Background

Today, Croatia is a Middle Income Country scheduled to be the first country with a recent experience of full-scale conflict to join the EU which poses a distinct set of security challenges for communities, Police and Government. The Government of the Republic of Croatia has recognized the grave threat posed by the excessive accumulation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in both legal and illegal possession of citizens, as well as in the storages of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence, accumulated mostly during the homeland war in the Republic of Croatia. The Croatian Government therefore established a Commission for the control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in 2005; it finished work on a National SALW Strategy and associated Action Plan in 2007; in September 2007 a new Law on Arms was passed by Parliament harmonizing national legislation with EU standards; and in 2008 the Government aligned itself with the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development. However, excessive amounts of different firearms, ammunition and explosives are still illegally owned by citizens, most of which are weapons that cannot be legally purchased, registered or owned according to the Law on Arms.
 
In 2006, a survey on the distribution of legal and illegal SALW concluded that large amounts of both legal and illegal weapons remain in civilian hands. Even before the 1991 - 1995 conflict Croatia had a high level of civilian ownership of guns, particularly for hunting. However, during and after the war, Croatia experienced a significant growth of civilian legal and illegal armaments.
 
In response to the problems posed by SALW in Croatia, the Government of the Republic of Croatia drafted a National SALW Strategy and Action Plan to undertake activities on eradicating illegal possession, trafficking, and the destabilizing accumulation of firearms. The National SALW Strategy is in accordance with a number of international and regional agreements on SALW including:
  • UN the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects;
  • UN Firearms Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime
  • EU strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition
  • the OSCE Document on SALW;
  • OSCE Document on Stockpiled Conventional Ammunition;
  • Wassenaar Arrangement for Conventional Weapons Control and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.
The Government of Croatia adopted a National SALW Strategy and Action Plan in September 2009. Within the framework of the National SALW Strategy, the SALW Commission will coordinate the implementation of the Strategy and action plan to include activities in the following areas:
  • Suppressing the production and trade in illicit firearms;
  • Preventive measures to combat excessive accumulation and uncontrolled proliferation of SALW;
  • Continuation of destruction of Ministry of Defence Surplus SALW and ammunition stocks;
  • Improving conditions of storage for SALW and ammunition in Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defence stockpiles; and
  • Increasing control and transparency of weapons export and import.
UNDP Croatia and Ministry of Interior implemented a successful arms collection campaign since 2007 as well as project activities related to destruction of surplus weapons and stockpile management.
 
In order to gain the clear picture of SALW in Republic of Croatia after three years of joint projects and activities related to SALW UNDP and National SALW Commission would like to prepare a methodology and questionnaire for new SALW survey.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

TASK AND DUTIES
 
SALW Survey has become the accepted entry-point for all safe, effective and well-planned SALW control interventions. As such new National SALW Survey of the Republic of Croatia will enable clear picture of the still existing SALW surplus within relevant national institutions, increase transparency and control of weapons import and export, in general  enable comprehensive future SALW control. The development of the Regional Micro-Disarmament Standards and Guidelines (RMDS/G) on SALW Survey, the joint Small Arms Survey/SEESAC SALW Survey Protocols, as well as the ISACS guidelines  can provide basis pursuant to which national authorities and SALW organisations can conduct an information gathering process to gain knowledge of the SALW situation within a country or region. The Expert will therefore use the above-mentioned guidelines as a basis for development of methodology and questionnaire.

Under the Supervision of the UNDP Project Manager and in Cooperation with the Ministry of Interior Representatives the selected Methodologist will have to: 
  • Analyse 2006 SALW Survey implemented in Republic of Croatia (important part of the survey- citizens perception)
  • Prepare a logical, structured and accurate SALW Survey Methodology and Questionnaires using the RMDS/G 05.80 - Survey  the Small Arms Survey Protocols, ISACS guidelines as the basis for development of the applicable and quality national methodology.  The SALW Survey Methodology and Questionnaire have to be focused on Public Perceptions Survey on SALW.
  • Ensure that the final Methodology and Questionnaire are in a format acceptable to UNDP Croatia and Ministry of the Interior.
  • Ensure that all definitions and terms used are in accordance with RMDS/G 02.10 - Glossary of SALW Definitions and Terms, or make recommendations for changes to current draft terms and definitions.
Special attention has to be paid to the development of appropriate methodologies and questionnaires to obtain more realistic picture of the amount of illegal weapons in the ownership of the citizens.
 
