Project reference: “Uncovering the Truth: Combating Monoethnic Journalism and Advocating for the Missing Persons in Kosovo”, funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) Kosovo and Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC).
Project number: 2023/452-338
Project period: 15/01/2024 – 15/07/2026
Deadline for applications: 10/06/2026, at 17.00.
- Background Information
BIRN Kosovo is an independent, non-governmental, investigative and analytical journalism organisation. It seeks to provide momentum to the democratic transition in Kosovo by promoting and advocating for accountability, rule of law and policy reform within both public and private institutions. One of BIRN Kosovo’s key goals is maintaining its position as the premier investigative and analytical journalism organisation in Kosovo and continuing to report on the country’s most pressing issues in politics, economics and society.
BIRN Kosovo was awarded a contract by the European Union Office in Kosovo with the overall aim of contributing to transforming the discourse surrounding the missing persons issue, paving the way for reconciliation, resolution and mutual understanding, all while advocating for the rights of their families. This action aims to achieve the overall objective through a combination of methods that seek to educate, inform, and stimulate public discourse.
To ensure a comprehensive approach and a more nuanced understanding of the problem, BIRN is partnering with the Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC), a Serb NGO based in North Mitrovica. This partnership serves to encompass both Albanian and Serbian perspectives, to offer an unbiased and fact-based narrative on the missing persons issue. Together, as project partners, we will align all the affected communities to create an environment of shared understanding and a common pursuit for the truth.
The overall amount of the project was EUR 216,666.67, with an implementation period of 30 months.
Expected project results
- Result 1: Media deliver balanced, effective and empathetic narratives around the missing persons’ issues.
- Result 2: Public discourse is invigorated and comprehension of the missing persons deepened.
- Result 3: Public dialogue initiated, understanding of the missing persons issue deepened and active public involvement stimulated.
- Result 4: Contribute to an environment where transparency, accountability, and public trust in the justice system’s approach to missing persons cases are strengthened.
- Result 5: Public’s focus on the issue maintained through offering a continuous stream of informative and compelling content on the experiences of missing persons and their families, and updates on investigations.
Target groups
- Families of missing persons
- Journalists and media outlets
- Representatives of the Special Prosecutor’s Office
- Local and Central Level Government Officials
- Academia and Researchers
- Project partners
The project is led by BIRN Kosovo in partnership with Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC).
- Objective, purpose and expected results
The purpose of this request is for the evaluator/evaluation company to undertake a comprehensive overall evaluation of the results achieved in the project and provide recommendations for possible scaling up of the project.
Objective of evaluation
The main objective of this evaluation is to undertake an overall assessment of the results of the “Uncovering the Truth: Combating Monoethnic Journalism and Advocating for the Missing Persons in Kosovo” project, to be provided to BIRN Kosovo’s management and the EU Office in Kosovo. The evaluation will take place over at least 15 working days in June and July 2026.
Within the scope of the evaluation, a report will be drafted comprising an assessment of the results and outcomes achieved through the project and their impact on target groups and stakeholders.
The evaluation should compare the overall results of the project in terms of their effectiveness, efficiency and relevance and provide an assessment of the extent to which BIRN has fulfilled these standards. The report should also offer an assessment of the management, outcome and output levels of the project and lessons learnt by the participating target groups.
The evaluation report should also provide an assessment of the potential and opportunities for continuing and scaling up the initiative.
Subject and focus of evaluation
The results of the evaluation that will be conducted for BIRN Kosovo will be presented to the organisation’s management and to the project’s donor. The evaluation should:
- Analyse the extent to which the Action has contributed to reaching the overall objective, specific objectives and expected results;
- Assess the allocation of resources for Action implementation, project management arrangements and role divisions;
- Assess the external factors affecting the Action and the extent to which the Action has been able to act in accordance with its objectives despite the circumstantial changes throughout the Action’s implementation;
- Assess the extent to which Action partners and other stakeholders were satisfied with Action implementation;
- Analyse the potential and opportunities for continuing and scaling up the initiative;
- Identify and highlight good practices that could potentially contribute to scaling up and/or replicating the initiative.
Methodology
The evaluation of this project should be in line with international standards and practices in project evaluation, with a special emphasis on the OECD DAC Evaluation Quality Standards.
The steps proposed to be undertaken for this evaluation are as follows:
- Review of project documentation, monitoring and progress records and other relevant reports;
- Initial meeting with project team to agree on the evaluation’s specific design and methods, evaluation questions that will need to be answered, allotted time and data limitations;
- Interviews with 8 individuals including key staff involved in project implementation and other relevant stakeholders;
- Develop a detailed plan for the evaluation process;
- Write/outline a draft evaluation report and present it to the project team;
- Incorporate feedback sent by the project team into the final report;
- Draft the final report with an executive summary.
The information sources that will be available to the evaluation team are:
- Project documents;
- Project reports;
- Other documents and materials, including but not limited to, the published online and televised reports, video and televised programmes and materials, daily and investigative articles, TV documentary, pictures, etc. produced within the scope of the Action.
