Introduction 

The ongoing full invasion by the Russian Federation in Ukraine which began on February 24, 2022, led to a humanitarian emergency across the country. As the result of intense fighting, shelling and mining, the existing humanitarian crisis has been aggravated, including loss of life and injuries, the mass movement and displacement of people throughout the country and across borders. Towns and cities were left without food, water, medical care, power, or safe passage, as well as severe destruction and damage of civilian infrastructure and residential housing. As response to the needs of vulnerable population, communities and social institutions, IOM implements variety of humanitarian projects across Ukraine in the partnership with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).   

IOM is now looking to pre-select organizations working in the provision of humanitarian assistance, with a view to entering into partnerships with selected organisations for the provision of shelter activities. 

Background  

Russian’s full-scale invasion triggered a large-scale humanitarian crisis displacing over 13.6 million people within just three months. As of 23 January 2023, IOM estimates 5.4 million IDPs are displaced across Ukraine (IOM Ukraine Internal Displacement Report, Round 12). While the overall displacement figures remain high, nearly 29 % of IDPs are considering relocation to their communities of origin. Many returns are to Kyiv and the northern region (10%, per Ukraine Return Report, December 2022), as well as increasingly other parts of the country. Many returnees, as well as individuals who continue to be displaced or are staying in conflict-affected areas, are in gravely vulnerable situations. The unpredictable security situation, lack of jobs, lack of livelihoods and essential services may affect social tensions, increase protection risks and prevent IDPs from returning. Now many people depend on social assistance or support from humanitarian organizations. 

In this context, IOM is providing a wide range of shelter assistance across Ukraine, including the provision of solid fuel and winterization support, repairs to houses, health facilities and educational establishments, provision of emergency shelter materials, vouchers and cash for shelter provision and provision of electrical support among others. These activities are implemented both directly by IOM and through partnerships with other organizations.  

Objective 

The main goal of this Call for Expression of Interest is to pre-select Implementing Partner(-s) among qualified NGOs to facilitate further implementation of IOM projects. The activities that IOM seeks to enter in partnerships for include the provision of: 

• Solid Fuel 

• Heating Appliances 

• Emergency Shelter Items 

• Technical Supervision 

• Building Repair 

• Monitoring and Assessments 

Each of these is described in detail in section “Proposed Interventions” below. 

Proposed interventions 

To support its shelter activities in Ukraine, IOM seeks to pre-select implementing partners to carry out the following shelter activities divided into the following lots: 

Lot 1 - Provision of Solid Fuel: 

• May include but is not limited to the identification and verification of beneficiaries, procurement of solid fuel as per IOM specifications and regulations, potentially including firewood, pellets, brickettes, coal, biomass or other materials as agreed with IOM, distribution to households and/or institutions, data collection, monitoring, verification of fuel quality. For coal distribution it may be required to closely monitor the delivery starting from ensuring presence at coal storage place, monitoring of weight during unloading, signing the donation certificates during handover, submitting coal samples to laboratory, etc.  

Lot 2 - Provision of Heating Appliances: 

• May include but is not limited to the identification and verification of beneficiaries, procurement of heating appliances as per IOM specifications and regulations, potentially including stoves, oil-filled radiators, electric heaters as agreed with IOM, distribution and installation (where applicable) to households and/or institutions, data collection, monitoring.  

Lot 3 - Provision of Emergency Shelter Items and Materials:  

• May include but is not limited to the identification and verification of beneficiaries, procurement emergency shelter items as per IOM specifications and regulations, potentially including tarpaulins, Plastic Sheets, construction timber, sheeting (Oriented Strand Board, plywood, etc.), fixings, insulation, roofing and other items as agreed with IOM, distribution to households and/or institutions, provision of installation assistance and sensitisation, data collection, monitoring. 

Lot 4 - Provision of Technical Supervision: 

• May include but is not limited to the provision of technical supervision activities, including engineering and construction supervision, assessment visits, supervision of distributions and installations, preparation of technical assessments, bills of quantities, scopes of works, sensitisation and technical advice to beneficiaries, authorities and contractors.   

Lot 5 - Provision of Building Repairs: 

• May include but is not limited to the identification of buildings in need of repair, selection and contracting of contractors, provision of labour brigades, technical site assessments, coordination with authorities, owners and other stakeholders, attainment of necessary permits and permissions etc. as per Ukrainian law and IOM requirements, creation of bills of quantities, scopes of work, conducting construction work (for example glazing, roofing, plumbing, electrical repairs, masonry, carpentry, tiling, plastering, fixing, finishing, and other activities as required), procurement of materials, monitoring and technical supervision of works. Some or all of these activities could be through contractors. 

Lot 6 - Assessments and Monitoring: 

• May include but is not limited to the provision of monitoring and assessment activities supporting the implementation of shelter projects, such as needs assessments, household surveys, key informant interviews, market assessments, distribution monitoring, and other data collection, analysis, and reporting as required. May also include organising the testing and validation of solid fuel quality, such as by measuring Heat Content, Moisture, Ash, Sulfur, Chlorine (ppm), etc. and other appropriate measurables as directed by IOM. 

