Intaj Information Technology Consultant

Background: Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. The agency pursues its mission through emergency relief services, sustainable community development, civil society and economic development initiatives. Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has implemented community development programs focused on promoting economic development and increased opportunity for disadvantaged communities, while responding to emergencies as they emerged in the country.  In 2012, the program portfolio shifted in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria and Mercy Corps in Lebanon has solidified its emergency response programming while integrating longer-term development programming by focusing on key sectors: Protection, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Governance and Conflict, and Livelihoods.    Purpose / Project Description: With funding from the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), Mercy Corps has initiated INTAJ (Improved Networks, Training and Jobs), a program to support vulnerable communities in the Beqaa and the North governorates in addressing their economic needs.     Mercy Corps has identified crosscutting constraints to jobs growth in Lebanon that affect market actors at the individual, business and market levels of economic production.  In order to stimulate sustainable jobs growth, INTAJ will address these constraints through a series of activities during a 6-month pilot phase to identify successful intervention strategies that are potentially scalable and transferrable.    Interventions at the business level will include a significant portfolio of sub-grants and technical assistance to an expected 20 small and medium enterprise (SME) business beneficiaries, in order to reduce risk and strengthen the ability of beneficiaries to grow their workforce.  Technical assistance will be geared towards improving management and operations, enhancing competitiveness and assisting companies to access new markets, and/or market segments, with the ultimate aim of creating more jobs.  INTAJ business beneficiaries are expected to vary in size and by industry, ranging from small service sector companies to larger industrial firms.   Mercy Corps has identified a lack of effective information technology (IT) solutions and infrastructure as a major factor in SME performance in Lebanon, and is seeking qualified professionals to provide technical assistance in this area.  The consultant will assess the IT capacity and needs of selected INTAJ business beneficiaries, and design tailored IT strategies accordingly.   Consultant Objectives: The objective of the consultancy is to support the INTAJ program team in assessing the IT needs of relevant business beneficiaries, and developing an appropriate strategy to improve communication, data or software systems. The consultant will assess a range of firms for up to 100 days Level of Effort between 1 November 2015 to 16 March 2016. The consultant may be asked to travel throughout Lebanon, including but not limited to Beqaa, South, and/or North Lebanon.   The level of effort needed per beneficiary is expected to vary on a case by case basis, to be discussed and coordinated with the program team.   For each selected SME, the Consultant will: Conduct an assessment and gap analysis of existing IT infrastructure and practices, based on field visits, interviews with key management, and other relevant research Develop a customized strategy for any appropriate IT upgrades to production and management practices, including software, hardware, and network requirements, and any other potential improvements Work collaboratively with the INTAJ program team to ensure that the technical assistance provided to SMEs supports the overall objectives of the program.   Consultant Deliverables: The Consultant will complete: A brief report (a standard template will be provided) for each business beneficiary assessed, describing existing IT practices, and identifying constraints and gaps. A specific strategy, based on rigorous additional research where necessary, providing an actionable roadmap for improvements to IT that will increase the business beneficiary’s performance, including any detailed specifications required for subsequent procurement of goods and services.   Qualifications: Bachelor (masters preferred) in information technology, computer science, business administration, communication or related field Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in IT and communications. Strong conceptual and analytical skills. Experience in IT management with SMEs preferred Ability and willingness to travel to the field Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team Excellent verbal and written communication and presentational skills Fluent Arabic speaking and writing skills. Additional strong English skills preferred Relevant professional certifications highly preferred   The consultant will provide/share all types of reports to the Technical Adviser(s) of INTAJ Project   The Consultant will work closely with: INTAJ Program Manager, project managers, field coordinators, and Economic and Market Development Sector Lead.   Submission guidelines: Applicants are requested to submit the following documents by email to reception@lb.mercycorps.org. Please mention the title “INTAJ IT Consultant” in the subject of the email.   1)      Consultant’s CV 2)      List of consultancies conducted in the last three years. Please include: Client name Brief description of services performed Client phone number and email Number of days worked Substantiated daily consulting rate A scan/copy of applicant’s registration at the Ministry of Finance. In case applicant cannot provide this document, and is selected for this consultancy, Mercy Corps will deduct the 7.5% services tax imposed by the Ministry from submitted invoices.   N.B:  Interested firms are also encouraged to apply. Applicants firms are requested to submit the following documents by email to reception@lb.mercycorps.org. Please mention the title " INTAJ Information Technology Consultancy Firm” in the subject of the email.  2 References A scan/copy of the firm’s registration at the Ministry of Finance. In case the firm cannot provide this document, and is selected for this consultancy, Mercy Corps will deduct the 7.5% services tax imposed by the Ministry from submitted invoices.       Payment: In bank checks or wire transfer, after the successful delivery of the service based on monthly invoices and timesheets submitted (to include work days and hours. 8 hours = full day and 4 hours = half a day), with an approved consultant deliverable report.   Incidentals, including transportation, per diems and communications costs, will not be covered separately by Mercy Corps, as they should be included in the consultant’s daily rate.   Other Considerations: Mercy Corps reserves the right to hire multiple consultants under this scope of work, or none at all.  INTAJ will review applications on a rolling basis, so applicants are encouraged to submit applications at any time.  Only those applications found most promising will be contacted by INTAJ.  Target response time will be one week from the date of submission.