The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. Recognizing the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery, and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB), and the European Union (EU) conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, prior to the conflict, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific conflict-related development challenges discussed above built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP). The RPP is a multi-donor funded framework programme formulated and led by the UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine and in cooperation with a number of partnering UN agencies (UN Women, FAO, UNFPA).
The RPP was designed to respond to, and mitigate, the causes and effects of the conflict. It is based on findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPA) and is aligned to the State Target Programme for Recovery as well as to the two oblast development strategies up to 2020. It takes into account the opportunities that have arisen from the Minsk Protocol of September 2014 and the renewal of its cease-fire provisions (the latest cease-fire having been agreed in March 2018) and is also fully adjusted to the humanitarian-development nexus. It is an integral component of the UNDP Country Programme and is therefore fully aligned with the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF). It is closely interlinked with the Democratic Governance and Reform Programme, operating nationally and in all of Ukraine’s regions, and is consistent with the SDGs, in particular SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong institutions).
The Programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect the region‘s priority needs:
- Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure
- Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform
- Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion.
The Programme, which operates on the basis of a pooled funding arrangement, follows a multisectoral programme- based approach and is implemented using an area-based methodology. It is a unifying intervention framework for 16 projects funded by 10 international partners and is worth about 55 million USD.
In October 2018, four UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, FAO, and the UNFPA) have countersigned a new joint project document, funded by the EU. The overall objective of the project is to restore effective governance and promote reconciliation in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine, thereby enhancing the credibility and legitimacy of local governments in the government-controlled areas. It will contribute to peace build and prevent further escalation of conflict in Ukraine through effective and accountable decentralization, gender-responsive recovery planning, and equal access to services, as well as enhanced community security and social cohesion.
This endeavor will be achieved through the pursuit of the following specific objectives:
- To enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralization and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development, and the delivery of services.
- To stimulate employment and economic growth by assisting to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training.
- To enhance social cohesion and reconciliation through the promotion of civic initiatives.
- To support sector reforms and structural adjustments in health, education, and critical public infrastructure to mitigate the direct impacts of the conflict.
The main goal of Component 2 is to enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralisation and administrative reforms to improve local governance, local development, and the delivery of services. Activities are aimed at achieving nationwide decentralisation reform processes; improving access to quality administrative and social services and enhancing Government capacity for participatory strategic planning and transparent implementation. The special attention is paid towards the orientation of newly elected leaders and increasing their knowledge of decentralisation and the legal and institutional framework of local self-government, national policy and legal frameworks on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The professional management among local self-government, particularly in UN RPP target communities of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts needs improvement: the diversity of activities and services across local government within a context of increased accountability, diminishing resources and increased public demands, requires a high level of management competence as well as strong personal capabilities. Also, the local selfgovernments mostly don’t practice participatory planning and budgeting, the priorities of the cities and villages are defined without civic engagement, the budgets fail to address the needs of vulnerable groups and are being planned and implemented without women’s participation. In this context, the role of the UN RPP component for local governance and decentralisation reform is to facilitate the development and implementation of the Management Capacity Building Programme for the representatives of local self-government i) tointroduce them to the concept of management and enable to obtain practical organizational skills that will foster the improvement of amalgamated entities; ii) to learn the participatory policymaking to analyze the efficiency of citizen involvement processes and encourage citizen participation in the formulation and implementation of local policies.
For this purpose, UN RPP is looking to contract an experienced organization, institution, agency (Contractor) with appropriate capabilities, capacity, and a core team that will be able to provide high-quality and duly performed tasks set out in this document.
MAIN GOAL AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The main goal of this assignment is to develop and strengthen the organizational skills of the representatives of local self-government of UN RPP target communities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts through developing and implementing Management Capacity Building Programme, that will enable participants to fulfill the powers and competences in their amalgamated entities at the highest possible level.
Thus, the main tasks of the Management Capacity Building Programmeare the following:
- Organization and conducting of 21 specialized training that are distributed into five areas, which include effective communication, team building, organizational management, fundamentals of planning, and participatory policymaking.
