Save the Children Federation, Inc.
Sabal Development Food Assistance Program
AID-OAA-A-15-00002
Terms of Reference: Feasibility Study on Community Based Early Warning Systems in Sabal districts
1. Program Background:
Save the Children (SC) was awarded the USAID/Office of Food for Peace-funded Sabal program in October 2014. SC implements Sabal with 10 partners in 11 central and eastern districts of Nepal: Makwanpur, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Udayapur, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Kavreplanchowk, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha. The program aims to ensure that targeted populations in the program areas are more resilient and food secure. The program will achieve this overall goal through: 1) Increased and stable income, 2) Improved health and nutrition status of pregnant and lactating women, children under 2 (U5) and their families, and 3) Strengthened ability of households and communities to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stressors. Sabal will introduce, test, adapt, and scale approaches resulting in lasting change, especially for those most marginalized.
The program is implemented in close coordination with the Government of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture Development, Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development and other relevant line ministries, district level line agencies and local NGO partners.
CARE, SC’s partner on Sabal, is leading disaster risk reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI). Sabal’s primary objectives for the DRR and CCA component is to assist with integrated DRR and CCA planning and implementation, and to develop community based early warning systems (EWS) to protect communities health, wealth, and livelihoods when disasters strike. Interventions under this component address the multiple factors that directly contribute to building the capacity of households and communities to anticipate, respond to, cope with, and recover from the effects of shocks and stresses due to disasters and climate change.
Community based EWS are one of the major interventions for Sabal’s DRR and CCA components. In collaboration with the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, National and District Emergency Operation Centre, Sabal will support the establishment and strengthening of community based EWS focusing on flooding in 11 districts, and support the establishment of suitable community based EWS with linkages built between upstream and downstream communities affected by flooding. The feasibility study will inform programming and generate recommendations for future activities such as the formation of early warning task forces, system training and establishment workshops and exposure visit for stakeholders.
2. Objectives of the assignment
EWS are increasingly recognized one of the essential tools that contribute to saving lives and a reduction in the losses of livelihoods, property and economy in the face of disasters. The newly adopted "Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 highlights the importance in increasing availability and access to early warning and risk information as one of seven targets of the agreement. Nepal is committed to the development of EWS in the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management (NSDRM) adopted by Government of Nepal in October 2009. A Community Based EWS is a system that is designed, operated and maintained with the local community themselves while developing links and maintaining close coordination and commitment of both internal and external stakeholders. Effective community participation is essential for communities to lead the establishment of EWS, and ensure ownership and sustainability of the system. Within the context of Nepal there are many examples of community based EWS utilizing a mix of both traditional and non-traditional methodologies and technologies.
This consultancy aims to conduct a feasibility study for EWS through the analysis of existing community based EWS, policies and practices and provide evidence for the establishment of community based EWS in Sabal program districts. The study will identify appropriate locations for EWS in the communities of the VDCs in eleven districts where DRR & CCA activities will be implemented. EWS will be established in identified feasible communities, based on the recommendations of the study, and managed in a way that is operationally and financially sustainable with clearly defined roles and responsibilities among community based task forces, District Emergency Operational Center (DEOC) and National Emergency Operational Centre (NEOC). From community to national emergency operation centre a clear communication channel will be developed and disseminated to all stakeholders. Sabal is calling for proposals (technical and financial) from individual consultants or consultancy firms in line with the scope of work, objectives and requirements below. .
As part of the technical and financial proposal to be submitted, applicants should specify a response demonstrating understanding of the ToR, proposed methodology activities and deliverables, proposed weekly work plans, C.Vs, references and experience, and budget.
The general objective of the assignment is to identify the potential location and appropriate technology for community based early warning system in 44 VDCs of Sabal 11 districts.
The specific objectives of this assignment are as follows:
· To review and assess (mapping) the existing community based early warning system in Nepal including Sabal program districts.
· To identify the feasible area for EWS in 44 VDCs in 11 districts.
· To recommend the most appropriate technology for the areas identified.
3. Proposed methodology and deliverables
The complete study is expected to be conducted within 12 weeks after signature of the agreement. The proposed key activities are as follows:
· Phase 1 (4 days): Kick-off meeting and inception report. The consultants will be expected to meet with the Sabal team for discuss methodologies, tools and procedures and prepare an inception report that details out the methodology, timeline and field study itinerary and present it to the team.
· Phase 2 (10 days): The consultants will conduct a desk review of existing EWS policy, structure/mechanism, technologies and practices. They will hold Consultation Meetings, Key Informant Interview (KII), Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with relevant stakeholders at different level (national, districts, VDCs and Communities) such as DHM, MoHA/NEOC, ICOMOD, Practical Action, Mercy Corp, Action Aid Nepal, UNDP/CDRMP and other organizations working in EWS and field observations. The consultants will prepare and conduct of a three day consultation workshop with government officials to gather contextual information from these stakeholders. During that phase they will also prepare the tools and methodology for the data collection.
· Phase 3 (40 days): Collection of the information from different level using KII, FGD, field observation and secondary information. Involvement of communities in participatory design of the effective EWS and their commitment to operate sustainably. Review of existing community based EWS policy, mechanism, technologies and practices.
· Phase 4 (8 days): Compilation of findings, draft report and workshop preparation and conduction. The consultants will provide a draft report to the Sabal team, discussing finding from the field study and desk research, and covering all objectives included in this TOR. The consultants will also prepare and conduct a workshop for the Sabal staff and government representatives to present their recommendations.
