Terms of Reference (ToR) Intel4Value External Final Evaluation

Project Name

Intel4Value – Intelligent Value Chain Management – Building cost-efficient, social inclusive and environmentally sustainable palm oil value chains through integrated management of big data, finance, technical assistance and trading

Project Code (RVO)

SDGP2222CO

Type of Evaluation

External Final Evaluation

Project Duration

01/10/2020 to 30/09/2025

Evaluation Duration

2 months in the first quarter of 2026

Areas of Intervention

María La Baja (Bolívar), Montería (Córdoba), Catatumbo (Norte de Santander)

Project Partners

Solidaridad Europe, Solidaridad Colombia (FSLA), Oleoflores, Cargill, CORPONOR

Donor

RVO – Netherlands Enterprise Agency (SDGP Programme)

Coordinating Entity

Solidaridad Colombia

Objective of the Evaluation

To assess the achievement of the project’s results and indicators as established in the logical framework (Impact pathways and measurement plan) approved by RVO; to analyze the implementation and effects of the recommendations issued in the 2025 Mid-Term Evaluation; and to generate useful evidence on the relevance, sustainability, and impact of the models implemented (digital, financial, environmental, and certification), with the purpose of strengthening future multi-stakeholder interventions in the palm oil sector and responding to new regulatory requirements from governments and the market.

Background

Colombia is the fourth-largest producer of palm oil worldwide, accounting for approximately 2% of global production and leading production in Latin America, where it represents about 40% of regional output. The Colombian palm oil sector plays a strategic role in rural development and economic stability, representing 8% of the agricultural GDP and generating more than 180,000 direct and indirect jobs. Currently, around 6,700 producers, most of them small-scale farmers, participate in this value chain, linked to mills through supply contracts that include technical assistance and financial services. In 2024, crude palm oil (CPO) production in Colombia reached 1.72 million tons, reflecting a 6.6% decrease compared to 2023 because of the El Niño phenomenon on yields and fruit quality.

Over the past decade, the country has advanced in positioning itself as a supplier of sustainable, deforestation-free palm oil, driven by initiatives such as the RSPO Standard for Independent Smallholders and the APSColombia Protocol. However, in 2023 only 28% of national production was certified under voluntary sustainability standards, highlighting the need to strengthen technical capacities, inclusive financing models, and environmental traceability mechanisms that can expand the adoption of sustainable practices among small producers.

In this context, the Intel4Value (I4V) project, implemented between 2021 and 2025, set out to help overcome systemic barriers that limit producers’ access to differentiated markets and financing, promote the adoption of digital technologies and conservation practices, and consolidate a multi-stakeholder approach positioning sustainability as the main competitive differentiator of Colombian palm oil in international markets.

The Intel4Value Project

The project drives both international and local commitments by increasing the production and purchase of sustainable palm oil, ensuring a higher volume of palm oil compliant with Voluntary Sustainability Standards, and generating benefits for workers and the environment in the project’s intervention areas. Through the development and implementation of a step-by-step data-driven tool, the intervention enables farmers and processing plants to plan, monitor, and verify the adoption of sustainable practices and avoid further deforestation in the Catatumbo, Montería, and María La Baja regions.

The project focuses on five impact pathways:

Pathway 1: Development of an innovative, customized, cost-efficient data-driven rural extension service model to support and train farmers.
Pathway 2: Increased volume of palm oil produced by beneficiaries in compliance with standards.
Pathway 3: Market commitments secured to purchase sustainable palm oil.
Pathway 4: Availability of inclusive financial products for producers to improve productivity and compliance.
Pathway 5: Environmental service providers compensated in the Catatumbo area.

The objectives of this project include:

Promoting local and international commitments by increasing the purchase of sustainable palm oil in the supply chains of food, cosmetics, personal care, and energy sectors.
Ensuring a greater volume of oil produced directly by beneficiaries in compliance with Voluntary Sustainability Standards, benefiting workers and the environment.
Scaling and integrating a set of step-by-step data-driven tools that enable farmers, extensionists, processors, and importers to plan, monitor, verify, and accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices.
Developing an inclusive financing scheme that allows for rapid scaling and replication of interventions in the palm oil sector in Colombia and Latin America.
Implementing a pilot Payment for Environmental Services (PES) scheme to provide incentives to producers for their environmental services (such as reducing water contamination, establishing riparian buffers, reforestation, and preventing deforestation).

