Closing date: 11 Nov 2019
Islamic Relief Worldwide
Islamic Relief is an international aid and development charity, which aims to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people. It is an independent Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) founded in the UK in 1984.
With an active presence in over 40 countries across the globe, we strive to make the world a better and fairer place for the three billion people still living in poverty. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities - regardless of race, religion or gender.
Our vision:
Inspired by our Islamic faith and guided by our values, we envisage a caring world where communities are empowered, social obligations are fulfilled, and people respond as one to the suffering of others.
Our mission:
Exemplifying our Islamic values, we will mobilise resources, build partnerships, and develop local capacity, as we work to:
· Enable communities to mitigate the effect of disasters, prepare for their occurrence and respond by providing relief, protection and recovery.
· Promote integrated development and environmental custodianship with a focus on sustainable livelihoods.
· Support the marginalised and vulnerable to voice their needs and address root causes of poverty.
At the international level, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council and is a signatory to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Code of Conduct. IRW is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) through raising awareness of the issues that affect poor communities and through its work on the ground. Islamic Relief are one of only 13 charities that have fulfilled the criteria and have become members of the Disasters Emergency Committee (www.dec.org.uk), and is certified by CHS
IRW endeavours to work closely with local communities, focussing on capacity-building and empowerment to help them achieve development without dependency.
Please see our website for more information http://www.islamic-relief.org/
Background
Cash programming in emergencies has grown significantly in recent years and is now widely recognized as quicker and more cost-efficient than in-kind assistance. Multi-purpose cash is known to be effective in meeting the priority needs of people affected by disasters such as food, NFIs, shelter and giving them choices thereby enhancing their dignity. Cash has also been used to address other essential needs including nutrition, livelihoods, social protection, disaster risk reduction, among others.
Given its transformative potential, a number of major reforms such as the Grand Bargain, Agenda for Humanity, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development have called for increased integration of cash and vouchers assistance (CVA) in humanitarian programming. Similarly, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) strongly advocates “to see cash transfers being used systematically at scale unless there is compelling evidence that they are not possible.”
In support of advancing the Agenda for Humanity, IRW made 22 individual commitments at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2015. One of the commitments is to increase its cash programming in emergencies by 10% within three years by building its internal capacity to carry out cash-based programming and ensuring that all its cash-based programming will be in line with sectoral good practice. The commitment on cash underpins ‘new ways of working that meets people’s immediate humanitarian needs’.
The Islamic Relief’s Global Strategy 2017-21 reflects the ambition to use “new technologies within its humanitarian and development work” (p10) and increase “the scope and effectiveness of IR’s response” to natural disasters and conflicts (p13). IR Family Trend Report 2018 recognises that cash programming is under supported at the moment and recommends that IRW implements more and more cash programming with support from IR partners.
In line with the Agenda for Humanity commitment and its own Global Strategy, it is high time to assess the current state of cash programming within IRW. Has the use of and funding on cash programming, where appropriate, increased? How far has the internal capacity for cash transfer programming built? In short, it would be good to map out the scale, strength and quality of cash transfer programming in IRW.
Scope
The scope of this assignment is to review IR’s current state of cash programming through mapping cash transfer interventions since 2015, reviewing its institutional arrangements and recommend priority actions to increase cash programming. The overall aim is to provide detailed account of IRW’s current and recent activities around cash programming, in order to identify scale and characteristics, outcomes achieved, any indicative impact, best practice, and provide a baseline and capture learning that will be used to further the strategic direction for cash programming within the organisation.
This consultancy will take place mainly at the Islamic Relief Worldwide offices in Birmingham UK. It will involve document reviews, emailing, face to face, virtual- and tele-meetings, distributing and analysing the results of questionnaires, and other means of eliciting data concerning Islamic Relief’s current and recent activities in cash and voucher interventions. The resulting reports will inform programme, policy and advocacy developers, regional and country coordinators, country officers to support situation analyses, funding, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of cash and voucher assistance related work throughout the organisation.
