Program Consultant - Empowering Communities for Livelihoods, and bio-diversity project & Climate/NbS project

IFRC BRC opened a position of Program Consultant.  Interested candidates should submit their application material (as mentioned in ToR) by Wednesday, 02 April 2025 to the following e-mail: aliza.baidya@ifrc.org



Terms of Reference (ToR)

Program Consultant

Empowering Communities for Livelihoods, and bio-diversity project & Climate/NbS project

Summary

1. Background of The Empowering communities for livelihood (ECOLAB) & Climate NbS project

ECOLAB is a consortium project of NTNC-IFRC BRC-NRCS with funding of Jersey Overseas Aid (JoA), has been implementing multiple resilience-focused initiatives since 2024. These include the Empowering Communities for Livelihoods, and Biodiversity (ECOLAB) project. With the collaboration with British Red Cross (IFRC BRC) Nepal red-cross society implementing other project Climate Nature-based Solutions (NbS) with Resilient Livelihoods in Nepal, and the Heat Action Programme in five municipalities of Kailali. These programs are designed to strengthen community resilience, promote sustainable livelihoods, and enhance climate adaptation efforts in Nepal.

Priority areas of actions of The Project

The project aims to achieve above mentioned goal by implementing following key actions in five municipalities of Kailali (Chure RN, Godawari Municipality, Dhangadi Sub Metro, Bhajani Municipality & Tikapur Municipality)

• Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment in targeted five municipalities.
• Livelihood/income generation activity support through conditional grants and technical support.
• Development household level and livelihood business plan and handholding support to implement the climate smart livelihood option.
• Financial literacy and advocacy trainings. 
• Biodiversity conservation and protection of endangered species with implement NbS intervention.

2. Scope of work 

NRCS/IFRC BRC is commissioning this consultancy services from individuals to implement its programme deliverables in above mentioned four municipalities with following specific tasks.

Specific tasks related to this scope of work are: 

• Provide technical guidance to the field staff in implementing DRR/M and Climate Change initiatives in field. 
• Develop a PMER Framework and plan as per the program log frame and program life cycle.
• Establish and adapt PMER systems and tools for use at HQ and district level.
• Provide support to the programme team in the development of weekly/monthly/quarterly plans of action and prepare consolidated plans for HQ and manage updates.
• Develop  planning and monitoring checklist and questionnaires.
• Assist program management team in developing M&E plan and quarterly plan.
• Establish documentation system to ensure documents are well managed and are easily available and accessible.
• Guide district level program teams to develop their program implementation plan, monitoring plan, checklist and questionnaires. 
• Develop PMER templates and ensure teams are trained in the use of these tools.
• Take full responsibility of planning, monitoring and evaluation related activities.
• Conduct risk analysis of the activities to be performed in the field. 
• Engage in quarterly monitoring visits in the program implementing areas and update the issue tracker. 
• Prepare reports for each of the monitoring and evaluation visits of the program, reflecting the achievements of the program activities, challenges faced and gaps in implementation in the reports.  
• Prepare progress reports of the programmes against the schedule and as per the program agreement.
• Regularly update and share information to program staff. 
• Coordinate quarterly and annual review and planning meetings.
• Coordinate and organise any visits from PSC, senior management, partners or donors.
• Provide timely feedback/suggestions to programme staff and communities during monitoring visits.
• Manage all activities related with planning, monitoring, and evaluation and reporting as per prevailing NRCS rules and regulations.
• Supervise and guide district level program team members in the areas of planning, monitoring, evaluation and Reporting.
• Ensure the effective and timely implementation of planned activities at the district program level. 
• Identify gaps in capacity of programme staff and explore opportunities to build the capacity of staff including facilitation of regular training sessions and mentoring of district level staff.
• Work closely with the DPC and technical coordinator at headquarter and district level for gathering and collecting learning from the different programme level and properly documenting them.
• Contribute on developing and implementing the tools to capture the learning and support the learning partner on documenting the learning.
• In close consultation with Program Manager coordinate monitoring, evaluation and reporting issues of the programme and DM Department (in case of need). 
• In close coordination with DPC coordinate with PMER activities in the field.  
• Support any external research and evaluation team that are involved in program.
• Be actively engaged with social mobilisers and stakeholders of the programmes and work as focal person for the purpose like documentation of case studies, documentation of success/ failure cases, collection of learnings, photography and video graphics. 
• Coordinate linkages within internal and external stakeholders to strengthen program deliverables.

3. Methodology

At start of contract the consultant will consult with programme team (IFRC BRC and NRCS) to develop a common understanding on the kind and quality of deliverables, expected methodology and process to be undertaken to deliver the outputs. An immediate output of this consultations will be submission of work plan together explicating implementation process (not more than 10 page) together within 15 days on signing of contract.

For day to day work the consultant will closely work with District Programme Coordinator (DPC) at municipality level and with Program Manager and PMER Coordinator at headquarters level.

While strategic guidance will be provided by IFRC BRC Programme Manager, NRCS Deputy Director and other project staffs at NRCS and IFRC BRC.

4. Deliverables/expected outputs

The individual consultant is expected for following deliverables by the end of consultancy period. However, reports of specifics task and deliverables will be provided by the consultant after their completion within 15 days. 

Output 1: Analytical report of consolidated Disaster & climate risk, environmental & biodiversity threating in current and future prediction of targeted local level & targeted household.

Output 2: Consolidated scope study of government provision on DRR-CCA, environmental & biodiversity conservation, climate smart livelihood including social safety nets/ social protection scheme and risk transfer instruments, insurance and orientation report.  

Output 3: Analytical report of project progress reports of task assigned by the Program manager and DPC

5. Timeline

The initial timeline of this consultancy assignment is for 8.5 months with possibility of extension based on quality performance.

