Short Term National Consultancy for Situational Analysis on UNACCOMPANIED AND SEPARATED CHILDREN IN TÜRKIYE

This opening expired 1 year ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Open positions at UNICEF
Logo of UNICEF

Application deadline 1 year ago: Sunday 19 Feb 2023 at 21:55 UTC

Open application form

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Education

According to the European Commission 2022 enlargement progress report for Türkiye, in 2021 3,870 unaccompanied children were referred to the Ministry of Family and Social Services (MoFSS) by various agencies. However, this only includes the children who have been identified when crossing the border and are then placed in state run institutions. The number of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) not in institutions in Türkiye remains unknown. This includes children who arrive with the support of smugglers, and end up living in the streets for example, without any type of support. According to some estimations, the number of UASC in Türkiye has also increased significantly in the last years[1]. Most of the UASC seem to come to Türkiye from Afghanistan and Syria, but more clear profiles and pathways are needed for UNICEF Türkiye and its partners to effectively support UASC. This is important as UASC continue to face particular protection risks, including during initial identification and age assessment processes.

UASC in Türkiye have the right to benefit from legal protection in line with Türkiye’s obligations concerning relevant international law and also as per Law on Foreigners and International Protection (Law No. 6458). UASC in Türkiye who have either arrived in Türkiye without their parents, families and caretakers or became unaccompanied while in Türkiye, are placed at facilities under the authority of MoFSS and the procedures concerning their asylum applications are being taken care of by the Presidency for Migration Management (PMM).


[1]Refugee Rights Turkiye report 2018, https://www.mhd.org.tr/images/yayinlar/MHM-75-EN.pdf, p. 4.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the Situational Analysis is to provide some much-needed information on UASC in Türkiye, and to enable UNICEF better design its programs and to respond to the needs of UASC. The findings will also be shared with key partners, such UNHCR, IOM, CSOs and donors in order to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive approach to the issues.

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Officer, the Consultant will be responsible for preparing the comprehensive Situational Assessment of UASC in Türkiye. The content will be developed by the Consultant based on the ToR and where needed, further discussions with UNICEF Türkiye. The list of deliverables expected from the Consultant include the following:

  1. Inception Report
  2. Final Situational Analysis Report (not exceeding 30 pages)

The core issues to be covered by the Situational Analysis include the following:

  1. Extent of UASC situation in Türkiye – and profiles (refugees, migrants, seasonal workers etc.)
  2. Indicative Profiles (nationality, sex, age etc.) of UASC
  3. Patterns of separation from traditional caregivers of girls and boys (under what circumstances?)
  4. Pathways (how long have they been in Türkiye, is Türkiye their final destination or are they just transiting etc.) of UASC
  5. Protection issues (age determination process etc.) for all UASC, and especially for the UASC not registered (living in streets, child labour, trafficking, etc.)
  6. Available services to UASC (especially the gaps in them and barriers to access them), including access to education, health, support to family tracing etc.

Methodology:

The assignment will employ a mixed-method approach, using qualitative and quantitative techniques and triangulation of data from various sources to assimilate a robust and credible evidence base. The Consultant is expected to propose a data collection methodology based on the sections below and responding to the above-mentioned core issues, with appropriate tools to be developed and applied. Specific and regular guidance will be provided by the relevant UNICEF experts to the Consultant to conduct this assessment. The proposed methodology for this assessment should take into consideration the following:

  • The quantitative approach based on the collection of primary and secondary data from official national or regional sources, including studies and reports, legislation, policies, relevant literature, etc. This will form the core of the desk review and should take into account the findings from the “Meeting the Legal Challenges of Protecting Children Fleeing Ukraine: A Study on the National Legal Framework in Türkiye” conducted currently by UNICEF in collaboration with the Baskent University.
  • Qualitative data collection and analysis will be done through semi-structured in-depth interviews with key informants (KIIs). The KIIs will be structured in a way to capture information related to UASC to be identified at the inception phase following the desk-review and taking into account already existing quantitative information.

