Country: Azerbaijan, Georgia
Closing date: 03 Nov 2016
UNICEF Tbilisi requests proposals to select the company for -Research on children living and/or working on the streets in Georgia (and Azerbaijan)
Submit your proposal with unit price(s) in USD as instructed, on or before closing time.
(a) Note that failure to submit proposal in USD, or in accordance with the requested terms, will result in automatic invalidation of your application.
- In addition, please note that:
(a) UNICEF and its implementing partners are VAT exempt. Kindly ensure that all price(s) quoted in USD are excluding VAT;
(b) For transparency of the process we require that the proposals are received in the sealed form (sealed envelopes);
(c) It is important that you read all of the provisions, to ensure that you understand UNICEF’s requirements and can submit an offer in compliance with them. This includes submission of ALL documents requested. Note that your proposals should be submitted in English using the enclosed format. Proposals received in any other manner or after the indicated above deadline will be INVALIDATED.
(d) Evaluation criteria will be based on reliability of the organization, suggested methodology and approach, best price and proposal terms. The ratio between the technical and price criteria is 70:30.
(e) In case of pre-payment request, bank guarantee letter should be submitted
SUBMISSION TERMS:
In order to be considered for an award, your technical and price proposals should be hand delivered in separate sealed envelopes and placed in the locked Tender Box located at the Ground Floor of UN House, 9 Eristavi Street, Vake, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia NO LATER than 15:00 of 3 November 2016.
For international Organization RFP can be send by e-mail to geosupply@unicef.org Technical and price proposals should be provided in two separate files, preferable in PDF format
While the price proposals remain sealed until the technical evaluation is completed, the technical envelopes will be opened immediately after the closing time and forwarded to the unit designated to manage the selection process. One representative from each bidding company may attend the opening process.
The sealed envelopes should be labeled as follows: (1) P-GEO-2016-012- Technical Proposal and (2) P-GEO-2016-012- Price Proposal.
Technical Proposal should include:
Proposal including Draft research methodology, Proof of experience of conducting similar research, timeline, CVs of staff members, Information regarding organization’s bank account issued by Bank (stamped);
Price Proposal should include: Cover letter; proposed budget with indication of proposed fees; (in USD).
Respectfully,
Vakhtang Akhaladze
Operations Manager, UNICEF Tbilisi
Terms of reference
Research on children living and/or working on the streets in Georgia (and Azerbaijan)
Definitions
Definitions of “street children” have considerably evolved over the past thirty years[1] as new understanding has developed with increased research. Today, street children are understood as “*children for whom the street is the central reference point – one which plays a significant role in his/her everyday life and identity*”[2].
This latest definition intends to capture all the complexity and diversity of street children lives. There are indeed a variety of ways in which a child can be involved with the street and a variety of experiences that he or she can have.
This definition also intends to depict the inherent mobility of street children and the on-going movement between “home”, the streets, welfare shelters, etc.: “*Street-connected children live mobile lives – they move between public and private spaces and need to adhere to different values and display different behaviour in each of these places. Street connected children will often move as a means of dealing with, or avoiding difficult situations. There are three main types of mobility during a child’s street career: between spaces in the city; between street and non-street locations; and between cities. This mobility can be voluntary – to visit friends and family – and forced – by State authorities or adults in the community moving street children on. Children may also move across country-borders unaccompanied during their street career**[3]**”.*
Additionally, there is currently an increasing focus from researchers on “street children” as social agents or actors of their own rights. This underlines the importance of their own perspectives of their experiences: “*A child in a street situation is a social actor, actively adapting his/her behaviour to the social context by making use of instrumental resources (activities, time, space) as well as symbolic ones (norms and values, relations, image of one self, motivation, gender)*”[4].
“Street-connected children’s identities are not fixed or set as the dominant categorisations of the victim/delinquent*[5]** narrative imply, but are multiple and fluid – sometimes transitory – across space, time and social axes, and also therefore specific to the individual child’s experiences*.[6]”
The phenomenon of street children in Georgia
The only comprehensive study related to street children was conducted in 2007-2008[7]. It estimated that there were a maximum of 1,600 street children in the four largest urban centres (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi and Batumi) in Georgia. This study showed that there are more boys than girls among street children (65% of boys, 35% of girls) and that the majority of children (66%) were 5 to 14 years of age. The study also revealed that the vast majority of children (74%) were “non-migrant children”, while 19% had migrated from another place in Georgia and only 7% were children-migrants from other countries. Most of those children migrated from Azerbaijan (50%): “*reported similar living conditions. Most of the Azeri children have at least one parent in the same city and 70% have both parents in the same city. None of the children are enrolled in school. Again, almost all (90%) of the children are on the streets full-time (winter and summer days and nights); all of the children engage in begging, and 90% of them have never used a social service*”[8].
Since 2012, with the support of the European Union, UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs has worked towards the setting-up of services aiming at identifying and rehabilitating street children in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Rustavi. Anecdotal evidences gathered by services providers[9] seem to demonstrate that patterns related to the phenomenon and the profile of street children have significantly evolved since 2008. Among others, evidence suggests that the patterns of the proportion of child migrants, particularly from Azerbaijan, has drastically increased[10].
Nonetheless, beyond these anecdotal evidences, the issue of street children has remained largely under-documented and insufficiently analysed since 2008.
UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA), with World Vision International in Georgia and with the Open Society Georgia Foundation, has therefore decided to conduct a new research on that matter with the objective to establish a better understanding of phenomena involving street children, as well as mapping the existing institutional responses in order to develop or improve policy responses and existing services in line with the socio-economic realities and the institutional environment in Georgia and Azerbaijan.
A Steering Committee composed of representatives of UNICEF, MoLHSA, Social Services Agency (SSA0, World Vision, Open Society Georgia Foundation, Caritas, Save the Children, ILO and the Public Defender Office (PDO) will be created to oversee and supervise the whole research process.
UNICEF Georgia is seeking services of local or international company to accomplish the following objectives:
Specific objectives
Conduct a comprehensive desk review of issues related to street connected children in Georgia and Azerbaijan;
Conduct an institutional analysis, including:
a. Identify and map the organizations and institutions (State services, NGOs, Social partners and Community organizations) working in the field of protection of children living and/or working on the streets;
b. Document and analyse of the methodology, types of services (prevention, immediate care, family reunification, reintegration, etc.) and the existing referral mechanisms;
c. Assess the human and financial resources available for the protection of children living and/or working on the street.
Document and analyse the “working conditions” and the nature of the tasks performed by children in the street;
Map and document the migratory flows related to the phenomenon of street children
a. Identify the main regions/cities of origin and of destination
b. Propose a typology of children/families at risk and document and analyse the recruitment mechanisms – if any
c. On the basis of a clear methodology, propose an estimated number of children living and/or working on the street
- Document "life experiences" of children living or working in the streets (demographic information, living conditions, vulnerability assessment, occurrence of abuse and violence within and outside families). This shall include:
a. Analysis of the factors and characteristics that lead a child to live/work in the streets (socioeconomic situation of families, discrimination and ethnicity, dysfunctional families, etc.);
b. Document and analyse the perceptions of parents as regards to education, schooling and child labour.
- Elaborate recommendations to inform public policies in order to improve and expand response mechanisms and to develop prevention strategies.
Specific tasks of the company
Timeline
Deliverables
ü Analyse existing information related to policies, normative frameworks, and statistical data that could be useful to provide basic knowledge/understandings and inform the situation analysis.
ü Analyse existing information from relevant social services.
2 months
üDetailed research methodology
ü Conduct discussions and consultations with key informants and institutions related to the phenomenon of street children (i.e. Government agencies, NGOs, religious groups, children and communities, etc.).
ü Identify key issues, map the relevant organizations and programs and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of social services provided as well as potential gaps and appropriate measures to remedy and alternatives.
3 months
üProgress report
ü Propose strategies and interventions in order to better prevent and address the phenomenon of street children.
3 months
üFinal report including a series of recommendations for State agencies, international organizations and non-governmental organizations.
Specific tasks of the company also include managing all logistical, administrative and financial aspects of the research under the supervision of and with the approval of UNICEF Georgia and/or Azerbaijan.
Experience required / Qualifications
ü At least 5 years’ experience working in the field of child care/social protection with a particular focus on issues related to street children, child labour and exploitation and child migration.
ü Good understanding of child care/protection system and services in the Southern Caucasus.
ü Demonstrated experience of implementation of the similar research.
ü Key personnel involved in the research mast have advanced university degree in social or political sciences or related technical field and experience of similar research.
