Partnership Consultant for USAID Okard

CONTEXT

USAID Okard is a 5-year project, granted by USAID, with the objective: to improve and sustain the independent living and functional ability of persons with disabilities and their households, integrating national systems and individual level interventions. The project focuses on three components: Health, Economic Empowerment and Stakeholder Engagement. World Education Inc is the prime implementer of the project, with Humanity & Inclusion (HI) named as a co-implementer. Other partners include GoL counterparts and national non-profit associations (NPAs).

The project started in October 2017 and is currently requesting a no-cost extension, for an end date of January 2024. In mid- 2021, USAID contracted an external evaluation firm to carry out a mid-term evaluation, which produced a number of recommendations. The focus of this TOR is based on Recommendation 21,1 which advises that HI and WEI have a “frank discussion” to improve and strengthen the partnership. A focus on positive and collaborative communication and planning between the two organizations will lay the groundwork for successful implementation of the remainder of the project.

With a will to learn and improve, the partners of the Okard project wish, with the assistance of an external consultant, to analyze the partnership dynamics, in order to identify strengths, opportunities, and challenges, and produce recommendations for its improvement.

DESCRIPTION

USAID Okard seeks a consultant to facilitate a collaborative process of discussion with the two organizations, including a selection of staff working in different levels of the project (technical/program, administrative, finance, management). The outcome will be a set of recommendations to improve the partnership /relationship and create the most conducive positive working environment moving forward for the shared achievement of the Okard project objectives.

The objective of the consultancy is to solicit information (interviews and focus groups) and facilitate a frank discussion between the two organizations, as well as advise the senior managers, in order to facilitate partnership relationship and foster a good and caring working environment. The consultancy will include the following steps (guidelines only):

Conduct sessions with members of the Okard team (both organizations) in order to better
understand the context, individual comprehension of partnership, factors of stress or tensions,
working environment, challenges etc of the past four years. (This session(s) could be in-person
and/or remote).
Facilitate one or two collective session(s) to selected WEI and HI team members based on
findings of the individual/group interviews. The focus of these sessions will be to identify
positive actions that can be taken at various levels (technical supervision, program, admin &
finance, management) to strengthen the partnership and therefore the implementation of
project activities. (This session(s) would ideally be conducted in-person.)
Provide written summary of the results to Okard consultancy’s focal persons (summary of
main findings, its roots, and proposition of way forward).

CONSULTANT PROFILE

Higher education in a related field
Experience and/or knowledge of humanitarian projects/processes will be an asset
Sound professional knowledge and experience on management of stress and conflict
resolution
Good social and communication skills, ability to respect confidentiality
Mediation and/or negotiation skills
Language skills: English, Lao will be an asset
Sense of initiative and of creativity
Cultural sensibility. Knowledge of Lao or Asian context will be an asset.
Knowledge about disability inclusion and/or the Okard project an advantage
Able to facilitate sessions remotely (interviews only) and in-person (final session/s).

SERVICE DURATION AND LOCATION

Duration: Interviews and facilitated sessions should be complete by mid-June 2022. All
deliverables must be completed by 30 June 2022.
Budget: The input is estimated at 6-7 days total.
Service location: Priority will be given to consultants already located in Laos who can conduct
the consultancy in person (but remote consultants will be considered). The consultant must be
available within the specified timeframe.

How to apply

Interested candidates shall provide an offer including cover letter, recent CV, a methodological proposal (no longer than 3 pages) and financial proposal (in LAK) according to the services proposed. Please note that the financial proposal should include fees, communication costs and any other anticipated related expenses.

Documents shall be in English and financial proposal in LAK (inclusive of VAT)
Preferred payment terms / method shall be mentioned.

Interested persons should send documents to Meredith_lunsford@worlded.org, by the 19th of May 2022. Applications will be reviewed as received.