Action Against Hunger USA
INTRODUCTION
The CALP Network is a dynamic global network of more than 90 organizations involved in the critical areas of policy, practice and research in humanitarian Cash Transfer Programs (CTPs) and financial assistance in general. Collectively, CALP members deliver the vast majority of humanitarian PTMs around the world. We currently have members such as local and international non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, donors, companies specializing in social innovation, technology and financial services, researchers and academics, and individual professionals.
Together, and together with our strategic partners, we seek to better meet the needs and improve outcomes for people affected by crises. To do this, we must ensure that PTMs are a core component of quality, timely and appropriate humanitarian assistance, and that the need to sustain long-term positive outcomes for people is considered.
PROJECT HISTORY
Within the framework of the efforts of the United Nations to coordinate the regional response to the situation of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, the Regional Platform for Inter-institutional Coordination (R4V) was established and, as part of it, the Regional Working Group on Transfers Monetary (GRTM). Initially co-led by the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) (2019-2021), and currently by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children ( 2021-), the GRTM aims to: (a) technically support national responses, (b) promote coordination between organizations and sectors working with cash transfer programs, and (c) facilitate the exchange of knowledge between national groups.
The GRTM engaged stakeholders in discussions to contribute to the design of the 2022 Work Plan. The current plan responds to three main areas of work (Effective and inclusive coordination between actors implementing PTM; Strengthening the capacity of members to Design, Implement and Monitor PTMs, and Evidence, Representation and Advocacy) and includes priority technical issues to be addressed through multiple learning, knowledge sharing, training and/or advocacy activities. These issues were defined collectively and respond to members’ needs and challenges, as well as interest and ability to facilitate or participate in discussions. The agreed technical priorities;
1. Social protection: links and coordination between the MCPs and the national systems of social protection. 2. The calculation of the value of the transfer and the minimum expenses basket (MEB): best practices in market evaluations, calculation of MEB and value of transfers, and possible definition of a PTM PIN. 3. Exit strategies and financial inclusion. 4. Support for unaccompanied graciniños, girls and adolescents with monetary transfers. 5. Communication and accountability with PTM participants.
The priority indicated as ‘Social Protection’ is of wide interest among the participants of the GRTM, as well as the broader community of PTM in LAC. One of the specific issues highlighted is the need to understand and improve the mechanisms through which the leading social protection entities and the cash transfer working groups can interact effectively and fruitfully, to coordinate their activities or even support the work of response to a humanitarian crisis.
OBJECTIVES
Main goal
Compile learning to date from Cash Transfer Groups (CTGs) on coordination mechanisms between national or subnational social protection systems and local CTGs (or similar forums among actors involved in humanitarian CTPs)
Specific objectives
• Review existing regional production on links between monetary transfers in humanitarian contexts and governments, through their social protection systems.
• Compile, in the form of a regional mapping, the experiences of the countries in coordination between the national/subnational authorities that lead social protection and the groups/fora that coordinate humanitarian MCPs. Mapping waits too analyze who are the actors involved, what are the communication and coordination mechanisms designed and in use by the actors, what are the challenges encountered and what are the results achieved.
• Analyze best practices and generate concrete recommendations to inform stakeholders on forms of coordination and joint work between the humanitarian MTP community and government entities in charge of social protection programs, with attention to the different contexts of response to crises, such as natural disasters, migratory flows, or others.
• Contribute to the evidence at the regional and global level on issues of linkage between PTM humanitarian and social protection.
METHODOLOGY
This study will include both review of existing documentation and collection of primary qualitative data through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with stakeholders. Ongoing engagement with both key CALP staff and the research steering committee will be required.
• Participate periodically with the Steering Committee made up of network members and CALP staff to discuss research directions, progression, key findings, and decision-making related to the study.
• Review based on the available documentation (report, publications, studies, etc.). It is expected to consider, although not only, the results of knowledge products carried out by the GRTM and CALP in recent years, such as: (a) the learning event on links between social protection and PTM in 2021; (b) the CALP study on the use of PTMs for emergency preparedness and response through social protection systems.
• Key informant interviews and/or focus group discussions, as appropriate, to complement existing documentation on the regional mapping exercise and delve into the case studies.
• Preparation of the final report, including the results of the analysis of the data obtained from the documentary review and the primary collection; and an executive summary.
• Development of an easy-to-view format for regional mapping of coordination mechanisms, in the form of an infographic or similar.
In addition to this, there may be ad hoc requests for specific input, directed both at the steering committee and individual members.
KEY DATA SOURCES
The data sources will be from primary and secondary sources. The literature review should include the websites of R4V, the Regional Working Group on Cash Transfers o Mapping should review how coordination worked (eg with which entities, which government agencies, what types of groups or sub-groups, which organizations took the lead, what challenges exist); (GRTM-R4V), as well as web pages and constitutive documents of the National Groups of Monetary Transfers and of government organisms, when pertinent. Likewise, the existing gray and academic literature on the subject should be considered, with particular attention to what has been produced by the region in recent years, which will be identified through work with the Steering Committee and interviews with key informants.
KEY DELIVERY FOR CONSULTANT
• Initial (or inception) briefing to ensure agreement on methodology, existing data, data collection tools, parameters, analysis plan, planned deliverables, structure options, and work plan .
• Preliminary presentation to inform the steering committee of the initial conclusions.
• Draft report – first phase: includes documentary review and mapping of interventions. Maximum 40 pages in total.
• Final report including final desk review, mapping, case study development, full citations with hyperlinks to external documents, maximum 70 pages;
o Mapping should review how coordination worked (eg with which entities, which government agencies, what types of groups or sub-groups, which organizations took the lead, what challenges exist);
o 2-3 case studies or good practices that take a closer look at how coordination performed in a particular emergency or with what results
o An executive summary of the report
• Presentation of the findings in PowerPoint
• Participation in a webinar to present results.
• Posting of the blog on the CALP website in English and/or Spanish.
ATTEMPT CHRONOGRAM
The study will begin in June and will conclude on July 31, 2022. It is estimated that this consultancy will take up to 24 business days.
PAYMENT CALENDAR
Payment will be made in two installments:
Tranche 1 (30% of payment) upon completion and approval of the initial report.
Tranche 2 (70% of the payment) on the completion and approval of the final report and the delivery of the public webinar in Spanish.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
The consultant(s) should have the following skills and knowledge:
A strong understanding and experience of academics and working with PTM in humanitarian/emergency contexts (at least 8 years)
A strong academic and working understanding of and experience with systems and/or programs of social protection (at least 8 years)
Background in humanitarian protection.
Professional competence in Spanish and English, written and spoken.
Experience working in the humanitarian and/or social protection sector in Latin America and the Caribbean, especially in countries where the R4V platform is active.
Excellent research skills, demonstrated through publications, including the ability to collect, code and analyze large amounts of qualitative data and identify critical issues in order to succinctly communicate complex issues (in written and oral form) so that they are accessible to wider audiences.
Experience working remotely with a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring a consultative process and effective stakeholder engagement is achieved.
Excellent writing skills, demonstrated through written productions, and oral and written presentation.
How to apply
MINIMUM DETAILS IN THE APPLICATION
Expressions of interest must include a technical and financial proposal (maximum four pages), CV of consultant(s) and two samples of publications, which allow evaluation of research experience and writing skills, carried out in the last three years. Documents should be sent to [email protected] before May 30, 2022, with the subject: “Systematization of Monetary Transfer Working Groups: a review of coordination mechanisms with social protection systems”. Any additional clarification about the consultancy should be addressed to Holly Welcome Radice [email protected] or to the GRTM -R4V coordination at [email protected] .