This guidance note is part of a series of nine modules that seeks to provide support to humanitarian actors working on Cash Based Programming in Somalia. These guidance notes are meant to provide an overview of the topics while pointing to materials with more in-depth explanations. This module aims at providing some key questions and possible answers to consider throughout the project life cycle.
Participation, sensitisation and accountability
Selection of beneficiaries
Activities / Responsible / Accountability / Remark1. Sensitization of community on project targets, processes and complain mechanisms / - Implementing organization (IO) / ⧠ Sensitization report / public notice / special session with local authorities / radio messages support to disseminate information about the feedback mechanisms / SMS messages / Call Centre
2. Define how beneficiaries will be distributed per targeted group (emergency support, livelihood support, able to work, minorities, gender) / - IO
- Local community leaders / ⧠ Number of beneficiaries per category targeted
.
3. Define beneficiaries’ selection criteria per group targeted / - IO
- Local community leaders / ⧠ Selection criteria. / Context analysis and details of the different categories of beneficiaries should already have been developed (exclusion factor).
In emergency contexts, maybe an unconditional cash transfer will be in principle faster…but would the selection criteria also conducive to a ‘quick’ implementation?
4. Set up a committee ideally with, equal representation men and women or if this is not possible, separate committees for men and women. / - IO and Community duty bearers / Credibility of the committee in the targeted community / The committee supporting the design of the project should provide opportunities for women. In Al Shabaab controlled areas, this situation may not be feasible. In rural areas where clan elders represent the main authority, the inclusion of women in the decision making committee is possible but will face cultural challenges. Moreover, setting up a committee with equal representation between men and women does not imply that women will have an equal opportunity to influence the decision making. The IO should therefore be pro-active in creating or increasing space for women to express themselves in these committees.
5. Set up an MoU between the community and the OP / - Implementing organization
- Local community leaders / ⧠ Signed MoU.
6. Registration of beneficiaries / Usually done by selected members of the community together with IO staff and verified afterwards. / ⧠ Electronic database of the list of beneficiaries with key profile and vulnerability criteria indicated per beneficiary. /
Information on clan is usually sensitive but the reality of Somalia is articulated around the clan balance. if possible, this information should be collected. It would help to understand inclusion and exclusion factor applied during the registration process.
Information per village. / ⧠ Number of beneficiaries per targeted village.
⧠ Number of households living in the targeted villages.
⧠ Geo reference per village? /
7. Verification list of beneficiaries / - IO / - Thumb printed/Signed Verification list
- Biometric identification systems
- Phone numbers / Hard copy of signed verification list to be filed
8. Regular update of beneficiaries list / - IO
- Local community leaders / ⧠ Protocol for updating the list of beneficiaries.
Remark: updating the list should focus whether targeted beneficiaries are still fit the selection criteria and/or still living in the targeted locations. This approach will contribute to the reduction of the level of ghost beneficiaries and will exclude some beneficiaries whose situation has changed (returned IDPs who went back to IDPs camps to receive assistance, …) or more accurate information on their status of vulnerability. / Updates should only be done under a very specific protocol validated by the communities and appreciated from a risk point of view (managing the exclusion of beneficiaries).
Selection of suppliers (As needed)
Activities / Responsible / Accountability / Remark1. List of potential suppliers / IO / ⧠ List of eligible companies with justification.
⧠ List of prequalified suppliers / Verification of the list of suppliers to be invited to the tender should be based on justified recommendations or verification of past experience with IOs or other agencies.
Based on the specific profiles of suppliers needed (security, financial capacity) the project will favour specific groups of suppliers. The more challenging the context, the more powerful suppliers will benefit from it. It is therefore important to reduce the level or number of pre qualifications if the context is not too risky to include mid-sized suppliers as part of the stakeholders of the project. Inclusion of fresh vegetables in a voucher project, for example, would increase access of mid-sized suppliers/farmers into the project.
Ask RMU / the cluster about the track record of your local implementing partners
ALWAYS due your basic due diligence: Check references with previous donors / (I) NGOs / partners!
2. Verify financial capacity, legal validation, warranty of the suppliers (anti-fraud, anti-terror law,)
3. Submit quotation to pre-selected suppliers / IO / 1. Signed list of number of suppliers received Quotations.
2. Signed certificate of nondisclosure
3. Market price survey report / Information to collect during the quotation.
⧠ Price per unit.
⧠ Time of delivery
⧠ Warranty system provided per company. This information is very important and level of responsibility per branch, process to warranty accountability per branch should be clearly asked to supplier.
⧠ Mechanisms in place for anti-fraud, anti-corruption, anti-terrorist.
⧠ Clear description of the required Service/Goods.
4. Filled quotations / Suppliers / ⧠ Quotations submitted by suppliers
5. Bid analysis / IO / ⧠ Bid analysis report justifying the selection of suppliers.
⧠ BID opening minute / - Tender Box to be opened in front of the bid committee,
- Logistics to prepare the checklist for the requirements of the service
6. Contract / IO – suppliers / ⧠ Signed Contract
⧠ Signed Purchase order / The contract should contain all the support documents foreseen to be filled by the contractor.
The IO should consider what the monitoring strategy would be and ask the supplier to provide specific documents as part of accountability strategy.
Gender issues, power relations and vulnerable groups
1.1 selection of beneficiariesMitigation strategy / Means of verification
⎕ List all key groups, especially minorities, present in the targeted area with a focus on the groups at risk of being excluded for any reason (gender, clan, geographic, livelihood, disability) / ⧠ Report on context analysis.
⧠ List of profiles of beneficiaries and their representation compared to the target group.
Targeting and registration
⎕ Define the process of selection of beneficiaries.⧠ Agreement of the selection criteria per targeted group and the proportion of each group.
Specific group / Selection criteria / Mode of cash transfer / % targeted
xx / - xx
- xx
- xx / xx / xx
xx / - xx
- xx
- xx / xx / xx
⧠ Define who will do the beneficiaries registration.
⧠ Define who and how list of beneficiaries registered will be verified.
⧠ Define how beneficiaries list will be updated and by whom. / ⧠ Selection criteria per group of targeted beneficiaries signed by local stakeholders and IO staff.
⧠ List of beneficiaries signed respectively by registering and verifying entities.
⧠ List of beneficiaries should be structured with information on each beneficiary status compared to each selection criteria.
Bio data (name, phone, age, sex) / Vulnerability criteria
List beneficiaries to be attached as an annex
⎕ Inform the community on the selection criteria through radio or public notice. / ⧠ Information shared with the community on the selection criteria. This can be public notice, sensitization report (date, location, attendance).
NB: The message should also link the community to use of the complaint mechanism by making public the phone numbers and other processes to be used.
4