Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the State of Palestine since its inception in 1997. UN Women Palestine Office focuses its activities on one overarching goal, namely, to support the implementation at the national level of existing international commitments to advance gender equality in line with the national priorities. In support of this goal, and thoroughly taking into consideration the specificities of the Palestinian context, UN Women concentrates its efforts and interventions toward the realization of following strategic goals:  Mainstreaming gender in governance, peace, and security; Supporting women's economic security and rights; and Promoting women’s rights and protection against violence.

UN Women, as part of its’ global goals and commitments towards empowering women and enhancing gender equality and women’s access to justice is exerting efforts towards supporting the furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence. This target group face intersectional and compounded forms of Gender-Based violence (GBV), including physical, legal, psychosocial, economic, and sexual violence, which increase their marginalization and vulnerability. Deeply rooted discriminatory social norms and stereotypes reinforce the marginalization of the excluded groups within their families and the society at large. These norms and stereotypes are also reflected and translated into discriminatory laws and policies that reinforce exclusion and discrimination against them, in addition to the complete lack of responsive services to meet their needs, and the existence of non-responsive services that have not been adapted to the needs of the most marginalized, excluded and furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence.

Leaving no one behind (LNOB) is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It represents the unequivocal commitment of all UN Member States to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and of humanity as a whole.

Under its work within SHAML Project -  Enhancing the Protection and Reintegration of Furthest Left Behind Groups of Women and Girls, UN Women will capitalize on the ongoing efforts exerted by the different actors, notably the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) ,the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), and CSOs providing protection and re- integration services to the furthest left behind groups of women and girls victims and survivors of violence, to further strengthen stakeholders’ capacities to accelerate the realization  and fulfillment of the rights of the furthest left behind groups of women and girls victims and survivors of violence.  The project in its’ pilot phase focuses on three main groups, including: elderly women with disability, and girls’ victims and survivors of violence and in conflict with the law in the West Bank, and women and girls’ users of drugs in Gaza.

Within the protection and re-integration component of the project, SHAML will work towards expanding and improving the quality of existing services, including facilities, to ensure optimal use of resources and support the realization of the rights of the three identified groups in the project.  In line with this, UN Women is seeking to recruit a national consultant to conduct facility condition assessments (FCA) to two facilities, including Mehwar Center in Beit Sahour, and the Elderly Home- Bait Al Ajdad in Jericho, noting that within the framework of Haya programme, UN Women has prepared an assessment to Mehwer Center, with specific focus on the physical aspect, with the aim of improving the gender responsiveness of the Center. The FCA within Shaml project should build on this assessment and complement it.

Objective of the assignment:

While the assignment’s main objective focuses on supporting stakeholders to enhance protection and re-integration services to the furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence, the assignment’s specific objective has two main folds:

1. To conduct Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) to the two mentioned facilities, to guide the refurbishment and development work that the project plans to conduct, with the aim of adapting the services provided at Mehwar Center to the rights and needs of girls’ victims and survivors of violence and in conflict with the law; and adapting the services provided at the elderly home in Jericho to meet the needs and fulfill the rights of elderly women with disability. Facility Condition Assessment is the process of developing a comprehensive picture of physical conditions and the functional performance of buildings and infrastructure; analyzing the results of data collection and observations; and reporting and presenting findings. Data collection and analyses inform and guide decision-making for accessibility and inclusiveness provisions, by identifying gaps and priorities. 
2. Based on the findings of the FCA, to identify 3-4 priority areas and gaps in the protection and re-integration services of each of the two mentioned groups: elderly women with disability and girls’ victims and survivors of violence and in conflict with the law. The FCA should be based on international human rights standards, particularly gender justice standards, and leave no one behind principle.  It is envisaged to support stakeholders to pilot the work on the identified priority areas/ gaps in the protection and re-integration services, by refurbishing and adjusting existing facilities to meet the needs of these 2 groups, and supporting the development of related standards, guidelines, and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develop an inception report that includes the work plan, the methodological framework, including the tools that will be used to collect data, and the timeline for the deliverables, to be approved by UN Women, following the below tasks:

• Meet with UN Women’s technical team and partner institutions to discuss the assignment’s objectives and expected results.
• Propose a detailed workplan and a detailed methodology for the assessments and submit them to UN Women for review and approval. The methodology should be based on survivors’ empowerment and re-integration approaches. It should include amongst others; the development of a criteria to check the level of adherence of the design, infrastructure, services and other related aspects of the targeted facilities with required standards to meet inclusivity, responsiveness and safety and security measures; meetings with service providers, particularly those providing services within the targeted facilities; in addition to the development of tools to collect firsthand data from beneficiaries, if possible, and others.
• It should combine physical condition assessment; physical condition of the building and infrastructure system; and functionality assessment; functionality of the space for its intended purposes, covering amongst others, issues related to the operational capacity of the facility, including admission, processing of cases, provision of services, integration and other aspects as relevant.  