Objectives
This consultancy seeks to obtain a comprehensive analysis of cash programming in IRW – its current state of knowledge, capacity, best practice and future opportunities. The findings of the study will inform the strategic roadmap that will be drawn up to drive and measure cash transfers programming, policy and advocacy in the organisation. The consultancy will focus on the following five objectives:
1) To determine the scale and characteristics of IRW cash assistance globally, including mapping out cash transfers intervention implemented since 2015 according to their implementation context, objectives, types, funding level, delivery mechanisms, outcomes and impact achieved.
2) To assess the organisational capacity on cash programming, including structured approaches undertaken, policies drawn up, operational mechanisms/guidelines developed, and staff capacities to increase cash transfer programming.
3) To draw out best practices and learnings in cash programming that will strengthen the evidence base, foster scale up, enhance innovation and promote integration. In particular identify evidence and practise around Cash and Protection/LNOB, Cash programming and Climate change adaptation.
4) To synthesise challenges including critical barriers that prevent the effective and extensive usage of CTP within the organisation.
5) To identify practical recommendations which can be applied - individually, organizationally, and/or collectively – by stakeholders to support further progress and address gaps and challenges in cash programming.
Implementation framework
Under the guidance of and in collaboration with the Global Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser and the Humanitarian Programme and Policy Manager, the Consultant shall work with IRW’s International programmes division, programmes quality, global operations and global advocacy at HQ, IR partners and country office levels. The assignment will be based on desk review and will involve document reviews, emails, face to face, virtual- and tele-meetings, distributing and analysing results of questionnaires, and other means of eliciting data concerning IRW’s cash transfers related programmes.
The consultant will also collaborate with relevant IRW staff which includes, but not limited to: Global Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor, Humanitarian Programme and Policy Manager, Head of Global advocacy, Heads of international programmes (Program Quality, and Disaster Risk Management Department (DRMD) Heads of Regions and Regional desks coordinators. Consultation will also include IRW’s Partner offices (UK, USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Australia, etc.) and country offices – sample programmes and/countries might be selected based on the scale of initial findings.
The successful candidate is expected to do the following:
· Work closely with Islamic relief’s international programs division, programs quality department, DRM department, IR partners and country offices to discuss strategic commitments to cash programming;
· Explore Islamic Relief’s existing work on cash programming between 2015 and 2019 in all its country offices programs and sectors and describe its scale and characteristics;
· Document programs, case studies and lessons learnt from IR’s experience in cash transfer programming
· Evaluate overall organisational capacity, and country office’s capacity and effectiveness in cash transfer programming and/ or standalone programs along with recommendations
· Recommend strategic directions and practical actions for main areas of focus for cash programming in co-relation global strategy, and related SDGs
· Inform Cash Transfer Policy with the findings of the mapping and suggest policy revisions (specific amendments and general recommendations)
· Review IRW global operations processes and procedures and suggest an internal framework to mainstream and evaluate implementation of cash transfer programming.
Consultants are invited to propose the specific methodology as part of this call. In general, it is envisaged this desk review and mapping will involve document reviews, emailing, face to face, virtual- and tele-meetings, distributing and analysing the results of questionnaires, and other means of eliciting data concerning Islamic Relief’s current and recent activities in cash programming interventions.
· Please refer to annex 1 for the specific scope of assignment highlighting key questions this desk review seeks to answer and suggested final report outline.
· The consultant is expected to propose a suitably robust methodology through which areas highlighted in annex 1 can and will be most readily extracted, analysed, synthesised and reported back on, within a 4 week consultancy time period, to provide a detailed understanding of the current status, approaches, gaps and potential opportunities in further developing IRW’s cash programming globally.
· The proposal should also consider that some projects may not have evaluation reports and other baseline or end line data; whilst other projects are ongoing and may not have final reports – under such situation, the consultant should consider and propose suitable alternative methodology which can be used to determine project details and provide indicative, relevant and credible findings and recommendations.
