Click the apply button below to download the pdf version of the Consultancy terms of reference

CONSULTANCY TITLE

Submission of offers to (Plan International Liberia country office front desk)

Please include the RFP reference number above in all correspondence.

2

1. Background Information on Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian oorganisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination; and girls are the ones most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Read more about Plan International’s Global Strategy: 100 Million Reasons at https://plan-international.org/strategy

2. Introduction

The Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP) is implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) with the objective of empowering women and girls, improving positive social norms and enhancing community livelihood opportunities through sustainable interventions. The project will be implemented in six counties (Gbarpolu, Rural Montserrado, Bomi, River Cess, Grand Gedeh, and Grand Cape Mount). Within these counties, 498 communities representing 267,200 people will be reached over a three-year period (2024-2027).

On 20th September 2024, MGCSP contracted Plan International Liberia (PIL) as the Lead service provider (LSP) for the implementation of:

• Component 1: Fostering positive social norms and community mobilization
• Component 2: Enhancing basic services in health and education
• Component 3: Promoting resilient livelihoods through community led approaches

To effectively achieve Component 1, This assessment aims to gather essential data on socio-economic conditions, infrastructure gaps, and key community priorities to ensure that the project effectively addresses local challenges and fosters inclusive development.

3. Description & Objectives

The primary objective of this assignment is to conduct an in-depth assessment of the project communities to identify their specific needs, challenges, and socio-economic conditions. The assessment will provide critical insights to inform project planning, design, and implementation to enhance effectiveness and sustainability.

3

4. Scope of the Assignment

The selected firm will be responsible to perform the following tasks:

• Conduct a desk review of relevant reports, policies, and previous assessments related to the project communities.
• Develop an assessment framework and methodology, including qualitative and quantitative data collection tools.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including local authorities, community leaders, and beneficiaries, through interviews, focus group discussions, and surveys.
• Assess socio-economic conditions, including access to basic services, livelihoods, and infrastructure. • Identify key challenges faced by the communities, such as environmental, social, and economic barriers. • Analyze gender, youth, and vulnerable group dynamics in relation to the project.
• Provide actionable recommendations based on findings.

5. Methodology

To ensure a thorough understanding of the project communities’ needs, challenges, and socio-economic realities, a mixed-methods approach will be adopted. This will include both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques, designed to promote participation, inclusivity, and cultural sensitivity. The methodology will be implemented in five main phases:

Phase 1: Inception and Desk Review

• Objective: Lay the groundwork for the assessment through an in-depth literature review and stakeholder mapping.
• Activities:

o Review of national policies, LWEP documents, baseline reports, and previous assessments. o Identification of information gaps to inform tool development.

o Development of an Inception Report detailing the methodology, work plan, team composition, and data collection instruments.

o Coordination meetings with LSP, PMU, Ministry of Gender, and relevant local authorities.

Phase 2: Development of Tools and Sampling Strategy

• Objective: Design data collection tools tailored to the project context.
• Activities:

o Develop structured household survey questionnaires, key informant interview (KII) guides, and focus group discussion (FGD) checklists.

o Pre-test tools in a pilot community and revise accordingly.

o Design a stratified sampling strategy to ensure representation across gender, age groups, geographic locations, and vulnerable populations.

o Ensure all tools are translated into local languages where applicable.

Phase 3: Field Data Collection

• Objective: Gather first-hand data from community members and stakeholders.

4

• Activities:

o Conduct household surveys to assess socio-economic conditions, access to basic services, and livelihoods.

o Facilitate FGDs with women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups to explore social norms, community priorities, and barriers to empowerment.

o Organize KIIs with local leaders, health workers, school administrators, and civil society representatives.

o Use mobile data collection tools (e.g., CSPro, KoboToolbox or ODK) for real-time data quality monitoring.

o Employ gender-sensitive and confidential approaches during interviews to ensure ethical standards are upheld.

Phase 4: Data Analysis and Interpretation

• Objective: Analyze and synthesize data to generate insights and practical recommendations. • Activities:

o Clean and process quantitative data using statistical software (e.g., R, SPSS, STATA, or Excel). o Analyze qualitative data using thematic coding (e.g., NVivo or manual frameworks).

o Conduct comparative analysis across counties, communities, and demographic groups. o Integrate findings into a Comprehensive Assessment Report, including maps, charts, and community profiles.

Phase 5: Validation and Reporting

• Objective: Validate findings with stakeholders and finalize deliverables.
• Activities:

o Present initial findings at a stakeholder validation workshop involving community representatives and project partners.

o Incorporate stakeholder feedback into the final report.

o Submit the following deliverables:

▪ Inception Report

▪ Field Data Collection Report

▪ Comprehensive Assessment Report

▪ PowerPoint Presentation of Findings

Cross-Cutting Principles

• Participatory Approach: Community members should be engaged not just as respondents, but as active participants in shaping the process.
• Do No Harm: The assessment will follow strict ethical guidelines, particularly when dealing with survivors of gender-based violence or other sensitive issues.
• Inclusivity: Special efforts will be made to reach women, youth, persons with disabilities, and minority groups.
• Localization: Local enumerators and translators will be recruited to ensure cultural sensitivity and community trust.

