Bangladesh: Programme Strategy Development Consultant

Terms of Reference

Title: Programme Strategy Development

Duty Station: Yangon, Myanmar with travel (including Bangladesh)

Period: June - September

Duration: 60 days - based on deliverables

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organization committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice. We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Background to Plan Myanmar

Plan International started working in Myanmar in 2008 in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis and established a country office in 2012. The Myanmar Country Office currently works in more than 250 communities across four states and regions. Plan Myanmar programs include Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN); Youth Economic Empowerment (YEE); Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD); Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Resilience; Child Protection and Peace-Building. A dedicated humanitarian response team works in both rapid onset disasters as well as protracted crisis situations. Through all its programming, PLAN takes a gender sensitive approach, tackles the underlying causes of gender inequality and enables women and girls to become active and thriving members in their communities.

Plan Myanmar has been operating in Rakhine State since 2013 and works in both IDP camps and surrounding conflict-affected communities. Plan International Myanmar is currently supporting vulnerable populations in Rakhine State to access their rights to food, water and sanitation, education and child protection. In addition, the Country Office has recently started working on social cohesion initiatives and is seeking to expand its work in youth employment and entrepreneurship. Children and youth are especially vulnerable during times of conflict, and Plan International Myanmar implements projects that provide long-term support to vulnerable children, youth and their families, some of whom have been displaced (or restricted in movement) for more than 7 years.

Background to Plan Bangladesh

Plan International began working in Bangladesh in 1994. Currently, Plan Bangladesh targets the most excluded children and programmes directly benefit over 2.3 million children across the country. Programme priorities include: (1) improving access to quality health services; (2) strengthening the education system to ensure children complete secondary school; (3) creating safe communities for children; (4) Improving sanitation in communities and schools; (5) preventing and protecting children from the risks of disasters and climate change, and: (5) increasing the economic and social participation of young people in society. Across all its work, Plan Bangladesh encourages children and young people to be leaders in their communities and drive progress on the issues that matter to them. The Country Office also integrates gender equality and inclusion across all of its work.

The Cox’s Bazar Programme was initiated in October of 2017. However, due to government approval challenges and other constraints operations did not establish a strong foothold until March 2018. The current programme is responding to the emergency needs of displaced children, adolescents and their families through the provision of emergency Child Protection and Education. Plan Bangladesh currently employs 120 staff in Cox’s Bazar, and works with over 800 volunteers. The programme is also currently working with 2 national partner organizations.

Context to the Consultancy

The protracted crisis (now in its 7^th year) spanning Myanmar and Bangladesh (and affecting a wide range of ASEAN neighbors) remains one of the most severe humanitarian emergencies in the world. More than 1.5 million people are living in the directly affected areas across the two countries. All are in need of humanitarian assistance to survive, more than 40% are children. The crisis has unfolded in a region beset by centuries-old ethnic and religious tensions, chronic climatic fragility where poverty, underdevelopment, gender inequality, unemployment and a lack of prospects for young people fuel extremism. The situation is compounded by a historic political debate of ethnic identity, citizenship and statelessness.

Specific to the situation in central Rakhine, approximately 120,000 Muslims, of which 60,000 are children, remain displaced and are living in squalid conditions in IDP camps. In addition, another 200,000 Muslims live in isolated villages within central and northern Rakhine State where their freedom of movement and access to basic services are heavily restricted.

The proposed Nexus Multi-Country Programme Strategy (NMPS) is a joint initiative from Plan International’s Country Offices (COs) in Myanmar and Bangladesh as well as Plan International’s Asia Regional Hub. It is being formulated to address the crisis through an aligned and coordinated programme approach though recognizing (at least in the short term) the design will involve “stand-alone” initiatives in each country. Nonetheless, the overarching program strategy will be designed recognizing that both COs are working predominately with the same population and, though the contexts are dramatically different, the identified needs/focus are similar. Thematic overlaps include: Education in Emergencies (EiE), Child Protection in Emergencies (CPiE), Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (YEE).

Taking into account the protracted nature of the crisis, this new coordinated strategic approach (the first phase will be designed to cover an initial 5-year timeframe (2019 - 2023) is envisioned to outline Plan International’s ambition to transform the life of girls and their families in the conflict-affected regions of both countries. The proposed programme strategy intentionally moves beyond a humanitarian vision towards a full spectrum programme, working at the nexus of humanitarian, development and peace-building efforts to promote children’s rights and gender equality. This approach also recognizes the importance of meeting immediate humanitarian needs while tackling the developmental deficit of the region which is both a contributor to and an outcome of the crisis.

Objectives of the consultancy

The consultant(s) will take the lead in developing a compelling, comprehensive evidence-driven, multi-country “nexus” programme strategy for submission to donor(s). It is currently envisioned that the consultant(s) will develop the overall strategy building on pre-existing work, including recent program/proposal development workshops as well as the context specific country analysis/research/assessments undertaken in both countries.

The consultant should have demonstrated experience in developing strategies in complex protracted humanitarian environments and possess a strong commitment to gender equality, child protection and child rights preferably. Ideally, the consultant will have prior experience working in the humanitarian-development nexus in the child protection (including S-GBV), education, youth/adolescent economic empowerment sectors in Myanmar/Bangladesh and designing programs for conflict-affected communities.

Specific tasks to be performed by the Consultant(s):

· Support both Country Office teams (both jointly and independently) in the design of an overarching ‘nexus” Programme Strategy. Emergency Response Managers (ERMs), Head of Programmes and relevant (humanitarian and development) staff from both countries will be engaged to ensure that all proposed interventions are “owned” by the respective offices and follow the overall programme outline and logic.

