Call for Proposals-IBSA Project
Monrovia
- Organization: UN WOMEN - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
- Location: Monrovia
- Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
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Occupational Groups:
- External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
- Project and Programme Management
- Closing Date: 2025-11-24
Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
Annex B
Call For Proposals (CFP) Template for Responsible Parties
(For Civil Society Organizations - CSOs)
Section 1
CFP No. 001
- CFP Letter for Responsible Parties
UN Women plans to engage a Responsible Party as defined in accordance with these documents. UN Women now invites sealed proposals from qualified proponents to provide the requirements as defined in the UN Women Terms of Reference.
Proposals must be received by UN Women at the address specified not later than 23:59 (NY Time) on 07 November - 24 November 2025
The budget range for this proposal should be min $300, 000 – 341,000[1])]
| This UN Women Call For Proposals consists of two sections: | Documents to be completed by proponents and returned as part of their proposal (mandatory) |
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Section 1
Criteria and Contractual Aspects |
Annex B-1 Mandatory Requirements/Pre-Qualification Criteria and Contractual Aspects
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Section 2
Annex B-2 Template for Proposal Submission Annex B-3 Format of Resume for Proposed Personnel Annex B-4 Capacity Assessment Minimum Documents Annex B-5 UN Women template Partner Agreement Annex B-6 UN Women Anti-Fraud Policy |
Annex B-2 Template for Proposal Submission Annex B-3 Format of Resume for Proposed Personnel Annex B-4 Capacity Assessment Minimum Documents |
Interested proponents may obtain further information by contacting this email address: procurementrequest.liberia@unwomen.org
- Proposal Data Sheet for Responsible Partie
- UN Women Terms of Reference
Liberia's total population is approximately 5,250,187 million, with a gender distribution of 49.6% females and 50.4% males, 2,603,000 females and 2,647,000 males.[2] The country operates as a multiparty republic with three branches of government: the Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary. The Legislature consists of a bicameral National Assembly, including the Senate and the House of Representatives, elected through a single-member plurality system. Senators serve nine-year terms, while representatives serve six-year terms. The President holds executive power and is elected for a six-year term. Administratively, Liberia is divided into 15 counties, each led by a Superintendent appointed by the President, and further subdivided into 90 districts, towns, and clans. Liberia has ratified several international and regional instruments that commit the state to promoting and protecting women’s rights, leadership, and economic empowerment. These include International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)[3], the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) [4] and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)[5]. At the regional level, Liberia is also a party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)[6] and its Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, known as the Maputo Protocol,[7] which safeguard women’s civic, political, and economic rights. As a UN member state, Liberia is committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 5, which calls for gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. SDG target 5.5 emphasizes ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life. Indicator 5.5.1b specifically tracks women’s representation in local government, highlighting the importance of equal political participation at all levels. Liberia is also a member of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which in its sixty-fifth session (CSW-65) encouraged member states to ensure women’s full and effective participation in public life and eliminate violence against women. The Commission called for measures to achieve a 50/50 gender balance in elected positions and emphasized the link between political empowerment and economic independence. It urged actions to ensure women’s access to decent work, financial resources, and social protection, and to address structural barriers such as occupational segregation, unequal pay, and limited access to credit and technology issues particularly affecting women in informal and rural economies. In its 2015 Concluding Observations, the CEDAW Committee expressed concern about the persistent underrepresentation of women in Liberia’s decision-making structures, including the legislature, civil service, and ministerial positions. It urged the government to adopt temporary special measures (TSMs), such as gender parity in appointments and accelerated recruitment of women to senior roles [8]. The Committee also recommended expanding women’s access to microfinance and supporting women entrepreneurs, particularly in rural areas, as well as securing women’s land rights and ensuring their participation in land-related decision-making processes.[9] These recommendations are grounded in Liberia’s constitutional commitments. Article 7 of the Constitution mandates the management of the national economy and natural resources to ensure maximum feasible participation of Liberians under conditions of equality. Article 11(b) affirms the right to non-discrimination, guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms regardless of sex, ethnicity, or political opinion. At the policy level, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) 2025–2029 reinforces these commitments. Under Pillar 6: Human Capital Development, Strategic Policy 22 on Inclusive Social Development includes Outcome 1.3, which calls for strengthening institutional capacity to enforce inclusive policies and enhancing women’s political participation. This Call for Proposals will provide potential partner organizations with the opportunity to apply, and UN Women will identify and select a partner to implement Output 1.3 of the project “Output 1.3: Informal education and economic empowerment opportunities targeting women and young women support their pathway to political empowerment.. The selected partner will then be expected to deliver on project activities as reflected in the Terms of Reference.
