthen the resilience, self-reliance, and socio-economic well-being of refugees and host communities through integrated interventions across four pillars, namely: Education and Learning/ skills development, Economic Inclusion, Protection and Social Protection, and Critical Infrastructure. At the ILO, the programme promotes market-relevant skills development, entrepreneurship and enterprise development, improved access to livelihoods and employment opportunities, and stronger labour market systems that support inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Through these interventions, PROSPECTS contributes to expanding pathways to decent work, enhancing productivity and incomes, and supporting the long-term socio-economic inclusion of refugees and host communities in line with national development priorities and the Global Compact on Refugees.</p><h2>2.Scope of work</h2><p>PROSPECTS designed a tracer study methodology to assess the impacts of the program on its beneficiaries. The programme team is now looking to hire a service provider to implement this tracer methodology in Kenya.</p><p> This tracer, which for the first round will serve as a baseline to which data from subsequent rounds can be compared with, will focus on beneficiaries that have just started to receive support from ILO PROSPECTS. The consultancy firm will work closely with the programme team to collect data for outcome-level indicators and responding to specific learning questions. These indicators revolve around the employment or self-employment situation, decent work conditions, access to financial services, self-reliance and social cohesion.</p><p>The tracer study will require the sampling of a minimum of 616 valid surveys collected, across the various PROSPECTS intervention components. Surveys are preferred to be conducted over the phone whenever feasible and when possible, for cost efficiency. However, if practical challenges, quality control concerns, cultural sensitivities, or geographic limitations arise, in-person surveys will need to be employed. It is expected that all surveys are collected by experienced and well-trained enumerators using electronic data collection.</p><p> The tracer survey will be accompanied by 10-12 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in-person with ILO PROSPECTS beneficiaries, based on purposive sampling for the different categories (e.g., type of intervention received, gender, host community versus forcibly displaced persons, etc.). These lines of enquiry shall provide valuable information the ILO can use for comparison in the future measurements about the changes to those that have been exposed to the project interventions.</p><p>Depending on performance and funding availability, the selected service provider may be requested to support a second round of data collection using a comparable methodology and sampling approach. Any such follow-on assignment would be subject to a separate decision by the ILO and is not committed under this concept note.</p><p> It is important to note that the service provider will be responsible for implementing the survey and focus group discussions, collecting both the quantitative and qualitative data. The data analysis and report writing, however, will be carried out by another consultant who will perform this task for all PROSPECTS countries where the tracer is performed, with a view to standardize the data analysis methodology and presentation of findings across all countries.</p><h2>3.Detailed tasks</h2><p>The consultancy firm shall conduct a targeted desk review of relevant project-related documentation to understand the project design, reported achievements and challenges. Additionally, the consultancy firm will need to become well acquainted with the global PROSPECTS tracer methodological report detailing all aspects of the tracer study. The consultancy firm will then design samples as discussed above for the two data collection tools (tracer survey and FGDs). The data collection tools have already been designed by the ILO PROSPECTS team but may have to be slightly adjusted with the support of the PROSPECTS M&amp;E team to account better for the specific programme activities and expected results in Kenya. The consultancy firm will be expected to translate the follow-up survey / questionnaires into local languages (e.g., Swahili) and test them. The consultancy firm shall use appropriate mobile data collection applications (such as ONA or Kobo) to support design (excel forms of surveys in English will already be developed) and conduct surveys with the selected beneficiaries.</p><p>The consultancy firm will be required to put in place data quality measures to ensure the completeness, accuracy, and reliability of all the quantitative and qualitative data collected. The consultancy firm will be required to conduct training sessions for all enumerators and facilitators. The ILO PROSPECTS team will arrange an orientation on the survey tool and data collection methodology at the outset of the assignment for the key team members from the service provider responsible for the mandate.</p><p>The survey was designed to be completed in approximately 20 minutes. The assignment will use smartphones/tablets for data collection and the Kobo toolbox3 (or ONA), which is an open-source suite of tools compatible with Android and iOS4.</p><p>It is expected the consultancy firm will share the first days of data collection with the international consultant in charge of data analysis and report writing, to ensure data is properly collected from the beginning and avoid data quality issues down the road. During fieldwork the ILO should be provided with updates of progress and advised immediately of challenges.