The project’s consortium of partners comprises:

Solidaridad: Overall project coordinator (Solidaridad Europe) and lead implementer in Colombia (Fundación Solidaridad Latino América – FSLA).
Oleoflores: Colombian milling company, key implementation partner for engaging small producers, certification, and adoption of digital tools.
Cargill: International buyer supporting market access for certified oil and contributing technical expertise on sustainable sourcing.
CORPONOR: Regional environmental authority providing the technical and regulatory framework for the PES scheme in Catatumbo (Norte de Santander).

Key Project results:

– 850 smallholder beneficiaries, with interventions oriented towards sustainability and resilience, as well as all the others included in the Impact Pathways and measurement plan.
– 14.000 hectares under sustainable management practices.
– Implementation of digital tools (Agrolearning, Extension Solution), an inclusive financing scheme (Agropréstamo), and the pilot Payment for Environmental Services (PES).

Justification of the Evaluation

The final evaluation of the Intel4Value project is based on the mandate established by the SDGP fund of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), which requires the completion of an independent external evaluation at the closure of co-financed projects. This evaluation has both a strategic and operational character, as it not only aims to fulfill accountability requirements but also to generate solid and useful evidence for future decision-making.

In this regard, the evaluation aims to rigorously and objectively review:

The degree of achievement of the project’s key results and targets in relation to the indicators approved by RVO.
The level of adoption and implementation of the recommendations issued in the 2025 Mid-Term Evaluation, and how these decisions influenced the course of the project.
The strategies deployed by project partners to address operational challenges in the field, including territorial adjustments derived from security contexts (particularly in Catatumbo).
The performance of the models implemented in critical areas such as digital extension services, certification (RSPO, APSColombia), financial inclusion (Agropréstamo), and the pilot Payment for Environmental Services (PES).
The positioning of the project in response to new international regulatory requirements, such as the EUDR (European Union Regulation on deforestation-free products).

Furthermore, this evaluation represents a key opportunity to identify good practices, limitations, and relevant lessons learned that can strengthen future multi-stakeholder alliances, traceability programs, and rural sustainable development strategies in Colombia and Latin America.

The primary audience for this evaluation includes:

RVO as the funding agency.
Implementing partners (Solidaridad Europe and Colombia, Oleoflores, Cargill, CORPONOR).

The consolidated results may also be shared with:

Technical and industry actors in the palm oil sector (including CENIPALMA and Fedepalma).
Cooperation organizations, financial institutions, and stakeholders interested in scaling similar models.
Palm oil mills, producers, and market actors in the oils and fats industry.

Scope and Approach

The evaluation will cover the entire life cycle of the Intel4Value project, from its start in October 2020 to its closure in September 2025, across the three intervention regions: María La Baja (Bolívar), Córdoba, and Catatumbo (Norte de Santander).

As a priority, the evaluation must address:

The analysis of the achievement of the targets and indicators defined in the logical framework and the official reports submitted to RVO.
The verification of the implementation of the recommendations formulated in the 2025 Mid-Term Evaluation and the assessment of the impact of these decisions on the final results.
The analysis of the level of impact achieved by the project beyond outputs and outcomes, including observable changes at the producer or system level.
The reasoned attribution (contribution) of these impacts to the project’s actions, considering the regional context and other complementary or synergistic interventions carried out by public, private, or community actors.
The identification of key lessons learned that can be leveraged in future multi-stakeholder interventions.

In addition, the scope must include:

A comprehensive review of progress in the five impact pathways: rural extension services, certification (RSPO and APSColombia), market access, financial inclusion (Agropréstamo), and Payment for Environmental Services (PES).
Evaluation of the use, appropriation, and sustainability of digital tools (Extension Solution, Agrolearning, IDS).
Analysis of the functioning and scalability of the Agropréstamo scheme as a rural financial inclusion product.
Evaluation of the design, implementation, and sustainability of the PES pilot.
Cross-cutting incorporation of gender and youth approaches, as well as Circular Economy and Climate, and special attention will be given to the financial inclusion components and benefits derived from the project.
Review of operational and territorial changes due to security contexts, with emphasis on the Catatumbo area.
Assessment of the level of preparedness and alignment of the project partners in response to new international regulations, in particular the EUDR.