About the project:
The project “Women Legislators in Liberia Promoting Voice, Leadership, and Gender-Responsive Governance for Sustainable Development” is an 18-month targeted initiative funded by the IBSA Fund, which supports Poverty and Hunger Alleviation. It aims to strengthen the leadership and influence of women legislators and expand opportunities for women’s political participation, especially at the local level. The project promotes legal and institutional reforms to advance inclusive governance, while also connecting political empowerment with women’s economic empowerment through informal education, financial literacy, and support for women’s groups. South-South cooperation plays a vital role, leveraging peer experiences from countries with similar contexts to inform learning, technical exchanges, and practice-based adaptation. The initiative will be carried out in partnership with the Women’s Legislative Caucus (WLC), in collaboration with government agencies such as the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), Ministry of Agriculture, the Law Reform Commission, and a broad network of civil society organizations, peace huts, and community-based actors across eight counties.
Goal: Women leaders in Liberia fully and effectively participate in legislative and decision-making processes, promoting women’s empowerment, voice, and leadership from the local to national level.
Outputs:
The project builds on lessons from previous UN Women projects focused on women’s political participation and economic empowerment. It integrates evaluation findings of women’s political participation and women's economic empowerment programming, emphasizing the importance of institutional support, local outreach, and sustained norm change to advance women’s voice, agency, and leadership. Lessons learned from women’s economic empowerment efforts, particularly the integration of financial literacy, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), cooperative models, and digital inclusion, highlighted the importance of linking economic empowerment with leadership development to strengthen women’s agencies, visibility, and political voice.
The programme will be managed by UN Women Liberia and implemented with strong ownership from the WLCL and other key partners at national and local level. It will combine south-south cooperation and learning, capacity development, legislative advocacy, peer learning, mentorship, strategic communications, and women’s economic empowerment initiatives to support women’s leadership and political participation. The project will engage at the national level and with women and communities across eight Counties (Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, Montserrado) through informal education, financial literacy, entrepreneurship training, and collective structures such as VSLAs and cooperatives.
This Call for Proposals seeks to engage a civil society organization (CSO) to implement a component of the project “Women Legislators in Liberia Promoting Voice, Leadership, and Gender-Responsive Governance for Sustainable Development”, specifically, the education and economic empowerment pillar that supports women’s pathway to political empowerment.
The assignment contributes to Outcome 1: By 2027, women and young women, particularly in rural areas, have enhanced economic security, confidence, and leadership capacity to participate meaningfully in community and local governance processes.
The selected partner will deliver informal education and economic empowerment initiatives aimed at expanding women’s access to income opportunities, building their financial literacy, and strengthening their leadership and participation in decision-making at the community and local levels.
Key areas of focus include:
The intervention will target rural and young women, particularly those not in formal employment or education, and women leaders or aspiring leaders in community structures, including Peace Hut members, market women, and traditional women leaders.
The implementing partner will collaborate closely with UN Women Liberia, the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia (WLCL), and relevant government counterparts such as the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Central Bank of Liberia, National Identification Registry, and local authorities, local community structures in the eight target counties: Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, and Montserrado.
Expected results include:
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Outcome 1: By 2027 Women and young women, particularly in rural areas, have enhanced economic security, confidence, and leadership capacity to participate meaningfully in community and local governance processes
Indicator 1.a: Percentage of women and young women reporting increased income, confidence, and participation in community or local decision-making as a result of informal education and economic empowerment programmes
The call for proposals is for the implementation of a project component— education and economic empowerment opportunities as a pathway to political empowerment.
Output 1.1.1 By 2027, rural and young women in the targeted counties have increased their knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage in economic activities and local decision-making processes.
Indicator: 1.1.a Number of rural and young women completing integrated training programmes on adult literacy, entrepreneurship, and business development (including digital and financial literacy and access to finance).
Indicator: 1.1.b Percentage of trained women who report applying acquired skills to start or expand income-generating activities or take part in community or local leadership roles within six months after training.
Activity 1.1.1: Deliver integrated training on adult literacy, entrepreneurship, and business development (including financial literacy and access to finance). The additional training package includes agricultural value chains and market access, and digital technologies for economic empowerment, targeting rural women, young women, and women in or aspiring to local leadership roles.
The activity will target rural women with limited access to income-generating opportunities, young women who are not in school or formal employment, and women currently engaged in or aspiring to local leadership roles. This includes peace hut members, market women, traditional women leaders, and emerging advocates or organizers within their communities. The training will provide integrated skills development, encompassing:
Civil society organizations will support outreach and mobilization, private sector actors will contribute technical expertise and mentorship, and relevant government institutions will provide coordination support. The activity aims to expand women’s economic opportunities while strengthening their leadership capacity and engagement in local development and community decision-making.
