Terms of Reference for Endline Evaluation

Promoting Circularity in the Tamil Nadu Leather Cluster for Solid Waste Management 

About Solidaridad

Solidaridad is an international civil society organization, headquartered in Netherlands, with over 50 years of experience in developing solutions to make communities more resilient and create more sustainable supply chains. The organization is driven to bring together supply chain actors and engage them in innovative solutions to improve production, and support the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes the benefit for all. We aspire to transform production practices in such a way that it provides fair and profitable business opportunities, guarantee decent working conditions and a living wage, and do not deplete landscapes where people thrive. Our strategy focuses on using innovative solutions, models, tools, and policies to bring more sustainable and inclusive production to scale and speed.

Project Background

Solidaridad Regional Expertise Centre (SREC) has been implementing the project Promoting Circularity in the Tamil Nadu Leather Cluster for Solid Waste Management with the overall objective to create the capacities and conditions among the Chennai 100 SME tanneries and their Industry partners for the wide scale adoption of these circular tanning and leather finishing practices is required to achieve the following results:

• Reduce the amount of solid waste that ends up in the open spaces/landfills which degrades environment
• Improve the public health situation for workers and people living near leather cluster in Tamil Nadu.
• Enhanced international competitiveness and market access of leather export products from Tamil Nadu.
  
  

The project is implemented in partnership with European Union across four leather clusters (Ambur, Pallavaram, Ranipet & Vaniyambadi) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Endline Evaluation Study

Purpose and Objectives
As the project is nearing completion, an Endline Evaluation is being commissioned to assess the outcomes, impact, and learnings from the intervention. The findings will help inform future programming, scale-up opportunities, and documentation of best practices. 

Based on the goals and objectives of the project, the purpose of the endline evaluation study will include, but not limited to:

• To conduct an endline study to measure the status at the end of the project to assess the results achieved (intended and unintended, direct, and indirect) against the goals and outcomes of the project.
• To assess the awareness and adoption of tannery of sustainable solid waste management practices
• To evaluate the impact of the implemented technologies under the project in tanneries
• To assess the role of industry association with tannery in the identified cluster
• To Identify the areas where project outcomes can potentially be scaled to new levels or geographies.
• The endline will assess performance using the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria — relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability — while also verifying EU grant compliance (eligibility, procurement traceability, audit readiness), EU visibility, FCRA/charitable status safeguards, and gender mainstreaming as per the project’s Gender Action Plan (GAP).
  
  

Methodology and Sample

The evaluator must prepare a sampling plan with stratification by cluster and participation status, using statistically justified sample sizes based on a 100-SME target. Sampling design should allow detection of adoption and waste-reduction effects with 90–95% confidence. 

To strengthen attribution, the evaluation should apply matched comparison or pre-post methods (e.g., Difference-in-Differences) where feasible, and report data limitations transparently. 

A set of indicators have been defined to measure and the agency shall be expected to assess on the predefined indicators. The methodology adopted, which will be finalized after consultation with Solidaridad, shall have an analytical model that provide insights into the causal and significant factors that affect the outcome indicators. 

The target group of the survey will be

• Tannery Owners
• Industry Associations
• Non- Associated Tannery Owners
• Government Departments
  
  

For registered tanneries, quantitative survey will be conducted. The project team will provide the overall coverage (total no. of tanneries) of the project. For estimating the sample size and preparing the sample design, the agency will suggest statistically appropriate design and number of tanneries for conducting the assessment.

Qualitative surveys like focused group discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), In-depth interviews (IDIs), etc. will be conducted amongst the rest of the stakeholders.

The relevant tools will be finalized in consultation with Solidaridad before administering fieldwork. The selected evaluators will apply triangulation approach towards authentication of information using both primary and secondary data sources.

It is expected of the agency to present indicator wise assessment method, stakeholder to be interviewed and the data validation measures that shall be undertaken.

