Consultancy

1.    BACKGROUND

The Partnerships for Local Innovation – Women in Local Leadership (PMI-WILL) is a $27,610,160 project with a financial contribution of $26 million from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and $1,610,160 of in-kind contributions from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The project aims to enhance the enjoyment of rights for women and girls in five countries: Benin, Cambodia, Ghana, Sri Lanka, and Zambia. It has two intermediate outcomes: increased participation by women, particularly those from marginalized groups, as leaders and decision-makers in local governance in the targeted countries; and increased effectiveness of local authorities in the targeted countries in delivering inclusive, gender-responsive municipal services.

To achieve these outcomes, FCM will engage with a network of stakeholders in each country and benefit from the contributions of Canadian municipal experts. Key interlocutors in each country will include local governments (LGs)/local authorities (LAs), Local Government Associations (LGAs), civil society organizations (CSOs) that work directly on gender or women’s affairs, political parties, and national authorities including ministries responsible for local government, gender, women’s affairs, and local government training institutes.

In Zambia, FCM is implementing the project in collaboration with the Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ), Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Gender Division, selected local authorities (Chifunabuli, Kafue, Kasama, Lunte and Nakonde Councils), and other key stakeholders including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs).

2.    OBJECTIVE OF ASSIGNMENT

Under Outcome 2100, PMI-WILL will assess the capacity of selected local authorities (LAs) to deliver inclusive, gender responsive municipal services. This will be carried out through self-assessments whose findings will inform the LA’s Capacity Development Action Plans highlighting activities on inclusive, gender responsive service delivery and community engagement. The objective of this assignment is to provide technical assistance to LGAZ to contextualize the Capacity Development Self-Assessments tool for LAs and update the existing Facilitators’ Guide to support Canadian municipal practitioners to engage with LAs to develop their Capacity Development Action Plan.

Existing Capacity Self-Assessment Tools designed to align with project objectives to guide stakeholders through the capacity assessment process will serve as the foundation to develop Capacity Self-Assessment Tools that are contextualized to the country context, legal framework, and local government system. The Tools will evaluate key areas (Leadership, Engagement, Service Delivery and Management) with a focus on supporting inclusive, gender-responsive local governance and women’s leadership and decision-making. The results of the self-assessment will be used to design the Capacity Development Action Plan for LAs with the support of Canadian Municipal Practitioners and to define the baseline value of key performance indicators. Similarly, an existing facilitators’ guide which covers key areas of capacity relevant to the project (that is gender equality and social inclusion) must also be updated to align with the revised Capacity Self-Assessment Tool and take into the local relevant aspects of the Tool.

3.    SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant will:

1. Review and revise existing Capacity Self-Assessment Tools and Facilitator Guide provided by FCM and identify areas that will need local contextualization to take into account the legal and policy framework and local government system;
2. Update the Self-Assessment Tool and Facilitator Guide based on the findings;
3. Based on the updates to the final Capacity Self-Assessment, provide recommendations on potential areas of focus for LAs capacity development, including aspects where LGAZ and Canadian Municipal Practitioners may provide the relevant technical support.

4.    EXPECTED OUTPUTS

The following are the main expected outputs of the assignment:

1. Draft LAs Capacity Self-Assessment Tool and Facilitator Guide incorporating the local context and legal framework that governs local authorities in the country;
2. Final revised LAs Capacity Self-Assessment Tool that addresses any feedback and concerns from the LGAZ and FCM;
3. Final revised LAs Facilitator Guide that addresses any feedback and concerns from LGAZ and FCM;
4. Brief report on recommended capacity development actions for the LAs, LGAZ/PMI-WILL, and Canadian Municipal Practitioners.

KEY DELIVERABLES AND LEVEL OF EFFORT

• 3 days - Review capacity assessment tool and facilitation Guide and identify areas that require country specification and alignment with any relevant legal frameworks.
• 3 days - Draft LA Capacity Self-Assessment Tool and Facilitator Guide incorporating the local context and legal framework that governs local government municipalities in the country
• 2 days - Final Capacity Self-Assessment Tool and Facilitator’s Guide with feedback from LGAs and FCM incorporated.
• 1 day - Hold a virtual session to orient LGAZ, Partner Local Authorities and FCM staff on how to use the capacity self-assessment tool and facilitator’s guide.
• 3 days - Report with recommendations on potential capacity development activities for selected local authorities to deliver inclusive, gender responsive local governance and services.

Total of 12 working days

6.    FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

Applicants are required to indicate the consultancy rate (in Zambian Kwacha and inclusive of taxes) per day and the number of days anticipated to complete the assignment. Please note that the logistical costs of any workshops or meetings required do not need to be costed.

7.    DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

The consultant is expected to possess the following:

1. Previous experience with using and/or applying tools that highlight gender based and intersectional analyses, particularly within the local governance context is highly desired.
2. In-depth understanding of the context in Zambia with specific focus including the local government system, municipal service delivery, and policy and regulatory frameworks;
3. Thorough understanding of institutional capacity development and strategic planning processes;
4. Experience in facilitating participatory capacity assessments, situational analysis, and drafting capacity development plans with a monitoring and evaluation component;
5. Evidence of having undertaken similar consultancy assignments especially with public institutions and international organisations;
6. An affiliate of a relevant professional body.

8.    APPLICATION PROCESS

Please submit a costed proposal (no more than 5 pages excluding CVs) indicating the consultant’s previous relevant experience; indicative methodology or that will be used for the assignment; a work plan, the level of effort; and daily rate (in Zambian Kwacha); and list of people who will work on the assignment (if working as a team) with their CVs, specifying the lead consultant.

Submissions should be addressed to  

The National Project Coordinator,

Partnerships for Municipal Innovation – Women in Local Leadership,

Local Government Association of Zambia, Lusaka

and submitted in PDF format by e-mail to

info@lgazambia.org.zm  & copy stanley.chanda@lgazambia.org.zm  by close of business on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.

Please indicate “Capacity Assessment of Partner Local Authorities” in the email subject line.

Kindly note that only successful applicants will be contacted.

Job Category: Consultancy

Job Type: Contract

Job Location: Lusaka

Job Duration: 12 Days