CALL FOR PROPOSAL

Strengthening Social Cohesion among Host Communities and

Forcefully Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh

Guidance Note

1) Deadline for applications

The applications must be received by 10 / 09 / 2018. However, it is strongly recommended to apply as

early as possible. The applicants will be notified by email whether the proposal has been endorsed by
IOM Bangladesh.

2) Language

All applications must be submitted in English. However, submission will be evaluated based on the
quality of the proposed ideas and budget. Applications must include both technical and financial
proposals.

3) Eligibility

Eligibility criteria:

• The applicant organization should be a Local/National/International NGOs registered with the

Government of Bangladesh.
• The applicant organization should have experience to work with host community and/or
Rohingya response programme.
• The applicant organization should have experience of conflict sensitive programming and
should have experience of program related to recovery, stabilization, and social cohesion with
special focus on gender livelihoods and environment.
• Organizations that have been working with Host Communities and Forcefully Displaced
Myanmar Nationals/ Rohingyas, in / Cox’s Bazar, will add extra value.
• The applicant organizations must have their presence at Cox’s Bazar especially in Teknaf and
Ukhiyaor locally based organizations.
• Organization/s who has conducted initial assessment on mid/long term stabilization needs get
extra value.

4) Selection process

The organization will be selected following the selection criteria by a panel of IOM programme
management team.

IOM Bangladesh 2018

5) Selection criteria

The received proposals will be assessed following the below criteria:

• Proposed results/changes: The proposal will clearly reflect how it will contribute to bringing
changes through social cohesion and stabilization among host community and the Forcefully
Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh /Rohingya.
• Beneficiary Selection: The project will cover both Host community and Forcefully Displaced
Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh /Rohingya, thus the methodology and beneficiary selection
criteria are essentially important to assess the proposals.
• Experience to work in Stabilization: The proposal should reflect the work experience of the
organizations stabilization initiatives and the innovative ideas the organization proposed for
bringing the positive changes into the lives of host and displaced communities.
• Community Mobilization and participation: The project requires excellent community
mobilization and ensuring community participation is mandatory. Thus, it is needed to clearly
articulate these into the proposal.
• Coordination mechanism: The proposal must articulate clearly how the organization will
coordinate and collaborate with relevant organizations, Government or sectors or any other
relevant forums or body including with other relevant IOM partners.
• Relevance of proposed activities and budget: The proposed interventions will be assessed in
line with the result to be achieved. The relevance of budget with activity is also very important
criteria to assess the proposal.

6) General guidance

• If the organization has any similar work experience in social cohesion and stabilization and the
work has been evaluated by any external or internal body, please add the recommendations
from the evaluation into the design of the proposed proposal.
• Clearly highlight the expected results of the proposed work including specific activities to bring
the sustainable changes.
• It is also important to present a risk management plan for the project.
• Please propose a realistic and achievable actions.

7) Terms and conditions:

All information submitted in the application should be true to the best knowledge of the applicant,
any information found to be false, partial or misleading may result in disqualification from the awards.

1. The applicant organization must have a zero-tolerance policy to corruption (including any
form of bribery) and any affiliation with terrorism, as per IOM’s policies in these areas.
2. Organizations having employees with a criminal record related to fraud or financial
mismanagement will be excluded.
3. After the panel select their provisional choice for winners, IOM reserves the right to conduct
further due diligence investigations on these organizations. The funds will only be awarded
after satisfactory completion of all due diligence checks.
4. Should an applicant be selected as an awardee, they must commit to directly implementing
and use the funding towards host communities and Forcefully Displaced Myanmar Nationals
in Bangladesh/ Rohingyas, through increased opportunity on social cohesion and stabilization.
5. Proposed activities should be implemented with due respect to all national laws, rules and
regulations.
6. IOM reserves the right to withhold awarding funds in the absence of sufficient information.

