Consultancy - Proposal for mapping of donor priorities

Deadline Date ‎2022-‎06-‎10Terms of Reference
Consultancy for mapping of donor priorities for Iraqi NGOs and preparing
guidance booklet for templates, proposal forms for each donor.
Ref No: RO-IQEBL-‎22-‎0189-IQEBL-‎0120

Oxfam has been working in Iraq since the 1990s with both an expanding and
contracting presence. In ‎2014, Oxfam established its first office in Kalar
when the conflict with ISIS began and the country was thrown into a new
humanitarian crisis, in an already fragile context. In ‎2021, Oxfam is amongst
the largest NGOs operating in the country, with nine offices and almost ‎200
employees and an annual budget of ‎25 million USD.
Following the rise of the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS) in ‎2014, the
Iraq programme introduced humanitarian programming and since then has remained
agile to the evolving contextual needs, which are increasingly fragile in an
environment of chronic underdevelopment and protracted crises.
In ‎2020, with the emergence of COVID-‎19 pandemic, the program expanded to lead
a large COVID-‎19 emergency response alongside standard programming. Currently,
Oxfam in Iraq has seven programming offices - in Anbar, Salah al-Dhin, Mosul,
Kirkuk, Diyala, Sulaymaniyah and Missan, with a country office in Erbil and a
support office in Baghdad. Oxfam is working across the key sectors of
Protection, Gender, Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods, Water
and Sanitation and Advocacy.
‎1. Background of the assignment:
The concept of localisation of aid has been present in the humanitarian sector
for decades in the form of ‘building on local capacities.’ According to
Oxfam’s strategy, local humanitarian leadership has been described as “local
humanitarian actors (whether civil society, government or both) leading
humanitarian response and ensuring it is fast and appropriate and meeting the
needs of the affected population” (Kergoat, et al., ‎2020).
Critiques of international humanitarian aid have long suggested that it needs
to be more inclusive of actors from crisis-affected countries. Years after the
Grand Bargain, launched during the WHS in Istanbul in May ‎2016, a range of
actors, particularly local actors, have questioned the progress and impact of
“localization” of humanitarian assistance, “local humanitarian leadership”
(LHL), and “local humanitarian action” (LHA). As the entire international
humanitarian community reflects on that progress, an Oxfam
research[‎1] suggests that more conversations with local
actors in a variety of contexts can better inform and shape discussions and
decisions going forward.
There are many barriers that complicate local and national actors’ access to
international funds. In a ‎2013 survey, more than ‎90 percent of local
organizations reported a lack of awareness of international funding
opportunities, and nearly a quarter cited language barriers (Poole ‎2014). More
than three-quarters cited the challenges in complying with the priorities of
the funders (Poole ‎2014), which recalls earlier critiques about the top-down
nature of humanitarian funding as a whole. Between ‎25 percent and ‎40 percent
cited administrative, audit, and reporting requirements as major barriers
(Poole ‎2014), which resonates with recent studies demonstrating that smaller
NGOs bear the greatest administrative burden for the least reward because of
high administrative and transaction costs (Stoddard et al.
‎2017).[‎2] There are additional issues that limit local
NGO access to external funding including external accountability, nepotism,
politicization, ongoing professionalization, non-agreement with international
norms and definitions, etc. These issues also need to be addressed as we plan
to support local actors in better access for funding.
Oxfam in Iraq is committed for transformative partnerships and facilitating
local leadership of NGOs in Iraq. Oxfam is investing in their institutional
and technical capacity strengthening as well as working with them as partners
in various projects. They are involved from the project design and
conceptualization phase, so they have opportunity to contribute in the project
design and to know what the quality of proposals and the key requirements. We
also create opportunities for local NGOs to interact with donors directly and
build relationships without any intermediary. We also share various funding
opportunities that are aimed for local NGOs so they can apply and win the
grants.
Most organizations experience difficulty in understanding the templates,
proposal formats, language and requirements in the proposals, donor’s
compliance requirements, and the decision-making processes of the donors,
Iraqi Humanitarian Fund (IHF), UNs and INGOs. Because of this lack of better
understanding, they are unable to prepare and submit good quality proposals
and meet the donor requirements, and thus struggle to have sufficient funding
available to run their activities to support vulnerable communities.
‎2. Purpose of the assignment:
Oxfam is looking for a consultant to undertake the assignment of mapping donor
priorities who have interest for supporting CSOs in Iraq on the areas of
humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, durable solutions, climate action,
DRR, resilience building, women’s issue etc. in current and near future.
The study will help the local NGOs of Iraq to understand which donors have
interest in Iraq and how to approach them for funding. This will also provide
the templates and tools for proposal writing and concept notes etc. for each
specific donor and provide a training to the local NGOs on the same.
‎3. Objectives of the assignment:
* To map the interests of donors in Iraq in various thematic areas of humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, durable solutions, climate action, DRR, resilience building, women’s issue etc. in current and near future.
* To provide guidance and tools for use of local NGOs in their efforts to secure donor funding in different thematic areas in Iraq.
* To provide a training to local NGOs on donor engagement, and their proposals, templates, tools, best practices etc.
‎4. Deliverables:
Sl.
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Particulars
|
Timeline

