Provision Of Consultancy Services For Conducting A Baseline Survey On Orphan Families Economic Strengthening (ofes) In Mandera And Wajir Counties

Terms Of Reference

1. Context

Islamic Relief Kenya (IRK) commenced operations in Kenya in 1993, initially running Orphan Sponsorship Programme in Mandera County implemented through a local partner organization. It opened its full-fledged country office in Nairobi in 2004 and first field office in Mandera in 2006 at the height of drought in the Horn of Africa. Since then, IRK’s operations have expanded to other counties to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. In 2007 and 2008, Islamic Relief extended its operations to Wajir and Garissa Counties respectively. in 2017 and 2018, IRK started its operations in Kilifi and Marsabit Counties and in 2020, Islamic Relief Kenya extended its humanitarian operations to Tana-River County. Islamic Relief Kenya is currently focusing on three major goal/themes i.e. Sustainable Community Empowerment (around areas of Health and Nutrition; WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene); Sustainable Livelihoods and Disaster Risk reduction (DRR); Disaster and Humanitarian Response and Education and Child Development. Since 2006 IRK has remarkably changed the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

1.1 About OFES Project

This is a 24-month economic empowerment project which offer a sequence of interventions, a clear implementation strategy and evidence-based definitions of success. The project will be implemented using evidence- based best practices and it will focus on 500 orphans and their households for financial inclusion. The project envisions to transform these ultra-poor households from local communities through provision of seed money to start-up small businesses scale and create alternative economic opportunity that will elevate them from poverty index. The project will target the existing beneficiaries under Orphan Sponsorship Programme (OSP) by forming a vibrant beneficiaries self-help group and training them on entrepreneurship skills and supporting them with capital to back-up their business ideas. The project will also provide technical support and mentorship skills for the beneficiaries within two years until they establish their business firmly. This initiative of helping OSP beneficiary households to start a small business and establish savings, will economically empower them and support them meet their basic and secondary needs including food, education, medical care and also savings to sustain them during unpredictable environmental conditions i.e., drought. Profits from each business established by OSP will provide a new and diversified income, personal and business savings which will help them to manage cash flow (for daily needs) and Self-help groups will help them to plan for future expenses (such as school fees and medical care) and respond to shocks (such as drought or emergencies). This project plans to economically empower 500 OSP households by enrolling them in the two-year economic empowerment project, supporting their graduation from extreme poverty. It is anticipated that at the end of the two-year project, target households would have enough savings, capacity and tangible financial assets to continue with their own business after the project phases out.

The project has a research component that will enable IRK to analyze, evaluate and document how participation in the project supports OSP household’s empowerment, specifically household economic empowerment. The proposed project is an example of a multi-thronged approach with the aim of overcoming the constraints facing the ultra- poor. This project emphasizes cash transfers (rather than asset transfers) to ultra-poor households, in addition to business skills training, business mentoring and savings trainings.

In this project Islamic Relief Kenya will also facilitate the enhancing of community-based protection mechanisms that safeguard children from abuse, exploitation, violence and neglect in Mandera and Wajir Counties. IRK will closely work with boys and girls, and train local communities and child protection actors including parents, teachers, law enforcement agents, religious leaders and government representatives including Children’s Department Service Officers, Education Officers, Health Department Staff, Child Protection Working Group and Gender Technical Working Group in both counties.

The Project outcome:

Increased income of orphan families to at-least $2 per day through economic empowerment opportunities.

Strengthened capacity of widows in business knowledge and management

Improve child protection practices among the targeted orphan households.

The proposed interventions are:

· 20 self-help groups formed and actively engaged in different income generating activities

· 500 orphan guardians receive two phase seed money for business start-up.

· 500 orphan guardians receive sector specific business skills training and networking opportunities for increased business management.

· Enhanced Project staff Capacity

· 500 Orphans guardians receive enhanced child protection/safeguarding training

Purpose and Objective of the consultancy services
The overall objective of the baseline survey is to serve as a starting point for the orphan and family economic strengthening project in Wajir and Mandera Counties and provide information and statistical data on socioeconomic key indicators for the orphan families before the intervention. The baseline is also needed to critically assess and update indicators, so they measure actual change in response to the objectives/ outcomes.

Specifically, the survey is expected to meet the following specific objectives: -

· To analyze, evaluate and document how participation in the project supports OSP household’s empowerment, specifically household economic empowerment.

· To assess ultra-poor orphan HH economic status, average daily earnings and access to basic services in Mandera and Wajir

· To assess the need and types of business skills training, business mentoring and savings trainings for target beneficiaries

Delivery Strategy
The consultant conducting the assessment is expected to utilize methodologies well aligned with the tasks at hand. The methodology will involve collection of qualitative and quantitative primary data from local community, relevant government departments, key informants and other key stakeholders including L/INGOs.

Scope of Work
This scope of work describes activities to be performed and deliverables to be submitted by the consultant during the assignment period. **

Assess the income and economic status of the orphan families for economic empowerment opportunities.

Assess the capacity of widows on business knowledge and management

Assess the child protection practices among the targeted orphan households.

Assess the market situation, market linkages, opportunities and pathways of business products.

Access the type of the business opportunities for growth that are thriving well in the two counties for the orphan families.

Assess the contribution and support mechanism for small and medium enterprises in the two counties

Deliverables

Inception report detailing the baseline survey processes, design, sampling methodology & sample frame, survey tools and agreed work plan

Draft Baseline Report for Review

Summarized power point presentation highlighting the key findings from the baseline survey

Establish baseline indicator values for all indicators defined in the Logical Framework.

Copies of original and cleaned baseline survey dataset
Submission of a detailed final baseline Survey Report

Time Frame

The consultant shall consult and coordinate with the project team to accomplish the assignment successfully. The Consultant is expected to deliver the assignment within given time unless otherwise adjusted by Islamic Relief Kenya (IRK) in writing.

The duration of the assignment shall be a maximum of 25 calendar days after signing of the contract, expected to start in the month of December 2021 and/or January 2022

Qualifications
The Consulting Firm hired must fulfill the following requirements:

 Must be a registered legal entity with a valid registration certificate, with certificate of incorporation.

Minimum 8 years of relevant experience with a demonstrable ability in assessment on Orphan and Families Household Economic Strengthening programming.

 Academic qualifications: The consultant team should have experience in the field of Education, Economics, Business Development, Child rights, Community Development and working understanding of Wajir and Mandera Counties Context including Somali language. The consultant/s should have monitoring and evaluation as well as results-based reporting skills, strong writing skills, and have atleast over 8 years of experience in conducting market assessment and baseline surveys. For gender sensitivity issues, a female members of the team will be regarded an asset

Detailed technical proposal that incorporates the KPIs, methodologies articulations should also be included

 Resumes i.e. CVs for key staffs participating the consultancy exercise should also be captured here.

Team compositions should also be captured here.

 Financial proposal detailing breakdown of costs should also be incorporated here

 Detailed activity work plan with the stipulated 25 calendar days’ time frames should also be incorporated here.

 Copies of past reports of the same for other partners to serve as a proof of experience should also be indicated here

Active Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) PIN should be incorporated here

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) TAX compliance should be incorporated here

Selection Criteria.
The selection of the consultant will be made through collecting individual proposals from eligible consultants. The quality of proposals, relevant working experience, qualification/background, relevant documents, and competitive budget will be considered for review and evaluation. The standard procurement rules of Islamic Relief Kenya will be followed strictly during selection.

Application process
The applicant shall submit an expression of interest detailing how he/she will carry out the task. The following are required to be submitted by the applicant:

· Suitability statement showing commitment and required skills to carry out the assignment.

· Financial proposal on the cost production of the materials.

· Technical proposal and work plan showing timelines of the assignment.

Bid Document Comprises.
The bid document prepared by the bidder shall comprise of the following:

Fully completed IRK Dossier - Questionnaire
The summary of the Consultant’s Profile with contact address and their updated CVs.
Valid Certificate of Incorporation.
Detailed Technical Proposal/Methodology
Detailed Financial proposal i.e., Bill of Quantities with unit prices and total.
Any documents on previous similar service done in the past three years.
 ID/Passport firm directors

KRA PIN Certificate
Tax Compliance Certificate
*NB: - Bidders to ensure conformance to the requirement. **

Bid Currencies

The bids prices shall be quoted in Kenya Shillings (KES).

Total bid cost shall be inclusive of the following.

· Professional fees

· Data collection

· Report writing, presentation and submission.

· Transport and all other related expenditures

· Applicable GOK taxes

· Hotel/accommodation costs

· Printing service cost

· Stationeries costs

· Airtime costs

N/B- overall costs for this exercise is inclusive to the quoted amount.

IRK's right to accept any bid and/or reject any or all bids.

IRK reserves the right to accept any bid and to annul the bidding processes and reject all bids at any time prior to award of consultancy contract, without, thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders or any obligation to inform the affected bidder or bidders on the grounds of its action.

Evaluation

· Islamic Relief Kenya will examine the prequalification documents to determine completeness, general orderliness, sufficiency in responsiveness and bid.

· The potential consultant shall not contact Islamic Relief Kenya on matters relating to their bid from the time of opening to completion and official communication sent to them. Any effort by the potential supplier to influence Islamic Relief Kenya in the evaluation shall result in disqualification.

· Prequalification will be based on meeting the minimum criteria regarding the applicant’s legal status, general and experience, personnel, and responsiveness.

· Due diligence will be undertaken, and any bidder found to be in breach and has provided false information will be disqualified.

Employment of Minors

The consultant shall not employ children in executing the contract. The consultant shall observe international conventions relating to child labor namely the United Nations Convention No.182 on worst forms of child labor and convention No. 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment.

Criminal Act

The consultant undertakes to comply with all applicable laws and to ensure that it does not engage in any kind of criminal activity including but not limited to bribery, fraud, corruption, terrorism and to maintain ethical business practices as well as not to commit any Prohibited Acts defined as: -

· To offer, promise or give any person a financial or other advantage.

· To request, agree to receive or accept any financial or other advantage not expressly provided for as an inducement or a reward for the performance of any function or activity in connection with this Agreement.

And/or

Provided for as an inducement or a reward for the performance of any function or activity in connection with this Agreement.

Budget and payment modality

The payment on the awarded contract will be made against outputs and on submission of assessment report. Upon approval of the stated deliverables Islamic Relief Kenya shall process payments for the service provider.**

The total budget for this assignment includes expert's fee, material development cost, draft and final design, review facilitation, printing, and binding.

Responsibilities of Islamic Relief Project team

The project team shall organize, monitor, supervise the work, review progress of the work, provide regular technical support and feedback and provide support for engaging stakeholders and constituents as when required. They will provide necessary technical assistance for planning and implementation process. The project team will also establish linkages with the ministry of cooperative trade and enterprise development and other partners to help provide assistance as required.

Bid Submission

You are requested to submit your tender documents to Islamic Relief Kenya Nairobi Office, Kirichwa road, next to Kirichwa Heights Apartment, Tel: 0727 531220 on or before 14th January 2022 at 11.30 am