Iraq: Assessment mission: Livelihoods Market in Northern Iraq

1. Presentation of the French Red Cross and the Iraqi Red Crescent Society

The French Red Cross (FRC) has been established in the Northern part of Iraq since 2013, more especially in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), being present in both Dohuk and Erbil Governorates, but also in the Ninewah Governorate, where it has been conducting activities in Mosul and Sinjar areas.

The FRC works supporting the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) to implement humanitarian and development activities with a special focus on WaSH, Livelihoods and Education activities.

Several livelihood projects have been implemented in both Erbil and Dohuk Governorates jointly by the IRCS and the FRC in the past years:

1. From May 2016 until May 2017, UNDP project in Dohuk has developed vocational training activities and job referrals follow-up as well as small business development through cash grants. This was designed for 155 women from the Yezedi community. Moreover, kindergartens were created for the duration of the project in order i) to keep the participants’ children and ii) to offer a temporary job for 34 other women.

2. From January to December 2017, also two UNDP projects in Hasan sham camp (former Khazer camp), receiving newly displaced people from Mosul, centered around CFW activities in order to improve the immediate access to existing WaSH facilities (latrines cleaning, waste collection and disposal, hygiene promotion). In total 2000 persons beneficiated from these projects.

3. Since December 2016, the IRCS and the FRC have developed another livelihood project - thanks to the EU Trust Fund for Syria, the MADAD (“help” in Arabic). The MADAD trust fund primarily “addresses longer-term resilience needs of Syrian refugees and IDPs in neighboring countries, as well as supporting host communities and their administrations”, and the project developed in Iraq is part of a much larger consortium covering five countries (Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq) and including 14 co-applicants for the RC movement. The details of this project are the following:

Project Title

Addressing Vulnerabilities of Refugees and Host Communities in Five Countries Affected by the Syria Crisis

Location

Iraq: Erbil and Dohuk governorates

Duration of the project

36 months

Target groups & beneficiaries

Syrian Refugees, Iraqi ADPs and host communities

Project objectives

400 individuals are participating in vocational training courses. Out of those 400 beneficiaries, 140 will receive cash grants, 125 will participate to an apprenticeship program, and 135 will receive support on job search

2. Consultancy Rationale

The MADAD scope was large in regards of beneficiaries and areas selection, yet restraint in terms of coverage with 400 individuals. In addition, the activities are similar and complementary to ones delivered by several other organizations also in northern Iraq. In such a volatile and changing environment, the interest is great to have a methodological diagnosis and understanding of the different vulnerabilities and capacities still faced by the various populations, as well as of the livelihood opportunities were the MADAD project is currently active.

Not looking at the impact result just yet, the project still runs for another year until 2020, the FRC and the IRCS are thinking of a second phase of such activities that could also consider uncovered areas/vulnerable populations.

Starting from there, the FRC/IRCS are looking for a consultant, or a team of consultants, to conduct a livelihoods analysis and labor market assessment (LMA). The main objective of the assessment is to provide practical recommendations and develop a proposal, which aims to facilitate reconciliation between vulnerable communities of Syrian refugees, IDPs, and host communities, via community livelihood activities, but also enabling and preparing to proactively position themselves for employment.

3. Objectives

Overall objective: Give clear recommendations through different orientations for the Livelihood project team in Iraq to offer livelihood opportunities to the vulnerable fringes of populations affected by the different crisis in Iraq while supporting local economy.**

This assessment is essentially a livelihood analysis over both Erbil and Dohuk Governorates, but also Ninewa Gorvernorate. Basically, the main question this assessment needs to answer is: “Which occupation for whom?”

After thorough analysis, this assessment should give an evidenced-based understanding of the current and potential market (needs, gaps, trends and stakeholders), along with related livelihood opportunities for vulnerable individuals from Syrian refugees, IDPs, and host communities. The assessment should formulate recommendations for FRC/IRCS to increase opportunities for vulnerable individuals to access the labour market (employment/self-employment) and lead to meaningful impact within the next 36 months.

Specific objective 1: Realize the mapping of the different stakeholders in the different areas; and analyze Who does What and Where How? (4W)**

It is key to identify the various stakeholders in place, the areas and activities covered and consequently the remaining gaps. This as well as the specification of useful/necessary coordination in link with outcomes from the previous specific objectives should give clear indications for implementation propositions (activities, scope/areas/beneficiaries, monitoring and project launch).

