Consultancy Opportunity: Baseline Study on Building and Deepening Low Carbon Development and Climate Resilience Project

TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR THE PROJECT BASELINE STUDY

 

Project Title	Building and Deepening Low Carbon Development and Climate Resilience Project
Name of Activity	Baseline Study
Proposed Time line	14 April – 23 May 2023
Budget availability	IDR 100.000.000 include Tax

 

A.     INTRODUCTION: ABOUT ISLAMIC RELIEF

 Islamic Relief is an international aid and development charity, which aims to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people. IR is an independent Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) founded in the UK in 1984. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities - regardless of race, religion or gender.

Our vision: Inspired by our Islamic faith and guided by our values, we envisage a caring world where communities are empowered, social obligations are fulfilled and people respond as one to the suffering of others.

 

Our mission: Exemplifying our Islamic values, we will mobilize resources, build partnerships, and develop local capacity, as we work to:

Enable communities to mitigate the effect of disasters, prepare for their occurrence and respond by providing relief, protection and recovery. Promote integrated development and environmental custodianship with a focus on sustainable livelihoods. Support the marginalized and vulnerable to voice their needs and address root causes of poverty. We allocate these resources regardless of race, political affiliation, gender or belief, and without expecting anything in return. At the international level, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, and is a signatory to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Code of Conduct. IRW is committed to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through raising awareness of the issues that affect poor communities and through its work on the ground. Islamic Relief are one of only 13 charities that have fulfilled the criteria and have become members of the Disasters Emergency Committee (www.dec.org.uk)

 

IRW endeavors to work closely with local communities, focusing on capacity-building and empowerment to help them achieve development without dependency. Please see our website for more information http://www.islamic-relief.org/. Since 2022, Islamic Relief Indonesia has been transformed into a local non-government organization. YRII has objectives to contribute to the social welfare of the Indonesian and to save lives and alleviate suffering. Through its projects, YRII has continuously been providing safe drinking water, improving hygienic sanitation facilities, increasing hygiene awareness, empowering the capacity and livelihood as well as providing shelters for people who affected by disasters and climate change, contributing in strengthening food security, improving the nutrition for malnourished children, and sponsoring orphan children to increase their welfare. The focus geographical areas of YRII are Banten, NTB, Aceh, and Central Sulawesi. Moreover, the temporary office was also established in West Sulawesi during earthquake emergency on the early of January to July 2021.

 

B.     PROJECT CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

Building and Deepening Low Carbon Development and Climate Resilience (BUDLOC) project aims to build climate resilience through building capacity of communities and creating enabling environment via policy influencing works. The project is intended to increase welfare, safety, and justice of poor men and women living from forest through low carbon development, climate resilience, and peace building practices. The proposed project will be implemented in four districts/city in West Nusa Tenggara Province including Bima City, Bima District, Dompu District and Sumabwa Distrcit.  These locations have been experiencing extreme environmental degradation and conflict due to maize plantation. In fact, many development activities in lower middle-income country including Indonesia tends to prioritize on social welfare and economic growth and neglecting the environment aspect. For instance, in NTB province- Indonesia.  The productive activities through maize plantation have contributed significantly to gross regional domestic product (GRDP) and increased people’s income. However, it has created deep and massive destruction to the environment with 250,000 hectares of barren forest and land contributing to climate induced emergency and global warming. This situation is exacerbated by escalating conflict among communities and/or between communities versus authorities around land disputes.

 

The proposed BUDLOC project offers a sustainable solution to balance between environmental conservation with economic productive activities and social welfare, safety and peace by:

1.          Implementing agroforestry activities in barren forest that will foster the communities to cultivate corn under the permanent trees that will give sustainable livelihood sources and at the same time to get benefit from the certified Carbon Economic Value;

2.  Advocating the local government to adopt low carbon development strategy in establishing environmentally friendly corn estate through reformed spatial planning;

3.          Building integration and cohesion among communities that are currently in conflict due to land competition for corn plantations in forest area.

To guide the project implementation and create a benchmark for monitoring and evaluating project expected results, specific objectives, and impact. Practical Action intended to set the best practices is required through baseline study in the locations of the project in Dompu district, Bima city, Bima District and Sumbawa District, West Nusa Tenggara.

C.     OBJECTIVE

 

The baseline study has significant purpose for setting benchmark needed to measure progress of the project or completed intervention of the program which included several objectives:

·       Establish realistic goals and measure the progress towards the intended results

·       Manage accountability through providing the information of what impact that the project is creating on the community

·       Inform and encourage stakeholders to regard specific issues and increase their participation

·       Create justification for policymakers and donors for a project intervention

·       Configure prospect and communication strategies required for the project implementation 

D.     SCOPE OF STUDY

 

This baseline study will be utilized to examine several key issues, including:

1.          Assessing baseline data according to project indicators at the impact to outcome levels

2.          Appropriateness    of    the   project   sites,   by gathering background information encompassing:

a.           Analysis of the appropriateness of the proposed villages

b.          Vulnerability and exposure to climate events

c.           Gaps, needs and potential mitigation and adaptation opportunities

3.          Elaboration of project relevant factors analysis, consisting: Potential economic/livelihood activities-results of participative resource mapping, issues related to gender equality and climate change, identifying and foreseeing possible environmental conflict.

4.          Elaboration of a detailed socio-economic target group analysis, consisting: Number of potential RHs (Direct and indirect), Type of beneficiaries (occupation, sex, age, social and economic rank, etc.), and Interrelations between the stakeholders.

 

Below is the collection of baseline data and assessment of the baseline situation guiding questions:

1)                    What is the (baseline) situation in the region, the country?

2)                    What is the socioeconomic, legal, and cultural (gender) context?

3)                    What climate-induced disasters have been identified?

4)                    What are the causes for these and what impact are they having on the living circumstances of the population and on which sections of the population in particular?

5)                    What need has been derived from the analysis of problems? How has this been/is this being determined?

6)                    What is the background and impact of the previous interventions?

7)                    Whose stakeholders potentially play a key role (including who are the risk drivers)?

8)                    How is the tenurial conflict happened? Who’s the actors involved?

9)                    How is the current policy effective to control the forest degradation?

10)          Are there any alternatives to the planned project or parts of it?

11)          How is the sustainability of the project

E.     TARGET

The study will be conducted in the four districts and city of Dompu, Bima and Sumbawa,West Nusa Tenggara and targeting 20 communities. To collect the information on the baseline and feasibility studies, a survey, Key Informant Interview (KII), FGD, and observation will be carried out.

 

F.      METHODOLOGY

 The methodological design of the baseline study will be proposed by the consultant and it should include a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods such as literature review, data collection and analysis, semi-structured interviews, focus groups discussions, key informant interviews and workshops. The choice of method must take into account the needs and capacities of the different target groups and stakeholders (children, youth, women, community farmers/forestry groups, maize and woods related companies, staff of YRII and local partners, province and district government representatives, etc.)

G.    DELIVERABLES

 

The key deliverables of this baseline study will consist:

·       Inception report having detailed baseline plan and design including data collection tools.

·       Draft report (max. 30 pages (without attachment), based on scope of study as mentioned above, to be submitted to before the workshop discussing the draft.

·       Final report (max. 30 pages), based on tasks 2-11 as mentioned above, no later than one week after reception of comments on the draft report.

H.    TIMELINE

The consultancy period 14.04.2023-23.05.2023, starting from the agreement contract sign-off date and ending when the final baseline study report has been formally approved by YRII.

 

Action	Date	Who
Call for proposal	31 March 2023	HR & Logistic Team
Final date for submission of proposal	7 April 2023	HR & Logistic Team
Proposals considered, short-listing and follow up enquiries completed	9 April 2023	HR & Logistic Team
Consultant interview and final selection	11 April 2023	HR & Logistic Team
Consultancy Contract sign	14 April 2023	HR & Logistic Team
Meeting with the consultant and agree on an evaluation methodology, action plan, working schedule	17 April 2023	Consultant, MEAL and Program Team (local partners)

 

Submission of Inception Report (at least 7days before commencing the baseline)	21 April 2023	Consultant
Evaluation/Data collection	22 - 1 May 2023	Consultant
Collation and analysis of evaluation data, and submission of the draft report to YRII/IRW forfeedback	2 – 9 May 2023	Consultant
Data cleaning and validation	13 May 2023	Consultant
Exit Meeting	16 May 2023	Consultant, MEAL and Program Team (local partners)
IRW/YRII responses to draft report	18 May 2023	MEAL    and               Program Team (local partners)
Final report	23 May 2023	Consultant

 I.       QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

The consultant must demonstrate evidence of high level of research experience especially in conducting baseline study on the issues of climate change. The consultant should possess strong statistical/quantitative and qualitative research skills with excellent writing abilities. An appreciation and understanding of team work are highly required together with a high level of professionalism and ability to meet tight deadlines

The specific required qualifications are below;
 
Extensive experience in research work especially in baseline study of climate change issues, having previous climate change research experience in targeted project areas are preferred;

At least a Master’s Degree in environment studies, agriculture, developmental studies, and social science or related field for the lead consultant OR a minimum of Bachelor’s Degree on the relevant academic areas with 7 years of progressive experience in research can be acceptable.

Five years demonstrated experience in research in context like Indonesia with sound understanding of cross cutting themes such as child protection, child rights and awareness.

Knowledge in Research Methodologies and application of various tools including practical experience in assessments, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of community-based interventions

The incumbent should have proven experience of using participatory methods as the means of data collection and analysis.

Fluency in spoken and written English, knowledge of local language is an advantage

Excellent analytical and report writing skills with skills in using statistical packages such as SPSS.

J.        ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

 The consultant is obliged to respect the following ethical and child protection requirements:

Fair and inclusive: the consultant should seek the views of various stakeholders: Children with and without disabilities, street children, youth, their families, CSOs, community, partners and government actors and be able to identify and address potential conflict of interest and unequal power relationships. Special efforts should be made to make the research process child-centered and sensitive to gender and inclusion, 

Conflict of interest: the consultant must demonstrate the necessary independence and declare any conflict of interest and potential biases, including bias towards any of the stakeholders, target groups, types of research methodologies or approach, social, political or religious prejudice.

Based on rights and ethics: the consultant must respect the rights and dignity of participants as well as comply with relevant ethical standards and YRII’s Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct.

The research must ensure: appropriate, safe, non-discriminatory participation; a process of free and un-coerced consent and withdrawal and confidentiality and anonymity of participants. The informed consent of each person (including children) participating in data collection should be documented.

 

K.    APPLICATION PROCESS

 

YRII invites consultants/Consulting firm with the experience and skills described above. Applicants are being requested to send their proposals (Technical and Financial) including:

 

A.  Technical Proposal includes:

 

·       Experience of carrying out the similar type of task

·       Description of methodologies

·       Updated CV of the candidate

·       Tentative Work plan.

·       Appropriate outline of the report.

 B.  Financial Proposal includes Budget Breakdown

 

 The application is submitted to: irid.recruitment@islamic-relief.or.id

 The deadline for submitting the application/proposal: 31 March 2023.