Historique

Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide mentoring for Civil Society Organisations (CSO), potential applicants to public calls that will be issued in 21 municipalities as part of the ReLOaD project. The mentoring/consultancy will further strengthen capacities and skills of CSO to address needs of target groups in partner LGs in line with strategic priorities.

Objective

The consultancy will assist CSO in 21 ReLOaD partner LGs to increase their knowledge required for preparing and developing project proposals in line with both the transparent mechanism for funds disbursement to CSO (LOD methodology) and the requirements of the public calls. The CSO will thus enhance their essential skills that will enable them to successfully apply not only to the public calls organised jointly by LG and ReLOaD project, but also to other similar public calls. Moreover, the consultancy will promote further cooperation between CSOs and partner LGs for the benefit of citizens.

Background information

The consultancy is planned within the Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD; February 2017 – January 2020), funded by the European Union and implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). As part of the UNDP BiH’s Rural and Regional Development Sector’s portfolio, the ReLOaD project has an overall objective to strengthen participatory democracies and the EU integrations in the Western Balkans (WB) by empowering civil society to actively take part in decision making and by stimulating an enabling legal and financial environment for civil society.

ReLOaD in Bosnia and Herzegovina partners with 21 local governments (LG) namely: Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Bratunac, Brod, Centar Sarajevo, Gradacac, Jablanica, Kakanj, Maglaj, Modrica, Pale, Rudo, Stari Grad Sarajevo, Sokolac, Teslic, Tešanj, Travnik, Trebinje,Tuzla, Vitez and Vogošca.

Devoirs et responsabilités

The consultant (hereafter Mentor) is expected to provide mentoring and technical support to CSOs in partner LGs for an estimated period of up to four full working days (up to 32 hours) per each LG. The Consultancy, that will be organised during the public call for funding CSO projects, will focus on two main tasks: i) Design of mentoring process for grassroot CSOs in partner LGs; and ii) Coaching/mentoring CSOs to prepare quality project proposals.

In close cooperation with each partner LG, the Mentor will organise sessions in a form of group mentoring in each locality. The mentoring will be provided through 4-hour sessions with maximum 20 CSO participants. All sessions will be attended by representative of the ReLOaD team and/or LG coordinator for cooperation with ReLOaD. In case that minimum number of participants is not reached in any given LG, mentoring session/s will be rescheduled or cancelled in agreement with the ReLOaD team. .

More specifically, the Mentor will be expected to perform the following tasks:

Task 1: Design of mentoring process for grassroot CSOs in partner LGs

Under this task, the Mentor is required to:

  • Conduct desk review and initial meetings with the ReLOaD team to get acquainted with particularities of donor’s requirements in terms of grant delivery, aspects of project cycle management and LOD methodology;
  • Prepare brief presentation and a workplan highlighting key priorities in line with the Guidelines for CSO applicants and public call propositions. This should involve key segments that clarify technical requirements of the public call for CSOs, the principles of project-based approach including best examples (financial and operational) as well as advices how to prepare relevant project proposal in line with one or more priorities as defined in the Public call, etc.

Task 1 will be completed in the first week of public call for each municipality. Estimated level of effort for this task is 1 day.

Task 2: Mentoring CSOs in preparation of project proposals

Under this task, the Mentor is required to:

  • Organise initial meeting with relevant LG representatives (in their respective LGs) to clarify predefined thematic areas and concrete actions for target groups, with focus on the role of CSOs in providing service delivery based on local needs.
  • Deliver mentoring at previously listed 21 partner municipalities. The mentoring sessions will include maximum 20 CSO representatives (in a form of a 4-hour session). Estimated number of sessions per LG is 4 and average duration of this service per LG is up to 4 working days. Mentoring sessions are envisaged to ensure close interaction and knowledge sharing, thus providing insight into rules and regulations of the public call for CSOs. During the mentoring sessions, various mentoring and counselling modalities will be used, in accordance with adult learning principles, to ensure that the sessions are practical, interactive and relevant for the challenges faced in process of preparation of successful project proposal in a local community.
  • Make presentation that will include lessons learned from previous public calls, capturing and identifying most common issues and weaknesses CSOs face when designing project proposals. During these sessions, the mentor will lead consultations with interested CSO representatives providing support to actual needs and problems CSO face in the application process.
  • Provide guidance to CSO representatives related to the benefits of target groups from the envisaged activities, with special attention on the role of CSO applicants, partner, institutions and/or consultants in foreseen project proposals. The special attention will be given to the methodology in project proposal writing with practical examples of activities that logically correspond with goals and expected results. Recognition and definition of potential risks and importance of mitigation measures will be also covered through the mentoring sessions as well as proper definition of objectively verifiable indicators.
  • Ensure that all relevant concerns, raised by CSO representatives, are properly addressed given the specifics of the public call for CSOs. The mentor will keep written track of the most common issues and challenges during each session, so it can be communicated to other interested CSOs. 
  • Ensure that his/her engagement will be performed without any preferences to particular CSO participants and without providing advises related to concrete project ideas. Sessions will be held in the presence of the ReLOaD team representative.

Task 2 will be completed during each public call for CSOs in partner LGs. Estimated level of effort for this task is 5 days per each partner LG (4 days for mentoring sessions and one day for report preparation).

Nota bene: For the purpose of mentoring the LGs will be grouped as presented below. One applicant can deliver mentoring to only one group of LGs. Within his/her application the applicant should indicate LG groups in order of his/her preference.  Offers for each cluster must be submitted separately, indicating consultant’s fee and travel costs.

