Experts for Ideation, Conceptualization and Proposal Writing

About Chemonics

Chemonics International is an international development company based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to promote meaningful change around the world to help people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives. Since 1975, we have worked in 150 countries around the world, and we are currently implementing 118 projects in 84 countries. Our main partner is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and we also work with foreign donors such as the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Global Fund. We have more than 4,000 staff in our project offices around the world, and more than 500 staff based in our headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Project Background

The Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP) is a multi-year project funded by USAID to support municipalities and underserved and vulnerable communities in providing better services and enhanced economic opportunities to improve lives and reduce tensions that contribute to conflict and violence, primarily in Lebanon’s North, South, and Beqaa regions. Under Task Order No.3 (TO3), the project will provide technical assistance to municipalities, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, or other entities to increase capacity and ensure sustainable impact in providing key essential services. The main objective of this 5-year task order is to support Component 3 (Capacity Building) of the CSP Program by delivering technical assistance to enhance the sustainability of CSP interventions under Component 1 (Community Stabilization Support) and Component 2 (Community Development Support), and if required, under future Task Orders.

Activity Background and General Information

In their countries of residence, migrants organized themselves into organizations, unions, and/or NGOs in the aim of enhancing the relationships between the Lebanese Diaspora and Lebanese residents, connecting them to their roots, preserving the heritage, and supporting their families and relatives in times of needs.  

The diaspora community has been supporting and upkeeping the Lebanese community in response to different crises, whether a disease, a blast, war, or economic deterioration. The Lebanese diaspora community always stood beside the Lebanese residents and backed them up. This is the case since years as the diaspora community stood beside Lebanon and played a key supporting role in response to the different crises Lebanon went through since its independence in 1943.

During the first two years of the implementation of the CSP, and while engaging with the communities, municipalities, and local organizations that have benefited from material assistance under the CSP, the team has noticed a high need for further support in different sectors. While the assistance provided by the CSP was important and helpful, it was not enough to address all the local needs especially in the context of the continuously deteriorating socio-economic collapse in Lebanon. In fact, communities and organizations are now in a constant search for financial support to ensure the provision of essential services.

Summary of Position

The Expert will assist CSP/TO3 team to provide technical assistance to selected municipalities and communities to strengthen their capacities in Ideation, Conceptualization and Proposal Writing for the purpose of attracting diaspora support/funding. The technical assistance comes in the form of standard trainings, on-the-job trainings, troubleshooting, and provision of technical assistance tools such as guidelines, TIP Sheets, policies, procedures and/or checklists for the improved functioning of targeted organizations.

Targeted communities

The activities required under this call will target a total of seven (7) communities/ cluster of municipalities as listed below:

• Union of Municipality of Hasbani (South,Nabatieh Governorate, Hasbaiya district)
• Municipality of Ain Ebel South, Nabatieh Governorate, Bint Jbeil district)
• Municipality of Bechmizzine (North, North Governorate, Koura district)
• Municipality of Amioun (North, North Governorate, Koura district)
• Three clusters of municipalities (North, Bekaa, and South) that include communities’ members of the Generators’ Community of Practice (CoP).

The generators community of practice is a platform where all communities who have received generators from USAID meet to:

• Discuss with relevant experts the challenges faced and the optimal actions and solutions to be undertaken by the municipalities to adapt to the deteriorated economic situation and accordingly secure the resources needed to continue operating and maintaining the generators.
• Discuss issues related to operation and maintenance, environmental compliance, transparency with residents, legal framework, bookkeeping, etc.
• Share educational material.
• Learn from each other’s experience and collaborate on technical matters.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

The Expert will work closely with the Task Order 3 team to train and support the selected communities to strengthen their capacities in Ideation, Conceptualization and Proposal Writing.

The purpose is to enhance the capacity of the beneficiary municipalities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to prepare a light proposal for funding as below:

Activities:

1-Support and follow-up with communities to identify, conceptualize and develop a short 2-page proposal presented in 7 to 10 power points slides. The identification of the project would be of need and interest to both the local and the diaspora communities.

2-Work with the municipalities and the NGOs and train them on how to assess the financial feasibility and the legality of the identified project.

3-Provide the targeted communities with a list detailing all the general pre-requisite documentation and requirements they must prepare for the specific identified project.

Deliverables:

Brief proposal prepared by the community detailing the project, its budget, and the expected results along with all the supporting documents proving the financial and the legal viability of the project.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in project Ideation, Conceptualization and Proposal Writing.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s Degree is a plus in one of the areas related to political science, community development, social sciences, public administration, and other relevant areas.
• Excellent Arabic writing skills necessary to develop the technical assistance material, guidelines, and Tip sheets.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across diverse sets of stakeholders.
• Experience working across Lebanon, specifically in the North, South, and Bekaa regions preferred.
• Fluency in spoken and written Arabic and English.

Eligibility Criteria

Interested individual experts shall have the capacity to enter a short-term technical assistance (STTA) contract and shall have a satisfactory performance record and record of integrity and business ethics.

Ineligible Experts:

• Government employees.
• Individual experts that appear on the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Non-Procurement Programs.

Location of the Assignment

The expert will be liaising with CSP TO 3 team at CSP offices in Sin-El-Fil and will be traveling to project field locations to design and deliver technical assistance.

Consultancy Duration:

The duration of this consultancy is 4 calendar months, starting signature date.

Level of Effort:

Up to 25 working days.

Reporting

The experts will be reporting to TO3’s appointed focal point.  

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants that can legally work in Lebanon will be considered for employment based on their qualifications without discrimination.