Call for Feasibility Study Consultancy

Project Title: Inclusive resilience: promoting the integration of risk management and social inclusion in socioeconomic development

Background

Arbeiter-Samartier-Bund (ASB) is one of Germany’s oldest and largest social welfare organizations with a membership base of 1.1 million individuals. Within Germany, ASB provides rescue, medical and social service delivery through a federal structure of over 200 local branches. Overseas, ASB’s work includes disaster risk reduction (DRR), humanitarian response and rehabilitation as well as return and reintegration. www.asb.de 

ASB is a co-founder of the Disability-inclusive DRR Network (DiDRRN). The DiDRRN was actively engaged in the process leading to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), ensuring that active participation of persons with disabilities, and broader inclusion in disaster risk reduction (DRR) is included in this framework. www.didrrn.net 

ASB is currently developing a new project entitled Inclusive Resilience: Promoting the Integration of Risk Management and Social Inclusion in Socioeconomic Development funded by BMZ (The Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany). Key project components will be implemented via local partner organizations in Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh with technical support from ASB Indonesia and the Philippines Office. 

The implementation in Indonesia will be led by Farmer Initiatives for Ecological Livelihoods and Democracy – Indonesia . The Philippines based organisation People's Initiative for Learning and Community Development will be leading the implementation of the project in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Centre for Disability in Development will lead the implementation in Bangladesh. FIELD Indonesia works for community resilience building through comprehensive approach, integrating livelihood development, climate change adaptation and gender inclusion. PILCD and CDD have been working with ASB since 2013 for DRR/climate changed and socioeconomic projects under community resilience framework with emphasis on gender and disability inclusion. 

The project aims to contribute to the achievement of SDGs Goal 1 & 13 through sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development and strengthened resilience of regions in South- and Southeast-Asia which are disproportionately affected by climate-change and natural disasters. A key approach to achieve the before mentioned is to strengthen women and persons with disabilities as well as their self-representative organisations and to promote leadership of women and persons with disabilities.

Overall Outcome: Improved socio-economic development and resilience of disaster-prone communities in South- and Southeast Asia through climate-smart and risk-sensitive livelihoods as well as increased leadership of women and persons with disabilities.

The indicative outcomes of this project are as follows:

1. Improved capacities of communities including most at-risks groups to understand climate- and disaster risks as well as to adequately address them with regards to generation of sustainable livelihoods.

2. Increased participation and leadership of women and persons with disabilities in community level development planning and resource management

3. Increased income generation for most at-risk groups through access to sustainable, risk-informed and climate-smart livelihoods.

4. Improved capacities of decision-makers and other key stakeholders at local, national and regional level as well as national and regional dissemination of replicable good-practises for the promotion of climate-smart and risk sensitive livelihoods as well as leadership of women and persons with disabilities

5. Improved capacities of civil society organisations and networks at local, national and regional level for evidence-based advocacy in the fields of social inclusion / empowerment of at-risk groups as well as risk-informed and climate smart livelihoods.

The project will start around 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2023. Specific targeted areas in Indonesia will be in the Mentawai Islands, West Sumatera Province. In the Philippines, the project will be implemented in La Trinidad and Buguias Municipalities, Benguet Province, Cordillera Administrative Region (Northern Luzon) and Calbayog and Catbalagon Municipalities, Samar Province, Region 8 (Eastern Visayaz). Meanwhile in Bangladesh, the project will be implemented in the South-West Coastal Belt of Bangladesh, Sarankhola Sub-District, Bagerhat District, Rayenda Union and Dhaka, the Capital of Bangladesh. 

In-line with BMZ regulations and to support the further development of the project concept, a feasibility study shall be commissioned prior to the final elaboration and submission of the project proposal. The feasibility study aims to identify project prerequisites, opportunities and risks to further enhance project effectiveness and helps avoid bad investment decisions from the start. 

To respond to the mentioned needs, ASB is seeking for a team of independent consultants to conduct the feasibility study in those 3 (three) countries. It is an open call for independent consultants based in Indonesia and/or in the Philippines and Bangladesh. In addition to this ToR, the selected consultant will be provided with detailed guidelines for conducting the feasibility study.

Objectives

The objective of this consultancy assignment is to develop and conduct the feasibility study in preparation of final drafting and submission of a full project proposal, building on a project concept prepared by ASB and local implementing partners and pre-selected by BMZ.

Specific objectives: 

1. To identify complexity of the project in question and consider the political, economic, cultural context, local capacities and commitment of the local implementing partners and the government. 

2. To analyze the situation, the problem(s) resulting thereof and the target group and stakeholders.

3. To provide a feasibility study for the project and critically review the planned project in terms of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability 

4. To provide recommendations for the project concept and measures. 

Scope of Work

• a. Develop relevant designs and tools for the feasibility study in consultation with ASB and partners in line with the feasibility study guideline;

• b. Review existing data available for project intervention on the potential to develop Inclusive resilience: promoting the integration of risk management and social inclusion in socioeconomic development;

• c. Conduct appropriate desk review and site background information gathering (including but not limited to vulnerability and exposure to climate change events, potential socioeconomic opportunities as well as gaps and needs for climate change adaptation; general overview about women leadership and persons with disabilities);

• d. Conduct Field Work including meetings/interviews with key stakeholders and Local Government Unit and representative of targeted communities in Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh; 

• e. Presentation of high quality and professional feasibility study report in English with annexed (documentations: interview and FGD transcripts, minutes of meetings, signed inform consent forms, and good quality photographs (300 dpi)). 

Note: The study should analyze the situation, the problem(s) resulting thereof and the target group and stakeholders. It should include a baseline study (for instance as an annex), and critically review the planned project in terms of the OECD/DAC criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. Please refer to the Guidance Note on Procedures for Feasibility Studies Bengo, as attached.

Deliverables

• a. Relevant design, tools and proposed budget for feasibility study in 3 (three) countries 

• b. Professional record and documentation of the feasibility study 

• c. Structured consultation and coordination with ASB and partners as well as potential stakeholders to ensure relevance of the study 

• d. A comprehensive feasibility study report which covers 3 (three) countries of Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh covering aspects mentioned in the feasibility guidelines attached 

Required Expertise from Independent Consultants

• The successful candidate will have a background in environmental and socioeconomics sciences and/or extensive functional experience in climate change adaptation and disaster management in Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh (including CCA policies in global/regional/national level) with strong technical skills in project design, management and monitoring and evaluation or other closely related fields.

• At least 10 years of technical experience in project development, in-depth study for environmental issues, climate change adaptation/ mitigation, disaster management; and social inclusion, including gender and disability inclusion, expertises are considered as an advantage.

• Working with multi-disciplinary stakeholders, including local and national government representatives; A Strong analytical skill; Exceptional ability in communication and networking, negotiations and English report writing.

Duration

The feasibility study is expected to start on January 15, 2020 and end on March 5, 2020.