Terms of Reference for a Feasibility Study

Consultancy to conduct a feasibility study for the project proposal “Empowering local actors, promoting participation: establishing inclusive protection mechanisms for children and persons with disabilities” to be implemented by Terre des Hommes Italy and to be financed jointly by Terre des Hommes Germany and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

1. About Terre des Hommes Germany and Terre des Hommes Italy

Terre des Hommes Germany (hereafter “TDH Germany”) is an international children's rights organization that promotes equitable development without racial, religious, political, cultural, or gender-based discrimination since 1967. Together with our local partner organizations in 37 countries, we support more than 240 projects in Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middel East and Europe. TDH Germany is an independent non-governmental organisation that promotes civic engagement and the participation of children and youths in all aspects of its work. TDH Germany sees its mission in strengthening children and realising children's rights for all children because every child has the right to live and to develop in the best possible way.

Terre des Hommes Italy (hereafter” TDH Italy or local partner organisation”) is an independent organization member of the international Terre des Hommes Federation. It is a not-for-profit organization implementing humanitarian relief and international development projects with a special focus on the welfare and rights of children. TDH Italy focuses on interventions in health, education and protection, and community support. It has mainly operated to provide immediate and emergency support to populations affected by war (in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian Occupied Territories, etc.) or by natural disasters, as in Mozambique, Nicaragua or Haiti. Since 2000, Terre des Hommes Italia has worked in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) in the West Bank, Gaza, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Libya and Tunisia.

2. About the project

As of 2025, the humanitarian situation in Syria remains full of concerns and instability, with approximately 6.5 million children in need of assistance. The ongoing conflict has resulted in around 5.6 million Syrian refugees, with an estimated 2.4 million children living in refugee camps across the region, including in Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan. Although many people returned after the change of the political scenario in December 2024, it is still not clear how many Refugees will really move back and if they will return to their areas of origin or they will be displaced in other areas of the country.

Inside Syria, it is reported in 2023 that over 2.4 million children are out of school, exacerbating the educational crisis that has left a generation at risk of losing their future. Malnutrition continues to be a significant concern, with around 1.5 million children suffering from acute malnutrition, and many facing stunted growth due to prolonged food insecurity. The healthcare system in Syria has been heavily compromised, with more than half of all healthcare facilities non-functional, significantly affecting children's access to essential services, vaccinations, and treatment for preventable diseases.

People with disabilities (PWDs) were also heavily affected by the conflict and related issues such as lack of financial support, lack of medical care, damaged houses etc. Humanitarian assistance frequently doesn’t take into consideration the specific needs of PWDs, offering very standard services which many times are not fully accessible and/or inclusive. Based on WHO data, 28% of Syrian population has a disability and only 5% of the humanitarian projects are dedicated or include specific needs of PWDs. In addition to that, PWDs faced the problem of social stigma and prejudices deeply rooted within the community.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have been critical in addressing these pressing needs by mobilizing resources and delivering essential assistance. In 2023, CSOs reached millions of children with food assistance, education support, and psychosocial services.  Additionally, CSOs have advocated for the protection of children’s rights amidst ongoing hostilities. However, local CSOs faced enormous challenges due to security, political problems, and access to funding opportunities. The lack of experience and technical and management capacity prevent many local CSOs from competing with INGOs for funds. On the other hand, donors have concerns in terms of financial management, reporting, accountability, etc. Technical gaps are another challenge faced by CSOs, which could compromise the quality of the services provided. In particular, local CSOs reported the need to increase their knowledge about topics related to protection, human rights, children rights and inclusion.

The proposed intervention aims to strengthen the capacity of local Syrian CSOs to design and manage effective protection interventions with a particular focus on inclusion of PWDs and active engagement of the local communities through participatory approaches.

Target group with estimated numbers: 25 local CSOs working in protection sectors (involving a total of 150 staff members), 50 PWDs directly involved in the establishment of advocacy networks, 100 community members directly involved in the establishment of community-based committees. Through the implementation by local CSOs of case management and PSS activities based on the capacity building, the project aims to indirectly reach at least 3,000 children and 300 PWDs.

Impact (Overall Objective): To contribute to strengthened civil society in Syria to offer quality and inclusive child protection services

Outcome (Project Objective): Strengthening the protection and participation of vulnerable children with and without disabilities by building the capacity of local CSOs with a focus on child protection and inclusion.