Key considerations:

The reports produced should be:

  • Inclusive and respectful of multiple perspectives. The voices of the key people who work with UASC in Türkiye are central to this approach.
  • Reflective of and informed by relevant child and human rights instruments. All approaches, tools and documentation should be informed and framed by principles and definitions reflected in key international and regional framework documents and resolutions including the UNCRC, CEDAW and CRPD.
  • Reflective of and informed by national legal and policy frameworks, including national social protection, disability, child, gender, or social inclusion policies, legislation, and strategic plans.
  • Based on sound and ethical research protocols. All tools, approaches and related engagement with key stakeholders should be based on sound ethical research design.

How can you make a difference?

  1. TASKS, DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The following is a tentative work-plan, based on the assumption that the assessment will be conducted by the Consultant. The purpose is to provide indications on the required time allocations. The Consultant can propose changes in the timeframe by providing a clear rationale for the proposed changes that are different from the table below. Please note that the schedule will be discussed again with the selected bidder for this consultancy.

Please note that all the activities of the Consultant should be conducted within 40 working days. UNICEF will conduct quality assurance, review, and feedback of all deliverables. The Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

Tasks

End Product/Deliverable

Estimated Working Days*

Tentative Deadlines

Payment

Task: Situational analysis on UASC in Türkiye

1.1. Introduction and Inception, Planning and Designing of the Analysis

  • Induction and briefing on ToR.

Induction on the assignment and overall timeframe

1 Day

March 2023

25%

  • Preliminary desk review

Desk review

5 Days

  • Preparation of methodology, finalization of scope, Assessment matrix, data collection tools This task includes consultations with UNICEF for approval of the inception report and instruments.

Inception report that includes a brief background based on the desk review of existing information, a workplan,

methodology, composition of the sample and draft assessment protocols/questionnaires for quantitative and qualitative (KIIs) components for all target groups. (English)

5 Days

1.2. Data collection, field work & drafting

  • Extended Desk Review and Analysis

In-depth desk review

5 Days

April 2023

25%

  • Data collection through interviews and processing

Interviews with NGOs, PMM, MoFSS, local authorities, police and border control

15 Days

  • Drafting of the Preliminary Analysis Report and presenting the Draft to UNICEF

Preliminary Situational Analysis Report, including executive summary. (Report should

be developed in English)

5 days

1.3 Finalisation of the Analysis

  • Integrate the feedback and comments and submit the Final Situational Analysis, which will include concrete recommendations

Final Analysis Report (English), including infographics

3 Days

May 2023

50%

  • Presentation to UNICEF and interested parties of the report and findings.

Power Point Presentation (English)

1 Day

TOTAL

40 DAYS

%100

Overall requirements for the bidder:

  • Good understanding of human rights-based approaches to programming and results-based management principles.
  • Ability to bring together diverse stakeholders and ability to work in an international and multicultural environment.
  • Ethical sensitivity with regards to different cultures, local customs, religious beliefs, and practices, personal interaction, and gender roles, disability, and age.
  • Good understanding of participatory methods and gender approaches.
  • Ability to work independently and remotely is a must.
  • Expertise in data collection and analysis.
  • Experience in producing high-quality reports and analysis.
  • Excellent English report writing and editing skills.
  • Work experience with UN and international organizations is an asset.

Specific requirements for the Consultant

  • Expert in quantatitaive and qualitative research methodologies, with at least 10 years of proven experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
  • Ability to design data collection tools, conduct interviews and prepare reports.
  • Relevant experience of work related to unaccompanied and separated children, children on the move or other relevant children’s issues.

Deliverables and payment schedule

The table above provides a list of deliverables. Their quality will be assessed by UNICEF and based on relevant standards. Deliverables will be produced in English. In addition, the assessment will undergo an ethical review in line with the UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis.

