UNFPA Ukraine opens call for NGO

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, an international development agency, invites qualified organizations to submit proposals for the implementation of the UNFPA Country Programme for Ukraine for 2018-2022 and UNFPA Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan 2022. The purpose of the Invitation for Proposals is to identify eligible non-governmental organizations for prospective partnership with the UNFPA Country Office for Ukraine to support the achievement of results outlined in section 1.3 below.

Organizations that wish to participate in this Invitation for Proposals are requested to send their submission through email with a subject: “UNFPA Invitation for Proposals” to the following email address: ukraine.office@unfpa.org

The deadline for accepting proposals is 06.00 p. m. 18 April 2022. Proposals received after the date and time may not be accepted for consideration.

Applications must be submitted in English.

Any requests for additional information must be addressed in writing by 14 April 2022 at the latest to Kateryna Tryodiial, Programme Associate, tryodiial@unfpa.org. UNFPA will ensure responses to queries or clarification in the written form before the deadline for submission of applications.

UNFPA shall notify an applying organization whether it is considered for further action.

Interested organizations are requested to send their submission through email with a subject: “UNFPA Invitation for Proposals” to the following email address: ukraine.office@unfpa.org by 18.00 18 April 2022 enclosing the information listed below (please attach documents signed by the Chief Executive Officer as scanned copies in pdf format):

-        Expression of interest letter explaining how the organization meets all the requirements and its comparative advantages (Invitation for Proposals - Attachment I: NGO Profile and Programme Proposal;

-        Full legal name, address and contact information of applying organization;

-        Copy of provisions of legal status of the NGO in Ukraine (applies to both national and international NGOs);

-        Documented fulfilment of tax obligations and tax registration/EDRPOU number;

-        Brief summary of results achieved by the organization in the last 3 years (as a separate document);

-        Latest annual report and audit report as separate documents or hyperlink to the documents;

-        Organizational structure chart (organigramme) and description of field presence in the project regions.

Section 1: Background

1.1 UNFPA mandate

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

1.2 UNFPA Programme of Assistance in  Ukraine

In Ukraine, UNFPA works with the government and other partners, focusing on sexual and reproductive health (SRH), including maternal and newborn health; and protection from gender-based violence (GBV), predominately for women and girls and the most vulnerable.

Ongoing hostilities in Ukraine continue to drive unprecedented levels of displacement both inside the country and across international borders. An estimated 10 million people have fled their homes. Most of the displaced are women and children who need safety and support every step of the way.

UNFPA is scaling up its response with partners to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls, including to give birth safely and to live free from violence and abuse. As the UN sexual and reproductive health agency and lead of the GBV sub-cluster, UNFPA is playing a key coordination role. UNFPA is repurposing its existent health and protection programmes in Ukraine and surrounding countries to provide emergency response service to those in need. As humanitarian access expands, UNFPA will expand interventions to increase the number of partners and locations offering health and protection services, including GBV support services in the coming days and weeks. UNFPA is using its existing network of shelters, centres and crisis rooms with GBV services, established before the start of the military offensive, to respond to the needs of women fleeing their homes. UNFPA is expanding critical health services including psychosocial support and specialist services to pregnant and other women affected by GBV who are in transit or whose services have been disrupted.        

Further information on UNFPA work in Ukraine can be found on www.unfpa.org.ua, ukraine.unfpa.org and www.fb.com/UNFPA.Ukraine.

1.3 Specific results

Within this framework and as set out in the UNFPA Country Programme for Ukraine for 2018-2022 and UNFPA Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan 2022, working with government and other partners, UNFPA seeks to work around the following outputs:

• GBV coordination, protection, prevention & awareness raising and access as well as economic empowerment
• SRH coordination and access to life-saving SRH services (MCH, FP, HIV, STI, CMR integrated)
• Support of youth needs and engagement  

UNFPA Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan 2022 will be structured around  the following key activities (but not limited to them):  

• Strengthening the GBV SC at national and sub national levels
• GBV information management system (data collection and management)
• Procurement and distribution of dignity and IARH kits
• Setup and operation of GBV PSS mobile teams
• Setup and operations of GBV safe space solutions for women and girls
• Establishment and operation of virtual space platform for young people
• Establishment and operation of career hubs for women and girls
• Setup, operations and supply of health mobile clinics and service delivery points
• Cash assistance support to women and girls to enable their access to SRH services.

Section 2: Application requirements and timelines

2.1 Documentation required for the submission

The invitation for proposal shall include the following documentation:

• Copy of provisions of legal status of the NGO in Ukraine (applies to both national and international NGOs)
• Attachment I – NGO Profile and Programme Proposal
• Brief summary of results achieved by the organization in the last 3 years (as a separate document)
• Latest annual report and audit report as separate documents or hyperlink to the documents

2.2 Indicative timelines

Invitation for Proposal issue date

05 April 2022

Deadline for submissions of proposals

18 April 2022

Deadline for requests of additional information/ clarifications

14 April 2022

Review of NGO submissions

21 April 2022

Notification of results communicated to NGO

22 April 2022

Section 3: Process and timelines

3.1 Review & evaluation of NGO submissions

Applications will be assessed by a review panel to identify organizations that have the required capacity, knowledge, skills and reach to support implementation of humanitarian response interventions across the country with a primary focus on locations with severely disrupted social protection and SRH care infrastructure and locations that receive high numbers of IDPs and returnees across Ukraine, using criteria outlined in section 3.2 below.