IOM Bangladesh 2018

 TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Strengthening Social Cohesion and Stabilization among Host

Communities and Forcefully Displaced Myanmar Nationals in
Bangladesh
Project Location: Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazila of Cox’s Bazar District
Duration: 7 months (starting from September 2018)

1. Background

Bangladesh is one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in the world. In addition to its
approximately $1,500 GDP per capita, the country has been experiencing an influx of Forcefully
Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN)/Rohingya Refugees for many years. Since 25 August 2017, over
655,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh fleeing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State,
increasing the total Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar to over 867,000, of which 58 per cent are
children and 60 per cent are women.

This new influx of FDMN/ Rohingya not only aggravates the pre-existing protracted crisis of Rohingya
in Bangladesh, and the host communities but also puts additional pressure on the already fragile social
and economic structure of Cox’s Bazar, which is one of the worst performing districts in almost all
child-related and gender inequality indicators and one of the most vulnerable to disasters and climate
change in Bangladesh. Rohingya communities living in makeshift settlements, camps and host
communities in the surrounding areas are exposed to a high prevalence of Gender Based Violence
(GBV) with up to three quarters of women reporting incidents. Additionally, violence against women
in host continues to be a serious issue; a 2015 VAW survey found that 72.6% of married Bangladeshi
women had experienced marital violence in their life, with over half reporting this within the past
year. Thus, GBV remains an issue that not only needs to be tackled within the Rohingya population,
but largely within host communities where is prevails. Women’s empowerment is one of the key
component to reduce the GBV cases and efforts need to include a focus on creating livelihood options,
ensuring access to services and creating market linkage etc.

2. Rationality for social cohesion and stabilization among host community and FDMNs

Social cohesion ad stabilization

Given the community conflict occurring in Myanmar, the presence of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation
Army (ARSA), an existing Buddhist minority and the disruption to Cox’s Bazar communities associated
with the mass influx, increasing community conflict is a significant risk. Ongoing community conflict
has been an issue in Cox’s Bazar, usually associated with competition for resources and negative
stereotypes of Rohingya. Additional pressure on water resources, and the need for wood fuel driving
Rohingya into existing social forestry spaces will increase conflict and the already significant protection
risks faced by Rohingya women. An Upazila wide response is required to ensure dissatisfaction does
not incite further violence.

Further, impacts on economic activity, livelihoods and social cohesion are increasing as competition
between refugees and host communities over scarce resources, including water, land, forests, as well
as services and jobs, intensify.

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Findings of assessments indicate:

• An estimated 730 tonnes of trees are being cut down for cooking fuel every day. Conflict with
the host community has also increased due to the need to protect natural resources and
livelihoods combined with rising fuel prices. Alternative sources of energy are needed urgently
to meet cooking energy needs to prevent further environmental damage, deforestation,
protection risks;
• Despite having provided laudable support for the Rohingya refugees in the initial stages of the
influx, host community sympathy is diminishing and tensions are on the rise. Concern about
being outnumbered, environmental degradation and livelihood and basic service pressures
are feeding grievances.
• While disaster management plans and capacities exist at the local and district level, they have
been developed for the pre-influx context and will not be sufficient in 2018. While some
sectors in the crisis response have begun planning for cyclone and landslide preparedness,
coordination on disaster risk management is limited both between sectors, and between
Government and the response architecture. Longer-term resilience perspectives are needed
to complement the predominant focus on preparedness.

While the initial phase of the response operations has focused on delivering life-saving interventions,
a follow-on phase of more robust, and longer-term interventions is foreseen, which will include
measures that reduce pressures on the environment, mitigate disaster risks and address deepening
social and economic vulnerabilities for both refugee and host communities, as well as poverty and
livelihood pressures for local populations.

3. Overall Goal of the Project:

“Strengthen social cohesion and promote stabilization among FDMNs and host communities through
mid to long term challenges associated with hosting a large displaced community”

Output: Social cohesion is improved through creating social networks

4. Target

Host communities and FDMNs.

5. Strategy

IOM will support consultative processes with varied groups within targeted communities, including
local authorities, communities, displaced populations, women, youth and other population categories
to assess and identify pressure points and prioritize possible interventions that address grievances. In
particular, such interventions will focus on addressing grievances associated with lack of equitable
access to services and resources.

