RFP-RO01-003661 MMC Quantitative Research on Mixed Movements along the Southern Route

Terms of Reference (TOR) for MMC Quantitative Research on Mixed Movements along the Southern Route

1. Who is the Danish Refugee Council?
Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. Active in 40 countries with 9,000 employees and supported by 7,500 volunteers, DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence.
MMC is a global network engaged in data collection, research, analysis, and policy and programmatic development on mixed migration, with regional hubs hosted in DRC regional offices in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Latin America, and a global team based across Geneva and Brussels. MMC is a leading source for independent and high-quality data, research, analysis and expertise. MMC aims to increase understanding of mixed migration, to positively impact global and regional migration policies, to inform evidence-based protection responses for people on the move and to stimulate forward thinking in public and policy debates on mixed migration. MMC’s overarching focus is on human rights and protection for all people on the move.
Since 2014, MMC has been implementing its flagship 4Mi project, which aims to offer a regular, standardized, quantitative system of collecting primary data on mixed migration to establish a solid evidence base on the needs and protection incidents facing people on the move. 4Mi consists of a unique network of field enumerators situated along frequently used routes and in major migratory hubs. Field enumerators are trained and closely supervised and use a smart phone-based survey application to record and transmit completed interviews to regional 4Mi hubs for storage and analysis. 4Mi uses standard closed question surveys to invite respondents to anonymously self-report on a wide range of issues, including migratory drivers, means of movement, conditions of movement, the smuggler economy, aspirations and destination choices, and protection incidents. Over the years, in Eastern and Southern Africa, 4Mi has been implemented in Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Read more about 4Mi here: http://www.mixedmigration.org/4mi/.

2. Purpose of the consultancy
The Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) Eastern and Southern Africa, Egypt, and Yemen hub, based in Nairobi, seeks to hire a consultant for its Southern Route project, funded by UNHCR. This project involves conducting quantitative research with refugees and migrants in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The consultant’s responsibilities include obtaining authorization for data collection from the respective authorities, recruiting qualified enumerators, providing training, and overseeing the collection of 1,000 surveys in each of the listed countries. Additionally, the consultant will work closely with the MMC team to ensure adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during data collection and that all data meets MMC’s minimum quality standards.
The selected consultancy should have the legal right to operate in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. However, firms with the right to operate in only some of these countries are still encouraged to apply, as DRC will evaluate bids accordingly.

3. Background
The Southern Route is one of the most established in the continent with people taking journeys of up to 4,000 kilometers, the approximate distance from Addis Ababa to Johannesburg, to reach their destinations. South Africa is a host to more than 250,000 refugees and asylum seekers from various African regions including the East and Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes and Southern Africa. While South Africa is often the intended destination for most people travelling this route, others remain in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, either by choice or out of circumstances.
Like many other mixed movement routes worldwide, people taking the Southern Route use various modes of transport including road, sea, air, or a combination. Their choice often depends on access to finances, documentation and information, which in turn influences their exposure to protection risks on the journey. In a study conducted by MMC in 2022, 47% of people interviewed in South Africa from the East and Horn of Africa used flights and overland travel. Additionally, almost all of those coming from the Great Lakes and Southern Africa regions travelled exclusively overland. These widely taken overland journeys involve clandestine means such as enclosed shipment containers or trekking for days through forests and deserted areas, significantly increasing their vulnerabilities.
To strengthen policymaking and service provision, it is vital to have up-to-date information on the profiles, routes, decision-making processes, protection risks, and assistance gaps affecting refugees and migrants. However, this information remains limited and fragmented, creating challenges for evidence-based planning and response efforts. Addressing these gaps is essential to ensure that policies and services are both effective and responsive to the needs of these populations.

4. Objective of the consultancy
To support in-depth analysis, the hired consultant will conduct a quantitative research project in close collaboration with MMC across the following countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The consultant will be required to:
• Process authorizations for data collection in the countries mentioned above.
• Work with MMC to understand how best to conduct data collection in country including identifying the ideal locations and number of enumerators per location.
• Manage the recruitment of enumerators in each of the countries.
• Participate in a Training of Trainers (TOT) of the 4Mi tool and MMC SOPs facilitated by MMC.
• Develop a PowerPoint training package on the survey tools.
• Organize and facilitate a 2-day training of the enumerators in each country with MMC.
• Facilitate a pilot exercise and inform the Information Management Officer (IMO) regarding data validation. They will then provide feedback based on the pilot and start the data collection process.
• Using the data collection software provided by MMC, conduct 5000 valid surveys with refugees and migrants. 1000 in each of the following countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
• Manage data collection processes on the ground and ensure enumerators meet the daily target. Communicate feedback to the 4Mi enumerators concerning survey quality after data validation is carried out by the IMO.