2. Data collection and analysis:

• Check and review the architectures, maps, designs, and other related documents of the three identified facilities/ buildings.
• Compare the specifications of the targeted facilities with the developed criteria.
• Conduct interviews, and meetings with stakeholders, notably service providers serving within the two mentioned facilities, to collect data and solicit their views concerning the needs and gaps pertaining to the protection and re-integration services of the two identified groups. Solicit firsthand data from the perspectives of beneficiaries, if possible.  
• Use other data collection tools and methodologies as relevant, making use of regional and global tools and methodologies.
• Analyze data and highlight findings.

3. Development of a Facility Conditions Assessment:

Develop a detailed facility condition assessment, to cover Mehwer Center and the Elderly Center in the West Bank with special focus on the rights and needs of two identified groups. The assessment reports should cover to the extent possible the below points:

• Verify accuracy and reliability of a space inventory.
• Provide an inspection of all facilities identifying physical and functional deficiencies.
• Assist in defining regular and preventive maintenance requirements.
• Develop metrics for performance measures, e.g, Facilities Condition Index (FCI) and Facilities Quality Index (FQI).
• Identify conditions that are either potentially damaging to property or present safety hazards.
• Identify sustainability measures.
• Inventory accessibility and disabled persons requirement

The assessment reports should identify the opportunities and gaps embedded within the targeted facilities pertaining to the protection and re-integration services to the two identified groups, taking into full account standards and practices related to leave no one behind principle, accessibility, inclusiveness, responsiveness, and safety and security.

4. Develop recommendations and identify 3-4 priority areas in the protection and re-integration services for each of the two identified groups and provide recommendations to address them along with recommended tools and methods.  

The detailed list of institutions should be disaggregated by, but not limited to:

• Type of organization
• Sector/scope/location
• Size of organization (staffing disaggregated by M/F), including women in leadership positions.
• Location of the organizations.
• Other categories to be added as needed.

Deliverables:

• Deliverable 1: An approved inception report that includes the work plan, the methodological framework, and the timeline for the deliverables in English. (expected delivery date: 15 June 2021)
• Deliverable 2: A final approved facility condition assessments in Arabic, along, with a set of recommendations and 3-4 priority areas for each of the three identified groups, and related annexes. (expected delivery date: 30 July 2021)
• Deliverable 3: A final approved narrative report for the whole assignment. (expected delivery date: 15 August 2021) 

Competencies

Core Values

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

Core Competencies

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

Functional Competencies:

• Ability to lead Policy review process through consultation with stakeholders;
• Very strong background on gender;
• Experience in assessing impact of policies, strategies and measures from a gender perspective;
• Ability to manage time and meet tight deadlines;
• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking, organizational and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

•  A Master’s degree in Engineering. Additional degree in facilities management is a great asset.

Experience:

• At least 7 years professional experience as an engineer. Experience in facilities management is a great asset.
• At least three previous similar assignments related to gender responsive infrastructure, or gender responsive facility management preferably in areas related to furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence, notably, girls’ victims and survivors of violence and in conflict with the law, elderly women with disabilities and women and girls’ users of drugs.
• Previous experience with shelters or elderly homes is an asset.
• Experience with the UN system or/and International Organizations is an asset. 

Language Requirements:

• Professional knowledge of English, and fluency in Arabic

Evaluation Criteria: 

This SSA modality is governed by UN Women General Terms and Conditions. UN Women will only be able to respond to applicants who meet the minimum requirements.

Candidates should clearly indicate how they meet the above-mentioned criteria in their applications.

The following documents should be submitted as part of the application. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials:

• UN Women P11 including experience in similar assignments; the P11 form can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment, a signed copy should be submitted;
• 2 pages proposal outlining understanding of the assignment and proposed workplan with a timeline.

Note: Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Please upload as one attachment of the documents as mentioned above online through this website.

Candidates should have the ability to quickly submit degree certificates, medical certification (of good health) expression of Interest (EoI).

Evaluation of Applicants

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications mentioned above, and financial proposal. A contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer receives the highest score out of below defined technical and financial criteria. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 50 points in the technical evaluation will be considered for financial evaluation.

Technical Evaluation (70%) – max. 70 points.

• A Master’s degree in Engineering. Additional degree in facilities management is a great asset. (max. 10 points)
• At least 7 years professional experience as an engineer. Experience in facilities management is a great asset. (max. 15 points)
• At least three previous similar assignments related to gender responsive infrastructure, or gender responsive facility management preferably in areas related to furthest left behind groups of women and girls’ victims and survivors of violence, notably, girls’ victims and survivors of violence and in conflict with the law, elderly women with disabilities and women and girls’ users of drugs. (max. 20 points)
• Previous experience with shelters or elderly homes is an asset. (max. 10 points)
• Experience with the UN system or/and International Organizations is an asset. (max. 5 points)
• A sample of previous report/plan/ policy related to gender responsive infrastructure or gender responsive facility management. (max.10 points)

Financial Evaluation (30%) – max. 30 points.

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. A suggested formula is as follows:

p = 30 (µ/z)

Using the following values:

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Only long-listed candidates will be contacted.

Financial proposal. Shortlisted candidate will be requested to submit a financial proposal. The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount breaking down a daily professional fee, proposed number of working days and any related expenses, i.e., travel and communications expenses.