This strategic evaluation will assess the extent to which WFP effectively and efficiently deploys the most appropriate information and communication technology applications (and underlying infrastructure) to achieve its objectives in constrained environments, and how, why and under which conditions the use of ICTs and data has helped increase WFP’s management and programmatic performance in constrained environments. It will look at how WFP has taken advantage of technological opportunities, and at good practices in adapting ICT applications to evolving constraints. It will also assess whether effective measures are in place to mitigate and manage risks to operations and populations resulting from the use of ICTs and data, and identify lessons learned regarding technology- and data-related risks and how these can best be addressed.

The evaluation is targeted at WFP’s Senior Management, various WFP divisions, the Regional Bureaux and Country Offices, WFP partners (including governments, NGOs/CSOs, private sector,
UN agencies and IFIs) and other actors in the humanitarian and development field to whom the findings of this evaluation might also be of interest. The engagement with WFP management and staff along the evaluation process will provide an opportunity to contribute to the reflections on the WFP Strategic Plan 2022-2026. The evaluation is also expected to provide lessons and insights to support WFP’s digital transformation agenda and help updating norms, standards and guidelines on the implementation of a range of WFP policies including new WFP policies on ICT and Protection currently under preparation.

Strategic Evaluations were introduced by OEV in 2008 to focus on strategic and systemic issues of corporate-wide relevance. The purpose of Strategic Evaluations is to assess global or corporate themes, programmes and initiatives, selected for their relevance to WFP’s strategic direction and management.1 The topic for this evaluation was identified through an advisory study2 commissioned by OEV in 2017 to identify the potential priority themes and topics for strategic evaluations between 2018 and 2021. The study was based on extensive literature review, including 48 past evaluations and syntheses, and stakeholder consultations within and outside WFP.

These Terms of Reference (TORs) are intended to provide key information to evaluation stakeholder and guidance to the evaluation team, as regards the purpose, scope and areas of focus of the evaluation, key evaluation questions, evaluability challenges, suggested evaluation approach and methods, timing and required evaluation expertise. They build on a Concept Note which was widely discussed with WFP colleagues at HQ and Regional Bureaux, complemented by further desk review of WFP guidance and reports, independent evaluations and external research.

The TORs are structured as follows: Section 1 provides information on the context, both external and internal to WFP; Section 2 presents the rationale, objectives, scope and main stakeholders of the evaluation; Section 3 sets out the proposed evaluation approach and methodology; and Chapter 4 indicates how the evaluation will be organized.

The annexes provide additional information on the evaluation timeline (annex 1); the communication and learning plan (annex 2); the results framework derived from the WFP Corporate Information Technology Strategy 2016-2020 (annex 3); a tentative list of possible countries for data collection missions (annex 4); the proposed analytical framework for the evaluation (annex 5); a review of WFP evaluation evidence (annex 6), key documents (annex 7) OEV guidance (annex 8), a description of the introduction process of new technologies in WFP (annex 9), a summary presentation of WFP’s Data Governance Framework (annex 10), a tentative list of ICT applications used by WFP (annex 11), the proposed composition of the Internal Reference Group and External Reference Panel (annex 12), the bibliography and list of people met for the preparation of these TORs (annex 13 & 14).

The evaluation is scheduled to take place from April 2020 (preparation) to February 2022. The evaluation report will be presented at the WFP Executive Board First Regular Session in February 2022.

The evaluation will be conducted by an independent, external evaluation team and managed by WFP’s Office of Evaluation (OEV). Hence these TORs also provide the basis for consulting companies to prepare proposals for undertaking the evaluation and set the parameters for the detailed design of the evaluation in the inception phase