Consultancy opportunity to carry out Third Party Monitoring on Concern’s Multi-Sector Emergency Response in Syria

1. Background

Concern Worldwide is a non-governmental, international, humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries. Concern has been working in North East Syria since 2013, implementing emergency response, WASH, protection and education projects in the area.

Concern are providing lifesaving needs whilst improving the resilience of conflict-affected IDP, returnee and host community households in NES. To achieve this Concern supports with food assistance, livelihoods, WASH services, winterization support and non-food item (NFI) assistance to IDPs in informal camps and settlements, as well as support to children and adolescents with protection services. Concern will continue with a multi-sectoral approach in emergency assistance for the most vulnerable individuals and families in North East Syria.

The goal of the BHA-funded intervention is to provide lifesaving assistance whilst strengthening the wellbeing and resilience of disaster affected communities by creating access to integrated, gender and conflict sensitive tailored assistance reducing the risks and increasing capacity of households.

The theory of change (ToC) is: “If the basic household needs, vulnerabilities, protection risks and emergency needs are addressed then the targeted household assets, coping strategies and capacities will increase the resilience to respond to shocks and save lives”.

The overarching purpose of this activity is that the provision of comprehensive multi-sectoral lifesaving assistance will reduce the prevalence of harmful negative coping mechanisms, thereby leading to enhanced protection outcomes. The multisector lifesaving emergency response is being implemented in Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa and Dier ez Zor governorates with food and livelihood assistance, WASH, Protection Shelter and Settlements.

2. Purpose and Objectives of the Third Party Monitoring

Concern Worldwide mission in Syria requires an independent, neutral and legally registered private entity to provide Third Party Monitoring (TPM) Services for the aforementioned BHA Intervention.

The TPM should cover a sample of 20 monitoring events across activities implemented in all project locations. The main objective of the TPM is to strengthen the project monitoring processes and ensure output verification.

The TPM Agency will establish an M&E Plan during the inception phase of the TPM to ensure no duplication of activities between the Agency and Concern’s internal MEAL Team.

The third-party monitoring should provide information that is evidence-based, credible and useful, enabling the incorporation of conclusions and recommendations into the future decision-making processes of Concern Worldwide and the donor.

Concern will expect at least 20 onsite monitoring events conducted, including 20 high-quality reports detailing the findings (one report per monitoring event conducted, draft submitted no later than 3-weeks after data collection).

The visits should include a mixed-methods approach – onsite observation, key informant interviews and a small sample of surveys with project participants.

3. TPM Methodology

3.1 Desk-based research/preparation:

The TPM team will be expected to make a complete review of program proposal, progress reports, monitoring visits repost, distribution records and other supporting documentation.

The TPM Team will rely on Concern’s quantitative data collected during the implementation of the Award as per the indicators of the BHA award.

In addition, documents published by other humanitarian organizations will be reviewed to situate the Concern project within the wider context of humanitarian assistance provision in the program area. This will be a review of the respective Working Group / Whole of Syria reports or assessments or HNO document for Syria for Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter and Settlements and Protection.

3.2. Inception Report and Monitoring Plan

After a desk-review, the selected TPM Agency will be expected to produce a monitoring plan for Concern’s intervention. To ensure neutrality, the TPM Agency will be requested to select site locations/activities independently though in proportionality to the size of funding for each sector.

3.3 Planning Monitoring Visits

All tools used, need to be shared and validated by Concern prior to use to ensure their relevancy.

3.3.1 In the field:

In the field, Concern’s M&E team will support the monitoring by providing the locations where activities are taking place. The TPM Agency, for neutrality will be encouraged to propose and seek out their own stakeholders for Key Informant Interviews – including program participants, local authorities, humanitarian actors, and the relevant clusters.

The TPM Agency will be responsible to propose a sampling methodology to Concern and facilitate the transport of their team to Concern’s activity sites and ensure their own security measures.

