Consultancy: Drafting of a Project Proposal – ECHO HIP 2025

1. Introduction & Background

FCA Ukraine country office is looking for a consultant for Consultancy: Drafting of a Project Proposal – ECHO HIP 2025 under/as part of ECHO HIP 2025 during December 2024 – January 31, 2025, in Ukraine (dates to be confirmed subject to call timing and proposal deadline).

1.1 Background info on FCA

FCA is the largest Finnish development and humanitarian cooperation non-governmental organization FCA operates in 12 countries around the world and specializes in three thematic priority areas: Right to Peace, Right to Livelihood, and Right to Quality Education. Right to Quality Education is a key focus area for FCA global programs and in Ukraine. We work with people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs, ethnic background or political convictions.

For more information, please visit www.kua.fi

1.2 Background info on FCA CO requesting the services

FCA’s humanitarian aid programme in Ukraine focuses on education and livelihood sectors in central and eastern Ukraine.

The ECHO Education in Emergencies (EiE) project (2022-2025) in Ukraine is a collaborative effort led by Finn Church Aid (FCA) in partnership with People in Need (PIN) and Save the Children International (SCI). This project, funded by the European Union's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), aims to support the return of children to education in Ukraine amidst ongoing conflict. With a total budget of €22million, the project focuses on rehabilitating schools, establishing temporary learning spaces, providing digital learning resources, and offering psychosocial support to both students and teachers, child protection, and closing the gap of learning through supporting catch-up activities. The Single Form for the current project is available upon request.

2. Objectives

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive project proposal (compulsory annexes included) for the ECHO HIP 2025 funding cycle, focusing on education in emergencies in Ukraine. The likely interventions will include Psycho-Social Support for students and teachers, child protection and referral mechanisms, and catch-up for closing the gap in learning. The interventions will be delivered in an integrated and holistic manner, with a geographic focus likely in the Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, focusing on the most vulnerable, including children with disabilities. FCA is selecting local CSOs/NGOs as implementing partners for the project proposal, and it is also possible there will be anotherECHO-certified INGO partner. However, the consortium of the ongoing project is not maintained in this proposal. The consultant will be responsible for conducting thorough research, engaging with key stakeholders, and drafting a compelling proposal that aligns with ECHO's funding priorities and FCA's strategic objectives. The goal is to secure funding to support educational initiatives that address the urgent needs of children affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine in the in three regions, ensuring access to safe, inclusive, and quality education.

The goal is to secure funding to support educational initiatives that address the urgent needs of children affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine in the three regions, ensuring access to safe, inclusive, and quality education.

3. Scope of work

• Information gathering (including online attendance of proposal development workshops organized by FCA), interviews with key actors and elaboration of a first draft project proposal.
• Drafting of a final project proposal (compulsory annexes included) to be submitted for ECHO HIP 2025.The proposal must be sent in e-single form format.

4. Deliverables

Task 1

• Point 3 of the Single Form and Logical Framework Matrix in ECHO template
• Completion date December 20th (date to be confirmed subject to proposal deadline)

Task 2

• Draft detailed budget of the proposal in Excel and "Financial Overview of the Action" item of the Single Form
• Completion date: January 5th (date to be confirmed subject to proposal deadline)

Task 3

• Draft the Full Single Form
• Completion date: January 10rd (date to be confirmed subject to proposal deadline)

Task 4

• Adjustments based on feedback
• Completion date: January 20th (date to be confirmed subject to proposal deadline)

5. Service Terms

The estimated timeframe for this consultancy is December 2024 – January 31, 2025 (dates to be confirmed subject to call date and proposal deadline)

6. Duty Station

The Consultant will be supported by the FCA UKRCO Team in Ukraine. The Consultant will also work closely with the FCA Head Office, (especially the Grants Adviser) as required and with FCA partners to the proposal.

The Consultant will report to the Grants Manager in FCA UKRCO, who will be responsible for validating the deliverables.

The Consultant will be permitted to work remotely.

7. Validity

Proposals shall remain valid and open for acceptance for a period of 30 days after the closing date for the submission.

Prior to the expiry of the original proposal validity period, the Contracting Authority may ask candidates in writing to extend this period. Candidates that agree to do so will not be permitted to modify their proposals. If they refuse, their participation in the tender procedure will be terminated.

8. Payment Modalities

Payment will be made in three instalments, as follows:

• 30% upon the signing of the Consultancy Agreement
• 30% upon submission of the first draft of the Full Single Form
• 40% upon submission of the proposal

9. Required Expertise and Qualification

Education qualification of the Consultant:

• Undergraduate in Social Sciences or Humanitarian or related fields.
• Postgraduate in Social Sciences or Humanitarian or related fields.

Experience & Expertise of the Consultant:

• Demonstrated experience in drafting project proposals for ECHO (The Consultant is required to submit a financial proposal and a workplan to achieve the deliverable of this Consultancy in accordance with these Terms of Reference).
• Conducting research and writing research documents.
• Excellent spoken and written English skills demonstrated by a University Degree with English as the primary language of instruction.and/or samples of previous proposals drafted by the consultant (if multiple contributors, the text written by the Consultant much be specified).

10. Contract Award Criteria

The offers will be evaluated according to the contract award criteria below:

1. Previous experience in Drafting of Project Proposals to ECHO (weight - 50%)

Scoring Methodology (Maximum Score of 50 points):

• Experience up to 3 proposals during the last 7 years: 20 points
• 3 – 5 proposals during the last 7 years: 30 points
• 5 -10 proposals during the last 7 years: 50 points

Required Documentation:

• Detailed explanation of relevant experience and completed projects.
• Samples of drafting project proposals from previous projects (at least three), including those specific to the humanitarian sector.

2. University Degree in a relevant field Social Sciences, Humanitarian or other relevant field (weight - 10%).

Scoring Methodology (Maximum Score of 10 points):

• 5 points for Undergraduate (Bachelor’s degree)
• 7 points for Master’s degree
• 10 points for Postgraduate (PhD)

Required Documentation:

• Diploma

3. Financial score (weight - 40%)

• Scoring Methodology (Maximum Score of 40 points): Lowest bid receives highest score of 40 points, other candidates’ scores are calculated proportionally based on the lowest bid.

Required documentation

• Financial proposal

11. Evaluation Process

The evaluation process is managed by FCA’s Procurement Committee.

Candidates will be first evaluated according to the requirements in section 9 - Required Expertise and Qualifications. Candidates which are eligible will be allowed to proceed to the evaluation phase and their offers will be evaluated according to the contract award criteria in section 10.