Scope of Work

The consultant/agency will be responsible for:

• Assess the progress made towards the project’s objectives, focusing on both implementation and impact aspects. The evaluation must measure outcomes and impacts against the revised Annex I log frame indicators and targets, including: 1.04M kg solid waste repurposed, reductions in TDS (30%)/TSS (10%), groundwater savings, ~600 tCO?e avoided, and the 100 SMEs adopting Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) practices.
• To assess all pilot demonstration unit results strictly as proof-of-concept activities, not as commercialization outcomes. Each pilot’s process, participation, and business case should be documented as per Work Package A of the proposal.
• Verify host-site selection transparency; document access for stakeholders/auditors; confirm equipment ownership remained with the project and EU visibility was applied.
• Evaluate IFLMEA’s role in mobilizing MSMEs, supporting trainings, and managing dissemination, ensuring that project benefits reached multiple MSMEs rather than being concentrated in a single private entity.
• Assess implementation of Gender Action Plan (GAP) and Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) initiatives, covering participation levels, facilities, materials, and women’s engagement, with disaggregated data and qualitative insights.
• Assess the project’s readiness for scale-up and financial sustainability, including the strength of public-private partnerships, financial institution linkages, off taker engagement, and policy integration for post-project continuation.
• Identify new interventions which have potential based on evaluation of the value chain
• Conduct stakeholder discussion (15-20 tannery owners under the project, interviews with key industry association and academics like NIFT, PISIE, CLE, LSSC etc. state departments like MSME, TNPCB, CLRI etc., finished good players) to understand their perspective on the activities implemented and feedback on potential new avenues for interventions in the value chain.
• Creation of business case based on interventions proposed for continuation, new interventions proposed and potential scale up in existing/ new cluster for the program
• Formulate a future road map for strategic direction of existing program and implementation in a planned manner over the years.
• Detailed discussion with Solidaridad Officials and experts to capture project insights.
• Submit a draft report of top-line findings to the project team.
• Final presentation of the key insights from the study to Solidaridad.
• Clean, analyse and interpret data using appropriate statistical tools.
• Draft study tools and protocols.
• Implement data collection - this includes both data collection and supervision of the process to ensure high quality and fidelity of the data collected; 
  
  

Deliverables

• A consolidated report (both hard copy and soft copy) and organized according to the scope of the work mentioned above
• The list of indicators, filled in with impact information
• Entire data collected on field
• A power point presentation
• Soft copy of analysis and databases of the study
• A Business Case Sheet for each demonstrated technology, detailing inputs, operating costs, yields, waste reduced, financial benefits, and payback periods, validated by the relevant tannery or association.
• Verify consistent application of EU visibility (logos, disclaimers, acknowledgments) across all outputs- including trainings, reports, and the LTIP dashboard- supported by a visibility evidence pack (photos, screenshots, and materials).
• Develop a structured Process Documentation Pack for EU audit readiness, including Sources of Verification, attendance lists, photos, demonstration logs, test reports, procurement notes, and communication samples.
• Presentation of key insights and emerging themes from study for at learning session organised for Solidaridad team
• The Final report should systematically assess the programme’s impact, offering factual support, analysis of activities and related results observed, and synthesis if all information received for purposes of conclusions & recommendations.
  
  

Duration and Timeline

The endline evaluation will be carried out over a period of 2 months. The tentative time schedule will be: 

 General terms

• Solidaridad reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal without giving any verbal and/or written rationale;
• The intellectual Property rights for all reports and documents prepared during the assignment will be with Solidaridad;
• The reports/documents or any part, therefore, cannot be sold, used and reproduced in any manner without prior written approval of Solidaridad;
• Solidaridad reserves the right to monitor the quality and progress of the work during the assignment;
• Solidaridad will reserve the right to extent or cancel the agreement (if required).
  
  

Submission of Proposals
Proposals shall be submitted by email to procurementdelhi@solidaridad.in , addressed to The Procurement Team

Email shall be marked with the subject line as: Endline Study “Promoting Circularity in the Tamil Nadu Leather Cluster for Solid Waste Management” 

The last date for receiving proposals is 10th November, 2025. 

Acceptance of Proposals

• SREC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, or any item or part thereof, or to waive any informalities or irregularities in proposals.
• SREC reserves the right to withdraw this RFP at any time without prior notice and SREC makes no representations that any contract will be awarded to any Proposer responding to this RFP. 
  
  

Job Email ID: procurementdelhi(at)solidaridad.in