- Organization and conducting of 3 study visits to oblasts with positive experience * in amalgamation and practical successful models of improved territorial management.
Management Capacity Building Programme shall contribute to the achievement of the following learning objectives:
- Objective 1. At least 420 participants – key staff of local self’government of UN RPP target communities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts are introduced to the concept of management and enabled to obtain practical organizational skills that will foster the improvement of amalgamated entities
- Objective 2. At least 60 participants – key staff of local selfgovernment of UN RPP target communities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts are acquainted with practical experience and successful models of improved territorial organization in other regions in Ukraine, advance implementation of new approaches, models and share knowledge with their local teams
The participants will be provided by UN RPP.
SCOPE OF WORK
The Contractor will be responsible for preparing and implementing the following objectives:
- Prepare and agree with the UN RPP the detailed work plan of activity on the development and implementation of Management Capacity Building Prograrmme which includes timeframe and key activities (training and study visits), that will lead to the implementation of the objectives of the assignment;
- Develop the following activities of the Management Capacity Building Programme for local selfgovernment representatives and NGOs activists: training on the Areas:
- Area 1 “Effective coordination and organizational management’ (5 trainings/2-days/1 overnight)
- Area 2 “Fundamentals of planning. Effective teamwork’ (5 trainings/2-days/1 overnight)
- Area 3 “Benefits of amalgamation. Technical issues of communities under amalgamation and their resolution’ (5 trainings/2-days/1 overnight)
- Area 4 “Participatory policymaking fundamentals. Citizen participation tools in the formulation and implementation of development policies. Improving the efficiency of citizens involvement processes. Functions of public advisory bodies. Fundamentals of networking, lobbying. Practice of coalition-building” (4 trainings/2-days/1 overnight)
- Area 5 “Citizens involvement in decision-making. Building of the dialogue between community and local government “(2 trainings/2-days/1 overnight)
Study visits to other oblasts in Ukraine on the following topics:
- “Successful administrative transformations in amalgamation process in Hromadas of Odesa oblast* (5 days/4 overnights)
- “Poltava Achievements. Legal best practices of successful amalgamation” (5 days/4 overnights)
- “Best practices of participatory tools on the local level Vinitsa Oblast’ (5 days/4 overnights)
- Overall, the total number of trainings (21) will cover 420 participants (20 each) and the total number of study visits (3) will cover 60 participants (20 each) – representatives of local self-government and NGO activists of target territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts;
- Each of 21 training includes 2-days training sessions, 1 overnight at venue location with appropriate accommodation, nutrition and transportation of participants;
- Each of 3 study visits includes Sdays working schedule, 4 overnights with appropriate accommodation, nutrition, and transportation of 20 participants. Study tours should be conducted one by one
- All the events suppose the presence of the Contractor’s representative to arrange the event at place venue and fix all organizational issues;
- The place venue for training should be considered as 11 training in Sviatohirsk, Donetsk oblast, and 10training in Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk oblast. The Contractor can suggest adequate replacement of venue (example Kreminna Luhansk oblast) for the event. All the proposed places of venue must be agreed with the UN RPP;
- Select and agree with UN RPP the list of experienced trainers for participation in the training program. Resumes of trainers should be provided;
- Develop and agree with UN RPP the curriculum, training materials, agenda, invitation letters to target territories. Weekends should be excluded out of schedule.
- Utilize the pre- and encof training evaluation tools to assess the achievement of the learning objectives and participants’ satisfaction (the form will be provided by the UN RPP, but should be adapted according to the training specific aims and indicators);
- Conduct the training (Areas 1-5) according to the approved with UN RPP plan schedule and list of participants;
- Prepare and agree with UN RPP the program of 3 thematic study visits to 3 oblasts of Ukraine for 60 representatives of local self-government of target territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts Accent in study visits should be made (but not limited to) on changes in the territorial structure, best practices of amalgamation, distribution of power between central and local government, organizational management of territories, etc.;
- Conduct 3 study visits according to the agreed with UN RPP plan and agreed list of participants;
- Ensure photo, video recording (key activities: role games, group work, awarding certificates, etc.) of each training session and exchange visit. All events and documents developed must be gender-oriented and illustrated with photos of the appropriate quality taken by the Contractor during the activity for their publishing in print media. Full rights for further usage of training photo/videos should be delegated to the UN RPP;
- Prepare reports on the results of each training (21 in total) and each study visit (3 in total) that include: list of participants, pre- and end-of training evaluation forms, trainers reports/recommendation, training materials (PDF/PowerPoint/Word format), photo/video of the event.