NOTE: Please note that the work (including interviews) may be conducted online or physically in person, as required.
Main evaluation questions
The evaluation process will be conducted based on core considerations, such as relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency impact and sustainability, with particular attention paid to the questions presented in the subsections below.
Relevance
- To what extent does the project target the needs of its target group?
- Have the EU recommendations regarding gender, social standards, reconciliation and the environment been considered?
Coherence
- What is BIRN’s stance towards and actions on reconciliation, and what have their impacts been during the EU’s support?
- To what extent has the project empowered the target groups?
- What factors (internal and external) have affected performance, and have they been taken into consideration?
Effectiveness
- To what extent has the project contributed to the achievement of the overall objective?
- Has it achieved its purpose, expected results and desired outputs?
- Have the project’s activities been adequate to achieve the objectives?
Efficiency
- Have the project resources been used in a cost-effective manner?
- How would you evaluate the efficiency of project management (including the effectiveness of partnership strategy and stakeholder involvement from a best practice perspective)?
- Has the financial management been an integral part of achieving project results (with particular reference to adequate reporting, identification of problems and adjustment of activities, budgets and inputs)?
- How would you assess the monitoring system during project evaluation, focusing on the relevance of performance indicators?
- Are the project’s activities and outputs consistent with the overall goal and the attainment of its objectives?
- Are the project’s activities and outputs consistent with the intended impacts and effects?
- Impact
- Does the project have the potential to be replicated, either in terms or expansion or repetition, and have any steps been taken to do so?
- How many people have been affected?
Sustainability
- How would you assess the prospects for activities continuing after the end of the project, including the potential of the organisation to be sustainable, and what would be the impact of the organisation’s identity on this?
Evaluation approach and timetable
- A detailed description on evaluation approach and methods are provided below:
| Inception report — including detailed methodology, work plan and evaluation matrix prepared and accepted | 2 working days from signing of the contract |
| Field work: discussion and interviews with the 8 individuals, including project team, stakeholders, beneficiaries | 4 working days |
| Draft evaluation report | 5 working days |
| Finalise the draft/evaluation report sent to project team | 2 working days |
| Final evaluation report (approx. 10 pages with summary of 1-page max.) in English | 2 working days |
Required skills and competences of the evaluator/evaluation company
- Excellent analytical and writing skills;
- Proven capacities to produce reports;
- Possesses knowledge in media or sustainable development issues;
- Good application of results-based management;
- Good communication, coordination and facilitation skills;
- Constantly ensures timely and quality work;
- Displays cultural, gender, religious, racial, nationality and age sensitivity, and adaptability;
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling ethical standards;
- Preferable experience in evaluation of projects regarding sustainable development issues;
- Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
Experience
- Minimum of 5 years relevant professional experience (of the evaluator or team proposed by the company), preferably in NGO and media or sustainable development issues;
- Experience in evaluation of communication/media projects, including those on sustainable development issues;
- Experience in at least one project within the scope of the environment.
Personal/organisational qualification
- Ability to deliver when working under pressure and within changing circumstances;
- Excellent writing/reporting and presentation skills;
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
Language
- Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and Albanian languages.
NOTE: The evaluator/evaluation company must be independent from both the policy-making process and the delivery and management of assistance.
Reports
The draft evaluation report and final evaluation report need to be structured according to the OECD/DAC criteria and the evaluation questions.
Report content
- Title page;
- List of acronyms and abbreviations;
- Table of contents, including list of annexes;
- Executive summary;
- Introduction: background and context of the programme;
- Description of the programme – its logic theory, results framework and external factors likely to affect success;
- Purpose of the evaluation;
- Key questions and scope of the evaluation with information on limitations;
- Approach and methodology;
- Findings;
- Summary and explanation of findings and interpretations;
- Conclusion;
- Recommendations;
- Lessons, generalisations, alternatives;
The criteria of utility, credibility and relevance/appropriateness will be used for assessing the quality of the evaluation report:
- The report must be written in professional and clear English language;
- The executive summary should be a concise chapter (not exceeding three pages), highlighting the evaluation mandate, approach, key findings, conclusions and recommendations;
- The information in the report must be complete, well structured, concise and clearly presented;
- All information in the report must be adequately documented and support the findings;
- The information in the report must addresses priority or strategic information needs;
- Findings and recommendations must be evidenced, concrete and implementable;
- Human rights and a gender equality perspective must be considered.
Coordination between the parties
The focal points within the project management team will assist and facilitate the work of the evaluator/evaluation team by providing logistical support. All project-related documents will be available to the evaluator/evaluation team.
Application procedure
Qualified and interested candidates should submit their applications electronically to [email protected] no later than June 10, 2026, at 17:00.
Applications should include:
- Proposal:
- Cover letter – explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
- Brief methodology on the approach to the work and how it will be conducted (max. 500 words);
- Financial proposal
The financial proposal should specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in instalments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon deliverables and will not exceed €2,000.
- Personal CV and/or organisational portfolio, including experience in similar projects and at least three (3) references letters.