Calling for Proposal from Institutional Consultant - Rapid assessment/ study on inclusion, transparency and accountability of social protection programmes

Term Of Reference Request For Proposal Institutional Consultant

 

 

Rapid assessment/ study on inclusion, transparency and accountability of social protection programmes

in 10 villages of East Java and West Nusa Tenggara

 

 

 

 

1. Background

Save the Children and its partners are implementing a two-year project titled HEAL: Promote Human rights and Equality to Achieve Sustainability in West Nusa Tenggara and East Java, Indonesia, with financial contribution from the European Union. The objective of the project is to better protect the human rights of vulnerable groups, including children, with a focus on strengthening the right to government social protection.

 

In response to the pandemic, the Government of Indonesia has launched a number of initiatives related to social protection, including; increase in the value of the transfer sizes to existing beneficiaries of the Family Hope Program (PKH) and expansion of the programme to additional beneficiaries; increase in the value of cards for the staple food programme (SEMBAKO); top up and expansion of pre-employment cards to informal workers and small businesses; additional funds to more than 8,000 village funds to be used as cash assistance for poor families not covered by the PKH, etc.  Concerns have raised related to inclusion/exclusion errors, adequacy, and accountability of the social protection programmes.

 

 

2. Purpose of the assessment

 

One of the HEAL Project objectives is to understand vulnerabilities, inclusion and exclusion  elated to government social protection programs, including the village fund; to facilitate 10 villages to promote inclusive, transparent and accountable systems to access social protection, most likely with a focus on the Village Fund (Dana Desa);  to eventually share experiences gained with various levels of government to influence programming and policies; To develop an appropriate intervention strategy, it is however necessary to first understand the current status of social protection in the selected villages with a focus on initiatives aimed at responding to Covid-19. This will inform the design of the intervention as well as serve as a basis for assessing impact at the end of the project.

 

 

3. Objectives of the assessment

 

1. Identify and list all government social protection programmes (including temporary programmes for Covid-19) that are available in the villages and briefly describe for each: responsible department; objective of the programme; eligibility criteria; transfer values; frequencies and mechanisms for the transfer; targeting approaches; application process; strategies to inform the public about schemes; number of recipients of each scheme in all 10 villages (data to be obtained from village/district province/ national level).

 

2. Assess the inclusiveness of each programme in the 10 villages– on paper/as per instruction and in practise. Are the eligibility criteria very clear; do they cater to the neediest and most vulnerable; are certain groups overlooked/ excluded; are children taken into account in any of the schemes (besides PKH);

 

3. Assess the appropriateness of any transparency and accountability mechanisms that may exist related to social protection programmes in any of the selected 10 villages

For 2 and 3- more attention is to be paid to programmes that have been expanded or introduced as a result of the pandemic, e.g., the Village Fund, expansion of PKH, SEMBAKO

 

4. Based on the findings, identify broad programme options and actionable recommendations for Save the Children and its partners, to promote inclusion, transparency and accountability of Covid induced social protection in the selected villages (including possibilities of community-based targeting (CBT)).

 

 

4. Methods (details to be designed)

• Desk review of social protection programmes

• Collation of social protection programmes and recipients in the 10 villages

• Selected FGDS with village representatives and selected groups of villagers (1 FGD/ Villages & details to be agreed during the design of the study)

• Rapid household survey targeting a small number of the poorest and most vulnerable groups (details to be agreed during the design of the study)

 

The study is to be carried out in close collaboration with Save the Children and its partners. A final design of the process and methods will be developed jointly.

 

E. Criteria of Consultant

1. Has extensive research experience, especially on the area of socio-economic issues, social protection programming, policy and budget analysis, government social security program, etc.

2. Has experiences in program/intervention design, project implementation management, and evaluation.

3. Has a good understanding on child rights and social inclusion of minority groups.            

4. Willing to travel to the respective villages for data collection as needed.

 

       F. Task and Responsibilities of Consultant

1. Work together with HEAL Project Manager to agree upon the report design.

2. Work together with Save the Children Indonesia and Finland appointed Technical Advisors on the relevant technical inputs towards the design and report.

3. Collect information on the access to social protection scheme at 10 targeted villages in 6 districts (Lombok Utara, Lombok Tengah, Lombok Timur, Sidoaro, Pasuruan, Gresik).

4. Analyse   current   government   budget   allocations   for   social   protection   programs   in response to pandemic covid-19.

