TERMS OF REFERENCE – PARTNER CAPACITY ASSESSMENT 111 views0 applications

1. Background

Diakonia is an international development organization founded in Sweden by independent churches. The organization currently works in 25 countries in Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Asia by supporting local partners. Diakonia’s vision is a world where all people live in dignified circumstances in a just and sustainable world free from poverty. Our mission is to change unfair political, economic, social and cultural structures that hinder women and men from living their lives in dignified circumstances.

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 Programme has 3 programmes Democracy and Human Rights; Social Economic Justice and Emergency Response and Disaster Resilience. Diakonia is working with 13 partners – 10 in Puntland and 3 in South West States of Somalia. The portfolio of Diakonia partners include those that Diakonia has worked with over a long period of time while others are new partners. 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. Diakonia carries out a partner assessment for new and continuing partners to establish if the partner has (in the case of a new partner) or still maintains (in the case of a continuing partner) the minimum standards and systems that are necessary for entering into partnership with Diakonia in line with our policies and guidelines on partnerships. It is also our policy that during the first year of partnership, a comprehensive capacity assessment is carried out to help determine any areas that need support by way of capacity building and accompaniment. Once this comprehensive assessment is carried out, a detailed capacity building plan is agreed on with the partner and Diakonia then seeks to support the partner in implementing the comprehensive capacity building plan.

Diakonia wishes to call for interested bidders to support in carrying out the comprehensive partner capacity assessments.

1. The Somalia Country Office Programmes

The Somalia Country Office is currently implementing its 5 year strategic plan for the period 2016-2020 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) program. Currently, funding is available to support the Democracy and Human Rights programme and the Social Economic Justice thematic area. ERDR is not currently funded. The Country office has engaged for the time being engaged 10 partners in Puntland State, while another 3 partners in South West State will be engaged as funding is acquired.

In the democracy intervention area, Somalia Country Office is working creating a democratic culture; women’s political participation, good governance and creating an enabling environment of civil society.

In the human rights intervention area, the work centers on the fulfilment of women’s rights and 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 and strengthening resilience to disaster risks.

The following table provides information on the partners and their areas of intervention for the Somalia Country Office.

a) Somali Family Services (SFS), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Garowe, PL

b) We Are Women Activist (WAWA), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Bosaso, PL

c) Puntland Non State Actors Association (PUNSAA), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Garowe, PL

d) Puntland Youth Association Network (PAYAN), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Garowe, PL

e) Timely Integrated Development Services (TIDES), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Garowe, PL

f) Puntland Office of Human Rights Defender (POHRD), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Garowe, PL

g) Forum for African Women Educationists – Somalia Chapter (FAWESOM),working in Social economic Justice, located in Garowe, PL

h) Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development (GECPD), working in Social economic Justice, located in Galkayo, PL

i) Kaalo Aid and Development (KAD), working in Social economic Justice, located in Garowe, PL

j) Isha Human Rights Organisation (IHRO), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Baidoa, SWS

k) Warshiikh Rural Development Organisation (WARDO), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Baidoa, SWS

l) Ministry of Interior (SWS), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Baidoa, SWS

m) Ministry of Interior (PL), working in Democracy Human rights and resilience, located in Garowe, PL

1. 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 is 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 through a well thought out capacity building plan and mechanism. The purpose is to inform the capacity building processes that Diakonia will engage in during the strategic period of 2016 to 2020 and beyond. 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;

· Legal and statutory requirements;

· Identity;

· Governance;

· Work programming and planning. 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 understanding the expected programmatic deliverables of the partner and establish if there is any technical capacity strengthening that is needed for the partner from a technical perspective.

· Management systems and policies including financial controls and accountability systems. This shall also include assessment of program accountability mechanisms, complaints mechanisms and codes of conduct that the partner may have.

· Resource mobilization and utilization;

· Partnerships and external relationships;

· Organizational culture and leadership.

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.

1. Scope of Work, Methodology & Deliverables

The Partner Capacity Assessment will cover all the 13 Somalia Country office partners for the full scope of assessment. The consultant shall review previous capacity assessment reports 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. The consultant will agree with each partner on 3 to 5 key priority capacity building issues.

1. Literature 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.

1. Partner Visits

The partner assessment team comprising of the consultants and the Somalia program team (to the best extent possible) will visit all the 13 partners and with technical leadership from the consultant facilitate a participatory assessment of the partner. Some areas, especially in South West State, 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.

1. Activities

The envisaged activities include but not limited to;

a) Holding a Partner Assessment Planning meeting with Somalia Country Office team;

b) Review of previous capacity plans and their implementation;

c) Reviewing literature;

d) Developing partner assessment tools;

e) Visiting partner offices;

f) Carrying out the capacity assessment

g) Producing partner assessment report

h) Presenting the main findings and key recommendations to Somalia Country Office;

i) Facilitating partner assessment feedback and validation forum at the end of the assessment process.

1. Deliverables – 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) the report will provide a description of the organization, state the overall assessment goals, describe the methodology and process used including the limitations about the findings and conclusions;

b) provide a concise analysis, interpretation, conclusions and key findings and recommendations of decisions that must be made;

c) highlight the capacity building gaps evident in each of the partners assessed;

d) point out the 3 to 5 key capacity building gaps that are of priority for each partner assessed;

e) make key recommendations regarding the most effective mechanism and approach that Diakonia can employ in supporting partner capacity building of the priority areas identified during the assessment;

f) propose a recommended capacity building plan and which should include indicators of measuring success of the capacity building process, implementation time frames as agreed with the partner and possible cost indications of the areas that will need to be supported financially.

1. Work Plan & Time Schedule

The partner capacity assessment process is expected to be carried out within 45 man-days consecutively on dates which will be agreed upon.

1. 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

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