Request for proposal and ToR for
Child Safeguarding Local Mapping
SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh

Background:

This Terms of Reference serves as a formal request for proposals from Research organizations and/or Consultancy Firms, who are interested in conducting a Child Safeguarding Local Mapping in country context: Details regarding the content of proposals and submission procedures are explained herein.

SOS  Children’s  Villages  International is a child-centred development organization that has been active in the field of child care, and children’s rights and is committed to children's needs and concerns without religious and political affiliations. The mission of SOS Children’s Villages International (SOS CVI) is to build families for children in need, help them shape their own futures and share in the development of their communities. As the largest, non-political, non-denominational child welfare organization in the world, SOS CV offers effective alternative care through its services in the Family like  Care (FLC)  program and Family Strengthening  Program (FSP) in 138 countries. It is working towards the provision of family-like alternative care and strengthening families for the children who are deprived of parental care or at risk of losing parental care and living in vulnerable circumstances.

SOS Children’s Villages works in accordance with the UNCRC: The best interest of the child is our primary consideration. Every child has the right to develop to his or her full potential, to quality education, participation and non-discrimination. Everybody has the responsibility to protect children from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination.

As a Child Care organisation we ensure that all children and young people in the care of the organisation are safe from abuse, violence and neglect. Over the years SOS Children’s Villages has strengthened its child safeguarding mechanisms according to the Child Protection Policy and related guidelines. Organisation’s stand regarding any form of child abuse  is „ Zero tolerance“.

A key element in responding appropriately and effectively to child safeguarding concerns is having a clear picture of the local child protection context and its implications. So that the responses of any allegations will be in line with the legal and social welfare realities. To further strengthen the child safeguarding reporting and responding procedures in member associations and to avoid possible failures in dealing with child safeguarding concerns and incidents in member associations, it is necessary to identify the existing child safeguarding reporting and responding procedures of the country. The following topics need to in special considerations:

  1. National child welfare and protection legislation
  2. Government bodies/agencies with statutory authority for the protection of the children
  3. National mechanisms related to child protection
  4. Child protection risks relevant to the whole country and the particular locations where SOS Children’s Villages runs its programme

Objectives of the study

Identify the existing CS Reporting and Responding Mechanism of the country

  • To identify appropriate and legal provisions covered in national legislations and other notifications
  • To identify appropriate referral authorities and decision making bodies
  • To clearly depict the lacunae and challenges in child protection arena
  • To document all information pertaining to possible advocacy with government

Design SOS specific action plans to address critical and other incidences

  • To identify agencies having specialisation on child abuse investigation
  • To identify agencies working on prevention and restoration
  • To develop networking with likeminded agencies in the gamut of child safeguarding

 Scope of the Mapping

  • Identify the Legal provisions, stakeholders, possible all kind of child protection risks,
  • Identify Child Protection Networks of Bangladesh and it will cover the following:

- Statutory child protection
- Criminal issues that requires mandatory reporting, Investigation and prosecution
- Other country/local agencies for victim response / rehabilitation
- NGOs (local and international), professional networks etc. for victim response
- Community based organisation working for Child Protection in Bangladesh

  • Name of the agencies working in Seven locations (Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, Bagerhat,  Chattogram, Bogra & Sylhet) for Child Abuse Reporting, Responding, Investigation, Counselling and safe placement 

Core Pronciples

  • Thoroughness: The Mapping will be conducted in a diligent, complete and focused manner
  • Confidentiality: The outcome of the mapping should not be shared with other organization/Agency unless agreed by the SOS CV Bangladesh management
  • Accuracy and Documentation: The report and its conclusions will be accurate and supported by adequate documentation.
  • Timeline: The Mapping will be completed within agreed timeline

Process and Deadline of Proposal Submission

To facilitate the submission of proposals, duly stamped and signed proposals (technical & financial) can be submitted either in hard copy to SOS Children Villages Bangladesh’s National Office at 01, Shamoli, Mirpur Road, Dhaka-1207 or electronically in PDF format through email to national.office@sos-bangladesh.org by on 05 February, by 17:00 hrs. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered.