3.4 Limitations

Concern anticipates at this stage the following limitations of the Third Party Monitoring:

• Concern is operating in an emergency context, at the discretion of Concern, certain monitoring events may have to be changed/adapted from the TPM Agency’s M&E Plan in response to security or operational constraints.
• Concern will require timely data and reporting to support Project Cycle Management, the deadline for submitting a monitoring report, is 3 working weeks after the monitoring visit has been conducted.

3.5 Data Protection

All data collected as part of this Third-Party Monitoring shall remain under the ownership of Concern Worldwide and be handled in accordance with Concern Worldwide Data Protection Policies.

4. Deliverables

The following deliverables should be provided to Concern’s MEAL Coordinator for Syria, who will then circulate them to the relevant staff for feedback and comments.

1. Inception Report

• An abbreviated inception report, detailing methodology for data collection – qualitatively and quantitatively, checklist and questionnaire for data collection, workplan and timelines for submission and review. Note – Suggestions from the applicants are welcomed.
• This inception report will include full detail of proposed sampling approach, including sample sizes, detailing the number of focus group discussions and key informant interviews for each category of respondent.
• To be submitted after the Desk Review Stage (3 weeks after contract start).
  • Outlining the M&E Plan, timeline, draft tools to be used.
  • Suggested modalities of monitoring – onsite monitoring, output verification or PDM.

2. 20 Monitoring Event Reports

A total of twenty monitoring reports will be produced by the TPM: the division between sectors will be decided by Concern Worldwide at implementation stage. However, it is envisioned that the breakdown will be 10 visits to food assistance activities and 10 visits to other sectors. We expect that 80% of the TPM activities will be on-site monitoring while 20% will be PDM reports. The development of this plan will be finalised in consultation with Concern at inception stage.

The reports will be used to inform Concern Worldwide on the status of the activities implementation and the recommendations provided will be integrated in the activities planned for the upcoming month. The consultant shall use Concern Worldwide’s report template (final version to be provided upon contract signature), including the following elements:

1. Executive Summary (if a PDM is conducted)
2. Brief context and description of the intervention
3. Presentation of monitoring methodology and any limitations encountered
4. Presentation of main findings, conclusions and recommendations using graphs, charts and tables where appropriate
5. Recommendations with a strong focus on the wider lessons learned for Concern to improve future emergency multi-sector programme planning and implementation, and Management Reponses
6. Annexes: including ToR, list of people/groups consulted, interview frameworks/ questionnaires, tools, list of sites visited, abbreviations, maps, charts or graphs that may have been used.

Each report must be received 3 weeks after data collection is complete and will be subject to revision/review until considered final by Concern Worldwide.

Report Template to be provided upon contract signature.

3. Debrief and Presentation

Detailing Learning Outcomes/Opportunities observed over the entirety of the consultancy.

• Debrief/Presentation will be presented to the Syria Mission, Country Director, Regional Director and potentially Concern Worldwide HQ.
• The Debrief and Presentation should ideally be completed by the lead Focal Point for the TPM Agency and encompass all of the major observations, trends and lessons learned throughout the consultancy.
• A draft presentation should be submitted to the MEAL Coordinator before the presentation takes place.

4. Final report

Detailing Learning Outcomes/Opportunities observed over the entirety of the consultancy.

• The final report should outline all of the monitoring visits/assessments conducted and the major lessons learned/outcomes.
• A draft presentation should be submitted to the MEAL Coordinator before the presentation takes place.
• Report will be validated by Concern Worldwide Regional Director.

Deliverables will only be considered final when they are considered satisfactory by Concern Worldwide and must be delivered within the Contract Period (1st October 2024 to 30th August 2025).

Final payment is dependent on the submission of a good quality, well-written final report or completion of agreed outputs (as detailed in the TOR). In addition to methodology, findings and discussion, the report should include a comprehensive executive summary and a section outlining clear and concise conclusions and recommendations.

