Consultancy to Support Vietnam Red Cross (VNRC) in Order to Finalise its Emergency Response Standard Operation Protocol (SoP) and National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) Establishment

1. Background
According to the Law on Red Cross activities in Vietnam, disaster preparedness and disaster response are described as major components of VNRC mandate1. This is the consequence of Vietnam being prone to disasters such as typhoons, floods, landslides and drought, particularly in the central area. Every year, damage and losses caused by natural disasters represent approximately 1.5 per cent of the Vietnamese GDP. In this context, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), more precisely its Disaster Management Centre (DMC), has decided to implement a global community awareness raising and community-based disaster risk management programme.
Moreover, the Government has integrated the adaptation to climate change to its CBDRM strategy2.
Also part of the MARD, the central committee for flood and storm control (CCFSC) is the main coordinating body for the disaster response in Vietnam, providing especially damages assessments in a timely manner after a disaster.
As auxiliary to its Government, VNRC is working in close coordination with it as one of the main actors during disaster response (relief and recovery phases) in Vietnam following Decree No. 64/2008/ND-CP on mobilization, receipt, distribution and use of sources of voluntary donations for people to overcome difficulties caused by natural disasters.
To establish a link with community based initiatives and in order to provide crucial data regarding the needs of affected population right after a disaster, VNRC wants to finalise its SOPs as well as establish and consolidate an NDRT. Both components are a clear priority included in VNRC 2020 Strategy.
Indeed, the recent evaluation of the overall relief phase3 identified the establishment of such NDRT as a priority, mostly to perform needs assessment.
Within this context, SRC is supporting VNRC through the project “Strengthen the Capacities of VNRC in Emergency Response and Disaster Preparedness” funded mainly by AECID (Spanish Agency of International Cooperation and Development) and co-funded by other RC Movement partners (IFRC, Australian RC and SRC own funds).

2. Objective of the consultancy
The aim of the consultancy is to support VNRC to finalise the existing draft procedures and to develop concrete tools to further expand its capacity to respond in future disasters especially by identifying needs of affected population in a timely manner.

3. Expected results and deliverables:
To achieve this objective, the consultant will have to assist VNRC on 2 main components:
To finalise Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) to be validated by VNRC with support from SRC, IFRC, Partner National Societies (PNSs) and other stakeholders (CCFSC,...). The consultant will have to support to finalise the existing draft version. This development will be done with a participatory approach through several workshops including VNRC staff at NHQ, province and district level as well as RC Movement partners and CCFSC
representatives. Workshop calendar and final publication of SOPs will be agreed with VNRC leaders. He/she will need inputs from VNRC to complete the SOPs, therefore a close collaboration with VNRC project staff as well as VNRC Training Centre will be needed. The final version of the SOPs will be approved by VNRC and shared through dissemination workshops.
Tentative Calendar will be as follows:
10th to 21st March: Review existing information and support preparation of review workshop agenda
22nd – 23rd March: Perform as external facilitator of Review Workshop of the existing draft version of SOPs and NDRT ToR.
24th March – 15th April: Compile comments of workshop and include in SOPs and NDRT ToR. Final version approved.
16th – 30th April 2011: Consultant Report on component 1 SOPs

NDRT training and simulation facilitation.
During the last months of 2010 a Terms of Reference for the NDRT have been already developed and VNRC has approved them. Equipment for NDRT has been also procured within the project plan funded by IFRC and a training agenda has been already drafted.
Using those existing materials, the consultant will have to support VNRC in organizing the NDRT training, facilitating the training process as well as designing the agenda and activities for the planned simulations. The Consultant will work closely with VNCR project staff to achieve this. The Consultant will make the required corrections to NDRT ToR after training and simulations are implemented.
Tentative Calendar will be as follows:
June 2011: Simulations and training are expected to be done together.
July 2011: NDRT ToR review according to lessons learnt from simulations and training
15th August 2011: Consultant Report on component 2 NDRT Training and simulations.
A draft final report of the consultancy, including the 2 components, is expected by 5th August 2011 in both English and Vietnamese.

4. Methodology
With the support from VNRC staff and SRC staff in country, the consultant will facilitate the above mentioned activities, ensuring a participatory approach is used and all stakeholders’ views are considered.
The Consultant will make sure that both documents SOP and NDRT ToR are aligned with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement agreements and guidelines on emergency response, relief and disaster preparedness.

5. Schedule
Services from the consultant as described above will be delivered between 15th March and 15th August 2011. The general timeframe for the completion of this consultancy is 30 work days (to be discussed with the consultant).

6. Submission of proposals:
The proposals must include:
A technical proposal, including the detail support that the consultant will provide to the detail training curriculum, including methodologies and resources (Maximum 10 pages)
A human resources proposal, including CV of the consultant/trainer highlighting relevant qualifications, experience and references.
A detailed economic proposal considering an adequate use of the economic resources in each stage of the assessment, and a detail breakdown budget4.
The proposal shall be presented in English in electronic format by latest 3rd March 2011 (17:00 Vietnam time) to the following e-mail addresses: [email protected] and [email protected]

7. Selection criteria
Essential
- A minimum of 8 years experience in the design, delivery and/or evaluation of disaster preparedness and disaster response programmes.
- A minimum of 2 years experience with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
- Sound knowledge of the principles and practice of diversity, equity and affirmative action.
- An undergraduate degree or equivalent experience in a field relevant to humanitarian or international development work.
- Fluent in Vietnamese
Highly Desirable
- Knowledge of the Red Cross Movement’s Disaster Response policies, procedures and practices.
- Technical knowledge and experience in one of the key programme sectors (livelihoods, shelter/housing, health, water & sanitation or disaster risk reduction) and proven skills in programming and planning.
- Past experience in operational agreement development would also be an asset.

Please note that all the related costs (travel, accommodation,...) of the consultant must be included in the economic proposal and paid directly by the Consultant. SRC will not pay any of this cost separately. In case of
international consultants, they will be responsible of their own arrangements in terms of visa, flying tickets, accommodation. SRC Delegation will support the process but will not cover directly those expenses.