Sep 27, 2021, 8:57:03 PM Call for Expression of Interest Sustainably improving household food security and community resilience to economic and climatic shocks and stresses for Lebanese and displaced women and men. WFP/LBN/2021/001 1 Timeline Posted Apr 20, 2021 Clarification Request Deadline Apr 23, 2021 Application Deadline May 7, 2021 Notification of Results Jun 25, 2021 Start Date Jul 1, 2021 End Date Dec 31, 2022 2 Locations A Lebanon a Akkar Governorate b North Governorate c Baalbek-Hermel Governorate d Beqaa Governorate e Beirut Governorate f Mount Lebanon Governorate g South Governorate h Nabatieh Governorate i Nabatieh Governorate 3 Sector(s) and area(s) of specialization A Food Security a Food security and market analysis/vulnerability analysis and mapping (VAM) 4 Issuing Agency WFP 5 Project Background During the last decade, Lebanon has faced several shocks challenging food security - most prominently the Syrian crisis and the financial crisis escalating in late 2019. Since 2011, more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees have sought asylum in Lebanon, effectively increasing the population by 30%. The influx of Syrian refugees has placed additional strain on already strained public infrastructure, including health, electricity, water, and sanitation. However, the influx of Syrian refugees has also meant greater income-generating opportunities for Lebanese people and Syrian refugees as the real value of agricultural output has increased by 10 percent compared to the pre-crisis level (Hamade, November 2020) . At the same time, Lebanon is faced with increasing unemployment and poverty, rapidly rising inflation on food and non-food items, and a depreciated Lebanese Lira. Since March 2020, the Global COVID-19 Pandemic has accelerated Lebanon’s economic decline. The reduction in business activities during lockdowns has resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses, and temporary and permanent reduction in numbers of employees. Indeed, as a result of the pandemic, ‘employment demand dropped by almost a half in microenterprises and by a fifth in small firms’ (ESCWA, 2020: 3) . This crisis is particularly worrying as MSME employees ‘constitute around 91% of full-time employment, but 45% of these employees are multidimensionally poor’ (Ibid.). The Consumer Price Index (CPI) witnessed an annual inflation of 133% between October 2019 and November 2020, while the Food Price Index (FPI) registered an inflation of 423%. The (national) average cost of the Food Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB) registered an increase of 183% between October 2019 and December 2020 (WFP VAM Update on Food Price and Market Trends, December, 2020) . The crisis has severely affected farmers, processors, input suppliers, retailers, and most other food system actors. With the devaluation of the Lebanese Lira, imported agricultural inputs (e.g. seeds, fertilizer, etc.) have become significantly less affordable, which, in turn, is impacting domestic agriculture production and the price of locally produced food. Suppliers used to offer credit to farmers, but with the economic crisis, they now request full cash payments and so this system has largely collapsed. Under this pressure, food system actors cannot uphold their businesses leading to a loss of income-generating opportunities for many Lebanese and for large numbers of Syrian refugees working particularly in agricultural production. To address inequalities in the sector and boost its potential for economic resilience and local food security, it is crucial to facilitate the development of small sustainable farm holdings, agrifood businesses, food sector retailers, and other food system actors. 6 Expected Results Expected outputs Supporting the realization of Output 4 of the WFP Livelihood and Resilience Theory of Change (Annex 2), the specific outputs of the project are: • A platform has been established to launch Calls for Proposals to SMEs, • The WFP FSGF Resilience Window has been launched through a launch event with participation of key sector actors and has been communicated widely on various platforms to ensure awareness of the FSGF, • A system has been developed or applied to collect applications from SMEs, and answering enquiries during the application process, • A call for Proposals to SMEs has been launched nation-wide on relevant platforms • An application review system has been developed, including ToRs for the Technical Review Panel, review methodology, scoring and selection of applications, • Individual SME grant awardee needs for Business Development Services have been assessed, • Tailored BDS packages have been developed and implemented to support the individual grant awardee, and • A monitoring and evaluation framework has been developed and is applied for systematic monitoring of grant expenditure and business performance throughout implementation period. Baseline and end-line studies have been carried out. 7 Indicative Budget - 8 Other Information For organizations who wish to apply for this call for proposal, please note that an info session will occur on Tuesday April, 27th 2021 through Microsoft Teams to go through the FLA budget template and any technical questions the interested organizations may have. Please share with WFP the list of participants who wish to attend this info session and their contact emails through [email protected] by Friday April, 23rd 2021 COB the latest, and WFP will share a Microsoft Teams Invitation to all participants prior to the virtual meeting to specify the timing. Please note that all questions will be answered within the info session. Please send all your questions before Friday April, 23rd 2021 COB. 9 Selection Criteria Name Description Weight Cost effectiveness The organization has a proved record for implementing cost-efficient programs 20 The organization should have full access and active field presence in the target area in Lebanon, and be able to demonstrate active coordination with other stakeholders Local experience and presence on the ground 20 The organization should integrate protection and protection mainstreaming and AAP into its programmes and projects while ensuring a protection lens with minimum Other requirements included in the programmes design and implementation 20 Experience working with UN The organization has previous experience working with UN agencies 20 Demonstrated capacity and experience in food system or market system Sector expertise and experience development interventions including agricultural value chain development in Lebanon 20 10 Attachments Description URL WFP_Call_for_proposals_Window_2_FSFG_FINAL_IYahzRX.pdf Download the document here Annex 1_Outline of WFP FSGF Resilience Window Focus and Criteria; Annex 2_W Download the document here 11 Concept Note Template Download the document here 12 For more information on this partnership opportunity, and to apply, please visit UN Partner Portal.