Terms of Reference for the Expert to develop a Feasibility study on the establishment of the Local team for prevention and combating trafficking in persons in the city of Belgrade

Published on June the 1^st, 2020   

Project title: “From Harm to Safety: Improving the Protection of Victims of Trafficking (VoTs) in Serbia”.

The project is carried out by NGO Atina, International Rescue Committee. The project has its approval and funding by the Government of the United States.

INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE

As of 2013, NGO Atina, with the support of the EU, launched a larger scale initiative in which it conceived and supported the establishment of 7 local anti-trafficking teams in 7 major cities of Serbia - Subotica, Novi Sad, Sremska Mitrovica, Kraljevo, Kragujevac, Niš and Vranje. The aim of these teams was to advance and move up prevention and fights against human trafficking on the local level, increase public awareness, map resources and manage continuous exchange of information between competent local stakeholders on the issue. Given its initial success, in coming years, this initiative was extended to larger number of local self-government units throughout Serbia (until 2020 there were 19 local teams for prevention of human trafficking established in Serbia).

Up to date, local anti-trafficking teams proved to be a good mechanism in enhancing fight against human trafficking, as they design and implement local actions, exchange experiences in-between and with other actors, thus increase the number of preliminary identified victims of human trafficking. Local teams are made up of professionals from relevant local institutions and organizations which are competent in the area of combating human trafficking: police, prosecution, health and social care institutions, media, local authorities, educational institutions, national employment services, labor and market inspectorates, and civil society organizations.

Despite the wide support of the initiative by relevant actors in many of Serbia`s cities and municipalities, which in numerous cases led to the formal creation of the local anti-trafficking teams, the City of Belgrade, as the biggest local self-government unit in Serbia, however missed to established its own local anti-trafficking team. At the same time, there is an urgent need to form such a team in Belgrade, given the fact that the area of the capital city consists of 17 municipalities and encompasses ¼ of the population of Serbia. This further on means that the City of Belgrade is home to a considerable number of marginalized and vulnerable individuals who are at risk of different forms of human trafficking. In this regard, Belgrade also `hosts` two asylum and reception centers for refugees and migrants, in Krnjača and Obrenovac, which are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and whose practical access to support services faces numerous challenges. On the other hand, Belgrade is a residential place of numerous institutions and organizations of both local and national significance for combating human trafficking which could all take active part in the anti-trafficking efforts initiated by the local team, thus contribute to the enhancement of such in the local community.

Despite these practical needs for the creation of the local team for the City of Belgrade, it has to be mentioned that the establishment of local mechanisms for combating human trafficking are recognized and encouraged by the National Strategy for Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking and Supporting the Victims 2017-2022, which under specific objective 1 envisages the improvement of partnerships on the local level, and more specifically underlines necessity to support local anti-trafficking teams (measure 1.1.1.).

SCOPE OF WORK

Within this project, it is required to have one Expert to develop a Feasibility study on the possibility to establish a Local team for prevention and combating trafficking in persons in the city of Belgrade. In order to develop the Study, it is necessary to:

1. Interview at least five professionals in the area of combating human trafficking and protecting victims (professionals from Ministry of the Interior, Social Protection system, Health institutions, Educational institutions, and other institutions and organizations dedicated to the support and protection of victims of human trafficking and others that are at risk of human trafficking)
2. Analyze legal framework for the establishment of the Team in Belgrade
3. Give recommendations for the establishment of the Team
4. Develop Terms of Reference for the scope of work that the Team will be providing

BUDGET:

NGO Atina will negotiate a number of days of engagement with the selected consultant on the basis of the financial offer (gross amount) that will classify the following:

*Add columns as needed depending on the number of activities needed to perform the assignment

            Subtotal                                               USD__________

            Other costs (specify)                            USD__________

            TOTAL                                                 USD__________

The total cost should cover all preparatory work regarding the job description, communication costs between Project team, consultants and organizations (e-mail, telephone, fax, mail).

BIDDING PROCEDURE

Interested consultants should develop and submit the bidding proposal in English language to respond to above mentioned specific tasks no later than 10^th of June, 2020. The bidding proposal should include:

1. Description and contact details of the expert applying;

2. A Budget Proposal (in the required form);

3. CV of expert involved emphasizing only relevant experience;

4. Past performance in similar areas of a consultant applying, with reference of previous contracting agencies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Project team will make a decision on the selection of the most successful bidder, subject to the available budget, on the following four criteria:

• University degree in the relevant field;
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience;
• Experience of the candidate in performing similar projects or programs;
• An example of previous work as a reference of previous experience is desirable.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF BID

All bids need to be submitted no later than 10^th of June 2020 at 5PM in electronic version, to the email marija.pantelic@atina.org.rs (link sends e-mail). A selection will be made no later than 11th June 2020 and the selected consultant will be contracted no later than 12^h June 2020.

Only the selected candidate will be informed.