Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) Consultancy Services for Intermediary Service Providers for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to Support the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) at the Plateau State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP)

Posted by Kordinichi on Fri 14th Feb, 2025 - nigeriantenders.com

The Plateau State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) invites interested consultants to submit their Expressions of Interest (REOI) documents for Consultancy Services for Intermediary Service Providers for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to Support the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) Plateau State. Interested consultants should possess relevant qualifications and experience.

The Plateau State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) invites interested consultants to submit their documents for:

Title: Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) Consultancy Services for Intermediary Service Providers for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to Support the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) Plateau State

RFB No: NG-KATSINA RAAMP-462666-CW-RFB
Location: Plateau
Project: Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP)

Introduction

The Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has received financing from the World Bank and the L'Agence Française de Development (French Development Agency or AFD) and on-lent the financing to thirteen participating States (namely Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto) toward the cost of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP). It is intended that part of the pro- ceeds of the financing will be applied to eligible payments under the contract for Consulting Services.

Details
The Consulting Services ("the Services") includes;a. Prevention Services:
Prevention Services:

Facilitate, in coordination with the PIUS, Supervision Engineers, and Contractors, sensitization & awareness campaigns in project beneficiary communities on the rights and options of beneficiaries on reporting incidents of SEA/SH and the available services to be accessed;
Establish GBV/SEA prevention mechanisms and structures in the project communities and labour camps and ensure that the structures are well known throughout the project and that points of contact are made widely available. This will include:
- Peer education program: The Service Provider shall use the Peer Education (PE) approach used in the National HIV/AIDS prevention strategy to design and deliver key knowledge and practices to construction workers. The knowledge to be delivered through the PE program will cover (i) understanding GBV risk factors (ii) types of GBV and SEA (iii) conduct regarded as GBV and SEA (iv) provisions of the VAPP Act related to GBV (v) essential life skills relevant to GBV prevention (vi) code of conduct requirements. The service provider will conduct Peer Educator Training sessions and also provide continuous support and mentorship to all trained peer educators during the life of the project. The identification of peer educators among contractor staff will be sensitive to various occupational categories and the hierarchy within the contractor firm.
Developing a key messaging strategy: The service provider will develop key GBV/SEA prevention messages. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials will be designed, produced and circulated on all project work sites, offices, accommodation facilities and beneficiary communities. IEC materials will be developed and produced in a location- sensitive manner.
Activate GBV-GRM channels and operations: The Service Provider will serve as the GBV- GRM Intermediary as specified in the project GRM document. In this capacity, the provider will work with the SPIU to consult with Women and Girls for the purpose of determining the most appropriate complaint channels for reporting GBV cases. The channels will be popularized within all project communities by the Service Provider. The provider shall make arrangements for personnel and procedures to receive such complaints and respond in line with GBV-GRM arrangements established in the GRM document.
Train all contractor staff on GBV/SEA and key responsibilities and expectations of contractor staff.
Provide awareness-raising sessions on SEA/SH for all staff, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders on a quarterly basis, with particular emphasis on newly engaged staff. To ensure sustainability, the service provider will work closely with the SEA/SH focal unit of SPIUS to accomplish this;
Work with human resources personnel across the entire project management hierarchy (SPIUS- Supervision Consultant-Engineer-Contractors) to include content on GBV/SEA prevention in employment contracts, Code of Conduct documents and staff inductions for all contractors, consultants, temporary staff and casual labour within the project;
Support all project SPIU in operationalizing GBV/SEA Prevention and Response Plans; and Identify significant risks and propose risk mitigation measures to address such risks.

Response Services:
Provide an effective GBV case management support to a GBV survivor, which implies acting as a GBV case manager and providing services to the survivor. As a GBV case manager, the service provider is expected to do the following:

