(EOI) Grants to Strengthen the Quality of Shelter Services for Survivors of Trafficking

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (EOI) 

Grants to Strengthen the Quality of Shelter Services for Survivors of Trafficking 

Kanchanpur or Kailai District, 

Province 7 

Winrock International Hamro Samman Project 

NOTE: This is a re-advertisement and is seeking applications from existing shelters providing services to trafficking survivors in Province 7, Kanchanpur or Kailali districts only. 

INTRODUCTION 

Trafficking in persons (TIP) is a complex problem that requires multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary solutions. Nepal is a source, transit and destination country for various forms of trafficking, including sex, labor, and organ. Some studies have estimated that a quarter of a million Nepalis are in forced labor or other forms of trafficking at any given time, with millions more vulnerable due to poverty, lack of employment and other livelihood opportunities, and a lack of information about trafficking and services for victims and survivors. 

The Winrock International Hamro Samman project is a five-year project generously supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Winrock International. Its goal is to reduce the prevalence of trafficking in persons (TIP) in 14 strategically selected districts of Nepal. Using the ‘4Ps’ framework-Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership, the Hamro Samman project will bring together implementing partners and various stakeholders including, Government agencies, civil society organizations and private sectors to reduce the prevalence of trafficking in persons through three objectives: 

Objective 1: Strengthening national and local Government of Nepal (GON) efforts to combat TIP; 

Objective 2: Improving Civil Society Organization (CSO) advocacy and engagement to address TIP; and 

Objective 3: Increasing private sector partnerships (PSPs) to service TIP survivors and at-risk populations. 

The Hamro Samman project continues Winrock’s long history of diverse programming in Nepal and builds upon other programs to support and leverage Government of Nepal, civil society, and private sector efforts to counter trafficking in persons in Nepal. 

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND 

Winrock International is a non-profit organization that works in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. Winrock matches innovative approaches in natural resources management, cleanenergy, agriculture, and leadership development with the unique needs of its partners. Winrock was created in 1985 through the merger of three prominent institutions in agriculture, the environment, and rural development. Today, through more than 100 projects worldwide, Winrock links local individuals and communities with new ideas and technology to increase long-term productivity, equity, and responsible resource management. Winrock currently employs more than 1,000 people and maintains project offices and staff in 28 countries. 

CONTEXT JUSTIFICATION 

Thousands of Nepalis are at-risk of various forms of human trafficking, including sex, labor, and organ in Asian countries (mostly India), the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. Women migrant workers are more vulnerable than men and face greater exploitation in all the processes of migration, from pre-departure to departure and transportation to the destination. While nearly 85% of sex trafficking victims are women and girls, young boys are also victimized. Government of Nepal (GoN) has increased efforts and allocation of national resources to counter human TIP in Nepal in all three forms- prevention, protection and prosecution. The increased efforts were demonstrated through a rise in both the number of trafficking investigations and victims identified, and by doubling its budget to provide victim care services to female victims of violence, including trafficking victims. The GoN has initiated the establishment of rehabilitation centers for protection and assistance to the survivors of human trafficking and ensures protection of beneficiaries’ rights and interests. It aims to promote health and social protection, psychological rehabilitation and victims’ reintegration into society, as well as the creation of an empowering environment for the realization of beneficiaries’ skills, talents and potential. 

So far, ten rehabilitation centers have been operationalized with the support of the GoN in various districts. The GoN has also established and operationalized Mangala Sahana Longer-term Rehabilitation Center in Kathmandu. Additionally, the GoN has set up district and community-level service centers in 25 districts to provide services to women affected from domestic violence. Female survivors of trafficking have also benefitted from short-term shelter (housing) services provided by these centers. These centers are managed by the Women and Children Office in respective districts in partnership with CSOs/NGOs. The services provided by these centers are not uniform due to many reasons. Thus, the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens (MoWCSC) developed and operationalized the ‘Rehabilitation Service Center Operation Guideline’ and ‘National Minimum Standards for Protection and Care of the Survivors of Human Trafficking’ in 2011 to standardize services to survivors of trafficking. However, the standards of the rehabilitation centers do not yet fully conform to GoN guidelines. 