A digital copy of all reports will be required by Concern at the end of the piece of work.

5. Provisional Timeframe

The timeframe for the Third-Party Monitoring Service will be from 1st October 2024 until 30th August 2025. The twenty monitoring events, twenty reports, final report, and debrief/presentation must be fully completed/submitted in this time period.

6. Lines of Communication

The selected TPM Agency will report to the MEAL Coordinator (with Programme Director in copy) while communicating on implementation of the consultancy in-country.

Lines of enquiry relating to contracting/payment should be made through Concern’s Middle East Desk Officer (with Syria Programme Director in copy).

The TPM Agency at times will liaise with Concern Field Staff such as Officers, Area Coordinators etc.

7. Essential Experience to consider for the internal evaluators

• Technical expertise relevant to evaluating Multisector BHA programmes, with Food Security, WASH, Shelter and Settlements and Protection.
• Experience of qualitative data collection methods, including participatory approaches and experience of data collection in the field.
• Ability to assess the quality of programmatic data collection systems, analyse budgets, results frameworks, MEAL Reports and other documents.
• Experience of writing monitoring or evaluation reports to a high standard, in English.
• Experience of working as part of an agile team.
• Experience within the North-East Syrian Response.

Annex A – Overview of Activities Per Sector

The following section is non-exhaustive and subject to change but provides a general overview to prepare the application documentation. The intervention is being delivered from 5 Field Offices – Raqqa, Ath-Thawrah (Tabqa), Deir-ez-Zor, Manbiij and Ain Al Arab (Kobane)

1. Sector: Food Assistance

Sub-Sector: Unconditional Food Assistance

The food assistance intervention addresses food security by distributing a minimum of eight monthly distributions of food assistance to around 8500 vulnerable food insecure households in Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor and Hassakeh Governorates, alongside potential camp settings.

The sector response will consist primarily of food vouchers Concern’s household vulnerability assessment tool will be used to identify beneficiaries for food assistance and collect baseline information and an overall picture of the beneficiaries’ vulnerability and challenges.

1. Sector Nutrition

Sub-sector Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

CWW will support 2000 HHs individuals in camp with food voucher integrated with nutrition support to nutritionally vulnerable individuals; those who, given age and/or health status have unique nutritional deficiencies, needs or gaps with additional support to improve nutritional food consumption and achieve a nutritional outcome the upon the distribution of the food nutrition

1. Sector: WASH

Sub-sector: Water Supply

In years 1 and 2, Concern will rehabilitate and re-commission 4 main water stations, install 4 transformers, 30 chlorination, and operate and maintain 30 water stations in Ar Raqqa, Aleppo and Deir ez Zor governorates, to ensure provision of safe and sufficient potable water. This will provide a minimum of 40L of safe and potable water per person per day to returnees, IDPs and host communities.

WASH services in formal and informal camps:

Throughout the two years of project implementation, Concern will provide water trucking services, as well as maintenance and installation/rehabilitation of water distribution points to ensure an integrated WASH response in informal settings. In line with NES WASH Working Group guidelines and Sphere standards, Concern will provide water trucking services targeting IDP camps with no existing water supply systems.

Sub-sector: Sanitation

In years 1 and 2, Concern will install 160 latrine units including septic tanks, water storage tanks, showers, and handwashing stations. Concern will install and maintain the functionality of latrines where Concern is the main WASH partner in several informal settlements and collective centers. Concern will identify the needs with the coordination with the WWG, camp management, and consultation with the community through the WASH committees. In the informal settlements, the prioritization and identifications of the sites will be done in coordination with the local authorities in each district, and the WWG to ensure that minimum SPHERE standards in terms of the number per latrines, distance, and protection mainstreaming. Construction and rehabilitation of gender and context-appropriate, safe, and accessible latrines is one of Concern highest priorities. Emphasis will be placed on ensuring that latrines are (a) placed according to the SMC site plan, (b) gender-appropriate, (c) safe to access especially for girls and women, (d) accessible by persons with disabilities as necessary, and (e) accepted in design and placement by the communities/beneficiaries for whom they are intended.

