Consultant For Feasibility Study on Accountability System

Expertise France

Expertise France (EF) is a public agency created on 1st January 2015 under the supervision of the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy and Finance with a strong inter-ministerial vocation. EF offers program engineering and technical assistance by developing and implementing international cooperation actions worldwide. EF operates in various fields of development and institutional cooperation including safety and security reform, public health, human rights, strengthening of institutions and NGOs and governance. Carrying out large-scale, multi-stakeholder programs, EF can ensure the cooperation between individuals, teams and institutions with very different statuses, cultures and specialties, and has acquired a sound experience in administrative and financial management of large-scale international programs. www.expertisefrance.fr

1. PROJECT BACKGROUND

Lebanon is home to one of the most vibrant and dynamic civil societies in the Middle East. Lebanese NGOs work on vital social and technical issues, ranging from social cohesion to reforestation, through programs that promote long-term development and humanitarian relief. Lebanese civil society organizations are very dynamic; ambitious, new organizations regularly rise to meet new crises while established CSOs switch between thinking long term and resolving periodic crises, such as the ongoing Syrian Crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the more recent Beirut Port Explosions

However, Lebanese NGOs’ reliance on international donors and INGOs for funding means that most local NGOs suffer from a structural weakness and their agility is not entirely sustainable. This weakness hinders their growth and hampers the development of a robust national civil society that can reliably play a key role in crisis prevention and management.

In 2016, the international community agreed to make a “Grand Bargain” in order to increase development-assistance efficiency and bridge the widening financing gap between humanitarian and development needs. Donors and aid providers made a commitment to the "localization of aid", meaning that they will channel a larger share of international aid funding to national and local responders. This will reposition local NGOs at the centre of humanitarian actions, improve the sustainability of their actions, and ensure that crisis-response actions meet local needs.

The Shabake Project was designed in the framework of the localization of aid agenda and the need to strengthen Lebanese NGO capacities so that local recipients can take the lead in responding to crisis.

The project aims to help local and international Lebanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) become lasting, key players in mitigating and ameliorating the effects of the Syrian refugee crisis on Lebanon and the subsequent crises that have emerged in the current context in Lebanon, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut Port Explosions.

The NGO partners selected for the Shabake project are comprised of 7 local NGOs, each of whom will receive support in developing their organizational and technical capacities. They will also have an opportunity to put their new institutional changes into practice via a humanitarian project that reduce vulnerabilities. In addition, each NGO partner will be invited to meet and directly interact with donors, aid providers, and public authorities working in the development-aid ecosystem.  

To this end, the Shabake capacity-reinforcement project is divided in four main components:

1. Building on the strengths, assets, capacities, and skills of the local Lebanese NGOs
2. Having each NGO partner implement a crisis-response project to reduce vulnerabilities.
3. Improving and/or integrating the participation of NGO partners in the development-aid ecosystem.
4. Supporting Ngo partners in the implementation of economic recovery projects following the Beirut port explosions

The first component of the Shabake project aims at supporting select Shabake NGO partners in the development of their organizational and technical capacities through general and tailored support activities. The activities can range from basic trainings, to coaching, content and policy development, system set up, and advising. At the core of this effort is that they are participatory in nature, and that the NGO partners are deeply engaged with the experts assigned to develop the required deliverables. 

1. CONSULTANCY DESCRiption

Expertise France is seeking the services of a consultant(s) to provide capacity development support in the area of Accountability and Learning to one of its NGO partners. This consultancy is composed of 1 main task:

1. Conduct a feasibility study on establishing an accountability system for 1 NGO partner

For this task, the consultant will be working with designated focal points, both at the NGO receiving the service and the Shabake project Manager at Expertise France throughout the duration of the consultancy. Experts and companies can apply individually or in consortium with the application to be submitted by the lead applicant. 

2. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF WORK

The objective is to provide one NGO partner with a sound basis for developing an accountability system. The feasibility study will allow the partner NGO to plan for setting up efficient and effective resources, processes and tools towards tracking not just utilization of resources but also implementation of interventions and being able to demonstrate that to all stakeholders in a transparent manner. Below is a breakdown of the scope of work for this task:

Task 1: Conduct a feasibility study on establishing an accountability system for 1 NGO partner (NGO size: approximately 25 full time staff)

• In close collaboration with the organization’s board and executive team produce a feasibility study on the establishment of an accountability system.
• Assess the institutional environment to understand how accountability relations are formed at the organization and identify improvement needs.
• Explore the feasibility of the establishment of a holistic accountability system (including accountability to both donors/funders/contributors and beneficiaries/public).
  • Accountability towards donors/funders/contributors includes operational and financial efficiency and other measures.
  • Accountability towards beneficiaries includes transparency, participation, complaints, and feedback and learning, among other processes and tools relevant to the organization and the nature of its services.
  • Criteria for assessment must include references to organizational best practice in accountability and learning and contextual relevance for local realities within the organization’s sectors of intervention.
• The final study must include:
  • Assessment of current accountability practices, including strengths, gaps and opportunities.
  • Recommendations for establishing a holistic form of accountability, that is low cost, time and resource efficient in its implementation, and is linked with the organizations existing M&E system, procedures and tools.
  • Recommendations for incorporating the system into the organization’s structures and organizational learning.
• Finalize the assessment and study with management and produce the final version in English.

3. KEY TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

• Assessment and feasibility study finalized and approved by the organization.

4. TIMELINE AND LOCATION OF THE CONSULTANCY

The total duration of the consultancy is 15 days over a period of 2 months

5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITES

Consultant: The Consultant will be responsible for designing and delivering the following:

• Conducting required inception meetings with the NGO receiving the service
• Setting a detailed workplan for the tasks
• Collaborating closely with the NGO partner on the deliverables outlined above
• Participating in coordination and follow-up meetings as needed.
• Respecting the agreed timeline.
• Submitting all deliverables as agreed and with respect to the timeline

Expertise France: Expertise France will contract the consultant and will be responsible for the overall management of the Consultant including:

• Developing and finalizing the terms of reference and contract
• Along with the NGO partner, reviewing and approving all expected deliverables with the Consultant.
• Supporting the Consultant in connecting and meeting with the NGO receiving the service
• Overall monitoring of the assignment activities and the delivery of milestones.

6. QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in social science, humanities or related field,
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in developing MEAL systems, guidelines, and tools for non-governmental organizations with emphasis on accountability systems
• Strong local knowledge and comprehensive understanding around capacity building programs
• Professional working knowledge of Arabic and English is compulsory
• Ability to conduct the required activities online in case of a government-issued general mobilization
• Extensive experience in managing and implementing consultations
• Ability to work in a participatory approach with a certain flexibility
• Professional commitment and ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to communicate, negotiate and adapt to work requirements.
• Integrity, respect and responsibility