Consultancy – Development of Monitoring & Reporting Tool for the SADC Labour Migration Action Plan

Call for Application (CFA)

Development of Monitoring & Reporting Tool for the SADC Labour Migration Action Plan

1. Background

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) consists of 16 Member States[1] that cooperate to achieve the objectives of economic growth and development, peace and security, and regional integration. In recognition of the importance of migration to regional integration and cooperation, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) (2020-2030), which is the strategic framework for SADC, includes the commitment to promote safe, secure, orderly, and dignified migration across the region. This resonates with the SADC Treaty obligation to eliminate obstacles to the free movement of capital and labour, goods and services, and of the people. RISDP also includes implementation of the SADC Labour Migration Action Plan (LMAP) to enhance labour mobility as a key intervention. Accordingly, the SADC Ministers of Employment and Labour and Social Partners, in March 2020, adopted a new LMAP covering the period 2020-2025. The Plan, which is being implemented in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has three objectives covering the areas of labour migration policies and regulatory systems; migrant workers’ rights; and migrant workers’ participation in development process.

To facilitate effective implementation of the LMAP, the SADC Employment and Labour Sector has established a tripartite SADC Technical Committee on Labour Migration, which held its inaugural meeting on 10 March 2021. One of the first tasks of the Technical Committee was to contribute to development of a prioritized and costed LMAP work plan, taking into account COVID-19 pandemic effects and emerging priorities. The contribution of the Committee was in the context of a scoping study undertaken by the Secretariat, ILO and IOM, which has reaffirmed LMAP priorities with a total costing of regional coordination activities amounting to US$1,713,000.00. Most notably, the scoping study highlighted that the success of the LMAP will be highly dependent on realisation of the output on national labour migration policy frameworks, that are implemented collaboratively in line with the whole of society and whole of government approaches. This is because effective labour migration management is only a part of a long and intricate continuum that involves various actors such as those in home affairs, education, foreign affairs and civil society, among others.

2. LMAP Monitoring and Reporting Tool

As the management of labour migration requires multiple actors, there is need to strengthen mechanisms of regional and national coordination, stakeholder accountability and reporting so that progress is realised. This requirement is particularly important taking into account that the two previous SADC LMAP editions that covered the period 2013-2019 were not supported by a responsive monitoring and evaluation framework.

The final assessment report for LMAP (2016-2019) revealed that, among other reasons, implementation had been hampered by lack of systematic monitoring, evaluation and reporting at both regional and national levels, in the absence of measurable indicators and targets to track progress. The final LMAP assessment report showed weak performance, with only 19% of targeted outputs across all planned outcomes having been achieved at the end of 2019. With this in mind, the Secretariat and cooperating partners are prioritising the development of a SADC Monitoring and Reporting Tool for the current action plan. The Tool is mostly expected to facilitate visibility and greater implementation of the LMAP at national levels, while also creating concrete opportunities for cooperation across different stakeholders.

3. Consultancy scope of work

The main objective of this Consultancy is to produce a SADC Monitoring and Reporting Tool for the LMAP (2020-2025), in line with the roadmap below. Specifically, the Consultant will be required to undertake the following activities:

a) Conduct a desk review on current status of labour migration information and data issues, including monitoring and evaluation practices on labour migration;

b) Develop a suitable SADC Monitoring and Reporting Tool, that takes into account LMAP commitments and other relevant frameworks, including online platforms;

c) Present the draft Monitoring and Reporting Tool at a meeting of the SADC Technical Committee on Labour Migration; and

d) Produce validation meeting report.

4. Roadmap towards the Monitoring and Reporting Tool

The roadmap for the exercise to develop the Tool is as follows:

Time frame

Action

Responsibility

1 – 31 July 2021

Data collection and consultations with Secretariat and ICPs

Consultant

1 – 15 August 2021

Development of draft Monitoring and Reporting Tool

Consultant

20-21 September 2021

Member States’ consultative workshop on the draft Monitoring and Reporting Tool (Technical Committee on Labour Migration)

Secretariat and consultants

30 September 2021

Submission of final Monitoring and Reporting Tool

Consultant

5. Consultancy Deliverables

a) Expected Outputs

i) Draft Monitoring and Reporting Tool; and

ii) Validation report.

b) Deliverables and Timeframe

The Consultant will require 25 days, delivering the final outputs as per roadmap and by no later than 30 September 2021.

6. Qualifications and Competences

a) Education: Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, or Monitoring and Evaluation;

b) Experience: A minimum of 10 years’ experience in migration management, international development, development policy and/or research and analysis, with demonstrated knowledge and experience in monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Demonstrated knowledge of SADC policies and strategies, as well as familiarity with regional monitoring and evaluation processes;

c) General skills: Demonstrated analytical skills and excellent communication and report writing skills; and

d) Language: Written and spoken English. Knowledge of French or Portuguese will be an added advantage.

7. Evaluation Criteria

Prospective consultants will be evaluated for suitability to undertake the task based on the following criteria:

Criteria

Points

Education and Training

20

Specific skills

60

General skills

20

Total **

100

8. Management Arrangements and Conduct of Work

a) The Director of Social and Human Development at the SADC Secretariat will be responsible for overall execution of the consultancy, with technical support from IOM;

b) The Consultant shall carry out his or her assignment under a contract issued by IOM (under the direct supervision of Regional Programme Coordinator); and

c) The Consultant will be expected to work from his or her own offices and to use their own facilities.

9. Monitoring and Evaluation

The Consultant will be required to ensure reporting against measurable indicators. These indicators should reflect the consultant’s commitment to delivering quality outputs in a timely manner, aligned to the agreed methodology as proposed in the inception report. The final set of progress indicators should be provided in the inception report along with progress to be monitored.

10. Payment Schedule

This assignment will be implemented over 25 days. The fees will be paid in accordance with deliverables in the following proportions:

a) 30% upon submission and acceptance of Inception Report;

b) 50% upon submission and acceptance of the final draft Report; and

c) 20% upon validation and submission of final validated Report