DATE: [28/11/2016] CLOSING DATE AND TIME: [19/12/2016] 23:59 hrs CET

Transcription

1 _ DATE: [28/11/2016] REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST: No. EOI OD-MENA-BA/ADMIN/2016/206 FOR THE PROVISION OF STUDY FOR DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE COPING MECHANISMS OF SYRIAN REFUGEES CLOSING DATE AND TIME: [19/12/2016] 23:59 hrs CET The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly 1, intends to prequalify research institutions for the provision of study for deeper understanding of the coping mechanisms of Syrian refugees. This is an invitation for research institutions to express interest in supplying the above mentioned services. Institutions interested in participating in the planned solicitation process shall find herewith the necessary requirements for registration with UNHCR, services and qualification information. UNHCR invites all interested research institutions to carefully follow the instructions described below. 1. REQUIREMENTS Overview For refugee households their vulnerability is becoming entrenched by the lack of livelihood options and the depletion of household resources. The main challenges are the search for income generating activities, housing with the concomitant problem of the financial burden of paying rent and food costs. And of course, it is these issues which are the points of greatest tension between host communities and the refugees since the declining wages and employment opportunities and rising housing costs. NRC s study In Search of a Home In the absence of access to legal independent coping strategies (such as legal livelihood opportunities), a period of rent-free shelter can only stall economic and social decline. Following the gradual depletion of resources, debt is one of the main coping strategies among Syrian refugee households in Jordan. 1 For further information on UNHCR, please see

2 Syrian families faced with eviction if they do not pay the rent on time turn to negative coping mechanisms to maintain the access to shelter that they do have. Through semi-structured interviews, it was revealed that one of the main stresses for the women and heads of household interviewed was how to prioritise the urgent needs on a day-to-day basis and not knowing from one day to the next where their next source of money will come from, if it would come at all. Making impossible choices between feeding the family, sending children to school, meeting the rent deadlines, paying for electricity, and buying water are the daily reality for many families. Syrian refugees are often more vulnerable to being exploited over rental costs due to the lack of affordable housing and the competitive rental market. Combined, these living conditions and numerous building defects create levels of extreme vulnerability, manifested in negative coping mechanisms, increased risk of disease, and cases of depression and desperation. Few of the most vulnerable families had sufficient levels of privacy in their homes, thus posing potential protection issues for those living in extended families, or in shelters with little security. When it comes to rental agreements, most refugees develop informal understandings with their landlords and do not appear to be well-informed of their rights under Lebanese law. Evictions are common and mostly relate to the inability of refugees to pay their rent. Moreover, evictions are not carried out in compliance with domestic law or international standards and thus represent a protection concern2. Furthermore, if Syrians wish to work they need, at a minimum, a signed rental contract from their landlord. However, as many proprietors do not have property rights in these more vulnerable areas, landlords are not willing to provide written proof that they are leasing accommodation. The Shelter Technical Working Group in Tripoli cites the minimum Shelter Standard of 3.5m2 of covered space is required per person in a dwelling to ensure adequate shelter. In the recent Shelter study by Care International, among the 22 surveyed households in Tripoli, 10 per cent live below the shelter standard set by the Shelter Technical Working Group - out of the 38 HHs occupying an overcrowded space (22 Syrian HHs and 16 Lebanese HHs). Syrian families, constrained by lack of livelihood opportunities, often have no other option than to look for cheaper, more inadequate housing options. Of all the households visited, 30 per cent of tenants felt at risk of eviction amongst these 43 per cent said it was due to the fact that they were late with rental payments. A recent study by UNHCR and UN-Habitat found that the vast majority of vulnerable Syrian refugees are securing shelter through the informal market. While the informal market has many strengths (responsiveness, flexibility, and relative affordability), it also has severe shortcomings (poor housing quality, insecurity of tenure, negative environmental impact). Any measures to address refugee shelter issues must be based on a clear understanding of this informal market context. The perpetual uncertainty of security of accommodation causes severe stress for those responsible for providing shelter and security for their family members. The short-term leases and the competitiveness of the rental market mean that many families cannot rely on being in the same location for more than 6 months. 2 UN Habitat, and UNHCR. Housing, Land, and Property Issues in Lebanon: Implications of the Syrian Refugee Crisis. N.p.: UNHCR, Aug PDF.

3 Aim The purpose of this follow-up and detailed assessment to the 2014 situation report study was to identify and understand the different living conditions for the Syrian refugees as well as the conditions for vulnerable nationals in the hosting communities, to provide an overview of the present subsistence means, and to feed into the identification of a specific intervention model and strategy (theory of change) that could improve and stabilize the living conditions and social dynamics in the most vulnerable neighbourhoods. Wider cross-cutting issues linked to education, health, shelter and WASH sectors that were also considered included: - Discrimination/marginalisation against refugees or other marginalized groups - Coping mechanisms to meet financial demands It is assumed that Syrian refugees, after having depleted their financial resources which they took with them at the time of their flight, have been engaged in harmful activities which have alienated some national communities which welcomed them upon their arrival. Such activities would leave one generation of youth uneducated and victims of human rights violations (ref. lost generation), and would render their return home more difficult and fragile and hamper the reconstruction of their country. Objectives Identify opportunities for strengthening refugees independent coping mechanisms (such as through economic empowerment) which do not negatively impact but instead benefit host communities. Situation analysis of other sectors needs and gaps in coverage of needs for refugees and host communities, including shelter, education, health and WASH. Identify areas of interventions for UNHCR, and opportunities with national or local entities and communities to support the autonomisation of refugees in order to achieve better social and economic integration of Syrian refugees within local communities. Research questions What are the informal coping mechanisms established by the Syrian refugees in view of the lack of humanitarian assistance and restricted access to employment? What is the impact of lack of work permits and the role of the informal sector in refugees coping mechanisms? What are the barriers to achieving safe and dignified living conditions, safe shelter, education for their children, and access to health and WASH? What could assist them in achieving safe living conditions? What are the socio-economic risks they are exposed to? What harmful mechanisms were established which lead to human rights issues, child labour, GBV, prostitution, etc. What are the impacts of these coping mechanisms on the peaceful coexistence with the national communities? What present informal coping mechanisms in the country of asylum would facilitate their re-integration in their country of origin when they decide to voluntary return home?

4 Areas of focus - Where vulnerable Syrian refugees are suffering from no access to employment, poor housing, infrastructure, and restricted access to services 2. INSTRUCTIONS: 2.1 SUPPLIERS REGISTRATION For Registered Suppliers: If your company has already been registered with UNHCR during the last three years, you may ignore this part. You must ensure that the information and documentation (e.g. financial statements, address, contact name, etc.) provided in connection with your application are up to date. For Suppliers Not Registered: Supplier not yet registered with UNHCR should apply for registration. Please use the UNHCR Vendor Registration Form (ANNEX A) which should be completed and returned to UNHCR with the supporting documents as indicated in Section 3 below. To be considered, your application must meet the following minimum requirements: 1. The services your company offers are of interest to UNHCR programmes. 2. Your company has a minimum of five (5) years experience in the present field of business. 3. Your company accepts the UNHCR General Conditions of Contract for the Provision of Services and Payment Terms. See ANNEX B. 4. The UNHCR Vendor Registration Form is duly and fully completed, and signed. 5. The required documents are attached (company registration certificate, financial statements, detailed list of products/services, quality assurance certificates, and any other important documents related to your company). Applications which do not meet the above indicated minimum requirements will not be retained nor acknowledged. Please note that registration will take place with the companies whose services are of interest to UNHCR. IMPORTANT: Any false, incomplete or defective vendor registration may result in the rejection of the application or cancellation of an already existing registration. 2.2 QUALIFICATION PROCESS Interested companies should send the below listed qualification documents and information as indicated below: Minimum requirements 1. The proposer must have minimum of five (5) years of experience in provision of research/analysis services. 2. The study must be carried out by an entity which has strong and proven experience in such research, showing previous expertise

5 Evaluation Criteria within the current Syrian context and relevant regional customs, cultures and languages. 3. Participating research institutions must be capable and able to undertake the necessary works and research in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Northern Iraq. 4. Arabic speaking researchers 1. Description of the company and the company s qualifications and experience: o Date and Country of incorporation o Summary of corporate structure and business areas; o Corporate directions and experience o Location of offices or agents relevant to this proposal; o Number and type of employees o Financial statement of the last three years 2. List and brief detailed description of at least similar and successfully completed or currently underway projects in the field of (similar completed projects among at least 3 topics described below): Between 2-3 samples are to be provided through hyperlinks. o Poverty Analysis; o Cash assistance related projects; o Refugee context; o Qualitative and quantitative analysis; o Statistical data analysis; o Econometric and economics, vulnerability assessment; 3. Provide a concept note between (3-5 pages) to include work plan and methodology in line with the requirement set in this document (refer to section 1 Requirements) and include questions/hypothesis formed by the researchers within the scope described in the aim/objective/research questions. 4. Proposed composition and structure of the team to conclude the research 5. Client references including the contact details and description of the referee? 6. Previous experience with the UN (if any), provide contact details and description of the referrer Any additional information you deem necessary that will facilitate our evaluation of your company s substantive reliability, financial and managerial capacity to provide the services. Prices are not required at this stage. The cost of responding to this EOI is to be entirely born by the company, whether they will be prequalified or not and whether they will be invited or not to participate in further bidding procedures. IMPORTANT: Only suppliers meeting UNHCR registration criteria and whose services have been approved by UNHCR will be invited to participate in the formal bidding process.

6 3. EOI SUBMISSION: Interested suppliers should send the required qualification documents, including the registration documents for suppliers not yet registered, [in PDF format no later than [19/12/2016], 23:59 hrs CET by 3 ONLY to: [jorrhmbid@unhcr.org 4 ]. Please be aware of the fact that the policy employed by UNHCR limits the size of attachments to a maximum of [8] Mb. Please indicate in the subject field: - EOI OD-MENA-BA/ADMIN/2016/206 - Name of your firm - Number of s that are sent (example: 1/2, 2/2). 3 If the EOI has to be sent in print format, please provide relevant details, contacts and address 4 Indicate the EOI dedicated mailbox