Proposal Writer (Haiti Assistance Program (HAP))

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American Red Cross
2025 E St, NW
Washington, DC 20006 USA

Terms of Reference

Haiti Assistance Program (HAP)

Integrated Program: PROPOSAL WRITER

Date posted: 28 July 2011 

The American Red Cross (ARC) seeks an experienced proposal writer to lead the development of a proposal outlining how ARC will implement a $128 million permanent housing program in Haiti that is integrated with other program sectors including livelihoods and economic recovery, water and sanitation, community-based health and disaster risk reduction. The program proposes to undertake community-based urban renewal of existing neighborhoods in Port au Prince, which includes the repair and reconstruction of homes, along with construction of new homes on green field sites in the greater Port-au-Prince area.

Background:

The January 12th earthquake, which struck the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas, resulted in the death of over 230,000 people[1]and injured 300,000. The destruction caused by the earthquake has long-lasting implications for the well-being of the Haitian population. Disaster survivors are living in a wide variety of informal settlements (IDP camps) primarily in and around Port-au Prince. From an earthquake recovery perspective, Haiti presents a complex and highly challenging scenario: extreme poverty,[2] extremely dense urban area,[3] weak government and institutions,[4] little infrastructure,[5] no money or other resources, and extremely poor building construction.  The needs for water, health services, safe homes and livelihoods even before the earthquake were pressing and large-scale. Today, some 2 million people still live within the earthquake affected area where structural damage was moderate to heavy. More than one year after the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, one of the most affected areas, there are still up to 1.2 million homeless and more than 600,000 living in over 1,000 congested tent settlements located in the streets and open areas. In many cases, these congested camps are close to the camp population’s neighborhoods of origin.  Meanwhile, camp evictions, lack of security, fear of the spread of cholera and general living conditions in the camps have driven thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) to leave the camps to find alternate living conditions, many of which include unsafe housing.[6] While relief efforts are now phasing out, early recovery and recovery plans are being formulated.

Purpose of consultancy:

To assist senior program staff in Haiti to write a proposal outlining how the ARC will integrate and implement a $100M permanent housing program - to move IDPs and earthquake victims into safer permanent housing in Port au Prince – with additional support programming in water and sanitation, livelihoods and economic recovery, community-based health and disaster risk reduction. The program proposes to undertake community-based urban renewal of existing neighborhoods, which includes the repair and reconstruction of homes, along with construction of new homes on green field sites in the greater Port-au-Prince area.

Expected Duration:

Up to 42 days, including up to 21 days in Haiti

Key Activities:

• Responsible for drafting and completing a written proposal for the ARC’s Integrated Recovery Program in the greater Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
• Coordinate with the field Task Force consisting of senior field program staff to develop and execute a work plan and timeline for completion of the proposal.
• Read and compile the initial integrated program concept paper and comments, HAP strategy, secondary data sources and information gathered from relative departments to inform the Integrated Program proposal.
• Conduct individual and team meetings with the field and NHQ sector staff including: health, disaster risk reduction, shelter, water and sanitation, livelihoods, monitoring and evaluation, information and reporting, and finance.
• Consult and engage with key national stakeholders, including the Haitian Red Cross, to inform the development of the proposal and ensure appropriate ownership and buy in.
• Conduct group sessions with members of the Task Force (3 shelter delegates, 1 health delegate, 1 wat/san delegate, 1 livelihoods delegate, 1 disaster risk reduction delegate, 1 information delegate, 1 monitoring and evaluation delegate and 2 finance delegates) and other key staff.
• Work with key staff over 3-week in-country assignment and post in-country as needed (i.e. Task Force members, deputy country representative, other key staff).
• Read and analyze relevant secondary data and assessments.
• In coordination with field senior management, consult with HAP Team and ARC headquarter staff and advisors on issues and questions throughout the drafting process
• Incorporate feedback into draft proposal and finalize the proposal and annexure following review by ARC field and headquarter staff and external reviewers.

Location: Port-au-Prince, Haiti (for up to three weeks), then at ARC headquarters in Washington DR, potentially home base, for the remainder of the time. Further travel to Haiti may be required.

Reporting: Proposal Writer will report to the Haiti Country Representative and work in close coordination with Haiti Task Force (sector leads) and program staff.
 

Deliverables and Due Dates*:

*Dates may be revised 

Team Composition:

The proposal writer will be responsible for writing the proposal and incorporating feedback to develop a final draft.

The proposal writer will be supported by the field Task Force, comprising program sector specialists in the field and representatives of the M&E team, as well as technical advisors and the HAP team at ARC headquarters.

Duration:             30 August - 21 September in Haiti, followed by up to 21 additional days long distance support to revise and edit the document based on feedback provided. Additional travel to Haiti may be required.

Minimum qualifications

• Excellent English writing skills  and experience leading proposal development, including writing and editing the final proposal document
• Demonstrated skills in program design required
• Demonstrated experience developing and writing successful proposals, including large scale complex multi-sector programs, preferably recovery programs in an urban setting
• Experience in urban planning and designing urban/slum development programs preferred
• Experience working with and involving multiple stakeholders in proposal development
• Knowledge and understanding of current context in Haiti required
• Well-developed workshop/meeting facilitation skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Fluency in French is an advantage

Please submit CVs and letters of expression of interest to:
Helen Seignior, Haiti Assistance Program Manager
SeigniorH@usa.redcross.org
American Red Cross,
2025 E St, NW
Washington DC, 20006, USA