CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

For Partnership with Local and National Actors

Date: March 6, 2025

Save the Children – Sierra Leone seeks expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced local and national actors (L/NAs) including National Non-Governmental Organizations (NNGOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Organizations of People with Disability, Women-led/Feminist Organizations, Girl Led organizations/Groups, – national – who are interested and have their strategic plan aligns with SCI 2025-2027 Country Strategic Plan listed below;

· Education Goal 1: Equitable and safe Learning access, participation and outcomes for vulnerable girls and boys

· Health Goal 2: Adolescent-friendly, gender transformative, sexual, reproductive and child health services

· Protection Goal 3: Protection of children especially girls from GBV, including child, early and forced marriage.

· Livelihood and Climate Change Goal 4: Strengthened climatic resilience and gender-transformative livelihoods and social protection for the poorest families.

(1) Background of the EOI

Within the 25 years of Save the Children experience in Sierra Leone, SCI has a history of working with local and strategic partners. Our new partnership strategy effort is to establish strong partnership with local/national partners such as National Non-Governmental Organizations (NNGOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Children-Led Organizations, Women-Led Organizations, Organizations of People with Disability to collaboratively support national and local capacities, local Local/National Actors leadership and strengthen SCI linkages at community, national and become leading INGO for L/NA partnership drive.

To meet our 2025-2027 Country Strategic Plan (CSP) ambition including resources mobilization target, and to ensure all children in Sierra Leone survive, learn, and are protected, in line with the aspiration of the Save the CSP 2025-2027, Save The Children International (SCI) Sierra Leone recognizes that local and national actors (L/NAs) are essential in supporting children’s rights, humanitarian and development needs in all contexts. Our role as Save the Children is complementary to and supportive of what L/NAs are doing to ensure children’s rights.

The purpose of this EOI is to solicit and select a short-list of local NGOs, CBOs, CSOs who will work in partnership with Save the Children to design and implement quality programs in line with SCI’s 2025-2027 CSP.

(2) Request for Expressions of Interest

Save the Children invites eligible organizations to indicate their interest in partnership with SCI. Any organization expressing interest will need to demonstrate considerable experience of managing and implementing interventions aligned with Save the Children CSP listed above. Organizations must provide information indicating that they are qualified to enter partnership with SCI. (successes, description of similar CSP projects, value of assignment, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.) as detailed below.

NGOs/CSOs responding to this EOI shall provide the following:

a) Demonstrated experience in providing services or similar services align with SCI CSP Goals (completed projects with brief information on date, duration, number of vulnerable children reached, learning outcomes, location, fund amount and donor) in Sierra Leone.

b) Date of establishment and official registration document with Government of Sierra Leone, line Ministries (MBSSE, MOGCA, MSW, MOH, MAFS, FCC, Local councils and SLANGO.

c) At least 2 years’ of demonstrated experience working on Education, Health, Child Protection, Livelihood & Climate Change with INGGOs, the MBSSE, MSW, MOGCA, MAFS, local councils, training institutes and capacity building program (indicating date, duration, and location).

d) Outline of organizational governance, organizational structure, and description of key staff.

e) Recent annual financial audit report/statements (to cover all the projects supported by different donors); and

f) At least two references from most recent funding partners in Sierra Leone.

Applicants should indicate which districts they have existing capacity to implement in (office, support staff, etc.) in order of preference. Within the attached, EOI applications need to demonstrate their capacity (by providing relevant information) and ability to deliver required interventions or services align with SCI CSP goals they have expressed capacity, competency, and interest.

(3) Overview of Selection Process

NGOs/CSOs will be selected in accordance with the criteria attached. Save the Children will review EOIs and make recommendations to a committee. The committee reserves the right to select successful NGOs/CSOs based strategic goal alignment, areas of expertise, district capacity. Subject to the number of applications, Save the Children may not be able to provide feedback to all applications. However, the list of selected NGOs/CSOs will be vetted and updated on SCI Partnership data.

(4) Submission of EOIs

The Expression of Interest must be presented in English. Expressions of interest must be delivered with a cover sheet by e-mail and in hard copies. The hardcopies will consist of one original and four copies in sealed envelope and labeled. A complete EOI will include the following.

1. Cover letter

2. Capacity statement of delivering services align with SCI CSP goals listed above (2 Pages max)

3. Organization Structure and governance

All applicants should submit their EOI via e-mail. For those who might have technical issues to submit via email, can submit hardcopies (at least four copies as indicated above) Email: SL.partnerships@savethechildren.org

Subject: Expression of Interest for Local Partnership

The Country Director

Save the Children

71 Sir Samuel Lewis Street,

Aberdeen, Freetown.

Deadline for submission of the EOI is April 22nd, 2025, at 1600 hrs. Sierra Leone.