Consultancy Terms of Reference Cash and voucher based intervention training for DLJR consortium members

Consultancy Terms of Reference

Cash and voucher based intervention training for DLJR consortium members

Project name

Desert Locust Joint Response in Ethiopia, Somaliland and Somalia (DLJR)

Project Countries and locations

1. Somaliland: Awdal, Marodi-jeh, Togdheer & Sool
2. Somalia: Nugal
3. Ethiopia: Dire Dawa, Oromia, Somali region

Lead organisation

SOS CV

Joint Response Partners

Dorcas; ICCO; Oxfam; StC; Cordaid; Tear; SOS; ZOA

Local partners: RACIDA; Pastoralist Concern; EECMY-DASSC; HUNDEE; KAALO; Candleligt; TASCO

Total Budget

€4.000.000

Project duration

6 months: 22/04/2020 – 21/10/2020

1. Background

In recent years, there is significant scope for increasing the use of Cash and voucher assistance in humanitarian responses. In appropriate contexts, this approach allows beneficiaries a wider and more dignified choice of assistance, based on their preferences; and it empowers vulnerable groups. It can be a vital contribution to making affected people the prime agents of response. Furthermore, cash and voucher support local markets and can enhance communities’ economic recovery, preparedness and resilience; and in certain cases complement existing social protection systems.

Cash based assistance recognizes that people affected by crisis are not passive recipients of aid who categorize their needs by sector. Any provision of direct assistance (whether cash, voucher or in-kind) is a form of income for aid recipients, who must make difficult decisions to prioritize various and changing needs over time. Assistance that is less fungible risks being sold or converted to meet other more pressing needs. When people are not able to meet priority needs, they engage in negative coping mechanisms to increase their income or reduce their expenditures, such as taking on dangerous or illegal work or taking children out of school.

Currently, Cash transfers are the only aid modality designed to offer people affected by crisis a maximum degree of flexibility, dignity and efficiency commensurate with their diverse needs. As such, cash and voucher assistance encourage humanitarian actors to better understand the local economy and market dynamics in a holistic way, whether the program objective is to meet sector-specific needs or a range of needs that may differ from family to family. Cash and voucher assistance can be used regardless of context – urban and rural, rapid and slow onset, chronic and acute crises, and even natural and complex disasters. What is essential is a context-specific Situation and Response Analysis that prioritizes a thorough assessment of the appropriateness and feasibility of different humanitarian interventions, including in-kind and other cash-based responses. As such, Cash and voucher can be used alone or alongside other sector-specific interventions, even enhancing the latter’s effectiveness.

As people use cash and voucher assistance to meet a multitude of humanitarian needs, cash and voucher assistance therefore requires a multi-sector and often interagency approach to assessments, analysis, programme design and implementation. There is a gap in inter agency resources to deal with cash and voucher, and a need for operational guidance beyond agency- or sector-specific tools.

2. Target Audience Within the JR, all partners use some sort of Cash Voucher Assistance (CVA) modality. Together, the targets are:

• 25, 140 people to receive unconditional and unrestricted cash
• 17, 002 people to receive conditional and unrestricted cash. The conditionality is cash for work activities.
• 8, 300 to receive cash for work. The cash is conditional and restricted to food assistance

3. General objective

To conduct training that provides comprehensive and practical guidance to DLJR consortium members to assess the feasibility, conceptualize the design and structure the implementation of cash and voucher based intervention.

3.1. Specific Objectives

· To equip DLJR field operations in Ethiopia, Somaliland and Somalia with the necessary knowledge, skills and capacities to consider the use of cash and voucher based interventions and design and deliver them with quality, effectiveness and integrity.

· To discuss systematization and harmonization of cash programming across the consortium members in line with global and regional good practices and lessons learned.

· To provide clarity and linkages with sector-specific interventions and how Cash transfer can support sector-specific objectives and interventions.

· To elaborate how those sectors can contribute to the design of the in-country Cash transfer value and MEB (Minimum Expenditure Basket) on which the Cash programme might have direct and indirect impacts.

· To ensure the consortium members are able to develop in country Cash SOPs that guides a joint approach among actors and therefore to be used by Consortium members, NGOs, UN agencies, government and donor staff in [this particular given context], in charge of designing, implementing, coordinating, technically advising, financing, monitoring or evaluating Cash based interventions throughout the in country operation.

1. Tentative Schedule and Mode of the training

The training is tentatively scheduled on 29 to 30 September 2020, and due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, the training mode is via online.

Activity

Management responsibility

Timing

# Consultant days

Development of Cash consultancy ToR

SOS CV (field Co & NL CO together)

17/06/2020

Review of Cash consultancy ToR

DRA Partners (NL + Field)

26/06/2020

Finalization TOR

SOS CV (Field CO + NL CO together)

03/07/2020

Recruitment of Cash consultant

SOS CV Somaliland

20/09/2020

Conducting Training on cash and voucher based intervention

Consultant

29- 30/09/2020

5 days

2 days training and 3 preparation and report submission

5. Deliverables

Conducting Training on the following proposed topics:

· Introduction cash and voucher modality

· Purpose and limitations

· Programme objectives, summary and concept

· Government relations and engagement with safety nets

· Coordination among agencies and other clusters, sectors or technical working groups

· Determining a transfer value: (S)MEB and Gaps Analysis

· Distribution frequency and implementation procedures

· Risks analysis and mitigation measures

· Protection and gender considerations

· Accountability, communication and beneficiary feedback

· Monitoring indicators and process A final report about the training and results of the consultancy

6. Profile of the consultant

We are looking for a consultant/consultancy firm with experience in working with humanitarian partners’ and have advance experience on cash transfer modalities in acute and protracted crisis context. The consultant should have:

· Advanced contextual knowledge of Ethiopia, Somaliland and Somalia humanitarian operations with the focus on Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA)

· Proven record of conducting trainings and workshops on CVA

· Preferably experience and knowledge in the relevant sectors (FSL, WASH, Health and Nutrition, GENDER AND PROTECTION)

· Good relational and communication skills (in writing and verbally)

· Advanced facilitation and training skills

· Knowledge of the English

7. Recruitment Process:

For applying for this consultancy, Applicants should submit an EOI to hr@sos-somaliland.org, while copying Muktar.Ismail@sos-somaliland.org by 25/09/2020 with the following:

· A technical proposal on how will they implement the training with the timeframe.

· A letter of interest, showing why they are the best to be considered for this assignment

· The CVs of the persons who will conduct the training

· Indicative budget including daily rates in USD

· Contact details for two referees for similar type of work.

· Confirmation of availability to undertake this work and to deliver the report on time.