Estimate delivery dates per mentoring and as per LGs are as follows:

  • Group A: Rudo, Vogošca, Maglaj, Tešanj, Trebinje    (March - April 2019)
  • Group B: Bijeljina, Stari Grad Sarajevo, Sokolac, Gradacac, Brod  (April – May 2019)
  • Group C: Teslic, Vitez, Modrica, Tuzla, Centar Sarajevo   (June – July 2019)
  • Group D: Kakanj, Banja Luka, Travnik, Jablanica, Pale, Bratunac   (June – July 2019) 

The entire services will be delivered in the languages of BH peoples.

Deliverables/outputs

The Consultant is responsible for the following deliverables:

Task 1: Design of mentoring process for grassroot CSOs in partner LGs:

  • Desk review conducted and initial meetings with the ReLOaD team held; Brief presentation and a workplan with highlighted key priorities prepared in line with the Guidelines for CSO applicants and public call propositions -  1 expert day per Group of LGs For Group A LGs:  March 31, 2019; For Group B LGs: April 30, 2019; For Group C LGs: June 30, 2019; For Group D LGs:June 30, 2019,  20%;

Task 2: Mentoring CSOs in preparation of project proposals and reporting:

  • Up to 12 sessions provided;

Task 2a: Final reports per LG prepared:

  • up to 3 reports provided  For Group A LGs: up to 10 days; For Group B LGs: up to 10 days; For Group C LGs: up to 10 days; For Group D LGs: up to 12 days;  For Group A LGs: April 20, 2019; For Group B LGs: May 20, 2019; For Group C LGs: July 25, 2019; For Group D LGs: July 25, 2019, 40%;

Task 2: Mentoring CSOs in preparation of project proposals and reporting:

  • up to 12 sessions provided;

Task 2a: Final reports per LG prepared:

  • up to 3 reports provided  For Group A LGs: up to 11 days; For Group B LGs: up to 11 days; For Group C LGs: up to 11 days; For Group D LGs: up to 13 days;  For Group A LGs: May 10, 2019; For Group B LGs: June 10, 2019; For Group C LGs: August 10, 2019; For Group D LGs: August 10, 2019, 40%;

Compétences

Corporate Responsibility and Teamwork:

  • Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Plans, prioritizes and delivers tasks on time;
  • Strives for and promotes excellence in performance continually;
  • Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others;
  • Generates ideas and seizes opportunities to support corporate strategic objectives.

People Skills:

  • Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds;
  • Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others;
  • Builds trust and engenders morale by displaying open, transparent and credible behavior;
  • Respects individual/cultural differences; utilizes diversity to foster teamwork;
  • Ensures others’ understanding of, involvement in, and adaptation to a change process.

Partnering and Networking:

  • Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;
  • Ability to work as a member of a team as well as work autonomously.

Results-Orientation:

  • Plans and ensures quality results to meet established goals.

Communication:

  • Formulates written information clearly and persuasively;
  • Shares information openly with co-workers and partners while using discretion to protect confidences;
  • Presents information in a clear and articulate manner.

Job Knowledge and Expertise:

  • Strong analytical skills;
  • Advanced writing skills,
  • Progressive knowledge of strategic planning at local and higher levels and the related methodologies;
  • Strong facilitation and coordination skills;
  • Substantive knowledge on security issues and activities with an emphasis on local communities;
  • Executes day-to-day tasks systematically and efficiently;
  • Initiative and sound judgment.

Qualifications et expériences requises

 Academic Qualifications/Education:

  • University degree in public administration, economics, law, social-sciences or related field.
  • Advanced degree will be considered as an asset;

Experience:

  • At least 5 years of relevant experience in the field of local development planning and project management (PCM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  • Previous experience in provision of technical assistance and training to public institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina countries in development management, is required;
  • Previous experience in capacity development of civil society organizations in the area of local governance, local development, public participation and public scrutiny is required,
  • Fluency in languages of peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina and good command of English language.

Shortlisting will be conducted based on the ToR requirement. Only candidates that obtain minimum 18 points at the review of applications will be considered for the interview.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points at the technical criteria would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical criteria:

  • Interview - Weight: 40%, Maximum points: 40;
  • Review of applications - Weight: 30%, Maximum points: 30

Review of applications (CVs, proposed methodology and writing sample provided): Weight: 30%, Maximum points: 30

  • University degree in public administration, economics, law, social-sciences or related field - Weight: 5%, Maximum points: 5;
  • At least 5 years of relevant experience in the field of local development planning and project management (PCM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Weight: 5%, Maximum points: 5;
  • Previous experience in provision of technical assistance and training to public institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina countries in development management - Weight: 10%, Maximum points: 10;
  • Previous experience in capacity development of civil society organizations in the area of local governance, local development, public participation and public scrutiny - Weight: 10%, Maximum points: 10.

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

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%

Applicants are required to submit an application including:

1. Proposal:

  • Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work
  • Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work;

2. Completed and signed the Offeror’s template Confirming Interest and Availability (please follow the link: https://popp.undp.org/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/UNDP_POPP_DOCUMENT_LIBRARY/Public/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx&action=default);

3. Latest personal CV, including past experience from similar projects, and email, telephone and any other contact details for references;

4. Financial proposal which will separately specify professional fee, indicating number of anticipated working days, travel costs (air-ticket or use of private vehicle), living allowance, and all other applicable costs.

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

  • For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
  • Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.