The methodological approach should combine quantitative and qualitative sources, with a perspective focused on results, processes, and sustainability. The evaluation is expected to include triangulation of sources, review of project dashboards and databases, interviews with key stakeholders, producer surveys, and documentary analysis of reports, technical instruments, and monitoring materials generated during implementation.

Evaluation Questions

The consulting team must refine these questions and, if deemed necessary, propose additional questions in their inception report.

Relevance

To what extent did the Theory of Change and the project design remain relevant in light of the evolving needs of smallholder producers and the sector context?
How appropriate were the adaptations made (territorial changes, adjustments to targets, operational redesign) in response to contextual challenges?

Effectiveness
To what extent were the final project results and targets achieved according to the revised logical framework? (Analyze KPIs related to yield and income increase, hectares intervened, number of producers, volume certified, credits granted, among others.)
To what extent were the recommendations formulated in the mid-term evaluation implemented, and how did they contribute to the final results?
Which internal factors (such as partner capacities) and external factors (such as security conditions or market prices) had the greatest influence on the achievement or non-achievement of results?

Efficiency

Were financial, human, and technical resources used optimally to achieve the proposed results?
Did the project’s adaptive management (changes in areas, tools, roles) contribute to more cost-effective implementation?
Does the cost-benefit ratio of the digital tools and the PES scheme justify their continued use or scaling?

Impact

What has been the net impact of the project on producers’ livelihoods (income, productivity, resilience, market access)?
What effects has the project had on the adoption of sustainable practices and the reduction of deforestation?
How was the causal progression evidenced between inputs, outputs, outcomes, and expected impacts?
Which observed results can reasonably be attributed to project actions, and which have been influenced by complementary interventions from other actors?
What contributions has the project generated in terms of inclusion and empowerment of women and youth, especially regarding access to financial services, training, and participation in the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) scheme?

Sustainability

Which capacities, tools, or partnerships generated by the project have the greatest potential to be sustained after its closure?
Which capacities, tools, or partnerships generated by the project have the lowest potential to be sustained after its closure?
What institutional and financial factors condition the sustainability of tools such as Extension Solution, Agrolearning, and the certification model?
Have institutional partnerships been created or strengthened that will enable long-term sustainability of results?
What is the likelihood that key partners (for example, Oleoflores, CENIPALMA) will continue to use and maintain digital tools such as Extension Solution, IDS, and Agrolearning autonomously?
To what extent are the partners (e.g., Oleoflores, CENIPALMA) prepared to independently continue the processes implemented?
Are the PES scheme and the certification model viable without external support, and what conditions would enable their sustainability?

Alliance Collaboration

How effective was the collaboration and coordination among the project partners?
What specific lessons emerge from the experience of coordination and governance within the project’s public-private partnership, the PPP model and its added value, and what recommendations arise for improving the management of such consortia in complex contexts?

Learning and Scalability

What key lessons learned about project design, implementation, or management could be applied in future multi-stakeholder partnerships?
Which project elements have potential for scaling or replication, and what enabling conditions would be required?

Emerging Regulations

To what extent did the project prepare producers and value chain actors to comply with emerging requirements from governments and markets?
What technical, institutional, or traceability gaps remain, and how could they be addressed in a second phase or complementary project?

Methodology

The evaluation shall apply a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative tools, ensuring rigorous analysis, participatory validation, and triangulation of findings. This combination will make it possible to assess the achievement of results and targets, the implementation of the mid-term evaluation recommendations, and to extract strategic lessons for future SDGP interventions.

The detailed methodological approach must be presented in an inception report, including instrument design, schedule, sampling, analysis criteria, and a clear validation strategy with key stakeholders.

At a minimum, the methodology shall include:

Document review:
- Technical proposal, logical framework, and Theory of Change of the project.
- Annual reports, mid-term evaluation report, baseline study.
- Information on tools such as Extension Solution, Agrolearning, and Agropréstamo.
- KPIs reported to RVO and documents on the digital ecosystem and PES.

Quantitative data analysis, based on:
- The project monitoring database (KPIs, Extension Solution, IDS).
- Structured surveys with a representative sample of producers disaggregated by gender, age, territory, and participation in different project components (certification, PES, financial inclusion).

