Consulting for Updating Care Procedures in Shelters for Victims of Human Trafficking in El Salvador At Pan American Development Foundation

Leave a Comment / El Salvador / By

TERMS OF REFERENCE

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

No. 2802.1.1.1

Consulting for the standardization of procedures for the provision of services to victims of the institutions of the National Council against Human Trafficking

El Salvador

1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION:

Victim participation in the court process can be an incredibly empowering and healing experience. However, victims must decide whether they want to participate and must be prepared for the type of testimony or evidence they will have to provide, and what the possible outcomes might be. They also need to trust the people they interact with during the trial process.

The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) believes in creating a hemisphere of opportunity for all people. For 60 years, PADF has worked to create opportunities and address challenges affecting the entire region, fostering healthier, more just, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable communities. We partner and empower civil society, governments, and the private sector for the common good of the region.

Within this framework, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) proposes implementing a project aimed at strengthening access to justice for victims of human trafficking and reducing impunity for perpetrators. The project is based on more than six years of PADF experience in Central America in the field of human trafficking, its collaboration with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and its established presence in El Salvador as a trusted partner in the region.

The project is justified by the urgent need to:

  • Update and harmonize victim care and referral protocols, with a differentiated, rights-based approach.
  • Strengthen inter-institutional and inter-sectoral coordination between the government and civil society.
  • Increase the technical capacity of justice sector operators to investigate, prosecute, and punish trafficking cases with a trauma-informed approach.
  • Ensure that survivors of human trafficking have the necessary support to actively participate in judicial processes and access appropriate protection services.

2. OBJECTIVE:

The overall objective of the consultancy is to standardize the inter-institutional procedures for assisting victims of human trafficking of the National Council against Human Trafficking in El Salvador, through a participatory process of review, improvement, and validation of procedures. This will strengthen the quality, consistency, and sustainability of service delivery, preventing re-victimization and ensuring comprehensive and coordinated care.

Specific objectives:

  1. Conduct a technical and participatory review of the current inter-institutional protocol, standard operating procedures, and other documents related to care for victims of human trafficking, identifying the obstacles faced by those providing care and areas where improvements are needed, ensuring that the procedures truly respond to the needs of victims and those who support them.
  2. Develop a report of findings and recommendations that consolidates the evidence gathered through document review, interviews, and focus groups with key stakeholders, aimed at proposing adjustments to improve and standardize procedures.
  3. Provide technical support for the drafting, validation, and institutionalization of updated regulatory documents, in coordination with the National Council against Trafficking in Persons, PADF, and key institutional partners.
  4. Design and facilitate an inter-institutional dissemination process for the new procedures, aimed at key stakeholders in the National Council against Human Trafficking.
  5. Ensure a non-revictimization approach, a differentiated approach, and institutional sustainability throughout the protocol standardization and dissemination process, drawing on regional best practices, including the SVET experience in Guatemala.

This consultancy responds directly to the following activity:

Standardize procedures across all Salvadoran government institutions by reviewing, updating, or creating, as needed, protocols and guidelines for institutions that provide services to victims of human trafficking to reduce re-victimization.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONSULTANT:

The consultant will be responsible for facilitating the process of standardizing and disseminating procedures for assisting victims of human trafficking, in close coordination with the PADF and the National Council against Human Trafficking. To this end, the consultant must:

  1. Conduct a comprehensive and participatory review of the inter-institutional protocols, guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and other current documents used by Salvadoran state institutions that provide care to victims of human trafficking.
  2. Conduct qualitative consultations (focus groups, interviews, and/or dialogue workshops) with key stakeholders in the public sector and specialized agencies to identify gaps, outdated practices, and areas for improvement in existing procedures.
  3. Prepare a technical analysis report that consolidates the findings of the document review and the consultation process, including clear and contextualized recommendations for updating and standardizing procedures.
  4. Draft an updated and standardized proposal for the protocol and/or care guidelines, incorporating a non-revictimization approach and addressing the differentiated needs of victims.
  5. Coordinate with PADF and the National Council Against Trafficking in Persons the technical and institutional validation process of the proposed documents, including the incorporation of observations, adjustments, and final approval.
  6. Ensure that the entire process promotes institutional sustainability, incorporating national and regional best practices (such as the SVET experience in Guatemala) and encouraging ownership of the instruments by the responsible stakeholders.
  7. Deliver all products in a timely manner, in accordance with the quality standards established by the National Council against Human Trafficking and PADF, and participate in follow-up or feedback meetings as required during the execution of the consultancy.

4. PLACE(S) OF ASSIGNMENT:

This consultancy will be conducted remotely and will require some in-person consultations and product presentations within Salvadoran territory, as established by government institutions.

