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Terms of Reference for external Southern support for localization work at SC Netherlands

Save the Children Netherlands is seeking external Southern support for two localisation efforts starting in December. First being a localisation case study, second being support for the development of the localisation policy for SCNL.

They are described in the two parts in the TOR below.

Expertise & profile required

The external expert conducting supporting the two parts of localisation work as described in this TOR should meet the following requirements:

·         Significant experience in conducting case studies/ evaluations on localisation processes

·         Excellent English communication skills are essential

·         Preferably we are looking for a Southern consultant

Application requirements & deadline

Interested candidates are encouraged to get in touch with Anne Nieuwenhuis (Humanitarian Program Manager at SC Netherlands, anne.nieuwenhuis@savethechildren.nl) via e-mail to indicate their interest latest by Monday 11th of January 2021.

Interested candidates in the assignment are expected to provide the following documentation:

·         A brief technical proposal with a response to the ToR, with specific focus addressing the scope of work and methodology to be used, and a detailed budget specifying the daily rate expected (max 3 pages total)

·         CV including a minimum of 2 recent and relevant references.

PART 1: CASE STUDY ON THE FUTURE DRA PROCESS

Background & introduction

Future DRA in South Sudan

Save the Children Netherlands is part of the Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA), a coalition of 15 Dutch NGOs which jointly respond to protracted as well as acute crises. As the current DRA strategic period ends in 2021, the DRA has started looking into developing a new model, a “Future DRA”, which is, amongst others, based on a shift in leadership from the Netherlands to the field.

The DRA wanted to test the Future DRA principles through developing a “Perspective of Change (POC)” to design a local response model. South Sudan Joint Response (SSJR) partners successfully pitched for a process of developing of POC and Pilot Implementation Plan (PIP) for a locally led response model in South Sudan.

Considering the focus on localization in the overall objective of the pilot, this proposal development process is led by Center for Emergency and Development Support (CEDS), a national organization, with support from Save the Children and other DRA INGO partners, where necessary and requested.

The Future DRA POC process in South Sudan was carried out between February and September 2020 by an in-country Task Team, chaired by national organization CEDS. The POC process involved consultations and learning from affected populations, representatives of locally lead funding modalities within and outside of South Sudan, representatives from MFA, DRA, JR coordinators as well as a comprehensive literature review.

The POC process has led to the design of a locally led response model, the pilot implementation plan, titled the “DRA Pooled Fund in South Sudan”. The result of the process and its outcomes can be found in the POC document and Pilot Implementation can be found in annex.

Scope of Evaluation

Sadly, the proposed DRA Pooled Fund in South Sudan was not selected to receive funding from the DRA and therefore will not be piloted. Following the Future DRA POC development process, Save the Children has decided to seek to engage an external expert to conduct a case study to evaluate and learn from the process.

As mentioned, the POC process was led by CEDS, and Save the Children and external experts supported throughout and wherenecessary. In principle, each step would be led by CEDS, as the organisation leading the POC implementation process with technical backstopping from Save the Children as deemed necessary.

However, in practice, we found  that at times the process was quite challenging. Seeing that localization is a priority theme for Save the Children (both SC international as well as SC Netherlands) in the coming years, this case is seen as a valuable learning opportunity to identify and learn from specific bottlenecks in executing the process.

It will allow us to have critical reflections and support further debates on how to undergo localization processes in an inclusive way, and we expect to be able to use the findings to contribute to future similar processes.

Note that the scope of the case study evaluation is not to evaluate the proposed local response model which was prepared as part of the Future DRA work, but rather the process that we underwent together.

Key questions to be answered in the case study

To support this critical reflection and support further debate on future localization processes, the following key questions should be reflected upon in the case study:

·         How was the localization agenda defined and perceived by the national and international actors engaged in the Future DRA process?

·         What were the main motivations for the participants to join the Future DRA process (in South Sudan and in the Netherlands)?

·         What were the barriers which kept national organizations from fully embracing the localization processes in the Future DRA process?

·         What were the enabling factors that allowed the national organizations engaged in the Future DRA proposal design to fully embrace localization processes?

·         What were the barriers and enablers for Save the Children and other international actors to embrace the localization process?

·         In terms of knowledge and resources, what gaps, if any, were identified through the process and that should be filled in for similar processes in future?

·         What are recommendations for INGOs (Save the Children and the DRA alliance specifically), NNGOs and the donor community alike to foster these enabling factors and address the barriers?

Case study methodology

The expert should adopt a methodology which uses a clear analytical framework, using qualitative methods and that is coherent with the overall scope of the evaluation as described above.

This should be specified in the short inception report (see also below in deliverables). We would expect at least:

·         Interviews with key persons involved in the Future DRA process, including participants from CEDS, Save the Children, the external experts and in-country task team members.

·         Focus group discussion with key persons involved in Future DRA design process.

·         Literature review on the subject matter (i.e. localization processes)

·         Learnings from similar cases.