Activity 1.1.2: Establish and support existing women's groupings, including Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and agricultural cooperatives, with a focus on financial inclusion and market linkages
Indicator 1.2.a. Number of women’s economic groups (including VSLAs and cooperatives) established or strengthened and digitized with improved capacity in financial management, governance, and savings schemes Indicator: 1.2.b Number of women members of supported groups demonstrating improved financial inclusion (access to savings, loans, or business income) and market linkages This activity will establish and support women’s groupings, including Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and agricultural cooperatives, across Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Margibi, and Montserrado counties. The initiative aims to enhance women’s economic empowerment, financial stability, and community leadership. The activity will focus on three key areas:
Organizing women into economic collectives aims to improve financial stability while strengthening women’s voice and visibility in their communities. These groups will also serve as platforms for leadership, civic engagement, and advocacy around women’s priorities in local governance and policy processes.
Application Modalities
Successful applications from CSOs will include in their proposals the extent to which they will engage sub-partners and list all proposed sub-partners by name. The lead organization may work through sub-partners to implement specific components such as training delivery, community mobilization, mentorship, or cooperative strengthening. This consortium approach should be clearly described in the proposal, indicating the organizations to be engaged, their roles, and how collaboration will contribute to building women’s economic empowerment, leadership, and social transformation.
The proposal should also outline the engagement methods with sub-partners and the expected outcomes, including improvements in women’s literacy, entrepreneurship, access to finance, and leadership in local governance and decision-making. In addition to being lead applicants, CSOs should prioritize partnerships with young women-led, grassroots, and constituent-led organizations, including those led by women living with disabilities, Indigenous women, Peace Hut members, and women farmers or market associations, among others. These partnerships should aim to strengthen women’s collective agency and the sustainability of results across target communities.
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Funding is available for 11-month projects with a budget between $300,000 and $341,000. Partner agreements are expected to be signed by December 2025 at the latest.
Project implementation will take place after partner agreements are signed and will conclude by 30 December 2026. |
Mandatory Criteria
Priority area: thematic expertise:
Grassroots presence/Outreach:
Other competencies, which, while not required, can be an asset for the performance of services.
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- Acceptance of the terms and conditions outlined in the template Partner Agreement
- Proponents must include an acceptance of the terms and conditions outlined in the template Partner Agreement or their reservation or objections thereto.
- Submission of any such reservations or objections does not mean that UN Women will automatically accept them should the proponent be selected as a Responsible Party.
- UN Women will evaluate any reservation or objection during its evaluation of the proposal and may accept or reject any such reservation or objection.
Annex B-1
Mandatory Requirements/Pre-Qualification Criteria and Contractual Aspects
[To be completed by proponents and returned with their proposal]
Call For Proposals
Description of Services
CFP No.
Proponents are requested to complete this form and return it as part of their submission. Proponents will receive a pass/fail rating on this section. To be considered, proponents must meet all the mandatory criteria described below. All questions should be answered on this form or an exact duplicate thereof. UN Women reserves the right to verify any information contained in a proponent’s response or to request additional information after the proposal is received. Incomplete or inadequate responses, lack of response or misrepresentation in responding to any questions will result in disqualification.
Please provide the following information:
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Yes/No |
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Acceptance of the terms and conditions outlined in the template Partner Agreement.
- Proponents must include an acceptance of the terms and conditions outlined in the template Partner Agreement or their reservations or objections thereto.
- Submission of any such reservations or objections does not mean that UN Women will automatically accept them should the proponent be selected as a Responsible Party.
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UN Women will evaluate any reservation or objection during its evaluation of the proposal and may accept or reject any such reservation or objection.
Section 2
CFP No. (To be filled in by UN Women)
- Instructions to proponents (Responsible Parties)
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Introduction
- UN-WOMEN invite qualified parties to submit Technical and Financial Proposals to provide services associated with the UN-WOMEN requirement for Responsible Party.
- UN-Women is soliciting proposals from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Women’s organizations or entities are highly encouraged to apply.
- A description of the services required is described in CfP Section 1- C “Terms of Reference”.
- UNWOMEN may, at its discretion, cancel the services in part or in whole.
- Proponents may withdraw the proposal after submission, provided that written notice of withdrawal is received by UN WOMEN prior to the deadline prescribed for submission of proposals. No proposal may be modified subsequent to the deadline for submission of proposal. No proposal may be withdrawn in the interval between the deadline for submission of proposals and the expiration of the period of proposal validity.
