RFQ FY23 – 131 Development of a Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression, and Sexual Characteristics Safeguarding Annex At Plan International

1. Background Information on Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

Read more about Plan International’s Global Strategy: All Girls Standing Strong Creating Global Change at https://plan-international.org/organisation/strategy/

About the commissioning office

Plan International’s Global Safeguarding Unit, a team of 9 is commissioning this work. The Global Safeguarding unit is part of the Global Hub for Plan International, with a headquarters office in Woking, England. The Global Hub is comprised of over 300 staff employed globally.

The Global Safeguarding Unit exists to provide leadership, strategic direction, expertise advice, and investigation and case management capacity into safeguarding reports as pertaining to children and programme participants in all their diversity. High on the Global Safeguarding Unit’s strategic plan is to continue to solidify and expand its intersectional approach to safeguarding.

2. Background/Context

Plan International’s Global Policy on Safeguarding Children and Young People the organisations’ efforts to reduce and mitigate the risk of harm to children and programme participants in all their diversity as a result of their association with the organisation.

Its Safeguarding in Programming and Influencing Guidelines ensures the embedding our intersectional safeguarding approach in the design and delivery of our programming and influencing interventions. The Global Safeguarding Unit has undertaken the task of developing annexes to the guidelines looking at the safeguarding needs of some of the most significant ‘vulnerablised’ and ‘invisiblised’ intersecting identities. As part of this task is the development of a Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sexual Characteristics (SOGIESC) specific annex to the guidelines that will appropriately comment on and provide guidance on the needs around ensuring safe participation in Plan International Programming and Influencing projects/interventions for programme participants identifying as Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Asexual (LGBTQIA+). Furthermore, is the production of associated training that will ensure the socialization of the guidance.

3. Description & Objectives

Purpose

Plan International’s Safeguarding in Programming and Influencing Guidelines requires an annex on SOGIESC inclusive safeguarding that will appropriately comment on and provide guidance on ensuring the safe participation and inclusion of LGBTIQA+ programme participants.

The annex will help users:

• understand what is meant by ‘LGBTQIA+ inclusive safeguarding’ and why this is important during programme/influencing delivery and delivery
• recognise the specific risks those identifying as LGBTQIA+ may experience in programme delivery
• understand key steps that need to be taken at each stage of the programmes cycle to keep those identifying as LGBTQIA+ safe
• How to safely collect data on LGBTIQA+ programme participants, considering global considerations of where it may be illegal to identify as LGBTIQA+, as well as sensitivities regarding collecting data on minors.

In addition, an associated training/workshop material is required to ensure the socialisation of the guidelines.

Methodology

The annex writing will involve any necessary desk-research into the needs of LGBTIQA+ programme participants and references to studies, however consultants should come with this specialist knowledge already.

Writing time should take no more than 7 working days.

Users

The annex of the Safeguarding in Programming and Influencing Guide is intended primarily for Plan International Safeguarding focal Points and Programme and Influencing Staff. The associated training/workshop is intended primarily for the same staff but may reach beyond this to other staff as well as programme participants.

4. Deliverables and Timeline

Key Deliverables

1. An annex to the Safeguarding Policy including:
   • Purpose statement
   • Why the safeguarding and inclusive needs of LGBTIQA+ programme participants are important and must be considered
   • Harmful beliefs relation to children and young people from the LGBTIQA+ community
   • LGBTQIA+ inclusive safeguarding in the project lifecycle
     • Safe and inclusive design together
     • Safe and inclusive prepare together
     • Safe and inclusive do together
     • Safe and inclusive review together
   • How to safely collect data on LGBTIQA+ programme participants, considering global considerations of where it may be illegal to identify as LGBTIQA+, as well as sensitivities regarding collecting data on minors.
2. Production of Training/Workshop and training/workshop audio visual materials (PowerPoints) including facilitator’s notes/guide. There will be no facilitation included as part of this contract.

Consider the following in a table of Deliverables:

Deliverable: 1. SOGIESC Inclusive Safeguarding in Programming and Influencing Annex

Format: Word document

Length: 2 to 3 pages, 1500 to 2500 words

Due: Final by December 15 2022 (it is expected that drafts for review will be provided in stages before this time)

Detail: Annex to be written in English

Deliverable: 2. SOGIESC Inclusive Safeguarding in Programming and Influencing Training/workshop

Format: PPT with facilitators notes and exercises. Facilitator’s notes in a separate word document.

