TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) FOR BASELINE STUDY

TERMS OF REFERENCE

(TOR) FOR BASELINE STUDY

Nutrition Smart CommUNITY Regional Programme

Country: Bangladesh, India and Nepal

INTRODUCTION and CONTEXT

About Welthungerhilfe: Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest private aid organizations in Germany; it is politically independent and non-denominational. With courage and determination, it is striving for a world without hunger. Since it was founded on December 14, 1962, 13,424 overseas projects in about 72 countries and territories have been supported with 5.76 billion euros. Welthungerhilfe follows the principle of empowering people to help themselves to sustainably improve their living conditions, through approaches ranging from fast disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with national and international partner organizations.

WHH's South Asia portfolio addresses the interconnected challenges of hunger, malnutrition, and poverty through integrated, community-led approaches encompassing food and nutrition security, climate resilience, WASH, and sustainable livelihoods, implemented in close partnership with local partner organisations.

Background of the Project: The Nutrition Smart CommUNITY (NSC) approach was developed in 2018 by Welthungerhilfe in collaboration with local partner organisations in India and has since been adopted in seven other countries. The current project is the third and final phase of the NSC multi-country programme in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Building on participatory implementation in over 500 villages, measurable improvements in the nutritional status of women and children, and the institutional adoption of NSC components by government programmes such as Poshan Abhiyan (India), Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Plan (Nepal), and National Nutrition Policy (Bangladesh). Phase 3 focuses on scaling, systematising, and institutionalising the approach. A defining feature of this phase is the introduction of community collectives with decentralised structures that strengthen local value webs through knowledge exchange, resource sharing, and economic activity across community boundaries. Learning hubs led by women's groups, and producer organisations serve as centres for peer learning, economic self-organisation supported by 500 Food and Nutrition System Champions who act as multipliers, mediators, and advocates. The programme strengthens governance structures, integrates food-sensitive planning into government systems, and links community structures to regional platforms and national strategies for systemic impact. 

Overall Objective: The food security and nutrition of vulnerable communities in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh is improved through the establishment of inclusive and climate-resilient food systems.

Programme Outcome: Government and civil society decision makers at local, provincial, and national levels apply community-based and cross-sectoral approaches to sustainably improve the food security and nutrition of vulnerable groups.

The NSC Phase III programme strengthens adaptive and inclusive food systems in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh by developing a critical mass of food and nutrition champions including women leaders, community institutions, and government officials who drive cross-sectoral coordination, community-level behaviour change, and evidence-informed policy processes. Through investments in leadership, systemic thinking, and multi-stakeholder governance, the programme builds both the community outreach and capacitation needed to cascade knowledge and nutrition-sensitive practices to households and villages, and the forward linkages required to connect local food systems actors with sub-national, national, and regional decision-making structures.

By fostering nutrition-sensitive planning, climate-resilient entrepreneurship, and institutionalised learning across seven partner organisations and three countries, the programme advances a sustained agenda of food systems transformation that improves the nutrition and food security of vulnerable communities particularly women and marginalised groups. Lessons and models emerging from the three programme countries will be documented and shared with peers across the Global South, contributing to a growing body of practice on locally anchored, systemically oriented food systems change.

Click on the link below for the detailed TOR:

NSC III Baseline Study ToR_13082026

PARTICIPATION

Individual consultants, consultant teams, and legally registered consulting firms are welcome to apply for the tender via the link: Public RFT - TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) FOR BASELINE STUDY

Important Dates:

The deadline for the Submission of Bid: The interested and qualified consulting firms must apply by no later than 11 Sep 2026.

The deadline for submission of inquiries/questions: All inquiries or questions regarding the tender must be submitted no later than 3 Sep 2026.

The signing of the Contract with the selected consultancy firm and communication to unsuccessful bidders should be provided no later than 15 October 2026.