- All proposals shall remain valid and open for acceptance for a period of 90 calendar days after the date specified for receipt of proposals. A proposal valid for a shorter period may be rejected.In exceptional circumstances, UNWOMEN may solicit the proponent’s consent to an extension of the period of validity. The request and the responses thereto shall be made in writing.
- Effective with the release of this CFP, all communications must be directed only to UNWOMEN, by email at_ procurementrequest.liberia@unwomen.org. Proponents must not communicate with any other personnel of UNWOMEN regarding this CFP.
- Cost of proposal
2.1 The cost of preparing a proposal, attendance at any pre-proposal conference, meetings or oral presentations shall be borne by the proponents, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the CFP process. Proposals must offer the services for the total requirement; proposals offering only part of the services will be rejected.
- Eligibility
3.1 Proponents must meet all mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria as set out in Annex B-1. See point 4 below for further explanation. Proponents will receive a pass/fail rating on this section. To be considered, proponents must meet all the mandatory criteria described in Annex B-1. UN-WOMEN reserve the right to verify any information contained in proponent’s response or to request additional information after the proposal is received. Incomplete or inadequate responses, lack of response or misrepresentation in responding to any questions will result in disqualification.
- Mandatory/pre-qualification criteria
4.1 The mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria have been designed to assure that, to the degree possible in the initial phase of the CFP selection process, only those proponents with sufficient experience, the financial strength and stability, the demonstrable technical knowledge, the evident capacity to satisfy UNWOMEN requirements and superior customer references for supplying the services envisioned in this CFP will qualify for further consideration. UNWOMEN reserves the right to verify any information contained in proponent’s response or to request additional information after the proposal is received. Incomplete or inadequate responses, lack of response or misrepresentation in responding to any questions will affect your evaluation.
4.2 Proponents will receive a pass/fail rating in the mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria section. To be considered for Phase I, proponents must meet all the mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria described in this CFP.
- Clarification of CFP documents
5.1. A prospective proponent requiring any clarification of the CFP documents may notify UNWOMEN in writing at UNWOMEN email address indicated in the CFP by the specified date and time. UNWOMEN will respond in writing to any request for clarification of the CFP documents that it receives by the due date outlined on section 2. Written copies of UNWOMEN response (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry) will be posted using the same method as the original posting of this (CFP) document.
5.2. If the CFP has been advertised publicly, the results of any clarification exercise (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry) will be posted on the advertised source.
- Amendments to CFP documents
6.1. At any time prior to the deadline for submission of proposals, UNWOMEN may, for any reason, whether at its own initiative or in response to a clarification requested by a prospective proponent, modify the CFP documents by amendment. All prospective proponents that have received the CFP documents will be notified in writing of all amendments to the CFP documents. For open competitions, all amendments will also be posted on the advertised source.
6.2. To afford prospective proponents reasonable time in which to take the amendment into account in preparing their proposals, UNWOMEN may, at its discretion, extend the deadline for the submission of proposal.
- Language of proposal
7.1 The proposal prepared by the proponent and all correspondence and documents relating to the proposal exchanged between the proponent and UNWOMEN, shall be written in English.
7.2 Supporting documents and printed literature furnished by the proponent may be in another language, provided they are accompanied by an appropriate translation of all relevant passages in English. In any such case, for interpretation of the proposal, the translation shall prevail. The sole responsibility for translation and the accuracy thereof shall rest with the proponent.
- Submission of proposal
8.1 Technical and financial proposals should be submitted as part of the template for proposal submission (Annex B2-3) in one email. with the CFP reference and the clear description of the proposal by the date and time stipulated in this document. If the emails and email attachments are not marked as instructed, UNWOMEN will assume no responsibility for the misplacement or premature opening of the proposals submitted. The email text body should indicate the name and address of the proponent. All proposals should be sent by email to the following secure email address:
8.2 Proposals should be received by the date, time and means of submission stipulated in this CFP. Proponents are responsible for ensuring that UNWOMEN receives their proposal by the due date and time. Proposals received by UNWOMEN after the due date and time may be rejected.
8.3 When receiving proposals by email (as is required for the CFP), the receipt time stamp shall be the date and time when the submission has been received in the dedicated UNWOMEN inbox. UNWOMEN shall not be responsible for any delays caused by network problems, etc. It is the sole responsibility of proponents to ensure that their proposal is received by UNWOMEN in the dedicated inbox on or before the prescribed CFP deadline.
8.4 Late proposals: Any proposals received by UNWOMEN after the deadline for submission of proposals prescribed in this document, may be rejected.
- Clarification of proposals
9.1 To assist in the examination, evaluation, and comparison of proposals, UNWOMEN may, at its discretion, ask the proponent for a clarification of its proposal. The request for clarification and the response shall be in writing and no change in the price or substance of the proposal shall be sought, offered, or permitted. UNWOMEN will review minor informalities, errors, clerical mistakes, apparent errors in price and missing documents in accordance with the UNWOMEN Policy and Procedures.
