BACKGROUND

The Start Network is a consortium of 42 leading NGOs working together to connect people in crises to the best possible solutions.  In order to meet the needs of crisis-affected people in a future of great uncertainty and complexity, we believe that the humanitarian sector must change. The Start Network members collaborate because the change that is demanded cannot be achieved by any single organisation acting alone.

We promote a way of working that enables international and local humanitarian actors to coexist.  We envision a self-organising system where the agencies best placed to respond to a crisis are empowered to do so. To realise this vision, we are working to catalyse a humanitarian sector that is more diverse, decentralised and collaborative.

The consortium works in four principal areas: Start Fund (financing for emergency response); Start Engage (strengthening civil society capacity); Start Labs (experimentation, rapid prototyping and learning); and Start Response (umbrella grants for long term responses).

The Start Network legal structure enables resources and initiative to reach nearly 7,000 partner agencies, comprised of over a quarter million staff working in 200 countries and territories.

CONTEXT

Pakistan is one of the most active countries for the Start Network – and offers an international model for civil society collaboration. There are several networks in country – including the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum for INGOs and National Platform which constitutes on national NGOS, plus Start Network workstreams working in consortium on different initiatives – seven (7) Disaster Emergency Preparedness Projects (DEPP), a Start Fund rapid response decision making group and a Start Labs Drought Financing Facility.  However, there is not one single narrative or initiative to join these networks together under a common purpose, which is critical for collaborative humanitarian action. There is critical momentum building in Pakistan and an opportunity of joining of networks and key stakeholders together is an opportunity to align, share ideas, best practice and new prospects for organisations within the humanitarian community.  Despite these networks having some overlap there is little resource to join the networks together under a common vision which is often sighted as a gap leading to inefficiency.

As part of an application to the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) CAN Fund for sustainable collaborative networks, the Start Network, with ACTED and Mercy Corps put forward an application to bring these networks together. In order to bring about this sustainable collaborative action, colleagues from Pakistan have identified three gaps that have hindered collaborative humanitarian action:

·         A lack of research on the networks that exist in Pakistan and the common overlapping activities.

·         There has not been a joint-contingency plan to identify risks and preparedness plans

·         Many initiatives but not one space to join the dots and discuss the future of humanitarianism in Pakistan

Therefore it is proposed to do the HLA grant to contribute to more sustainable collaborative action through three initiatives:

·         Research on networks in Pakistan:  As a first step, is to understand the networks, organisations and individuals that make up the humanitarian community in Pakistan. This can be done by organisations such as Capacity Connect which enables organizations to map institutional relationships and to generate a visualization illustrating where you are positioned in relation to others. These maps are backed by powerful network analysis-derived statistical metrics to illuminate relationships and structures that may not be visible or intuitive.

·         Conduct a contingency planning workshop with relevant humanitarian actors to identify the risks and prepare for emergencies that may occur in 2017-2018, which will contribute to a joint action plan. Part of this will be to link into early action funding such as Start’s anticipation window.

·         A Start for Change conference which will present the evidence of the research on networks and contingency planning workshop, while also providing the space to commit to collaboration principles and a road map for more sustainable collaboration. A key tenant of this event is the promotion of local capacity and skills, with a small percentage speakers or facilitators will be brought in that are outside of the region. The Start for Change conference will also put forward recommendations for establishing a Start Network hub in Pakistan. This is based on the feedback from many members that there is not one cohesive plan for the Network in Pakistan – however, there is a demand to make this a reality. Currently, as there is no official Start Network hub – this is Pakistan’s chance to provide collective leadership and input into the broader Start Network internationally, as well as in Pakistan. Above all, the activities and future direction of travel is for us to determine to ensure that it is relevant to the needs of the context of Pakistan.

In order to deliver these, we have set up a working group of stakeholders to ensure that these deliverables are met based on the ideas and drive of the civil society which these initatives seek to help. In addition to this, we are looking for an event organiser for the third objective – facilitating the Start for Change conference. This person would be a critical element to creating an event that is for Pakistan to take these agendas forward. The event facilitator will be specifically targeting speakers who will be able to share experiences and talk about linking information and finance mechanisms. Further speakers will be sought for new business models ideas and ways of operating within Pakistan – specifically addressing lessons learned and ways for the future. The event will be specifically catered towards all stakeholders in the Pakistan humanitarian/ development community, so we seek to gain attendees from civil society, governments, UN, academia and humanitarian organisations.

