Who is the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat?

ReDSS is a secretariat working on behalf of 14 international and national NGOs working on forced displacement in East Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region. We were established in 2015 in response to a desire by the NGO community to be more proactive in shaping durable solutions policy and programming in the region. Our team works both a regional and country level and focusses on the translation of evidence and research into policies and programmes that can better deliver for displacement-affected communities. We do this through a range of activities, including: convening key stakeholders at multiple levels to produce consensus around collective actions that can be taken; supporting new evidence generation through commissioning and undertaking research and analysis; and building the capacity of key actors through delivering training and developing tools and guidance. We do not implement programmes directly, and by maintaining this distance are better able to play a neutral role across the system.

Purpose of the consultancy

ReDSS seeks to undertake a study to support in the mapping of relevant local civil society actors engaging on refugee responses in the Great Lakes, with particular emphasis on refugee-led organizations and refugee leaders. Civil society, including refugee-led groups and refugee leaders, play a critical role in addressing displacement, advocating for refugee rights, and contributing to the search for durable solutions. Ensuring these actors are meaningfully engaged is critically to ensuring their perspectives, capacities and challenges are considered and feed in to the formulation of strategies and policies aimed at fostering durable solutions for displacement populations.

With his in mind, in addition to identifying relevant stakeholders, the consultant(s) will equally be requested to assess the perspectives of these actors on the main challenges and priorities for durable solutions for refugees in the region. These will directly feed into ReDSS’ engagement on regional displacement policy in the Great Lakes.

Priority in selection will be given to consultants who are part of or have direct experience engaging with displacement-affected communities, particularly in the region.

Background

Amidst record displacement globally, the need for pathways and engagement towards the realization durable solutions for refugees and displaced populations is critical. The Great Lakes region has been characterized by protracted displacement, cyclical conflicts and complex ethnic and political dynamics that have hindered sustainable return and reintegration efforts. These challenges call for the renewed collaboration between governments and international and local actors to promote multi-stakeholder and multi-pronged responses and foster conducive environments for lasting solutions.

Local civil society have faced challenges to meaningfully influence these processes for a wide variety of reasons, including security, funding and access barriers. This is also true of refugee-led organizations and refugee leaders who have struggled to inform decision-making which affects them. While progress has been made in this area, and there are a number of regional and global commitments reinforcing the importance of this engagement, more can be done. At a regional level, this could be supported by more consolidated data on these actors and their perspectives on refugee responses and creating space for their greater engagement.

In this context, ReDSS will be working closely with the International Conference of the Great Lakes (ICGLR) to develop a Comprehensive Regional Strategy on Durable Solutions for Refugees in the Great Lakes, with the support also of UNHCR. Member States of the ICGLR committed to the development of a Regional Strategy on Comprehensive Durable Solutions for Refugees and an associated Action Plan. This commitment was a key outcome of the High-Level Meeting of Ministers in Charge of Refugees in the Great Lakes region, which led to the adoption of the Munyonyo Outcome Document. Member States committed to accelerate this process at a regional peer-learning event on comprehensive durable solutions for refugees in the Great Lakes region organized by ICGLR, ReDSS and UNHCR in early 2023 (as per the outcome document adopted by participants), and at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) later in the year.

The aim of this consultancy is to ensure the perspectives of civil society are incorporated into the strategy formulation and identify key civil society stakeholders with whom to maintain engagement throughout drafting and implementation. This helps ensure the strategy’s relevance to the lived experiences of displaced populations, but also promotes transparency and accountability, ensuring that solutions are both relevant and responsive to needs.

Objective of the consultancy

1. Provide ReDSS with a greater understanding of local civil society actors based in the Great Lakes region that engage on research, policy influencing, and/or advocacy activities on displacement. Particular emphasis should be given on ICGLR Member States where ReDSS’ engagement is more limited. In this instance, the term civil society refers to national NGOs, human rights organizations, individual advocates, media, researchers, academia and research institutions, including think tanks, community associations, business associations, trade unions, and other non-state entities or individuals actively engaged in refugee-relevant policy and response initiatives. This mapping is not meant to be comprehensive of all civil society actors, but identify key strategic partners for promoting the meaningful participation of refugees as part of ReDSS engagement in the region. That being said, the consultant should take steps to ensure the mapping goes beyond the ‘usual suspects’ to include actors working on a range of issues, and representing the diversity of refugee populations in the region as far as possible. The consultants are expected to consider civil society actors operating with different kinds of reach – local, national and regional – to enable a balanced engagement strategy to be developed.
2. Map identified civil society actors against ReDSS priority areas, as well as those identified as part of the development of the regional ICGLR strategy. This includes a clear role in the promotion of regional durable solutions, and an ability to influence national and regional displacement policy. This should include details of their work and engagement, as well as reference to specific demographic groups on which they focus their engagement, where relevant (e.g. women, persons with disabilities, etc.)
3. Conduct a mapping of civil society priorities for refugee responses, including the primary challenges they identify in the achievement of durable solutions, needs and mechanisms to support their meaningful engagement in displacement policy and response processes, and the perspectives of these actors around priorities and key challenges they face to engage in national and regional displacement policy processes in the Great Lakes.

