Deadline

 

1. Background and Context 

Between 2023 and 2025, recurrent and escalating flooding in Dadaab–Hagadera Municipality destroyed over 3,000 shelters and displaced more than 20,000 refugees and host community members. The April–May 2025 floods were the most severe on record, with the most significant destruction concentrated in Ifo and Ifo 2 refugee camps and adjacent host community settlements. 

UN-Habitat is implementing a 12-month flood emergency response project in Dadaab–Hagadera Municipality, funded by the Government of Japan (JSB). Component 3 of the project focuses on shelter rehabilitation and reconstruction, targeting People with Specific Needs (PSNs) — including persons with disabilities (PWDs), elderly persons, unaccompanied minors, and women-led households — as priority beneficiaries, alongside the broader refugee and host community population. 

The shelter component comprises: 

  • Shelter needs assessments 
  • Construction of 40 new flood-resilient shelters for the most vulnerable PSN households 
  • Rehabilitation of 130 flood-affected shelters for refugees and host community members 
  • Community co-design of flood-resilient shelter prototypes in collaboration with UN-Habitat, UNHCR, and protection partners 
  • Handover of completed shelters to verified beneficiaries with appropriate documentation 

UN-Habitat now seeks to identify and engage a qualified NGO implementing partner to manage and oversee delivery of this shelter component under an Agreement of Cooperation (AoC).  

2. Objective of this CFP 

This CFP invites eligible organisations to express their interest in serving as the shelter implementing partner for Component 3. Submission of an CFP does not constitute a commitment by UN-Habitat to enter into an agreement. 

3. Scope of Work 

3.1 Beneficiary Management and PSN Targeting 

  • Lead joint shelter needs assessment in consultation with DRS and the Dadaab-Hagadera Municipality and in coordination with UN-Habitat, UNHCR, and other protection partners, to identify and verify PSN beneficiaries for shelter construction and rehabilitation. 
  • Maintain verified beneficiary lists, disaggregated by gender, diversity, household type, and camp/location. 
  • Manage beneficiary communications, grievance mechanisms, and any disputes arising from targeting and selection processes. 
  • Ensure protection mainstreaming throughout beneficiary engagement, including safe and confidential handling of PSN data. 

3.2 Participatory Co-Design Facilitation 

  • Facilitate community co-design sessions for flood-resilient shelter prototypes with PSN beneficiaries, community structures, and protection partners, under UN-Habitat's technical guidance. 
  • Ensure inclusive participation of women, PWDs, the elderly, and youth in co-design processes. 
  • Document co-design outputs and validate shelter design specifications with beneficiaries prior to construction. 

3.3 Construction Management 

  • Lead procurement of qualified local construction contractors for shelter reconstruction and rehabilitation works, in compliance with UN-Habitat procurement guidelines. 
  • Manage contractor performance including site supervision, quality assurance, progress monitoring, and payment verification. 
  • Maintain construction site records including attendance, progress logs, material delivery records, and photographic documentation. 
  • Ensure compliance with safety standards (Kenya OSHA Act), environmental guidelines, and UN-Habitat ESSS requirements. 

3.4 Cash-for-Work Integration 

  • Integrate community Cash-for-Work (CfW) participants into shelter construction and rehabilitation activities 
  • Support CfW participant registration, attendance tracking, and task verification for shelter-related activities. 

3.5 Shelter Handover and Documentation 

  • Coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure verified handover of all completed shelters to beneficiaries, with signed handover certificates and photographic records. 
  • Ensure beneficiaries receive orientation on shelter maintenance, flood-proofing features, and available support mechanisms. 
  • Produce a shelter handover completion report with disaggregated beneficiary data for UN-Habitat and donor reporting. 

3.6 Reporting and Coordination 

  • Attend regular project coordination meetings with UN-Habitat, UNHCR, PWJ, and sector partners. 
  • Submit monthly progress reports to UN-Habitat covering construction progress, beneficiary status, challenges, and risks. 
  • Contribute field narrative, case studies, and photographic documentation for JSB interim and final donor reports.  

4. Eligibility Criteria 

4.1 Mandatory Requirements 

  • Legally registered NGO or INGO in Kenya with valid registration documents. 
  • Established operational presence in Dadaab-Hagadera Municipality with a functional field office. 
  • Minimum 3 years of experience implementing shelter programmes in humanitarian or displacement-affected contexts. 
  • Demonstrated experience working with PSNs including PWDs, elderly persons, women-led households, and unaccompanied minors. 
  • No outstanding UN sanctions or debarment. 

4.2 Desirable Qualifications 

  • Prior experience managing shelter construction in a refugee or displacement context in Kenya. 
  • Experience working with UN-Habitat and UNHCR, in Dadaab or comparable settings. 
  • Demonstrated capacity for participatory co-design or community engagement in shelter programming. 
  • Experience with beneficiary management systems, protection mainstreaming, and data protection protocols. 
  • Familiarity with Kenya's CRRF implementation and the Shirika Plan. 

5. Submission Requirements 

Submit one consolidated PDF or Word document in English containing: 

  1. Organisational Profile (max. 3 pages): legal name, registration, year of establishment, mission, and governance. 
  2. Dadaab Field Presence (max. 2 pages): description of current field office, staffing, and operational footprint. 
  3. Relevant Experience (max. 3 pages): minimum 3 comparable shelter projects in the last 5 years, including donor, budget, duration, beneficiary numbers, and PSN targeting approach. 
  4. Technical Approach (max. 2 pages): proposed approach to shelter assessments, PSN beneficiary management, construction oversight, and shelter handover. 
  5. Key Personnel: names, titles, and CVs (max. 2 pages each) for the proposed Shelter Programme Manager and field supervisory staff. 
  6. Financial Capacity: audited financial statements for the most recent 2 financial years. 
  7. Declarations: signed declaration of no conflict of interest, no debarment, and commitment to UN-Habitat Code of Conduct, PSEA policy, and ESSS safeguard standards. 

Deadline: 10 June 2026 at 17:00 EAT  |  Email: public.space@un.org  |  Subject: JSB Shelter CFP – [Organisation Name]