METHODOLOGY
 
Final decisions about the specific design and methods for the preparation of the SALW survey methodology should emerge in inception stage from the consultant as well as from the consultations with the key stakeholders about what is appropriate and feasible to meet the purpose and objectives given limitations of budget, time and data.
The methodology and questionnaire on SALW public perception survey may include, but will not be limited to the following approaches for data collection, analysis and preparation:
 
  • Desk review of relevant documents (2006 SALW Survey RMDS/G 05.80 - Survey  the Small Arms Survey Protocols, ISACS guidelines, national strategy and action plan, other relevant documents, etc);
  • Discussions with the UNDP project team and Ministry of Interior team;
  • Interviews with other relevant stakeholders if needed;
  • Consultation meetings, if appropriate

AIM

The main Aim is to enable the Ministry of Interior and National SALW Commission to implement the quality and accurate public perception SALW Survey in accordance with the task and duties from the National SALW Strategy and Action plan taking into consideration various research techniques which depend on the specific country needs and interventions.
 
To gather public perception data on SALW in the Republic of Croatia after joint projects and programmes related to SALW are implemented by national institutions and international organizations such as UNDP and EU.
 
To enable national authorities clear data on national SALW situation to be able to further increase transparency and control of SALW in the Republic of Croatia.
 
PRODUCTS (DELIVERABLES)  AND TIMEFRAME
 
Activity 1 – Inception Report on SALW Survey Methodology and Questionnaire (10 days)
An inception report should be prepared by the Expert after getting in-view into the relevant documents and methodologies used as well as information gathered during the needed meetings. It should detail the understanding of what is going to be taken into consideration and why, showing: proposed methods and methodologies, proposed sources of data and data collection procedures (which methods could be used, nationwide household survey, focus group discussions, in depth interviews etc. ).
The inception report provides UNDP and MoI as well as the expert with an opportunity to verify that they share the same understanding about the tasks and clarify and misunderstanding at the outset.
In the inception report, the Exeprt will also suggest the timeframe for the entire process which at a minimum should include:
  • Desk review
  • Interviews with partners and stakeholders
  • Briefings of methodologist
  • Preparing the methodology and questionnaire
  • Finalizing the methodology and questionnaire
  • Incorporating comments and finalization 
Activity 2 – Draft Methodology and Questionnaire (10 days)
After the relevant in views into the documents, analyses and meetings, methodologist will prepare draft methodology for survey implementation and questionnaire, which will be presented to MoI and UNDP for final comments and suggestions if needed.
 
Activity 3 – The key product expected from this assignment is Final Methodlogy and Questionarre for Public Perception Survey on SALW in Croatia (5 days)

Competencies

/

Required Skills and Experience

Knowledge and skills:

  • Minimum MA degree or higher in a development related discipline (social sciences and related fields).
  • At least seven (7) years of professional experience in the areas of research
  • Strong understanding of and expertise in research practice, development of methodology and questionnaires in the area of arms control and security
  • Proven analytical and writing skills in the areas of arms control and  human security, crime and violence prevention and/or research practice;
  • Knowledge and understanding of key international, European and national documents, key policy frameworks and mechanisms in the area of SALW,
  • Excellent Knowledge in   written and spoken English.
  • Computer literacy;
  • Valid driver’s licence
  • Excellent communication and organization skills.
  • Experience in jobs requiring ability to absorb, analyze and synthesize information and data within tight deadlines

The Consultant is expected to provide the following:

  • United Nations Personnel History form (P-11) (CV of the Consultant)
  • Reference list of similar work/projects.
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:
Cumulative analysis -When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation:
* Technical Criteria weight; 70%
* Financial Criteria weight; 30%

Only the candidates that pass the technical treshold will be contacted to send the finacial offer in HRK.
Financial offer should consist of  (1) daily fee in HRK. Travel and DSA are not foreseen because the meetings will be held in Zagreb, Croatia. In case the candidate is located out of Zagreb, travel and DSA should be included in the fee.
 
Those individuals that apply on behalf of a company are requested to include a signed and stamped Company Profile in their application package. Company Profile is a brief narrative which consists of the type of business, number of employees, client records etc.
 
The evaluation criteria are attached for ease of reference.
Applicants are invited to throughly review the Evaluation Criteria and include all information relevant to evaluation of the advertised position within their Curriculum Vitae or their Application Letter. 
 
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.