1. Background

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is an ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948. It brings together 352 member churches from all over the world, including Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran and Reformed denominations, to promote Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world.

The WCC initiated a peace-building project in Syria in 2012 with the aim of promoting peace and reconciliation in the country. Over the years, the project has been implemented through various activities and interventions aimed at fostering dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among conflict-affected communities in Syria.

The WCC is now looking for a contractor to undertake a desk review and produce a comprehensive report that includes a summative evaluation of the project. The contractor could undertake this assignment through one or several consultants. Given the nature of the project, the consultancy is highly confidential. Materials developed will be owned by the WCC and circulation will be limited. The contractor should abide to strict confidentiality requirements.

2. Objective of the consultancy

The main objective of this consultancy is to compile comprehensive data related to the Syria Peace Building Project and produce a summative report that presents its history and development. The report will serve as a valuable resource for internal learning, knowledge sharing, decision-making processes, and preserving institutional memory within the World Council of Churches.

3. Scope of Work

The contractor/consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

1. Review of project documentation: Conduct a thorough review and analysis of all available project documents, including but not limited to project proposals, progress reports, evaluations, and other relevant materials.
2. Data collection: Engage with key project stakeholders to gather additional data, insights, and perspectives on the project's implementation, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
3. Analysis and synthesis: Analyse and synthesize the compiled data to present a coherent and comprehensive history of the Syria Peace Building Project, highlighting key milestones, activities, and outcomes throughout its duration.
4. Develop a Comprehensive Report: Based on the findings, prepare a detailed and well-structured report that includes an overview of the project's history, objectives, main activities, achievements, challenges, and best practices. The report should also incorporate relevant case studies and success stories from the ground.

4. Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

1. Draft Report: Provide a draft report encompassing all the relevant information, analysis, and findings of the Syria Peace Building Project. This draft should be submitted within 20 working days of project commencement.
2. Final Report: Revise the draft report based on feedback received and submit the final comprehensive report within 10 working days of receiving the review comments.

The reports should be written in English and be no longer than 40 - 60 pages. It should include an executive summary. A structure for the draft and final report is proposed in the appendix.

5. Conditions and budget

Contractors wishing to apply must send:

• Technical proposal along with
• Financial proposal with quote of the daily fee cost (in CHF, EUR or USD), and
• CVs of all researchers involved.

to the following link: https://wcccoe.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0xylf

Only selected contractors/consultants will be contacted by the Programme Executive based in Geneva, Switzerland.

5.1 Timeline

The consultant is expected to commence work immediately after the contract is concluded and complete the assignment during a period not exceeding 30 working days.

5.2 Qualifications and Experience

The contractor/consultant should possess the following qualifications and experience:

1. Proven experience in producing comprehensive, summative project reports related to peace-building or development projects.
2. Demonstrated knowledge of the Syrian context and/or the challenges of peace-building in conflict-affected regions.
3. Proficiency in the Arabic language is essential.
4. Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
5. Familiarity with the work of faith-based organizations or international NGOs is an asset.

5.3 Deadline for application

11 September 2023

Appendix – Report proposed structure

Executive summary: Providing a brief overview of the project, its objectives, main activities, results, impacts, and key learnings.

Introduction: Background and context of the project, its purpose and scope, its expected outcomes and indicators, and its stakeholders and beneficiaries. It should also explain the rationale and justification for the project, as well as its alignment with the WCC's vision and mission.

Methodology: It should describe the project design, activities implemented, data collection and analysis, quality assurance, risk management, and ethical considerations.

Results: Presenting the findings and evidence of the project’s achievements and impacts. It should compare the actual results with the expected outcomes and indicators, and explain any deviations or discrepancies. It should also provide examples of success stories, best practices, or innovations that emerged from the project.

Analysis and conclusion/recommendations: This section will present the analysis of the results in relation to the project’s objectives, assumptions, and external factors. It should identify the strengths and weaknesses of the project, as well as the opportunities and threats for its sustainability and scalability. It should also discuss the implications and recommendations for future projects.