Qualitative data collection, including:
- Interviews with key informants from all project partners (Solidaridad Europe and Colombia, Oleoflores, Cargill, CORPONOR), as well as RVO, CENIPALMA, Fedepalma, and financial institutions.
- Individual interviews/surveys to producers, workers, people from the community.
- Focus groups with different producer profiles (men, women, youth, certified producers, PES participants and non-participants) in the three intervention regions.

Qualitative case studies, developing at 2–3 in-depth analyses of relevant project innovations, such as:
- Implementation of the PES scheme.
- Digitalization of extension services at Oleoflores.
- The financial inclusion model with Agropréstamo.

Participatory validation workshops with strategic partners and producer representatives to:
- Share preliminary findings.
- Contrast field perspectives.
- Co-create recommendations for the final report.

Key methodological considerations:

The methodology must allow comparison with the results of the 2025 Mid-Term Evaluation, ensuring evaluation continuity and analysis of progress over time.
Data triangulation is expected across documentary sources, interviews, surveys, and case studies.
All data collection must ensure informed consent, respect for ethical principles of confidentiality, and protection of personal data.
The analysis shall incorporate a cross-cutting approach to gender, youth, territorial inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
The selected evaluator must demonstrate the capacity to work in diverse rural contexts, including hard-to-reach areas such as Catatumbo.

Guiding Principles

The evaluation shall be conducted under ethical, technical, and operational principles that ensure impartiality, usefulness, and a learning-centered approach:

Usefulness: Focused on generating practical and actionable learnings for project partners, RVO, and similar future projects.
Accuracy: Based on solid, verifiable evidence triangulated through multiple sources and methods.
Feasibility: Realistic in its planning, considering timelines, available resources, and the operational context in the field.
Ethics and Ownership: Conducted with respect toward all participants, guaranteeing confidentiality, informed consent, and the protection of personal data.
Participation: Active involvement of key project stakeholders and beneficiary producers in the validation of findings and recommendations.
Differential Approach: Explicit inclusion of gender, age, and territorial variables to analyze differentiated impacts.
Independence: The evaluation will be carried out by an external firm with no conflict of interest with the implementing partners.

Expected Deliverables

The selected evaluation firm must deliver the following products in editable digital format (.docx, .pptx, .xlsx, or .csv). All deliverables will be subject to review and validation by the project partners and Solidaridad as a condition for corresponding payments.

Deliverable 1 – Inception report (Spanish)

Deadline: Within the first 10 calendar days after contract signing.
Payment percentage: 20%

It must include:

Introduction: Background, context, objectives, and scope of the evaluation.
Detailed methodological framework: Evaluation criteria and questions, key indicators (based on the project’s results framework), methods for data collection and analysis.
Evaluability analysis and review of available information.
Evaluation matrix: Specification of criteria, questions, indicators, sources, and tools.
Detailed work plan and schedule.
Logistical, ethical, and responsibility considerations of the evaluation team.

Deliverable 2 – Presentation of Preliminary Findings (Spanish)

Deadline: Week 5 of the evaluation process (after fieldwork).
Payment: No separate payment.

Includes a PowerPoint presentation in a validation workshop (in-person or virtual) with the project partners and strategic allies.

Deliverable 3 – Draft Final Evaluation Report (Spanish)

Deadline: Day 45 after contract signing.
Payment Percentage: 40%

Complete document in Spanish for review by the consortium.

Suggested structure:

Title and tables of contents
Executive summary (Spanish and English)
Background, context, and purpose of the evaluation
Objectives, scope, methodology, and limitations
Findings organized by key evaluation criteria
Conclusions
Prioritized recommendations (relevance, feasibility, impact)
Lessons learned and good practices
Technical annexes

Deliverable 4 – Final Evaluation Report (Spanish – English)

Deadline: Up to 60 calendar days after contract signing.
Payment Percentage: 40%

Final document of up to 40 pages (excluding annexes), incorporating adjustments based on feedback from project partners.
Must include an executive summary (maximum 5 pages).
Executive PowerPoint presentation (in English and Spanish) summarizing key findings, conclusions, and recommendations. This presentation should be suitable for use in dissemination meetings with external stakeholders.
Virtual meeting to present findings to the donor RVO, organized in coordination with Solidaridad, if required.