- Proposal currencies
10.1 All prices shall be quoted in United States Dollars
10.2 UNWOMEN reserves the right to reject any proposals submitted in another currency than the mandatory currency for the proposal stated above. UNWOMEN may accept proposals submitted in another currency than stated above if the proponent confirms during clarification of proposals, see item (8) above in writing, that it will accept a contract issued in the mandatory proposal currency and that for conversion the official United Nations operational rate of exchange of the day of CFP deadline as stated in the CFP letter shall apply.
10.3 Regardless of the currency of proposals received, the contract will always be issued, and subsequent payments will be made in the mandatory currency for the proposal above.
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Evaluation of technical and financial proposal
- You are expected to examine all terms and instructions included in the CFP documents.
11.1.1 PHASE I – TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (70 points)
11.1.2Only proponents meeting the mandatory criteria will advance to the technical evaluation in which a maximum possible 70 points may be determined. Technical evaluators who are members of an Evaluation Committee appointed by UNWOMEN will carry out the technical evaluation applying the evaluation criteria and point ratings as listed below. To advance beyond Phase I of the detailed evaluation process to Phase II (financial evaluation) a proposal must have achieved a minimum cumulative technical score of 50 points.
| 1 | Proposal is compliant with the Call for Proposal (CfP) requirements | 15 points |
| 2 |
The Organization’s mandate is relevant to the work to be undertaken in the TORs (component 1)
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20 points |
| 3 | The Proposal demonstrates a sound understanding of the requirements of the TOR and indicates that the organization has the prerequisite capacity to undertake the work successfully (components 2, 3 and 4) | 35 points |
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TOTAL |
70 points |
11.2 PHASE II - FINANCIAL PROPOSAL (30 points)
11.2.1 Financial proposals will be evaluated following completion of the technical evaluation. The proponent with the lowest evaluated cost will be awarded 30 points. Other financial proposals will receive pro-rated points based on the relationship of the proponents’ prices to that of the lowest evaluated cost.
11.2.2 Formula for computing points:
Points = (A/B) Financial Points
Example: Proponent A’s price is the lowest at $10.00. Proponent A receives 30 points. Proponent B’s price is $20.00. Proponent B receives ($10.00/$20.00) x 30 points = 15 points
12. Preparation of proposal
Failure to provide all requested information will be at proponent’s own risk and may result in rejection of proponent’s proposal.
- Proponent’s proposal must be organized to follow the format of this CFP. Each proponent must respond to every stated request or requirement and indicate that proponent understands and confirms acceptance of UNWOMEN stated requirements. The proponent should identify any substantive assumption made in preparing its proposal. The deferral of a response to a question or issue to the contract negotiation stage is not acceptable. Any item not specifically addressed in the proponent’s proposal will be deemed as accepted by the proponent. The terms “proponent” and “contractor” refer to those organizations that submit a proposal pursuant to this CFP.
Where the proponent is presented with a requirement or asked to use a specific approach, the proponent must not only state its acceptance, but also describe, where appropriate, how it intends to comply. Failure to provide an answer to an item will be considered an acceptance of the item. Where a descriptive response is requested, failure to provide the same will be viewed as non-responsive.
- The terms of reference in this document provides a general overview of the current operation. If the proponent wishes to propose alternatives or equivalents, the proponent must demonstrate that any such proposed change is equivalent or superior to UNWOMEN established requirements. Acceptance of such changes is at the sole discretion of UNWOMEN.
- Proposals must offer services for the total requirement, unless otherwise permitted in the CFP document. Proposals offering only part of the services may be rejected unless permitted otherwise in the CFP document.
- Proponent’s proposal shall include all of the following labelled annexes:
CFP submission (on or before proposal due date):
As a minimum, proponents shall complete and return the below listed documents (Annexes to this CFP) as an integral part of their proposal. Proponents may add additional documentation to their proposals as they deem appropriate.
Failure to complete and return the below listed documents as part of the proposal may result in proposal rejection.
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Part of proposal |
Annex B-1 Mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria |
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Part of proposal |
Annex B-2 Template for proposal submission |
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Part of proposal |
Annex B-3 Format of resume for proposed staff |
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Part of proposal |
Annex B-4 Capacity Assessment minimum Documents |
12.7 If after assessing this opportunity you have made the determination not to submit your proposal, we would appreciate it if you could return this form indicating your reasons for non-participation
- Format and signing of proposal
13.1 The proposal shall be typed or written in indelible ink and shall be signed by the proponent or a person or persons duly authorized to bind the proponent to the contract. The latter authorization shall be indicated by written power-of-attorney accompanying the proposal.