Sub-sector: WASH NFI

1: Distribution of cholera prevention kits to catchment communities

In years 1 and 2, Concern will procure 2,000 cholera prevention kits for communities throughout the project to more efficiently respond to emergency cholera needs. Specifically, Concern will carry out this activity in close coordination with the WWG to determine site selection and targeting methodology. Each kit is expected to last for one month for an average household size of six, with the following items (laundry detergent powder, soap, jerry cans, aquatabs) or the updated list of items by the WWG.

2: Distribution of basic hygiene kits to newly displaced households and or in disasters

In years 1 and 2, Concern will distribute 750 hygiene kits (HKs) to 750 households affected by the shock or any natural disaster (conflict, earthquake, water crisis, flooding, etc.). IDP households newly arrived in informal settlements which are targeted by the food and emergency teams will be supported with WASH NFI assistance by blanket, one-time distribution to cover their hygiene needs for a period of three months as per the recommendations agreed with the WWG and hygiene promotion campaigns. This ensures that the most vulnerable households recently displaced and/or are affected by natural disasters will receive a holistic and integrated response covering WASH, food and shelter needs. The severity of need with IDPs in informal settlements is a high priority for all humanitarian NGOs, and with supplementary funding increasing, this assistance will ensure an integrated and holistic support service at a household level.

Sub-sector: Hygiene promotion

Over two years, hygiene promotion interventions will target 50,000 individuals in and out of camps. Concern anticipates conducting hygiene sessions and distributing hygiene items at WASH sites while working with the food and shelter activities to ensure and integrated and holistic response. The hygiene sessions will be carried out at the household level and/or in public spaces and during daylight hours. For public sessions, Concern will hold gender-disaggregated community-level sessions. Each session will be followed by an additional (optional) session open only to women and will be led by a female hygiene promoter. The sessions seek to target behavioral change to ensure the adoption of best WASH practices and will focus primarily on handwashing and basic disease prevention.

1. Sector: Shelter and Settlements (S&S)

Sub-sector: S&S NFI

The sectoral intervention proposes two activities: 1) winterization NFI assistance to IDPs households in Camps and informal settlements; and 2) emergency NFI assistance for emergency-affected populations.

1. Winter NFI Assistance:
   1. Sector: Protection

Concern will distribute 5,190 winter NFI kits, 2,100 heating kits, and 2,100 cash for fuel grants to vulnerable IDP households in informal sites. The winter NFI kits will be provided through a value voucher modality. The value of the voucher will be estimated to cover the cost of purchasing consumable winter NFIs including 1 plastic sheet, 2 thermal blankets, 1 mattress, and 1 floor carpet, in line with the SNFI WG winter response guidance. Concern will utilize vouchers since the winter NFI kits will be targeted for informal settlements across Aleppo, Deir-ez-Zor and Raqqa governorate in areas where there are functional markets. Vouchers will provide an acceptable degree of freedom of choice and flexibility for beneficiaries to meet their most urgent winter NFIs.

1. Emergency NFI Assistance:

Concern will pre-position 250 emergency NFI kits for distribution to emergency affected households reaching 250 households (1,500 individuals). Emergency NFI kits will be provided through an in-kind LRIP modality. The emergency NFI kits will include 4 blankets, 4 foam mattresses, 1 floor mat, 1 solar light, 1 jerry can, and 1 kitchen set. The NFI kit contents have been developed in consultation with SNFI WG.

Sub-sector: Child Protection

Concern will provide 640 at-risk children (aged 5-17) with access to case management (CM) support (320 in year 1, 320 in year 2). Concern will receive all requests for case management through either an external/internal referral or a self-referral. All identified protection cases will be managed in line with the Inter-Agency guidelines for CM and child protection as well as Concern’s CM SOPs in compliance with CM and protection principles, and according to the ‘do no harm’ approach.

