Tender for the real-time learning review (RTLR) consultancy for Islamic Relief Afghanistan, September 2022

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 of Islamic Relief Afghanistan

Islamic Relief has been working in Afghanistan for more than 24 years, providing emergency relief and implementing life-changing development projects for the most vulnerable people in the country. Islamic Relief set up its Afghanistan field office in 1999. It worked in 49 districts across the country and sectors as diverse as sustainable livelihoods, education, health & nutrition, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, and emergency response. IR Afghanistan has a presence in Kabul, Nangarhar, Herat, Kunar, Bamyan, Kandahar and Balkh to support the most vulnerable populations such as women, girls, people with disabilities and the elderly. More than 300 staff is supporting to delivery of the projects and programmes.

IR Afghanistan worked in partnership with the UN World Food Programme, UNOCHA/ Afghanis Humanitarian Fund (AHF), UNICEF, DEC, Start Network and IR fundraising partners. IR Afghanistan is implementing 26 projects, including development and emergency response projects.

Islamic Relief has secured $22 million from the United Nations Development Programme to support vulnerable families in nine provinces of Afghanistan. The funding will help rebuild local economies and provide nearly 160,000 families with the means to buy food and cover their everyday needs.

In Afghanistan, there has been increasing hunger, economic decline, price increases in food and other essential needs, and rising poverty due to war, conflict, and political instability over the past several years. In 2021, the people of Afghanistan faced intensified competition, the withdrawal of international forces, and the shifting of governance in August 2021. The resulting political, social, and economic shocks have reverberated across the country, with a deterioration of the humanitarian and protection situation in the fourth quarter of 2021. Civilian casualties in the first half of 2021 reached record levels (UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan).

Since the political changes that began in August 2021, Afghanistan has faced one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Nearly 20 million people are classified in Crisis or Emergency (IPC Phases 3 or 4) between March and May 2022 (IPC Acute Food Insecurity Analysis March - November 2022). The population is estimated at 41.7 million in 2021, of whom more than 9.2 million people are displaced by conflict inside the country.

Natural disasters and environmental risks are becoming an increasing driver of underlying needs. Rural areas, particularly farming and livestock rearing households, have been hard hit by the 2020-21 drought. The drought drives food insecurity, grain deficits, and livestock deaths in rainfed and irrigated areas. This devastates many households still reeling from the crippling effects of the 2018-19 drought.

Afghanistan is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis amid drought, conflict, and political instability, with predictions that 97% of Afghanistan’s population will be pushed into extreme poverty by June 2022. Many people do not know where their next meal is coming from. This has led to an increase in malnutrition, particularly among women and children.

Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and risks as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs.

IR Afghanistan country strategic priority

• Reducing impacts of a humanitarian crisis due to conflicts, natural disasters and the Covid19 pandemic through emergency response and other humanitarian interventions, including Winterization Assistance, Ramadan, and Qurbani programs.
• Empowering and increasing the resilience of the target population through Health, Education, Sustainable livelihood, Child Protection, and public awareness campaigns.
• Strengthening relationships with global IR partners and locally available institutional donors for acquiring more sustainable funding mechanisms.
• Achieving Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) through the implementation of IHSAN 1st level Standards for each quality area, including Governance, Finance, HR, Security, Programmes & MEAL, Disaster preparedness, networking, and communication
• Strengthening local capacities through capacity-building initiatives, staff motivation, recognition, appreciation, and monetary increment to their salary.

Objectives of the real time learning review

This Real-Time Learning Review will be covered the period from the 1st of August 2021 to the present. The study will assess and review preparedness and response by the regional desk/DRMD of IRW and IR Afghanistan, covering all critical areas, including staffing, finance, operations, and programmes. The Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) lens will use for Real-Time Learning Review (RTLR).

