Consultant – Afghanistan Response Review

I. Contracting Party

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V. (WHH) is one of the largest Non-Governmental Organizations in Germany operating in Humanitarian Assistance and Development. It was established in 1962 as the German section of the “Freedom from Hunger Campaign,” one of the world’s first initiatives to eradicate hunger. Welthungerhilfe’s work is still dedicated to the following vision: All people have a right to a self-determined life in dignity and justice, free from hunger and poverty. In 2020, Welthungerhilfe and its partner organizations ran 539 international projects in 35 countries with an overall financing volume of 285,4 Million Euros, comprised of private donations, public national and international funds.

II. Purpose, objectives, and use

1. Introduction and Context

After the Western Allies under the USA withdrew their troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban took control of the country. Before the Taliban seized power, the country was in a deep humanitarian crisis and entered a down-spiraling dynamic. More than 50% of the population needs humanitarian support. In response to this situation, Welthungerhilfe responded to the crisis like many other actors. Welthungerhilfe works in lots of challenging contexts to deliver its humanitarian assistance. To learn and further improve its organizational processes on the different levels, clarify roles and responsibilities further within the organization, Welthungerhilfe regularly conducts reviews of its emergency responses. As the Afghanistan response comprises all challenges of Welthungerhilfe’s structures, we decided to conduct the review this time with professional support. The Afghanistan review shall be conducted as practical, short, and concisely as possible. However, given the scope of the situation, many stakeholders on country level and units in WHH Head Office were involved; therefore, a staged process may be needed for the review.

2. Review Purpose

Emergency responses show comprised and condensed all strengths and challenges in Welthungerhilfe’s structures. Timely decision takingfor example is key under the time pressure presented by emergencies, and challenges deriving from the setup of Welthungerhilfe get especially visible in emergencies. Therefore, Welthungerhilfe aims to jointly reflect and analyze how the Afghanistan response was managed and carried out. This joint reflection and analysis process shall be facilitated and supported methodologically by a consultant with a background in organizational development.
The consultant(s) shall support Welthungerhilfe to identify:

• What went well in the emergency response and should be maintained in future emergency response setups
• What challenges did Welthungerhilfe face during the emergency response in Afghanistan, and how could they be addressed.

3. Objectives and scope of the review

Objective:
The Afghanistan Review goal is to analyze how units and colleagues across Welthungerhilfe worked together in the Afghanistan response since August 2021 and improve roles, responsibilities, (organizational) processes (incl. decision making), collaboration, and communication on the organizational level in CO and HO. Therefore, it
(1) looks at the roles, responsibilities, (organizational) processes (incl. decision making), collaboration, and communication on the country level (CO, FO, ERT, HO colleagues delivering practical support) and HO level to respond to the Afghanistan crisis.

(2) provides Welthungerhilfe with critical practical recommendations for improved and more influential roles, responsibilities, (organizational) processes (incl. decision making), collaboration, and communication on the organizational level in CO and HO in the future.

(3) develops concrete next steps to implement improved and more influential roles, responsibilities, (organizational) processes (incl. decision making), collaboration, and communication on the organizational level in CO and HO.

Scope:

The review shall be conducted based on the feedback by and together with the colleagues and units involved in the Afghanistan response both at Head Office and Country Office level. A survey shall collect first feedback from colleagues involved. This shall be followed by a staged approach to discuss the survey findings and develop practical steps to improve roles, (organizational) processes, and responsibilities.

The methodological approach and review design will be discussed and agreed upon with WHH’s Regional Director Asia and Director Programmes. The review design and methodology must be adequate for answering the abovelisted aspects and questions. The consultant will propose a (detailed) design and methodology for reviewing a concept (see deliverables). The consultant(s) will execute their mission in close cooperation with the review commissioners: They will receive general instructions by WHH, justified by the necessities of the collaboration between the parties and the orderly execution of the confined tasks. At essential milestones, the methodology and further execution of the review process must be cross-checked with the review commissioners. Mandatory is to adopt a consultative, participatory approach. This includes:

• Concept and methodological description for the process. Including:

• Survey to collect feedback from involved colleagues and units.
• If needed: in-depth (remote) interviews with selected WHH staff
• (different) exchange sessions with involved colleagues and units

• Final overview of practical steps for improvement of roles, responsibilities, (organizational) processes (incl. decision making), collaboration, and communication

• Recommend WHH on how to implement and follow up the implementation of the identified practical steps.