Timeline & budget

Timeline: Starting from mid-January 2021 for a total of approximately 22 days. Timeline can be discussed in detail later on.

Budget: The total budget available for this assignment is EUR 9.000 (including VAT) for approximately 22 days in total.

Duration & location

Days: Approximately 22 days in total

Location: home based

Expected outcomes & deliverables

·         Inception report: The short Inception Report will highlight the methodology and the guiding principles of the case study. The inception report will at least include: Objectives and key questions, Methodology, Data collection methods and tools, timeline and logistics. The report should be no longer than 5 pages, including annexes.

·         Case study: the case study will highlight the main findings, learnings, conclusions and recommendations.

·         Online learning event: online session to share learnings and outcomes of the case study. Setting & audience to be confirmed, but likely representatives from SC Netherlands, local partners in South Sudan involved in Future DRA, other DRA organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

PART 2: SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SC NETHERLANDS LOCALISATION POLICY

Background & introduction

In June 2020, the Save the Children movement outlined its fundamental principles that govern our organizational commitment to localisation in a Localisation Policy. It is Save the Children’s belief that by shifting greater capacity, means and ownership to national and local actors, it will result in more timely, appropriate and effective outcomes for the most deprived, vulnerable and marginalized children and their communities and better fulfil the rights of children. This policy is embedded in commitments already made by Save the Children as a Grand Bargain signatory, as well as internally in SC’s strategy and policy papers and support Save the Children’s 2019-2021 Global Work Plan.

Save the Children Netherlands has signed up to the SCI and SCO Localisation Policy, and in our Annual Plan for 2021 has committed to incorporate localisation as a core part of our strategy and work going forward.

A SC Netherlands Working Group has been set up to provide some analysis and guide the thinking for SC Netherlands on how as an organization to include this going forward. Within the SC movement, other members and the SCA Localisation Task Team have been more closely involved in the localisation agenda and have set examples for SC Netherlands to learn from and incorporate in our work.

example, the SCUK exercise of benchmarking the organizations’ position against the NEAR localisation Performance Measurement Framework and 7 dimensions of localisation to ascertain where it stands on the localisation spectrum, from which it could then prepare an Indicative Action Plan for 2021, is seen as a good starting point which SC NL can follow.

This would allow as a first step to facilitate discussions within SC NL, and would serve as a tool to critically reflect and articulate choices and perspective for the direction of localisation at SC Netherlands.

Scope of support

SC Netherlands Localization Working Group is seeking external support in carrying out these two important pieces of work, which aim to support the incorporation of localisation at our organization.

·         Support SC Netherlands Localization Task Team in conducting a “localization baseline”, following the example of SC UK, which analyses START 7 dimensions of localization against the NEAR Localization Performance Measurement Framework to ascertain position on the localization spectrum (from no localization to locally led).

·         Using the baseline exercise, support SC Netherlands Localization Task Team in preparing an Indicative Action Plan, following the example of SC UK, with concrete actions for 2021, scoping and analysis and planning actions for 2021 and implications for 2022-2024 and beyond.

Methodology

The expert should adopt a methodology which uses a clear analytical framework, using both quantitative and qualitative methods and that is coherent with the overall scope of support as described above.

This should be specified in the short inception report (see also below in deliverables).

We would expect at least:

·         Interviews with key persons at SC Netherlands (including colleagues from the international program department, Finance & Control, Lobby & Advocacy, communications and marketing)

·         Interviews with other key persons at other SC members involved in localisation processes (such as UK, Denmark and Sweden, Localisation Task Team, SCI and Country Offices)

·         Interviews with key stakeholders (including NL MFA, other key donors such as EU and corporate donors, NNGO partners)

·         Analysis of SCNL key information such as our portfolio.

·         Literature review

Timeline & budget

Timeline: Definite timeline will be determined based on conversations with the consultant. Longer time engagement will be required, most probably starting from end of February until the beginning of May 2021.

Budget: The total budget available for this assignment is EUR 11,000 (including VAT) for approximately 27 days in total.

Duration & location

Days: approximately 27 days in total

Location: home based (no travel to NL required within this budget)

Expected outcomes & deliverables

·         Inception report: The short Inception Report will highlight the methodology and the guiding principles for the work on the baseline and action plan. The inception report will at least include: Objectives and key questions, Methodology, Data collection methods and tools, timeline and logistics. The report should be no longer than 5 pages, including annexes.

·         Baseline report: The details of the baseline report will be discussed at later stage, but will include a reflection of SC Netherlands’ position on the spectrum localisation, measured against NEAR and START frameworks.

·         Workshops at SCNL: the detail of the workshops to be held at SCNL will be discussed at a later stage, but will include a launch workshop for SCNL staff (both informative & motivational).

·         Indicative Action Plan: The details of the Indicative Action Plan will be discussed at later stage, but will include concrete actions for the remainder of 2021, scoping and analysis and planning actions for 2021 and longer term actions for 2022-2024 and beyond.