Consultancy to support the development of the Concern Kenya Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for 2022-2026 at Concern Worldwide

Background and Context

Concern Kenya’s experience of working within the framework of a five-year strategic plan has been a positive one, Concern Kenya plans to design its fourth five-year plan. Through an in-depth analysis of the context, a re-examination of poverty including through the eyes of the poor, and critical analysis of strategic options taking into account Concern’s global direction, Concern Kenya will determine its niche for the next five years.

The current strategic plan (2017-2021) provided the necessary structure to focus and guide the Kenya’s Country team in its pursuit to alleviate extreme poverty. It created a foundation for cohesive team and strong ownership throughout the organization. It was flexible enough to accommodate emergencies, both predicable and unanticipated, yet focused enough to achieve results for Kenya’s poor – as evidenced in the annual reports. A midterm review conducted at the beginning of 2020 revealed that the programme had met the vast majority of its objectives, either wholly or partly.

The development of the 2022-2026 Country Strategy Plan (CSP) will mainly entail a review and update of the current strategic objectives, appropriate modification of basic service delivery, and governance taking into account that implementation will be in the context of 3rd term of Kenya’s devolved governance. The country programme anticipates some changes in the livelihoods sector strategies, partnership strategy as well as system strengthening approaches.

A Country Core Steering Group that comprises of Programme Director (PD), Systems Director (SD), M&E Manager, Senior Manager Governance, Country Financial Controller (CFC), and Country Director (CD) is in place to provide oversight on the CSP development process. Additionally a Technical Heads Working Group – comprised of Sector Leads for Education, Livelihoods, Governance, Health and Nutrition, County Programme Managers for Nairobi, Marsabit, Turkana, Tana River and Isiolo, M&E team will participate in the CSP development process. The Programme Support Unit will provide secretariat support in the process. Additionally, the Regional Director (RD) for Horn of Africa and Strategy, Advocacy Learning (SAL) team and the Concern Kenya Board will contribute to this process.

Purpose and Objective

The consultant will assist the Concern Kenya country programme to develop its 2022-2026 CSP. The consultant will contribute updating the existing External Analysis report, undertake an internal analysis, development of options paper, make presentation during strategy development workshop that will be facilitated by the SAL, and develop first draft of the country strategic plan based on the strategy development workshop deliberations.

Justification

Given the time and intense nature of the development of the strategic plan, bring an external view and need for fresh objective analyses process, Concern Kenya seeks an external consultant to assist the country programme to support the process.

Methodology and Technical Approach

Proposed approaches are listed below. Concern will be flexible for adjustments and adaptations to ensure tasks are delivered in line with the government guidelines for the prevention of COVID 19.

For the external analysis

The consultant will liaise closely with Concern Kenya staff to produce an external analysis report on the external factors that are likely to influence and inform the strategic options for Concern. Sector Leads for Livelihoods, Education, Governance, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health and Nutrition programmes will propose to the consultant the key government policy documents, sector strategies, statistical reports as well as government implementation reports. The Sector Leads will undertake stakeholder analysis of key stakeholder including government bodies, INGOs, aid agencies and donors (with focus on Concern target areas and above sectors) and provide input to draft external analysis reports.

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Review key government policy documents, sector strategies for livelihoods, education, governance, WASH, health and nutrition, statistical reports as well as government implementation reports using How Concern Understands Extreme Poverty (HCUEP) Approach
• Source and review key international, external or other independent analyses or trends in the counties, country and the region, particularly on socio-economic, governance, extreme poverty and access to basic rights issues produced by reputable institutions
• Review the data collected to ensure it enhances the in-depth understanding of vulnerabilities of extreme poor using HCUEP approach with focus on disaggregation (gender, area/county, target group)
• Conduct and include analysis of Concern’s crosscutting themes [Disaster Risk Reduction, Gender, HIV Risk, COVID Risk, Poverty] from our intervention in last 5 years (livelihoods, education, governance, WASH, health and nutrition)
• Compile a draft external analysis report of trends and contingencies in the operating environment, as well as opportunities and possible niches for Concern
• Facilitate a one-day feedback and implications workshop on the external analysis report
• Develop final external analysis report incorporating feedback received from staff

For the internal analysis

The consultant will work jointly with Concern staff from Nairobi and field offices to facilitate two SWOT Analysis workshops to identify strengths and weaknesses over the past strategy period and opportunity and threats in the coming 5 years.

The consultant will undertake the following tasks

• Facilitate two SWOT analysis workshops of Concern staff with mix of Nairobi and field teams. The workshops also to include reflection on the previous five-year CSP achievements, what was done well, and not so well, both for programmes and systems
• Desk review of internal documents – such as internal and external evaluations (focusing on lessons and recommendations); HQ Emergency Department and SAL Adviser reports; Annual Progress Reports, project evaluation reports, the Annual Review and Reporting on the delivery of Accountability Commitments, research reports, Contextual Analysis reports , partnership reviews and audit reports
• Facilitate inputs from government and non-government stakeholders and programme participants (lists to be provided by Concern) to provide external viewpoints of Concern’s strengths and weaknesses
• Compile a draft Internal Analysis report for Concern feedback
• Incorporate staff feedback and draft final Internal Analysis report**Development of Options Paper**

The Country Core Steering Group will liaise with SAL team to produce a range of options based on the Internal and External analyses. This process will be through email correspondence and virtual meetings. The role of the consultant will include:

• Support Country Team to develop draft options paper from communication between Country Team and Strategy , Advocacy Learning (SAL) team in Dublin

