Republic of Lebanon

Request For Expressions Of Interest Consulting Services- Service Delivery In The North Region - Lebanon

الخط + -
18 كانون الأول 2018

DOCUMENTS and TOR

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

CONSULTING SERVICES

 

 

Lebanon

Additional Grant for the Emergency National Poverty Targeting Program Project- NPTP-AG

Original Grant No. TF 017200

LSCTF Grant No. TF 0A2803

Project ID No. P158980

 

Assignment Title:        Service Delivery in the North Region - Lebanon - Graduation Pilot of Lebanon’s National Poverty Targeting Program

 

Reference No.              (As per Procurement Plan): FC009

 

In 2011, the Government of Lebanon (GoL) launched the National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP), which seeks to identify and provide poor targeted Lebanese households social assistance. To-date, NPTP benefits 105,000 households, with the poorest 10,000 households benefiting from the e-card food voucher. The NPTP is managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

 

A recently approved US$10 million grant from the Lebanon Syria Conflict Trust Fund will enable the GoL to both expand the coverage and further strengthen the services that are currently provided by NPTP. Through this new grant and amongst other objectives, the GoL will pilot a "Graduation" project (NPTP-G), which will seek to promote increased and sustainable levels of income among some of the poorest NPTP households, in order to improve their overall relative poverty levels. To achieve this objective, NPTP-G will provide self-employment opportunities to male and female members of targeted NPTP households through the delivery of a comprehensive package of services. Specialized Firms or NGOs will be competitively hired to provide the different NPTP-G services to the targeted NPTP-G households.

 

The Ministry of Social Affairs intends to apply part of the proceeds of the NPTP-AG for consulting services.

 

The consulting services (“the Services”) are for implementing the NPTP-G Services. The assignment is to carry out preparatory as well as field work, and which includes: (i) an asset transfer to support developing an income generating activity in one of the selected sectors; (ii) technical skills training related to the chosen asset as well as on identifying, developing, and running a business; (iii) coaching and life-skills training to boost beneficiaries’ self-confidence and social capital and contribute to improve overall levels of discouragement; and (v) financial literacy training and linkages to microfinance services for improved income management and savings. The targeted beneficiaries will be provided by the World Bank &the Ministry of Social Affairs.

 

The Fiduciary Operations Team (FOT) under the PCM is responsible for managing the Financial and Procurement activities under the project. FOT now invites eligible Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) & private sector firms to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. Please note that no CVs of staff are required at this stage.

 

The short listing criteria are:

 

1.   General Experience (years in the market, International Affiliations, services provided,  client portfolio)

2.   Specific Experience of the Consultant related to the Assignment

3.   General Profile and number of Key Staff

 

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.6 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: “Guidelines Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers” of the revised version dated July 2014 (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

 

Two Requests of Expression of Interest are launched in parallel and are pertaining to two different Lots that will result in two separate contracts:

Lot 1: Service Delivery in the North Region – Lebanon

Lot 2: Service Delivery in the Bekaa Region – Lebanon

 

1.      The current Request of Expressions of Interest is related to Lot 1: Service Delivery in the North Region – Lebanon;

  1. Each lot will generate only one shortlist;
  2. NGOs are encouraged to associate with Private Sector Firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications;
  3. Private Sector Firms are encouraged to associate with NGOs in the form of a joint venture or a sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications and outreach;
  4. Each Consultant can apply to one lot or both lots;
  5. The Consultant should state its preference to which lot;
  6. Each Consultant will be awarded one contract only: In case the same consultant is ranked first for both lots, the client will be awarding the consultant its preferred lot, and award the other lot to the second best ranked consultant.

 

Consultants will be selected in accordance with the Quality- And Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines. The full version of the Terms of Reference can be reviewed at http//:www.pcm.gov.lb- خدمات/ مشاريع ووظائف on the website of the Presidency of Council of Ministers & http//:www.socialaffairs.gov.lb on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours: from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Beirut time.

 

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by January 8, 2019 by 4.00PM Beirut time.

 

Presidency of the Council of Ministers - PCM

Fiduciary Operations Team - FOT

Att: Ms. Jessy El Khoury – Procurement Officer –NPTP/AG
Grand Serail, Serail Hill, Riad EL Solh

Beirut, Lebanon

Tel: +961-1-982317
Email:
jelkhoury@fot-pcm.com


 

 

Republic of Lebanon

Ministry of Social Affairs

 

National Poverty Targeting Program Project

 

TERMS OF REFERENCE

 

Graduation Pilot

Service Delivery Firm/ NGO

 

I.                   Background

 

Prior to the onset of the Syrian conflict and the inflow of large numbers of Syrian refugees, poverty in Lebanon was significant and regional disparities in living conditions were acute. The most recently completed Household Budget Survey (HBS 2011-12) shows that poverty in Lebanon was 27 percent (pre-Syrian crisis), which implies that about one million people had levels of consumption below the annual poverty line set at 4,729 thousand LBP per capita per year (US$3,150). Poverty is the lowest in Beirut (16%), followed by Mount Lebanon (22%) and Nabatieh (25%). The poorest regions are North Lebanon (36%) and the Bekaa (38%).

 

The Syrian conflict is estimated to have increased poverty among the Lebanese population, pushing an additional 170,000 people into poverty in 2014 and making those already poor even poorer.[1] Indeed, according to the 2015-16 Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP), the total vulnerable population in Lebanon today is approximately 3.3 million, of which 1.5 million Lebanese, 1.5 million Syrian refugees and 300,000 Palestinian refugees.

 

With this in mind, in 2011, the Government of Lebanon (GoL) launched the National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP), which seeks to identify and provide poor targeted Lebanese households social assistance that includes both health and education subsidies. In 2014, in response to rising poverty levels in communities hosting refugees and in order to help mitigate tensions between the refugee and Lebanese communities, the GoL, scaled up the NPTP (Emergency NPTP) to cover an increased number of poor Lebanese households, and improve the basket of benefits through the introduction of food assistance via an electronic card (e-card) targeting the poorest Lebanese households. To-date, NPTP benefits 105,000 households (or approximately 420,000 individuals), with the poorest 10,000 households (or approximately 50,000 individuals) benefiting from the e-card food voucher, a component implemented by the World Food Program (WFP). The NPTP has established itself as Lebanon’s main social safety net program, playing a central role for donors, UN agencies, and other ministries in reaching poor and vulnerable host populations affected by the Syrian conflict. The NPTP is managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

 

A recently approved US$10 million grant from the Lebanon Syria Conflict Trust Fund (LSCTF) will enable the GoL to both expand the coverage and further strengthen the services that are currently provided by NPTP. Specifically, through the new grant, the GoL will be able to: (i) provide the e-card food voucher to the 10,000 poorest beneficiary households; and (ii) pilot a “graduation” project (NPTP-G)[2], which will seek to promote increased and sustainable levels of income among some of the poorest NPTP households, in order to improve their overall relative poverty levels. To achieve this objective, NPTP-G will provide self-employment opportunities to male and female members of targeted NPTP households through the delivery of a comprehensive package of services, based on the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)/Ford Foundation graduation model that has been implemented in over 20 countries with high success.

     

Specialized Firms or NGOs will be competitively hired to provide the different NPTP-G services to the targeted NPTP-G households. With regards specifically to Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Field Work coordinators and selected MOSA social workers will benefit from a Training of Trainers (ToT) that will enable them to monitor that NPTP-G activities are carried out effectively and efficiently, as well as to provide life skills/coaching to the selected member of the targeted households[3].

 

II.                Objectives of the Assignment/ Contract

 

MoSA is looking to hire a specialized firm(s) or NGO’s for carrying out the NPTP-G Services. Specifically, the selected firm or NGO are expected to carry out preparatory as well as field work, and which includes: (i) an asset transfer to support developing an income generating activity in one of the selected sectors; (ii) technical skills training related to the chosen asset as well as on identifying, developing, and running a business; (iii) coaching and life-skills training to boost beneficiaries’ self-confidence and social capital and contribute to improve overall levels of discouragement; and (v) financial literacy training and linkages to microfinance services for improved income management and savings.

