Terms of Reference – Livelihood and Market Assessment Study

Terms of Reference – Livelihood and Market Assessment Study

1. Background:

Accelerating Actions to Reduce Gender-Based Violence (GARVA) is a 3.5-year project funded by Islamic Relief Canada. The project aims to reduce GBV and improve the well-being of 34,155 Women, men, girls, and boys in the Rajpur and Chandrapur Municipalities of Rautahat district. The project seeks to transform harmful gender roles and social norms by empowering women and girls, engaging men and boys in practising positive gender norms and contributing to a reduction of the incidence of gender-based violence. Counselling/psychosocial first aid and case management support will be made available to GBV survivors, along with referrals for other services. Further, women and girls will receive training in technical, financial, business management, life skills and assets to pursue income-generation activities in agriculture and livestock and off-farm. The project will also improve employment-related knowledge and vocational skills and facilitation of self-employment. Further, the project is facilitating the linking of these target communities and their products with the market by strengthening the market system.

In this regard, Islamic Relief Nepal is carrying out a Livelihood and Market system assessment to support the project team in impactful project implementation. The assessment outcome will help identify and understand relevant and viable livelihood/employment opportunities for women and girls based on market demand and gender responsiveness.

The objective of the study:

• Identify income-generating opportunities in the project area for women, girls and PWD. Identified IGA (employable market-driven vocational skills, individual/group-based small-scale enterprise/business) should be based on the prevailing market system demands related to skills and businesses and permissible in the context.
• Provide analysis of the different types of farms, and off-farm businesses that could be created, identifying the break-even of each type of trade and indicative minimal investment.
• Identify the barriers to accessing income-generating opportunities by girls and women belonging to ultra-poor, Dalit and Muslim families and suggest ways of overcoming them, focusing on key success factors for the different types of livelihoods and the startup requirements.
• Evaluate the supply and demand for the TVET skills, as well as the market dynamics. Map the vocational training institutions and companies/markets that can potentially absorb such skills.
• Map Private/ public support system for strengthening backwards and forward market linkages to run a small business by the target rightsholders.
• Assess the market challenges and opportunities associated with SMEs due to the open border with India.
• To understand GBV risks that may exist related to livelihoods and recommend mitigation strategies to ensure DO NO Harm in the project.

2. Methodology:

The study should be conducted with a participatory approach engaging with the implementing partner, project team and community members associated with the project. The consultant will develop the methodology and tools required for livelihoods and market system assessment for promoting potential income-generating activities. The consultant/s will be responsible to facilitate the following processes:

• Secondary literature review (available market assessment reports, Government/Bilateral/Multilateral policies promoting income generating activities and skill development catering to various sectors (tourism, production, trading etc) project documents and other relevant documents
• Develop necessary tools, formats, and matrix for primary data collection.
• Field visits to project municipalities/districts for data collection from relevant stakeholders.
• Data analysis and recommendations based on the data collected.
• Share the findings with the project team engaged with the program
• The consultant should be involved in the following stakeholder consultation.
• Relevant Provincial/national government departments/ministries
• I/NGOs active in economic development/livelihoods in the target areas
• Project potential beneficiaries, Progressive farmers/ micro business entrepreneurs
• Potential employers like hotel management, contractors, and small cottage and industry
• District Chamber of Industry and Commerce, TVET trainers, financial service providers,

3. Deliverables: Deliverables should include the following:

• An inception report, including planned timeline and work plan, literature review of all relevant secondary sources, detailed methodology/approach, planned stakeholders to be consulted and sampling framework, data collection and analysis tools, qualitative and quantitative protocols for data collection and analysis.
• Brief presentation of preliminary findings including mapping of vocational skill development institutions, potential employers etc.
• Final report: The final report should be jargon-free, clear and simply written. The main body of the report should not exceed 20 pages and should include an executive summary, brief background and recommendations.
• Recommendations and findings should be backed up with relevant data, with reference to the data source and need to be specific.

The structure of the report should cover the following:

• Executive summary
• Brief project background
• Main findings relating to the study questions.
• Recommendations for future action

In addition, the final report should contain at least the following annexes:

• Terms of Reference
• Literature review
• Stakeholder mapping (potential employers, training institutions)
• Itinerary
• List of meetings attended
• List of persons interviewed
• Details of methodology
• Summary of field visits
• List of documents reviewed
• Any other relevant material, including data collection tools
• Further technical data and sources

4. Reporting:

The consultant will report to the Senior Program Officer for study deliverables and for all issues related to the project and fieldwork. The consultant will hold a meeting to exchange views on preliminary findings and recommendations.

5. Timeline

The anticipated duration of this assignment is 20 working days with a minimum of 7 days spent in the projects’ target locations in Rautahat. The anticipated start date is mid-August 2023 with submission of the final draft at the end of September 2023. The final timeframe will be agreed upon with the selected consultants.

6. Payment schedule

The payment will be done as follows:

• 60% upon submission of inception report with a work plan
• 40% upon submission of the final report that is agreed upon and approved by IRN

7. How to apply

The individual or consultancy firm shall submit their proposals with the following documents by 26th September 2023 by 5:00 pm to the email: info.nepal@islamic-relief.org.np or hardcopies submission at Islamic Relief Nepal Country Office Kumaripati Lalitpur with subject line: Consultancy for Livelihood and Market Assessment

Proposal Assessment

• A technical proposal with a detailed response to the TORs, with a specific focus on the scope of work, methodology to be used and key selection criteria for respondents.
• Organization/individual capacity and experience in conducting market system assessment, livelihood analysis in rural, urban or peri-urban contexts.
• CVs of the team and their roles
• The financial proposal should include a detailed budget proposal breakdown of what cost covers inclusive of relevant taxes where applicable.
• VAT/ PAN Registration Documents, Latest Tax Clearance Document (In case of submitting from Consulting Firm )
• Evidence of similar reports and References from the organization(s) for whom that work was contracted.