The measures strengthen Syrian actors in three steps (capacity building implemented by TDH Italy)

Outputs (Sub-goals):

Output 1: Professionalisation through multi-level training in project management, M&E, protection concepts and inclusive community work

Output 2: Increased community-based protection practices, including active participations of PWDs, youths and children

Output 3: Strengthened CSO coordination mechanisms and advocacy initiatives about child rights and inclusion

3. Objective and Use of the Feasibility Study

The overall aim of the feasibility study is to investigate the project’s contextual environment and its opportunities and risks in order to point out concrete recommendations for improving the project proposal, including objectives, strategies, measures, and activities. Therefore, the key objective of the study is an evaluation of the project’s feasibility by systematically shedding light on whether the proposed outputs and activities will support reaching the project’s aims and objectives under the given circumstances. On this basis, TDH Germany and TDH Italy and all stakeholders involved may adapt the project proposal in order to increase the project’s effectiveness, mitigate risks, and prevent unprofitable investments.

Moreover, the feasibility study shall provide a strong basis for TDH Germany and TDH Italy and other relevant stakeholders who will be affected by the project to expand and sharpen the focus on the most relevant problems in the project area. To do so, the feasibility study must consist of four sections of analysis: 1) a context and problem analysis, 2) an analysis of the local partner organization(s) and its (their) capacities to implement the proposed project, 3) an analysis of the project’s target group(s) and other stakeholders affected by the project, 4) an assessment of the project regarding the OECD-DAC criteria (relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability). Finally, the study shall provide concrete recommendations and suggestions to align the project according to official policies. It will also be submitted to the BMZ as a part of the documents underlying the ministry’s final decision-making about funding the project.

Further objectives of the feasibility study:

The overall situation in Syria is highly complex and volatile. Yet, many INGOs, CSOs and other actors continue to deliver critical humanitarian and recovery assistance in a country transitioning from decades of centralized authoritarian rule; The geographical scope of operations has widened after the collapse of the regime, many agencies have started to spread out across the country. There is a substantial challenge that due to lack of coordination, as in other crises and post war contexts, INGOs and CSOs duplicate and work in parallel but not with each other. In the scope of this study, collaboration opportunities with the protection cluster (child protection sub-cluster) need to be assessed carefully.

4. Research Questions

As outlined above, the feasibility study must cover four fields of analysis:

1. A context and problem analysis,
2. An analysis of the local partner organization(s) and its (their) capacities,
3. An analysis of the target group(s) and other stakeholders involved,
4. An analysis of the project proposal regarding the OECD-DAC criteria.

In the final report of the feasibility study, the consultant(s) must provide answers to the research questions listed for each field of analysis in the following subchapters; presenting a separate section for each of the four fields. However, the lists of research questions can be extended by the consultant(s).

4.1 Context and problem analysis

• What is the (current) situation in the field of child protection services and disability inclusion in Syria?
• What does the proposed project’s socio-economic, political, and cultural context look like?
• Which problems have been identified? What are the causes of those problems and how do they affect the lives of children as the final target group?
• What is the background of, and what has led to, the planned project and its impact logic? Who proposed the original project idea?
• Are there any alternatives to the planned project design or any of its components?

4.2 Analysis of the local partner organization(s) and its (their) capacities

• What is TDH Italy’s capacity in institutional, technical, staffing and financial terms to carry out the envisaged project?
• To what extent do local implementation partner(s) identify with the project (ownership) and are committed to making it a success?
• What is the relationship between the local partner(s), the target group(s), and other stakeholders? (Legitimacy)
• Is there an overlap or conflict of interest?
• How can interaction and coordination between the local partner and the stakeholders be improved?

4.3 Analysis of the target group(s) and involved stakeholders

4.3.1 Assessment of the Target Group(s)

• What is the target group for the project? What criteria are used in the selection of the target group?
• Specifically concerning the capacity building component of the project: What selection criteria will be applied to identify local organizations, and how will the selection process be conducted?
• Are there possibly several target groups affected in different ways by the problems the proposed project aims at responding to?
• How homogeneous or heterogeneous is the target group in terms of gender, ethnicity, age, language, capacity, etc., and how will the project need to respond to this?
• What are the needs of the target group? How can these needs be addressed?
• What is the role of the target group(s) in the broader social context? What conflicts of interest could arise between the target group and other, non-target groups because of the support provided through the project?
• What is the target group’s potential especially regarding ownership/initiative, self-help activities and local problem-solving capacity? How can this potential be strengthened?