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‎1.
|
· Conduct the mapping of interests of key donors in Iraq who fund NGOs in
various thematic areas of humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, durable
solutions, climate action, DRR, resilience building, women’s issue etc. in
current and near future.
|
‎6 weeks

‎2.
|
· Provide report of the mapping of donors with clear identification of their
sectoral/thematic interest, their geographic focus, their preferred approach
of partnership/granting etc.
· Provide guidance for local NGOs regarding templates, tools, websites, links,
sample proposal formats, best practices etc. for each identified donor (in
form of a separate booklet)
· Provide a donor engagement action plan for local NGOs in Iraq
|
7th week

‎3.
|
· Finalize and submit donor mapping report
· Finalize and submit the guidance for each donor after incorporating inputs
received from Oxfam (in form of a separate booklet)
· Finalize the donor engagement action plan for local NGOs
|
Within ‎1 week after receiving inputs from Oxfam

‎4.
|
· Facilitate ‎2-day training on donor engagement, and their proposals,
templates, tools, best practices etc. for local NGOs (Oxfam will identify
participants and arrange for logistics. Venue, breaks, stationary,
participants’ costs will be covered by Oxfam. Consultant will cover his/her
own costs including accommodation, travel, meals etc.)
|
In the third week after submitting the final report.

1. Time period:
   The duration of the assignment is expected to be eight weeks starting from 1st
   June ‎2022 till 31st July ‎2022. The indicative workplan is as below:
   Sl.
   |
   Activity
   |
   W1
   |
   W2
   |
   W3
   |
   W4
   |
   W1
   |
   W2
   |
   W3
   |
   W4

---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---

‎1.
|
Submission of inception report to Oxfam
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

‎2.
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Review and approval from Oxfam on the inception report
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

‎3.
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Conducting the mapping exercise with desk research, document analysis,
strategy reviews, meetings, interviews, and other appropriate methods.
|
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|

‎4.
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Submission of draft report of mapping exercise alongwith the guidance/booklet
for local NGOs regarding templates, tools, websites, links, sample proposal
formats etc. for each identified donor, and the donor engagement plan for
local NGOs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X
|

‎5.
|
Submit final report and guidance/booklet for local NGOs regarding templates,
tools, websites, links, sample proposal formats etc. for each identified
donor, and the donor engagement plan for local NGOs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X

‎6.
|
Facilitate ‎2-day training on donor engagement, and their proposals, templates,
tools, best practices etc. for local NGOs.
|
In the third week after submitting the final report to Oxfam.

1. Payment schedule:
   The consultant/agency will be paid agreed rate, upon satisfactory completion
   of the assignment including submission of deliverables and reports as per
   below schedule:


2. ‎25% will be paid upon approval of the inception report


3. ‎25% will be paid upon submission of draft report of mapping exercise alongwith the guidance/booklet for local NGOs regarding templates, tools, websites, links, sample proposal formats etc. for each identified donor, and the donor engagement plan for local NGOs.


4. ‎25% will be paid after submission and approval of the final report and guidance/booklet for local NGOs regarding templates, tools, websites, links, sample proposal formats etc. for each identified donor, and the donor engagement plan for local NGOs.
   ‎25% will be paid after completion of the ‎2-day training on donor engagement,
   and their proposals, templates, tools, best practices etc. for local NGOs.Eligibility and Qualification Requirements
   The major criteria to evaluate the service provider/consultant competing for
   the assignment will include the following:


5. Strong knowledge and understanding of donor priorities, templates and proposal formats, and key requirements


6. Experience of writing proposals and concept notes for different donors


7. Proven experience in conducting research, assessments and evaluations


8. Ready to travel in Iraq and between the governorates for the purpose of research if needed


9. Fluency in Arabic and English languages
   Scoring criteria for selection of the service provider/consultant:
   SN
   |
   Criteria
   |
   Weight %
   |
   Evaluation method

---|---|---|---

‎1
|
Technical proposal
|
‎60 %
|
Review of the technical proposal

‎2
|
Delivery time/assignment schedule
|
‎20 %
|
Submitted workplan/schedule

‎3
|
Financial proposal
|
‎20 %
|
Review of the financial proposal

|
Total
|
‎100 %
|*
Interested and qualified applicants with the required expertise to conduct the
above exercise should submit their application (Technical and Financial
Proposals in closed envelopes) *by ‎10 June ‎2022 to
[email protected] * or
Oxfam Office in Erbil / Baghdad. Please mention “ *Proposal for mapping of
donor priorities ” in the subject line.
Oxfam Offices addresses:
* Erbil – Ankawa – Near Ankawa Royal Hotel.
* Baghdad-Almansoor-Aldawoodi-AlSa’a restaurant street, near the railroad.
TOR Link: https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/vacancy/‎17338/description