Subcontracting Opportunity: Academic and Research Institutions for Collaboration on Specialized Humanitarian WASH Services

Background

 Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is one of the largest humanitarian aid organisations in the Nordic region, committed to promoting global justice to address the root causes of poverty. NCA is also part of the ACT Alliance - one of the world’s largest humanitarian alliances with faith-based organisations in over 140 countries. Jointly with partners, NCA provides humanitarian assistance and long-term development work in: Climate-resilient WASH, Gender-based violence, Peace building, Climate and Environmental stewardship, and Economic Development and Food Security programmes, among others.

As a leading global WASH actor, NCA has broad expertise in the implementation of WASH programs in both humanitarian and development contexts. Through its CRWASH program NCA seeks to address both immediate needs and long-term challenges through adaptive strategies that integrate climate resilience into WASH programming to ensure sustainable access to WASH services.

 NCA's new programme framework (2025-2029) emphasizes evidence-informed interventions, local capacity development in collaboration with various stakeholders in both humanitarian and development contexts to enhance the impact of our work.

 Contract Purpose

NCA is committed to enhancing the effectiveness, sustainability and impact of its WASH interventions by focusing on increasing knowledge on social, cultural and behavioural factors that influence access to, and use WASH services in protracted humanitarian settings. This includes understanding the coping mechanisms and adaptive behaviors in response to WASH gaps, in order to design interventions that address these challenges and support more resilient, context-appropriate solutions.

 To achieve this, NCA seeks to establish long-term framework agreements with research and academic institutions whose areas of academic focus, research interest and expertise are in public health (WASH-leaning), social research, and behaviour sciences to guide the design and implementation of evidence-based WASH social and behavioral interventions as part of a multi-year project titled: WASH Social Components Initiative. This initiative aims to strengthen the social and behavioral components of NCA’s humanitarian WASH programs.

 Scope of Work

 Through this framework, the contractor/consultants will provide technical expertise and tailored support on WASH behavior research in humanitarian settings during the duration of the agreement. The research will be carried out across multiple countries - with the initial pilot focusing on countries in the horn of Africa region. It will be carried out in collaboration with local academic and research institutions, and NCA staff and partners in-country. Some of the key tasks include:

 1.     Designing the research methodology:

·         Develop a comprehensive research design and framework that includes qualitative and quantitative methods tailored to humanitarian contexts - and where feasible, incorporate AI tools to enhance data quality, and ensure the scalability of research efforts

·         Formulate research questions to address adaptive WASH behaviors, social norms, cultural practices, and coping mechanisms

2.     Training of research assistants/ enumerators:

·         Collaborate with local academic institutions - with support from NCA country office staff and partners, and to identify research assistants and enumerators for field data collection

·         Provide training to the enumerators on participatory research methodologies, data collection techniques, ethical considerations, and the use of digital tools for data collection 

3.     Conducting research on adaptive WASH behaviors:

• Use participatory research methodologies, to gather insights on local knowledge, social norms, cultural motivations, and behavioral practices influencing WASH access and use

• Analyze the research data to inform the design of culturally appropriate, context-specific, and climate-sensitive WASH social and behavior interventions 

4.     Documentation, and sharing of research findings:

·         Produce detailed research reports, and publication of key findings in academic/ research journals

·         Present research findings at relevant WASH forums to enhance knowledge sharing and advocacy

Qualifications

 The successful implementation of this initiative will require teams with broad areas of expertise. For the research-related services, this will include: 

1.     Advanced degree qualifications in public health (WASH focus), behaviour sciences, social research, anthropology, environmental sciences, Gender, and other related fields

2.     Experience with participatory research methodologies, as well as expertise in behaviour, social, ethnographic and public health research

3.     Experience working in (WASH behaviour interventions) in protracted humanitarian contexts

4.     Excellent documentation and report-writing skills - including peer-reviewed publications

5.     Experience in the use of AI in social research will be an added advantage

6.     Experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders, including local academic institutions, government bodies, and international NGOs in implementing WASH programs

7.     Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse communities to ensure gender and inclusion, as well as sustainability of WASH interventions

Note:

Framework contracts will commence upon signature and remain valid for three years, with specific purchase orders issued for defined deliverables. The specific conditions, quantity, date of delivery etc. of a given purchase shall only be laid down in a purchase order when the services are needed. This framework contract shall cover Global services, as well as services in specific regions and countries in NCA’s areas of operation (https://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/where-we-work).

Reporting 

The Contractor/Consultants will report to the designated NCA advisor(s) as outlined in specific purchase orders. 

Required Documents:

o    CV and portfolio of relevant work

o    Technical and financial proposals, including availability and consultancy rates