Scope of work and Methodology

For the purposes of the consultancy, the Great Lakes region covers all twelve-member states of the ICGLR, namely: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Relevant civil society organizations (CSOs) should be identified and mapped out in each of these countries, as well as any relevant regional civil society actors or mechanisms engaging on refugee responses. Given the scope of this coverage, consultants will be requested to undertake a two-tier approach, with a more in-depth analysis across five core countries (Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya). Similarly, while a standard methodology is expected that can be applied to all countries, the consultants are expected to develop a tailored approach to following this methodology in different contexts dependent on already available information, the extent of ReDSS’ existing knowledge and actors in the civil society space, breadth of partners, etc. This should be set out in the inception report.

Based on the submitted proposal, following selection the Consultant will be required to prepare a work plan indicating how the objectives identified will be achieved, and the support required from ReDSS. The specific approach to the mapping and methodology used to identify strategic fit and CSO perspectives should be put forward by the consultant as part of this inception phase. This latter component (objective 3) should particularly include primary data collection (remote, most likely through key informant interviews).

While it is expected the consultancy will be desk-based – with virtual consultations with civil society actors – ReDSS will assess proposals that include travel where a business case is provided as to how this will improve the outcomes of the consultancy.

Deliverables

The Consultant will submit the following deliverables as mentioned below:

Phase 1 – Review

Expected deliverables – Inception report

Indicative description tasks – A short inception report, outlining proposed approach to the mapping and methodology for assessing strategic linkages to ReDSS work and civil society priorities and perspectives, including a rapid literature review to identify available data.

Maximum expected timeframe – 5 working days

Phase 2 – Analysis

Expected deliverables – Intermediate report

Indicative description tasks – A document outlining civil society actors engaged in research, policy influencing and dialogue and/or research, mapped against ReDSS priority areas and including an initial assessment of their strengths and recommendations for ways to engage them.

Maximum expected timeframe – 28 working days

Phase 3 – Reporting

Expected deliverables – Final report

Indicative description tasks – A public summary report of assessed civil society priorities for refugee responses, their capacities in advocating for and implementing durable solutions in the Great Lakes, as well as challenges and opportunities to promote their meaningful engagement in regional durable solutions policy formulation. While this mapping should identify priorities as holistically as possible, it will particularly aim to inform identified areas of focus for the draft ICGLR regional strategy on durable solutions for refugees in the Great Lakes.

Maximum expected timeframe – 15 working days

Phase 4 – Conclusion

Expected deliverables – Dissemination

Indicative description tasks – A briefing to ReDSS staff and relevant partners on the conclusions of the mapping and priorities assessment.

Maximum expected timeframe – 2 day

The Consultant will provide the documentationby email in both word and pdf format***.*** The Consultant will be expected to integrate comments from ReDSS and other key stakeholders in each phase.

Duration, timeline, and payment

The total expected duration to complete the assignment will be no more than 50 working days. Ideally the consultancy will be completed no later than the end of April 2025.

Payment of 30% of the agreed fee shall be provided upon contracting, with the remaining 70% provided upon successful completion of the deliverables.

Proposed Composition of Team

The consultancy is expected to be carried out by an individual consultant. A small team may be considered if this supports with coverage and/or available expertise, the timeline for completion, or other justifications as presented in the bid.