13.2. A proposal shall contain no interlineations, erasures, or overwriting except as necessary to correct errors made by the proponent, in which case such corrections shall be initialled by the person or persons signing the proposal.
- Award
14.1 Award will be made to the responsible and responsive proponent with the highest evaluated proposal following negotiation of an acceptable contract. UNWOMEN reserves the right to conduct negotiations with the proponent regarding the contents of their proposal. The award will be in effect only after acceptance by the selected proponent of the terms and conditions and the terms of reference. The agreement will reflect the name of the proponent whose financials were provided in response to this CFP. Upon execution of agreement, UNWOMEN will promptly notify the unsuccessful proponents.
14.2 The selected proponent is expected to commence providing services as of the date and time stipulated in this CFP.
14.3 The award will be for an agreement with an original term of 11-month with the option to renew under the same terms and conditions for an additional period or periods as indicated by UNWOMEN.
Annex B-2
Template for Proposal Submission
Call For Proposals
Description of Services
CFP No.
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Mandatory Requirements/Pre-Qualification Criteria
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Proponents are requested to complete this form (Annex B-2) and return it as part of their submission.
Proponent’s Eligibility Confirmation and InformationProponent’s Response
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Yes/No
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Yes/No
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If YES, provide details, including date of reinstatement, if applicable. (If proponent is currently on any relevant sanctions list this should be disclosed in Question 8 of the Mandatory Requirements/Pre-Qualification Criteria above and is grounds for immediate rejection.) |
Confirm Yes/No |
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Confirm Yes/No |
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Confirm Yes/No |
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Confirm Yes/No |
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Confirm Yes/No |
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Confirm Yes/No |
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Component 1: Organizational Background and Capacity to implement activities to achieve planned results (max 1.5 pages)
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This section should provide an overview (with relevant annexes) that clearly demonstrate that the proponent has the capacity and commitment to implement the proposed activities and produce results successfully. Key elements to be covered in this section include:
- the nature of the proponent – whether it is a community-based organization, national or sub-national NGO, research or training institution, etc.;
- the overall mission, purpose, and core programmes/services of the organization;
- the organization’s target population groups (women, indigenous peoples, youth, etc.);
- the organizational approach (philosophy) - how the organization delivers its projects (e.g., gender-sensitive, rights-based, etc.);
- the organization’s length of existence and relevant experience;
- an overview of the organization’s capacity relevant to the proposed engagement with UN Women (e.g., technical, governance and management, and financial and administrative management);
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details of the following relating to prevention of SEA:
- describe what measures are in place to prevent SEA;
- describe reporting and monitoring mechanisms and procedures;
- describe what capacity exists to investigate SEA allegations;
- describe past allegations of SEA, if any, and how they were handled, including the outcome;
- describe what SEA training the people (employees or otherwise) who will perform the services have completed; and
- describe what reference and background checks have been done for employees and associated personnel.
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- describe the proponent’s institutional capacity to manage grants, including appropriate grant award management, system/framework for undertaking grant proposal evaluation, due diligence and, appropriate governance and risk management (including composition and terms of reference of the independent designated steering committee or grant selection committee);
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Component 2: Expected Results and Indicators (max 1.5 pages)
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This section should articulate the proponent’s understanding of the UN Women Terms of Reference (TOR). It should contain a clear and specific statement of what the proposal will accomplish in relation to the UN Women Terms of Reference. This should include:
- The problem statement or challenges to be addressed given the context described in the UN Women Terms of Reference.
- The specific results expected (e.g., outputs) through engagement of the proponent. The expected results are the measurable changes which will have occurred by the end of the planned intervention. Propose specific and measurable indicators which will form the basis for monitoring and evaluation. These indicators will be refined, and will form an important part of the agreement between the proponent and UN Women.
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Component 3: Description of the Technical Approach and Activities (max 2.5 pages)
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This section should describe the technical approach and should be able to show the soundness and adequacy of the proposed approach, what will actually be done to produce the expected results in terms of activities. There should be a clear and direct linkage between the activities and the results at least at the output level. Specific strategies should also be described to support the achievement of results, such as building partnerships, etc.
Activity descriptions should be as specific as necessary, identifying what will be done, who will do it, when it will be done (beginning, duration, completion), and where it will be done. In describing the activities, an indication should be made regarding the organizations and individuals involved in or benefiting from the activity.
This narrative is to be complemented by a tabular presentation that will serve as Implementation Plan, as described in Component 4.
This section should also include the details of all proposed sub-contracting and sub-partnering.