Payment is proposed to be divided into three parts. Payment will be made after successful completion of the relevant deliverables meeting quality standards and approval of UNICEF.

Award criteria****: Cumulative Analysis.

The evaluation and award criteria that will be used for this institutional consultancy services is Cumulative Analysis evaluation (point system with weight attribution). The weighting ratio between the technical and financial proposals will be 70:30. The respective importance between technical and financial scores will be weighted as 70% and 30%. An offer is considered technically acceptable (and therefore eligible for opening of financial offers) when it obtains 49 points out of 70 during the course of the technical evaluation. The final selection of the contractor will be based on a combination of the technical and financial proposals with a weighting of 70% for the technical proposal and 30% for the financial proposal. In the case of cumulative analysis, the proposals scoring below 70% of the available technical points will be considered non-compliant and will be rejected and not further considered (e.g. in the case of 70:30, the passing score is 49 points out of 70).

• Weightage for Technical Proposal = 70%

• Weightage for Financial Proposal = 30%

• Total Score = 100%

Proposer(s) must submit a technical and a price proposal (in separate documents) that will be split between technical and commercial (price proposal) scores (a 70/30 split).

The technical proposal will be assessed with the criteria stated in Technical Evaluation Criteria.

Separately, a financial proposal should be as detailed as possible, and it is recommended that the proposal be broken down by the number of days worked by each team member and the daily rate of each member, travel costs, per diem, insurance, and administrative and operational costs, etc. A Template will be provided.

Financial Proposal should include:

  • Detailed budget as per the Financial Proposal template
  • Explanation of budget assumptions with regard to planning, team composition, field work, etc.

The total amount of points allocated for the price component is 30. The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened and compared among those invited firms/institutions which obtain the threshold points in the evaluation of the technical component. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price, e.g.:

Score for price proposal X = (Max. score for price proposal (30 Points) * Price of lowest priced proposal) /Price of proposal X

Total obtainable Technical and Financial score: 100

The Proposer(s) achieving the highest combined technical and price score will (subject to any negotiations and the various other rights of UNICEF detailed in this services) be awarded the contract(s).

All interested parties are requested to include in their submission detailed costs including:

  1. Daily rate including hours per day
  2. Expenses associated with remote evaluation etc.
  3. Please include all relevant costs that are required for this exercise (to be agreed prior to commencing the project)
  4. Any additional requirements needed to complete the project or what might have an impact on cost or delivery of products
  5. The Consultant would be required to use their own computers, printers, photocopier etc.

The proposals will be evaluated according to the requirements criteria and the quality of the methodological note applicable to this specific work, the score for each element of the application, and the total weight given to the technical and the financial proposal, and the time and mode of notification of the selection process’ results.

In this regard, bidders are expected to submit to UNICEF the following documents:

  1. Technical proposal. The minimum content for the technical proposal is:
  • Main objectives
  • Methodology outlining a tentative research matrix responding to the key issues
  • Tentative schedule
  • List of similar studies conducted/led by the Consultant
  • Two similar study reports (hardcopy or electronic copy) conducted by the Consultant
  • CV.
  1. Financial proposal as per the attached template in line with the instructions above.

The technical proposal will be evaluated using the criteria below:

Technical evaluation criteria

Max. Points

1.Consultant profile

30

1.1 Consultant profile, skills and capacity to undertake this assignment as required in the ToR

10

1.2 Evidence/experience in conducting similar assessments and competency in working with large stakeholder group (UN, international development organizations, government departments, NGOs, etc.

20

2. Adequacy of the proposed work plan & approach

40

2.1 Proposed methodology including:

-Main objectives

-Samples of previously conducted relevant research

-Proposed quality control mechanisms

30

2.2 Planning and schedule: service efficiency/appropriateness, realistic implementation and timelines, processes in place for timely and quality completion of the assignment and deliverables as per requirements in the TOR

10

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org