The USAID Hamro Samman project aims to build partnership with the relevant NGOs working in the field of counter-TIP in Nepal to strengthen shelter services targeted at the survivors of trafficking in Province 7, in coordination with the relevant government agency. 

ABOUT THE AWARD 

The Hamro Samman Project issues this EOI for partnership with shelter service providers to strengthen shelter services for trafficking survivors in Province 7, Kailali or Kanchanpur district. 

Interested partners should submit an EOI (no more than four pages) identifying: 

• A description of the services provided to male and female survivors of trafficking, male and female survivors of labor exploitation and geographic coverage. 
• Statistics of beneficiaries in the past Nepali fiscal year (July 15, 2017 to July 14, 2108) including the number of clients supported and the number of trafficking survivors supported disaggregated by gender, types of services and the location where the individuals receive services. 
• Proposed activities for ways the applicant can improve the quality of services provided to survivors of trafficking. 
• Proposed activities to ensure the voice of trafficking survivors is integrated into the shelter’s activities and reflects the actual interests of their client base. 
• Estimated budget for the proposed activities 

EOI applicants will be shortlisted and the top applicants will be requested to undergo a shelter assessment to identify potential areas for quality improvement. Based on the shelter assessment and the activities proposed during the EOI phase, up to one organization will be asked to submit a full proposal for a grant. 

GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS 

This EOI is only open to shelters based in Kailali district or Kanchanpur district, Province 7. 

EXPECTED AMOUNT, START AND DURATION OF THE GRANT 

The amount range for this grant is approximately NPR 2,000,000 per partner per year. The final amount will depend upon grant activities and final negotiation. 

Winrock Hamro Samman Project expects to award one grants in province 7 under this EOI, but reserves the right to award fewer or none based on the quality of applications and availability of funding. 

The anticipated start date of this award is January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. The award may be extended based on an assessment of the success of this initiative and subject to the availability of resources. The Hamro Samman Project may elect to extend the timeline and deliverables by issuing an amendment to the grant agreement. 

ELIGIBILTY CRITERIA 

This EOI is limited to those organizations who: 

• currently operate a shelter or rehabilitation center 
• shelter or rehabilitation center is located in Kailali or Kanchanpur, Province 7 
• the shelter or rehabilitation center provides services to trafficking survivors or returnee migrants 
• EOI submission addresses each area of the Call for EOIs 

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSON INFORMATION 

Applications must be submitted in English. Applicants should send electronic copies by email to Hamro.Samman@winrock.org. The deadline for submission of the EOI response is November 20, 2018. Late submission of proposals will not be accepted. Winrock International reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications without assigning any reason. 

A written notification to the applicants regarding their application status will be sent within 15 days from the submission deadline. 

REVIEW CRITERIA 

To ensure fairness when shortlisting EOI applicants, criteria for evaluating submissions includes: 

Part 1 – Meets all the eligibility criteria [pass or fail] 

Part 2 – [scored out of 100] 

• Technical feasibility of the EOI and technical appropriateness 
• Evidence of clear understanding of real obstacles and convincing discussion of how these can be overcome; 
• Evidence that proposed activities will support survivors of trafficking 
• Integration of gender equality and social inclusion considerations 
• Integration of survivors’ voice and their priorities 
• Potential for sustainability of proposed activities 
• Cost effectiveness 

Preference will be given to applicants also receiving support from the MoWCSC. 

Incomplete applications and/or applications not submitted by the deadline will not be considered. Each of the questions has number of points assigned. Applicants must answer all parts of the question specifically. 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST 

The WI Hamro Samman project will ensure that members of the evaluation committee, both Winrock International staff and outside evaluators, do not have conflicts of interest with the organizations whose applications are being reviewed. Winrock holds the right to determine if “blind” reviews or tiered reviews by the Review Committee are needed. 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

The issuance of this EOI or any assistance provided do not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the WI Hamro Samman project, nor does it commit the WI Hamro Samman project to pay for costs incurred during the preparation and submission of the application. The WI Hamro Samman project reserves the right to accept or reject any or all EOI applications received and reserves the right to ask further clarifications from the applicants.