Cases will be assessed based on level of risk, and exposure to threats and vulnerabilities, prioritizing cases at highest risk and in need of immediate support. Concern will not provide CM support to cases where specialized services are required, such as children engaged in hazardous labor, children associated with armed groups, GBV, and persons with specialized and severe disabilities. Concern will refer cases in need of specialized services to external actors according to Concern and NES service mapping and pathways.

Sub-sector: Psychosocial Support Services

Concern will provide tailored Psychosocial Support (PSS) services to the at-risk conflict-affected population, to address and mitigate symptoms of exposure to traumatic events. To improve their social and emotional wellbeing, coping mechanisms, and resilience, Concern will provide key messaging in eight existing Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs), of which seven are static and one is mobile, located in the most isolated areas in Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor and Aleppo Governorates. Concern will target 6,000 beneficiaries, 4,000 children aged 5-11 and 2,000 aged 12-17 years (3000 in year 1, 3000 in year 2).

How to apply

1. How to Apply

To apply, please submit your expression of interest to colin.brennan@concern.net, entitling the email ‘Third Party Monitoring of Concern’s BHA funded Multi-Sector Emergency Response in Syria- Application’

All expressions of interest must include the following:

• Brief explanation about the applicant with particular emphasis on their previous experience in related areas;

• Detailed CV of the Consultant with a contactable referee. (Contact details must be the work email address of the referee. Personal email addresses will not be accepted).

  2. Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal should include:

A. Personnel deployed: CV(s) of the key personnel deployed and organogram of the team structure;

• It is highly recommended to highlight the specific CVs of staff who will :
  • Act as the Team Lead under this consultancy.
  • Draft monitoring reports/presentation/final report.
  • Supervise and attend the data collection within Syria.
• Preference will be given to bids with personnel holding senior-level experience and cross-cutting experience of staff having worked for both Consultancy Firms and INGOs (in Programme Implementation).
• Preference will be given to bids with personnel holding specialised experience in intervention sectors relevant to the intervention.

B. Experience in similar projects: Past experience including contracting authority, description of the project, area of intervention, and total budget;

C. Sample from previous work (10-20 pages) from at least 3 separate projects;

D. Technical Proposal including a detailed Methodology, expected timelines and structure of the team per activity (i.e. detailed timeline to conduct an onsite monitoring/PDM activity which include training, data collection, analysis and reporting).

• It is key to include how the data collection will be managed on site, will daily workers be used, or sub-contracted teams within Syria (if so, the details of any entities conducting data collection on behalf of the consultant needs to be clarified).
• E. 3 references from previous consultancies, including relevant contact details of the referee.

3. Financial Proposal

A. Complete cost breakdown, highlighting the average cost of each monitoring visit and variances according to modality of monitoring (onsite/PDM).

• Budgets will be validated based on cost-effectiveness and realism of costs.
• Clear breakdown of costs for data collection, staff and report-drafting is highly encouraged.
• Clear breakdown of any fees paid to additional companies/entities used to facilitate data collection/daily workers – lack of clarity in this aspect will result in the application not being considered.
• Insurance coverage copy for all experts including professional liability applicable to the project areas.
• It is the responsibility of the consultant to budget for a translator (if required), as well as a medical / health / repatriation insurance.

4. Final Application Remarks

1. If the Third Party Monitoring Agency will be using an additional, sub-contracted firm to conduct data collection within Syria or use workers who are not directly contracted with the consultancy firm – the details of this must be provided within the Technical and Financial proposals – any lack of clarity on this aspect will lead to the application not being considered:
2. Any changes in the personnel used to collect data during the consultancy must be validated by Concern Worldwide before data collection can take place.
3. Registrations and valid access permissions of any entities used to collect data in Syria must be validated by Concern Worldwide before starting an activity.