Advertisement for tender for Consultancy Services – Revision, updating and
recommendations for operationalizing CARE International’s Accountability Framework
CARE International Invitation to tender
The purpose of this consultancy is to revise CARE International’s (CI) Accountability Framework informed
by the Humanitarian Accountability Framework, Core Humanitarian Standards and the INGO
Accountability Charter feedback to CARE’s annual report against the Charter’s nine core parameters.
The consultancy will also provide recommendations to CI for operationalizing the AF, in the short and
long term with an incremental approach and taking in consideration capacities and experience.
This should provide clarity and consistency across the organisation on CI’s commitments to key
stakeholders and related reporting mechanisms, specifically:
 Participants/beneficiaries
 Peers/partners/host government counterparts
 CI (internal)
o Board; CI Members (CIMs) organisational performance; country and CMP
Background
In 2012, in coordination with the CI Program and Operations Committee, CI developed its first CI-wide
Accountability Framework Statement, drawing on a range of internal and external stakeholders and
accountability commitments, standards and principles. While there was agreement on the importance
of having a clear statement of CI’s key accountability commitments, and to provide a guide for staff to
prioritize work to meet the commitments, there has been a lack of clarity about how to operationalize
the Accountability Framework in a consistent, meaningful, and resource-effective way.
The AF was born out of earlier work around a Humanitarian Accountability Framework (HAF) which
drew on a range of internationally accepted humanitarian quality and accountability standards. CARE
continues to actively use the HAF in its humanitarian response work and has recently signalled its
commitment to up its game through its commitment to mainstream and verify its use of the recently
completed Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) which provide a useful and relatively user friendly format
for humanitarian accountability. In recent years, also linked with the AF, CI has become a shareholder of
the International Civil Society Center and member of the ICSC’s INGO Accountability Charter that
requires CI to submit annual reports around the ICSC’s core accountability parameters for review and
feedback from an independent review panel, and for the public domain. Concurrently, in the years since
the AF was developed, CI’s board approved the first ever CARE-wide Program Strategy; development
and institutionalized the CI Performance standards and functions for CARE’s country presences, and
CARE Member partner survey’s. Underpinning these efforts has been the organisational commitment to
Inclusive Governance as an integral part of the Programme Strategy. Guidance on inclusive Governance,
as a foundational element of the CARE approach to delivering the CARE 2020 program strategy, which
embraces many aspects of an accountability agenda, is being updated for use across CARE’s operating
contexts.
In July 2014 the CI POC informally assessed its own performance in consistently using the CARE
Accountability Framework (CAF), noting it was not up to the standard that is needed. As a result, the
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Call for Proposals/Tender for updating CARE International’s Accountability Framework,
DRAFT 15 October 2015
POC included a key action on its workplan for FY15 to review and revitalize the CAF. Through a number
of informal consultations with an ad hoc group of the “willing”, there was agreement on the need to
refresh and revitalize the framework, provide clear and concise guidance for CI members and staff,
assure it is joined up and non-duplicative of other accountability reporting mechanisms that CI ascribes
to, and identify gaps and recommendations for CI as it relates to accountability framework and reporting
in the future.
Following the POC’s review of its FY15 work in July 2015, as part of the agreed workplan, the CI DSG,
CIUK Program Director and Head of Governance met to review and agree on the purpose, needs and
next steps to revitalize the CAF. This consultancy is being commissioned to move the next steps into
action and provide a current Accountability Framework and associated guidance for CARE to better
operationalize it in FY16.
Expected effort, Key outputs/deliverables from the piece of work:
CARE International is seeking an expert who brings demonstrated INGO accountability conceptual
understanding and experience, up to scratch accountability literature and practices, excellent analytical
and writing skills, and the ability to deliver a clear, concise, refreshed Accountability Framework
Guidance for CI. The AF guidance will be accompanied by recommendations on how to address existing
CI gaps and bottlenecks , bearing in mind capacity limitations and drawing upon the accountability
mechanisms that CI actively engages in and current experience.
Contracted by CIUK and commissioned on behalf of CARE International, the consultant will work with
the CI DSG and the CIUK Head of Governance to advance the work. It is estimated that the work will
require a total of 15 work days, in November - December 2015. The CI POC will review the final
documents and recommendations in December 2015, for CI wide use and application moving forward.
The expected outputs and deliverables are outlined below:
1) Updated/refreshed CARE International Accountability Framework guidance note (5 -8 pages)
that draws on and reflects CI’s current internal and external accountability commitments,
mechanisms and programmatic experience.
2) An accompanying 2-3 page document that outlines gaps and recommendations for CARE
International to operationalize and reporting on the CI AF across the three domains
(stakeholders)
*Key internal documents:
2012 CARE Accountability Framework
CI Humanitarian Accountability Framework Policy Statement and Guidance note (pilot version February
2010)
Inclusive Governance Guidance
CARE 2020 Program Strategy
CI Programming Principles
CARE Member Partner annual performance survey by Country Offices
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Call for Proposals/Tender for updating CARE International’s Accountability Framework,
DRAFT 15 October 2015
CI Performance standards and functions
And other relevant CI-wide policies and information
http://qualityandaccountabilitynetwork.care2share.wikispaces.net/Development+of+AF
*Key external documents:
CI FY14 INGO Accountability Charter guidance, report and independent review panel feedback
INGO Accountability Charter Individual assessment and feedback on CI’s AF
Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability
Key stakeholders: DSG, Head of Governance CIUK; CI/CEG M&E and Accountability Coordinator
Timelines:
Tenders must be received by noon CET on 30th of October 2015
*************************************************
Review applications and select consultant – 2nd of November
Desk review and stakeholder consultations – 9-20th of November
First draft deliverables – 30th of November
Feedback and revision – 7th of December
Section on key requirements for the consultant / provider:
Key selection criteria: experience; cost, and ability to deliver required products on required timeline.
Instructions for Tenders
Tenders should include the following:
 A proposal and costing for how the piece of work will be undertaken.
 Summary of key questions and assumptions
 Name and contact details for at least two referees.
 Tenders should be submitted by email to gozzo@careinternational.org by 30th of October 2015.
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Call for Proposals/Tender for updating CARE International’s Accountability Framework,
DRAFT 15 October 2015