Policy framework
The consultant will be expected to work within and abide by Islamic Relief’s policy frameworks on communications, information management, human resources etc. and will be obliged to sign an agreement assuring the confidentiality of data and information utilised and collected in pursuance of the consultancy. The consultant will be sensitive and compliant to any requirements of GDPR.
The report will be produced for internal audience but may be edited and adapted for external publication by IRW for wider communication and learning purposes.
Project requirements
The successful consultant is expected to have:
· Substantial experience in undertaking research (data collection, analysis, reporting), with a comprehensive understanding of cash and voucher assistance and humanitarian programming more broadly
· Ability to work independently and to manage large amounts of information; to work systematically and to produce to deadlines.
· Sensitivity towards and interest in cross-cultural issues including faith and human rights issues.
· Ability to write informatively and succinctly in English, understanding of Arabic or French would be an asset.
It is preferred for the successful candidate to have:
· Experience of working cross- culturally.
· Strong interpersonal, representational and advocacy skills.
deliverables
Deliverables for this project would be;
Written implementation plan agreed with Cash Working Group within one week of commencement.
Narrative account, not exceeding 32 pages describing the extent, nature, best practices and learnings derived from its work in and around cash transfer programming since 2015
Executive summary incorporated in the above, not exceeding 3 pages
A summary of the key findings and recommendations in power point presentation.
A small workshops to discuss key findings with programme staff in IRW HQ
Data base on MS Excel format of all projects and programmes examined, including country, PIN number, name, brief description, dates, budget, donor
Accountability
The consultant will be responsible for conducting the activities and delivering the outputs set out in this terms of reference and will coordinate all activities with and through the Global Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser, and the Humanitarian Programme and Policy Manager. Both will be responsible for facilitating access to all relevant and available documents (proposals, donor reports and evaluation reports) and wider staff necessary for the consultant to conduct these activities and deliver the outputs.
Project outputs
The consultant is expected to produce:
A detailed work plan developed with and approved by IRW, setting out the detailed methodology and deliverables prior to commencing the desk review.
A full report with the following sections:
a. Title of Report: Desk Review & Mapping of IRW Cash Programme Outcomes and Impact
b. Consultancy organisation and any partner names
c. Name of person who compiled the report including summary of role/contribution of others in the team
d. Period during which the review was undertaken
e. Acknowledgements
f. Abbreviations
g. Table of contents
h. Executive summary
i. Main report – max 32 pages (please see indicative layout in annex 1 below – consultant is invited to propose most suitable report structure layout)
j. Annexes
· Terms of reference for the review
· Profile of the review team members
· Review schedule
· Documents consulted during the desk review
· Persons participating in the review
· Field data used during the review
· Bibliography
The consultant will be required to visit IRW HQ and provide feedback on, and answer questions about, the findings from the desk review. This meeting can be attended remotely by the consultant via video conference where the consultant is outside the UK or based on request from the consultant.
Required inputs
The following are the key inputs to the desk:
Stakeholders to be involved include:
· IRW and IRW-field staff (through remote communication by Skype / Zoom etc)
a) Relevant IRW proposals, narrative reports and evaluation reports/documentation
b) External secondary information and data as appropriate to the desk review
Timetable and reporting duration
The consultancy will be for a maximum of 20 working days and commence as early as possible but before 2nd December 2019, and will be completed by no later than 26th January 2020.