6. Deliverables and Timeline

Key Deliverables

5

The assignment is expected to be completed within 12 weeks from the date of contract signing. A detailed work plan will be agreed upon with the selected firm.

7. Budget/Payment milestone

The proposer is required to submit a financial proposal in a separate envelope from the technical proposal.

The financial proposal must be submitted in USD exclusive of taxes in a separate envelope. Payments to be made after completion of each deliverable in United States Dollars within 15 days after invoice submission.

Table 1: Cost breakdown per deliverable/output

6

The consultant must submit a detailed budget, covering the below cost items. Please note that payments will be issued contingent upon the successful completion of deliverables in United States dollars.

Table 2: Cost breakdown per component

8. Expected qualifications of Firm

The firm must possess the following qualifications:

• Must be a Liberian owned firm;
• 3-5 years of demonstrated experience in conducting community assessments and socio-economic research in vulnerable and hard to reach communities in Liberia.
• Strong expertise in participatory research methodologies and stakeholder engagement. • Familiarity with the project region, including cultural and socio-political dynamics.
• A multidisciplinary team with expertise in social sciences, development studies, and data analysis. • Proven track record in producing high-quality reports and actionable recommendations.

7

Qualifications and experience required for the key staff

8

9

10

9. Contact

Liberia.procurementinfo@plan-international.org

Please include the reference number as the subject: 00023-RFP-APR-FY25

10. List of documents to be submitted with the Request for Proposal (RFP)

Technical proposal envelop must be separated from the financial proposal envelop

Eligible firms are requested to provide a proposal covering the following aspects:

– Detailed response to the RFP

– Proposed methodology

– Ethics and child safeguarding approaches, including any identified risks and associated mitigation strategies – Proposed timelines

– CVs

– Example of previous work

– References

– Detailed budget, including daily fee rates, expenses, etc.

All consultants/applicant are required to agree and adhere to Plan International’s Non-Staff Code of Conduct (Annex 1)

11. Submission of offers

Please send your Technical and Financial proposal to Plan International Congo Town, Behind Zone 3 Police station on or before 12th May 2025 at the Receptionist Desk.

11

12. Evaluation of offers

Evaluation

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria are tabulated below:

Technical Proposal Evaluation section:

Technical evaluation will be carried out to bids the meet minimum qualification mark. The maximum number of points that a bidder may obtain for the technical proposal is 80.

• To be technically compliant, bidder must obtain a minimum of 56 points
• Minimum pass score :70% of maximum 80 points = points

Technical proposal points allocation:

12

Financial criteria (20 maximum points)

The financial part of those proposals that are found to be technically compliant will be evaluated as follows> The maximum number of points that a bidder may obtain for the Financial Proposal is 20. The maximum number of points will be allocated to the lowest evaluated price bid. All other prices will receive points in reverse proportion according to the following formula:

Points for the Financial proposal of a bid being evaluated:

Maximum number of points for the financial proposal x Lowest price

Pricie of proposal being evaluated

Financial proposals will be evaluated following completion of the technical evaluation. The bidder with the lowest evaluated cost will be awarded (20) points. Financial proposals from other bidders will receive prorated points based on the relationship of the bidder’s prices to the of the lowest evaluated cost.

The total score obtained in both Technical and Financial proposals will be the final score for the proposal, with 80% allocated to the technical proposal and 20% to the financial proposal. The proposal obtaining the overall highest score will be considered as the winning proposal. This proposal will be considered to be the most responsive in terms of best value for money.

Shortlisted suppliers may be invited to discuss their proposals in more detail at Plan’s discretion. Plan International, at its sole discretion, will select the successful supplier.

Plan international shall be free to:

• Accept the whole, or part only, of any submission
• Accept none of the proposals
• Republish this Request for proposal

Plan International reserves the right to keep confidential the circumstances that have been considered for the selection of the offers.

Part of the evaluation process may include a presentation from the supplier.

Value for money is very important to Plan International, as every additional £ saved is money that we can use on our humanitarian and development work throughout the world.

Plan International may award multiple contracts and all contracts will be non-exclusive.

1. Contract & Payment terms

Please note that, if successful, Plan International’s standard terms of payment are 30 days after the end of the month of receipt of invoice, or after acceptance of the Goods/Services/Works, if later.

13

14. Plan International’s Ethical & Environmental Statement

The supplier should establish environmental standards and good practices that follow the principles of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, and in particular to ensure compliance with environmental legislation

15. Clarifications

The onus is on the invited individual/companies to ensure that its offer is complete and meets Plan International’s requirements. Failure to comply may lead to the offer being rejected. Please therefore ensure that you read this document carefully and answer fully all questions asked.

If you have any queries in relation to your submission, or to any requirements of this RFP, please email: Liberia.procurementinfo@plan-international.org

Thank you for your proposal

14