Consultancy: Training on DRR and Resiliency for Small and Medium Enterprises

Context

HI is an independent and impartial international aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster.

Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights.

HI is currently implementing projects in more than 50 countries worldwide, including Sri Lanka.

A consortium composed by ACTED (Lead Agency), Humanity and Inclusion, with three local partners: CEFENET, HDO and FIO are implementing a 4 year project entitled: Integrated economic development of Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka funded by the European Union. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to poverty reduction in Uva and Central Provinces. This will be specifically achieved by sustainably improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable rural and estate communities in Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Badulla and Monaragala districts, which is expected to concretize through increase of income for target groups and creation of new employment opportunities for all, with a focus on the most vulnerable: women, persons with disabilities and plantation communities. To do so, the action will promote a climate-resilient and inclusive socio-economic development by supporting the integrated growth of MSMEs in a limited number of value chains (VC), and favoring an environment supportive to MSMEs by building the capacities of local actors to engage in participatory multi-stakeholder economic planning, taking in consideration natural hazards and climate change.

One of the main outcomes of the project is to address the issues faced by MSMEs in the target areas to allow them to sustainably grow, hence providing additional job positions in the areas and increasing their income. To do so, the action will adopt an integrated value chain development approach, within which a wide range of actors will be supported, including different kind of businesses, thus ensuring a boomerang effect: the development of the MSMEs within the VC will strengthen the VC, which in turn will be able to support the MSMEs in the long-term. As highlighted in the assessments conducted in preparation for the design of the action, 60% of the MSMEs in the area are small scale cottage industries, having less than three employees. This was confirmed by the ex-Ministry of MSMEs who stated that 92% of MSMEs in Sri Lanka have less than 3 employees. The action will focus on such enterprises, usually community-based, enabling to reach out to large segments of vulnerable groups. Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) are strongly mainstreamed in the project’s design and will be ensured by promoting climate-resilience. Examples are training and coaching MSMEs to integrate risks and adaptations into their business plans; building the capacities of MSMEs in terms of DRR, including improving early warning and preparedness; identifying priority mitigation needs through local development plans that integrate climate-resilience. However District Disaster Management Units (DDMU), responsible for disaster preparedness and management, are not giving enough attention to the specific needs of the businesses, especially in terms of warning and forecasting, all the more relevant in a context of global climate change. Altogether, local governance actors are unable to support inclusive risk-sensitive economic development which could support the sustained development of MSMEs.

For more information to the project overall design, please refer to the project summary in attachment to this ToR.

Objectives of the consultancy

The objective of this consultancy service is to conduct a Training of trainers (ToT) on how to integrate and mitigate natural disaster risks into Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development with a focus on developing business continuity plans and risk sensitive business development plans.

The trainees will be the project team composed by 15 to 20 persons responsible to support the development of 320 MSMEs operating in the Central and UVA provinces of Sri Lanka in the following value chains (VC): vegetables, spices, floriculture and dairy products.

The short-term consultancy will start from the 07th of May 2018.

Expected results of the consultancy

This consultancy aims to provide key project staff with the necessary fundamental knowledge and skills in DRM to support targeted MSMEs to mitigate the impact of recurrent natural disasters and enhance the business resiliency to climate change and natural shocks.

Expected deliverables

The consultancy outcomes are the following 

• A 5 day full time training for program staff (see below the proposed content for the 5 days training session)
• A set of training documents to be used by the trained staff to replicate the training and provide guidance to target MSME in integrating natural disaster risks into their business model.

