Guidance

Supporting Women, Peace and Security in Africa: Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) call for bids

Updated 12 June 2020

This guidance was withdrawn on 12 June 2020

This call for bids closed on 8 June 2020. Find out more about the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).

The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) is seeking bids for research projects that explore how best to support Civil Society and Women’s Rights Organisations delivering Women, Peace & Security objectives in Fragile and Conflict Affected States in Africa (specifically Nigeria, South Sudan and Somalia).

1. Background

The CSSF is a cross-government fund that supports and delivers activity to tackle instability and to prevent conflicts that threaten UK interests. Launched in 2015, the CSSF has been a catalyst for a more integrated UK government response to fragility and conflict, including delivering the UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace & Security (WPS) 2018-2022.

The WPS agenda exists to promote and fulfil women’s human rights and achieve gender equality, as part of efforts to build more peaceful and stable societies for all. The UK National Action Plan on WPS sets out how the UK Government will integrate a gender perspective into its work to build security and stability overseas, protect the human rights of women and girls, and promote their meaningful participation in conflict prevention and resolution through seven Strategic Outcomes. These are:

1. decision-making, including women’s role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding

2. peacekeeping

3. preventing and responding to Gender-based Violence

4. humanitarian response

5. security and Justice

6. preventing and countering violent extremism, and

7. strengthening UK capabilities

To do this, we are looking to understand how best to support Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs) in delivering these Strategic Outcomes on WPS in Fragile and Conflict Affected states in Africa, specifically in Nigeria, South Sudan and Somalia.

2. Objective and scope of work

The objective of the work is to support CSSF delivery of WPS Strategic Outcomes in Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan by:

1. identifying CSO and WRO partners and networks in these countries that deliver against the WPS Strategic Outcomes, including detail on their scope and scale

2. demonstrating the challenges faced by the organisations identified and the opportunities presented to donors in supporting these organisations to meet their self-defined priorities; and

3. developing recommendations on potential modalities of support for the CSSF to meaningfully contribute and facilitate horizontal collaboration.

Bids should look to demonstrate:

• use of evidence on what works best to meaningfully support these organisations and on the capacity strengthening needs within the WPS sector

• awareness of the diversity of priorities held by CSO/WROs’ within the WPS sector operating at different levels (local, national, regional)

• consideration of how the WPS sector can address and mitigate the gendered impacts of COVID-19, with a focus on women’s personal safety and security, peacebuilding work and participation in decision-making

• strong understanding of the CSSF and how it could leverage change or remove barriers to facilitate support

3. Project budget

Grants will be in the range of GBP £50,000 to £100,000, and depending on the proposals received we could be awarding funds for one or more research projects.

The selected bidder must be able to receive funding in GBP. All research projects must be 100% ODA eligible.

4. Assessment

Bids will be assessed against the following criteria:

• strategic fit – alignment with stated objectives and scope of work expected

• geographic reach – activities, outcomes and outputs (deliverables) must be relevant to the specific social, economic and political contexts of Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan (not just one)

• project viability – including a realistic description of methodology and activities to deliver the outcome and deliverables (outputs) within the project duration

• stakeholder management – including the capacity of the implementing organisation to engage with key stakeholders and involve local/international expertise to deliver expected outcomes

• project design – including clear achievable objectives/outputs

• value for money

• clear monitoring and evaluation procedures

• risk management

Please consider the below tips when designing your project:

• research projects should aim to start by July 2020 and aim to be completed by September 2020.

• duty of care for all staff and participants in activities shall lie with the project implementer.

5. How to bid

Please complete the attached ‘Project Proposal Form’ and ‘Activity Based Budget’ using the guidance provided (see ‘Guidance for Bidding Organisations’). Completed forms should be sent in standard document and spreadsheet formats to Sandy.Scott@fco.gov.uk by 11:59pm Monday 8 June 2020, with ‘Call for bids Africa CSSF WPS’ in the subject line of your email. Bids submitted after this date will not be considered. Bids can be submitted at any time up to the indicated deadline.

Bidders will be notified via email of the outcome of assessments before or on Friday 19 June 2020. Due to the volume of bids expected, we will not be able to provide feedback on unsuccessful bids.

Please also familiarise yourself at an early stage with the standard ‘Grant Agreement Template’ attached.

6. Key documents

• guidance for bidding organisations

• project proposal form

• activity based budget

• grant agreement template

7. Contacts

Please contact Sandy.Scott@fco.gov.uk with any questions or queries.