Purpose of Consultancy

The purpose of this assignment is to analyse and produce a document that explores the networks of Pakistan in relation to humanitarian agencies, civil society and institutional relationships. We are seeking a consultancy to research and produce a high-quality network analysis visual that illuminates relationships and structures that may not be visible or intuitive.

The network analysis must show different types of properties between organisations such as;

·         Transactional Content - What is exchange

·         Nature of Links – strength and nature of the links

·         Structural Characteristics – overall pattern of the network

This consultancy will also feed into the contingency planning workshop wherein relevant humanitarian actors will identify the risks and prepare for emergencies that may occur in 2017-2018, which will contribute to a joint action plan. Both these tasks will also feed into the Conference that will visually show the connections and network of the community within Pakistan.

Specific Tasks and Deliverables for Consultant

The Network analysis is due to be used as a precursor to The Start for Change conference and the contingency planning workshop. This gives a deadline submission of when this consultancy needs to be completed, with all deliverables being met within the timeframe.

Deliverables/ Output

Network Analysis:

·         A report with conclusions and analysis of the current and potential network relationships within the Pakistan humanitarian community regarding humanitarian agencies, civil society and institutional departments.

·         The gathering of quantitative/ qualitative and primary/ secondary data that explores the scope of the humanitarian network in Pakistan

·         Create a visualization illustrating where organisations are positioned in relation to others- to illuminate relationships and structures that may not be visible or intuitive

·         In order to  showcase relationships and compatible structures,  the mapping should utilise statistical metrics and maps, diagrams etc. may be utilised for this purpose

·         Devise a mechanism such as a common database/information sharing platform, which links to useful information, including UNOCHA and clusters

·         Conduct an analysis informed by statistical metrics that specifically highlights how various organisations may collaborate and synergise, such as through complementary efforts; including integrated assistance and sharing of lessons learnt (which may be of use for instance to other organisations within the network)

·         Create a database of humanitarian organisations (a derivative of the 4W matrix for instance)

·         Map activities that identify areas of collaboration between different organisations

Contingency Planning

Before contingency workshop

·         Work with Start for Change working group and network mapping consultants to identify what information needs to be compiled for information for the contingency planning workshop

·         Identify gaps in information for participants that need to be filled in by participants or discussed in the workshop

·         Map out activities by theme (sector or otherwise)

·         Create the workshop agenda that is transparent and does not overlap but compliments initiatives that have already taken place in Pakistan

During contingency workshop

• Facilitate on the day of the contingency planning workshop to ensure that workshop objectives are met – above all ensure the day is collaborative and that all voices can he incorporated 
• Ensure participants are aware of any actions / next steps from conference
• Link protocols to early action funding such as the Start Fund’s anticipation window

After contingency workshop

• Produce the findings that can be practically used and action upon by members.
• Communicate protocols developed in the workshop
• Appoint an individual in Pakistan to present findings at the Start for Change conference in April

Duration and Location of the Assignment

The duration of this assignment is based upon the developers plan and proposal. However we are expecting the work to take approximately 3 months to complete. The location of the assignment is for a research based consultancy within Pakistan due to the topic and context of topic. However all proposals and considerations will be taken for viable candidates that are regionally based.

ACTED's Responsibility

ACTED will be your employer through this contract, and will support in providing the consultant adequate secondary data and support in the acquisition and guidance of suitable sources of hard data such as 3/ 4W’s, previous reports and analysis. But also provide information on suitable personnel and within the sector to interview and make contact with.

Remuneration and Payment Procedures

All costs – including benefits, travel, and expenses incurred will need to be covered within the consultant’s fee. The expected cost for delivery of the document and all deliverables is negotiable.

Payment procedure will be 50% on signing contract, and 50% of satisfactory completion of contract.

Consultancy Specification and Experience

Essential

·         Fluent in English and Urdu 

·         Knowledge of the Pakistan and the regional humanitarian context

·         Experience in researching and analysing networks within a sector or thematic area (preferably in the humanitarian field)

·         A flexible and initiative-taking attitude with the ability to work autonomously

·         Knowledge and understanding of humanitarian operations and partnerships/ contracting.

·         Previous experience working in consortiums and/ or partnership based operations.

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills

·         Excellent computer skills including word processing, presentation and use of spreadsheets combined with the ability to develop and maintain office and management information systems

Desirable

·         Knowledge and experience of the Start Network’s modus operandi, and at least some of the Start Network member agencies’ ways of working and key sectors

·         Experience of social network analysis and partnership based operations

·         Be from a Start Network member agency in Pakistan