Establish arrangements for receiving all GBV-related complaints arising from the conduct of all entities related to the projects being implemented under RAAMP. As required under the Prevention Services specified in this Terms of Reference, the organization will be effectively positioned to receive such complaints either directly from survivors or through referral from the regular project GRM. The processes for handling GBV-related complaints shall comply with the principles established in the project GRM document.
Provide the survivor with information on available services so she/he can make informed choices, including choices about using GBV/SEA/SH services and the possible consequences of accessing those services (e.g. whether or not the case will be automatically reported to the police, expectations of the interview and/or examination process, etc.).
Prioritize the survivor's immediate needs, including her/his safety and security and access to health care and counselling. Work with the survivor to develop a plan that identifies what the survivor needs and how her/his needs will be met.
When required, and with the survivor's informed consent, act as an advocate on behalf of a survivor (e.g. to follow up on her/his access to other services or to speak with other community or family members - avoiding the survivors' re-victimization)'.
Ensure informed consent and confidentiality, respect the survivor's wishes and provide services and support without discrimination.
Ensure that all confidential information is channelled correctly and handled with the utmost discretion. Provide information on GBV cases in an aggregate form. No identifiable information on the survivor should be provided in the GRM.
Provide referrals to suitable and preferred service(s) for each survivor within the survivor-centred continuum of care. The output of the Mapping of Services carried out by RAAMP will guide all referrals to be undertaken the service provider.
Ensure that all cases are properly tracked and followed up to ensure that the survivor receives optimum survivor-centred care.
Coordinate response among other service providers to ensure survivors have access to quality and timely response services.
Provide information to the SEA/SH committee to be established by the SPIU to determine if reported cases are related to the project and would require further disciplinary action by the contractor and SPIU
When needed, provide capacity building to stakeholders so as to strengthen their capacity in responding to GBV cases.

The shortlisting criteria are:

Satisfactory experience of the firm in Extensive knowledge of Gender Based Violence and Sexual exploitation and Abuse Issues. Prior experience working on these issues, providing health/psycho-social, legal, shelter, advocacy support to survivors.
Firm Experience in the management of social risk issues and active engagement with beneficiaries, civil society or local communities is required. Relevant experience in communication and relationships with the community and experience with the design, implementation and/or monitoring of GBV-grievance redress or citizen feedback mechanisms in development projects.
Prior experience working with civil society and communities in project area would be particularly relevant to the proposed assignment considering the high social risks.
In order to strengthen their qualifications, Staff speaking local languages and familiar with local cultural norms and protocols will be required for the team working directly with the persons affected by the project.
Satisfactory experience of the firm in GBV Activities such as (i) provision of Psychosocial support or health care services to survivors of SEA/SH before linking them to other services with the informed consent of the survivors (ii) demonstrate experience supervising development programs and activities financed by World Bank or other international or multilateral organization in a similar context. (iii) Strong understanding of country and project context, including both a solid understanding of the policy and legislative framework, gender related social norms and local dynamics, GBV/ SEA prevalence as well as a well-established capacity to operate efficiently in project environment. Such qualification could be evidenced through the implementation, management or supervision of development programs in this country or similarly situated contexts. (iv) Services to be provided by the GBV service provider will comply with the Essential Services Package for Women and Girls Subject to Violence Core Elements and Quality Guidelines published by United Nations Joint Global Programme on Essential Services for Women and Girls Subject to Violence.
Demonstration of effective organizational/managerial structure and availability of suitably experienced and qualified key personnel relevant to the assignment.

Application Closing Date
12:00, 5th March, 2025.

Submission of Expression of Interest

All interested firms are to submit the following documents;
- Evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
- Evidence of Company's current tax clearance certificate for the last three (3) years (2022, 2023 and 2024)
- Company audited account for the last three (3) years (2022, 2023 and 2024) duly stamped;Well detailed company profile with managerial and technical structure, office ad- dress and functional contact details
- For Joint ventures, Memorandum of Understanding must be attached.
Verifiable records establishing evidence in Gender Based Violence and Sexual exploitation and Abuse Issues, providing health/psycho-social, legal, shelter, advocacy support to survivors, Firm Experience in the management of social risk issues and active engagement with beneficiaries, civil society or local communities is required. Relevant experience in communication and relationships with the community and experience with the design, implementation and/or monitoring of GBV-grievance redress or citizen feedback mechanisms in development projects, of up to 10 references or more similar assignments;
Evidence of similar experience supported under multilateral donor Agency like The World Bank, AFD, AfDB, etc in the previous 5 years
Evidence of Firm's regional work experience in similar field within Akwa Ibom State and or Nigeria.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to:
The State Project Coordinator,
Plateau State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU),
Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP),
PADP Head Qtr., Dogon Dutse,
PMB 2119,
Jos, Plateau State Nigeria.
Telephone: +2348037030041
E-mail: Plateau-RAAMP@outlook.com

Note

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank's "Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers" September, 2023 ("Fifth edition Procurement Regulations"), setting forth the World Bank's policy on conflict of interest.
Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant's Qualification Selection (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0900 to 1700 hours
Late Submissions will NOT be accepted.
The Client is not bound to short-list any Consultant.