Consultant for External Endline Evaluation of the Project “ENHANCING BORDER MANAGEMENT CAPACITY”

The International Organization for Migration, with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Japan, implemented the project “Enhancing Border Management Capacity” from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026. 

The project is aimed to strengthen the operational and institutional capacities of Pakistan’s immigration and border management authorities. Its overall objective was to contribute to the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration through more efficient and effective border and migration management practices. 

The project was implemented in close collaboration with relevant government institutions, principally the Federal Investigation Agency, the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, Police authorities and selected civil society organizations. 

The project included, among others, the following interventions: 

• delivery of Training of Trainers programmes and specialized capacity-building activities for immigration and border management officials; 

• participation of government officials in international training activities, technical exchanges and events to increase exposure to international standards and good practices; 

• refurbishment and institutional strengthening of the FIA Training Academy; 

• provision of vehicles and logistical support for the transportation and management of migrants in irregular situations; 

• infrastructure, equipment and technology support for land border crossing points, international airports and Anti-Human Trafficking Circles; 

• capacity-building on victim identification, screening, referral, trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling; and 

• engagement with civil society organizations and relevant government stakeholders on protection-sensitive immigration and border management practices. 

The project covered locations across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad Capital Territory. 

Contextual Environment 

Pakistan has a complex migration landscape and functions as a country of origin, transit and destination. Regional geopolitical developments, particularly developments in Afghanistan, have influenced cross-border movements and placed additional operational pressure on Pakistan’s immigration and border management institutions. 

During the implementation period, the project operated within an evolving policy, security and operational environment. Government priorities and institutional requirements changed over time, while some initially planned interventions were affected by procedural requirements, feasibility considerations, security constraints, government austerity measures and the need for multi-stakeholder approvals. 

Government counterparts increasingly prioritized interventions capable of generating immediate and practical operational improvements at border crossing points, airports and Anti-Human Trafficking Circles. Consequently, the project adapted its intervention mix and placed increased emphasis on infrastructure, equipment, logistical support and practical capacity-building. 

The evaluation will examine the relevance and effectiveness of these adaptations and assess project performance in light of the operational and policy context prevailing during implementation. 

 Purpose of the Evaluation 

The primary purpose of the evaluation is to support organizational learning and future programme development by independently assessing the performance of the project and identifying good practices, lessons learned and actionable recommendations. 

The evaluation will also provide accountability to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Japan, Government of Pakistan counterparts, IOM Pakistan senior management, the IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and other relevant institutional stakeholders. 

 Evaluation Objectives 

The evaluation will: 

• assess the achievement of planned outputs and outcomes against the approved Results Matrix and available project monitoring information; 

• examine the relevance of the project design, intervention mix and implementation strategies to the needs and priorities of government border management institutions; 

• assess the effectiveness of the project in strengthening operational, technical and institutional border management capacities; 

• assess the efficiency of project implementation, delivery modalities, management arrangements, partnerships and use of financial, human and technical resources; 

• examine the project’s contribution to improved border management, management of irregular migration, border security and protection-sensitive migration governance; 

• assess the coherence of the project with relevant Government of Pakistan priorities, IOM strategic frameworks, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and other related interventions; 

• assess the prospects for sustainability, institutional ownership, continued use and possible scaling of project-supported systems, infrastructure, equipment and capacity-building interventions; 

• assess the extent to which gender, protection, disability inclusion, human rights, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and do-no-harm principles were integrated into project design and implementation; 

• analyze the project’s adaptability and responsiveness to changes in the implementation context; and 

• generate evidence-based findings, conclusions, lessons learned and practical recommendations for future immigration and border governance programming. 

 Evaluation Scope 

Temporal Scope 

The evaluation will cover the complete project implementation period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026. 

Geographical Scope 

The evaluation will cover project-supported interventions across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad Capital Territory. 

Field data collection will be undertaken at a representative selection of locations, which may include: 

• the FIA Training Academy; 

• FIA Headquarters and zonal offices; 

• international airports; 

• selected land border crossing points; 

• Anti-Human Trafficking Circles; and 

• offices or operational sites of relevant government and civil society stakeholders. 

The final geographic coverage and fieldwork modality will be determined during the inception phase in consultation with IOM, taking into account security, access, operational sensitivity, representativeness, available resources and the application of conflict-sensitive and do-no-harm principles. 

Thematic Scope 

The evaluation will assess performance under the project’s three outcomes: 

1. Border management agencies effectively manage borders and prevent irregular migration. 

2. Immigration and border management agencies demonstrate improved technological capacities to efficiently manage borders and curb irregular migration. 

3. Immigration and border management authorities support migrants in irregular situations through improved facilities, procedures and knowledge. 

4.  Evaluation Criteria and Indicative Questions 

The evaluation will be guided by the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria. The indicative evaluation questions will be refined through the evaluation matrix during the inception phase. 

Relevance 

• To what extent were project interventions relevant to the needs and priorities of the Federal Investigation Agency, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control and other stakeholders? 

• To what extent did the project remain relevant in light of changes in the policy, institutional and operational context? 

• To what extent was the project aligned with relevant Government of Pakistan policies and action plans, IOM’s Strategic Results Framework, the UNSDCF, Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Migration? 

Coherence 

• To what extent was the project coherent with other immigration and border governance interventions in Pakistan? 

• To what extent did the project complement, duplicate or overlap with interventions implemented by government institutions, United Nations agencies, international organizations or civil society actors? 

Effectiveness 

• To what extent did the project achieve its planned outputs and outcomes? 

• What internal and external factors supported or constrained the achievement of results? 

• To what extent did adaptations in implementation strategy contribute to the achievement of results? 

• To what extent did the project strengthen the knowledge, skills, systems and operational capacities of immigration and border management institutions? 

Efficiency 

• To what extent were financial, human and technical resources used efficiently? 

• To what extent were project management, implementation arrangements, procurement processes and partnership modalities appropriate and timely? 

• Were project results achieved within reasonable costs and timeframes, taking into account the prevailing operational context? 

Impact 

• What evidence exists of the project’s contribution to strengthening border management capacity in Pakistan? 

• To what extent did the project contribute to improved management of irregular migration and enhanced border security? 

• Were there any intended or unintended positive or negative effects arising from project interventions? 

Sustainability 

• To what extent are project benefits likely to continue beyond project closure? 

• To what extent have government counterparts assumed ownership of project-supported infrastructure, equipment, systems and capacity-building interventions? 

• What institutional, financial, operational or policy risks may affect the sustainability of project results? 

Cross-Cutting Considerations 

• To what extent were gender, disability, protection and human rights considerations integrated into project design and implementation? 

• To what extent did the project contribute to protection-sensitive treatment of migrants in vulnerable or irregular situations? 

• To what extent were stakeholder participation, institutional ownership and partnership principles integrated into implementation? 

• To what extent did project adaptations maintain consistency with do-no-harm, safeguarding and conflict-sensitivity principles? 

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•  Evaluation Methodology 

The consultant will apply a mixed-methods, theory-based, utilization-focused and participatory evaluation approach. 

The methodology will be finalized during the inception phase and will include, at a minimum: 

Desk Review 

Review of relevant documentation, including: 

• project proposal and approved revisions; 

• Results Matrix and monitoring frameworks; 

• interim, final, narrative and financial reports; 

• project workplans and implementation records; 

• training reports, pre- and post-training assessments and participant information; 

• procurement, infrastructure and equipment records; 

• relevant government strategies, policies and action plans; 

• donor agreements and reporting documentation; 

• IOM strategic and policy documents; and 

• relevant assessments, reviews and evaluations. 

Quantitative Analysis 

Analysis of available project monitoring and results data, including progress against output and outcome indicators, training assessment results, infrastructure and equipment records and other relevant quantitative evidence. 

The evaluation is not expected to undertake an impact survey where adequate sampling frames or baseline data are unavailable. The consultant will assess data availability during the inception phase and propose realistic quantitative methods. 

Qualitative Data Collection 

Qualitative methods may include: 

• key informant interviews with representatives of FIA, the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, Police, civil society organizations, IOM staff, and other relevant stakeholders; 

• case studies illustrating institutional change, good practices, implementation adaptations or operational improvements; and 

• structured field observations at selected project-supported sites. 

Triangulation 

The consultant will systematically triangulate findings across documentary, quantitative, qualitative and observational evidence. 

All findings, conclusions and recommendations must be traceable to credible evidence and clearly linked to the evaluation questions. 

 Ethics and Data Protection 

The evaluation will comply with UNEG Ethical Guidelines, IOM Data Protection Principles and the IOM Code of Conduct for Evaluations. 

The consultant will ensure: 

• informed and voluntary consent; 

• confidentiality and anonymity of respondents; 

• secure collection, storage, processing and transfer of evaluation data; 

• culturally appropriate and gender-responsive data collection; 

• protection-sensitive engagement with migrants and vulnerable respondents; 

• application of do-no-harm and conflict-sensitivity principles; 

• prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment; 

• disclosure and management of actual or perceived conflicts of interest; and 

• referral and escalation of any safeguarding or protection concerns in accordance with IOM-approved procedures. 

No personally identifiable information may be included in the evaluation report or annexes without explicit authorization. 

Anticipated Limitations 

The consultant will consider and propose mitigation measures for limitations including: 

• access restrictions affecting government documentation, project sites or stakeholders; 

• political and operational sensitivity surrounding border management and irregular migration; 

• security and logistical constraints affecting field travel; 

• limited accessibility or traceability of migrants who may have benefited from project-supported services; 

• attribution challenges resulting from the contribution of other actors and external contextual factors; 

• partial or adapted implementation of originally planned activities; and 

• geographic dispersion of project-supported locations. 

The evaluation will focus on contribution rather than direct attribution where causal attribution is not methodologically feasible. 

Intended Users 

Primary users of the evaluation include: 

• IOM Pakistan Immigration and Border Governance programme team; 

• IOM Pakistan Programme Support Unit; 

• IOM Pakistan senior management; 

• IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific; 

• IOM Headquarters Evaluation Unit; and 

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Japan. 

Secondary users include the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, Federal Investigation Agency, other government partners, civil society organizations and relevant project stakeholders. 

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is Contributing: 

Organizational Unit: Migration Management Division - Immigration and Border Governance Unit, IOM Pakistan 

Project Name: Enhancing Border Management Capacity 

Commissioned by: IOM Pakistan 

The consultancy will be managed by the Senior Programme Manager, Immigration and Border Governance, IOM Pakistan, under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission, IOM Pakistan. 

Technical support and quality assurance will be provided by the National Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Programme Support Unit, IOM Pakistan, and the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation function of the IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok. 

IOM will facilitate reasonable access to relevant project documents, monitoring information and stakeholders. The consultant will remain responsible for the independent design, implementation, analysis and reporting of the evaluation. 

• understanding of the assignment and evaluability assessment; 

• reconstructed or refined Theory of Change, where required; 

• detailed evaluation methodology; 

• evaluation matrix linking evaluation questions, indicators, data sources and methods; 

• sampling strategy and proposed geographic coverage; 

• stakeholder mapping; 

• data collection tools and interview protocols; 

• data analysis plan; 

• ethical, safeguarding and data protection arrangements; 

• limitations and mitigation measures; 

• quality assurance arrangements; and 

• detailed workplan and schedule. 

The consultant will present the inception report to IOM and incorporate comments before commencing primary data collection. 

Delivery date: Within nine working days of contract commencement, with final approval prior to field data collection. 

Payment: 20 per cent of the total consultancy fee, following satisfactory review and written acceptance by IOM. 

Deliverable 2: Completion of Data Collection and Debriefing 

The consultant will complete the approved data collection process, including relevant interviews, focus group discussions, document review, field observations and case study documentation. The consultant will submit: 

• a brief data collection completion note; 

• an updated list of stakeholders consulted, disaggregated by relevant categories without disclosing confidential personal information; 

• a summary of fieldwork completed against the approved sampling plan; 

• a summary of limitations, deviations and mitigation actions; 

• securely organized evaluation data and notes, in accordance with IOM data protection requirements; and 

• a presentation of preliminary findings and emerging issues to IOM Pakistan. 

Delivery date: Within approximately 24 calendar days of contract commencement, or as agreed in the approved inception report. 

Payment: 25 per cent of the total consultancy fee, following satisfactory completion and written acceptance by IOM. 