The following objectives can be considered for the Real-Time Learning Review (RTLR) of Islamic Relief Afghanistan. The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

• To review organisational structure and performance against stated organisational objectives, humanitarian principles, standards and behaviours.
• To assess and review preparedness and response by the IR Afghanistan and IRW, covering all critical areas, including staffing, logistics, finance, operations, programmes and safeguarding.
• To assess the relevance and effectiveness of IR Afghanistan’s interventions to date using the adapted IR organisational capacity, relevance and appropriateness, coherence, timeliness, cost-effectiveness, efficiency and economy, sustainability, and accountability.
• To assess the efficiency and effectiveness of support mechanisms for humanitarian scaleup at IRW
• Identifying lessons learned and good practices, improving current operations and marking the way forward for future programming.
• Other areas to consider:
  • External conditions change, leading to changes in demand or expectations about services the organisation may be well adapted to.
  • Assess the resources management, and attention is focused on the real priorities.
  • Examine the efficiency and effectiveness of communities and rightsholders’ services focused on understanding and meeting their needs clearly and quickly.
  • Assess the effective operational processes by reducing organisational barriers.
  • Assess the staff capacity by reducing layers of oversight and duplication of effort.
  • Review staff satisfaction by developing more rewarding roles.
  • Review the opportunities for the introduction of new equipment and technologies.
  • Review the organisation’s ability to respond to future changes and reduce costs.
  • Review the effectiveness of existing organisational structure, functions, roles, and responsibilities in terms of performance against current objectives and comparison with best practice
  • how safeguarding, protection and inclusion needs were embedded into organisational functions and programme design and implementation.

Learning review criteria and questions

The review should respond to the following questions, and any others deemed appropriate by the evaluation team, supported by evidence, triangulated data and views of key project participants and relevant wider stakeholders.

CHS Commitment 1: Humanitarian response is appropriate and relevant.

• Has a comprehensive and timely needs assessment been conducted and used to inform response planning, including age, gender, and diversity analysis?
• Are multiple sources of information, including affected people and communities, local institutions, and other stakeholders, consulted when assessing needs, risks, capacities, vulnerabilities and context?
• Are assessment and other monitoring data disaggregated by sex, age and disability?
• Were the short set of Washington Group Questions used to collect disability data?
• Are barriers to the participation of groups at risk, including older people, people with disabilities, women and children, assessed and enablers created?
• Does the response include different types of adapted assistance and/or protection for other demographic groups based on the findings of the analysis?
• Are the project objectives relevant to the specific needs and priorities of the affected community? Are the activities also appropriate to realise the objectives? Was the assistance culturally appropriate?
• Has the assistance provided by IR Afghanistan met the needs of different stakeholders, particularly men and women, children, the elderly, and those with disabilities?
• Did the project meet the most urgent needs first? Were the project components well integrated?
• What changes do we need to make the programme more appropriate and relevant?
• How do IR Afghanistan match programme budgets and resources with needs?
• How do you adapt programmes based on changing needs, capacities, risks and context?
• In which of the organisation’s policies and guidelines is this requirement covered? Are all elements of this requirement covered?
• Are all staff aware and familiar with the policies and guidelines that cover this requirement? Is their content part of the organisational culture?

CHS Commitment 2: Humanitarian response is effective and timely.

• Are constraints and risks regularly identified and analysed, and plans adapted accordingly?
• Does planning consider optimal times for activities, accounting for factors such as weather, season, or conflict? Are early warning systems and contingency plans used?
• Are globally recognised technical standards used and achieved? Which standards? (e.g. MERS, LEGS, INEE, SPHERE)
• Are delays in implementing plans and activities, outputs and outcomes monitored and addressed? Are monitoring results used to adapt programmes?
• Are unmet needs identified and addressed by referring to those organisations with the relevant technical expertise and mandate, or advocate for those needs to be addressed?
• How timely was IR Afghanistan’s response in meeting the needs of the affected people, especially vulnerable people?
• Was there any implementation delay? If yes, why? If yes, how did you ensure the timely completion of the project activities? If yes, were any changes made to the project as a result and if not, should changes have been made to be more appropriate?
• What, if any, changes could we make to improve the timeliness of the overall response? Was there any way the affected community could have been reached sooner?
• Are the programme commitments in line with organisational capacities?
• Which of the organisation’s policies and guidelines are required to ensure a systematic, objective and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of activities and their effects; ensure that evidence from monitoring and evaluations is used to adapt and improve programmes and timely decision-making with resources allocated accordingly?

CHS Commitment 3: Humanitarian response strengthens local capacities and avoids adverse effects.

