Country: Somalia
Closing date: 02 Oct 2016
SOMALIA COUNTRY OFFICE
Terms of Reference – Partner Capacity Assessment
1.Background
Diakonia is an international Faith Based development organization rooted in two churches in Sweden, the Swedish Alliance Mission and the Uniting Church in Sweden. The organization currently works in about 26 countries in Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Asia by supporting local partners. Diakonia’s vision is a Just, Equal and Sustainable world. Our mission and goal is to change unfair political, economic, social and cultural structures that cause poverty, oppression, inequality and violence
Diakonia focuses on 6 thematic/intervention areas namely Human Rights, Democracy, Gender Equality and Social & Economic Justice, Conflict and Justice and Emergency Response and Disaster Resilience.
The Somalia Country Office has 3 programmes within its current 2016 – 2020 strategy plan: Democracy and Human Rights; Social Economic Justice and Emergency Response and Disaster Resilience. Diakonia is working with about 14 partners – 8 in Puntland and 6 in Jubbaland States of Somalia. The portfolio of partners includes organizations that Diakonia has worked with over a long period of time and others who are new. In addition, the portfolio includes a government ministry and a government office of human rights defence.
Capacity building and accompaniment are part of Diakonia’s added value to partners. Diakonia believes that in the course of our partnership, we must strive to add value and strengthen their capacity. Before engaging partners, Diakonia carries out assessments for new and continuing partner organizations to establish if they have (in the case of a new partner) or still maintain (in the case of a continuing partner) the requisite minimum standards and systems in accordance to the guidelines. It is also an organizational requirement that during the first year of the contract, a comprehensive capacity assessment is carried out to help determine any areas that need support by way of capacity building and accompaniment. The assessment also identifies available capacity assets and proposes how these can be leveraged in the programme. Subsequently, a detailed capacity building plan is developed and agreed upon between the partner and Diakonia for implementation during the contract period.
Diakonia wishes to call for interested bidders to support in carrying out the comprehensive partner capacity assessments.
2.The Somalia Country Office Programmes
The Somalia Country Office is currently implementing its 5 year strategic plan for the period 2016-20120 that is anchored on Diakonia’s global strategy. The country office has selected 4 thematic areas from among the six thematic areas that Diakonia pursues globally. The four areas are Democracy, Human Rights, Social Economic Justice and Emergency Response and Disaster Resilience (ERDR). Currently, funding is available to support the Democracy and Human Rights programme and the Social Economic Justice thematic area. Funding for ERDR is yet to be secured. The Country office has 8 partners who are implementing the programme in Puntland State. Another 6 partners will commence work in Jubbaland State when more funding is acquired.
In the democracy intervention area, Somalia Country Office is working on;
- creating a democratic culture;
- women’s political participation,
- good governance;
- creating an enabling environment of civil society.
In the human rights intervention area, the work centers on;
· the fulfilment of women’s rights;
· the fulfilment of human rights commitments.
In the social economic justice intervention area, the focus is on;
- fair distribution of wealth and access to natural resources;
- decent work and fair income;
- economic empowerment of women;
- sustainable development and climate justice.
In the emergency response and disaster resilience, the focus is on;
· emergency preparedness, relief and recovery;
· strengthening resilience to disaster risks.
The following table provides information on the partners and their areas of intervention for the Somalia Country Office.
