Request for proposals – Research study on local organisations working during and after the earthquake humanitarian response in Türkiye/Syria

We are envisaging this research to be conducted by a team of one or two mid-level or senior research consultants, with potentially a member of the HLA Research & Evidence team in a senior role, depending on the make-up of the proposed team.

The consultancy will be fully conducted in English and the reports will be written in English.

It is expected that the research will start in August 2024 and end in December 2024.

About

This rapid research will focus on understanding the work of local organisations in operating during and after the humanitarian response to the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. Through this research project, we seek to highlight the contribution of local organisations in this context, providing robust evidence on the scale and type of operations implemented by local humanitarian actors.

The research will focus on both formal organisations (such as local non-governmental organisations), and informal initiatives (e.g. volunteer and grassroots organisations, and other informal initiatives). During the inception period, the researchers will assess the feasibility of including informal initiatives into the study, as they may be harder to track and engage with.

Through the research, we seek not only to understand the scale of this contribution, but also to understand how INGOs, such as Save the Children/HLA, can provide tailored and meaningful support. This project will inform how the HLA, and more broadly Save the Children, can take up the mandate of powershift and localisation as part of the Engine 2 approach. It will serve as a basis for understanding the needs of these organisations and make sure the HLA can support them in the future.

Objectives & Deliverables

• To create a snapshot of local humanitarian organisations operating in the earthquake response

• To understand the operations of local humanitarian organisations, their needs and challenges

• To provide the HLA with recommendations on ways to support local humanitarian organisations involved in this specific response.

It is expected that the research will produce the following deliverables:

1. Brief inception report, outlining refined research questions, methodology, timeline and outputs of the research.
2. Research report, synthesising data from different sources and providing insights and recommendations.
3. Learning brief, distilling the main findings and recommendations of the research report, which can be used for public use and/or advocacy purposes if relevant.
4. Delivering presentations about the research to relevant stakeholders.

Qualifications and Requirements

Prospective consultants should meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrated experience in conducting and delivering research in humanitarian settings, particularly in Türkiye/Syria
• At least 5 years of experience in the humanitarian sector as researchers
• Proven track record of conducting research with local organisations and community members, using participatory and gender-sensitive research methodologies
• Fluency in written and spoken English, Turkish and Arabic
• The team delivering the research must be based in the countries of research. Preference will be given to local researchers and/or organisations
• A proven track record of conducting research for reputable organisations in the humanitarian sector and in particular in conflict zones, with refugees and other vulnerable groups
• Ideally have a strong network of local organisations working in the earthquake response to leverage contacts for research
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, cultural sensitivity with international teams
• Ability to write concisely in English
• Experience of working collaboratively with international organisations on multi-stakeholder projects
• Availability and willingness to travel to conduct primary research if required

Submitting Proposals

Please submit your proposal along with your CV, commercial details and general due diligence details by no later than 26th July at 23:59 BST.

In your proposal, please detail how the consultant(s) meet the “Qualifications and requirements” (max 15 pages) and ensure that you include the following information:

• Relevant experience and examples of similar work completed
• Proposed approach and methodology
• Timeline
• Two references
• Consultant(s) CV with relevant experience as an Annex.

Please also submit commercial details as outlined in section 9.1, and general due diligence details as outlined in section 9.2.

Bidders are requested to submit their responses to the HLA’s key contact in this process:

Elisa Sandri, Research and Evaluation Specialist, e.sandri@savethechildren.org.uk

NB: The HLA will be reviewing applications in real time as they are submitted, and we strongly recommend that prospective suppliers share their responses ASAP.

Read the full Terms of Reference for more details.