Consultancy for Financial Strategy

Project Name: Capacity strengthening of educational structures for Lebanese and refugee children with special needs in North Lebanon

Project Number: P6687 / BOF20201

Implementing Agency: Wahat al Farah (WAF)

Donor Agencies: Orienthelfer e.V. (Germany) and German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ)

Location: Bkeftine, Koura district, Lebanon

1. About Wahat al Farah:

Wahat Al Farah was founded in 1987 as a support center for people with mental disabilities in Bkeftine, northern Lebanon, and has been registered as non-governmental organization since 1995. Wahat Al Farah cares and supports people with special needs. The goal is to enable them to reach their full potential, to live as independently as possible, and to improve their participation in society and their overall development. Wahat al Farah currently cares for about 167 children and adults with special needs from different social backgrounds and all regions of North Lebanon. Wahat al Farah primarily runs the following range of activities:

• A special school
• vocational training workshops that provide access to appropriate, quality training and remunerated employment opportunities
• an agro-ecological garden
• an inclusive educational farm with animal-assisted therapy

1. About the project:

Lebanese and refugee children with intellectual disabilities or autism will be enabled to have access to appropriate special education in a needs-based, barrier-free educational center in the region of Bkeftine, North Lebanon, due to the improvement of the enabling environment. Consequently, the current project concerns a new building for the WAF special school. Construction is expected to be completed by September 2024 for the start of the 2024-25 school year and will permit an expansion of the student population from the current approximately 35 students to up to 100 students.

1. Objective of the Consultancy:

The consultation is expected to deliver innovative yet realistic recommendations for a long-term funding and financing strategy of WAF overall and in particular the special school based on a thorough assessment of its strengths and weaknesses against the background of the current situation in Lebanon. These recommendations should cover concrete and relevant new sources of income and cooperating partners as well as options to strengthen existing ones. The long-term aim is to enable WAF to sustainably finance the special school's running costs and transportation costs as well as other activities and services of WAF.

1. Process

• Phase 1: Desk study and inception

A kick-off meeting (online) between Wahat al Farah, Orienthelfer e.V. and the contracted consultants will clarify all open issues related to this assignment. The consultant will be provided with all the relevant data and context related documents to get familiarized with the planned approach.

• Phase 2: Status Review

The consultant analyses the current financial situation at WAF (strategic assessment of income vs. expenses) in comparison to potential future expenses and new local and international sources of income (i.e., donor funding, product sales and private fundraising). To do so, the consultant will particularly work with WAF administration (management, project financial coordination, accounting, treasurer) to analyze the current processes and capacities as well as to determine the need for improvement.

• Phase 3:  Workshop with WAF

The consultant organizes a workshop with WAF administration to present and discuss the findings and recommendations to the implementing agency.

• Phase 4: Summarizing all findings and recommendations in writing

The consultant prepares a written report recommending concrete steps and tailor-made solutions for sustainable financing of WAF and its school operations as well as more efficient financial and process management of WAF.

The full report should be available by February 2024 at the latest.

1. Expert Profile of the Consultant:

Minimum requirements:

• High caliber knowledge of and insight into the NGO sector in Lebanon and critical analysis thereof.
• Distinct experience in financial management in the development sector in Lebanon.
• Distinct knowledge of creating funding and marketing strategies for NGOs in Lebanon.
• Well networked with government, NGOs, funding agencies and other important stakeholders in the development sector in Lebanon and ideally abroad.
• Previous experience of at least three similar consultancies in the field of development of sustainable financing strategies or related project evaluations.
• Professional level knowledge of Arabic and English.

The assignment can be performed by a single consultant or ideally a consultant team with focus on financial management as well as on fundraising and marketing for NGOs. The project background requires a detailed knowledge of and access to all possible stakeholders regarding funding opportunities for Lebanese NGOs, marketing of (handicraft) products and other income opportunities.

The consultants are to be independent and impartial with no liabilities to any other organization or government entity regarding this assignment.

1. Tentative Timetable

• Applications to be submitted by September 20^th 2023
• Selection and contracting till September 29^th 2023
• Kick off Meeting October 6^th   2023
• Review period October – December 2023
• Workshop and presentation of findings and discussion on recommendations by January 2024
• Report to be submitted by February 29^th 2024

Only complete bids will be considered. Compulsory documents to submit are:

1. Proposal including timeline (in PDF format).
2. Financial Proposal including budget, completed and signed Annex A (in Excel and PDF); proposed payment schedule.
3. Documentation of experience and reference contacts (in PDF format).
4. Any other specification and written descriptions are welcome.

List of Annexes to the Terms of Reference:

Annex A: Bid proposal form (RFQ # CFS-WAF001-23)