ü Local companies may also sub-contract international consultants with the relevant experience.
ü Demonstrated experience of excellent report writing and presentation skills;
Submission requirements in separated sealed envelopes:
Technical Proposal should include:
Proposal including Draft research methodology, Proof of experience of conducting similar research, timeline, CVs of staff members, Information regarding organization’s bank account issued by Bank (stamped); filled VMIP Vendor Registration form (template is attached)
Price Proposal should include: Cover letter; proposed budget with indication of proposed fees; (in USD).
For international Organization RFP can be send by e-mail to geosupply@unicef.org Technical and price proposals should be provided in two separate files, preferable in PDF format
Please, do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, contact person: Ia Tchanukvadze itchanukvadze@unicef.org +995322251130 #231
Proposal should be addressed to:
The UNICEF Georgia office Operation Department, Tbilisi Georgia
IMPORTANT – ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Proposals must be received by latest 15:00 hrs. on 3th of November 2015.
Proposals received after the stipulated date and time will be invalidated. Technical Proposal for the requested services must be enveloped separately and corresponding financial proposal must also be enveloped separately.
The reference RFP 012 must be shown on the envelopes containing the financial & Technical proposals with a label financial proposal or Technical proposal. Proposals Delivered incorrectly will be invalidated, even if received before the stipulated deadline.
It is important that you read all the provisions of the Request for Proposal to ensure that you understand and comply with UNICEF’s requirements. Note that failure to submit compliant proposals may result in invalidation.
Price Proposals will only be accepted in the currency stated in the enclosures to this LRPS (USD). Any Proposal received in any currency other than the stated currency will be invalidated.
All the information provided in response to this RFP are subject to verification
[1] The term “street children” was first introduced by UNICEF in 1979. Soon afterwards (1986) UNICEF defined children as “on” and “of” the street. Children on the street were identified as home-based children who spend much of the day on the street but have family support and return home at night, while children of the street were identified as those who spend most of their time on the street including at night and predominantly have no support from family or other adult guardians or care-givers. This became for years the most frequently used definition.
[2] “*Protection and promotion of the rights of children working and/or living on the street*”, UN OHCHR 2012.
[3] “*I move, therefore I am not – Exploring different conceptualisations of street-connected children’s identities*”, Consortium for Street Children, 2016.
[4] “*Street children and homeless youth – a cross cultural perspective*”, Lewis Aptekar & Daniel Stoecklin, 2014
[5] The label “street children” indeed often refers to two main pre-constructed categories: victims (children are needy, poor, destitute children in need of being “rescued” from the streets) or delinquents (children only engage in criminal activities and as such are a scourge on society)
[6] “*I move, therefore I am not – Exploring different conceptualisations of street-connected children’s identities*”, Consortium for Street Children, 2016.
[7] “*Don’t Call Me a Street Child Estimation and Characteristics of Urban Street Children in Georgia*”, Save the Children, UNICEF & USAID, 2009
[8] Don’t Call Me a Street Child Estimation and Characteristics of Urban Street Children in Georgia”, Save the Children, UNICEF & USAID, 2009
[9] World Vision, Caritas and Child and Environment
[10] According to services providers, about 30% of street children are migrating from Azerbaijan
How to apply:
SUBMISSION TERMS:
In order to be considered for an award, your technical and price proposals should be hand delivered in separate sealed envelopes and placed in the locked Tender Box located at the Ground Floor of UN House, 9 Eristavi Street, Vake, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia NO LATER than 15:00 of 3 November 2016.
For international Organization RFP can be send by e-mail to geosupply@unicef.org Technical and price proposals should be provided in two separate files, preferable in PDF format
While the price proposals remain sealed until the technical evaluation is completed, the technical envelopes will be opened immediately after the closing time and forwarded to the unit designated to manage the selection process. One representative from each bidding company may attend the opening process.
The sealed envelopes should be labeled as follows: (1) P-GEO-2016-012- Technical Proposal and (2) P-GEO-2016-012- Price Proposal.
Technical Proposal should include:
Proposal including Draft research methodology, Proof of experience of conducting similar research, timeline, CVs of staff members, Information regarding organization’s bank account issued by Bank (stamped);
Price Proposal should include: Cover letter; proposed budget with indication of proposed fees; (in USD).