The TOT session is anticipated to cover the following topics:

• Basic introduction to basic concepts, terminology and models of DRM.
• Review of how natural disasters impact MSMEs development with reference to Sri Lanka and regional case studies.
• Understand the importance of integrating DRM into MSME development.
• Familiarize the trainees with a) the Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment and b) Crunch Model with special attention to the risk assessment for MSMEs.
• A session will focus on practicing the development of risk sensitive business plans for MSMEs, utilizing real case studies.
• A session will focus on supporting trainees in developing business continuity management plans to support SMES in the aftermath of a natural disaster, giving the team the ability to properly guide the development of the risk-management sub-plans for MSMEs.
• A session will focus on supporting trainees in developing emergency management plans to support MSMEs in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

Brainstorming Question

• What is the best appropriate approach to identify and asses the disaster and climate risks for selected MSMEs?
• How does combining CCA and DRM help build resilience to climate change in developing sustainable business development plans for selected MSMEs?
• Who are the best agents to work with to deliver CCA and DRM and what policy and institutional frameworks are needed to sustain this?
• How to prepare the business continuity plan (BCP) and Emergency Management plan (EMP) for the MSMEs? What are the factors need to be incorporated/taken into the consideration to prepare the BCP & EMP?

Potential consultants are required to come forward with their own proposition of training content and tools when submitting their technical application.

Methodology of work, timeline and location

Desk phase

• Step 1: The consultant(s) will review existing project documents (project proposal, M&E framework, guidelines, etc.). On this basis, the consultant(s) will refine the methodology and field work plan. These elements will be incorporated in an inception report written by the consultant(s).
• Step 2: The project team will provide feedback and validate the inception report.
• Step 3: The consultant(s) will potentially attend a Skype meeting with the country team to prepare the field mission.

Field phase

• Step 1: The consultant(s) will meet with national teams and selected MSMEs
• Step 2: The consultant(s) will prepare the training materials.
• Step 3: The consultant(s) on the base of the comments/recommendations provided by the project team will revise the training materials.
• Step 4: The consultant(s) will conduct the training.

Final reporting

The consultant(s) will write a final report which will include the following elements:

• Selected methodology (including constraints and challenges encountered), and strategies used to overcome them;
• Detailed key findings and conclusions (notably observations and notes from group discussions with children on child protection and child participation);
• Recommendations;
• Outline of any follow-up that might be needed.

Logistical arrangements and resource person

The consultant(s) will:

• Organize and pay for their flight tickets (beginning and end of mission).
• Organize and pay for their visas.
• Organize and pay for their stay in Sri Lanka. This includes meals, accommodation, and any other extra personal expenses during the mission.
• Organize and pay for adequate medical insurance coverage including repatriation.
• Provide proof of adequate professional, third party liability insurance or a discharge of responsibility by which they respond personally to any damages caused to third parties by their act.
• Provide a proof of their worker’s official status or the documents evidencing the legality of their activities in their country of domicile.

HI will:

• Provide logistical support and cover the costs for meetings, workshops and training with HI beneficiaries and staff.
• Provide an external interpreter to English when necessary.
• Make available relevant documents to the consultant(s).
• Provide working space, access to the internet, telephone usage and office services.

Note that NO per diem will be paid to the consultant(s). Also, international travel days will not be considered as working days and will not be paid.

Budget

The consultant(s) should present a financial proposal with a breakdown of all the costs incurred as follows:

• Professional daily fees;
• Travel costs (plane tickets, visa costs, etc.);
• Living expenses (meals and accommodation);
• Medical insurance.

The payment schedule will be agreed during the contracting process.

Consultant profile

Obligatory

• Good knowledge with international and local experience in Disaster Risk Management, Climate Change Adaptation
• Sound experience in mainstreaming DRM into business development plan and MSMEs
• Sound understanding on the impacts of natural disasters to the small and medium scale businesses at macro and micro level 
• Sound knowledge about monitoring tools related to SMEs development and project implementation
• Fluent in spoken and written English

Recommended

• Good understanding on climate change and erratic weather pattern in Sri Lanka and particularly in Uva & Central Provinces.
• Knowledge on Sustainable Livelihood & Agriculture practices and concepts
• Good knowledge in Sinhala and Tamil is an asset
• At least 5 years of prior experience in conducting DRM / CCA trainings