5. Scope of work and Methodology
The consultancy will take place from February to August 2025. This will involve direct interviews with refugee and migrant respondents aged 18 and above, and who have been in the countries outlined in section 4 above for 24 months or less.
Sampling will be conducted in different locations within the highlighted countries and enumerators will be situated along mixed movement routes into Southern Africa.

6. Deliverables
The Consultant will submit the following deliverables as mentioned below:

Assignment – Quantitative research on mixed movements along the Southern Route

Expected deliverables – Authorization in each country, Training materials & 5000 valid surveys (1000 per country)

Indicative description tasks
• Support in gaining authorizations for data collection in the countries mentioned above
• Work with MMC to understand how best to conduct data collection in country including identifying the ideal locations
• Manage the recruitment of enumerators in each of the countries.
• Participate in a Training of Trainers facilitated by MMC.
• Develop a PowerPoint training package on the survey tools and profiles of respondents
• Organize and facilitate a 2-day training of the enumerators in each country.
• Facilitate the pilot exercise and inform the Information Management Officer (IMO) regarding data
validation. They will then provide feedback based on the pilot and start the data collection process.
• Using the data collection software provided by MMC, conduct interviews with 5000 refugees and migrants. 1000 in each of the following countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
• Manage data collection processes on the ground and ensure enumerators meet the daily target. Communicate feedback to the 4Mi enumerators concerning survey quality after data validation is carried out by the IMO.

Maximum expected timeframe – 7 months (February to August 2025)
The Consultant will provide the documentation by email on a Word, PDF document and link format.

7. Duration, timeline, and payment
The total time period for the assignment will be no more than 7 months, within which the consultant will work on data collection in the five countries.
The consultant shall be prepared to complete the assignment no later than 31st August 2025.
DRC will make an initial payment of 30% of the total costs upon submission of an inception report and the remaining amount upon completion of the work.

8. Proposed Composition of Team
• Principal researcher
• Assistant researcher(s) per country
• Enumerator teams per country

9. Eligibility, qualification, and experience required
Essential:
• The consultancy is open to both firms, academic institutions and individuals. Individuals or research team managers should have an advanced degree (Master or PhD) in migration studies or the social sciences, with expertise in quantitative research methods.
• At least five years of experience conducting primary data collection and managing research projects, with at least three years of these being within the migration field.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing research on migration and similar relevant topics.
• A proven knowledge and understanding (e.g. through prior publications or data collection) of mixed movement dynamics in southern Africa.
• Familiarity with the context and proven access to relevant stakeholders for data collection permits.
• Registration to work in all five countries is strongly preferred. However, if you are only registered in some of the countries you are still encouraged to apply.
• Proven experience working in all five countries. However, if you only have capacity to work in some of the countries, you are still encouraged to apply, clearly stating the countries the countries you have worked in before.
• Ability to independently carry out data collection with refugees and migrants specifically using quantitative methods.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English.
Desirable:
• Working knowledge in any of the following languages: Somali, Swahili, and/or an Ethiopian language (Tigrinya, Oromo, Amharic) is desirable.
• Trained in the past by MMC on protection, ethical guidelines and SOPs, and data collection methods to name a few.

10. Technical supervision
The selected consultant will work under the supervision of:
• MMC Project Manager, Lavina Ranjan, [email protected]
• MMC Project Coordinator, Emmah Wachira, [email protected]

11. Location and support
Most coordination with MMC will take place virtually through bi-weekly calls and weekly update emails. Additionally, the MMC team will provide on-site support in the field, aligned with their travel work plan.
The Consultant will provide a computer, mobile telephones and any other required electronic equipment for the research team.

12. Travel
Travel will be required. The Consultant will be expected to make arrangements for transportation, accommodation, insurance and meals during the assignment, and to make adequate provisions in the Financial Proposal. MMC shall not cover per diem costs.

13. Submission process
Interested individuals that meet requirements should send their proposal and other required documents to the email address [email protected] on or before 10th February 2025 at 5 PM EAT.
Please indicate “MMC Quantitative research on mixed movements along the Southern Route: RFP-RO01-003661” in the subject line of your email application. Submissions shall include:

• Updated CV(s) (4 pages maximum per individual) of consultant or consultant team – if bidding as a company, a company profile should also be included.
• A brief statement on capacity/relevant experience, including examples of previous relevant publications or assignments.
• A brief document outlining a basic strategy and technical approach to the ToR, proposed workplan of activities with timeline and deliverable deadlines (4 pages max)
• A financial proposal in USD with a breakdown budget of both administrative & professional fees

Please refer to the RFP letter of Invite for more detailed information.

14. Evaluation of bids
Please refer to the RFP Letter of Invite.

15. Additional information
For additional information regarding these terms of reference, please send your questions to Regional Supply Chain Manager EAGL RO: [email protected]

Please find complete bidding documents in the following link; RFP-RO01-003661_MMC Quantitative Research on Mixed Movements along the Southern Route Consultancy