Summary of the Project
Field Support Services Project (FSSP) is a five-year project (March 2021–March 2026) funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and managed by Cowater International. FSSP provides administrative, financial, procurement, and logistical services as well as support to the in-country development programming for the Government of Canada through the provision of technical specialists in gender equality, governance and human rights, and environment and climate action and assisting GAC in procuring and managing local development initiatives in Myanmar.
Canada’s development assistance programs in Myanmar aims to help improve human dignity, well-being, and rights for all vulnerable and marginalized people, particularly women and girls. It aims to contribute to a future where inclusion, human rights, peace, and security are respected. Canada’s bilateral development efforts began in 2014, focusing on empowering women economically, building an understanding of federalism, promoting inclusive governance, managing information for development, building resilience to climate change, and increasing capacity for evidence-based policymaking. Targeted beneficiaries include women, ethnic minorities, rural poor, and conflict-affected people.
Myanmar is known as a country with some of the longest and most complex conflict in the world. The conflict exists in different forms in Myanmar. Some conflicts began at the time of independence, when rebellions erupted across the country and numerous ethnic and communist groups took up arms. These conflicts have cost thousands of lives particularly women, girls, and children, diverted resources from the provision of public services, and threatened the unity of the country, and this continues today. Considered at the time of independence to be one of the wealthiest countries in Southeast Asia, by 2011, Myanmar lagged behind its neighbours in almost every measure of well-being and civic rights as the result of different conflicts.
Generally, the conflicts in Myanmar are largely ethnic-based with several ethnic armed groups fighting Myanmar Army (the Tatmadaw) for the greater autonomy and self-determination. Myanmar is a diverse country in terms of ethnic groups, religions, and traditions, and customs. Officially, there are 135 ethnic groups and most of them live in highland areas. Each ethnic group has its own dialectic and language, culture, and custom. Mostly in the states rather than in the regions are affected by long-term substantial conflict that occurs aftermath of independent from British based on the longstanding political, economics, and social tensions between central government and ethnic groups. Despite continuous efforts to offer peace process through ceasefire agreements, and creation of self-administered zones, many groups continue to call for self-determination, increased autonomy, and federalism.
As Myanmar is home to distinct ethnic groups, different group has different religion. The tensions between different religious groups are one of the underlying causes of some conflict. For instance, the conflict between Buddhist and Muslim community is ongoing conflict in Rakhine state of Myanmar. The conflict is complex which includes social, political, and religious complications. In 2017, the Military responses to attack by the insurgent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army drove around 725,000 people who self-identify as Rohingya to flee the state, ending up in refugee camps in Bangladesh and 130,000 have been confined to Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps in Central Rakhine since 2012[1]. Myanmar has committed to the return of displaced population, nonetheless, it is slow moving. The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State presented its final report “Towards a Peaceful, Fair and Prosperous Future for the People of Rakhine” in 2017, outlining a number of recommendations aimed at resolving the longstanding conflict in Rakhine.
In line with Canada’s FIAP[2] Canada's international assistance in Myanmar aims to help improve human dignity, well-being, and rights for all vulnerable and marginalized people, particularly women and girls. It aims to contribute to a future where inclusion, human rights, and peace and security are respected. Canada’s bilateral program in Myanmar places a strong emphasis on ensuring that conflict-sensitivity is well integrated within its work. This includes improving knowledge and practices among its staff as well as ensuring that all funded projects take a conflict-sensitive approach.
Objective
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) requires the services of a Conflict Sensitivity Technical Specialist (Consultant) to provide support across all thematic priorities and to improve conflict sensitivity capacity of all officers in the Embassy. The Consultant will be responsible for leading the mainstreaming of conflict sensitivity and do-no-harm approach within GAC funded projects in Myanmar and technical advice to GAC, engage with relevant actors, make relevant linkages to GAC’s programmes, provide analysis for strategies, projects and briefings, and represent GAC as requested.
Description of Service
Working on an ad-hoc basis under the direction of GAC’s Sector Team Lead and in close coordination with the GAC HQ specialists, the expected services of the Conflict Sensitivity Specialist will include, but not be limited to:
- Provide Advice and Support to GAC:
- Advise and update GAC on the latest development progress, trends (including donors landscape mapping) and priority challenges related to various conflict sensitivity issues;
- Review, analyse and provide technical comments and recommendations on project documents for GAC-funded projects in Myanmar including integrating conflict sensitivity approach in Project Implementation Plans, annual work plans, progress reports, and evaluations;
- Inform GAC on various processes regarding regional, national, and local policy-making and the role of the conflict sensitivity. This includes identifying and assessing relevant information and policy questions at national, and local scale;
- Identify the resources needed to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and find solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables;
- Advise GAC on the extent to which its projects are: i) meeting the goals and objectives of GAC development policies including gender focus; and, ii) are coordinated with the activities of other development partners, including civil society; and
- Identify opportunities for synergies among investments across GAC delivery channels (bilateral, partnership, regional, and multilateral) as well as other bilateral/multilateral programmes.