• Have local capacities for resilience (structures, organisations, leadership, and support networks) been identified, and plans exist to strengthen these capacities?
• Has the CVA capacity of the country office been strengthened as a result of the humanitarian response? In what way and how may it be strengthened even more?
• How was the capacity and leadership of groups at further risk (children, women, older people and people with disabilities) and their representative organisations strengthened to contribute to inclusive humanitarian response?
• Were risks faced by groups at risk identified, assessed and mitigated? How?
• Is existing information/ data on protection risks, barriers, hazards, vulnerabilities and related plans considered to allow safe and equitable access to services?
• In what ways are local leaders (formal and informal) and/or authorities consulted to ensure strategies align with local and/or national priorities?
• Are there equitable opportunities for participation of all groups in the affected population in decision-making?
• Does the response facilitate early recovery? Does the response only take an emergency approach, or are there elements of early recovery?
• What mechanisms exist for assessing, prompt detection, and mitigating unintended negative effects?
• Has a clear transition and/or exit strategy been developed in consultation with affected people and other relevant stakeholders?
• Is there a policy requiring to undertake of risk assessments and risk reduction exercises for vulnerable people in the organisation’s programme areas? Is it known to staff?
• Do policies and procedures exist to assess and mitigate the response's negative effects? Are they known to staff?
• Are any specific policies and procedures in place to deal with sexual exploitation, abuse, or discrimination? Are they known to staff?
• Are contingency plans in place for responding to new or evolving crises? Are they known to staff?
• Do staff understand what is expected of them on protection, security and risks?

CHS Commitment 4: Humanitarian response is based upon communication, participation, and feedback

• Is information about the organisation and response provided in accessible and appropriate ways to affected communities and people?
• Can women, men, girls and boys (especially those who are marginalised and vulnerable) access the information provided, and do they understand it?
• Are people, especially vulnerable and marginalised groups, accessing and understanding the information provided?
• Are crisis-affected people’s views, including those of the most vulnerable and marginalised, sought and used to guide programme design and implementation?
• How was meaningful participation of groups at risk of marginalisation promoted in decision-making?
• Are all groups within the affected community aware of how to give feedback on the response, and do they feel safe using those channels?
• Are barriers to giving feedback identified and addressed?
• Is data provided through feedback mechanisms disaggregated by age, gender and other relevant categories?
• Do policies and programme plans include provisions for information sharing, including criteria on what information should and should not be shared? Are they known to staff?
• Do policies include provisions on how to deal with confidential or sensitive information or information that could potentially place staff or affected people at risk? Are they known to staff?
• Is there a policy commitment and guidelines about the way in which affected people are represented in external communications or fundraising materials? Are they known to staff?

CHS Commitment 5: Complaints are welcomed and addressed.

• Are communities and people affected by crisis consulted about the design of complaints mechanisms?
• Are the preferences of all demographic groups taken into account, particularly those related to safety and confidentiality, in the design of complaints processes?
• Is information about how complaints mechanisms work and what kind of complaints can be made through them provided to and understood by all demographic groups, including women, older people and people with disabilities?
• Are there agreed and respected timeframes to investigate and resolve complaints? Is the time between a complaint being filed and its resolution recorded?
• Are sexual exploitation and abuse complaints investigated immediately by staff with relevant competencies and an appropriate level of authority?
• Are specific policies, budgets and procedures in place for handling complaints?
• Are all staff provided with induction and refresher training on the organisation’s policy and procedures for handling complaints?
• Does the organisation’s complaints-handling policy include sexual exploitation and abuse provisions?
• Is the organisation’s policy commitment and procedures for preventing sexual exploitation and abuse shared with affected communities and people?
• Are complaints that cannot be addressed by the organisation referred in a timely manner to other relevant organisations?

CHS Commitment 6: Humanitarian responses are coordinated and complementary.

• Is information about the organisation’s competencies, resources, geographical areas and sectors of work shared with others responding to the crisis in a timely way?
• Is information about other organisations' competencies, resources, areas and sectors of work, including local and national authorities, accessed and used?
• Have existing coordination structures been identified and how has IR participated in these structures?
• Are the programmes of other organisations and authorities have taken into account when designing, planning and implementing programmes?
• What criteria were used to select the project location? Did the project target the most vulnerable areas where the needs were highest?
• Are gaps in coverage identified and addressed?
• Is there a clear commitment to organisational policies and/or strategies to collaborate with other actors?
• Have criteria or conditions for partner selection, collaboration and coordination been established?
• Are formal partnership arrangements in place?
• Do partnership agreements clearly define each partner's roles, responsibilities and commitments, including how each partner will contribute to jointly meeting humanitarian principles?

CHS Commitment 7: Humanitarian actors continuously learn and improve.

• Are evaluations and reviews of responses to similar crises consulted and incorporated relevant in programme design?
• Are monitoring, evaluation, feedback and complaints-handling processes leading to changes and/or innovations in programme design and implementation?
• Is learning systematically documented? And how?
• Are specific systems used to share learning with relevant stakeholders, including affected people and partners?
• Do policies and resources exist for evaluation and learning? Are they known to staff?
• Do clear guidelines exist for recording and disseminating learning, including specific guidance applicable to humanitarian crises?
• Is learning identified at the programme level, documented and shared within the organisation?
• Is the organisation an active member of learning and innovation forums? How does the organisation contribute to these forums?

CHS Commitment 8: Staff is supported to do their job effectively and are treated fairly and equitably.

• Are the IR vision, mission and values communicated to new staff? Are all staff and volunteers provided with an induction and appropriate ongoing training to help them effectively do their jobs? Did the induction include training on protection and inclusion?
• Does IR Afghanistan have the relevant capacity, diverse and gender-balanced team for the response?
• Is staff performance managed, under-performance addressed, and good performance recognised?
• Do staff sign a code of conduct or similarly binding document? If so, do they receive orientation on this and other relevant policies which allow them to understand it properly?
• Are complaints received about staff or partners’ staff? How are they handled?
• Are staff aware of the support available for developing the competencies required by their role and are they making use of it?
• Are procedures in place for assessing human resource needs about programme size and scope, in conjunction with HR?
• Does organisational planning make provision for future leadership needs and for developing new talent?
• Do staff policies and procedures comply with local employment law and follow recognised good practices in managing staff?
• Do all staff have updated job descriptions and objectives, including specific responsibilities and objectives?
• Is the rewards and benefits structure fair, transparent and consistently applied?
• Are all staff provided with an induction and updates on performance management and staff development policies and procedures?
• Are all staff and volunteers required to sign a code of conduct (that covers the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse) and be provided with an appropriate induction on the code of conduct?
• Does the organisation have a security policy and guidelines which are location specific and known to staff?

CHS Commitment 9: Resources are managed and used responsibly for their intended purpose.

• How does the organisation ensure that staff follow organisational processes for decisions regarding the efficient use of resources at each phase of the response?
• How are value for money and the use of resources monitored, reported and communicated to programme management?
• How do programme plans indicate how resources will be used and for what purpose? Are they shared, as appropriate, with affected people and relevant stakeholders?
• Are services and goods procured using a competitive bidding process?
• Are cost-efficiency, cost-effectiveness and social impact monitored?
• What processes are in place to track the use of resources for intended purposes, including cash and in-kind contributions?
• What environmental impact assessments are considered in the design of programmes and activities?
• How is the impact on local and natural resources monitored, and are actions taken to mitigate the negative impact?
• How are environmental constraints and potentially negative impact analysed with regards to water, soil, air and biodiversity?
• What processes are in place to authorise and monitor the use of funds and resources?
• Is a safe whistle-blowing procedure in place and known to staff, affected communities and other stakeholders?
• What are the specific procedures to record and address allegations of corruption?
• Do policies and procedures exist for ethical procurement, use and management of resources?
• Do policies and procedures govern the use and management of resources in place, including accepting and allocating funds and gifts-in-kind ethically and legally; internal control system, fraud and ethical policy, code of conduct, environmental policy, audit policy, M&E policy, risk assessment and management policy and financial systems/guidelines.

IRW is a certified CHS agency and therefore uses the CHS standard as the foundational approach to undertake evaluations, which ensures that we focus on communities. The review should assess how the intervention performed against the abovementioned CHS commitments.