EXPECTED OUTPUTS
Given the above, the Contractor’s responsibilities will be to provide the following deliverables within 16-17 (max) weeks:
Deliverable 1. (2 weeks)
1. The detailed work plan of activity on the elaboration and implementation of the Management Capacity Building Programme prepared and agreed with UN RPP;
2. The programs for 2days training (according to the Areas 1-5) and 3 thematic study visits developed and approved by UN RPP;
3. The pre-and end-of training evaluation questionnaire, curriculum, training materials, agenda, invitation letters, certificates developed and agreed with UN RPP;
4. The dates, place and venue location for trainingand study visits settled and agreed with UN RPP;
5. The report for Deliverable 1 period is prepared and submitted to the UN RPP.
Estimated duration to complete: by the end of 2 week since contract commencement.
Deliverable 2. (8 weeks)
6. The list of participants of the training (Area 1-2) is agreed with UN RPP;
7. The training in Area 1-2 conducted(10 in total) for 200 participants and the reports on the results of each training prepared and submitted to the UN RPP;
8. The list of participants of study vists is formed and agreed with UN RPP;
9. The report for Deliverable 2 period is prepared and submitted to the UN RPP.
Estimated duration to complete: by the end of the 10″ week since contract commencement.
Deliverable 3. (2 weeks)
10. Study visit #1 isconducted according to the agreed with UN RPP plan and list of participants;
11. The list of participants of the training (Area 3) is agreed with UN RPP, the training conducted according to the approved by UN RPP plan schedule (5 in total), the reports on the results of each training, and 1 study visit prepared and submitted to the UN RPP.
12. The report for Deliverable 3 period is prepared and submitted to the UN RPP.
Estimated duration to complete: by the end of the 12″ week since contract commencement.
Deliverable 4. (4 weeks)
13. The list of participants of the training (Area 4-5) is agreed with UN RPP, the trainings conducted according to the planned schedule approved by UN RPP(6 in total);
14. Study visits #2,3 conducted according to the agreed with UN RPP plan and list of participants;
15. Reports on the results of each training (6 in total) and study visit (2 in total) are done and submitted to UN RPP.
16. The final report on the Management Capacity Building Programme is prepared and submitted to UN RPP Estimated duration to complete: by the end of 16-17″ week since contract commencement.
Reports on the results of each training (21 in total) and each study visit (3 in total) shall include: list of participants, pre- and end-of training evaluation forms, trainers reports/recommendation, training materials (PDF/PowerPoint/Word format), certificates, photo/video of the event.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO SERVICE PROVISION
General recommendations:
The Contractor is responsible for ensuring proper security of project team members. It is recommended to consult with UNDP on security in the region, especially before the field phases of the assignment.
Recommendations on the Contractor’s team composition:
CV of Team Leader and team members shall be submitted in the proposal. The Contractor’s team may include both staff of the applicants’ organization or institution and invited professionals.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MONITORING/REPORTING
The Contractor will report to the Territorial Amalgamation Specialist of the Local Governance and Decentralisation Reform Component of the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme for the above outputs to be accepted and approved. A detailed work plan for achieving these outputs shall be discussed with the Contractor in advance before the start of the assignment.
The Contractor must adhere to the system of monitoring, evaluation, and quality control implemented by UNDP and provide the necessary information, reports, and tools according to the present schedule or at the request of UNDP as soon as possible (within a reasonable time).
All reports for UNDP shall be transmitted electronically (formats of: * docx, * xlsx, * pptx, * pdf) on electronic source or in the form of electronic communication. The reports must be written in Ukrainian. The proposed schedule of services and payments is given below with a description of the % of the total budget that will be paid after achieving the following outputs.
DEADLINE: 28 September 2020