Review of ICVA`s work on the NGO Fora support Review of ICVA`s work

Reviewof ICVAs work on the NGO Fora support programme between 201**8**- 2021 and with recommendations for the future direction for this work.**

Organisation: ICVA

Duration: 25 working days between October-December 2021

Delivery date: no later than 15 December 2021

Application deadline: 3rd October 2021

1. Rationale and context for the study:

The International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a network of over 130 non-governmental organizations (NGO). ICVA’s membership is made-up of humanitarian international, national, secular and faith based member NGOs working towards a system that enables people affected by humanitarian crises to receive equitable access to quality assistance and protection and to rebuild their lives and livelihoods with dignity. ICVAs work as conveners and enabling a collective NGO voice to promote more principled and effective humanitarian action by influencing policy and practice.

ICVA believe that independent NGO coordination in humanitarian contexts is instrumental to an effective response. Well-organized and resourced country-level coordination bodies—NGO fora[1]—contribute to the effective and principled delivery of humanitarian assistance and lead to improved outcomes for affected populations. They provide common and coordinated approaches through which NGOs can exchange information, share expertise, and establish common and complementary ways of working. Across many crises and contexts, NGO fora have ensured the efficient and principled delivery of aid, supported humanitarian trends analyses and risk forecasting, contributed to minimizing and mitigating operational risks, and advanced the collective NGO voice around issues of concern.

ICVA has been committed to supporting these NGO fora in the expansion of their capacity to undertake collective responsibilities. Specifically, we work to strengthen the global community of practice, provide organizational capacity development, support advocacy and promote the pivotal role fora play in the broader humanitarian community.

This study will serve as a review of ICVA’s impact and effectiveness in 2018-2021 as well as to provide recommendations for the future of the network, given shifts in the NGO landscape during Covid-19 pandemic and the wider external context.

2. Objectives and audience:

The study should be guided by the following two key objectives:

*Objective 1:Identify the impact of ICVAs work to advocate on key issues of NGO Fora**s’ collective action i**n support**ing effective NGO coordination and engagement in the response structures and ensure that humanitarian operational space is maintained.*

Objective 2: Give evidence-based forward-looking needs assessment, of the needs of NGO Fora themselves in terms of ICVAs ongoing support.

*Audience targeted through the review:

· Primary: ICVAs Board, member organisations, ICVA secretariat staff and NGO fora

· Secondary: ICVA donors that have supported the programme over the past three years

3. Content and methodology of the study: Methodology:

The review will be undertaken by an independent consultant/company. She/he will be guided and supported by the ICVA Secretariat, reporting to the ICVA Director of Programmes.

In order to meet the objectives, the consultant would:

• Compile relevant information from ICVAs impact studies, workshop reports, (conducted between 2017 and 2020), and donor reporting by the ICVA Secretariat
• Work with the ICVA Secretariat to develop an additional short questionnaire for NGO Fora, for needs assessment to highlight the specific needs of NGO fora in terms of ongoing support to support ICVA in building future programmes or proposals in 2022-2024
• Conduct structured interviews with the following stakeholders both on the effectiveness of ICVA and the role for the NGO forum in future response activities, advocacy and humanitarian and development debates
• Interviews with at ICVA Secretariat staff
• Interviews with at least 20 NGO fora secretariates in the four regions covered by ICVA: Asia/Pacific, Africa, MENA, & LATAM (including at least 2 interviews with former NGO Fora coordinators that worked with ICVA in the past)

Objective 1: Identify the impact of the ICVAs work to advocate on key issues of NGOs’ common interest, support effective NGO coordination and engagement in response structures and ensure that humanitarian operational space is maintained.

The study will contain:

· An assessment of to what extent ICVA has fulfilled its core functions (coordination, advocacy, engagement) in 2018-2021

· Identify specific impact achieved against advocacy objectives / seek to better understand barriers to progress where relevant

· Identify how ICVA has supported the NGO Fora in their work

· Identify the results have been achieved by ICVA and the NGO Fora

· Look at the district focus and support given to both National and International NGO Fora

· Identify what limitations of ICVAs support and suggestions on how they could be overcome in the future

· Review how the NGO Fora programme relates to overall needs out there, and in relations to ICVAs support provided (scope, duration, content, timeline etc.) considering the resources at ICVAs disposal.

Objective 2: Give evidence-based forward-looking needs assessment, of the needs of NGO Fora themselves in terms of ICVAs ongoing support.

As part of an assessment into how ICVA can be strengthened in the future, given changes in the external context (ie COVID 19 pandemic) and priorities of its members, the study will specifically consider:

• How does ICVAs support relate to the existing similar programmes; what can be learnt and improved by other existing programmes, etc.
• Whether ICVAs representation arrangements are fit for purpose and how they could be strengthened or adapted given changes to the external context (eg. phase of the crisis response, shifts in humanitarian and development architecture, number of NGOs operating in humanitarian contexts, proliferation of consortia);
• Whether ICVA should remain an supporting international NGO and mixed NGO fora – with clear recommendations on how ICVA should seek to work with national civil society actors in future;
• Whether the balance between ICVA core functions – coordination, advocacy, engagement/representation – should be amended looking at ICVA positioning paper;
• Look at recommendations for criteria for having NGO Fora as members of ICVA.

4. Deliverables and timeline:

The following outputs are expected:

• Consultant’s report in English composed of the two specific objectives (in addition to an executive summary, introduction, description of the methodology)

• Presentation material including:

• Accessible1-page summary document setting out key findings

• PowerPoint presentation of key findings for discussion at ICVAs Board and staff meeting. members’ country directors (and further use in other discussion spaces)

• Case studies of impact achieved to be included in ICVAs 2019-2021 impact study

• It is anticipated that the project would take between 25 working days of the consultant’s time. The period of work should begin no later than 15^th October, with a delivery date no later than 15 December 2021**.

5. Consultant’s requirements:

To conduct this review, the consultant will have the following profile and experience:

• Consultancy Firms with business trading license or Individual researchers that are registered as sole trader (one-man company). Bids from Individual researchers with no VAT license will not be accepted
• Knowledge and experience of monitoring and evaluation methodology and reporting
• Knowledge of the humanitarian sector and policies (as relevant to debates at the global, regional, national level)
• Experience in working/interacting with NGOs and the UN system
• Experience in conducting similar studies
• Ability to work quickly and deliver products in line with agreed timeframes, ensuring strong communication with the ICVA Secretariat.
• Understanding of the IASC coordination mechanisms a plus.
• Excellent English writing and verbal communication skills, French is a plus

How to apply:

Interested consultants should send in a letter of interest mentioning the title of the consultancy, background to similar work and knowledge on the subject, company details and contact person to the recruitment4@icvanetwork.org

Deadline for application is 3 October 2021

ICVA’s selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our organizational integrity and commitment to making humanitarian action more principled and effective.