National consultant

IFRC DRC is looking for a consultancy service to conduct an Assessment of the September Activation. 

Interested applicant should submit their expression of interest along with the required documents mentioned in the ToR to Ms. Aliza Baidya at aliza.baidya@ifrc.org by 15 October 2024

Terms of Reference

Context

With the financial support from the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the IFRC Danish Red Cross and the Nepal Red Cross Society has been working on Anticipatory Action (AA) since 2020. In the first phase, the project “Forecast-based Action and Shock Responsive Social Protection in Lumbini and Sudhur Paschim Provinces,” provided technical support to the local government to develop an Early Action Framework (EAF). In the second phase, the project "Strengthening Ownership and Governance in Disaster Risk Management (STRONG in DRM)" implemented by a consortium formed by Nepal Red Cross Society, IFRC Danish Red Cross, IFRC Finnish Red Cross, and Mercy Corps aimed at strengthening efficient and effective disaster risk management by the Government of Nepal and humanitarian stakeholders through a scalable, all-of-society, and risk-informed approach to preparedness, anticipatory action, and early response including shock responsive social protection. This project was built upon the gains and recommendations from the first phase. While the first phase introduced a new way of disaster risk reduction to the stakeholders, tested the systems and gained acceptance towards AA, the second phase worked on strengthening the government’s capacity and systems to execute the EAF. 

The EAF comprises of: 

• Impact thresholds: a predetermined set of conditions (river level, water level) which when exceeded is expected to cause an impact.
• Pre-identified early actions: developed in consultation with the community actors and stakeholders, early actions are taken before an anticipated crisis with the aim of preventing the disaster or mitigating its impact. Each early action is detailed into multiple sub-actions and planned in a chronological order.
• Roles and responsibilities: each action is assigned to specific position holder within the municipal office and the local disaster management committee (LDMC).

The objective of the EAF is to ensure that the stakeholders are timely informed of a potential flood based on weather forecast information and are prepared to implement the pre-identified early actions once the thresholds are exceeded and an activation is triggered. The pre-identified early actions include early warning messaging about weather forecast, cleaning of canals, prepositioning of safe drinking water, shelter management, early evacuations and providing Multi-Purpose Cash (MPC) assistance to the high-risk population. The MPC is targeted for families from high-risk areas who have additional vulnerabilities. During disasters, families with vulnerable family members are at higher risks and need supplementary assistance to meet their additional needs. Therefore, the use of MPC as an early action is intended to help them access goods/services so that they can take preventive measures against the impact of the forecasted flood. 

In September 2024, the EAF was activated for Babai River (Bardiya district). In Bardiya, based on the decision made by the local government in Gulariya and Barbardiya, several early actions were taken including dissemination of early warning messages through multiple mediums including multi-hazard early warning sirens, official Facebook pages, mass sms, IVR, email etc. The municipalities also issued formal letters asking stakeholders and the community to take early actions and informed communities about the complaint and feedback mechanism. In preparation for an activation, NRCS had also signed an MoU with the two municipal authorities to provide Multi-Purpose Cash (MPC) assistance as an early action to the 774 pre-identified households that have family members living with a disability. The pre-identification of the households with persons with disabilities had been done in consultation with the municipalities at the preparedness stage using the government of Nepal’s Social Security Allowance (SSA) registry. Accordingly, after the activation the MPC was released in anticipation of the forecasted flood five hours after the Consortium technical team concluded that thresholds for activation stage had been met and impact at the community was highly probable based on the detailed analysis of the forecast, along with the real-time data from ground observations. 

The red cross will continue to monitor the weather forecast until the exit of monsoon. If the impact thresholds are exceeded, there might be another activation in the same geographical area.

Purpose

The IFRC Danish Red Cross together with its consortium partners are seeking consultancy service to conduct a Post Distribution Monitoring of the MPC distributed during the EAF activation in September 2024. The consultancy will also conduct a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) of the MPC. It will generate the value of spending emergency funds in MPC before the occurrence of a forecasted flood to prevent or mitigate its impact on the lives, health, and livelihoods of affected communities.

The evaluation is also timely considering the second phase of the AA project funded by the EU is coming to an end in November 2024. Hence, the evaluation will inform the EU, its consortium partners, and the government stakeholders about the effectiveness of MPC as an early action and its Cost Benefit Analysis. Secondary audience of the evaluation report will be wider government and non-government stakeholder who are working in AA. Findings and recommendations of the evaluation will inform a way forward for the relevant stakeholders.

*If there is another activation in the same geographical location (Barbardiya and Gulariya in Bardiya) during the process of onboarding the consultant, the scope of the evaluation will also consider it.

Objective

The consultancy will evaluate:

• Relevancy:
  • To what extent is the MPC assistance relevant in preventing or minimising impact of floods?
  • To what extent does the MPC reach to the most vulnerable and marginalized people?
  • To what extent did the project involve local stakeholders and actors in designing and implementing the MPC?
• Effectiveness:
  • What were the positive outcomes (assumed or real) of the MPC? 
  • What conditions facilitated the achievement of positive outcomes? What conditions were obstacles to achieving the positive outcomes? How did you overcome it? 
  • What were the negative outcomes of the MPC?
  • What conditions resulted in the negative outcomes? How did you try to overcome it? What were the constraints in overcoming it?
• Efficiency:
  • To what extent was the MPC assistance able to prevent or minimise impacts of floods? Conduct a Cost Benefit Analysis of the MPC (Quantify the financial efficiency of MPC assistance in early action versus in response, quantify the prevention or minimisation of floods impacts due to utilisation of MPC)
  • To what extent was the MPC process efficient during the activation? 
  • To what extent was the coordination mechanism with the three tiers of government efficient? 
• Sustainability:
  • To what extent is there a possibility of replicating/scaling up MPC as an early action based on the existing government policies and guidelines?