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Component 4: Implementation Plan (max 1.5 pages)
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This section is presented in tabular form and can be attached as an annex. It should indicate the sequence of all major activities and timeframe (duration). Provide as much detail as necessary. The Implementation Plan should show a logical flow of activities. Please include all required milestone reports and monitoring reviews in the Implementation Plan.
Implementation Plan
| Project No: | Project Name: | |||||||||||||
| Name of proponent organization: | ||||||||||||||
| Brief description of project | ||||||||||||||
| Project start and end dates: | ||||||||||||||
| Brief description of specific results (e.g., outputs) with corresponding indicators, baselines and targets. Repeat for each result. | ||||||||||||||
| List the activities necessary to produce the results and indicate who is responsible for each activity | Duration of Activity in Months (or Quarters) | |||||||||||||
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Activity |
Responsible | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
| 1.1 | ||||||||||||||
| 1.2 | ||||||||||||||
| 1.3 | ||||||||||||||
| 1.4 | ||||||||||||||
Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (max. 1 page)
This section should contain an explanation of the plan for monitoring and evaluating the activities, both during its implementation (formative) and at completion (summative). Key elements to be included are:
- how the performance of the activities will be tracked in terms of achievement of the steps and milestones set forth in the Implementation Plan;
- how any mid-course correction and adjustment of the design and plans will be facilitated on the basis of feedback received; and
- how the participation of community members in the monitoring and evaluation processes will be achieved.
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Component 5: Risks to Successful Implementation (1 page)
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Identify and list any major risk factors that could result in the activities not producing the expected results. These should include both internal factors (for example, the technology involved fails to work as projected) and external factors (for example, significant currency fluctuations resulting into changes in the economics of the activity, risk of sub-contactors or sub-partners not performing). Describe how such risks are to be mitigated.
In this section also include the key assumptions on which the activity plan is based on. In this case, the assumptions are mostly related to external factors (for example, the assumption that the relevant government’s environmental policy will remain stable) which are anticipated in planning the activity, and on which the feasibility of the activities depend.
Please attach a risk register to capture the above risk factors and risk mitigation measures.
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Component 6: Results-Based Budget (max. 1.5 pages)
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The development and management of a realistic budget is an important part of developing and implementing successful activities. Careful attention to issues of financial management and integrity will enhance the effectiveness and impact of activities. The following important principles should be kept in mind in preparing a project budget:
- Include costs which relate to efficiently carrying out the activities and producing the results which are set forth in the proposal. Other associated costs should be funded from other sources.
- The budget should be realistic. Find out what planned activities will actually cost, and do not assume that they would cost less.
- The budget should include all costs associated with managing and administering the activity or results, particularly the cost of monitoring and evaluation.
- Support Costs mean those indirect costs that are incurred to operate the Partner as a whole or a segment thereof and that cannot be easily connected or traced to implementation of the Work, i.e., operating expenses, overhead costs and general costs connected to the normal functioning of an organization/business, such as cost for support staff, office space and equipment that are not Direct Costs.
- If the partner has a Support Cost Policy that specifies a rate, the partner can include this rate to not exceed a rate of 8% or the rate set forth in the Donor Specific Conditions, if that is lower).
- If the Partner does not have a Support Cost Policy, the partner must provide a break-down of support costs (not exceeding a rate of 8% or the rate set forth in the Donor Specific Conditions, if that is lower).
- The budget line items are general categories intended to assist in thinking through where money will be spent. If a planned expenditure does not appear to fit in any of the standard line-item categories, list the item under other costs, and state what the money is to be used for.
- The figures contained in the budget sheet should agree with those on the proposal header and text.
- Depending on the results to be delivered, following suggestive thresholds could be followed for costs:
- maximum for personnel related costs on a proposal - 20% of programming costs;
- between 3-5% for audits (to be retained by UN Women for Responsible Party audits) (may change as per the annual audit cost);
- 3% for monitoring and evaluation; and
- up to 8% (or as per relevant donor agreement) – support costs including (utilities, rent etc.).
| Result 1 (e.g., Output) Repeat this table for each result[12]. | |||||
| Expenditure Category | Year 1 [Local currency] | Year 2 (Local currency), If applicable | Total [local currency] | Total (US$) | Percentage Total |
| 1. Personnel | |||||
| 2. Equipment/Materials | |||||
| 3. Training/Seminars/Travel Workshops | |||||
| 4. Contracts | |||||
| 5. Other costs [13] | |||||
| 6. Incidentals | |||||
| 7. Other support requested | |||||
| 8. Support costs (not to exceed 8% or the relevant donor percentage) | |||||
| Total Cost for Result 1 |
I, (Name) ___________ certify that I am (Position) ______________ of (Name of Organization) ______________; that by signing this proposal for and on behalf of (Name of Organization) _________________, I am certifying that all information contained herein is accurate and truthful and that the signing of this proposal is within the scope of my powers.