Action
By when
Who
Tender live date
28th October 2019
IRW
Final date for submission of bid proposal
11th November 2019 (1pm)
Consultant
Proposals considered, short-listing and follow up enquiries completed
w/c 11th November 2019
IRW
Consultant interview and final selection
18th November 2019
IRW
Meeting with the consultant and agree on an evaluation methodology, plan of action, working schedule
25th November 2019 (120 minutes);
Consultant/IRW
Submission of Inception Report
2nd December 2019 (1 working day)
Consultant
Desk Review and Report Preparation Between
9th December 2019 – 5th January 2020 (15 working days)
Consultant
Submission of the first draft to IRW for comments
6th January 2020
Consultant
IRW responses to draft report
13th January 2020
IRW
Final report submitted to IRW (1 working days)
20th January 2020
Consultant
Presentation of the report to IRW management
2.5 hours (date TBC)
Consultant
Contract duration: Duration to be specified by the consultant (max 20 days preferred)
Direct report: Global Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser
Job Title: Consultant: Cash Transfer Mapping and Assessment
The Global Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser and Humanitarian Programme and Policy Manager act under the authority of the Heads of Programme Quality Department and of Disaster Risk Management Department respectively who have the ultimate responsibility for the conduct of activities under this consultancy.
The consultant will communicate in the first instance with and will forward deliverables to the Global Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser and Humanitarian Programme and Policy Manager.
Proposal to tender and costing:
Consultants (single or teams) interested in carrying out this work must:
a) Submit a proposal/bid, including the following;
i. Detailed cover letter/proposal outlining a methodology and approach briefing note
ii. CV or outline of relevant skills and experience possessed by the consultant who will be carrying out the tasks and any other personnel who will work on the project
iii. Example(s) of relevant work
iv. The consultancy daily rate
v. Expenses policy of the tendering consultant. Incurred expenses will not be included but will be agreed in advance of any contract signed
vi. Be able to complete the project within the time frame stated above
vii. Be able to demonstrate experience of outcome reviews, mapping and impact assessment/evaluation approaches for similar work
Terms and conditions
Payment will be made in accordance with the deliverables and deadlines as follows:
· 40% of the total amount – First upfront payment
· 30% of the total amount – submission of the first draft of the evaluation report
· 30% of the total amount – submission of the final report including all outputs and attachments mentioned above
We can be flexible with payment terms, invoices are normally paid on net payment terms of 28 days.
Additional information and conditions of contract
During the consultancy period,
IRW will only cover:
· Consultancy fees
· Any travel costs to visit IRW
IRW will not cover:
· Tax obligations as required by the country in which he/she will file income tax
· Any pre/post assignment medical costs. These should be covered by the consultant
· Medical and travel insurance arrangements and costs. These should be covered by the consultant
Appendix 1
Suggested Report Layout (Consultants are invited to suggest more coherent layout):
Executive Summary: Max 3 pages (this should be publishable externally – so should contain summarised key findings and recommendations)
Methodology of the Desk Review/Study and any challenges or limitations: 2 pages max:
Introduction – 3 pages max: Overview of number and type of projects across different geographic locations; duration and budget values and commentary about the range of projects including relevant charts, tables and graphs to summarise and illustrate key data succinctly.
Mapping of projects – max 8 pages: Data and narrative, supported with appropriate graphs, charts and tables to reflect the mapping of projects and analysis. Where there are chart or tables created to support analysis but not included in the main report, please share as an annex or separate file in MS Word or Excel.
If applicable, theories of change/logic models underpinning projects – based on project logic models/logical frameworks, most significant/prominent case studies from the 12 selected highest impact projects. Rationale or methodology for selecting these 12 projects should be provided.
Outcome and impacts planned and achieved for the projects:
common results planned and achieved
Analysis of similarities and differences in planned outcomes and impacts between projects in different countries and regions.
Comparison with external best practices, institutional donor cash programme objectives and ToCs – gaps and opportunities for IR going forward.
Other key features of projects – max 4 pages: Stand-out features of particular projects; innovations, use of technology, sustainability features; features that highlight inclusion and protection, including impact on women and children or older persons, persons with disability etc.; DRR/climate change and resilience mainstreaming. To what degree have these elements been value-adding to realising project outcomes, impact and sustainability objectives?
Feature of 6 most impactful projects – max 6 pages: discussion of similarities and differences, key impacts and comparison to wider sector best practice and donor priorities. What models do they use, are there any innovations within these or other of the selected. Could/should these projects or the models and approaches underpinning them be replicated, scaled up in the country, region or wider – what kind of adjustments or further verification may be required prior to such scale up?