Overarching Outcomes: 

Implementation of either and altogether form the above-described activities will enable addressing the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable persons affected by the conflict in Ukraine. Targeted beneficiaries will receive direct in-kind support, as well as benefit from assistance delivered to institutions and key community sites, that provide essential medical, social, and public services for the population.  

Those benefiting from delivered humanitarian aid, will confirm having sufficient access to the goods, relevance of the assistance provided to them, as well as having improved quality of life and strengthened resilience to the crisis.   

Expected results 

IOM in partnership with further pre-selected Implementing Partners will cover the needs in humanitarian assistance of vulnerable population by implementing items distribution as well as assessments and supervision throughout the 12 months engagement period.   

Thus, activities in the sector would significantly improve the ability of benefitting entities and HHs to meet their basic needs that will support communities and social and medical institutions to more effectively and efficiently respond to the basic needs.  

Impact 

Through described actions, at household level, vulnerable conflict-affected population in Ukraine is able to access essential commodities to cover their basic needs. The institutional level assistance will vastly contribute to increase the capacity of social, medical, and specialized facilities to ensure decent conditions and provide necessary services to the population they serve/host. Community level interventions are targeted to increase the resilience of local communities and improve their sustainability. 

Target Locations 

Proponents should clearly indicate in their Concept Notes exact Oblasts, where they have capacity to implement project activities to facilitate the distribution and direct presence. IOM will further create pool of IPs for each of the following areas:  

1. Eastern area (Donetska, Kharkivska, Dnipropetrivska, Luhanska Oblast) 

2. Central area (Vinnitska, Kirovohradska, Poltavska, Cherkaska Oblast); 

3. Southern area (Zaporizka, Khersonska, Mikolaivska, Odeska Oblast); 

4. Western area (Lvivska, Ternopilska, Ivano-Frankivska, Khemlintska, Rivnenska, Volinska, Chernivetska, Zakarpatska Oblast); 

5. Nothern area (Zhitomirska, Kyivska, Chernihivska, Sumska Oblast). 

Partnerships and collaboration 

For the purpose of pre-qualification and to be able to further implement assigned activities, the prospective Implementing Partner should have solid network of reliable partnerships, as well as proven successful collaboration with the following stakeholders:   

• Official entities, supervising the areas of potential humanitarian interventions – to ensure actual data on needs and access to beneficiaries (whether at HH, institutional or community level);  

• Local authorities – to ensure needs assessment and verification of actuality of this data; receiving lists of potential beneficiaries; coordinate presence in the field during assessment and monitoring visits; get support at the local level for potential implementation.    

• Local community leaders – to facilitate targeted assistance, identifying and lobbying to address the dire needs of the most vulnerable in first place, involving local community leaders in monitoring of implementation process to minimize social tension inside community.  

• Humanitarian actors, present operational or impactful in the area, including UN Agencies, ICRC, Clusters, international organizations, and local NGOs – to coordinate humanitarian assistance, enhance the joint impact and avoid overlapping.   

Proposed timeline:  

The term of pre-selection results validity is 12 months starting from results announcement. During this period pre-selected IPs can be engaged for the implementation of distribution. Construction activities as well as assessment and supervision of those.  

Qualification and experience 

Proponents should meet requirement as per Chapter 9. “Eligible Proponents” in Call for Expression of Interest document. Potential Implementing Partners are supposed to demonstrate a deep understanding of methodology to implement project activities. It is expected that pre-qualified IPs would majorly identify the needs per activity and obtain the access to the areas and benefitting entities/HHs for further implementation of activities prioritized by IOM on case-by-case scenario, based on availability of funding.   

Thus, for successful implementation, pre-qualified NGO should have relevant staff capability, former experience in humanitarian area and organizational capacity for:   

• conduct as necessary coordination with local authorities for each assigned project activity;   

• getting lists of beneficiaries/social institutions/key community sites against given vulnerability criteria from authorities;  

• performing needs assessment and verification of beneficiaries/social institutions/key community sites according to set vulnerability criteria in accordance with the IOM requirements;  

• arranging for acceptance of goods delivered by IOM;     

• ensuring safe storage of goods at NGO’s warehouse for further distribution to beneficiaries;   

• ensuring proper arrangements for implementation (engagement of required personnel, due notifications of beneficiaries, setting timelines, logistical coordination, scheduling, reporting, etc);  

• arranging for procurement of goods and services as might be necessary, in line with respective IOM guidelines and policies;   

• liaising and cooperating with all relevant stakeholders;   

• monitoring of all assigned activities throughout the whole project cycle implementation;  

• regular and ad hoc reporting, as well as overall effective project management;  

• distributions should be arranged based on IOM guidelines; 

• other tasks, that may be required during implementation.   

Project budget 

For the pre-selection process IPs are not requested to provide a detailed budget. However, IP should clearly indicate amount of monthly salary (including all taxes and payments) of the exact following personnel to be potentially engaged into the project implementation:  

• Project Manager  

• Accountant 

• Project Assistant  

• Civil Engineer 

• Field Assistant (for distributions, monitoring, etc.)  

• Warehouse Assistant 

Submission of the project proposal 

Please refer to Section 14 “Expression of Interest submission guidelines” in Call for Expression of Interest document 

Place and deadline for submission of the project 

Please refer to Section 1 “Timeline” and Section 14 “Expression of Interest submission guidelines” in Call for Expression of Interest document