I, by signing this proposal, commit to be bound by this proposal for carrying out the range of services as specified in the CFP package and respecting the terms and conditions stated in the UN Women template Partner Agreement.
_____________________________________ (Seal)
(Signature)
(Printed Name and Title)
(Date)
Annex B-3
Format of Resume for Proposed Personnel
Call for proposal
Description of Services:
CFP No
Name of Staff: ____________________________________________________
Title: _______________________________________________
Years with NGO: _____________________ Nationality: ____________________
Education/Qualifications: (Summarize college/university and other specialized education of staff member, giving names of schools, dates attended, and degrees-professional qualifications obtained).
Employment Record/Experience
(Starting with present position, list in reverse order, every employment held. List all positions held by staff member since graduation, giving dates, names of employing organization, title of position held and location of employment. For experience in last five years, detail the type of activities performed, degree of responsibilities, location of assignments and any other information or professional experience considered pertinent for this assignment).
References
Provide names and addresses for two (2) references.
Annex B-4
Capacity Assessment Minimum Documents
[To be submitted by proponents and assessed by the reviewer]
Call For Proposals
Description of Services
CFP No.
| Document | Mandatory / Optional |
| Governance, Management and Technical | |
| Organization’s legal registration documentation | Mandatory |
| Rules of governance of the organization | Mandatory |
| Organigram of the organization | Mandatory |
| List of key management at organization | Mandatory |
| CVs of key personnel of organization who are proposed for the engagement with UN Women | Mandatory |
| Details of organization’s anti-fraud policy framework (which shall be consistent with UN Women’s anti-fraud policy) | Mandatory |
| Details of organization’s PSEA policy framework | Optional |
|
Documentation evidencing training offered by organization to its employees and associated personnel on prevention and response to SEA. |
Mandatory |
| Organization’s policy and procedure documents in respect to grant-making (if grant-making activities are included in the UN Women Terms of Reference of the CFP) | Mandatory |
| Organization’s policy and procedure for selecting partners (if sub-partner/s are going to be used) | Mandatory |
| Administration and Finance | |
| Administrative and financial rules of the organization | Mandatory |
| Details of the organization’s internal control framework | Mandatory |
| Audited statements of the organization during last 3 years | Mandatory |
| List of banks with which organizational bank accounts are held | Mandatory |
| Name of external auditors of organization | Optional |
| Procurement | |
| Organization’s procurement policy/manual | Mandatory |
| Templates of the solicitation documents for procurement of goods/services (e.g., request for quotation (FRQ), request for proposal (RFP) etc.) used by organization | Mandatory |
| List of main suppliers/vendors of organization and copies of their contract(s) including evidence of their selection processes | Mandatory |
| Client Relationship | |
| List of main clients/donors of organization | Mandatory |
| Two references for organization | Mandatory |
| Past reports to clients/donors of organization for last 3 years | Mandatory |
[1] If the posed budget is beyond the maximum range, the proposal will be rehttps://lisgis.gov.lr/censusreport/thematic/ThematicReportonGender.pdf
[3] 1966 https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-covenant-civil-and-political-rights
[4] Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 197
https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/
[5] 2006 htt://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html
[7] 2003 https://au.int/en/treaties/protocol-african-charter-human-and-peoples-rights-rights-women-africa
[8] CEDAW/C/LBR/CO/7-8, Para 29 and 30
[9] Ibid. para
[10] In exceptional circumstances, three (3) years of history registration may be accepted and it must be fully justified.
[11]Secretary General’s Bulletin, 9 October 2003 on “Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse” (ST/SGB/2003/13), and United Nations Protocol on Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse involving Implementing Partners.
[12] If the budget is for grant-making activities, add a field for grants. For grant-making, (i) only up to 50% of the Partner proposal amount may be used to fund grants, (ii) not more than 25% of the Partner Agreement value can be issued per individual grant.
[13] “Other costs” refers to any other costs that is not listed in the results-based budget. Please specify what they are in the footnote. ____________________________________________________________
Annex B-5
UN Women template Partner Agreement
https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/un-women-partner-agreement-english-including-annexes.pd
Annex B-6
UN Women Anti-Fraud Policy
Competencies :
Core Values:
- Integrity;
- Professionalism;
- Respect for Diversity.
Core Competencies:
- Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
- Accountability;
- Creative Problem Solving;
- Effective Communication;
- Inclusive Collaboration;
- Stakeholder Engagement;
- Leading by Example.
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:
Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
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Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.