Purpose

This document is a request for expression of interest only, and in no way obligates Blumont or its donors to prequalify or make any award. Blumont may reject any or all responses or cancel the prequalification process.

Introduction

Blumont is a global organization working with local communities to design and implement innovative approaches to building infrastructure, delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance, and implementing across the spectrum from early recovery through long-term stability and development. Blumont serves underserved populations, refugees, internally displaced persons, victims of conflict, and tackles development challenges through programming tailored to local contexts and needs in order to empower communities from relief and recovery to sustainable resilience.

Background

Blumont is interested in identifying local and international service providers, individual or consultancy firms, capable of carrying out protection and context analysis assessments in a camp-setting environment of Northeast Syria (NES). These assessments will then inform recommendations for related program activities and capacity building initiatives. Ideally, provider will also provide onsite in-person protection trainings to Blumont staff and other stakeholders.

Instructions for Submission of Expression of Interest

If you or your organization is interested in this call and you feel that you match the criteria, please submit your expression of interest applications (EOI) in accordance with the instructions mentioned below:

1. Submission Deadline: EOIs must be received no later than 4:00 pm, EST, on April 17, 2023.
2. The overall submission should be no more than 5 pages and can be submitted directly to [email protected]. Only Shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
3. Blumont reserves the right not to consider submission received after the above deadline.

EoI must not be more than 5 pages. At minimum, it shall describe your interest in and ability to deliver on components of the below Terms of Reference (ToR), including past experience with similar activities. It should also indicate how the work will be achieved, whether through a team or consultant-based approach. Applicants may express interest in one or both of the ToR objectives, though we prefer both objectives being met by one applicant.

EOI Requirements

1. Organization or Offeror’s Profile:
2. The profile must include full legal name of the Offeror, address, telephone numbers and authorized contact person(s) and their email address.
3. Offeror’s profile should provide a brief history of the applicant, including a listing of work experience with international INGOs for similar activity. This shall include a brief description of the Offeror’s qualifications and previous similar experience. If multiple people are applying, please include information for each person. Also, see pre-qualification criteria mentioned below.

The above requested information is within the 5 pages limitation.

1. Business and Other Administrative Requirements:
2. Valid business license, certificate of incorporation and/or other certificates of applicant.
3. For interested organizations, Financial Resources: Offeror shall certify as to the financial viability and resources to provide offered goods/services.

• The Offeror must demonstrate that it has sufficient financial capability and cash flow to deliver the required services. The planned activities will be cost reimbursement based on delivered milestones.

1. Pre-qualified offerors may be invited to submit full proposals.
2. Proposed fully loaded hourly or daily rates (both remote and in-country). Other direct costs such as travel, transportation, etc., will be requested and negotiated as part of full proposal submission.
3. Offeror’s work availability including ability to mobilize and any other commitments during estimated working period (May – July 2023).

EOIs not meeting the above requirements will receive no further consideration.

The above requested information is within the 5 pages limitation.

Pre-qualification Criteria

During the initial prequalification process Blumont would like to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of each potential Offeror/organization, based on the below mentioned criteria:

• Offeror capability in conducting context analysis and protection assessments in sensitive contexts. Offeror is required to share an illustrative example of prior assessments/work completed relevant to the ToR (not included in 5-page limit).
• Demonstrated understanding of technical subject matters (protection, conflict analysis and disability inclusion).
• Previous experience conducting similar work in protracted displacement contexts.
• Previous experience to mobilize and conduct required services with short turnaround.
• If Offeror is a Company or Consultants apply as a cohort, include full management structure, including details on the structure of proposed team/persons involved, resumes, team organization and any advisors the organization works with. Resumes are not included in the 5 page limitation.

Blumont is not liable for any costs incurred by Offerors during preparation or submission of the EOI or full proposals.

Blumont Global Development

Humanitarian Support to Roj Camp

Context Analysis and Protection Consultant

Scope of Work

1. Scope of Work Summary:

The scope of this consultancy assignment is to assist Blumont with the implementation of a context analysis and protection assessment to better understand and document the current operational situation, conflict dynamics, and programming opportunities in Roj Camp, Syria. The consultancy is for 2.5-3 months with an expected starting date in May 2023. Estimated level of effort for the entire work is approximately 65 working days, including travel to Northeast Syria (NES).