 

Analytical work is currently underway that will help inform the design of the above mentioned activities namely: (i) a thorough analysis of the local market, which entails profiling the targeted population and carrying out value chain analysis (VCA) to identify sectors that have the potential to absorb the selected participants (ii) Identifying potential beneficiaries, informing them of NPTP-G’s benefits, requirements and obligations, agreeing on their participation and conducting an induction workshop.

 

III.             Scope of Work

 

A preparatory meeting will be held under the supervision of the Director General and the NPTP-G team, to agree on the work plan and timeline and practical steps before starting the work.

1.      Estimate the average cost of the asset. Until the market analysis is completed and the attractive sectors are identified, the firm or NGO needs to estimate the average cost of the asset to be transferred to beneficiary households, based on international practice. CGAP/Ford Foundation graduation pilots commonly transferred livestock, but also seedlings and other agricultural inputs, sewing machines, and a stock of commodities to start small shops. Given the evidence that the impact of such assets is noticeably different in rural areas versus urban, the cost estimation needs to take into account the fact that Lebanon graduation pilot covers urban areas too. The selected firm(s) or NGO(s) will need to take into account the findings of the market analysis, and adjust their technical and financial proposals accordingly before proceeding with the contracting. 

2.      Procure the Asset.  The firm or the NGO will need to procure the asset identified in the market analysis. The procurement process needs to be clearly described in the proposal.

3.      Provide Support Services. Provide access to maintenance services/technicians. Alternatively, hire a part-time technician or train someone in the community to provide basic maintenance services. [4] Set-up a helpline for participants to call.

4.      Foster Market Linkages. Including through establishing groups based production schemes, Continuously monitor bottlenecks and opportunities in accessing markets and  to readjust interventions. In some cases, group-based production schemes are needed and it makes sense to create or strengthen cooperative structures. Cooperatives can also facilitate linkages to larger markets, for example by organizing product collection centers, bulk-buying facilities, or selling outputs jointly. Connect participants with other interventions designed to help them lower the costs of production and increase profits.

5.      Transfer Basic Technical Skills. Assess what is required to successfully launch and operate the livelihood activities previously identified. Depending on the types of assets transferred, the trainings’ content can focus on animal husbandry, inventory management, or basic business skills. Even participants with some prior experience in livelihood activities can benefit from learning best practices, which sometimes differ from local norms. Point participants to services they can leverage such as government health services or veterinary care. Include other household members in the trainings so that all can eventually contribute their efforts to the family enterprise. Conduct training right before the asset transfer, or shortly thereafter, so that it will be fresh in participants’ minds as they begin applying it. Offer follow-up trainings or “refresher” courses at least on a quarterly basis or as needed.

6.      Provide Training of Trainers for Social Workers on Life Skills Coaching. Train a group of social workers on life skills coaching, and equip them to provide such training to their colleagues so they can assume well this task. Social workers are expected to provide ongoing “life skills” coaching to participants to assess how households are faring, offer ongoing support, and boost self-confidence.

7.      Deliver Financial Literacy Trainings. Through weekly household visits, teach participants about cash and financial management, and familiarize them with savings and credit. Encourage participant households to start saving, either semi-formally or more formally through an account with a formal financial services provider (for those beneficiaries who are ready for that). Topics to explore during trainings include: budgeting household expenditures, how to calculate repayment schedules and manage debt, and how to plan income-generating enterprises.

8.      Evaluate institutional capacity for possible implementing partners, including local private sector service providers and vocational school and training, to ensure that they are well positioned to carry out their potential tasks.

9.      To the extent possible, involve local partners in the activities to be carried out as part of these terms of reference, to build their capacity to undertake such activities in the future. This could be done, for example, through involving NPTP field work coordinator and social workers.

 

The firm and NGO may associate or contribute with other firms or NGO’s as a joint venture. Preference is given to those NGOs and private sector firms associating among each other.

 

IV.              Expected Outputs/deliverables

 

With the above-mentioned activities in mind, the selected firm/ NGO will be expected to deliver the following outputs in both Arabic and English:

1.      An implementation plan based on the approved proposal and including a detailed budget and timeline, to be agreed by the NPTP team;

2.      Documentation of the methodology and asset selection exercise: this should include specific criteria/indicators based on which specific livelihood options for each participant (i.e., what enterprise the participant will develop) and associated asset packages (i.e., what inputs the Program will transfer) were selected.

3.      A documentation of the specific support services to accompany the transfer of asset.

4.      Curriculum for technical skill trainings;

5.      Curriculum for training of trainers (ToT) of life-skills and financial literacy trainings;

6.      Monthly reports and a detailed completion report of the technical, life-skills, and financial literacy trainings. Such reports would include a financial section showing opening balance, funds received, payments and balance for each quarter. The report should include a comprehensive list of fixed assets. This report is submitted on a monthly basis to the Director General.

7.      Final report with findings, further recommendations for the pilot and proposed interventions.

8.      All original records and supporting documentation will be kept at the firm/ NGO for review by PCM/MOSA and the assigned external auditor.

 

The Implementation Work Plan is provisional, the Firm/ NGO have to develop a more detailed plan and to submit it to the NPTP-G team.

 

Task

Estimated Date

Detailed implementation plan

2 weeks after the contract signature

 

Developing methodology, including estimated average cost, mapping of support services, profiles of beneficiaries and assessment of requirements to launch the different activities, identify local partners and assess their capacity,

1 month after contract signature

 

Visit beneficiaries for detailing profiling, including defining some group-based production schemes.

1.5 months after contract signature

 

Develop the list of trainings required for each beneficiary and identify local training providers

2 months after contract signature

 

Design the curriculum for the training of trainers for social workers

2.5 months after contract signature

Procure assets and launch training activities to beneficiaries

2.5 months after contract signature

 

Provide training of trainers for social workers on life skills coaching

3 months after contract signature

Design the curriculum and launch the financial literacy training

Starting 1 month after the procurement of the assets and launch of training

 

 

V.                 Qualifications

 

Required:

·      A specialized firm or NGO, with its leading team having degrees in Economics, Social Sciences, Education or a closely related field;

·      Experience designing and implementing livelihood programs, including experience conducting technical-skill trainings.

·      Experience designing and conducting life-skill and financial literacy trainings.

·      Strong proficiency of its leading team in English and Arabic, both oral and written;

·      Good knowledge of the Lebanese political, economic and social context;

·      Strong social, organizational and knowledge management skills required in order to coordinate and manage a project network;

·      Capacity to produce high-quality reports;

·      Ability to work independently under limited supervision;

·      The contracted firm or NGO will be expected to work in close consultation with project team from the World Bank, MOSA, and PCM.

Preferred:

·      Knowledge of/experience with poverty-targeted social assistance programs that support self- employment and provision of social services;

·      Experience with refugee contexts desirable.

 

Throughout the whole duration of this project the selected firm/ NGO consortium will assign to it a dedicated team including a Project Manager, a Procurement Officer, a Financial Management Officer, a Livelihood Specialist and a Trainer with the following responsibilities and required qualifications:

 

The Project Manager shall be responsible for:

    1. Acting as focal point, and overseeing the design and implementation of all activities specified under section III of these ToRs;
    2. Developing a detailed implementation plan spanning all activities specified under section III of these ToRs;
    3. Selecting and training of the field staff;
    4. Managing the logistics and control of field operations;
    5. Monitoring progress in project implementation, and internal and external (to MoSA) reporting.

The Project Manager will be a professional with a university degree in social sciences, the Project Manager should have excellent knowledge of the Lebanese political, economic and social context and strong social, organizational and knowledge management skills required in order to coordinate and manage a research and project network. He or she will be expected to work in close consultation the project teams from MOSA, PCM and the World Bank.

 

The Livelihood Specialist shall be responsible for:

1.      Conducting the asset selection exercise; 

2.      Supervising the drafting of technical curriculum;

3.      Organizing technical skill training visits;

4.      Drafting monthly technical skill training reports, with specific recommendations. 

The Livelihood Specialist will be a professional with a university degree in social sciences (preferably Economics), and at least 5 years of experience in implementing livelihood initiatives, and experience in technical skills’ assessment. The Value Chain Specialist should have excellent knowledge of the Lebanese political, economic and social context. He or she will be expected to work in close consultation with the project teams from MOSA, PCM and the World Bank.

 

The Trainer shall be responsible for:

1.                  Designing curriculum for life-skill and financial literacy trainings;

2.                  Organizing and conducting Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions for above mentioned trainings; 

3.                  Drafting monthly training reports, with specific recommendations.

The trainer will be a professional with a university degree in social sciences, or related field and at least 3 years of experience in teaching or providing/implementing training modules. Practical experience in training life skills and financial literacy modules in the private sector, for local/international programs, for public or non-governmental institutions. He or she will be expected to work in close consultation with the project teams from MOSA, PCM and the World Bank.

 

The Fiduciary Officer (Procurement and Financial Management) shall be responsible for:

1.                  Drafting of procurement guidelines and procedures;

2.                  All tasks related to the procurement of Assets;

3.                  Procurement and financial tasks related to the recruitment of sub-contracted consultants or firms/NGO.  

The Fiduciary Officer will be a professional with a university degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or Economics. A Graduate degree in accounting or Finance is preferable. At least 3 years of experience in finance or accounting. Previous work experience in project financed by international organization is a plus. Knowledge of computerized accounting programs, accounts payable and account receivable and generally accepted accounting principle

Required documents to be submitted

 

·         Filled technical and financial forms attached as part of this Request for Proposal (RFP)

·         Not the same firm/NGO will be awarded for both assignments. One firm/implementing agency will be awarded for implementing the asset transfer for the North region and another different firm/implementing agency will be awarded for implementing the asset transfer for the Bekaa region.

·         The firm/NGO should submit a document describing the methodology they would follow to provide the services requested in the ToRs.

·         The firm/NGO should provide a mapping of their activities within the two areas (I.e. North and Bekaa).

 

Timing and Reporting

 

The selected firm will report directly to the NPTP-G Program Coordinator, and other members of the NPTP MoSA management team as needed. The implementation is expected to begin in January 2019. All the deliverables detailed under the section IV of these Terms of Reference will be submitted by end of September 2019. An extension could be considered depending on the implementation progress.

 

 



[1] World Bank (2013), “Economic and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA),” Report No. 81098-LB, September

[2] The NPTP-G will target 675 households from among the 5,000 additional poorest households that will begin to receive the e-card food voucher through the LSCTF grant. Each targeted household will select one of its working-age members to receive the NPTP-G package of services, all while ensuring the participation of a working-age female in NPTP-G. The NPTP-G package of services include: (i) the NPTP e-card food voucher for consumption support and improved food security levels; (ii) an asset transfer to help jump-start one or more economic activities; (iii) technical skills training related to the chosen asset as well as on identifying, developing, and running a business; (iv) coaching and life-skills training to boost beneficiaries’ self-confidence and social capital and contribute to improve overall levels of discouragement; and (v) financial literacy training and linkages to microfinance services for improved income management and savings.

[3] A first training was delivered by the World Bank to field coordinators and social workers in June 2018, to introduce them to the graduation pilot, and monitoring and evaluation concepts. A second training is envisaged towards the beginning of October with focus on baseline data collection.

[4] In Pakistan, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) partners acted as an information clearinghouse and linked participants to government veterinary services, since the extreme poor frequently fail to use services to which they are entitled. In India, Trickle Up hired a part-time veterinarian and trained community “barefoot veterinarians” to provide basic care to livestock after nearly one-third of goats died due to a surge in water-borne diseases. This strategy proved too costly in   scale-up: instead, the Trickle Up program now negotiates micro insurance coverage for the livestock.

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