Research Consultancy: A review of DRC’s Wage Employment Modalities in Turkey

Country: Turkey

Organization: Danish Refugee Council

Closing date: 2 Sep 2021

Background

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid and facilitate access to rights.

DRC has been operating in Turkey since 2013, running a combination of emergency, livelihoods, and protection programs to ensure better local integration of Syrian refugee populations as one part of a genuinely durable solution to displacement.

DRC’s vision for economic recovery programming is that all conflict- and displacement-affected households are able to achieve economic well-being, self-reliance, and resilience to shocks as part of finding a durable solution to displacement. In Turkey, DRC supports the economic recovery and livelihoods of Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTP) and other vulnerable refugees and affected host communities by strengthening the employability of individuals through market-based skills training and linkages to wage employment opportunities as well as supporting start-ups of micro, small enterprises.

The context for the work

The Consultancy

Under its economic recovery programming, DRC provides short- to longer-term employment (wage employment support) for vulnerable refugees and host populations to increase resilience through dignified and safe income generation activities, greater employability, and increased access to inclusive economic growth. For short-term employment, DRC implemented a cash for work (CfW) scheme in cooperation with the municipalities of Hatay, Kilis, Şanlıurfa, and Kahramanmaraş. Participants were provided with wages and supported with work permit applications. Participants were placed in diverse occupations, jointly agreed upon by DRC and municipalities based on the labor market needs and the skillset and preferences of the participants. Positions included cleaners, civil workers, social workers, administrative workers, interpreters, cooks, waiters, and greenhouse or agricultural workers. For long-term employment, DRC implemented a subsidy scheme (wage, work permit, and or social insurance premium subsidies) to encourage businesses to hire program participants as well as to enable program participants to remain in the workplace for a longer period of time. DRC piloted both wage employment modalities under the KfW funded Economic Recovery program, Bridges 2. DRC plans to scale up its wage employment interventions in Phase 3 of the program and eventually to replicate them in its future economic recovery programs.

CONSULTANCY OBJECTIVE

DRC Turkey is seeking an external consultant who will conduct a review of the existing program model/design, methodologies on implementation and monitoring, targeting and selection criteria, standard operating procedures for each wage employment modality, assess its performance, and analyze lessons learned, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.

The review aims to enhance DRC’s existing short and long-term wage employment modalities so that it will result in tangible job creation for displaced populations in Turkey. It should build on a previously implemented project funded by KfW – BRIDGES 2, incorporating lessons learned and reflecting projected shifts in the context.

Specific objectives

a) To assess the performance of the CfW and wage subsidy schemes currently implemented in the four target provinces in Southeast Turkey particularly in relation to the intervention design, objectives, expected impact/outcome, and the varying implementation approaches used;

b) To review all available DRC’s program and monitoring tools, identify gaps and areas for improvement, redevelop/redesign (if needed) in consultation with DRC’s economic recovery team;

c) To identify lessons learned and best practices;

d) To develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for each modality

e) To provide operational recommendations on how CfW and Wage Subsidy will result in tangible job creation developed.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS

This consultancy will cover Hatay, Şanlıurfa, Kilis, and Kahramanmaraş, Southeast Turkey.

Scope of Work

The Consultant is expected to:

1) Review the project proposals with CfW and wage subsidies component

2) Review all available tools and SOPs used by DRC in Turkey.

3) Do a comparative analysis of the different approaches used for wage employment (CfW and wage subsidies) in Turkey by DRC and other different actors, including the operational challenges

4) Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with DRC and partner’s staff, participating businesses and municipalities, and participants of CfW and Wage subsidy schemes to get their feedback/inputs/assessment on the design, implementation approaches and processes, targeting methodologies, and selection criteria, drawbacks/challenges, operational and or any field issues/obstacles, lessons learned, gaps to fill/improve. In-person KIIs are preferred (if there is no movement restriction due to COVID-19).

5) Identify lessons learned and best practices by DRC, including internal and external factors that have contributed to, affected, or impeded the piloting of both modalities.

6) Write a 15-25 pages’ report with the findings from the review and assessment.

7) Based on the findings of the review and assessment of the performance of the piloted modalities under BRIDGES 2, develop a separate SOP for the CfW scheme and wage subsidy scheme.

