Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Regional Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
Technical Assistance to the Civil Society Organisations 2 (TACSO 2) from the IPA Beneficiaries;
EuropeAid/133642/C/SER/Multi
Terms of Reference for the Open Call:
Organisation/Service provider from the Western Balkan and Turkey region to assist the TACSO Regional
Office in conducting a baseline survey
1. The Project Background
The general objectives of this project are to strengthen the overall capacities and accountability of Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs) within the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) beneficiaries and to
guarantee the quality of services of CSOs and a sustainable role of the CSOs in the democratic process.
The main purposes of the project are to:
 increase and improve the capacity and actions of CSOs and to
 improve the democratic role of CSOs.
Project interventions aim to support beneficiaries to be able to undertake activities such as: policy analysis
and advocacy; monitoring of state performance and the effectiveness of the civil service; building social
capital and enabling citizens to identify and articulate their values, beliefs, civic norms and democratic
practices; and mobilising various actors to participate more fully in politics and public affairs.
In support of this, TACSO has been requested by DG ELARG to carry out a wide range of activities spanning
from individual problem solving, to guidance of projects, organisation of events and capacity building.
The Directorate General for Enlargement (DG ELARG) in the European Union (EU) has developed a
‘Guidelines for EU support to civil society in the enlargement countries, 2014-2020’ (the Guidelines). The
Guidelines include a Results Framework (Annex 1 to this document) which sets out the objectives, results
and indicators for EU support to civil society with the purpose of measuring progress at the country level as
well as across the enlargement region over the next seven years.
Within the Guidelines, it is foreseen that CSOs will be involved in the yearly monitoring of indicators and
results with the support of TACSO. Yearly national and regional meetings will analyse the development of
the CSOs in all countries and the advancement towards the targets.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the TACSO project stipulates that TACSO will be responsible for developing
the Baselines for the main output and outcome indicators of the Guidelines. TACSO will also lead on
monitoring progress against these indicators, including the establishment of mechanisms for collecting data
and consulting with CSOs.
The Results Framework of the Guidelines consists of three main components: 1) CSO conducive
environment, 2) CSO and government relations, and 3) CSOs’ capacities. While indicators for the first two
components of the Results Framework are mostly qualitative, for the third component, they are
quantitative, and therefore data collection for the quantitative indicators will be done via an independent
survey for all, the Baseline and later for monitoring.
TACSO Regional Office • Potoklinica 16 • 71 000 Sarajevo • t: +387 33 532 757 • f: +387 33 532 757 • e-mail: info@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Ecorys International • Intrac United Kingdom • Foundation Partners for Local Development Romania
• Euclid Network United Kingdom • SMART Croatia
Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Regional Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
2. Purpose of the Assignment
TACSO is looking for a service provider who will conduct the Baseline survey for the quantitative indicators
of the Results Framework of the Guidelines in all seven countries covered by TACSO: Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey; thus
ensuring maximum reliability and cost-effectiveness of data collection.
In addition, it is envisaged that this initial Baseline survey is used as a ‘capacity building’ tool that will enable
TACSO and/or TACSO successor(s) to carry out similar surveys for monitoring progress against the same
quantitative indicators in the following years.
3. Expected deliverables for the assignment
The potential service provider of the Baseline survey, in consultations with the TACSO Regional Office, and if
necessary with the DG ELARG, will need to deliver minimum following:
 Develop survey methodology that will ensure maximum reliability of data collected and costeffectiveness of the whole exercise, including the Baseline survey, as well as the later monitoring on
an annual basis, indicating survey means/tools and provision of the capacity building for later
monitoring;
 Define the most suitable classification/categorization of the CSOs to be covered by the survey;
 Suggest principles for and to define the survey sample size per country;
 Suggest how and ensure that the defined survey sample size is reached in the given time of the
survey;
 Suggest principles and develop a survey questionnaire;
 Carry out the survey;
 Upon completion of the surveys, develop a report on survey findings per country in English;
 Deliver an orientation session for TACSO designated employees on how the next monitoring survey
should be planned, designed and delivered; and
 If necessary, final survey findings and reports to be presented at the Kick-off regional event planned
for April/May 2014.
The potential service provider is free to suggest additional deliverables that will contribute the overall
quality of the assignment.
4. Duration and timing of the assignment
Commencement of the survey is planned for the beginning of February 2014. It is of utmost importance that
the final survey findings and reports for all seven countries covered by TACSO are submitted to TACSO by 31
March 2014.
5. Profile of the potential service provider
The potential service provider for the Baseline survey should:
 Be a legal entity whose main area of operations is research and/or surveys;
 Has offices or set infrastructure in all seven countries covered by TACSO;
 Possesses at least five years of experience for similar assignments;
 Has delivered three surveys where CSOs were surveyed;
*
This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo
declaration of independence.
TACSO Regional Office • Potoklinica 16 • 71 000 Sarajevo • t: +387 33 532 757 • f: +387 33 532 757 • e-mail: info@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Ecorys International • Intrac United Kingdom • Foundation Partners for Local Development Romania
• Euclid Network United Kingdom • SMART Croatia
Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Regional Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
 Has delivered two surveys in which all seven countries covered by TACSO were included; and
 Demonstrates the ability to adapt the survey question into the languages of the countries where the
survey will be carried out, and to translate findings of the survey into both, the language of the
country as well as in English.
6. Monitoring of the work of the Service provider
The activity will be monitored by the Capacity Building Expert, Team Leader, and if needed by the designated
person from the DG Enlargement.
The service provider will deliver the final Baseline reports that will be approved by the Capacity Building
Expert, Team Leader, and if needed by the designated person from the DG Enlargement before
remuneration.
7. Application:
Applications must be in English and entail the following:
 Letter of intent and availability:
○ The letter shall indicate motivation to apply for the call
○ The letter shall highlight relevant experience providing references to the ToR
○ The letter shall include contact information of three references
○ The letter must include the total budget anticipated for this assignment
 Proof of experiences and requirements stipulated in section five
 Offer including all elements stipulated in section 3. as stipulated by this Terms of Reference, with
detailed timetable/action plan and budget breakdown for the assignment
 CVs of the team members who will be engaged in the assignment
 Sample of a report developed for a similar assignment in the past.
Applications that fail to provide the above-mentioned information will be ineligible for evaluation.
The application enclosing the above documents should be sent no later than 17:00 hrs. 27 January 2014 by
e-mail to TACSO Regional Office at info@tacso.org indicating the subject of the e-mail as: Offer for the CSO
Baseline Survey.
Please note only short listed candidates will be contacted.
TACSO Regional Office • Potoklinica 16 • 71 000 Sarajevo • t: +387 33 532 757 • f: +387 33 532 757 • e-mail: info@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Ecorys International • Intrac United Kingdom • Foundation Partners for Local Development Romania
• Euclid Network United Kingdom • SMART Croatia