· Support programme integration (as possible) across the two countries and the Asia Regional Hub through coordinated exchanges and dialogue.

· Make recommendations on the interphase between the Country Offices on the management and operationalization of the strategy specific to humanitarian, development and peace-building initiatives.

· Ensure that new intervention ideas are in line with overall programme and donor priorities.

· Prepare programme presentations to COs, NOs and donors to enhance resource mobilization.

· Facilitate the review of current available information and identify any gaps in data for the proposal/strategy drafting in line with provided guidelines and templates. (See Annex 1)

· Ensure program strategy design has been informed by conflict sensitive analysis and employs conflict sensitive programming.

· Ensure program strategy design has clearly considered and addressed the specific needs of children of all ages of the respective target group.

· Ensure the strategy is gender transformative.

· Meet with key stakeholders in Myanmar and Bangladesh to ensure that the program design and bid integrates expertise from all relevant actors/sectors.

· Consolidate partner inputs (as required) and act as focal point for proposal/programme strategy development

· Ensure that the planned programme strategy is discussed and coordinated with other key stakeholders in both countries and identify synergies that the strategy/proposal would leverage.

· Work with Country Offices staff to identify the staffing needs/structure and potential funding opportunities for the proposed programme framework.

Expected Deliverables

· Inception report

· A completed, comprehensive “Nexus” programme strategy inclusive of annexes according to guidelines and format as guided by Plan. (Example of a similar Plan initiatives will be provided) (See Annex 1 for draft content of the proposed programme strategy).

· Facilitation of workshops, meetings and networking events with Country Offices, technical experts and relevant stakeholders.

Qualifications

· Excellent experience in strategic programme development for humanitarian or transitional contexts.

· Experience in the fields of child protection, Education, Youth Economic Empowerment and Gender programming is an advantage

· Proven familiarity with the situations of the areas affected by the crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh

· Experience to work on protracted crises with refugee / IDP camps and host community settings

Contractual Arrangements and Supervision

The Consultancy firm will be hired under a Plan International terms of contract and supervised by Plan Myanmar solely for the purpose of delivering the above outputs, within the agreed time frame. Plan Myanmar as the Client shall provide necessary support to the Consultancy firm in order to execute the assignment during the duration of the consultancy. These shall include:

· Access to relevant project documents necessary for execution of the duties under this consultancy.

· Support in organizing relevant interviews and workshops.

· Administrative support with regard to visas, travel, accommodation as required.

Remuneration

The Consultancy firm’s payment shall be based on the financial proposal developed for this consultancy.

· Payment shall be made in three instalments of;

o 35% down payment;

o 40% upon submission of an acceptable inception report (expected content to be provided), and;

o 25% final payment upon submission of the final output, incorporating suggestions and recommendations from the Plan.

Annex 1

Nexus Multi-Country Rohingya Programme Strategy (Draft document structure)

Cover Page

Content Page

Acronyms

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Who we are

1.2 The Purpose of the Strategy

1.3 Structure of the Strategy Document

1. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

2.1 The Sub-Regional Context

2.2 Sub-regional Cooperation

2.3 Underlying Factors and Root Causes

2.4 Key Issues Affecting the Populations

1. CURRENT EXPERTISE AND LESSONS LEARNED

3.1 Plan Experience and Capabilities (Global)

3.2 Plan Experience in Sub-Regional Context

3.2 Lessons Learned

1. STRATEGIC RESPONSE

4.1 Bangladesh/Myanmar Programme Position at the Regional and National Level

4.2 NMCRP Theory of Change

4.3 Progamme Goal and Strategic Programme Objectives

4.4 How will the NMCRP work?

4.5 NMCRP Target Beneficiaries

4.6 Strategic Programme Objectives and Key Interventions per Functional Area

1. STRUCTURE of the NMCR PROGRAMME

2. FINANCIAL RESOURCING

7.1 Funding Projections by Financial Year

7.2 Donor Landscape and Opportunities

1. RISK ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION ACTIONS

2. MONITORING< EVALUATION, RESEARCH and LEARNING

Application Procedure

Consultants/Firms that meet the requirements should submit expression of interest, which should include the following:

o A Technical Proposal: Letter of Interest, stating why you consider your firm suitable for the assignment;

o Brief methodology on the approach and implementation of the assignment;

o Personal CVs of technical personnel proposed for this project highlighting qualifications and experience in similar projects; and

o Financial proposal indicating consultancy fee and a breakdown of expenses (unit price together with any other expenses) related to the assignment. Budget should include breakdowns for consultancy fee, per diem, materials (stationary), transport, workshop and communication costs etc. and should be presented with unit description, number of units, unit rate and total cost (not as lump sum amounts)

o Work references - contact details (e-mail addresses) of referees (firms for whom you’ve produced similar assignments).

Applications should be sent to: Myanmar.CO@plan-international.org latest by 09 July 2019.

Subject line for application:” Program Strategy Development_Yangon” Reference & background checks will be performed for successful candidates. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Plan International is an equal opportunity employer and women are encouraged to apply. Plan International Myanmar is committed to the well-being of children together with Gender Equality and does not tolerate child abuse and sexual harassment. All Plan International Myanmar Staffs and engaged Third Party Associates are required to sign and adhere with Plan’s Safeguarding Policy at all times.