Consultancy Service, For the Development of a Monitoring Tool on Children without Parental Care in Africa (Re-advertised) Consultancy

Terms of Reference

For the Development of a Monitoring Tool on Children without Parental Care in Africa

By

The African Committee of Experts

on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

(ACERWC)

(Re-advertised)

1. Background:
   • In Africa, an estimated 35 million children without parental care (CWPC) face a myriad of challenges, including exposure to various forms of violence, limited access to education and healthcare, and mental health issues. The recently published Continental study on CWPC in Africa, conducted by ACERWC, identified multiple causes for children being deprived of family and parental care, such as war, conflicts, climate change, pandemics, poverty, child trafficking, and socio-economic factors. Alarmingly, over 70% of African countries lack explicit comprehensive child protection policies, with significant gaps in regions like East and West Africa (up to 80%). Governments and partners have initiated programs addressing CWPC vulnerabilities, including family separation prevention, care services provision, advocacy for child rights, and reintegration efforts. Alternative care options like kinship care, foster care, and institutional care vary across regions.

• The Continental study on CWPC provided an important starting point for conversations about children without parental care on the African continent. It brings to light the stark variations in the care and protection afforded to CWPC across member states, but also highlights the challenge of conducting a comparative study across Africa without a common definition of children without parental care or sufficient data on this group of children. It emphatically stresses the imperative need for a standardized monitoring framework. Such a framework is not only meant to assess the current situation but, more importantly, to serve as a catalyst for continual improvement. It is a call to action for a united effort in establishing a comprehensive and consistent approach towards addressing the challenges faced by Children Without Parental Care across the diverse landscapes of Africa.

• In consideration of the contextual underpinning, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), in collaboration with SOS Children’s Village, is actively soliciting the expertise of a qualified consultant. The overarching objective is to meticulously devise a comprehensive monitoring tool, enriched with pertinent indicators. This tool’s paramount significance extends beyond a mere evaluative framework; rather, it is strategically designed to empower member states by systematically collecting and reporting essential data concerning Children Without Parental Care (CWPC). By doing so, the envisioned monitoring tool serves a dual purpose: objectively assessing progress in addressing CWPC needs and furnishing Member States with indispensable data for judicious policy decision-making, both at the national and regional levels.”

• Objective of the consultancy
• The primary objective of this consultancy is to design and develop a comprehensive monitoring tool with specific indicators to assess member states’ efforts and progress in meeting the needs of CWPC. This tool will build upon the recommendation made by the recently published Continental study on CWPC. The design of this tool will be refined to establish a focused and effective monitoring to create a targeted and effective monitoring mechanism.

• The overarching goal is to establish a precise and indispensable system for tracking and reporting CWPC progress, seamlessly integrated into member states’ periodic reports to the ACERWC on the status of the implementation of the provisions of the Charter provisions within their countries.

3. Scope of Work:

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• • Conduct a thorough review of the recently published Continental study on CWPC in Africa.
  • Collaborate with ACERWC Special Rapporteur for CWPC and the ACERWC and CWPC Working Group to identify key indicators for evaluating member states’ status and performance, considering the insights from the study. Identify key indicators for evaluating member states’ performance, considering the insights from the study and other relevant research studies.
  • Develop a user-friendly monitoring tool that aligns with the identified indicators and integrates with existing reporting systems.
  • Conduct pilot testing of the monitoring tool in collaboration with selected member states to ensure functionality and effectiveness.
  • Collaborate and consult with the ACERWC Special Rapporteur for CWPC, ACERWC and CWPCWG when conducting these tasks.
  • Collaborate and consult with CWPC reference group in the entire process.

4. Key Deliverables and Schedules:
   • The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

Note: All documents and deliverables must be in English

5. Methodology

• The consultant/s is required to provide a comprehensive overview of the technical approach, methodology, and work plan necessary for the successful execution of the assignment. The proposed methodology should incorporate qualitative/quantitative depth and innovative strategies, with consideration for mixed methods. It is crucial that the selected method is guided by a sound theoretical and methodological framework, clearly demonstrating its appropriateness for the task at hand.

6. Location

The selected consultant/s can be based at their own convenient location.

7. Duration

The task is expected to be completed within 25 to 30 working days. Applicants can propose their detailed timeline indicating the milestones (could be shorter or longer but with adequate justification). The final timeline will be discussed and agreed with the selected consultant.

8. Eligibility to apply

Organizations, associations, companies, firms, and academic institutions are eligible to apply for this consultancy service.

9. Required qualifications and experience:

• Minimum master’s degree in social sciences, public policy, International Human/Child Rights law/policy, monitoring and evaluation or any related relevant field (PhD in relevant field with more than 10 years’ experience will be given preference)
• Minimum 10 years of experience in child rights policies, programmes and monitoring and evaluation. Previous experience in designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks for child rights programmes (child protection, childcare, preservation of families, etc…) is a requirement.
• Demonstrated experience working with children without parental care at a relevant high level engagement in national, continental/regional or international context is preferable

• Excellent knowledge of international, continental, regional and national policy instruments and frameworks on child rights including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as well as the works of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
• Knowledge of the policy frameworks for alternative care of children and excellent knowledge of care options for children without parental care in Africa
• Previous collaboration on projects related to child protection and welfare such as SDGs and Agenda 2040 are highly desirable.
• Excellent conceptual, analytical, and writing skills is a requirement.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is a requirement and knowledge of other African Union languages is an advantage,

10. Application Information – (Please read carefully and follow these instructions)

           10.1.  Requirements for organizations, associations, firms, companies, academic institutions or others

• The legal entity must have a minimum of three years of work experience after establishment.
• The legal entity must have employees meeting the requirement listed under number 9 above.

Applications from applicants must include:

• Copy of renewed legal registration document
• Tax identification number
• Company profile detailing major accomplishments, number of full time regularly tax paying employees, number of years since establishment and others – (Maximum 10 pages)
• Technical Proposal (Ms Word)
  • Understanding and interpretation of the TOR
  • Methodology to be used in undertaking the assignment
  • Time and activity schedule
• Financial Proposal (Ms Excel – password protected)
• Professional fees in daily rate in USD also showing summed total
• Other related justifiable admin costs
  • Total cost should be clearly indicated.
• Curriculum Vitae/Resume (Ms Word /PDF) of the lead consultant and all others to be involved.
• Copies of highest degree/diploma attained for lead consultant and all others to be involved.
• Soft copies of sample document/s on child rights policies and/or programmes previously produced particularly in the areas child rights policies, programmes, monitoring, and evaluation focusing on children without parental care (verification will be conducted)
• Contact details of references (from notable organizations) for whom relevant tasks are previously performed.
• Fully completed bid application and declaration form signed with blue pen (Annex-1 below)

Note:  Applicants not meeting the minimum requirements need NOT apply or will be disqualified.  Failure to include any of the above required information or documents may also result in disqualification.

          10.2.  General Information for application

• Applicants must submit all the above required documents and information.
• Proposals must be submitted in English.
• All costs must be quoted in US Dollars
• Technical proposals should be submitted in Microsoft Word format.
• Financial proposals must submitted in Microsoft Excel document. The Excel document with the financial proposal should be password protected. The password MUST NOT be submitted with the bid application. If the Ms Excel document is not password protected or the bidder submits the password along with the proposal documents, then the bidder will be disqualified. The bidder must submit to SOS Children Villages only when
• The financial proposal should indicate professional fees inclusive of all related costs in daily rates. The total number of days and the sum total of all fees and costs should also be clearly indicated in USD.
• All required documents must be zipped into one folder when submitted.
• If attachments are larger than 10 MB, please upload to Google Drive and share the link with full access rights in the application email
• Subject line of the bid application e-mail must be: “Bid for the development of a monitoring tool on children without parental care in Africa”
• Taxes and payments: As per the regulation:
  • All fees for consultants will be paid through bank transfer.
  • All applicable tax laws at the base country of SOS Children Villages (Ethiopia or Kenya) will be applied.
  • Payment will be made in three phases based on the deliverables. Details will be communicated in the contracts for winning bidders.

            10.3. Evaluation Process

• After the bid opening, each proposal will be assessed first on its technical quality and compliance and subsequently on its cost/price. The proposal with the best overall value, composed of technical merit and price, will be considered for final approval. SOS Children’s Villages International, Eastern and Southern Africa Regional office has a procurement committee to lead the overall process, review and evaluate bids and decide based on the criteria listed. The ACERWC through its Secretariat at the Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC), will also be part of the evaluation and final decision-making process to identify the winning bidder/consultant.

 10.4. Evaluation Criteria:

• • Qualification and experience of consultants in child rights and specific areas of requirement above
  • Quality/merit of technical proposal (knowledge of subject matter, understanding of the requirement, effectiveness of the methodology and timeline)
  • Quality and relevance of the sample documents submitted.
  • Years of experience since establishment, number of relevant qualified staff, and legal registration status.
  • Information provided by references
  • Other relevant criteria deemed essential by the Procurement committee to ensure best value for cost.

           10.5.  SOS Children’s Villages International, Eastern and Southern Africa Regional office has the right to:

• Contact any or all references supplied by the bidder(s).
• Request additional supporting or supplementary information from the bidders.
• Arrange interviews with the bidders.
• Reject any or all proposals submitted.
• Accept any proposals in whole or in part.
• Negotiate cost, timeline and methodology with the bidders who are ranked from one to three.
• Contract any number of candidates as required to obtain best value for cost.

           10.6.0Enquiries:

For any enquiries, please contact ACERWC-SECRETARIAT@africa-union.org, Antenehbm@africa-union.org; Firew.Bekele@sos-kd.org and  Stephen.Muthui@sos-kd.org  (Please copy all these emails)

          10.7. Proposal submission address

Applicants must submit in a zipped folder all the above required documents to:

• ACERWC-SECRETARIAT@africa-union.org,
• HROD@sos-kd.org and Stephen.Muthui@sos-kd.org

Note:    Failure to copy any of these emails will result in disqualification.

 10.8.  Deadline for application:

Applications must be submitted by 1 March 2024 – 13:00 Hrs GMT / 5:00 PM East Africa Time (EAT). Submissions after the deadline will not be considered.

Annex 1

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