Job Description

Bid Invitation: Assessment of Aid Interventions in Yemen

Date: 29/05/2024
Service: Consultancy 
Bid currency:  USD
Deadline:  09-06-2024  at 3:00 PM Sanaa time 

A.    About the Sana’a Center

The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies is an independent think-tank that seeks to foster change through knowledge production with a focus on Yemen and the surrounding region. The Center’s publications and programs, offered in both Arabic and English, cover political, social, economic and security related developments, aiming to impact policy locally, regionally, and internationally.
Founded in 2014, the Sana’a Center is one of the few independent research centers that has continued to operate in Yemen throughout the ongoing conflict. While the Center maintains cordial relations with all key stakeholders, it has remained fiercely unaligned with any of the belligerent parties. The Sana’a Center has thus maintained a unique position in the ability to work throughout Yemen and beyond.

The Center maintains a strong network across Yemen with access to Yemeni political and security figures, tribal leaders, economists, journalists, humanitarian actors, civil society, and other key stakeholders. The Center has also established a broad network and presence within the international community, connecting it to international organizations, diplomatic circles, regional and international policymakers, research centers and global forums. 

B.    Objective of the bid:

The Sana’a Center recently published an assessment report titled “Development is coming: Be Careful What You Wish For” on humanitarian aid operations in Yemen. The report assessed efforts to operationalize the HDP nexus framework in Yemen and put forward recommendations on how the international community can facilitate sustainable and locally sensitive aid interventions in Yemen. 
We are currently looking for a consultant or group of consultants to build on the findings of the recently published report, with a particular focus on the impact of international aid interventions on the ground. The assessment should follow a rigorous research method for field data collection that is scalable and should provide SMART policy recommendations on what works and how to ensure the sustainability of aid interventions. The assessment should be sensitive to local ownership and offer a genuine localization approach.

C.    Background:

This call for proposals forms part of the Sana’a Center’s project, “Applying Economic Lenses and Local Perspectives to Improve Humanitarian Aid Delivery in Yemen” funded by the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs. The project was launched in September 2022 and will come to an end in December 2024. The overall goal of the project is to enhance the effectiveness of international aid delivery through applying economic lenses and raising Yemeni voices. It also aims to maximize the economic impact of aid funds in Yemen through rethinking innovative options and mechanisms for the aid-economy intersection. This will be achieved through proactive engagement with both Yemeni and international actors, with a focus on amplifying Yemeni perspectives, ensuring that a localized, bottom-up approach is pursued.
The Sana’a Center is now calling for proposals by a consultant/group of consultants in a consortium/consultancy firm to build on the findings of the recently published.

D.    Scope and methodology:

The proposal should include a detailed methodology section, indicating the scope of the assessment, geographic coverage, the sample size, and sampling approach.
The assessment report is expected to include a literature review and high-quality primary data. The applicant should propose a methodology that is both feasible and adequate for the research questions, ensuring that expert views as well as communities and beneficiaries are represented.
The proposal should adequately address any ethical considerations and illustrate how the research will respect the principle of ‘do no harm’ and standard research ethics standards.

Required Experience     

• A track record of previously published humanitarian and development aid research.
• An understanding of the Yemeni context, political economy, humanitarian and aid context, and conflict dynamics.
• Expertise in the international aid system and donors’ policies related to the humanitarian-development nexus.
• The applicant (or team of consultants) must be able to work with ease in Arabic and English.

Main tasks    

The accepted applicant will carry out the following tasks under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and the overall guidance of the Knowledge Production Department of Sanaa Center:

• Develop an inception report detailing the methodology, data collection tools and timeline for this assignment in consultation with the Project Team.
• Develop consent forms and instructions for data collectors.
• Develop a participatory approach to the assessment, conducting broad community consultations and expert insights from humanitarian, development and economic stakeholders, and international aid actors.
• Carry out the assessment and write draft report for review. 
• Share a folder with the raw data for archival purposes. 
• Develop a PowerPoint presentation on the key findings and policy recommendations.
• After integrating comments by the Sana’a Center, submit a final report for approval and publication.
• Participate in a webinar or an in-person meeting (if applicable) to present the findings.

Deliverables:

Other requirements:    

• Company/organization profile (if applicable)
• CV of consultant/s
• Technical and financial proposal

Evaluation of the proposal:    

70% for technical proposal:

• Best fit with the basic conditions (see above).
• Demonstrated professional competence and reliability (based on work experience, research experience and publications).
• Quality of the methodology.
• Ability to deliver within the requested time frame.

30% for financial proposal