It should be noted, however, that participation in this Invitation for Proposals does not guarantee the organization will be selected for partnership with UNFPA. Selected NGOs will be invited to enter into an implementing partner agreement and applicable UNFPA programme policy and procedures will apply.

3.2 Selection criteria

Eligible organizations will be selected in a transparent and competitive manner, based on their capacity to ensure the highest quality of service, including the ability to apply innovative strategies to meet programme priorities in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

The UNFPA Country Office in Ukraine will review evidence provided by the NGO submission and evaluate applications based on the following criteria:

NB: Any proposal not submitted in English will be excluded from consideration.

Governance & Leadership

• The organization has a clearly defined mission and goals that reflect the organization’s structure and context, as well as alignment to UNFPA priority areas.
• Organization does not have a history of fraud, complaints or service delivery issues.

Human Resource

• Organization has sufficient staff resources and technical expertise to implement the proposed activities.
• Organization does not have conflicts of interest with UNFPA or its personnel that cannot be effectively mitigated.

Comparative Advantage

• The organization’s mission and/or strategic plan focuses on at least one of the UNFPA’s humanitarian response areas.
• The organization has experience in the country or field and enjoys prominence in areas related to UNFPA’s mandate.
• The organization has a proven track record in implementing similar activities and is seen as credible by its stakeholders and partners.
• The organization has ongoing operations and relevant community presence and ability to reach the target audience, especially vulnerable populations, in locations with severely disrupted social protection and SRH care infrastructure and locations that receive high numbers of IDPs and returnees across Ukraine.

Monitoring

• The organization has systems and tools in place to systematically collect, analyse and use programme monitoring data.

Partnerships

• The organization has established partnerships with the government and other relevant local, international and private sector entities.

Environmental Considerations

• The organization has established policies or practices to reduce the environmental impact of its activities. If no policies exist, the organization must not have a history of its activities causing negative impact to the environment.

3.3 Prospective partnership agreement

UNFPA will inform all applicants of the outcome of their submissions in writing to the email address indicated in the NGO submission.

Section A. NGO Identification

A.1 Organization information

Organization name

Founded in (year)

Address

Website

A.2 Contact information

Name

Title/Function

Telephone

Email

A.3 Conflict of interest statement

To your knowledge, do any staff members of your organization have personal or financial relationships with any staff of UNFPA, or any other conflicts of interest with this programme or UNFPA? If so, please explain.

A.4. Fraud statement

Does your organization have fraud prevention policies and practices in place?

Section B. Overview of the organization

B.1 Annual budget

Size of annual budget (previous year, USD)

Source of funding

Outline funding base, including local, international, and private sector donors

Main funding partners/donors

B.2 Staff capacity

List of number and key functions of core organization staff

B.3 NGO mandate and background (up to 400 words)

Outline the organization’s mandate and field of work, and how it aligns to UNFPA’s mandate and areas of humanitarian response

B.4 Available expertise and specialists

Outline the distinctive technical capacity of the organization to achieve results in the proposed programmatic area

B.5 Experience in proposed area of work

(up to 400 words)

Outline the type/scope and key results achieved in proposed programmatic area (in line with UNFPA CO outputs and Humanitarian Response activities, detailed in para 1.3) in recent years, including any recognition received at local / global level for the work in the proposed area. Include a summary experience in Ukraine and prior experience with any organization of the United Nations system

B.6 Knowledge of the local context / Accessibility to target population

Outline the presence, current activities and community relations across Ukraine, with particular focus on locations with severely disrupted social protection and SRH care infrastructure and locations that receive high numbers of IDPs and returnees

B.7 Credibility

To what extent is the NGO recognized as credible by the government, and/or other key stakeholders/partners?

B.8 Monitoring

Outline the systems in place (policies, procedures, guidelines, and other tools) that systematically collect, analyse and use programme monitoring data

B.9. Assurance

Has the organization undergone external audits? Please outline key findings and recommendations from the most recent audit (please attach a copy of the audit report with the application).

Section C. Current Work in Humanitarian Context

C.1 Current activities of the organization (since the war started)

Describe work done by the organization since the start of the war

C.2 Beneficiaries

Outline who benefitted from the organization’s work (types of beneficiaries, their numbers)

C.3 Geography of operation

Please indicate where organization’s humanitarian response work was delivered – list settlements and/or regions

C.4 Capacity to implement

Please describe current capacity (available staff, resources) to implement activities in the nearest future (1 month from now)

C.5 Partnerships

Outline existing partnerships (with local authorities, CSOs, international partners) that you can rely on in implementing humanitarian response work

Section D. References

Please provide 3 references to support your application. Include name, title, contact information and brief summary of relationship.

Reference 1:

Reference 2:

Reference 3: