Consultancy framework agreement for formulation, appraisal and review of Danish development cooperation programmes and projects

The framework agreement will require the provision of the following services pertaining to the design and implementation phases of bilateral development cooperation programmes, namely: Formulation of bilateral programmes and projects. This may include preparatory work in the formulation process if and as needed. Appraisal of the design of bilateral programmes and projects as a quality assurance milestone prior to approval. This includes external appraisals led by the consultant and early appraisals of larger or high-risk programmes/projects led by LÆRING. Review of bilateral programmes and projects under implementation. This can span inception, midterm and technical reviews covering the full implementation period of the programme/project as part of the MFA unit’s monitoring and reporting cycle. Reviews do not have the same scope of work, methodology and methods as an evaluation. The MFA’s definition of appraisal, review and evaluation services is aligned with the definitions provided by OECD/DAC (https://one.oecd.org/document/DCD/DAC/EV(2022)2/en/pdf). The content of the services will vary and be defined by the MFA in the specific Terms of Reference for each individual assignment. Under Lot 1, the consultant must provide specialists that can perform the formulation, appraisal and review of bilateral programmes and projects concerning climate change, environment, private sector development and financing, including the following thematic sub-areas: (1) Climate mitigation, renewable energy and energy efficiency. (2) Climate adaptation and resilience. (3) Climate finance mechanisms. (4) Agriculture and food security, including working within the humanitarian development nexus. (5) Sustainable management and use of natural resources, including water, forestry and land, nature-based solutions, biodiversity, and localisation. (6) Private sector development and access to finance (e.g., micro, small and medium enterprises, MSMEs). (7) Financing, including blended finance models and leveraging multilateral development banks, guarantee schemes, impact funds and public infrastructure finance, developing new and innovative instruments to accelerate impact investments. (8) Business development and enabling environment, public-private partnerships and dialogue, economic diplomacy, employment generation, insurance instruments, trade, agriculture, and value-chain development, and market access. (9) Vocational training, including through links with the private sector. Within the defined themes of the Lots, the delivery of the services may include one or more of the following sub-services/outputs spanning: Stakeholder analyses. Political economy analyses. Scoping, analyses and mapping studies. Budget and financial management assessments, including risk assessment, anti-corruption etc. Partner assessments including financial management capacity assessment as and if needed. Institutional and organisational assessments including financial monitoring visits. Assessment of different modalities for the implementation of the programme or project, including considerations regarding bilateral, multilateral, multi-bi, trust funds, third party implementers, EU development policy and instruments, including the Global Gateway / Team Europe initiative. Preparation of documentation required during programme and project formulation for upcoming Calls for Proposal and/or tender preparation, drafted in line with the required formats. The Danida – Aid Management Guidelines (AMG) (https://amg.um.dk/) contain the policies, guidelines, and tools for the MFA’s development cooperation assistance. They cover different forms of Danish development cooperation modalities. The AMG’s Bilateral Guidelines (https://amg.um.dk/bilateral-cooperation/guidelines-for-programmes-projects-country-strategic-frameworks-and-hard-earmarked-multilat-support) and Financial Management Guidelines (https://amg.um.dk/bilateral-cooperation/financial-management) constitute the basic set of procedures for all Danish bilateral development cooperation. The guidelines outline the processes and requirements for the preparation, formulation, quality assurance, approval, implementation, completion and closure of Danish bilateral programmes and projects. The framework agreement will require the provision of the following services pertaining to the design and implementation phases of bilateral development cooperation programmes, namely: Formulation of bilateral programmes and projects. This may include preparatory work in the formulation process if and as needed. Appraisal of the design of bilateral programmes and projects as a quality assurance milestone prior to approval. This includes external appraisals led by the consultant and early appraisals of larger or high-risk programmes/projects led by LÆRING. Review of bilateral programmes and projects under implementation. This can span inception, midterm and technical reviews covering the full implementation period of the programme/project as part of the MFA unit’s monitoring and reporting cycle. Reviews do not have the same scope of work, methodology and methods as an evaluation. The MFA’s definition of appraisal, review and evaluation services is aligned with the definitions provided by OECD/DAC (https://one.oecd.org/document/DCD/DAC/EV(2022)2/en/pdf). The content of the services will vary and be defined by the MFA in the specific Terms of Reference for each individual assignment. Under Lot 2, the consultant must provide specialists that can perform the formulation, appraisal and review of bilateral programmes and projects concerning governance, fragility, and migration, including the following thematic sub-areas: (1) Stabilisation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding in conflict affected and fragile settings including institution building, countering/preventing violent extremism, security sector reform, maritime security, Women, Peace and Security, Climate, Peace and Security. (2) Migration management including protection of migrants, countering trafficking of human beings, assisted voluntary return and re-integration. (3) Democratic governance including institutional reform and development (e.g., rule of law, public financial management), decentralisation, inclusive political processes, and accountability (e.g., anti-corruption, media and information). (4) Human rights and civil society development including civil society grant mechanisms, capacity development of civil society and human rights organisations, safeguard and promotion of the civic space. (5) Gender equality and inclusion, including the rights of persons in marginalised, excluded or vulnerable situations (e.g., Indigenous Peoples, religious minorities, LGBT+ persons, people with disabilities, youth). (6) Relief, resilience and recovery in fragile, conflict and displacement situations, including protection, improved access to services, livelihoods and social safety nets. Within the defined themes of the Lots, the delivery of the services may include one or more of the following sub-services/outputs spanning: Stakeholder analyses. Political economy analyses. Scoping, analyses and mapping studies. Budget and financial management assessments, including risk assessment, anti-corruption etc. Partner assessments including financial management capacity assessment as and if needed. Institutional and organisational assessments including financial monitoring visits. Assessment of different modalities for the implementation of the programme or project, including considerations regarding bilateral, multilateral, multi-bi, trust funds, third party implementers, EU development policy and instruments, including the Global Gateway / Team Europe initiative. Preparation of documentation required during programme and project formulation for upcoming Calls for Proposal and/or tender preparation, drafted in line with the required formats. The Danida – Aid Management Guidelines (AMG) (https://amg.um.dk/) contain the policies, guidelines, and tools for the MFA’s development cooperation assistance. They cover different forms of Danish development cooperation modalities. The AMG’s Bilateral Guidelines (https://amg.um.dk/bilateral-cooperation/guidelines-for-programmes-projects-country-strategic-frameworks-and-hard-earmarked-multilat-support) and Financial Management Guidelines (https://amg.um.dk/bilateral-cooperation/financial-management) constitute the basic set of procedures for all Danish bilateral development cooperation. The guidelines outline the processes and requirements for the preparation, formulation, quality assurance, approval, implementation, completion and closure of Danish bilateral programmes and projects.