· Phase 5 (3 days): The consultants will incorporate the Sabal team’s feedback on the draft report and feedback received at the workshop to finalize the report and submit.
The consultants should conduct an analysis of all aspects of the EWS including the physical communication system, data analysis and translation to information, decision making and roles and responsibilities, actions taken, and testing and feedback. This should include but not be limited to:
1. Physical communication systems – How is the early warning information being communicated? What kind of physical systems are being utilized and what technology systems if any are being applied (both traditional and non-traditional)? How is information communicated in the absence of technologies? What are the time lags between the information being received, the warning being issued, action being taken and the actual event occurring? Are these appropriate? What are the overall costs of the system and how sustainable is this at community level?
2. Data analysis and translation to information – What is the source of the early warning information? How is the data translated into information that can be actionable and used by the community? Is traditional community knowledge or warning used as part of the system? How reliable, accurate, timely and credible is the information considered to be by the community? Does the system give one warning or more than one/ different levels of warning or alert?
3. Decision, making and roles and responsibilities – What decisions are made as a result of the early warning information and who is involved in making the decisions? What are the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in the early warning system from information generation to dissemination to action? What structures are in place and how are internal community stakeholders and external stakeholders engaged in the system? How are these roles and responsibilities agreed upon and understood by all stakeholders? What linkages does the system have to other government systems or stakeholders? Who is responsible for the maintenance of different parts of the system?
4. Actions – What actions are taken by the community in response to the early warning? How are these actions triggered or initiated? Is the early warning system linked to a predefined preparedness plan or mechanism? If so, how is this funded or resources mobilized to support this? How early are actions taken in response to the warning and are they designed to save lives, property or for other benefits? How successful are the actions taken?
5. Test and Feedback – Has the system being tested either in an actual situation or through a mock simulation or drill? How have results of these led to changes in the system? How regularly is the system tested or reviewed? What are the maintenance requirements of the system and who can provide this function? How replicable is the system to other contexts and potential SABAL sites? Are their opportunities of the system to be compatible with appropriate new technologies and approaches?
Timeline
This assignment will be accomplished within 12 weeks of after contract signing. A detailed time frame is given below:
SN / Assignment / Actual days of Team Leader / Actual days of Team Member1 / Meeting with Sabal and CARE team and discussion on methodologies, tools and procedures / 1 Day / 1 Day
2 / Preparation and sharing of inception report: / 3 Days / 3 Days
3 / Desk review, consultation meetings at central level and workshop / 10 Days / 10 Days
4 / Field visit to site of identified appropriate technology and field visits for feasibility study of potential Sabal sites in 11 districts / 40 Days / 40 Days
5 / Draft report preparation and presentation / 7 Days / 5 Days
6 / Final sharing workshop / 1 Day / 1 Day
7 / Incorporation of feedback from final workshop and Submission the report / 3 Days / 3 Days
4. Key Deliverables:
Two sets of both hard and soft copies of main report with identified feasible sites and appropriate technologies will be submitted to Sabal Program, CARE Nepal. Particularly, the consultant or consulting form should produce the following deliverables.
S.N. / Deliverables / Timeframe1 / Inception reports with detail methodology and plan including field itinerary / Within 2 weeks after contract signing
2 / Draft report and presentation with feasible sites, appropriate technologies and outline of proposed systems / Within 9 weeks after contract signing
3. / Final report / 11 weeks after contract signing
5. Supervision and Coordination
The consultant will closely work with and report to DRR & CCA Sr. Technical Manager of the Sabal Program. Overall technical advice will be provided by the Sabal DRR CCA team and a focal person from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM). The consultant should work very closely with the Sabal thematic and cross-cutting team and district team throughout the assignment. Administrative and other technical supports will be managed by DRR CCA Manager and Finance Officer of the Sabal Program, CARE Nepal. The consultant shall coordinate and consult with DHM, National Emergency Operation Centre, Practical Action, Mercy Corp, and other relevant Government and Non-Government organizations for their technical inputs. DRR CCA Officers at district level will be actively involved during the field work of this process.
6. Required team and qualification:
There will be two members in the study team, including a Team Leader. Both team members should have at least Master’s Degree in Disaster Management, Environment Science or any other relevant degree. The team leader should have more than 7 year in-depth expertise on Community Based Early Warning System (CBEWS) and coordination and communication mechanism of Government of Nepal for emergencies. Prior working experience in EWS and know how on Emergency Operation System. Individuals or institutions with sound skills, knowledge and experiences on EWS will be given priority for this assignment.
7. Budget & payment modality
The consultant shall bear all tariffs, duties, and applicable taxes or charges levied at any stage during the execution of the work. The per diem and accommodation cost will be provided by Sabal as per its internal policy. The actual cost of the travel to and from program districts will also be provided by the Sabal program. The program will release 25 % of the agreed amount after submission of the inception report. The remaining amount will be provided after submission of the final report. All the required documents and deliverables should be submitted by the consultant before claiming the payment.
8. Roles and Responsibilities
i. CARE/Sabal Program:
· The consultant will closely work with and report to Sr. Technical Manager, DRR&CCACCA Sabal Program, CARE Nepal.
· DRR&CCA Centre level team and other thematic (livelihood, Health & Nutrition) members including DRR&CCA Officers from field will provide overall technical advice.
· DRR&CCA Manager, Sabal Program, CARE Nepal will manage overall technical issues and coordination with field team (Sr. District Coordinators and DRR&CCA Officers).
· Sabal Financial Officer, CARE Nepal will manage over all financial arrangement.
ii. Consultants:
The consultants will cover the following areas and responsibilities for this assignment: