Consultancy service to develop Advocacy Strategy Somali NGO Consortium (SNC)

Organization/Agency

CARE International/Somali NGO Consortium

Consultancy Assignment

Consultancy service to develop Advocacy Strategy

Somali NGO Consortium (SNC)

Assignment Location

Somalia/Somaliland

Reporting To:

Somali NGO Consortium

Duration

20 Days

Possible start date

April, 2022

1. Job description

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy service to develop Advocacy Strategy for the Somali NGO Consortium (SNC)

2. Background

The Somali NGO Consortium (SNC) is a voluntary coordination mechanism for NGOs working in Somalia and Somaliland. It provides a coordination platform and a common voice for the hundreds of International and National non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in a highly insecure and complex operating environment in Somalia. Effective coordination has significantly facilitated the successful delivery of humanitarian and development aid in Somalia and Somaliland.

Established in 1999, the SNC has since grown to become a platform for networking, improve international aid coordination, raise the NGOs’ profile within the aid coordination structures for Somalia and Somaliland. The Consortium has been supporting NGOs through its core activities of coordination, representation, information sharing and advocacy.

Advocacy and communications are one of the four strategic focus areas of the Consortium, and central to achieving sustainable impact in Somalia. The SNC has been at the center of various advocacy and communication initiatives over the years. A key SNC approach is to: 1) lobby and advocate based on the collective needs, concerns, and aspirations of member organizations and 2) to develop a constructive, evidence-based dialogue with local, national, and international partners to bring in diverse perspectives on national, regional and globally agreed agendas. However, with a growing membership and widening opportunities for advocacy engagement, more targeted actions are necessary.

3. Objectives of the assignment

In line with the above, SNC is keen on developing a comprehensive and effective advocacy strategy that will provide guidance to the Consortium’s advocacy initiatives. The purpose of this assignment is to develop a contextualized advocacy strategy for the period 2023 – 2026. The Consortium is thus seeking an expert consultant/firm to develop this strategy. The consultant is expected to work with the chair/co-chair of Advocacy and Communication Working Group (ACWG), the organization’s director and the advocacy and communication staff (supervisory team).

4. Key deliverables

The consultant should submit the following key deliverables:

1. Inception report: Outlining details of activities with proposed methodology and timeline/ delivery dates. The inception report should also include the outline for the advocacy strategy.
2. Zero draft Advocacy strategy document for feedback and comments
3. Draft 1 of the Advocacy strategy document to be presented for validation to supervisory team
4. Submission of draft 2 Advocacy strategy document (having incorporated inputs made during the validation meeting) for final feedback and comment, response
5. A final clean copy of the advocacy strategy document (e-copy in PDF and hard copy) in English, including an implementation plan for 2023 – 2024.
6. All deliverables will be submitted to the supervisory team on date as agreed during the inception meeting. The reports will be reviewed by the supervisory team.

5. Methodology

The methodology will be proposed by the consultant. The consultant will prepare an inception report prior to the commencement of the developing the advocacy strategy. The inception report will include the proposed methodology, a matrix and instruments that will be used for the purpose of having strategies, conducting interviews, conducting desk study, collecting data and proposed timetable for the entire process. Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for undertaking following tasks:

• Conduct a thorough desk review of existing documents in the areas of advocacy strategic plan, project documents, reports, evaluations and policies.
• Analyze existing documents and identify advocacy and policy gaps, overlaps, complementarity, networking interaction and influencing government, policymakers, and other decision makers to bring about policy changes towards humanitarian issues in Somalia.
• Identify opportunities for advocacy and influencing relevant policies.
• Identify target groups and networks that are actively pursuing humanitarian advocacy at national, regional and global level.
• Conduct consultation meetings with key stakeholders and partners in Mogadishu, Garowe and Hargeisa.
• Draft a complete advocacy strategy, outlining clear objectives, target activities, partner organizations, deliverables and indicators, as well as an implementation plan for 2023 and 2026.
• Demonstrate how it will contribute to the Consortium’s strategic plan and its advocacy initiatives and implementation plan with the SNC team.
• Present the advocacy strategy draft at the validation workshop and incorporate comments and feedback noted at the validation workshop.
• Finalize the draft advocacy strategy and develop a complete and comprehensive strategy outlining a clear overarching goal, clear objectives, targets, activities, key allies, deliverables, and indicators, as well as an implementation plan for 2023 – 2026.
• Provide recommendations, and develop tools for the operationalization and implementation of the advocacy strategy, in alignment with the Consortium’s strategic priorities
• Facilitate training session on the Advocacy Strategy.

6. Mode of Operation

The consultant will be required to conduct the above deliverables with a great level of collaboration and regular feedback (on phone and face-to-face/Zoom) with the SNC supervisory team. The consultant will work closely with the supervisory team in setting up meetings, exchanging information and providing documentation. The strategy work will be concluded with a feedback session where initial findings are presented to the supervisory team and to the Director for their final comments.

7. Essential Requirements/Qualifications:

The consultant or the firm must have:

• Masters’ degree in media and communications or development studies or related field
• A seasoned advocacy and policy communications professional, with a proven track record of developing advocacy and influencing strategies.
• A minimum of five years’ work experience in the areas of advocacy development/implementation and research and analysis
• Proven experience in developing and implementing advocacy programs in multi-sectoral working context
• Expert knowledge and experience with NGOs and humanitarian advocacy
• A deep understanding of Somalia’s humanitarian and advocacy context including development and policy issues
• Experience in influencing in-country, regional and global decision makers is a competitive advantage
• Good reporting, coordination, presentation and writing skills
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Strong capabilities in critical data analysis and interpretation

8.Other Requirements

• Under the agreements, consultants are NOT paid for weekends or public holidays.
• Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both SNC and the consultant.
• No consultant may travel without a signed contract and authorization prior to the
• commencement of the journey to the duty station.
• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority.
• All materials and other intellectual property produced while working under contract including, but not limited to, documents, presentations, white papers, photographs, and other media, will remain the property of SNC and these materials MUST be submitted to the supervisor on a regular basis.
• The successful applicant will be required to abide by the organization’s Code of Conduct to carry out their duties in a professional, transparent, participatory and culturally appropriate way.
• In the case of unsatisfactory quality of work, payments will be withheld until quality is assured.

9. Budget and Planning

The consultancy is expected to submit remuneration based on the submission of deliverables, providedthat the report meets the specified requirements as stated in the Term of Reference.

The proposed budget should also include all evaluation expenses and applicable taxes. The contractor will have to make provisions for covering all costs associated with the assignment. The consultancy will take an estimated maximum of (20) days including 3 workshops in Mogadishu, Garowe & Hargeisa and excluding travelling days.

Budget

This procured procedure is organized to contract a consultant to deliver advocacy strategy for NGOs.

Payment shall be made on dully completion of the project.

10. Proposal submission

The application for the consultancy should include the following:

1. A technical proposal detailing the consultant’s understanding of the task, proposed methodologies, expected activities and deliverables, proposed work plan, and the composition of the consultancy team to be engaged, if any, in PDF format.
2. A financial proposal detailing the costs that the consultant expects to complete the assignment in PDF format.
3. At least two samples of previous advocacy strategies developed
4. Detailed and updated CV
5. At least two professional references from previous clients with full contact details of the referees.
6. Proposal must be in English.

Proposal MUST be submitted via email to [email protected] before 25th May 2023.