Specific interventions will include small-scale improvement projects around infrastructure and service
delivery systems. This support will be designed to improve absorption capacity in communities,
working through inclusive approaches across multiple sectors, and applying labour intensive methods.
Communities will be the principal resource in the prioritization, design and implementation of

IOM Bangladesh 2018

community projects, hence IOM will ensure their participation in assessment, project selection,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation at all times.

IOM will coordinate and monitor the implementation of community improvement projects, primarily
focusing on the restoration or upgrading of common service facilities, such as clinics, schools, roads,
markets, sports facilities, water and sanitation services, solid waste management services, cultural
centres and community halls. IOM will also consider direct material, financial or technical support and
capacity-building for local authorities. IOM will prioritize delivery of support services through a
partnership modality and select partners based on their ability to deliver effectively in prioritized
locations. IOM and partners will use local contractors and cash-for-work methodology in the delivery
of projects. The component will also support trust and confidence-building measures, through
facilitated government-community consultations, community forums, local dialogue initiatives, sports
and art activities etc.

To reduce inter-community conflict and tension, IOM will implement awareness raising for
FDMNs/Rohingya and host communities. Awareness raising will attempt to build an understanding of
the need to share resources and avoid conflict. Additionally, IOM will work with local law enforcement
to build trust and strengthen existing community policing initiatives that engage community leaders
from both communities in dialogue. Further, forums for inter-community dialogue will be used build
understanding between the two communities.

IOM will work with joint committees of Rohingya and local communities to design projects in line with
local needs. These committees will work through a facilitated process of community engagement to
develop and monitor projects together. The project model will support host-Rohingya community
relations, while supporting additional service provision for all.

6. Scope of Works

To conduct desk research and a conflict sensitive assessment focusing on supply side and demand side
in order to identify social cohesion and stabilization initiatives with a specific focus on host
communities and the FDMNs camps; Gaps and opportunities for both FDMNs and host community
members; Focusing on quick impact social cohesion initiatives and more long-term stabilization
opportunities; Training of staff and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) on community
engagement to ensure social cohesion; identify areas where trainings can be scaled up in the future
in cooperation with development partners; identify service providers and design tailor-made training
programmes; develop selection criteria and processes together with local stakeholders and based
upon community consultation to ensure Do No Harm and avoid social tension.;

7. Indicators samples as below (Innovative ideas are encouraged)

• % of target population report improved relationships and trust among local actors (displaced
groups, host communities, authorities) as a result of IOM intervention
• # of participants attending community events (e.g. sports, performances, arts, dialogue
meetings) to build social cohesion (disaggregated by gender and ethnicity)
• An effective pathway is established for productive community engagement
• # of community consultations

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8. Monitoring

• Establish a monitoring mechanism to track progress and output of the project.

• Set up quality monitoring systems and conduct on-site monitoring to exercise quality control.

9. Reporting and visibility

1) Draft interim project report with financial report without delay and submit it to IOM for
approval.
2) Draft final project report with financial report without delay and submit it to IOM for approval.
3) Ensure visibility of IOM and the donor.
4) Ensure the humanitarian principles are well practiced throughout the duration of the project
implementation.

All the above points to be narrated in the proposal.

10. Data, Local Services, Personnel and Facilities to be provided by IOM

1) IOM provides key information of the project in order for the Implementation Partner to
execute the project.
2) IOM does not provide any services, personnel or facilities to the Implementation Partner for
Implementation of activities.
3) IOM will provide necessary technical guidance/trainings to Implementation partner’s
operational staff/field engineers.
4) IOM offices in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh will be the focal point for the Implementation Partner
selected.

11. Project budget

• Below listed financial items can be proposed to carry out proposed activities:
1. Staff
2. Office
3. Communication
4. Logistic
5. Operation (Program)
6. Monitoring and Evaluation

• IOM will reserve the rights to discuss eligibility of determined items, such as IT and other
assets.
• Budget in an Excel sheet.

IOM Bangladesh 2018