4. Users of the review
The primary users of this review will be the management both at WHH Head Office and Afghanistan Country Office. The indirect user will then be, in the end, also other Country Offices and the people we work with on the ground in our humanitarian projects.

III. Deliverables and Timeframe

1. Action, timeline, and number of days

The review will ideally be carried out in the third quarter of 2022. The team members from WHH will fully assist in gathering all the necessary information regarding the background information to prepare the review.

Deliverables:

Review Concept: (2-6 pages for the main text without front page, table of contents, and annexes). The review concept should develop a process and describe the method used to conduct the review. A survey shall be developed to collect feedback from involved colleagues and units. Finally, the review concept shall display the methodology for proceeding with the practical recommendations.

Survey: Prepare an overview of survey results (2-6 pages, or on a miro board as appropriate, can include visualization). The survey results should be shared with the involved colleagues and units before the exchange meetings.

(Different) exchange sessions with involved colleagues and units shall be planned to develop practical recommendations jointly. An appropriate method shall be applied. Some of the exchange meetings probably have to take place online. Some are maybe as well advisable to be held f2f. This shall be further defined by the consultant(s).

Documentation of practical recommendations and how to implement them: final deliverable is the documentation of practical recommendations jointly developed with the WHH team. Furthermore, the final documentation shall outline options for implementation and how to follow up on implementing the recommendations.

Final review session with senior management of all units: In a final review session with senior management decisions, how to take up and implement the practical recommendations and define concrete next steps.

Timeframe:

Approximately ten (10) days assignment (start of assignment: mid June to mid-July 2022).

31 st of October 2022, final approval of deliverables.

The consultants are requested to immediately inform Welthungerhilfe if serious problems or delays are encountered/expected/anticipated. Furthermore, the contracting party must approve any significant changes to the review timetable.

2. Language

The process shall be conducted, and all documents should be written in English.

3. Confidentiality

All documents and data acquired from documents and during interviews and meetings are confidential and used solely for review. Interview partners will not be quoted in the report without their prior permission. The documentation and all material linked to the review (produced by the consultants or the organization itself) are confidential and always remain the property of the contracting party.

IV. Profile of the Consultant(s)

The consultant(s) are required to have:

• Proven expertise and experience with organizational development processes in non-governmental organizations working in emergency response
• Experience with organizational learning and improvement of roles, responsibilities, (organizational) processes (incl. decision making), collaboration, and communication
• Experience with transformative planning and programming
• Expertise in emergency response reviews and a general understanding of challenges and needs to operationalize emergency responses that require speed and timely decision making
• Experience with non-governmental organizations and project implementation in fragile contexts • Demonstrated cross-cultural skills
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proven language skills: fluent in English

The consultants will ensure that all outputs mentioned above are delivered on time and with the required quality and completeness.

V. Requirements for the Expression of Interest

1. Requirements

The offer must include the following documents:

• Description of methodology, incl. reference to perceived feasibility of the ToRs (no more than three (3) pages) • Work plan
• Financial offer: Including a proposed budget for the review. It should state the fees per working day (plus the respective VAT, if applicable), the number of proposed working days, and other costs.
• Proof of professional registration and taxation

• CV and references
  2. Deliveries on behalf of Welthungerhilfe

• Providing all relevant documents and available data (soft and hard copy)

• Travel could be needed to the German HO in Bonn. In case of travel. all transportation will be provided by WHH (local and international), in line with German legislation (“Bundesreisekostenrecht”).