è Output 1: mapping of stakeholders’ activities, the gaps remaining and the possible links to create - including other IRCS branches and civil society actors which could have an added value to the project (implementation partnership, capacity building, referrals, mobilization, targeting etc.) – as well as recommendation on necessary coordination mechanisms;

Specific objective 2: Identify the social distinctions in terms of capacities and vulnerabilities for the different population**

The area comprises different populations (diverse host communities, refugees from different part of Syria, IDPs from Mosul or Sinjar, etc.). Social edges are not clear-cut, though primary hypothesis may be that indeed those different populations may have different needs and specificities.

The assessment shall consider the specific needs of the population and within will aim at detailing any existing age or gender-related barriers or any other obstacles to access livelihood opportunities, and which shall be considered for future planning. Moreover, it shall analyze the communities’ livelihood and market participation behaviors, resilience statuses, preferences.

è Output 2: Socio-economical categorization of the different populations (urban/rural, in/out-camp, host/refugee/IDPs communities) including i) sub-categories when relevant (age/gender for example), ii) differentiated vulnerability criteria and iii) differentiated characteristics (skills, projection in the near future/duration of stay in the area, aspirations, mobility, etc.). It should also provide a clear picture of the challenges and barriers that vulnerable communities are facing in accessing specific business, vocational employment and self-employment opportunities in the target area with particular attention to gender considerations.

Specific objective 3: Realize a clear mapping of livelihoods opportunities linked accordingly to the different social categories** (depending on specific objective 1&2)

The assessment will identify the main labor market sectors in the targeted areas and the types of activities and partnerships needed to offer livelihood opportunities for vulnerable communities. It should provide the FRC Livelihood team with the full-economic picture (wage margins, over-saturated areas/sectors) and offer an overview of the existing livelihood challenges, employment and business development opportunities/barriers in the area (including self-employment and home-based business).

In connection with the outputs from the first specific objectives, this market and livelihood opportunities analysis should be linked to i) the capacities of the different populations present in the area and ii) the ability to respond to their needs and aspirations.

è Output 3a: mapping of labor and livelihood labor markets/basins including stimulating value-chains/business opportunities, labor and specific competencies needs, micro projects possibilities for the most vulnerable;

o Labor needs: Identify and map labor markets and value chains that are not overly saturated and present potential for growth, profitability and employment on the different areas of intervention. It should focus on sectors and businesses that are feasible for vulnerable population

o Services providers: Identify and analyze the functioning, roles and linkages between the different map market stakeholders and institutions operating and delivering goods and services in the area; the accessibility of vocational training, financial services and business service providers (i.e. microfinance and Job placement agencies), that can contribute to some training and job placements services. Conduct sustainability analysis of the value chains, along with the supporting functions and rules (who does and who pays now and in the future).

è Output 3b: reading grid of the different communities’ trajectories[1] linking output 1 and output 2a, in order to help identifying the skills and knowledge gaps that could be improved with trainings within the specific value chains and business offers.

Specific objective 4: Elaborat[WC1] [Em2] e the different options of intervention in order to design a proposal based of the concrete recommendations made in the frame of specific objectives 1, 2 & 3

è Output 4a: Listing of possible activities including targeting process/selection criteria and implementation modalities;

è Output 4b: Recommendations on the roles and responsibilities of the program team and implication of beneficiaries;

è Output 4c: Elaborate a draft of logframe of activities in order to fix the design of the proposal

4. Methodology

The consultant will carry out the study for approximately 4 weeks in northern Iraq: taking into consideration that a PRM proposal will need to be submitted to the FRC for March 20^th at the latest. The final report and presentation will be finalized and undertaken after this date. The consultant is expected to work closely with the French Red Cross members for consultation and approval of each step of the consultancy, the current livelihood team, constituted of several members (project manager, project officer, senior advisors, etc.) in both Dohuk and Erbil, will be available to give constructive feedback and potential support upon request. The consultant is also expected to mobilize his/her network and to link with the relevant stakeholders in order to ensure the most comprehensive result. Primary assessment methods will include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Consultative meeting with staff, management and key stakeholders (HQ/and mission briefing, RC Movement/IRCS, NGOs, Clusters…)
• Key informant interviews
• Documents, reports and literature review
• Qualitative and quantitative data records review and analysis
• Focus group discussions with beneficiaries and stakeholders
• Field visits to project areas (Erbil, Dohuk, Zakho) and field observations
• Specific surveys on livelihoods activities and market assessment for projects/ activities

Additionally, the assessment should be conducted in coordination with other stakeholders which might be conducting their own.

5. Deliverables

Following is the list of deliverables to be submitted by the consultant within the market and livelihood assessment report (inclusive of the above listed outputs):

• An inception report, detailing;

o A summary of the findings of relevant secondary documents (max. 2 pages)

o Draft recommendations of focus areas

o Proposed methodology and timeframe

o Draft tools for primary data collection (key informant interviews, phone surveys, individual interviews, focus group discussions…)

o Proposed stakeholders to be met

o Draft but detailed table of contents of the final report.

o A logframe for the PRM proposal that will be discussed and validated from the team;

§ This must be formally approved before further work is undertaken

• A draft report
• An executive summary (3-4 pages);
• A power point presentation of the preliminary assessment findings to the FRC/IRCS team and a number of key stakeholders for comments and discussion;
• A final report inclusive of team comments;
• A first draft of a livelihood proposal in the submission format of PRM (max 20 pages) including a complete a gender analysis that “*should aim to specify and target specific at-risk sub-populations of women and girls, in particular women and girl heads of households, out-of-school girls, women and girls with disabilities, women and girl survivors of violence, married girls, adolescent mothers, as well as people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI), and those who are often unaware of and excluded from projects and services and who may be the hardest to reach based on their gender*” (see annex);

The consultant should keep the FRC team regularly informed of progress on key issues, especially regarding the elaboration of the PRM proposal. Arising matters may require additional direction or suggestions for other key informants or reference materials and due to time constraints, the consultant and the FRC needs to works closely together.

The final report should be analytical and user-friendly detailing key findings and providing clear and forward looking recommendations. The report will be drafted in English. The structure of the report will be agreed between the FRC and the consultant.

6. Organization of the mission

The FRC Livelihood Delegate will be the focal point for the consultant during the entire mission. The consultant will also work closely with the HoD Assistant on the proposal writing.

7. Personnel requirement and qualifications

This assignment will require the services of a consultant or a team of consultants with the following skills and experience.

• Advanced University degree in Development studies, Development economics, Socio-economic studies, or other related field. Additional areas of experience could include poverty reduction; economics, business administration or management;

· Post-graduate degree in Social Sciences, Business, Economics, Statistics or related field.

• Demonstrated excellent analytical, writing and reporting skills;

· Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments for planning and/or evaluation purposes. Familiarity with established assessment and analytical tools is desirable (e.g. Household economy approach; Sustainable livelihoods framework; Market analysis; Minimum economic and recovery standards, etc);

• Experience and knowledge in livelihood programming in terms of Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVT), job placement, employment promotion, entrepreneurship building, private sector development, urban and rural small business development; Income Generating Activities; Cash assistance;

• Prior work experience in the north of Iraq;

· Experience in consultancies with NGOs in similar fields

· Knowledge of donors, BPRM would be an asset;

• Demonstrated publications record, covering research, technical, and policy areas;

• Excellent networking skills with private and public sector institutions;

· Communication and facilitation skills (leading groups discussions, workshops)

· Excellent report writing skills.

· Well organized and attention to details

· Reliable and rigorous

· Technical and financial proposal

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic, Kurdish would be an excellent asset.

Selection criteria and application procedure

Please submit your proposal as following:

o A recent CV of the consultant highlighting relevant qualifications and experiences (and other team members).

o A technical proposal, stating clearly the evaluation methodology and the work plan of 3 pages maximum. It will be based on the elements described in the ToR. The availability dates will be indicated.

o A financial document including budget presenting the global cost (and including daily rates) of the consultancy (covering all expenses for the consultant in USD), requested installments and registration / fiscal number.

o Copy of two research reports relevant to the current study either prepared by or with significant contributions by applicant

The criteria for the evaluation of the quality of the proposal are:

o Technical quality of the proposed methodology.

o Experience and qualification of the consultant.

o Financial proposal.

Both local and international offers will be considered.

Incomplete and CV-only applications will not be considered.

Interested candidates are requested to send their evaluation proposal in English in electronic format only with reference “FRC*PRM-LivelihoodName*” to the following email addresses: tender-iraq.frc@croix-rouge.fr** **

DEADLINE: February 28^th 2019 at 12:00pm (Baghdad time)

After the review / screening of the proposals, only short-listed applicants will be contacted by phone or email. **