- Support for External Coordination and Engagement
- Support GAC’s role in policy dialogue fora, such as donor coordination groups, INGO Forum, intercommunal dialogue and so on;
- Participate in, and/or provide technical support to GAC at the Technical Working Groups within the coordination structure if required;
- Participate in and provide technical support to joint initiatives with other development partners and stakeholders (e.g., reviews, joint field visits, joint monitoring and evaluation exercises, multi-stakeholder consultations, or events);
- Provide technical advice to help ensure and increase Canada’s visibility in its development activities and policy positions in development and humanitarian sectors; and
- Support Canada’s advocacy, outreach activities and initiatives.
- Program/project monitoring and support
- Monitor the projects’ integration of conflict sensitivity through project monitoring missions, discussions with stakeholders and desk reviews, and provide recommendation and advice as necessary:
- Analyze key documents and provide strategic advice relating to the projects/programs including approval documentation, Country Programming Frameworks or Strategies, contractual agreements with the project/program partners, the Project Implementation Plans, Baseline reports, Annual Work Plans, Project Financial and Narrative Reports, etc.;
- Assess project performance against the Logic Model and Performance Management Framework including the indicators (and their targets) as well as project risks;
- Provide recommendations for improvement including adjustments and corrective action when problems and constraints hampering effectiveness of implementation have been identified;
- Assess the enabling environment, political/social/cultural/environmental context within which the project/program works, identifying trends and keeping Canada as a donor abreast of actual and potential changes in context;
- Provide other services related to the monitoring of the project such as analysis, document preparation, reviews, facilitating stakeholder coordination workshop at field-level etc. as requested by GAC;
- Design and deliver a conflict sensitivity and Do-No-Harm training to project partners and GAC staff if required and
- Participate in GAC’s field visits as required and provide recommendations to maximize the effectiveness of the project/program.
- Developing and maintaining networks
- initiate contact and meetings;
- participate in seminars/meetings/workshops;
- organize and or participate in relevant donors and other related meetings.
- Providing general support for the operation of GAC’s field office activities in Myanmar
- Support database and data collection;
- Review documents and editorial support;
- Contribute to communication activities with photos, writing event updates for social media or further publications.
- Providing oral and written briefings on any of the above services through ad hoc and regular meetings/conference calls with GAC’s Myanmar Program sector lead, GAC HQ specialists, and teams.
- Any other relevant tasks as assigned by the GAC.
Deliverables/Outputs
The Consultant is expected to work in close cooperation with GAC in Myanmar to produce the deliverables as follows:
General Outputs to be produced by the Consultant:
|
Ref. no. |
Description of output |
Detailed description of the components to be delivered by the Consultant |
When |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Semi-Annual Work Plan |
Detailed Semi-Annual work plan including GAC’s input with interlinking activities that cover all activities and deliverables with deadlines and timelines. Quality Assurance must be factored in. Will be reviewed with GAC on a quarterly basis. |
To be discussed with GAC Sector Lead |
|
2 |
Back to Office Reports (BTORs) |
Detailed back to office reports for every field visit, including a full list of activities, and individuals / companies / institutions met. |
As Required |
|
3 |
Monthly progress report |
Detailed activities report highlighting key progress/highlights, opportunities, risks, deliverables, and activities for the coming month, including anticipated spent as appropriate. |
As Required |
|
4 |
Analysis of various documents, as required (ie. proposals, technical analysis, etc) |
Detailed analysis to be discussed with GAC. |
As Required |
|
5 |
Contributions to GAC milestones objectives and deliverables |
Deliverables as highlighted by GAC Conflict Sensitivity Sector Lead and in master programme work plan |
Monthly |
|
6 |
M&E reporting and analysis |
Contributions to Monitoring and Evaluation of GAC funded projects as required. |
As Required |
|
7 |
Meeting minutes and documentation |
Write up of all key meetings and upload of supporting documentation onto shared folder provided by the FSSP |
As Required |
Unless otherwise stated, the Consultant will, to the extent possible:
- Use both sides of the page when producing documents, reports, etc.;
- Use recycled paper to print and produce reports and other documents.
Description of the Consultant’s Profile
GAC requires the services of a Conflict Sensitivity Specialist (Consultant) who has a solid knowledge of general and specific conflict sensitivity issues, an excellent knowledge of the Myanmar context, general knowledge of official development assistance principles, and a good knowledge of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP).
Education:
Graduate degree (Masters degree required, PhD or equivalent would be an asset) in Peace and Conflict Study, International Development, Peace Building, Law or other related fields. Candidates with combined degrees will have an added advantage.
Minimum Experience:
Minimum of 8 years of cumulative experience as senior specialist or senior program management positions in development work related to conflict, peacebuilding or identity-based and religious communal conflict in Myanmar.
Required Skills and Experience:
- At least five years experiences directly related to conflict sensitivity and Do-No-Harm approaches, including experience in mainstreaming these concepts into development and humanitarian programing.
- Experience in conflict analysis and experience in applying such analysis to local development and humanitarian contexts.