At the conclusion of the consultancy, all supporting materials—including physical and digital records and transcripts resulting from the analysis processes for each deliverable—must be submitted to the satisfaction of the contracting entity.

Timeline

The final evaluation of the Intel4Value project will be carried out over a maximum period of two months (60 calendar days) from the signing of the contract. As part of their proposal, the consulting team is expected to submit a preliminary version of the suggested timeline for the execution of the evaluation.

Budget

The budget will be assessed as part of the submitted proposals. The total amount must be (11.500 euros) VAT included, in accordance with current regulations and the proposer’s responsibility to apply the tax if applicable.

Annexes and Reference Documents

The selected consulting team will be granted access to the following documents:

Intel4Value Project Proposal (SDGP2222CO), the subsidy ordinance and its annexes.
Mid-Term Evaluation Report (Arjen Mulder, March 2025).
Annual Progress Reports submitted to RVO.
Updated Logical Framework and Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
Theory of Change documentation and design of the impact pathways.
Baseline reports and specific studies conducted.
Publications, manuals, and project communication materials.

Application

Minimum Requirements to Participate in the Tender

A consulting team (firm or consortium) is sought with the following composition and demonstrated qualifications:

Evaluation Leader (Lead Consultant):

Minimum of 10 years of experience conducting evaluations of complex development projects, applying recognized evaluation criteria (such as effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, impact, and relevance).
Proven experience in evaluating cooperation projects.
Excellent technical report writing skills in both English and Spanish.

Technical Expert in Palm Oil and Sustainability:

In-depth knowledge of the Colombian palm oil sector, including its environmental, social, and commercial challenges.
Practical experience with certifications (RSPO, APSColombia), sustainable agriculture, traceability, and compliance with international regulations such as the EUDR.

Expert in Innovation and Social Development:

Experience evaluating interventions involving digital tools, financial inclusion models, and/or Payment for Environmental Services (PES) schemes.
Ability to integrate gender, youth, and inclusive development approaches into the evaluation analysis.

Team Capabilities:

Demonstrated proficiency in mixed-method research methodologies (quantitative and qualitative).
Native-level fluency in Spanish and English (spoken and written) among the evaluation team members.
Capacity to travel to the project’s intervention areas in Colombia (María La Baja, Córdoba, and Catatumbo).

Experience in participatory evaluations with multiple stakeholders (NGOs, companies, industry associations, communities) and knowledge of sensitive territorial contexts such as PDET zones or regions with security challenges will be considered an advantage.

The proposer must comply with all legal requirements to carry out this type of economic activity and be able to issue invoices in accordance with Colombian law.

The proposer must meet the requirements expressed in the declaration of grounds for disqualification to contract with our organization.

General Contracting Provisions

All calls for proposals will indicate if any bids are rejected or if any illegal or corrupt practices have been detected in connection with the award. In all contracts signed under the project, the grant beneficiary may terminate the contract if it determines that illegal or corrupt practices have occurred in relation to the award or execution of the contract.

Required Documents and Proposal Submission Deadline

To apply for this tender, participants must submit the following documents to Johana Bolaños (johana.bolanos@solidaridadnetwork.org):

Technical proposal
Budget – The service provider/proposer must include in their quotation all costs, taxes, transportation, and any other factors that may affect the final value of the required studies. The quotation must detail the unit value excluding VAT, the VAT amount, the total amount, and the proposed payment terms. The quotation must indicate acceptance of the published Terms of Reference for this call for proposals.
Activity schedule
Proposer’s credentials and experience

Additionally, the following documents must be attached:

Legal Entity
RUT
Copy of the legal representative’s identification document
Bank certification of the provider company
Certificate of existence and legal representation
Third-party due diligence form (legal entity)
Habeas Data form
Confidentiality agreement
Declaration of grounds for disqualification to participate in the tender, signed by the legal representative or authorized signatory

The deadline for receipt of proposals is 15 of September 2025 at 23:59 hours (Colombia time zone).

Consanguinity: In accordance with Solidaridad’s applicable policy, candidates with relatives (up to the fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouses) working for the organization as staff or as part of the complementary contractual force shall not be eligible to provide services to Solidaridad.