6. Payment schedule

The payment will be done as per follows: The payment will be made monthly basis as per the agreed between individual consultant and NRCS/IFRC BRC

7. Consultancy firm/consultant’s profile

Essential criteria

• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in livelihood, income generation related activities.
• Consultant to hold a bachelor’s degree in the Agriculture, Livelihood, Forestry, Development studies, social sciences & other relevant subject related to PMER. 
• Demonstrated practical experience in DRR-CCA, NbS, livelihoods programming and implementation including community mobilisation skills. 
• Excellent written/verbal communication and written skills in English and Nepali 
• Strong technical and analytical capabilities and demonstrated ability to collect, analyze and interpret data.

Desired criteria

• Strong understanding of gender equality and social inclusion in Nepal (or demonstrably similar contexts). 
• Environment and Biodiversity conservation programming and intervention skills will be added advantage.

8. Expression of Interest

Individual consultants are encouraged to apply. 

Individual consultant should submit an expression of interest including both a Financial Offer and a Technical Offer. These include the following:

1. Financial Offer - This consists of a detailed financial proposal for the delivery of the services outlined above, with costs broken down significantly for each component and sub-component.
2. 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. 

To include: 

a) Curriculum Vitae 

• CV(s) of the consultant(s) proposed for the task, with a focus on similar assignments. If multiple people are involved, an outline of roles/ responsibilities also needs to be included. 

b) Evidence of previous work  

• Few examples of similar assignment reports. 
• References from the organization(s) for whom those pieces of work were contracted.

c) Timeframe: Tentative start and end date for completion of all deliverables.

d) Approach paper, including work plan, budget, and availability (maximum 2 pages).

Qualified women, people with disability, and members from disadvantaged communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

9. Date of application submission

Individual/consultant firm can apply within 10 days of notice published in newspaper or online portal.

10. 10 a. Award Procedure

This section outlines and describes the procedure that Red Cross will follow in selecting a consultant to enter into this Contract.

The purpose of the Award Procedure is to enable the Red Cross to assess the relative advantages of each submission meeting the Award Criteria. The assessment of bids in accordance with the Award Procedure will be based on the following criteria: 

• Financial offer 30% 
• Technical offer 40% 
• Technical interview / presentation 30%

The financial offer will be assessed on the basis of the total quote submitted for the requirements detailed, rather than the component parts individually. 

Following the submission of quotes, the bidder with the lowest total shall receive 100% of the weighting attributed to the Financial Offer (i.e., 30%) award criteria. All subsequent bids will be weighted by calculating a percentage of the lowest price.

The Technical Offer will represent 40% of the overall tender score attainable by Bidders. 

Bidders must note that there must be no changes to the key personnel proposed as part of any tender submission, without the approval and authorisation of the Red Cross. In such circumstances, replacement personnel proposed must be at least equally qualified and skilled as the personnel they are replacing.  Red Cross may veto the proposed replacement personnel with a full explanation as to why the proposed individual is not considered to be suitable.  

The Technical Offer shall assess the Bidders response in relation to the criteria as detailed below:

Following the assessment of the technical offer, the score attained by each Bidder will then be added to their Financial Offer score to give a total tender score out of 70%. 

The highest scoring Bidders will then be invited for a technical interview/presentation which will make up the remaining 30% of the score.

10b. Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Rights

“Intellectual Property Rights” refers to any patent, copyright, design right, community design right, registered design, rights in know-how, or any similar right in any part of the world and shall include any applications for the registration of any patents or registered designs or similar rights capable of registration in any part of the world.

Intellectual Property Rights

(a) All Intellectual Property Rights whatsoever in any work produced by the Contractor and/or the Individuals for British Red Cross shall belong to British Red Cross absolutely and the Contractor hereby waives and shall procure that the Individuals (or any individuals it uses in any capacity to provide or assist in providing the Services) waives any moral rights or any other rights whatsoever which it may have in such work and will, at the expense of British Red Cross, take or join in taking such steps to vest such rights in British Red Cross or enforce the same on behalf of British Red Cross as British Red Cross shall require.

(b) The Contractor shall indemnify the IFRC British Red Cross (as appropriate) against any costs claims demands expenses or liabilities arising from a claim brought against British Red Cross by a third party alleging infringement of its intellectual property rights arising from use of British Red Cross of the Services provided by the Contractor.

The Red Cross emblem is a protective symbol, the use of which is restricted by international and national law. It may not be reproduced without prior authorisation. For more information, about the emblem, please go to www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/The-international-Movement/The-emblem.

11. Confidentiality

All information collected by the consultant/ partner on behalf of NRCS and IFRC BRC will remain the property of NRCS and IFRC BRC and require explicit permission by both parties for any use not stated here.

12. Application Procedures

Interested candidates should submit their application material by Wednesday, 02 April 2025 to the following e-mail: aliza.baidya@ifrc.org

Please put the Application for “ECOLAB & climate NbS-Program Consultant” in the subject heading. Application materials are non-returnable and only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the next step in the application process.

Application materials should include:

a) Curriculum Vitae

• CV(s) of the consultant(s) proposed for the task, with a focus on similar assignments. If multiple people are involved, an outline of roles/ responsibilities also needs to be included. 

b) Evidence of previous work

• Few examples of similar assignment reports.
• Three professional references from the organization(s) for whom those pieces of work were contracted.

c) Timeframe

• Weekly timeline to achieve abovementioned deliverables within in stipulated time.

13. Documents: (made available to the consultant prior of start of the consultancy) 

• Project Proposal
• Logical Framework
• Programme implementation approaches and guidelines.