Eligibility, qualification, and experience required

Essential:

• Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Political Affairs, International Relations, Development Studies or a related field;
• At least 5 years engaging on refugee policy, programming and/or advocacy;
• At least 3 years’ experience in research or consultation in a related field, ideally engaging civil society;
• Proven experience in conducting research and mapping studies, particularly in the field of displacement, migration or refugee issues;
• Strong understanding of civil society dynamics in the Great Lakes region, including experience working with refugee communities;
• Knowledge of approaches and frameworks surrounding meaningful participation and the role of civil society in regional and national displacement policy;
• Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills;

Language requirements:

• Written and spoken fluency in English and French.
  • Working knowledge of other spoken languages in the Great Lakes is an advantage

Technical supervision

The selected consultant will work under the supervision of:

• Elysia Buchanan, ReDSS Manager-Great Lakes, elysia.buchanan@regionaldss.org
• Nadège Mwizero, Communication, Learning and Partnerships Specialist, mwizero.nadege@drc.ngo

Location and support

This consultancy is expected to be carried out remotely. However, ideally the consultant will be based in the Great Lakes region, particularly in a relevant country of ReDSS operations (Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda and DRC).

The Consultant(s) will provide her/his/their own computer and mobile telephone.

Travel

This consultancy is expected to be carried out remotely.

Submission process

Please refer to the RFP Invitation Letter

Please indicate “RFP-RO01-003451 – Civil Society Mapping Consultancy” in the subject line of your email application

Evaluation of bids

Please refer to the RFP Invitation Letter

Data protection and confidentiality

While executing this assignment, the consultant and all the parties involved shall ensure effective protection of confidential and sensitive data and information in conformity with the humanitarian and protection principles and to applicable legal data protection standards[1]. All data collection and processing activities shall be executed in accordance with the following principles:

• Safeguarding individuals’ personal data is a crucial part of humanitarian mission to protect the lives, integrity and dignity of beneficiaries and participants and is fundamental in the provision of protection response and humanitarian aid.
• People-centred and inclusive: Evaluation activities will respect the interests and well-being of the population and stakeholders, in all relevant phases of the evaluation and which activities must be sensitive to age, gender, and other issues of diversity.
• Do No Harm: Evaluation activities must include a risk assessment and take steps, if necessary, to mitigate identified risks. The risk assessment must look at negative consequences that may result from data collection and subsequent actions.
• Defined purpose and proportionality: The purpose must be clearly defined and explained to the participants in the data collection process.
• Informed consent and confidentiality: Personal information may be collected only after informed consent has been provided by the individual in question and that individual must be aware of the purpose of the collection. Further, confidentiality must be clearly explained to the individual before the information may be collected. Consent must be genuine, based on the data subject’s voluntary and informed decision.
• Data protection and security: The evaluation process must adhere to international standards of data protection and data security.

Additional information

For additional information regarding these terms of reference, please send your questions to Regional Supply Chain Manager: procurement.RO01@drc.ngo

TERMS & CONDITIONS

DRC will evaluate proposals and award the assignment based on technical and financial feasibility in line with DRC Procurement guidelines. DRC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal received without disclosing reasons to applicants and is not bound to accept the lowest bidder.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All information presented, obtained, and produced is to be treated as DRC’s property and is considered confidential for all other purposes than what is outlined in these terms of reference.

[1]ICRC Handbook for Data Protection in Humanitarian Action, UNHCR’s Policy on the Protection of Personal Data of Persons of Concern, DRC’s Operational Handbook regarding data security and management of hardware, Protection Information Management Principles and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Please find complete bidding documents in the following link: RFP-RO01-003451 – Civil Society Mapping Consultancy

How to Apply:

Bids can be submitted by email to the following dedicated, controlled, & secure email address: tender.ro01@drc.ngo

When Bids are emailed, the following conditions shall be complied with:

• The RFP number shall be inserted in the Subject Heading of the email
• Separate emails shall be used for the ‘Financial Bid’ and ‘Technical Bid’, and the Subject Heading of the email shall indicate which type the email contains
  • The financial bid shall only contain the financial bid form, Annex A.2
  • The technical bid shall contain all other documents required by the tender, but excluding all pricing information
• Bid documents required, shall be included as an attachment to the email in PDF, JPEG, TIF format, or the same type of files provided as a ZIP file. Documents in MS Word or excel formats, will result in the bid being disqualified.
• Email attachments shall not exceed 4MB; otherwise, the bidder shall send his bid in multiple emails.

Failure to comply with the above may disqualify the Bid.

DRC is not responsible for the failure of the Internet, network, server, or any other hardware, or software, used by either the Bidder or DRC in the processing of emails.

Bids will be submitted electronically. DRC is not responsible for the non-receipt of Bids submitted by email as part of the e-Tendering process.