Methodology:

• The consultant will conduct a desk review of the use of MPC assistance in anticipation and its’ CBA in other countries. The findings from the desk review will help guide detailed planning of the evaluation process.   
• The project will organize a two-day lesson learned workshop together with the four municipalities and the red cross partners. Lessons and recommendations from the workshop, will provide the consultant with an understanding of MPC program including targeting, roles and responsibilities, coordination mechanisms, good practices, gaps, challenges, and recommendations from the participants (NRCS, municipality and other relevant stakeholders).
• The consultant will produce an inception report highlighting the purpose, scope of work, methodologies, and quality assurance of the final product. The program team will review the inception report and assign the work once inception report is approved.
• The consultant, in consultation with the program team will develop questionnaire for household survey, KII and FGD which will be overseen by the program team. Based on random sampling, approx. 200 household surveys will be conducted and 10 KIIs at each municipality. The consultant will provide orientation to the NRCS enumerators for the household survey and supervise their work on a real time basis. The consultant will also conduct the KIIs and FGD. 
• The consultant will give a presentation and share a debriefing report with major findings and recommendations to the program team after the field work. Based on the inputs and feedback from the program team, the consultant will share the first draft of the report. An outline of the report will be agreed in advance with the project team. The report should also include case studies (4-5) with photographs supporting the report findings.
• The consultant will work together with the program team to finalise the report after incorporating feedback and comments.

Deliverables:

Roles & Responsibilities

IFRC DRC shall be responsible for:

• IFRC DRC will work closely with the consultant to finalize the detailed planning of the evaluation. At the start of the consultancy, DRC will work with the consultant to finalise the report outline, help to organise relevant interviews and meetings, finalise the lessons learned workshop agenda, provide relevant documents for review and the detailed evaluation plan etc.
• All the logistics (transportation, accommodation, appointments), linking with NRCS focal person and stakeholders will be facilitated by DRC CO.
• Making payments in Nepali Rupees as per the signed contract with the consultant within four weeks of the submission of the invoice and final evaluation report.

Consultant shall be responsible for:

• Leading the evaluation process.
• Prepare and submit an inception report including detailed methodology (with interview questions etc)
• Preparing a debriefing note and/or PowerPoint presentation summarising the findings and recommendations of the evaluation.
• Presenting the initial findings to the Danish Red Cross and its consortium partners for suggestions and feedback. 
• Prepare and submit the first draft report and final report to the DRC and its consortium partners.

Per diem & Travel allowance

The DRC will cover all travel and accommodation costs as per actual basis & food-max NPR 1800 per person per day.

Expression of Interest

Financial Offer

The interested firm or individual consultant is asked to submit a budget proposal outlining the costs for working days (fee), along with a tentative work plan including the working days for the main activities and milestones. Submit a financial proposal in NPR, with a detailed breakdown of the cost and its related activity including all applicable tax/vat.

In your financial proposal please mentioned the terms of payment including bank details: 

Bank Name:

Account Name:

Account Number:

Branch:

In the financial proposal, the applicant should mention the detailed terms of payment.

Technical Offer

A method statement/proposal outlining the proposed approach to ensure quality is maintained throughout the duration of the contract and how they propose to meet the Terms of Reference.

Required Documents/Certificates with the proposal.

The documents/certificates that should be submitted/attached with your offer are:-

• Acknowledgement of ToR. (Please attach the signed copy of these Terms of Reference with your offer)
• Copy of VAT/PAN registration certificate.
• Copy of Business Registration, if applicable.
• Copy of latest TAX clearance certificate, if applicable

Qualifications

• Prior experience of conducting similar evaluations - post-distribution monitoring of Multi-Purpose Cash assistance, evaluation of Early Actions/Anticipatory Actions, Cost Benefit Analysis of humanitarian programs responding to Disaster Risk Reduction, Anticipatory Action and Response operations with experience of cash and voucher assistance.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings, draw practical conclusions, make recommendations and to prepare well-written reports in a timely manner. 
• Knowledge and experience working with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
• Demonstrated capacity to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent English writing skills, with relevant writing samples of similar reports.
• Immediate availability for the period indicated in the time frame section.

Application procedures

The interested firm or individual consultant should submit their expression of interest to the following email: aliza.baidya@ifrc.org, by 15 October 2024. Applicant must submit the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
2. Cover letter clearly summarizing your experience as mentioned above.
3. Narrative and financial proposal
4. Sample Report- Please provide a copy of two previous written report (Similar type of report submitted to any organization in the past)
5. Two reference letters

Selection process and criteria

The applicants will be evaluated as below:

First Round

• Technical proposal 40%
• Technical interview/presentation 30%

Second Round

• Financial proposal 30%

Selection criteria

• Relevant professional experience - project designing, evaluation, developing early actions, vulnerability and risk assessments, anticipatory action, targeting guidelines etc. in DRR, Anticipatory Action and Climate Change.
• Team composition, competencies of the team members, and qualifications.
• Quality of samples submitted along with the technical proposal.
• Quality of technical proposal and the total value of the financial proposal.
• Proposal Presentation (ideas, plans, organizing the overall assignments, field plan, team composition, and other details about the work).