Vacancy: Consultancy to facilitate CLTS activities in CRS-ICOWASH 2.0 Communities towards attainment and maintenance of Open Defecation Free Status. RFQ GH4653

Company Profile

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been working in Ghana since 1958 in Health, Agriculture, Peacebuilding, Water and Sanitation, Microfinance, and Education programs.

Job Description

Background

Globally, northern Ghana remains one of the most challenging environments for adequate sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition. UNICEF (2017) reports that an estimated 4,000 Ghanaian children die each year from diarrhoea, with malnutrition contributing to one-third of the country’s childhood deaths and over two in five children in northern Ghana suffer from stunting. Child survival, health and wellbeing are closely linked to sanitation and hygiene. Northern Ghana still has major issues with open defecation – in 2015, UNICEF reported that 89% of the population in the Upper East Region and 72% of the population in the Northern Region practice open defecation.

In response, CRS with funding from the Helmsley Charitable Trust (HCT) and through ICOWASH 1.0 project (October 2017 to September 2020), implemented Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Sanitation Marketing and behavior change activities in 196 communities (135 in Talensi and 64 in West Mamprusi Districts). By the end of the project in 2020, a total of 135 communities (90 in Talensi and 45 in West Mamprusi Municipal) were certified as ODF communities by Regional Interagency Coordinating Committee on Sanitation (RICCS) of the Northern and Upper East Regions.

In November 2020, CRS got additional financial resources from the HCT to consolidate the gains of ICOWASH 1.0 in the 2 districts, replicate ICOWASH 1.0 activities in another district and then strengthen systems for sustainability through the implementation of ICOWASH 2.0 Project from November 2020 to October 2023.

CRS has worked with the Regional Interagency Coordinating Committee on Sanitation (RICCS) of North-East Region to certify 9 more communities in addition to the 135 ODF communities, bringing the total to 144, rolled out SanMark activities, organized field trips and learning events for partners as well as engaged in national discourse to shape policy and influence practice across community, school, and healthcare facility level WASH. As the project is now mid-way through implementation, there is the need to accelerate sanitation improvements (ODF attainment) in several OD communities and sustain gains of ODF communities, which requires external support. As a result, CRS is seeking to engage the services of consulting firms/LNGO/CBO with requisite technical capacity to support the implementation of CLTS in 120 sections in 39 communities across the 3 districts.

Objective

The overall objective of the assignment is for the prospective Consulting firms/LNGOs/CBOs to continue monitoring the implementation of CLTS activities in 120 sections (CLTS communities) to bring them to ODF or sustain their ODF status

Specific Objectives

• To validate ICOWASH Project’s CLTS data by conducting rapid assessment and developing comprehensive strategy to accelerate ODF attainment or sustenance.


• Implement CLTS activities (pre-triggering, triggering and post triggering monitoring) in line with RSMS to achieve ODF status in target communities.


• Support the sanitation marketing strategy of the ICOWASH project to effectively accelerate uptake of improved sanitation products and services and positive hygiene practices in communities.


• Build capacities and strengthen functional WASH groups including Sanitation Advocacy Groups (SAGs), Water and Sanitation managements Teams (WSMTs), Community Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Improvement Teams (CWIT), opinion leaders etc. to spearhead sanitation and hygiene improvement as well as use local norms to consolidate and sustain the gains made under the projects.

Specific Tasks for the Consultant:

1. The Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall conduct an assessment of assigned communities to validate the prevailing WASH conditions as an important step to developing a comprehensive strategy to tackle the challenges.


2. The Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall develop an elaborate sanitation rollout plan to tackle the problems in the individual communities. The plan  shall be jointly reviewed and approved by CRS and the District partners.


3. The Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall retrigger slipped communities (i.e., reengage and reignite communities that have retrogressed in their commitment to improving and sustaining appropriate WASH behaviours and facilities) and rollout the activities as contained in the approved strategy to accelerate ODF attainment and maintenance.


