Terms of Reference DRM Strategy and Emergency Response SOPs Development

1. Background and Rationale

Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) is an independent, non-political humanitarian organisation that was established in April 1963 through Presidential Decree. The Somali Red Crescent Society has operated continuously throughout the country’s period of civil war and political divide and is credited for its unity as one National Society. It operates through a network of 19 branches with its activities spread across the country.

SRCS Somaliland Hargeisa Coordination Office recently underwent Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) assessment to evaluate National Society preparedness and response system. The PER assessment focused on the National Society’s recent responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the desert locust emergency. The PER assessment determined, among other gaps in line with the PER mechanism, that SRCS does not have a comprehensive DRM Strategy in place. However, some elements of a DRM Strategy are included in the SRCS Resilience Strategy (valid for five years until 2024). A DRM framework was developed in 2017/2018, but it was not implemented by the National Society. While SRCS is already a primary national response actor and plays a significant role during a disaster or crisis, the NS response mechanism could be significantly improved through a clear, cohesive, and well-understood DRM Strategy. In the final PER report, the following recommendations (relevant to PER components prioritised for action) were outlined:

• Develop a DRM strategy covering overall goal(s), scope, and options for a response to potential disasters and emergencies and approaches for necessary institutional preparedness. The strategy should link NS response operations with recovery and community resilience work.
• Develop a response plan (aligned with overall DRM strategy) and contingency plan(s) for imminent risks (including epidemics) based on potential scenarios. This should also include developing/updating all corresponding SOPs covering all specific areas of intervention (services), operational capacity and support services to respond to disasters and crises.

The ‘Strengthening Service Delivery of Emergency Response in Somaliland’ project will address some of the prioritized areas of improvement outlined in its PER Action plan to ensure effective response to the most vulnerable communities. The development of a DRM Strategy has been identified as one of SRCS’s priority in its PER action plan. To achieve this output technical support will be requested locally from National Disaster Response and Food Reserve Authority of Somaliland, Kenyan Red Cross or other RC Movement partners. TORs to determine the scope of work to accomplish throughout the project are being developed during the last month of current Continuum of Care (CoC) in Somaliland Project. An internal 5-day workshop (including 1 day for travel) involving representatives from 6 branches and Coordination office will be organized for the development of the strategy. The DRM Strategy will complement the SRCS existing Resilience Strategy and will have to be approved by SRCS senior management. SRCS Resilience strategy mainly focuses on DRR and response, not the entire DRM continuum including preparedness and response elements. In developing the strategy, PGIE elements will be integrated into the DRM strategy to make it PGIE responsive. Specifically, a Dignity, Access, Participation, and Safety (DAPS) framework will be utilized to ensure that the strategy is PGIE responsive.

2. Approach and Methodology

Objectives

1. To develop a comprehensive DRM Strategy (2022-2025) for SRCS covering the entire DRM continuum, with the aim to effectively enhance the resilience of people and communities towards future risks and reduction of disaster losses.
2. To develop SOPs for identified operational capacity, support services or specific areas of intervention (services) for SRCS response to disasters and crises.

Methodology

The development of the DRM strategy and SOPs will be coordinated by a technical team consisting of SRCS focal points from Hargeisa and Mogadishu Coordinating Offices, IFRC and Canadian and British Red Cross National Societies. The consultant will facilitate One in-country workshop (potentially back to back) – one focused on DRM strategy developed and the other on SOP development, which will initiate the drafting of the documents.

A collaborative approach will be taken, with the technical team working closely with the consultant to refine the methodology, review existing materials and tools and drafting.

The documents will be developed through:

– Desk review of relevant documents and tools

– One in-person workshops with participation of CO, branches and selected Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement and external partners

– Consultations with SRCS, RCRC Movement partners and external partners

Key tasks (persons responsible)

– Mapping of relevant materials and tools related to SRCS strategies, policies, SOPs, international and national frameworks and legislation (SRCS and Canadian RC)

– Review and gap analysis of existing strategies and SOPs to identify areas requiring updating (consultant and technical team)

– Consolidation and drafting of DRM strategy and SOPs (consultant)

3. Outputs
4. Final version of DRM Strategy for three years (2022-2025) with appropriate KPIs and targets, including annexes.
5. Final SOPs covering objective, coverage, description, roles and responsibilities and process flow chart (content and template of SOPs to be proposed and approved by SRCS).

Both documents will be initially developed in English, and later translated into Somali language by SRCS prior to dissemination.

4. Timeline

Duration: August-September 2021

5. Budget

The consultant is asked to submit a budget proposal outlining costs for working days (fee) for his/herself and wider team (if applicable) the exact numbers of workshop days are six days both DRM and SOPs development.

6. Selection criteria

¨ Extensive experience in Disaster Management, specifically development of polices, guidelines, strategies, SOPs and management of humanitarian operations

¨ Understanding of humanitarian context in Somalia

¨ A strong track record of confidentiality and ability to manage sensitive information discreetly and diplomatically

¨ Excellent reading, written and spoken English

¨ Knowledge and experience working with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement preferred

¨ Availability for the timeframe indicated

Application process please send your application to srcsvac@gmail.com. Application will close Tuesday 17-Aug-2021.