Request for proposal – Global Index

Principles for Peace – Request for Proposal

Global Index

1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF PRINCIPLES FOR PEACE

a) Introduction

The Principles for Peace Foundation is seeking a consultant or organization to develop a global-level peace monitoring index, which will form the first tier of the Principles for Peace Feedback Loop. This index will encompass a comprehensive set of indicators across 35-50 countries, tailored to assess and analyze peace dynamics in alignment with the eight Principles for Peace. The project involves close collaboration with the P4P team for initial development, annual data updates, verification in regions with weak data, and co-creation of an annual report. Our goal is to establish a robust, reliable tool that not only measures global peace trends but also informs and guides effective peacebuilding strategies and policies.

b) Background To the Principles For Peace

The Principles for Peace Foundation (P4P) acts as a catalyst, custodian, and curator of the Principles for Peace. It promotes the uptake and implementation of the Principles and serves as a synergist of partnerships to engage a diversity of actors to develop country, constituency, and thematic specific road-maps and codes of practice. The Foundation’s goal is to empower actors at all levels to create more durable and inclusive peace processes and enhance oversight and effectiveness for long-term peace outcomes.

The Foundation employs a rigorous and transparent monitoring approach to assess peace actors’ contributions, encouraging constructive input to advance peacemaking efforts. It seeks to build upon evidence-based, politically-conscious, and participatory approaches and alliances established in the initiative’s initial phase, fostering global, regional, and local peacebuilding efforts. The Foundation operates independently to ensure consistency and effectiveness in peacemaking efforts, with no direct operational role.

The Foundation is a follow-on mechanism of the work of the Principles for Peace initiative – a global participatory initiative that was set up to develop new principles, standards, and norms to fundamentally reshape peace processes and chart a path to lasting peace. The overall aim is to create greater accountability, coherence, and sustainability of peace processes. It brings together a broad coalition of actors across political, diplomatic, academic, defense and security, civil society, and multilateral organisations.

The global, inclusive process of developing the Principles for Peace was led by the International Commission on Inclusive Peace and the P4P Secretariat with a coalition of 120 organisations. The approach anchored the initiative in both realpolitik and real society. The initiative gathered over 100’000 insights from practitioners, policy makers and activists from more than 60 countries. In addition, over 700 pieces of research were distilled with scholars from across regions to identify the challenges and limitations and shifts in policy and practice.

The findings of the initiative are embodied in the Peacemaking Covenant which outlines eight interlocking and mutually reinforcing principles. The central Principles are enhancing legitimacy and accountable security. The three subsequent principles embed the whole in a practically oriented partnership compact with commitments to promoting pluralism, adopting subsidiarity, and embracing integrated solutions for all actors in the peacemaking space. – The last three – dignity, solidarity, and humility – provide an ethical compass to guide the individual and collective actions and decisions of peacemakers and to build trust.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

a) Background of assignment

The Principles for Peace Feedback Loop (P4P Feedback Loop) is a framework designed to transform how peace processes and engagements are assessed and supported worldwide, addressing critical gaps in current methodologies. The feedback loop consists of three integrated tiers. The first tier focuses on global level peace monitoring, tracking trends in peace, conflict, and socio-economic dynamics across countries, using the principles as an analytical lens. The second tier, the national level feedback loop, involves monitoring peace actors and actions at a meso-level, crucial for adapting and refining peace strategies. The final tier identifies specific steps stakeholders can take to effectively steer peace processes towards their goals. This framework emphasizes participatory aspects at ground level and provides a holistic assessment of peace ecosystems. Through the P4P Feedback Loop, we aim to foster dialogue, share knowledge, and develop a shared understanding of peace dynamics at various levels, ultimately establishing a new standard in global peace measurement.

b) Purpose of the Request for Proposals

We are inviting proposals for the development of Tier 1 in our project, the ‘Global Level Peace Monitoring,’ a crucial component of the Principles for Peace Feedback Loop. This tier focuses on systematically tracking and analyzing country-level trends in peace, conflict, and socio-economic factors, guided by the eight Principles for Peace. The overarching goal is to monitor and understand the evolving nature of peace and peace processes in specific, relevant regions.

We seek an organization skilled in index or barometer development to assist in creating and refining this index. The selected organization will collaborate closely with the P4P team to ensure that each principle is precisely defined and effectively translated into measurable indicators. We envision this as a dynamic, multi-year project, where the index is refined based on ongoing research and findings.

To develop the index, we aim to integrate both existing indicators from global peace and conflict-related indexes and develop new, customized indicators that accurately reflect the specific principles of peace we seek to measure. A description of the principles and how they support peace engagements can be found here.

The project entails developing proxy indicators to complement areas where existing indicators are deemed unsuitable or inadequate. Our aim is to establish a comparative framework applicable to a diverse range of countries. This will encompass nations currently involved in peace processes, those that have recently completed such processes, as well as countries experiencing active conflict or facing the risk of conflict. The index is designed to provide valuable insights into these varied contexts. While the final selection of countries to be included in the index will be determined during the design phase of the project, we anticipate including approximately 35-50 countries, based on the criteria mentioned above.

