Deadline

The purpose of the Call for Expression of Interest is to solicit interest from regional or national not for profit rural civil society organizations as Implementing Partners that wish to participate in UN-Habitat operation and contribute complementary resources (human resources, knowledge, funds, in-kind contributions, supplies and/or equipment) to achieving common objectives as outlined below and subsequently agreed in an Agreement of Cooperation

Purpose of CFP: To implement a project to improve land and natural resources tenure security of Indigenous Peoples communities and to strengthen lessons documentation, awareness and capacity building efforts in select areas in Northern Mindanao, Philippines             

Project Key Information

  • UN-Habitat Project Title : Secure Access to Land and Ressources (SALaR)
  • Locations
    • Philippines
  • Specific Location Site for this Call for Proposal
    • NCR and Northern Mindanao, Philippines
  • Anticipated start date: 21 December 2020
  • Maximum proposed value in US$: 40,000
  • Estimated duration of project in calendar months: Six (6) months
  • Lead Organization Unit: Land, Housing and Shelter Section, Urban Practices Branch, Global Solutions Division

Brief Background of the Project

The Global Land Tool Network, as facilitated by UN-Habitat, is an alliance of international, regional and national partners working together to “securing land and property rights for all” through the development of pro-poor and gender responsive land tools and approaches within the continuum of land rights framework. It supports the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Forests and Fisheries (VGGTs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda.

The Global Land Tool Network has received funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to implement a Project called “Secure Access to Land and Resources (SALaR). The Project aims to enhance land and natural resources tenure security and increase awareness and capacities of rural poor smallholder farmers, including women, youth, and vulnerable groups in the Philippines.

The Programme has three Outcome Statements as indicated below:

Outcome 1: Increased uptake of land tools, approaches, frameworks, and policy guidelines that are pro-poor, fit-for-purpose, and gender responsive.

Outcome 2: Strengthened capacity of change agents including rural poor women, men, and vulnerable groups to implement pro-poor, fit-for-purpose and gender responsive land tools and approaches. 

Outcome 3: Improved awareness among stakeholders on issues and measures for improving land and natural resource tenure security for poor women, men, and vulnerable groups.

For this project, the intention is to expand the work on improving tenure security of Indigenous Peoples’ communities in at least two (2) villages in the Municipality of Pangantucan, Province of Bukidnon, Northern Mindanao, Philippines. It also aims to strengthen the awareness and capacities of target IP communities and other stakeholders to promote the alternative processes and tools in securing land tenure of ancestral lands including towards improving their knowledge and capacity to network and defend their rights and cope with the impacts of the pandemic. As SALaR Project implementation is ending soon, this Project also aims to consolidate the lessons learned, document the achievements and emerging outcomes and identify gaps/challenges and opportunities for scaling-up and replication. These new interventions shall build from the interventions of SALaR Project in the Philippines.

Main Outputs and Activities

In consultation with UN-Habitat, GLTN Secretariat, government authorities at national and local levels and target communities, he Implementing Partner will be undertaking the main activities below to include, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Tenure Security Improvement in Select Two Villages
  • Conduct the necessary community engagement, consultations and mobilization
  • Undertake a rapid land tenure assessment
  • Identify corresponding tools and approaches for adoption and implementation
  • Undertake mapping and enumeration of household tenure rights and related activities
  • Implement alternative dispute resolution interventions
  • Conduct awareness and capacity building activities
  • Prepare the necessary manuals and methodologies
  • Develop a tenure rights recording system and issue tenure documents
  • Document the involved processes
  1. Awareness and Capacity Building Interventions
  • Undertake stakeholder and community consultations
  • Identify knowledge and capacity gaps considering land rights protection issues, impact of pandemic on land tenure and food security and legal and other regulatory frameworks
  • Produce the necessary reports including workshop/training reports, policy and technical briefs, etc.
  1. Documentation of Lessons Learned, Gaps/Challenges, Emerging Outcomes and Opportunities
  • Prepare a strategy/plan to document lessons learned, gap/challenges, emerging outcomes and opportunities
  • Conduct consultation process in the development of the plan and on the modalities of implementation
  • Execute the agreed implementation plan in consultations with GLTN and stakeholders
  • As necessary, organize stakeholder meetings, focus group discussions, interviews, etc.
  • Document the involved processes and prepare the necessary reports
  1. Programme Management and Coordination
  • Provide the necessary administrative and technical support to the planned activities
  • Provide support on communications and dissemination of various reports
  • Conduct periodic monitoring
  • Ensure the timely submission of narrative, technical and financial reports