- Experience in conducting training on Conflict Sensitivity and Do-No-Harm approaches.
- Good understanding of underlying causes of different conflicts, and its causes and consequences in Myanmar.
- Demonstrated knowledge/understanding of Myanmar’s political, social, and economic aspects of conflicts in Myanmar.
- Demonstrated experiences in the design and/or implementation of development and humanitarian programmes.
- Prior experience in an international development institution (public, NGO or private) is preferred. Ability to function effectively in multidisciplinary teams within a matrix environment is essential;
- Demonstrated ability in producing clear, high quality analytical written work on conflict sensitivity in development and humanitarian topics in short time frames;
- Strong interpersonal, cross-cultural and communication skills; and
- Commitment to teamwork and ability to build constructive and effective relationships.
Competencies:
- Strong knowledge of Myanmar’s political, social, and economic situation regional, national, and local government level including knowledge of different conflicts in Myanmar;
- Knowledge of GAC policies, programs, and initiatives, particularly as they relate to human dignity, inclusive governance, and peace and security;
- A drive for results, including a proven track record of high standards/accountability for work products, meeting deadlines, an ability to prioritize tasks within his/her work program and strategies for working collectively with others on the team to deliver products of the highest caliber;
- Ability to deliver quality reports or assessments in a short time;
- Good facilitation skills and ability to generate ideas from, and build consensus among, a wide variety of stakeholders;
- Client oriented; and
- Demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and a professional commitment to promote a culture of social cohesion and social inclusion.
Language Requirements:
The Consultant must be fluent in Myanmar and possess the following levels in English:
Oral: : 4 – Advanced Professional Proficiency
Reading: : 4– Advanced Professional Proficiency
Writing: : 4 – Advanced Professional Proficiency
*Note: : Most of the reporting will be written in English.
Work Arrangements
The Consultant will work from their home base with virtual meetings/interviews with GAC colleagues and external experts. The Consultant is expected to rely on his/her expertise, conduct an extensive literature review, and perform triangulation by interviewing experts. The drafts produced by the Consultant will be peer reviewed by experts, the result of which should be incorporated by the Consultant.
The Consultant will report to GAC’s Sector Team Lead. Payment is conditional upon satisfactory delivery of the assignments. In the event that travel to other regions or cities is necessary, all necessary costs will be borne by GAC, through the Field Support Services Project (FSSP).
Duration of the Contract and Budget
The expected duration of the initial assignment is 45 days from November 2021 to March 2022 with a possibility to extend for up to 90 days per 12 months period. All reports must be finalized and submitted within this period. The Consultant is expected to start in November 2021.
Payments will be processed upon the presentation of an invoice detailing the level of efforts for each deliverable and satisfaction of performance.
Evaluation of Applications
The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of the weighted criteria (70% technical score (comprising of 15% technical qualifications desk review, 25% written test, and 30% interview) and 30% financial score).
The proposals that achieve a minimum of 70% for the technical qualifications desk review shall be further considered for an interview and written tests. The financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest-priced proposal received for the assignment.
|
Technical Score (70%) |
Financial Score (30%) |
|
|
|
|
|
Technical Qualifications Desk Review
The technical desk review will be based on the following:
|
St No |
Criteria |
Points |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Academic qualifications of the Consultant |
10 points |
|
2 |
Minimum of 8 years of cumulative experience as senior specialist or senior program management positions in one or more of the following areas: Conflict Sensitivity and Do-No-Harm, Peacebuilding, and Community Development in conflict affected areas. |
25 points |
|
3 |
Demonstrated experience working on cross-cutting of conflict sensitivity in development and humanitarian programs |
20 points |
|
4 |
Demonstrated experience in conducting training on conflict sensitivity and Do-No-Harm approaches |
20 points |
|
5 |
Demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and a professional commitment to promote a culture of social cohesion and social inclusion |
20 points |
|
6 |
Consultant’s knowledge of other areas relevant to the assignment |
5 points |
|
|
Total points |
100 points |
NB: Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points (70% of the desk technical review) will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.
Application Process
Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications to info@fssp-myanmar.org latest by October 26, 2021:
- CV indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
- Brief statement as to why the individual considers him/herself as suitable for the assignment and highlighting his/her strong experience and knowledge in conflict sensitivity and do-no-harm.
- Financial Proposal shall be submitted in the following format:
- The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily rate for up to 45 working days from November 2021 to March 2022;
- The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee and when applicable any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract, not including travel expenses.
Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.
Due to the large number of applications, we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidate(s) about the outcome or status of the selection process.
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.
ABOUT US
With more than 35 years’ experience, Cowater International is Canada’s global leader in management consulting services specializing in international development and has managed the implementation of over 800 projects in more than 80 countries around the globe. We work with governments, partner organizations, communities and civil society to design and implement sustainable solutions that generate lasting social, financial and environmental impacts. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Cowater International also has corporate offices in Montreal, Quebec; London, United Kingdom; Nairobi, Kenya; and Brussels, Belgium, in addition to project offices in a wide variety of other locations across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
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