Deliverables:

1) Inception Report: Prepare an Inception Report to set out a detailed approach and methodology on how the review and assessment of each wage subsidy modality will be conducted. The Inception Report should include a detailed timeframe for each deliverable.

2) KII Tool: The consultant must submit the KII tool/questionnaire for approval prior to use. These tools will be reviewed by DRC and upon approval, they can be used. DRC will have a maximum of 3 reviews/revision processes for each tool submitted before the service provider’s finalization and usage.

3) Write a 15-25 page report with the findings from the review and assessment: The report must include the following:

1) Findings from the review of tools/SOPs/methodologies and approaches

2) Findings from the comparative analysis between DRC’s and other livelihood actors ’ different approaches used on wage employment in Turkey.

3) Findings from the KII

4) Operational recommendations must include the following:

a) how CfW and Wage subsidy will result in tangible job creation

b) how DRC can scale up each wage employment modality for Phase 3 of KfW funded program

c) how DRC can replicate both modalities in their future economic recovery programs.

4) Develop SOP for CfW scheme: In developing the SOP, the consultant must take into consideration the lessons learned from the piloting of the CfW scheme under the KfW funded program. The SOP must include sections on the preparatory activities such as the targeting methodologies and selection process, due diligence and payment schemes based on donor/DRC compliance, monitoring activities.

5) Develop SOP for wage subsidy scheme: In developing the SOP, the consultant must take into consideration the lessons learned from the piloting of the wage subsidy scheme under the KfW funded program. The SOP must include sections on the preparatory activities such as targeting methodologies and selection process, due diligence and payment schemes based on donor/DRC compliance, monitoring activities.

The final products will be reviewed for quality. DRC will have a maximum of three (3) reviews/revision processes for each deliverable/tool submitted before the service provider’s finalization and usage. All deliverables will be submitted in English. DRC Turkey Country Office has sole ownership of all the final data and documents.

Duration & Payment

The assignment is expected to be 2.5 months, from approximately October to mid-December 2021. The consultant will submit a detailed work plan including a timeline for the achievement of the various tasks involved in the consultancy and the delivery of the expected outputs, as well as a price proposal that is inclusive of all costs.

DRC will issue the contract in TRY. The payments will be made in three installments as follows: 1) 20% of contract value upon delivery and acceptance of the inception report; 2) 30% of contract value upon delivery and acceptance of the report findings; 3) 50% of contract value upon delivery and acceptance of all remaining deliverables. Final payment will be made upon submission of satisfactory deliverables.

ConsultantS Profile

Key requirements

The consultants or consultancy company should be able to demonstrate the following qualifications.

General qualifications

· Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Statistics, Demography, Research Methodologies, Development Studies, or other fields relevant to the consultancy

· At least five (5) years experience in research related to program evaluation, impact analysis, comparative analysis, strategy development

· Experience developing operational recommendations and identifying best practices

· Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of livelihoods and economic recovery programming for refugees, in particular wage employability, and job creation

· Knowledge of the local context in Turkey in particular the target areas in southeastern Turkey, including legal framework (including applicable labor laws) and operational environment for SuTP and other refugees; familiarity with and access to stakeholders relevant to employability and job creation

· Experience working with the Syrian community in Turkey, particularly in the target areas, will be an asset

· Strong qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills

· Fluency and ability to develop well-written analytical reports in English. For those conducting the survey/data collection, fluency in Arabic and Turkish is required

· Good drafting skills and ability to write well-structured reports as per provided 2-3 samples of work

· Ability to travel in south-east Turkey

· Currently residing in Turkey

Documents to be submitted

DRC Annexes: Supplier Registration form, Supplier Code of Conduct, and General Condition of Contract
A Technical proposal outlining how the consultant will undertake the proposed activities, including:

• A proposed methodology for the consultancy

• Proposed Workplan

• CVs of the consultant(s)

A financial proposal inclusive of all associated costs, including any travel and logistical expenses if needed
Two examples of similar work completed in the past, preferably by the designated lead writer
Two written references related to relevant work previously conducted by the designated consultant/firm’s staff/team.