Preparation of a Handbook of Standard Operating Policy

Preparation of a Handbook of Standard Operating Policy for Citizens’
Participation via Online Internal Electronic System in Hebron Municipality.

1. SUMMARY:

1.1. Basic information
Project Name: "Women and Youth Transforming Local Public Services in Hebron"
Location: Palestine - Hebron City
Project Funded by: European Commission and Co-Funded by: Balearic Government (GOIB)
Entity Responsible for this contract: Alianza por la Solidaridad member of ActionAid (Alianza)
Implementing Partners: The Palestinian Information Technology Association of Companies- PITA
and Alianza por la Solidaridad member of ActionAid (Alianza)
Goal of this contract: The purpose of this consultancy work is to develop a booklet of various
standard policies and methods of work related to citizen participation through the internal electronic
system via the internet in Hebron Municipality and within the following terms of reference.This policy
will be elaborated in a participatory way among different departments inside the Municipality and will
be approved and adopted, and it will strengthen the municipality's obligations to citizens and at the
same time will serve as a monitoring tool of their commitments.
Duration of this contract: 3 weeks.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INTERVENTION

2.1. Brief Information on the Project:
The Palestinian Information Technologies Association (PITA) in partnership with the Fundación
Alianza por los Derechos, la Igualdad y la Solidaridad Internacional member of Action Aid (ApS) will
implement a project titled “Women and Youth Transforming Local Public Services in Hebron”, under
the thematic programme “Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as Actors of Governance and
Development Work in the Field”, funded by the European Commission and co – funded by Balearic
Government (GOIB).
The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the role of vulnerable groups as actors for change
in local development processes for a more equal, open, and democratic society in Palestine. The
specific objective of the project is to build the capacity of a range of CBOs and CSOs in Hebron for
them to contribute meaningfully and to be more accessible and responsive to women and youth’s
needs and interests in public services. Through the effort to build the capacity of a range of CBOs
led by women and youth, they can bring their work to a wider audience, increasing the political and
social scope and impactof their work at the local level and building relationships between local public
institutions and CSOs. This increases mutual understanding and trust, fosters active CSO
participation in governance processes, monitors policies and services, and increases public access
to official information and channels their views.

2.2. Context
About PITA (www.pita.ps)
The Palestinian Information Technology Association of Companies represents more than 150 major
ICT companies in Palestine’s emerging technology and start-up ecosystem. PITA has become the
driving force in advancing the ICT sector’s interest, and the leading information source about this
sector in Palestine.
Based in Ramallah and Gaza, PITA was founded in 1999 by a group of Palestinian entrepreneurs
with the vision of creating a non-profit organization to advance the interests and positive societal
impact of Palestine’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector.
About APS member of Action Aid (www.alianzaporlasolidaridad.org/)
Alianza por la Solidaridad (Alianza) is an international organization in Palestine, present in the Middle
East and in Palestine since 1993. Alianza por la Solidaridad (Alianza) works within three main lines
of action: Prevention and response for Gender Based Violence; women´s economic empowerment;
and women´s participation and active citizenship. Alianza por la Solidaridad is member of ActionAid
since Jun 2018, and it is merging its programme in Palestine with ActionAid Palestine (AAP).
ActionAid is a global justice federation working to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty
eradication, present in Palestine since 2007, working with women and youth groups, building
reliance, and encouraging active participation in civil and political life.

3. CONSULTANCY OBJECTIVES

3.1. