Request for proposal – Capacity Development Experts

NOTE: This is for a consultancy contract, it is not a job advertisement.

Background

Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is one of the largest humanitarian aid organisations in the Nordic region, committed to promoting global justice to address the root causes of poverty. NCA is also part of the ACT Alliance – one of the world’s largest humanitarian alliances with faith-based organisations in over 140 countries. Jointly with partners, NCA provides humanitarian assistance and long-term development work in: Climate-resilient WASH, Gender-based violence, Peace building, Climate and Environmental stewardship, and Economic Development and Food Security programmes, among others.

As a leading global WASH actor, NCA has broad expertise in the implementation of WASH programs in both humanitarian and development contexts. Through its CRWASH program NCA seeks to address both immediate needs and long-term challenges through adaptive strategies that integrate climate resilience into WASH programming to ensure sustainable access to WASH services.

NCA’s new programme framework (2025-2029) emphasizes evidence-informed interventions, local capacity development in collaboration with various stakeholders in both humanitarian and development contexts to enhance the impact of our work.

Contract Purpose

NCA is committed to enhancing the effectiveness, sustainability and impact of its WASH interventions by focusing on increasing knowledge on social, cultural and behavioural factors that influence access to, and use WASH services in protracted humanitarian settings. This includes understanding the coping mechanisms and adaptive behaviors in response to WASH gaps, in order to design interventions that address these challenges and support more resilient, context-appropriate solutions.

To achieve this, NCA seeks to establish long-term consultancy framework agreements with WASH Social and Behavior Change and Capacity Development experts (individual consultants and/ or consulting firms) who have expertise in WASH-related capacity development to support the implementation of a multi-year project titled: WASH Social Components Initiative. This initiative aims to strengthen the social and behavioral components of NCA’s humanitarian WASH programs.

Scope of Work

Through this framework, the contractor/consultants will provide technical expertise and tailored capacity development support on WASH behaviour change across multiple countries – with the initial pilot focusing on countries in the horn of Africa region. NCA seeks experts who can design and implement capacity development initiatives to enhance the social behavior change components of WASH programming. Some of the key tasks include:

1. Development of a WASH Social Behavior Change Toolkit:

• Develop a comprehensive toolkit containing resources, practical tools, and guidelines that are tailored to the audience, and that will support the design, implementation, and monitoring of effective WASH behavior change interventions in protracted humanitarian (and climate-affected) contexts
• Conduct field testing the toolkit in pilot countries to ensure that the toolkit materials are culturally appropriate, contextually relevant, and user-friendly for a diverse range of communities. Use feedback from field tests to refine and improve the toolkit for broader roll-out

1. Design of User-Centered WASH Course Modules:

Develop scenario-based, interactive course modules that focus on WASH behavior change for humanitarian practitioners. The modules should: a) incorporate real-world challenges and case studies from humanitarian settings; b) be adaptable for both in-person delivery and digital learning formats to ensure access in humanitarian settings

1. Facilitation of Workshops and Trainings:

Co-facilitate capacity development workshops and training sessions to introduce and roll out the WASH behavior change toolkit and course modules in different humanitarian contexts.

1. Digital learning and adaptation:

Adapt the WASH toolkit content and course modules for use on digital platforms to ensure accessibility in remote and humanitarian settings. This may include the conversion or integration of content into digital learning platforms that are adaptable to low-bandwidth settings

Qualifications

The successful implementation of this initiative will require experts with the following qualifications:

1. Advanced degree qualifications in WASH-related fields, public health, behaviour sciences, development, environmental sciences, education, gender, instructional design, or other related fields
2. A minimum of 5 years of experience in WASH capacity development, particularly in protracted humanitarian settings
3. Proven experience in developing WASH behavior change toolkits and adapting learning tools and materials for humanitarian settings, with a focus on both in-person and digital formats
4. Familiarity with digital learning technologies and conversion of learning materials into accessible formats for use in remote/ humanitarian contexts
5. Experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders, including local academic institutions, government bodies, and international NGOs in implementing WASH capacity development programs
6. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse communities to ensure gender and inclusion, as well as sustainability of WASH interventions

Note:

Framework contracts will commence upon signature and remain valid for three years, with specific purchase orders issued for defined deliverables. The specific conditions, quantity, date of delivery etc. of a given purchase shall only be laid down in a purchase order when the services are needed. This framework contract shall cover Global services, as well as services in specific regions and countries in NCA’s areas of operation (https://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/where-we-work).

Reporting

The Contractor/Consultants will report to the designated NCA advisor(s) as outlined in specific purchase orders.

Required Documents:

• CV and portfolio of relevant work
• Technical and financial proposals, including availability and consultancy rates

How to apply

Request for Proposal, Proposal Submission Form, as well as the instructions for submission can be found in the following link:

https://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/request-for-proposal-capacity-development-experts