1. Background:

Roj Camp: Located in the district of Al Malikiyah, 15 Km from Malikiyah town, Roj Camp (reference annex B for map) is 211,000 m2 and established in 2015, comprised of three phases, as follows:

• Main/old camp (consist of 7 sectors/28 blocks).
• Expansion 1 area (consist of 4 sectors/18 blocks).
• Expansion 2 area (consist of 1 sector/6 blocks).

Currently Roj is accommodating 764 households (HH), 2460 individuals in total, 71 HHs Iraqis, 14 HHs are IDPs, while the rest are Third Country Nationals. Of the adult population, 91% are women, and 65% of the total population are children.

1. Purpose and Objectives of the Consultancy:

The purpose of the consultancy is twofold: (1) to conduct research and provide insight on the current operational context, conflict dynamics in Roj, and (2) to document existing protection programming, needs, risks and opportunities within Roj Camp. The consultant’s objective is to conduct a context analysis (using the Do No Harm Approach) and a protection assessment. Blumont will use the assessment findings to inform Blumont programming with the aim of improving protection mainstreaming, disability inclusion and conflict sensitive programing. The assessments will aim to identify ways that Blumont can program to foster a sense of community and trust within camp populations.

Objective #1: Context Analysis

The first objective is to conduct a context analysis of Roj Camp. The context analysis would reference Blumont’s 2019 Roj Camp Situation Analysis and investigate the current reality of the communal dynamics and power structures. The context analysis would analyze the stakeholders in the camp and the drivers of tensions within internal communal interactions and external stakeholders (e.g. service delivery organizations, NGOs, and Camp Administration). The context analysis needs to provide qualitative insight and recommendations based on the efficacy and impact of Blumont’s current role and programs. The consultant is expected to conduct key informant interviews (KIIs) with NGO employees (Blumont and other INGOs), Camp Administration and camp residents – primarily TCNs. KIIs will be conducted during regular camp activities as a means of mitigating unnecessary attention that may undermine the assessment’s objectives while simultaneously upholding the privacy of respondents. Illustrative questions to answer:

• Who are the stakeholders within Roj? What are their roles as connectors or dividers within Roj?
• What are the current conflict dynamics of Roj Camp, and how does it affect the operational programming space?
• Is Blumont’s programming conflict sensitive? Where and how can programming be improved to be more conflict sensitive?
• Based on understanding of the conflict dynamics, is there an opportunity to refocus social cohesion programming?
• How does the Camp Administration reinforce conflict dynamics or undermine social cohesion? Are there ways in which these effects can be mitigated?

Objective #2: Protection Needs Assessment

The second objective is to conduct a protection needs assessment. The protection assessment would identify protection risks in Roj camp as a whole and analyze program implementation in the camp through a protection lens. The target population would be, Camp Administration, INGOs, protection stakeholders, and protection coordination mechanisms. The target population would be Camp Administration, INGOs, protection stakeholders, and protection coordination mechanisms. The assessments would identify opportunities and gaps of protection services ‐ PSS, CPiE, disability inclusion, and GBV – for all populations in Roj camp. The protection assessment would consider strategic guidance to Blumont on how to work towards better protective services, ensuring gender and disability inclusivity. Furthermore, the assessment would analyze the current internal protection knowledge of NGO staff, volunteers and Camp Administration. The assessment analyzes the stakeholder’s capacity to ensure protection mainstreaming, manage concerns, conduct referrals, etc. The consultant will give short and long-term recommendations, in line with international and national standards and practices, for Blumont to ensure protection services are included across all departments and programmes. The assessment will be led by the consultant with support of Blumont’s Gender and Protection team. Illustrative questions to answer:

• Who are the protection stakeholders in Roj?
• What are the current gaps in protection service provision in Roj?
• Considering existing programming (PRM, MeFA) what appropriate/responsible opportunities exist for Blumont to program to fill those gaps?
• Are there operating contexts that dictate protection gaps are inherently unresolvable?
• What protection services/referral pathways work (or don’t work) and why?
• What are the protection activities that are currently being implemented by Blumont or other partners and don’t meet the humanitarian or protection principles, which may negatively affect confidence-building?