4. The consultant/LNGO/CBO shall on quarterly basis facilitate communities to conduct self-assessment of their status  and provide CRS WASH team with progress reports for decision making.


5. The consultant/LNGO/CBO shall ensure that all assigned communities’ progress data/information is updated in BaSIS (Basic Sanitation Information System) as well as CRS internal reporting platform each month.


6. The Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall support SanMark activities in project assigned communities by linking households with sales agents and latrine artisans to provide improved sanitation products and services


7. The Consultant/LNGO/CBOshall facilitate bi-monthly joint monitoring visits with CRS and District partners to discuss progress, challenges and strategies moving forward.


8. The Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall avail itself to participate in monthly District Facilitation Team meetings and an expanded quarterly District Technical Review meeting organized by CRS and its district partners to review progress of implementation and plan next steps.


9. The Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall ensure that all assigned communities satisfy the conditions necessary for the successful verification and certification as Open Defecation Free and ensure that existing ODF communities are ready for sanitized status by the end of this assignment. The Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall therefore work with CRS to trigger the process of requesting the relevant authorities for the verification and certification processes.

The Consultan/LNGO/CBOt shall submit quarterly progress reports and a final report (including PDF copies as well as printed and bound copies) outlining clear sustainability strategies and recommendations for future implementation at the end of the assignment.​

Working Relationships.

CRS is committed to and maintains a strong collaborative working relationship with its Partners including Government departments, the Church, other CSOs/NGOs and Communities. Consequently, the Consultant/LNGO/CBO shall be required to work closely with the ICOWASH 2.0 Project’s Implementation Team, the project MEAL unit, the District Assembly’s decentralized departments including but not limited to, the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit and the Department of Community Development during the course of this assignment.

CRS ICOWASH 2.0 Project’s Field Implementation Team:

The ICOWASH 2.0 Project maintains an Implementation team comprising the Program Manager, Project Manager, WASH Technical Advisor, Senior Project Officers and field-based Project Officers who oversee and coordinate the implementation of the Project.

The Project Implementation Team shall, therefore.

• Conduct random periodic spot-checks in communities assigned to the consultant to validate the data/information provided by the consultant and make recommendations.


• Receive and review quarterly progress and final reports at the end of the assignment and make recommendations.


• Receive all payment requests and all relevant documentation from the Consultant and process payments due accordingly.


• Facilitate and fund the process of verification and certification of communities by the (District Interagency Coordinating Committee on Sanitation (DICCs) and RICCS that will have attained ODF status. The Consultant however shall work with the communities, to trigger the process of requesting for DICCS and RICCS verification once they have satisfied the conditions for ODF status. Random spot-checks shall also be conducted by the DICCS/RICCS to validate the status of hitherto ODF communities.


• Work closely with the Consultant’s team to ensure compliance with agency MEAL requirements and effective monitoring


• Organize joint monitoring, partner reflection and technical review meetings with DICCS members and key MMDA stakeholders to discuss progress of CLTS implementation

The District Assembly:

• The District Assembly remains the custodian of development initiatives of all communities within its jurisdiction.  As part of the project monitoring and accountability mechanisms, the District Assembly through the (DICCS) shall form part of the joint monitoring and supportive supervision team to visit assigned communities to facilitate effective tracking of WASH activities and provide feedback on the progress of work to the Consultant.


• The District Assembly shall also conduct random spot-checks to assigned communities with or without the direct participation of CRS to validate the progress of work and whose post monitoring feedback will be shared with CRS for onward sharing with the Consultant.

Assignment categorization

The assignment has been grouped into 3 lots. Prospective consultant/LNGO/CBO can apply for more than one lot, but CRS reserves the right to determine whether or not 2 or 3 lots can be given to one organization. The lots are as follows;

• Lot 1:  Implementation of CLTS activities in 50 sections/CLTS communities in Talensi District


• Lot 2:  Implementation of CLTS activities in 30 sections/CLTS communities in West Mamprusi Municipality


• Lot 3:  Implementation of CLTS activities in 40 sections/CLTS communities in Mamprugu/Moagduri District. 