4.3.2 Assessment of involved Stakeholders

• Who are the most important governmental and non-governmental stakeholders relevant for the planned project?
• How does the planned project relate to the government's development strategy?
• What are the interests of those stakeholders involved? Are conflicts of interest discernible? What are the reciprocations with other stakeholders' projects? How do they find their way into the project concept?
• Which potential obstacles can be anticipated in engaging key stakeholders, and what strategies could help to mitigate them?

4.4 Assessment of the Project Proposal regarding the OECD-DAC Criteria

4.4.1 Relevance

The following (non-exhaustive) list of research questions supports assessing the extent to which the project’s objectives and design respond to beneficiaries on global and country level, to partner(s) needs, to policies and priorities, and how they will continue to do so if circumstances change:

• Is the project proposal of relevance to the target group(s)’s needs and priorities? In what ways do the planned activities align with the needs and priorities of children as the ultimate beneficiaries?
• Are the intervention(s) in line with country development and humanitarian priorities?
• Does the project support and complement the government’s policies and approach towards service delivery in the field of Child Protection and Disability Inclusion in Syria?
• To what extent are the project’s results and logical frameworks coherent? How can they be improved?
• Are the suggested indicators relevant to the measurement of the project’s outputs and outcome? Are any other indicators better suited to measuring the envisaged outputs and outcomes?

4.4.2 Coherence

The following (non-exhaustive) list of research questions supports assessing the compatibility of the project with other interventions carried out by the partner organization(s) as well as its compatibility with other institutions’ activities in the field of child protection services in Syria.

• Is the project in line with national and international policies in the regional and thematic area of the intervention? Which other policies or regulations should it consider?
• Which added value does the intervention have compared to other projects and programs in the same field of action and/or in the same locality? How can this be improved?
• Which interventions of other actors (both state and non-state) exist in the same locality and/or area of intervention? Are similar projects or programs feasibly coordinated and harmonized?
• Which opportunities and challenges can be identified for coordination and cooperation with other stakeholders?

4.4.3 Effectiveness

The following (non-exhaustive) list of research questions supports assessing the extent to which the project is expected to achieve its objectives and results, including any differential results across groups:

• Can the project’s intended outputs and outcomes be met with the proposed activities?
• Are the measures and the chosen methodology suitable for reaching the project’s objectives?
• To what extent are the defined project objectives realistic?
• Which challenges, risks, and opportunities exist regarding the project’s planning and implementation?
• What are strengths and weaknesses in the design and planning of the project?
• What other effects, including negative ones, could the project have?

4.4.4 Efficiency

The following (non-exhaustive) list of research questions supports assessing the extent to which the intervention delivers, or is likely to deliver, results in an economic and timely manner:

• Is the relationship between planned input of resources and results, objectives, and impact to be achieved appropriate and realistic?
• Are there any alternatives for achieving the same or even better results, objectives, or impact with alternative and more feasible inputs, funds, or expertise?
• Are project management, monitoring, and evaluation designed in an efficient way regarding funding, staffing, and expertise?
• Which synergies, coordination, and cooperation measures with other stakeholders or other projects or programs can be identified that may increase the project’s efficiency?
• Are the overall project duration and the timeline adequate and realistic to implement all project measures and achieve the envisaged outputs, outcome, and impact?

4.4.5 Impact

The following (non-exhaustive) list of research questions supports assessing the extent to which the intervention is expected to generate significant positive or negative, intended or unintended, higher-level effects:

• To what extent will the project have a structural impact, to what extent can it serve as a model, and to what extent will it have a broad-based impact?
• What higher-level change regarding social norms, people’s well-being, people’s (human) rights will the project have?
• To what extent have aspects relating to gender sensitivity, inclusion of persons with disabilities, cultural sensitivity, conflict sensitivity, and human rights been incorporated in the project's objectives?
• What unintended changes may the project contribute to?