For the strategy development workshop and writing of the CSP

The Regional Director and SAL team will facilitate the strategy development workshop. The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Make presentation during strategy workshop providing highlights from the External Analysis , Internal Analysis and Options Paper
• Develop draft CSP from deliberations in the Strategy Development Workshop
• Incorporate feedback from staff and produce final report

Outputs and Deliverables:

1. Inception report detailing the understanding of the assignment: i.e. Literature review drawing heavily from external and internal analysis, methodology, work plan/schedule and draft data collection tools.
2. Final external analysis report
3. Transcribed stakeholder and programme participant Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions
4. Internal Analysis report
5. Strategic options paper
6. Presentation during strategy development workshop on external analysis, internal analyses and options paper
7. Draft country strategic plan from deliberations at the strategy development workshop for further action by Concern

Timeframe and Level of Effort (LOE)

The duration of the contract will be 35 days from October 2021 – January 2022; as per below Key deliverables, LOE and timelines:

External analysis:

1. Inception Meeting; to be held three days after signing contract; LOE 1; by 12 October 2021
2. Submit inception report; LOE 1; by 15 October 2021
3. Concern to provide lists of key government policy documents, sector strategies , statistical reports as well as government implementation reports; LOE 0; by 15th October 2021
4. Review key government policy documents, sector strategies , statistical reports as well as government implementation reports using HCUEP Approach; LOE 2; by 20th October 2021
5. Source and review key international, external or other independent analyses of trends in the counties, country, region, especially in the political/governance, economic and social spheres. Key analyses of regional and country political trends, papers on key rights issues produced by Human Rights institutions; LOE 2; by 23rd October 2021
6. Review the data collected to ensure it enhances the understanding of extreme poverty using HCUEP approach with specific focus on disaggregation (gender, area/county, target group); LOE 1; by 27 October 2021
7. Conduct analysis of the crosscutting issues (DRR, Gender, HIV Risk, COVID Risk, Poverty ) across all sectors from an equality perspective to bring out the differences between various groups in society; LOE 3; by 29 October 2021
8. Submit a draft External Analysis report to Concern for circulation to Concern Kenya Staff & Board Advisory Committee for critical comment and input; LOE 1 by 01November 2021
9. Draft 1 of External Analysis Report circulated to Staff and Board for comments and inputs; LOE 0 by 2-5 November 2021
10. Submission of staff and Board input to consultant; LOE 0; 08 November 2021
11. Facilitate a one-day feedback and implications workshop; LOE 1; by 11 November 2021
12. External Analysis Final Report; LOE 2; by 15 November 2021

Internal analysis

1. Facilitate two SWOT Analysis workshops with Concern team 'including' review of the previous Country Strategic Plan, and get the team to consider whether they have achieved the objectives they set for themselves in the previous five-year period, and if not why not; LOE 2; by 18 &19 November 2021

2. Internal Analysis -Synthesis of Data (Consider what is being done well, and not so well, by the country team, both in terms of programmes and systems); LOE 2; by 21 November 2021

3. Desk review of internal documents – such as internal and external evaluations (focusing on lessons and recommendations); Annual Progress Reports, the Annual Review and Reporting on the delivery of Accountability Commitments, research reports, Contextual Analysis reports; LOE 2; by 26 November 2021

4. Concern to provide lists of key stakeholders; LOE 0; by 18 &19 November 2021

5. Facilitate inputs from government and non-government stakeholders and programme participants to provide external viewpoints and analyses on Concern’s strengths and weaknesses, identify opportunities for Concern’s future work; LOE 3; by 29 November 2021

6. Compile a and share draft Internal Analysis report; LOE 2; by 3 December 2021

7. Draft 1 of Internal Analysis Report circulated to Staff and Board for critical input; LOE 0; by 3-9 December 2021

8. Incorporate staff feedback and final combined (external and internal) report; LOE 1; 13 December 2021

Option analysis:

Develop draft options paper from the options analysis correspondence that will be spearheaded by Concern Country Core Steering Group, Sector Leads at Nairobi Office and County Programme Managers and SAL; LOE 2;by 13-17 December 2021

Strategy development:

Participation and Presentation during strategy workshop providing highlights from the External Analysis, Internal Analysis and options paper; LOE 3; by 20-22 December

Writing of CSP:

1. Develop Draft CSP; LOE 2; by 7 January 2022

2. Review feedback and produce final report; LOE 2; by 21 January 2022

Remuneration

Concern will make payment after satisfactory delivery of agreed outcomes. Concern will make payments as per the schedule below

• Submission of Inception Report: 20%
• Submission of External Analysis Report: 30%
• Submission of Internal Analysis Report: 25%
• Submission of Draft Country Strategic Plan: 25%

Financial proposal

Kindly provide your financial proposal, clearly indicating rate payable per day, VAT/Tax component (if applicable) and total cost.

Working conditions

The Programme Director, will manage the consultancy on behalf of the Country Core Steering Group (CCSG). The consultant will treat all documents and data collected in the process of the consultancy will be treated as confidential and use them solely to facilitate the consultancy assignment. All information accessed by the consultant shall at all times be treated as the property of Concern and shall not be disclosed save for where express permission has been granted. Concern will have copy rights of all work produced under this consultancy assignment.

In the course of work, the Consultant(s) may come into contact with vulnerable groups (women and/or children). It is expected that the Consultant(s) shall ensure the safeguarding of all programme participants and avoid involvement in any activities that are illegal, contravene human rights, or compromise the work of Concern

Qualifications

• A minimum of a post graduate qualification in the field of Administration/strategic management, Organizational Development and/ or management or in a related field
• At least five years professional experience in undertaking strategic planning and management, organizational and change management for international non –governmental humanitarian organizations. Certificate of completion of similar tasks for international non –governmental humanitarian organizatio