Foreign economic-aid-related services

Tender description

This is a prior information notice (pin) only: publication and call for competition will be conducted once the scope of work is fully defined and approved. Subject to programme design and funding approval, the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) will be seeking partners/suppliers to implement from August 2016 a successor project to the current Emerging Governance in Syria project. We intend to start the tender process in the first quarter of 2016, with the new contract to be in place in the second quarter of 2016. It is envisaged that the programme will run for 3 years subject to supplier performance, continuing need and sustained funding. The indicative project value will be up to 20 000 000 GBP, with funding coming from the Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), which draws together new and existing resources from across Government, overseen by the National Security Council (NSC). The project will be the successor to the current Support to Emerging Local Governance in Syria project (also known as Tamkeen). This is strengthening governance systems at local level by introducing best-practice approaches in areas such as procurement and community-engagement as well as delivering services that meet local demand. DFID envisages that the new project will be run by a consortium, as a range of skills and experiences will be required. Key amongst these are:— Experience of working in the current conflict in Syria;— Integrating in depth local level conflict analysis, conflict sensitivity and peace building into the project implementation;— Experience of using a range of approaches to developing local governance capacity in conflict situations;— Research and monitoring skills — The project provides a rare opportunity to generate evidence on what works to build local governance capacity and deliver services in geographical areas affected by conflict. As the programme will be managed remotely, the ability to effectively monitor programme implementation and outcomes (intended and unintended) within Syria will be crucial. Suppliers may wish to consider how existing Syrian organisations and networks can best support monitoring and accountability functions. A Partners/Suppliers Early Market Engagement (EME) event is planned to take place on Wednesday 20th January at the British Consulate General, Istanbul and DFID Whitehall (14.45, Istanbul, 12:45, Whitehall). During the EME event DFID will:— i) present further details on the project;— ii) provide an update on the procurement process; and — iii) provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions. We hope that there will be a wide range of participation at the event from the private sector, NGOs and research organisations. There will be time available at the end of the event for networking and an attendance list will be circulated after the event. Partners/Suppliers interested in attending the event should register on the DFID Portal (https://supplierportal.dfid.gov.uk/selfservice/) and use the ‘Dialogue/ Clarification' function to provide the primary contact e-mail address and the names of individuals (up to 2 in Istanbul, 1 only in Whitehall owing to space limitations) who will attend the event. This will be the main communication channel. We are happy to receive questions, comments and suggestions in advance, which we will respond to at the event, and we will not disclose the source of these when responding. Information on Current and Future Project. The current project was designed at a time when local councils in moderate-controlled parts of Syria were new and their levels of legitimacy and capability varied. For this reason, project activities have been grounded in separate committees, comprising civil society members and local council members. This provided a more stable oversight and implementation mechanism than that which local councils could provide at the time. However, the structures at both local and provincial levels have gradually become more firmly established, and as a result planning has started for the transfer of the activities run by the project's committees to some of the more stable and able local councils in the final phases of the project. We have also begun to work with provincial councils in Idlib and Aleppo. The new project will build upon the current Support to Emerging Local Governance in Syria project. However, the project will increase focus on strengthening governance capacity and structures, in addition to continuing support for service delivery. The aim will be to base the project within local councils from the start and to expand work that has already begun with provincial bodies. The new project will continue to work with the local councils supported under the current project, but will also need to look at broadening geographical scope in line with the changing context inside Syria. Much of the initial phase of the new project will involve the careful transfer of the current projects’ activities from project committees to local councils, putting in place measures for community oversight of the local councils' implementation of project activities, as well as measures to continue project activities in situations where they cannot be transferred to local councils. When working with new local councils, it is envisaged that the new project will work directly with them from the start. In addition, the project will provide support at provincial level, both to provincial councils, and the technical directorates which report to central Syria Interim Government (SIG) ministries (but with local oversight from provincial councils). With the project implementer, provincial councils will identify provincial-level needs which the project can help them meet. This will build upon pilot initiatives under the current project. It is envisaged that the new project will help strengthen links between provincial bodies and local councils.