5. CANDIDATE PROFILE:

The ideal candidate must possess the following:

Academic training:

  • University degree in Law, Social Sciences, Psychology, Social Work, Public Policy or related fields.
  • Postgraduate training in victim care, access to justice, or related areas will be considered.

Professional experience:

  • Minimum 5 years of proven experience in the design, review, or implementation of inter-institutional protocols or public policies in contexts of protection, assistance, or justice for vulnerable populations.
  • Proven experience in the field of human trafficking, child and adolescent protection, and victim care.
  • Previous experience in technical consulting or facilitating participatory processes, including collecting qualitative input (focus groups, interviews, workshops).
  • Experience in public policy analysis, technical writing, and preparation of diagnostic reports with concrete recommendations.

Key knowledge and skills:

  • Up-to-date knowledge of the Salvadoran and international legal framework on human trafficking and victim protection.
  • Ability to apply approaches based on non-revictimization and a differential approach in technical processes.
  • Assertive communication skills, empathy, and active listening, especially when interacting with survivors or frontline workers.
  • Ability to interact with government actors, international organizations, and civil society, with a collaborative and diplomatic approach.
  • Mastery of systematization tools, document analysis, and presentation of results in a clear and structured manner.

Other requirements:

  • Available for in-person or virtual meetings with PADF and the National Council Against Human Trafficking.
  • Organizational capacity, compliance with schedules and deliverables.
  • Desirable: knowledge of the Salvadoran context and previous experience with projects funded by international organizations.

6. CONTRACTUAL MECHANISM:

For this consultancy, there is a maximum budget of six thousand United States dollars ($6,000.00). Below is a table of deliverables:

Calendar of Milestones/Deliverables

  1. Estimated completion date: November 20, 2025
    1. Milestone: Approval of the work plan and detailed consultancy schedule.
    2. Deliverables: Work plan, consulting methodology including data collection tools (guides, focus groups, interviews, or others used in the collection process) and the table of contents for the report.
    3. Percentage of total: 20% of total
  2. Estimated completion date: December 15, 2025
    1. Milestone: Delivery of the diagnostic report with findings and recommendations on current protocols.
    2. Deliverables: Analysis report on current protocols, guidelines, SOPs, etc. for institutions that provide services to victims of human trafficking.
    3. Percentage of total: 25% of total
  3. Estimated completion date: January 30, 2026
    1. Milestone: Validated proposal for updated protocol/guidelines for victim care.
    2. Deliverables: Updated and standardized protocol or guidelines for providing services to institutions that provide services to victims of human trafficking.
    3. Percentage of total: 30% of total
  4. Estimated completion date: February 27, 2026
    1. Milestone: Closure of the consultancy with delivery of a consolidated final report, recommendations, and presentation to authorities.
    2. Deliverables: Final consultancy report
    3. Percentage of total: 25% of total

The consultant must provide a pricing model for each deliverable listed in the table above.

7. PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED:

  1. Please attach your curriculum vitae (CV) to demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the terms of reference.
  2. Include descriptions of similar projects or assignments and at least three client references.
  3. Letter of interest
  4. Technical and economic proposal.

8. DURATION OF THE CONTRACT:

The estimated start date of the contract is November 10, 2025. The contract will last approximately four months from the date of signing.

9. PARTICIPATION DATA:

  1. Applications must be received no later than October 24, 2025. All application materials must be submitted no later than one week after this publication to hbolanos@padf.org following the guidelines outlined in these Terms of Reference.
  2. Amendments: At any time before the deadline for proposal submissions, PADF may, for any reason, modify the Terms of Reference document by means of an amendment that will be posted on the PADF website and/or communicated by email.
  3. Clarifications: Questions can be sent to hbolanos@padf.org. The email subject should include the number and title of the terms of reference.

10. TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Result of the award

These Terms of Reference (TOR) do not obligate PADF to execute a contract, nor do they obligate PADF to pay any costs incurred in preparing or submitting proposals. Furthermore, PADF reserves the right to reject any and all proposals if such action is deemed to be in PADF’s best interest. PADF, at its sole discretion, will select the winning proposal and is not obligated to share the results of the individual evaluation.

Confidentiality

All proprietary information provided by the bidder will be treated as confidential and will not be shared with potential or existing applicants during the bidding process. This includes, but is not limited to, price quotes, cost proposals, and technical proposals. The results of the PADF evaluation are confidential.

How to apply

Applications must be received no later than October 24, 2025. All application materials must be submitted no later than one week after this publication to hbolanos@padf.org following the guidelines outlined in these Terms of Reference.