Further field study needed – max 3 page: Identify 4 projects which have been or are potentially the of the most significant impact and which warrant further detailed field-based impact assessments or evaluations. Suggest what components or dimensions of these projects should be more specifically assessed during a field impact study/assessment. Consultant should provide an outline of the possible impact assessment methodology that could be used given availability or lack data for these projects and provide an outline of the broad terms of reference for such an impact assessment.
Conclusions and recommendations – max 3 pages:
Summarise overall experience and capacity of IR in cash programming
Highlight best practices and innovations and stand-out features
Highlight core weakness, limitations of IR cash programmes, key learning and recommendations
Recommend way forward for IR cash programming to align with best practices, donor priorities, contribution to relevant SDGs
Include recommendations on outcome measurement and impact assessment methodologies to be incorporated within projects to allow for better outcome and impact measurement of new projects and programmes
Full report – max 32 pages including executive summary.
Appendix 2
Please fill in the table below. It is essential all sections be completed and where relevant additional expenses be specified in detail. In case of questions about how to complete the table below, please contact tendering@irworldwide.org
Cost evaluation of consultancy for ‘Cash and Vouchers Assistance (CVA) Interventions in IRW: Mapping Status, Opportunities and Challenges, October 2019
Full name of all consultants working on this project
Full company trading name
No of proposed hours per week
No. of proposed days
Preferred days
Non preferred days
Earliest available start date
Expected project finish date
Day rate
£
Total cost for consultancy in GBP (less taxes and expenses)
£
Expenses (flights)
£
Expenses (accommodation)
£
Expenses (transfers)
£
Expenses (in country travel)
£
Expenses (visa)
£
Expenses (security)
£
Expenses (food)
£
Expenses (print/stationary)
£
Expenses other (please specify)
£
Total expenses
£
Total VAT or taxes
£
Total cost for consultancy in GBP (inclusive of taxes and expenses)
£
Note
The applicant is expected to take responsibility for paying full taxes and social charges in his/her country of residence.
To access and download the tender and guidelines document please visit;
https://www.islamic-relief.org/tenders/category/open-tenders/
How to apply:
Consultancy contract
This will be for an initial period that is to be specified by the consultant commencing from November 2019 (exact date to be mutually agreed). The selected candidate is expected to work from their home/office and be reporting into the Global Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor
The terms upon which the consultant will be engaged are as per the consultancy agreement. The invoice is to be submitted in accordance with the payment terms and will be paid on net payment terms of 28 days though we can be flexible.
All potential applicants must fill in the table beneath in Appendix 2 to help collate key data pertaining to this tender. The applicant must be clear about other expenses being claimed in relation to this consultancy and these must be specified clearly.
For this consultancy all applicants are required to submit a covering letter and CV’s of all potential consultants including the project lead.
A proposal including, planned activities, methodology, deliverables, timeline, and cost proposal (including expenses) are expected.
Other relevant supporting documents should be included as the consultants sees fit.
All applicants must have a valid visa or a permit to work in the UK (if travel is required to the UK). A valid visa/work permit is also required for those areas required to be visited as part of this consultancy.
TENDER DATES AND CONTACT DETAILS
All proposals are required to be submitted by Monday 11th November 2019 at 1.00pm UK time pursuant to the attached guidelines for submitting a quotation and these be returned to tendering@irworldwide.org
For any issues relating to the tender or its contents please email directly to tendering@irworldwide.org
Following submission, IRW may engage in further discussion with applicants concerning tenders in order to ensure mutual understanding and an optimal agreement.
Quotations must include the following information for assessment purposes.
Timescales
Full break down of costs including taxes, expenses and any VAT
References (two are preferred)
Technical competency for this role
Demonstrable experience of developing a similar piece of work including a methodology
Note: The criteria are subject to change.
To access and download the tender and guidelines document please visit;
https://www.islamic-relief.org/tenders/category/open-tenders/