No
Partner Name
Intervention Area
Geographical Location
1
Somali Family Services (SFS)
Democracy & Human Rights
Garowe, Puntland
2
Samo Development Organisation (SDO)
Democracy & Human Rights
Galkayo, Puntland
3
We Are Women Activists (WAWA)
Democracy & Human Rights
Bosaso, Puntland
4
Ministry of Constitution, Federal Affairs & Democratisation (MoCFAD)
Democracy & Human Rights
Garowe, Puntland
5
Puntland Office of the Human Rights Defender (OHRD)
Democracy & Human Rights
Garowe, Puntland
6
Forum for African Women Educationists – Somalia Chapter (FAWESOM)
Social & Economic Justice
Garowe, Puntland
7
Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development (GECPD)
Social & Economic Justice
Galkayo, Puntland
8
Kaalo Aid and Development (KAD)
Social & Economic Justice; Emergency Response & Disaster Resilience
Garowe, Puntland
9
Somali Aid (SA)
Social & Economic Justice; Democracy & Human Rights
Kismayo Jubbaland
10
Somali Aid Foundation (SAF)
Social & Economic Justice; Democracy & Human Rights
Afmadow, Jubbaland
11
Kalmo Relief & Development (KRD)
Social & Economic Justice; Emergency Response & Disaster Resilience; Democracy & Human Rights
Belet-Hawa, Jubbaland
12
Jubbaland Development Organisation (JDO
Social & Economic Justice; Democracy & Human Rights
Afmadow, Jubbaland
13
Center for Research and Integrated Development (CeRid)
Social & Economic Justice; Democracy & Human Rights
Luuq, Jubbaland
14
Social Life and Agricultural Development Organisation (SADO)
Social & Economic Justice; Democracy & Human Rights
Garbahare, Jubbaland
3.Purpose of the Partner Capacity Assessment
The proposed capacity assessment is aimed at establishing the capacity strengths and gaps for Diakonia Partners. Once the gaps are identified, a comprehensive capacity building plan for each partner will be developed. Diakonia will then agree what elements of the capacity building plan will be supported within the limitations of resources available.
4.Objectives/ Focus Areas of the Partner Assessments
The overall objective of the partner capacity assessment is to enable Diakonia and her partners in Somalia recognize the areas of strength and the gaps that need to be addressed. This will be achieved through a well thought out capacity building plan and clear mechanism for its implementation. The purpose is to inform the capacity building processes that Diakonia will engage in during the strategic period of 2016 to 2020. In carrying out the proposed partner capacity assessments, attention will be paid to both organizational development issues, program issues as well finance related issues. The capacity assessment will focus attention on the following areas;
a) Legal status, registration and fulfilment of statutory requirements;
b) Identity, vision , mission and core values of the organisations;
c) Governance – including decision making structures and processes, roles and responsibilities of the board and management, participation of stakeholders;
d) Organizational culture and leadership;
e) Formulation of strategic plans – linkage to vision and mission and participation of stakeholders;
f) Programme planning, management, monitoring, reporting and documentation of results. This shall include areas of technical capacity that are necessary for the partner to deliver on the intervention areas for which they are supported by Diakonia. The consultant will therefore need to pay due attention to the fit between the partners’ work and Diakonia’s expected results. This calls for understanding of the expected programmatic deliverables of the partner and establishing if any technical capacity strengthening is needed for the partner from a technical perspective;
g) Administration and management systems and policies - human resources policy, available capacity, staff development policies and performance appraisals. This shall also include assessment of risk management systems, organisational and program accountability mechanisms, complaints mechanisms and codes of conduct that the partner may have.
h) Financial management systems, controls and accountability systems – financial and procurement policies and procedures, auditing and staff capacity;
i) Financial Sustainability and Resource mobilization strategies and plans;
j) Partnerships and external relationships – current partnerships, communication, visibility, participation in networks and campaigns and policy advocacy.
The consultant is expected to develop tools that will capture issues in each of the areas raised above. It is envisaged that the partner capacity assessment process will be participatory and will involve the maximum input of the partner organizations at all levels.
5.Scope of Work, Methodology & Deliverables
The Partner Capacity Assessment will cover all the 14 Somalia Country office partners for the full scope of assessment. In case a partner has gone through capacity assessment within the last 12 months, the consultant shall review the assessment report and determine if there are issues in this ToR that were not covered by that assessment and hence carry out an assessment in respect to the excluded issues.
