CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITY

Policy Review Consultant

1. Background:

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany (VSF-G) is an International Non-Governmental Organization, providing humanitarian aid and development assistance to pastoralists and vulnerable communities in areas where livestock is of importance. VSF-G supports in animal health, livestock related agriculture, marketing, food safety, drought responses and mitigation, capacity development of communities and governmental institutions, peace and conflict resolution with the ultimate aim of food security and strengthened livelihoods of pastoralist communities. The desired impact of VSFG interventions in the region is to significantly increase agricultural and livestock output and income and consequently improvement of livelihoods for millions of people in each country of intervention. The key stakeholders/ partners of VSFG include government, national private sector, farmers, livestock owners, Foundations and donor institutions.

VSF Germany currently implements activities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda with the Regional Office (RO) based in Nairobi, Kenya. Over the last 3 years, the operations have grown significantly with the country operations and context evolving greatly. The operational handbook needs to be revised to align in with the new landscape with policy documents updated to align to the best practices.

2. Rationale/ Why undertake the Assignment:

The Organizations programs and portfolio in the countries of implementation have grown and there is a need to adapt the policies and operational procedures to the different contexts. Each country has to operate within the accepted standards within VSF Germany, adhere to the different country legislatures as well as the varying donor requirements. To achieve this, the current handbook has to be redrawn to align it to the current contexts.

As such, it is imperative to review all existing regulations and have the general principles and policies in one documents and country adapted Standard operating Procedures (SoPs) drawn for each country.

The Regional Office wishes to hire a Senior Consultant to review the handbook and align SoPs to the different countries so as to be able to offer useful guidance to the VSF Germany teams.

The position reports to the Regional Head of Administration and HR in Nairobi with dotted lines to the Regional Director.

3. Objective and Purpose of the Consultancy:

VSF Germany seeks the service of a consultant or team of consultants to be able to facilitate a review of organizational policies, introducing new or amended policies as necessary to ensure alignment with best practice and/or legal expectations.

4. Scope of Work

Provide expertise in the process of a comprehensive policy review within the organization. The consultant will liaise with VSF Germany staff, peers in the development sector and, if necessary, legal advisors to ensure that all VSF Germany policies are up-to-date, aligned with legal and expected norms and relevant to the current organizational priorities.

a) Review all policy documents (i.e. policies, procedures and guidelines) ensuring alignment with:

• Current national and state legislation;


• Requirements of EC, ECHO, USAID and other key Institutional donors;


• Current best practice.

b) Beyond the alignment with necessary requirements the policy documents should also be reviewed for:

• Alignment with current organizational priorities and strategy;


• Efficacy for achieving their mandate;


• Grammatical or typographical errors;


• Outdated references.

c) While the process would be open to further definition by the consultant(s) it is essential that the individual/team be both comprehensive and consultative in their approach.

• Establishing a portfolio of current policy documents;


• Determine which policy documents fall within which category (i.e. policies, procedures or guidelines);


• Develop standardized template to ensure that policy documents are easily distinguishable and readily usable;


• Determine if there are any key gaps in policy (i.e. missing policies);


• Complete preliminary review and, if necessary, (re)-draft documents


• Share draft with identified working groups for input and review;


• Incorporate appropriate changes;


• Present renewed (or new) policy to appropriate authorizing body.

5. Deliverables and Performance Standards:

The deliverable will be a complete portfolio of policies necessary for consistent good practice in the organization. The consultant(s) will be expected to sign the VSF Germany Code of Conduct and abide by the terms of contract, to be agreed upon subsequent to the completion of the RFP process.

6. Requirements for Proposal Preparation:

· CV(s) of consultant(s);

· Details of comparable experience;

· Articulation of knowledge network (i.e. does the team or consultant not only have the personal knowledge base to draw from but a network to consult, if necessary);

· Consultancy detailed work plan and budget.

7. Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Evidenced experience developing, reviewing or administering organizational policies;


• Knowledge of EC, ECHO, and USAID legal frameworks regarding non-profit, or charitable organizations;


• . Cost efficiency and value for money


• . Ability to facilitate a consultative process


• . Diversity of consultancy team or, in case of consultant, diversity of consultant’s wider network

Evaluation and Award Process: All proposals will be reviewed by a team of not-less-than-three members of the Standards Review Committee which comprises representation from across the organization.

6. Duration of Service:

· The consultant will be contracted for 30 working days

· The expected start date of the consultancy is 15^th January 2020.