Duration of Assignment

This assignment shall cover a period of twelve (12) months effective from the day the contract is duly signed by both parties (CRS and the Consultant). The assignment shall however be subject to a mid-term performance review to determine the soundness of the Consultant’s approach to completing the assignment on time. CRS therefore reserves the right to terminate the contract if the consultant is unable to satisfy laid out conditions and milestones set forth and may invoke such rights as appropriate.

List of Outputs / Deliverables:

The consultant/LNGO/CBO shall be held accountable for the following;

1. Community data validation report submitted to CRS for review.


2. Detailed Implementation plan developed and submitted to CRS for review and approval.


3. Open Defecation communities re-triggered and monitoring plan developed, and copies submitted to CRS. Monitoring plan for ODF communities also developed and shared with CRS.


4. Self-assessment of communities conducted quarterly, and reports shared with CRS.


5. All communities have updated action plans and defecation maps showing incremental progress.


6. Community progress data collected and inputted in BaSIS as well as CRS customized database.


7. Bi-monthly joint monitoring conducted, and technical review meetings held, and reports made available to CRS and partners.  


8. Quarterly reports developed and shared with CRS.


9. All assigned communities have up to 40% of sanitation infrastructure (latrines, handwashing stations, soakaways, refuse confinement, etc.) in place by the end of the sixth month of contract implementation.


10. A minimum of 80% of OD communities assigned to the consultant attain ODF status, by end of assignment


11. All ODF communities assigned to the consultant maintain ODF status and at least 20% of ODF communities attain sanitized status, by end of assignment.


12. Measures are in place to make project communities continually assess their sanitation and hygiene situation and plan, record and implement remedial actions.


13. All communities are engaged and supported to mobilize funds to implement actions aimed at constructing/reconstructing sanitation and hygiene facilities including toilets, hand hygiene stations, soak pits, refuse confinements, etc. to meet the quality and quantity requirements for ODF status.


14. Community WASH functional groups including SAGs, WSMTs, CWIT, etc. are in place and functioning to sustain ODF conditions. 


15. Community leadership actively supports and drives WASH interventions, and all community members exhibit appropriate WASH behaviour including the cessation of open defecation, hand hygiene uptake, water handling and good environmental sanitation that will enable the achievement and/or sustenance of their ODF status.


16. The Consultant submits 1 initial assessment report following the award of the contract, 4 quarterly progress reports and one final report at the end of the assignment.

Evaluation Criteria

1. Responsiveness / document check: Bids shall be examined to determine their responsiveness. Any bid, which does not satisfy all the requirements of this section under of the evaluation, shall be considered non-responsive and shall be eliminated and shall not be considered for further evaluation under parts ii & iii.  The following shall be examined:

- Valid Business Registration Documents;

• Certificate of incorporation


• Certificate to commence business


• Form 3


• Valid tax clearance


• Payment of employees SSNIT contribution

Technical proposals shall contain the documents detailed in the evaluation criteria outlined below.

1. Financial proposal (detailed budget)

CRS will evaluate the proposals and award the assignment based on technical and financial feasibility. Subsequently, short-listed institutions MAY be invited for an interview. The Catholic Relief Services reserves the exclusive right to select the candidate it considers suitable for the assignment.

 NB: A bid shall be eliminated (from all lots) if any false or deliberately misleading information is given in relation to the tenderer’s qualifications, capacity, current or past references, or in any of the documents submitted by the bidder in any lot.

Required Skills or Experience

Technical proposals shall contain the documents detailed in the evaluation criteria outlined below.

1. Technical proposals shall contain the documents detailed in the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Any bidder who scores lower than 52.5% out of the maximum 70% under the technical valuation shall not have their financial proposal considered in part 2 of the evaluation (Final Decision will be made by the Evaluation Committee).