Please make sure that the technical and financial proposals are prepared and submitted separately. For electronic submission also, the financial proposal should be shared in a separate PDF file. During the process of evaluation, technical bids will be opened and evaluated first. The financial part of those proposals, which are shortlisted after evaluation of the technical proposal, will be opened in a second step.

Submission package

  • Cover letter
  • CV of the consultant and any other individuals who will contribute to the study;
  • A financial proposal;
  • A technical proposal;
  • Legal document of company registration;
  • An example (abstract) of a recent/relevant evaluation report;
  • Three references (at least two of them must be familiar with your work).

The signing of the contract

SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh will inform the successful consulting firm electronically and will send the contract form within one week after the closure of the proposal submission deadline. The successful consulting firm shall sign the contract, and return it to SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh within seven calendar days of receipt of the contract. After the contract is signed by the two parties, the successful consulting firm shall deliver the services in accordance with the delivery schedule outlined in the proposal or the newly developed schedule by both parties.

Rights of SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh

  • Contact any or all references supplied by the consulting firm/social researcher;
  • Request additional supporting or supplementary data (from the consulting firm/social researcher);
  • Arrange interviews with the consulting firm/social researchers;
  • Reject any or all proposals submitted;
  • Accept any proposals in whole or in part;
  • Negotiate with the consulting firm/social researcher that has attained the best rating/ranking, i.e. the one providing the overall best value proposal;

Evaluation of Proposals

After the opening, each proposal will be assessed first on its technical quality and compliance and subsequently on its price. The proposal with the best overall value, composed of technical merit and price, will be considered for approval. The technical proposal is evaluated on the basis of its responsiveness to the Term of Reference (TOR). Consulting firms may additionally be requested to provide additional information (virtual presentation or phone interview) to SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh on the proposed services.

Expected deliverables:

  • First draft of the final report in English in the attached format provided by SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh
  • Presentation of preliminary results to SOS Children‘s Villages Bangladesh;
  • Final report as the electronic version and hard copy

Duration of the contract and terms of payment

Payment will be made only upon SOS Children’s Village International in Bangladesh’s acceptance of the work performed in accordance with the above-described deliverables. Financial proposals should include proposed stage payments. Payment will be paid by bank transfer/account payee cheque after receipt of invoice depending on satisfactory completion and acceptance of work by SOS Bangladesh and is due within 30 days after receipt of invoice satisfactory completion and acceptance of work.

Funding and Schedule of Payment: The consultant will be paid by SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh as follows:

40% upon signing of the contract 60% on completion of the final report and acceptance of SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh
VAT and Tax will be applicable at the time of payment as per Government rules from this amount.

Notice of Delay

Shall the successful bidder encounter delay in the performance of the Contract, which may be excusable under unavoidable circumstances; the contractor shall notify SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh in writing about the causes of any such delays within one (1) week from the beginning of the delay. After receipt of the Contractor's notice of delay, SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh shall analyse the facts and extent of the delay, and extend the time for performance when in its judgment the facts justify such an extension.

Copyright and other propriety rights

SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, and trademarks, with regard to products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials which the Contractor has developed for SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh under the Contract and which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents and other materials constitute works made for hire for SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh.

Termination

SOS Children’s Village International in Bangladesh reserves the right to terminate without cause this contract at any time upon ten (10) days prior to written notice to the Contractor, in which case SOS Children’s Village International in Bangladesh shall reimburse the Contractor for all reasonable costs incurred by the Contractor prior to receipt of the notice of termination.
SOS Children’s Village International in Bangladesh reserves the right to terminate the contract with financial obligations in case the contractor is not meeting the following provisions without any prior notice:

  • agreed time schedule (within 01 month including the final report)
  • the deliverables do not comply with the requirements of the ToR and evaluation guide.