Methodology and approach

We would like the review consultant to outline their proposed methodology and requirements for this consultancy. The consultant should consider appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods in designing their Real-time learning review methodology. The overall review should also assess the extent of rightsholders (beneficiary) involvement throughout the project cycle.

The learning review will require visits or remote interviews with IRW leadership and staff and physical visits to meet key stakeholders in Afghanistan.

We are looking for a review team/consultant to meet the above objectives and scope through a mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) approach, including but not limited to.:

• Desk review of secondary data and IRW and IR Afghanistan policies and guidelines and project documentation
• Key informant interviews with IRW leadership and IR Afghanistan management, relevant staff, peer agencies, public and private service providers and technical agencies, UN and government authorities (local and national)
• FGD with communities and rightsholders – with proportionate sampling.

Required competences

The successful team will have the following competencies:

• Demonstrate evidence of experience in evaluating humanitarian action/development projects, programmes and organisation
• Possess experience and knowledge in evaluating organisational review, preparedness and response in food security and livelihood, WASH, cash programming, DRR and climate change, protection and inclusion and health etc.
• Possess deep knowledge and practical experience in using quality standards such as Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Sphere
• Possess strong quantitative and qualitative research skills
• Have excellent written skills in English
• Have the legal right to travel to the disaster zone and be able to conduct RTE/RTLR in Afghanistan.
• Be able to communicate fluently in English and the local languages (Dari and Pashtun). If local translators are required, this should be budgeted.
• The chosen evaluation team will be supported by IRW Programme Quality (PQ) team, the IRW Regional team/DRMD and IR Afghanistan country office senior management team.
• Priority can be given if the consultant team have a presence/representation in Afghanistan.

Expected outputs of this assignment

The consultant is expected to produce:

1. A detailed work plan and inception report developed with and approved by IRW and set out the exact methodology, data collection tools (checklist, questionnaire), data collection protocols/guidelines, and deliverables before the desk review.
2. The work plan, inception report, draft report, final report, presentation, etc., and communication language must be in English.
3. Conduct distance/physical interviews with IRW leadership and physical interview (FGD, KII, Interview, etc.) with IR Afghanistan management, finance team, HR team, logistics and procurement team, MEAL team, programme team, key stakeholders, community leaders, rightsholders, and field staff etc.
4. Orient the local survey team for the data collection process and questionnaire and data collection protocol (if required).
5. Develop quantitative data collection tools and checklists (questionnaire) in KOBO, data quality checking, support the data collection team, data quality management, and data editing and analysis.
6. Collation and analysis of evaluation data and submission of the first draft to IR Afghanistan/IRW for comments and share the initial presentation of findings to IRW and IR Afghanistan.
7. Final report submitted to IRW. A full report with the following section
8. Title of Report: Real-Time Learning Review (RTLR) for Islamic Relief Worldwide Afghanistan, October 2022
9. Consultancy organisation and any partner names
10. Name of the person who compiled the report, including a summary of the role/contribution of others in the team
11. Period during which the review was undertaken
12. Acknowledgements
13. Abbreviations
14. Table of contents
15. Executive summary
16. Main report – max 40 pages – (Standard reporting structure will be shared at the inception stage, but the consultant is invited to propose the most suitable report structure layout)
17. 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
• Additional key overview tables, graphs or charts etc. created and used to support analysis and inform findings
• Bibliography

1. The consultant will be required to communicate IRW international office 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 (Microsoft Teams or Zoom) where the consultant is outside the UK or based on the request from the consultant.
2. Consultant will organise learning and sharing workshops with IRW (programme quality, MEAL team, head of the region, desk coordinators and officers, technical advisors), respective IR field office staff, and relevant staff.
3. A Covid-19 risk assessment with proposed mitigation measures related to conducting this evaluation, setting out different contingencies in case of challenges to the review due to Covid-19 or other issues.

Timetable and reporting information

The evaluation is expected to run for 30 days, starting by the 27th of October 2022 and ending before the 26th of December 2022 (The proposed timeframe can be changed according to the need of the programmes and management)

Date

Description

Responsibility

1st October 2022

Tender live date

IRW

17h October 2022

Final date for submission of bid proposal

Consultant

17th -19th October 2022

Proposals considered, short-listing and follow-up enquiries completed

IRW

20th -26th October 2022

Consultant interview and final selection (+ signing contracts)

IRW

27th October 2022

Meeting with the consultant and agreeing on an evaluation methodology, plan of action, and working schedule.

IRW

28th October- 2nd November 2022

Submission of Inception Report (at least seven days before commencing the review)

Consultant

3rd -25th November 2022

Review Data collection/interview

Consultant

5th December 2022

Collation and analysis of evaluation data and submission of the first draft to IR Afghanistan/IRW for comments

Consultant

10th December 2022

Initial presentation of findings

Consultant

15th December 2022

IRW/IR field office responses to a draft report

IR field office/IRW

24th December 2022

Final report submitted to IRW

Consultant

26th December 2022

Final Presentation with IR key stakeholders

Consultant

Reporting information:

Contract duration: Duration to be specified by the consultant

Direct report: Programme Impact & Learning Manager

Job Title: Consultant, Real-Time Learning Review (RTLR) for Islamic Relief Worldwide Afghanistan, September 2022

The consultant will communicate and forward deliverables to the IRW Programme Quality team in the first instance.

Proposal to tender and costing

A consultant interested in carrying out this work must submit the following items as part of their proposal/bid and this should including the following.

1. Detailed cover letter/proposal outlining a methodology and approach briefing note
2. Résumé/or 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
3. Example(s) of relevant work
4. The consultancy daily rate (fill in appendix 1)
5. Expenses policy of the tendering consultant. Incurred expenses will not be included but will need to be agreed in advance prior to contract award. (fill in appendix 1)
6. Be able to complete the assignment within the timeframe stated above
7. Be able to demonstrate experience of final evaluation/Endlines evaluation, impact assessment, mid-term evaluation, graduation model evaluation and similar work.

Terms and conditions

The consultant would provide financial proposal outlining detailed break up of costs and charges. There would be formal agreement on payment schedule and funds transfer process once the consultant would be selected. Payment will be made in accordance with the deliverables and deadlines for this project so are as follows:

• • 40% of the total amount – First upfront payment - 30% of the total amount – submission of the first draft of the impact study 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 30 days.

Additional information and conditions of contract

The following additional information will be expected from the consultant and be pursuant to the conditions printed beneath as well as the terms and conditions in the consultancy contract.

1. The ToR document is between the consultant and Islamic Relief Worldwide
2. Islamic Relief Worldwide is a legally registered charity under the laws of the United Kingdom charity registration number 328158
3. This document covers the research project identified and described in this document and related correspondence and may not be expended for any other purposes without the prior written approval of Islamic Relief Worldwide, Head of Program Quality.
4. The project will be carried out under the auspices of the Islamic Relief Worldwide, Program Quality team The lead researcher will be working in the capacity of a freelance consultant or an organisation.
5. Collected data, information, reports and reference documents should be submitted, along with any audio files and transcripts collected.
6. Intellectual Property Rights to all research, and data, conducted and collected and the final report belongs solely to Islamic Relief Worldwide.
7. In case of contraventions or breach of any of the terms of the agreement, any outstanding payments to the Lead Researcher or the organisation will be withheld.

During the consultancy period,

IRW will only cover:

Consultancy fees

Any travel costs for data gathering.

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.

To access or download the tender documents please follow the link below;

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 October 2022 (exact date to be mutually agreed).

The terms upon which the consultant will be engaged are as per the consultancy agreement. The invoice is to be submitted at the end of the assignment and will be paid on net payment terms 30 days though we can be flexible.

All potential applicants must fill in the table beneath in Appendix 1 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 17th October 2022 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.

1. Timescales
2. Full break down of costs including taxes, expenses and any VAT
3. References (two are preferred)
4. Technical competency for this role
5. Demonstrable experience of developing a similar piece of work including a methodology

Note: The criteria are subject to change.

Appendix 1

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 real time learning review (RTLR) consultancy for Islamic Relief Afghanistan, September 2022

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 (required for invoicing purposes) £

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 or download the tender documents please follow the link below;

https://www.islamic-relief.org/tenders/category/open-tenders/