5. Develop analysis on gaps of social protection access for the minority groups.

6. Identify possible corrective actions for more inclusive and transparent social protection.

 

       G. Expected Deliverables

1. A social protection study design (inception report/full comprehensive study proposal and tools).

2. A report with 30 pages at maximum in Bahasa Indonesia and English.

3. Slide deck and infographics reflecting the results of the assessment.

4. Timesheet.

 

       H. Timeline

 

 

I.                     Selection Criteria

 

1. Essential criteria

Understanding of requirements and proposal

1. The bidder has legitimate business/official premises, or that they are registered for trading and tax as appropriate (Company Credential).
2. The bidder confirms they are not a prohibited party under applicable sanctions laws or anti-terrorism laws or provide goods under sanction by the United States of America or the European Union and accepts that SCI will undertake independent checks to validate this.
3. Demonstrate your understanding of the study requirements and provide your proposal for how you would approach the research/evaluation. Your proposal will be assessed on whether the approach and methodology are robust, appropriate (actionable, sensitive, responsible) and indicates that it will achieve the study requirements.
4. Demonstrate your understanding of the deliverables and activities to be implemented, by:
1. Describing your proposed approach to project management and track record of delivering on time and on budget.
2. Providing a project plan with indicative timeline and defined roles and responsibilities of team members.

 

2. Commercial criteria

Commercial Criteria is defined as the criteria which cover all financial aspects of a supplier’s response including pricing, rebates, free services, discounts etc. The minimum weighting for standardized services for Commercial Criteria is 50% of the total scoring.

 

3. Capability criteria

 

Demonstrated Experience

5. Demonstrate your experience and track record in conducting [large/medium/small scale]:

1. [formative or process] evaluation using mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis)
2. [impact/outcome or economic] evaluation using [experimental or quasi-experimental] design and mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis)
3. economic evaluation in a social services context (including either cost effectiveness analysis, return on investment, cost-benefit analysis or cost efficiency analysis)
4. [Applied, intervention, action, exploratory, longitudinal etc.] research [or needs assessment/situational analyses etc.]

 

6. Demonstrate your experience and track record in conducting research and/or evaluation in the field of [insert thematic area/s], particularly in relation to [sub-thematic area]

 

7. Demonstrate your experience and track record of leading socio-economic research, evaluations or consultancy work in [insert Country Name] that is sensitive to the local context and culture, particularly [select all that apply: child rights, gender equality, ethnicity, religion and minority groups and/or other factors]

 

8. Demonstrate your experience and track record in conducting ethical, inclusive and participatory research and/or evaluations involving: a) children and b) marginalised, deprived and/or vulnerable groups

 

Bidder capacity

9. Describe the Project lead’s coordination experience in leading consultancy work, research and/or evaluations of similar scale, and managing a team of diverse team of specialists.

 

10. Nominate the key personnel and resource pool who will perform the work in relation to this contract. Your response will be assessed on whether the skills and experience of key personnel adequately covers all areas of expertise and experience required, and your combined team resources (number of members) as required to implement the activities within the set timeframe. Please indicate the ‘personnel type’ for each key personnel using the types outlined in the table below for the next question.

 

4. Financial criteria

This personnel profile, schedule of rates and cost elements will be used for the purposes of assessing cost effectiveness, as well as managing and negotiating the agreed cost of deliverables, or agreed scope variations if required.

 

J.                    The consultant must be willing to comply with Save the Children’s relevant policies and procedures:

1) Child Safeguarding Policy

2) Anti-Fraud, Bribery & Corruption Policy

3) Slavery & Human Trafficking Policy

4) IAPG Code of Conduct

5) Conditions of Tendering

 

K.                   The consultant should submit the Company Credential:

 

1. Copy of deed of establishment

2. Copy of tax registration number & certificate

3. Copy of institution registration certificate

4. Copy of trading/institution license

 

L.                   How To Submitting Proposals:

 

Proposal Documents, Supplier Declaration and Company Credential are sent via e-mail to:

 

Procurement.Indonesia@savethechildren.org

 

Or

 

Save The Children Indonesia

Pic: Procurement Jakarta

Jl. Bangka IX No.40 A-B

Kel. Pela Mampang

Kec. Mampang Prapatan

Jakarta Selatan 12720

 

Closing date for application is up to March 5^th, 2021. Time: 17:00 WIB

 

(Only short-listed candidates will be notified)