5.1Literature Review
Diakonia shall provide the consultant with the relevant literature, including programme documents that contain information on the partner intervention areas. The Consultant undertakes to maintain confidentiality of any Diakonia information and reports that may come into their contact during the entire partner assessment exercise. The consultant is not limited to literature provided by Diakonia.
5.2Partner Visits
The partner assessment team comprising of the consultants and the Somalia program team (to the best extent possible) will visit all the 14 partners and with technical leadership from the consultant facilitate a participatory assessment of the partner. Some areas, especially in Jubbaland, may pose challenges in terms of visiting partner offices. Any envisaged challenges should be outlined by the consultant with a clear plan on how to handle the challenges.
5.3Activities
The envisaged activities include but not limited to;
a) Holding a Partner Assessment Planning meeting with Somalia Country Office team;
b) Reviewing literature;
c) Developing partner assessment tools;
d) Visiting partner offices;
e) Carrying out the participatory capacity assessment
f) Producing partner assessment report
g) Presenting the main findings and key recommendations to Somalia Country Office;
h) Facilitating partner assessment feedback and validation forum at the end of the assessment process.
5.4Deliverables – Partner Assessment Report
The consultant will compile an analytical and detailed partner assessment report that will capture the results of the assessment. The report will cover all the areas related to the objectives of the assessment. In particular,
a) A description of the Partner organizations, stating the overall assessment goals;
b) Description of the methodology and process used including the limitations of the assessment;
c) Providing a concise analysis and interpretation of the key findings, conclusions and recommendations;
d) Analysis of capacity assets/strengths and make recommendations on how these can be leveraged in the programme;
e) Analysis of capacity development gaps evident in each of the partners assessed. In highlighting broadly the capacity development gaps, the report will point out the 3 to 5 key capacity development gaps that are of priority for each partner assessed;
f) Out of the capacity development gaps, identify what is generic/or cuts across all the partners and possible common underlying issues;
g) Make key recommendations regarding the most effective mechanism and approach that Diakonia can employ in supporting partner capacity development of the priority areas identified during the assessment;
h) Identify what partners can do without external support e.g. decisions that need to be made; enforcing policies that are already in place; implementing decisions/recommendations that have already been made etc;
i) Recommended Capacity development plan for each partner, which should include indicators of measuring success of the capacity development process, implementation time frames and possible cost indications of the areas that will need to be supported financially in consultation with the partner.
6.Work Plan & Time Schedule
The partner Assessment process is expected to be carried out and completed between 13th October 2016 and 13th November 2016.
7.Consultants’ Profile
Diakonia Somalia Country Office seeks to engage the services of qualified and experienced consultants/consultancy firms to undertake the exercise.
The consultants/consultant firms must have the following qualifications and experience:
a) An advanced degree in social sciences and development studies;
b) At least seven (7) years of professional experience in the development sector;
c) Demonstrated experience and knowledge of carrying out partner assessments (institutional, programming, finance and administration);
d) Knowledge of key Diakonia thematic areas of focus;
e) Experience in working in Somalia;
f) Thorough knowledge of Civil Society sector in Somalia;
g) Demonstrated ability to prepare and present analytical and rich partner assessment report.
How to apply:
1.Submission of Applications
Based on the above, Diakonia Somalia Country Office is inviting interested individuals and/or firms to submit applications that shall include the following:
·Consultants’ profile and Capability Statement describing the technical capacity and experience of the firm or group of individuals;
·Names and resume of individuals or team members proposed and their roles in the achievement of the assignment;
·Testimonials and 2 sample reports of similar assignments taken in the recent past;
·Interpretation of these Terms of Reference;
·Detailed implementation plan and time frames;
·A budget proposal, including breakdown and justification, but excluding logistical costs like travel, meals, accommodation among others, which will be met by Diakonia at existing rates.
The applications shall be sent, in soft copy, to Stephen.ndichu@diakonia.se and copied to muna.yusuf@diakonia.se.
Deadline for application submission is Sunday 2nd October 2016.