Request for expressions of interest

Ministry: National Solidarity Program III, Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation & Development (MRRD)

Name of the Assignment: Donor Relations Manager

Type: Individual Consultant (National)

Project ID: P 117103

EOI No: - MRRD/NSP-III/CN/592

Issue Date: May 30, 2011

Closing Date: June 13, 2011

Procurement Plan Reference Number: 100

General Introduction:

The National Solidarity Program is the largest of the Afghanistan Government’s national priority programmes and is the second largest development programme in the world. The Program is implemented by the Afghanistan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and currently is into its 7^th year and 3^rd phase. NSP consists of four core elements:

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  Facilitation at the community level to assist communities establish inclusive community institutions known as Community Development Councils (CDCs) through secret ballot and democratic elections; reach consensus on priorities and corresponding subproject activities; develop eligible subproject proposals that comply with NSP appraisal criteria; and implement approved subprojects;.
  
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  Building the capacities of CDC and community members (both men and women) in participation, consensus-building, accounting, procurement and contract management, operations and maintenance, and monitoring;
  
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  Providing direct block grant transfers to fund approved subprojects; and
  
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  Linking CDCs to government agencies, NGOs, and donors to improve access to services and resources.
  

NSP proposes to cover an estimated 33,500 rural communities to achieve full national coverage. The NSP Phase III is to start shortly and will involve the rollout to over 10,000 new communities for the first round of block grants and rollout to around 17,500 existing communities for the second round of block grants.

MRRD’s priorities have evolved since the design and initial implementation of the NSP I and II. Donors are now actively supporting new initiatives to assist CDCs in utilizing Block Grants. To ensure these new projects are implemented in a collaborative and transparent way, the MRRD/NSP will employ a Donor Relations Manager. The Relations Manager will serve a dual role in the programme. Working under the direction of the Executive Director of the NSP, the Donor Relations Manager will provide overall management of the projects funded by bilateral donors which cannot be implemented using normal NSP guidelines. The Donor Relations Manager will also act as the direct focal person for the bilateral donors providing development, participatory planning, advice and technical assistance on behalf of the NSP.

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  Assist the NSP Executive Director (ED) with identifying potential funding opportunities or sources and assist in fund-raising efforts.
  
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  Manage relevant funding opportunity documentation including plans, proposals, reporting and presentations specifically for bilateral donors.
  
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  Develop and implement strategies to enhance and maintain good relations with donors.
  
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  In absence of the NSP senior management members, represent NSP in all meetings, conferences, and workshops with donors.
  
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  Support the NSP management in preparing and conducting of meetings and following up on decisions of the donors and NSP Steering Committee meetings.
  

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  Facilitate communication between ED and donors on strategies, implementation, and reporting.
  
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  Coordinate communications between NSP Executive Directorate and Operations Directorate, Departments, Field Offices on donor related issues and issues relating to the execution of grant agreements.
  

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  In conjunction with NSP’s Public Communication Department (PCD), develop and disseminate communication materials including but not limited to, provincial fact sheets; documentaries; brochures aimed at improved public awareness; better donor relations; and NSP image.
  
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  Meet information requirements of all donors and respond to their regular and ad hoc requests for the same.
  
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  Meet the administrative, managerial and financial reporting requirements of the donors.
  

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  Facilitate and coordinate donor visits.
  
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  Ensure that NSP - Donor coordination meetings are convened on agreed schedule and take full responsibility for all pre, during and post meeting arrangements. Serve as its secretariat.
  

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  Participate in all key programme policy and strategic decisions.
  
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  Supervise and manage senior level project assistant(s).
  
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  Any other task as assigned by the Executive Director
  

The NSP/MRRD now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested eligible candidates must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services and are invited to submit their CV (Curriculum Vitae), including employment records, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills, previous remunerations, etc.

A consultant will be selected in accordance with Individual Consultant (IC) procurement procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers, version May 2010. Interested consultants may obtain further information

1. 
   from the website indicated below or
   
2. 
   by email to the contact person indicated below.
   

Expressions of interest (EoI) must be delivered to the address below or by E-Mail to the ID shown below no later than 16:00 Hours on June 13, 2011. The subject line (of the email or the cover letter if submitted in person) should refer to the position being applied for both by title and by the reference number stated in this document.

Mr. Nabiullah Azimi, Head, Procurement Department, National Solidarity Program (NSP),

Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), Afghanistan

Address: Building A, NSP HQ Offices, MRRD Compound, Tashkilat Street, Darul Aman Road, Kabul, Afghanistan