Our goal is to create an index dedicated to providing data-driven insights into global peace trends and aiding the development of peace engagements and processes. Instead of aiming for a broad, global scope, our focus is on crafting a specialized tool. This tool will target specific countries where the analysis is most relevant and influential, particularly in enhancing peace engagement initiatives.

3. Scope of Work for the Project

Develop the Index Framework:

• Engage with the Principles for Peace Foundation to devise the methodology for the index. This involves selecting and defining appropriate indicators for each of the eight Principles for Peace, ensuring they accurately reflect potential use for peace engagement in the targeted countries.
• The consultant should work closely with the Foundation to develop a framework that can effectively integrate data from existing sources and accommodate newly developed indicators. The focus will be on creating a robust and adaptable model that aligns with real-world peacebuilding contexts.
• The list of countries included in the initial index will be decided here.

Develop the Index:

• Lead the process of data gathering, analysis, and indicator compilation.
• Engage in data verification, particularly focusing on regions where data sources might be less robust or reliable. This includes cross-referencing data and possibly consulting secondary sources or experts for validation.
• Develop a systematic approach for indicator weighting and aggregation, ensuring that each indicator appropriately reflects its significance within the overall index.
• Establish clear guidelines for interpreting and utilizing the data, including potential limitations and considerations for index users.

Develop an annual report:

• The consultant is expected to submit an annual report that summarizes the findings and implications of the index.
• The report should include practical suggestions for refining the index, insights on the application of the eight Principles for Peace in various contexts, and recommendations for potential adjustments or additions to the indicators.
• While the primary focus is on index development, the consultant’s insights will also contribute to the broader discourse on peace measurement and may inform future iterations of the index and related peacebuilding tools.

Project Continuation and Potential Expansion:

Upon successful completion and positive evaluation of the first year of the index development project, the Principles for Peace Foundation reserves the right to extend this into a multi-year partnership. This ongoing collaboration will not only involve annual updates of the index with the latest data but will also potentially include the expansion of the index to cover new countries and the integration of additional indicators as needed. Furthermore, we foresee the development of an interactive dashboard, designed to enhance accessibility and visualization of the index data for a broader audience. This dashboard would feature on the Principles for Peace website, providing an engaging and user-friendly tool for the public to explore and understand the nuances of peace dynamics as captured by our index.

This continuation is contingent upon the satisfactory performance of the initial project phase, aligning with our standards of quality and relevance. It reflects our commitment to building a comprehensive, evolving tool that can adapt to the changing landscape of global peace and conflict, and our dedication to making this valuable resource widely accessible.

4. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING

To be considered under this RFP, please submit the following:

• Technical Proposal (no more than 10 pages). The narrative proposal should include the following sections:
  • Overall approach and methodology: In your proposal, please describe your approach to developing a methodology for the Global Level Peace Monitoring index, based on the information we have provided. This should include a detailed plan on how you intend to select and define appropriate indicators, identify potential data sources, and integrate data from various sources. Your proposal should also explain how you will ensure that the index remains adaptable and relevant to the dynamic nature of real-world peace contexts. Additionally, describe your strategy for addressing data verification challenges, particularly in regions or on topics where data may be less robust or reliable. It is important that your methodology aligns with the Principles for Peace.
  • Specific expertise of the consultant or organisation: Please demonstrate your specific expertise and experience critical to the success of this project. This should include a description of at least two projects of similar scope and complexity that you have previously worked on, particularly in areas such as index or barometer development. Highlight your proven expertise in developing user-friendly, data-driven tools, like public indexes, and if applicable, your experience in creating dashboards for data visualization and public engagement. In detailing these projects, emphasize your knowledge of and experience with the targeted countries or regions, underscoring your understanding of data sources related to conflict and peacebuilding within these contexts.
  • Past experience: Proposals should provide evidence of past experience in similar projects, showcasing the applicant’s past successful collaborations with organizations or actors engaged in peace engagements.
  • Staffing and key personnel: Detail the roles and experience of key personnel who will be involved in the project. Please provide a CV of no more than three pages for each key personnel. CVs will not count as part of the technical proposal’s ten pages.
• Cost Proposals: Recognizing that many aspects of this project will be refined and finalized in close collaboration with the Principles for Peace Foundation, we do not require a detailed budget at this initial phase. However, we do require a separate cost proposal that outlines the estimated costs associated with the main deliverables of the project. This cost proposal should provide a clear overview of the expected overall budget, allowing us to understand the financial implications of your approach and methodology. The cost proposal should be submitted independently from the technical proposal but will be integral to our comprehensive evaluation of our submission.

5. SELECTION CRITERIA

The selection committee will review all submissions received on time using the selection criteria established for the project. Proposals will be judged as follows:

Technical Proposals will be judged on the following factors in descending order of priority:

1. Overall approach and methodology
2. Specific expertise of the consultant or organization
3. Past experience
4. Staffing and Key personnel

Cost Proposals: In the selection process for this project, the value of the cost proposal is considered equally important as the sum of the elements in the technical proposal.