</p><h2>4.Budget</h2><p>The consulting firm is expected to submit a comprehensive financial proposal reflecting the scope of work, level of effort, and expected deliverables. The financial proposal shall include a detailed budget breakdown covering the tracer activities. The budget must be completely separate and should clearly itemize all technical, administrative, logistical, and other relevant costs.</p><h3>Payment schedule</h3><p>• 40% upon submission and approval of the inception report.</p><p> • 40% upon submission of cleaned datasets, transcripts and data collection report.</p><p> • 20% upon submission of the draft tracer report by the international consultant (availability of the national M&amp;E firm for any clarification needed during the data analysis and report writing process).</p><h2>5.Expertise required</h2><p>• The service provider must have a lead consultant for the assignment who possesses a university degree in a relevant academic background, e.g., Social Studies, Demography and Population Studies, Development Studies, International Relations, Statistics, Monitoring and Evaluation, etc.</p><p> • The service provider must have a lead consultant for the assignment with a minimum of 8 years of experience in field research and an in-depth understanding of how to design and implement tracer studies.</p><p> • The consultant must have previous experience in a similar assignment within the refugee context either in Kenya or in other regions.</p><p> • Proven capacity to hire and manage a team of experienced enumerators, facilitators/notetakers that speak all the necessary languages, including Swahili.</p><p> • Access to tablets/Smartphones for electronic data collection.</p><p> • Significant experience using participatory research techniques, especially in engaging with vulnerable groups.</p><p> • Proven track record in working with mobile data collection approaches.</p><p> • Experience in designing and implementing evaluations or research activities remotely.</p><p> • Previous experience with ILO and demonstrated familiarity with labour market issues is an asset</p><h3>For enumerators (tracer questionnaire):</h3><p>• Education: A university degree in a related field.</p><p> • Clear experience in quantitative data collection and data entry, using applications and software such as Kobo and ODK.</p><p> • Exposure to work on livelihoods, employment decent work, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure would be an advantage.</p><p> • Excellent attention to detail.</p><p> • Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.</p><h3>For facilitators (FGDs):</h3><p>• Education: A university degree.</p><p> • Clear experience in qualitative data collection methodologies and notes-taking</p><p> • Exposure to work on livelihoods, employment decent work, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure would be an advantage.</p><p> • Excellent attention to detail.</p><p> • Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.</p><h2>6.Indicators for evaluation of outputs</h2><p>This consultancy will be assessed against the following indicators:</p><p> • Timely delivery of all datasets as per deadline above</p><p> • Quality, compliance, and integrity of data collection</p><p> • Quality of all cleaned datasets and transcripts</p><p> • Completeness of all data – both raw and cleaned, with clear descriptions of all data cleaning and manipulations performed</p><p> • Responsiveness to feedback and revision requests</p><h3>7.Deliverables and reporting requirements</h3><p>The contracting and onboarding process is expected to be completed by <strong>10 September 2026.</strong> Upon signing of the contract, the consulting firm is expected to deliver the following outputs aligned with the phases of the assignment.</p><p>Please reffer to the detailed TOR for more details on timelines for the consultancy on the UNGM.</p><p>All data and information received from ILO for this assignment are to be treated confidentially. They are only to be used in connection with the execution of these Terms of Reference (TOR). The contents of written materials obtained and used in this assignment may not be disclosed to any third parties without the express advance written authorization of the ILO. All intellectual property rights arising from the execution of these TORs are assigned to the International Labour Organization. The intellectual property rights of the materials modified through the assignment remain with the International Labour Organization.</p><h3>7.1 Reporting arrangements</h3><p>The consultant will be under the supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor for ILO PROSPECTS Kenya, and the MEL Officer. The MEL Officer will be responsible for supplying the service provider with all necessary documentation related to this exercise and providing day-to-day support and coordination.</p><h4>7.2 Supervision and logistical arrangements</h4><p>The hired service provider will perform the assignment under the overall supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor for ILO PROSPECTS Kenya. The firm will work directly with PROSPECTS National MEL Officer, and with the overall technical guidance of the ILO PROSPECTS Global M&amp;E Officer and an international consultant in charge of data analysis and report writing. The assignment will also be conducted in close collaboration with PROSPECTS implementing partners in target areas.</p><h2>8.Eligibility requirement</h2><p>The consulting firm must be legally registered in Kenya and possess a valid business license relevant to consultancy, research, or economic analysis services.</p><h3>9.Mandatory compliance documents</h3><p>The following documents shall be required at the submission stage:</p><p> • Certificate of Incorporation</p><p> • Company KRA PIN Certificate</p><p> • Valid Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC)</p><p> • Company profile</p><h2><br></h2>

International Labour Organization (ILO)

National Consultancy Services On Conducting Tracer Study In Kenya

International Labour Organization (ILO)