Length: The workshop should be around 4 to 6 hrs in length

Due: Final by December 15 2022 (it is expected that drafts for review will be provided in stages before this time)

Detail: To be written in English. To contain facilitators notes and exercises

Timeline

• Activity: Requests for quotation launch

Deadline:15th August 2022

• Activity: Annex Drafting

Deadline:October 1 -November 1 2022

Responsible: Consultant

• Activity: Submission of first draft

Deadline: November 2 2022

Responsible: Consultant

• Activity: Review and commenting on draft

Deadline: Completed by November 24 2022

Responsible: Safeguarding Top level Group – Saul Zavarce to lead

• Activity: Review and revision

Deadline: completed by December 1st 2022

Responsible: Consultant

Activity: Final submission

Deadline: December 15 2022

Responsible: Consultant

5. Budget

Payment Schedule:

Milestone: Full payment on Completion and approval of all Deliverables.

Amount to be Paid (%): 100%

6. Expected qualifications of Consultant

Consultants should either belong to a specialist consultancy organisation focused on international development programming on SOGIESC, or be a private consultant with a Masters Degree or higher in gender studies, with a proven track record of work with regards to SOGIESC inclusion in international development programming, preferably on safeguarding.

Candidates who are members of the LGBTIQA+ community will be preferred for this work.

7. Contact

For questions or clarifications in relation to this RFQ please contact procurement@plan-international.org and include the RFQ reference “RFQ FY23 – 131 Development of a Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression, and Sexual Characteristics Safeguarding Annex” in the email subject.

8. List of documents to be submitted with the RFQ

Interested applicants should provide a proposal covering the following aspects:

Detailed response to the Request for Quote (RFQ)/ToR including:

• Proposed methodology/changes to proposed headings
• Proposed timelines
• CVs (include individual/company contact details and relevant experience)
• Example of previous work
• Two professional references including contact details, contracts dates and scope of work.
• Detailed budget, including daily fee rates, expenses, etc.

All consultants/applicant are required to agree and adhere to Plan International’s Non-Staff Code of Conduct.

9. Evaluation of offers

Shortlisted suppliers may be invited to discuss their proposals in more detail at Plan’s discretion.

Plan International, at its sole discretion, will select the successful RFQ.

Plan international shall be free to:

• Accept the whole, or part only, of any submission
• Accept none of the proposals
• Republish this Request for Quotations

Plan International reserves the right to keep confidential the circumstances that have been considered for the selection of the offers.

Part of the evaluation process may include a presentation from the supplier.

Women-owned businesses and companies actively engaged or advancing gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace are especially encouraged to apply

Value for money is very important to Plan International, as every additional £ saved is money that we can use on our humanitarian and development work throughout the world.

Plan Internationalmay award multiple contracts and all contracts will be non-exclusive.

10. Contract & Payment terms

Please note that, if successful, Plan International’s standard terms of payment are 30 days after the end of the month of receipt of invoice, or after acceptance of the Goods/Services/Works, if later.

11. IR35 Requirements – Only applicable for UK based or connections to the UK Consultants

As of April 2021, all Global Hub UK-based contractors (Consultant/personal service company/agency/intermediary) employing “people” in their chain to deliver serves to Plan International must follow a strict process of IR35 determination.

Plan Limited will conduct a CES tool on all relevant shortlisted proposers as outlined above to determine whether they fall inside or outside IR35.

12. Plan International’s Ethical & Environmental Statement

The supplier should establish environmental standards and good practices that follow the principles of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, and in particular to ensure compliance with environmental legislation

13. Clarifications

The onus is on the invited individual/companies to ensure that its offer is complete and meets Plan International’s requirements. Failure to comply may lead to the offer being rejected. Please therefore ensure that you read this document carefully and answer fully all questions asked.

If you have any queries in relation to your submission, or to any requirements of this RFQ, please email: procurement@plan-international.org

Thank you for your proposal