2A. Provide technical support and capacity-building to Blumont Training Plans

If time allows a sub-objective under the protection assessment would be for the consultant to provide technical review of existing training strategy and training material for Blumont staff. The consultant will coordinate with Blumont’s Gender and Protection Specialist and the GBV and CPiE AoRs in developing the protection training plans. The training material review will be based on the findings from the consultant's protection assessment identified protection gaps and recommendations.

1. Principal Duties & Responsibilities:
2. Meet with Blumont team at start of the consultancy, to understand the objectives, scope and deliverable of the assignment and to chalk out the work plan, M&E plan, and the timeline of the assignment
3. Conduct meetings with related stakeholders including camp administration, GBV, CP, and protection working group leads and some partners
4. Review the latest Situation Report on Third-Country National in Roj Camp, Northeast Syria and identify gaps in the analysis
5. Design and conduct a context analysis
6. Design and conduct a protection needs assessment with the protection team and protection working group
7. Identify the gaps, assess, and advise Blumont on how to create an enabling environment for protection services and inclusive environments based on population, gender and disability and provide specific recommendations on addressing the gaps
8. Technically lead the development and implementation of a capacity building strategy for Blumont staff on disability inclusion
9. Manage the project design and technical support on a weekly basis
10. Develop materials/guide revisions to existing materials to be used by Blumont staff for protection trainings
11. Travel to NES for assessment, staff trainings, and project support
12. Specific Tasks of the Consultant:

Under the overall guidance of the MEFA Program Director and with direct operational leadership from the Roj Camp Manager, the consultant will accomplish the following, using his / her education and experience, knowledge and additional understanding gleaned from available resources:

Task 1: Project Initiation

The consultant shall participate in an initial kickoff meeting with Blumont PD and Gender and Protection Specialist to finalize the timeline for the proposed Scope of Work, review proposed plans to confirm understanding of the sequence and dependencies, understand activities undertaken to date by Blumont and others related to same/similar theme(s). This will include review of Background documentation. Consultant shall conduct a background reading of documents relevant to assignment including but not limited to the MEFA proposal and the 2019 Situation Analysis report.

Task 2: Conduct Context (Do No Harm) Analysis

The consultant will visit Roj camp and hold meetings with people identified during kickoff meeting to conduct context analysis. The methodology of the context analysis will be based in the Do No Harm approach. This can include KII, stakeholder mapping, power mapping, conflict and divider analysis.

Task 3: Conduct a Protection Assessment

Methodology will be determined jointly between Blumont (HQ and Field) and the consultant team. This will include identification of research questions, data collection and analyses planning and training/supervising of enumerators.

Task 4: Review and Improve Training Blumont Training Materials

Consultant shall review existing training plans and material. Identify gaps in training plans/ material. Then, in consultation with Gender and Protection specialist set a plan to update existing training documents or develop new training materials (extent of new training materials to be developed will be decided jointly with consultant and Gender and Protection Specialist.

Task 4: Presentation & Brief Report

The consultants shall deliver a presentation and submit a brief report on overall assignment, activities done, accomplishments and recommendations.

1. Deliverables:

The following are the key deliverables of this consultancy:

1. An Inception Report that includes: A comprehensive design with assessment methodology, timeline and objective list within the first week of the consultancy.
2. Final Report on the Context Analysis and Recommendations of Roj Camp
3. Final Report on a Protection Assessment and Recommendations. This will indicate the protection gaps and findings on services and its inclusivity (e.g. gender, disability, etc.) as well as strategies on addressing the gaps identified to make the services available and inclusive
4. Produce a short policy brief and or guidance note related to the review of disability, protection, and gender inclusive development in the camp.
5. Gap analysis and action plan on current Blumont Training Materials
6. Presentation of accomplishments & recommendations
7. Duty Station:

The duty station for this consultancy is both home based (up to 25%) and field based in Derik, Syria (approximately 75%)

1. Reporting:

The consultant will report to the Camp Manager of Al Hol Camp with technical support from the Gender and Protection Specialist and Humanitarian Technical Advisor.

1. Duration of the Assignment:

This assignment is planned to take place as per a start date of on or around 05/01/2023 and end date of on or around 07/31/2023 hereto for a total of 65 days LOE excluding travel days.

The consultant will work in line with the working schedule, chalked out by Blumont nominee. The Blumont Syria Programs Director or his nominee will sign the time sheet of the consultant.