Deliverable 3: Draft Evaluation Report 

The consultant will submit a complete draft evaluation report that: 

• responds systematically to the approved evaluation questions; 

• presents findings under the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria and applicable cross-cutting themes; 

• distinguishes findings, conclusions, lessons learned and recommendations; 

• demonstrates transparent triangulation of evidence; 

• presents quantitative results accurately and explains applicable data limitations; 

• includes practical, prioritized and evidence-based recommendations; 

• identifies intended recommendation owners and suggested implementation timeframes; 

• includes relevant case studies, tables and figures; and 

• conforms to the IOM Evaluation Report Guidelines and applicable UNEG quality standards. 

The draft report will include an executive summary, project and evaluation background, methodology and limitations, findings, conclusions, lessons learned and good practices, recommendations and annexes. 

The consultant will present the preliminary findings during a validation meeting and address factual corrections and substantiated comments while preserving the independence of the evaluation. 

Delivery date: Within approximately 34 calendar days of contract commencement, or as agreed in the approved inception report. 

Payment: 30 per cent of the total consultancy fee, following satisfactory review and written acceptance by IOM. 

Deliverable 4: Final Evaluation Package 

The consultant will submit a complete final evaluation package incorporating agreed comments from IOM Pakistan, the IOM Regional Office and other designated reviewers. The final package will include: 

• final evaluation report; 

• executive summary of no more than four pages; 

• two- to three-page evaluation brief using the applicable IOM template; 

• final presentation of key findings, conclusions and recommendations; 

• partially completed management response matrix, including recommendations, responsible units and proposed priority levels; 

• final annexes and supporting materials; 

• final evidence matrix or comment-response matrix showing how review comments were addressed; and 

• cleaned and securely organized non-personal evaluation datasets and supporting material, where applicable. 

The consultant will participate in a dissemination webinar or knowledge-sharing event for IOM, the donor and selected stakeholders. 

Delivery date: No later than 49 calendar days following contract commencement, subject to timely receipt of consolidated comments from IOM. 

Payment: 25 per cent of the total consultancy fee, following satisfactory completion and written acceptance of the final evaluation package by IOM.

Education 

An advanced university degree, preferably a master’s degree, in governance, development studies, public policy, international relations, migration studies, social sciences, public administration, statistics, economics, law, governance or another field relevant to the assignment. 

Professional Experience 

• at least five years of progressively responsible professional experience in monitoring, evaluation, research, policy analysis or programme assessment; 

• demonstrated experience in designing and conducting independent evaluations for United Nations agencies, international organizations, bilateral donors, government institutions or international non-governmental organizations; 

• experience conducting evaluations using OECD-DAC criteria and UNEG Norms and Standards; 

• experience applying mixed-methods evaluation approaches, including document review, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, field observations and quantitative data analysis; 

• experience preparing evaluation matrices, sampling strategies, data collection tools and evidence-based evaluation reports; 

• experience working in complex, politically sensitive, fragile or security-constrained operational environments; 

• experience engaging senior government officials, institutional stakeholders, civil society organizations and international development partners; and 

• no prior involvement in the design or implementation of the project being evaluated that could compromise actual or perceived independence. 

Technical Expertise 

The consultant should demonstrate expertise in at least two of the following areas: 

• immigration and border governance; 

• migration governance and management of irregular migration; 

• migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons; 

• integrated border management systems; 

• institutional capacity development; 

• border control operations, including airports and land border crossing points; 

• governance, policy and institutional strengthening; 

• protection-sensitive migration management; 

• infrastructure, equipment or technology-focused institutional support; and 

• gender equality, human rights, disability inclusion, safeguarding and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. 

Knowledge of Pakistan’s migration governance and border management institutional landscape, including the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control and Federal Investigation Agency, is highly desirable. 

Analytical and Technical Skills 

• excellent analytical, critical thinking and synthesis skills; 

• excellent English report-writing and presentation skills; 

• demonstrated ability to translate complex evidence into clear conclusions and practical recommendations; 

• proficiency in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis; 

• familiarity with relevant digital data collection and analysis tools, such as KoboToolbox, SPSS, Stata, R, Excel, NVivo, Atlas.ti or equivalent applications; 

• strong facilitation, interviewing and stakeholder engagement skills; 

• ability to work independently and manage multiple deliverables under strict deadlines; and 

• ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately. 

Languages 

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. 

• Working knowledge of Urdu is required for stakeholder consultations and fieldwork. 

• Working knowledge of Pashto is highly desirable. 

• Knowledge of Dari is considered an asset where engagement with Afghan communities is required.