Risk Analysis

The following potential risks may occur so the suggested mitigation factors need to be considered. Constant monitoring is also essential. 

Risk Assessment

Mitigating Factors

Inadequate commitment by government authorities, and key local partners and communities

Sensitization process and dialogues with government authorities, local partners and communities.

Potential delays due to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic

Monitoring of the situation and undertake activities as early as possible and anticipate alternative actions (e.g. virtual meetings)

Inadequate interest and/or capacity of partners and key stakeholders implementing pro-poor land tools

GLTN and implementing partner to enhance awareness, knowledge and capacity of change agents and key partners in using GLTN land tools

Inadequate information on the project implementation

Documenting stories and lessons learned including emerging outcomes through organized FGDs and forum

Inability to sustain the multi-stakeholder partnership and platform engagement

GLTN and implementing partner to support the development of a strategy and its implementation. Also to build and strengthen existing platforms or multi-stakeholder committees.

Potential security issues or inaccessibility of project sites

Implementing partner to closely monitor security situation with government authorities.

Selection of project sites must consider this aspect.

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Submission Details/ Documents Required

Legal Status
  • Certificate of registration/incorporation i.e.,
  • Proof of registration in Country of Origin.
  • Proof of registration of Country of operation
  • Proof of country operational presence

Organization profile and details
  • Clear organization profile and structure of the organization indicating :
    • Organization’s vision, mission and objectives
    • Management structure
    • Members of the Governing Board and their Designations duly certified by the Corporate Secretary, or its equivalent document
    • Proof of membership to professional associations if any.

Financial Capacity
  • Audited company financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) and auditors report for the last two years

Exclusive bank account
  • Is the organization willing and able to have a separate bank account for the funds provided by UN-Habitat?

Integrity and Governance
  • The organization should complete and submit a signed Partner Declaration Form (Form to be provided upon request)
  • Provide the profiles of the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Head of the Organization and Chief of Finance

Submission of Technical and Financial Proposal

A technical proposal should be submitted presenting a detailed discussion of land issues in the Philippines, existing policies and programmes, proposed methodology to address the issues, suggested project sites, description and justifications, key milestones, outputs, activities and timelines for delivery (10 pages max). A template is available as a guide is available upon request.

A budget proposal should accompany the technical proposal which include the proposed budget per output/activity per different expense class or budget categories and estimated cash and/or in-kind contribution from implementing partners. A template is available as a guide upon request.

Selection Criteria

Criteria

Submission Details/ Documents Required

Weight

1.   Technical capacity

 

40%

1.1 Does the organization have the relevant experience and proven track record in implementing activities in the areas of the project?

Has it managed in the past projects of similar technical complexities and financial size?

Is the project linked with the core business of the IP?
  • List of projects executed in the last 2 years (value, location, donors, nature of projects, execution stage – completed or ongoing).
  • Demonstrate how the experiences in past projects are relevant in the execution of the current proposal
  • References from past donors (if available)

 

1.2 Does the organization have qualified technical staff with the experience and the technical skills required by the project?

What is the staff size, type, qualification and education background?
  • CVs of key management staff, technical and non-technical staff that will be involved on the project
  • How many technical staff do you have in the concerned Country for implementing the project? Is there reasonable assurance that such technical staff required by the project will continue to be available as needed in the Project? Will there be plans to recruit more technical staff? What would be the qualifications?

 

1.3 Does the organization have a clear and strong link with an identifiable constituency relevant to the targeted population of the project?

Does it have the ability to impact on the targeted population and on the issues?

Does it have strong presence in the field and for how long?

Does it have adequate capacity to work in key areas/regions where the proposed field activities will be implemented?
  • Demonstrate, describe and provide proof of local operational presence, including link and ability to impact the targeted population.
  • If applicable, name local partner organizations in the proposed project sites

 

1.4 Does the organization possess adequate physical facilities, office equipment, transport, etc. to implement the activities?
  • Provide location and list of office facilities, vehicles and office equipment locally available to implement the project.
  • If applicable, provide plans  to secure additional office facilities, vehicles and office equipment

 

1.5 Does the organization have formal procedures to monitor project execution (e.g. milestones, outputs, expenditures…)
  • Provide formal project monitoring policies and procedures
  • Provide a description on how the IP will monitor and document project activities

 

2.   Financial and administrative capacity

 

15%

2.1 Has the organization been in operation over a period of at least 2 years to demonstrate its financial sustainability and relevance?
  • State the years of operation
  • Financial statements for the last 2 years

 

2.2 Does the organization have qualified staff in Finance? Is the current accounting system computerized and does have the capacity to collect and provide separate financial reports on the activities executed under the Agreement of Cooperation?

Does it have systems and practices to monitor and report whether the project deliverables and expenditures are within agreed time and budget?

Does it have minimum segregation of duties in place (separation between project management, finance/accounting and executive office)

 
  • CVs of key finance and accounting staff
  • Description and key features and controls of the accounting system used
  • Organization structure/ Organogram

 

2.3 Does the organization have the capacity to procure goods and services on a transparent and competitive basis?
  • Copies of procurement policies and procedures. The procedures should show how you procure locally and internationally.
  • Describe how to procure goods and services on a transparent and competitive basis

 

 

2.4 Does the organization have formal procedures and controls to mitigate fraud such as multiple signature signatories on bank accounts, reporting and prosecution of incidences of fraud?
  • Describe anti-fraud controls and provide formal procedures

 

2.5 Does the organization have capacity to provide in-kind, financial, personnel contribution as UN-Habitat Implementing Partner in this present project? Please give details of contribution nature and size.
  • Describe nature and value of contribution (in-kind or cash)
  • Describe this in the budget proposal

 

3.   Financial Proposal

 

15%

3.1 Is the budget for each component of the activity to be performed by the Implementing Partner

(i) cost-effective (i.e. the cost should be economical and prudently estimated to avoid any under/over estimation)

(ii) justifiable/well supported and

(iii) accurate and complete

 

Budget Proposal

  • BOQ (if applicable)
  • Other supporting documents

 

4.   Technical Proposal

 

30%

4.1 The technical proposal is sound and responds adequately to the specifications and requirements?

Technical Proposal document

 

 

Cumulative score for ratios

 

100%

Expression of Interest must be delivered in electronic format no later than  4 December 2020 to Mr. Danilo Antonio at the following email address: danilo.antonio@un.org, copying Mr. John Gitau john.gitau@un.org. All related questions or clarifications must also be coursed through this email address. Upon request to this email address, all related forms and templates will also be shared.

Disclaimer: Please note that this notice does not constitute a solicitation and UN‐Habitat reserves the right to change or cancel this project at any time in the process. Submitting a reply to an EOI does not guarantee that the submitting organization will be selected to carry out the implementation of the project.

Notes:

  • Interested Organizations must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochure, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc).
  • The Technical Proposal and accompanying documents must be received in accordance with instructions provided. Technical Proposal submitted to a different email address other than the specified one will not be considered.
  • Technical Proposal from applicants failing to provide the complete information to fulfill the basic eligibility criteria will be considered non-responsive.
  • Technical Proposal received after the above deadline will not be considered
  • Organizations will be selected in accordance with the procedure set out in the UN-Habitat IP Management policy and Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Technical Proposal from applicants failing to provide the requested information will be disregarded.
  • This Technical Proposal does not entail any commitment on the part of UN-Habitat, either financial or otherwise. UN-Habitat reserves the right to accept or reject any or all Proposals without incurring any obligation to inform the affected applicant(s) of the grounds.
  • All prices must be in USD