Eurocities is looking for an External Evaluator to assess the impact of its activities implemented under the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) operating grants 2022 and 2025. Read the full call here.
Background
Eurocities is the political platform for major European cities. We network the local governments of over 150 of Europe’s largest cities and more than 40 partner cities that between them govern some 130 million citizens across 39 countries.
Among other priorities, Eurocities and its members are committed to implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) by tackling the causes of social exclusion, eradicating all forms of discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all. The Eurocities’ Social Affairs Forum (SAF) supports exchanges of experience and know-how among cities pertaining to these goals.
These activities are supported by the European Commission under the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme for the period 2022-2025 in the fields of employment, social protection, social inclusion and poverty reduction.
The four-year ‘InclusiveCities4All’ grant partnership between Eurocities and the European Commission defines the following four objectives:
- Provide research and data about social inclusion in cities for a more locally grounded Social Europe;
- Increase capacity of cities to implement better social policies in key areas of social inclusion (mutual learning programme on EPSR).
- Engage Eurocities members’ into EU policy initiatives and funding in the area of social inclusion and combatting poverty;
- Dissemination of findings from cities amongst EU institutions, international organisations, regional and national authorities, research community, practitioners, journalists and media.
Objective and scope
The evaluator will be expected to concentrate on two main objectives of the ‘InclusiveCities4All’ grant. The first objective involves increasing the capacity of cities to implement better social policies through Eurocities’ mutual learning programme on EPSR. The evaluator will provide independent feedback on the added value and impact of this programme, reviewing whether and how the mutual learning methodologies have facilitated knowledge exchange and practical application in local policies.
Recommendations will be made to improve monitoring and effectiveness, with success measured by specific indicators: 70% of participants reporting increased capacity to develop new policy and 70% of cities developing new action plans or policies as a result of the programme.
The second objective focuses on engaging Eurocities members in EU social inclusion policies and funding through the ‘Inclusive Cities For All’ political campaign. The evaluator will map the outcomes of this campaign, assessing how city pledges have contributed to the EPSR action plan and the extent to which the EC grant has raised awareness of the EPSR among member cities. The evaluation will also identify success factors and challenges, measuring impact through indicators such as the annual number of city pledges and the follow-up information provided by cities.
The evaluator’s tasks will include reviewing grant documentation and materials, developing an evaluation plan, conducting outcome mapping of the political campaign, and assessing the grant’s impact on awareness-raising. They will also review the effectiveness of various mutual learning methodologies and analyse the impact of these programmes on cities’ abilities to contribute to EU social policy goals.
Based on the findings, the evaluator will provide recommendations for improving the mutual learning programme to enhance its impact on city-level policy design and implementation. These recommendations will inform future project proposals, aiming to refine the programme’s content, structure, methodologies, and engagement strategies.
Price
The maximum amount available for this call is 27,000 EUR (VAT excluded). Bidders should note that any bid exceeding this amount will not be considered.
The bid must include all costs and all expenses incurred directly and indirectly by the evaluator in performing the tasks, including three travels (x1 to a mutual learning activity in an EU country and x2 to Brussels for the kick-off and final meeting with the SAF team).
The maximum amount has been calculated considering 30 working days with a daily rate of 900 EUR.
Selection criteria
The bid should include:
- A brief background of the applicant, including portfolio/examples of previous projects; and
- A description of the methodological approach suggested to perform the evaluation.
The evaluator will be selected based on the candidate’s professional and technical capacity and the offer’s value for money.
Experience in impact assessment and evaluation of European projects in urban issues, employment and social fields will be an asset.
Interested candidates should pursue the full call here.
The applications must be sent by 29 July 2024 to both:
Michaela Lednova, Head of Social Affairs, michaela.lednova@eurocities.eu and Guillermo Álvarez, Director of Projects Finance, guillermo.alvarez@eurocities.eu