4.4.6 Sustainability

The following (non-exhaustive) list of research questions supports assessing the extent to which the net benefits of the intervention continue or are likely to continue:

• Will the positive effects (without further external funding) persist after the project has been completed?
• What are the roles and responsibilities of governmental and/or civil society institutions? To what extent will the project be able to build on local potential, institutions, and procedures?
• Which measures and instruments are best suited to harness and strengthen local ownership, initiative, participation, and capacity?
• What negative consequences and impacts may result from implementing the proposed project? To what extent will it be possible to consider and address these risks in the project proposal, e. g., Do-No-Harm approach, conflict-sensitive impact monitoring, etc.?
• What risks are involved in project implementation, considering personal, institutional, reputational, and contextual risks? How can they be minimized?

5. Methodology

Combination of desk study and online or in person interviews/sessions that consist of consultations and discussions with experts, key stakeholders, target group 

Suggested Methods 

• Desk study (mandatory) – analysis of project’s background documents (proposal, proposal and evaluation of previous projects etc.)
• Key informant interviews (e.g. staff of implementing NGO, experts from universities/research facilities, staff of other NGOs, key persons in the local or national government administration, key persons from the local communities)
• Focus groups discussions with relevant stakeholders (children, youths, women, men etc.), where access to the field is granted.

6. Key deliverables

The services to be carried out as part of the outlined study comprise the following assignments:

1. Preparatory meeting with TDH Germany & TDH Italy

• Background: Jointly make the final decision about methodology and research process

1. Desk study (up to 5 days)

• Background: Familiarize with explicit knowledge relevant to the assignment
• Analysis of key documents
• Inception Report

1. Fieldwork (up to 15 days)

• Fieldwork based on methodology and methods defined in the previous chapter

1. Follow-up workshop with TDH Italy

• Background: Share findings and recommendations and jointly discuss how to integrate them into project planning

1. Draft report

• Background: First draft to be discussed and commented on by tdh and local partner organization(s)

1. Final Report of the Feasibility Study in English (of no more than 30 pages, excluding annexes), consisting of

• An executive summary of no more than 2 pages
• A project description
• A description of the study’s methodology
• A context and problem analysis
• An analysis of the local partner organization(s)
• An analysis of the target group(s) and other relevant stakeholders
• An assessment of the project proposal regarding the OECD-DAC criteria
• Recommendations for improving the project proposal
• Concluding remarks
• Annexes, which may include a list of people interviewed, key documents consulted, data collection instruments, transcripts of interviews, raw data of questionnaires, signed data protection agreements of all participants

7. Tasks, Responsibilities, and Timeline

The following table defines all tasks related to the feasibility study, including key deliverables and outputs, assigns respective duties to responsible stakeholders, particularly the consultant(s), and specifies the timeline of the study. As outlined in the table’s last column, all services must be carried out between 15.01.2026 and 15.03.2026.

8. Requirements for bidders

· Previous experience conducting research and feasibility assessments for internationally funded projects (humanitarian assistance and/or development cooperation; previous experience with BMZ-funded projects is a plus)

· Experience of conducting feasibility studies or evaluations and research using a mixed methods approach, including participatory and child sensitive methods

· Previous work experience in the Middle East, preferably related to Syria.

· Profound knowledge of the operational environment for INGOs/NGOs in Syria alongside with knowledge about the child rights situation.

· Excellent interpersonal skills

· Very good oral and written proficiency in English, knowledge of Arabic is preferable

· Compliance with tdh’s Child Protection Policy (attachment No 1)

· Compliance with the EU-GDPR (attachment No 2

Applicants are invited to submit their offers to Henriette Hänsch (h.haensch@tdh.de) and Caroline Meyer (c.meyer@tdh.de ) reference “Consultancy: Feasibility Study”. Offers will be accepted until 06.01.2026 and should contain:

- A narrative/technical proposal of no more than 3 pages, including relevant experience, planned methodology, timeline, and staffing for the feasibility study

- A detailed financial proposal for the feasibility study

- A Minimum of two references of humanitarian I/NGO clients for whom similar assignments have been undertaken along with contact person and budget.

- Portfolio/ Proven track record in rendering similar services/previous experience.

- CV/profiles of key consultants involved, demonstrating previous experience in the same requested field.

Attachments:

1) TDH Germany Child Safeguarding Policy

2) EU data protection declaration (EU-GDPR)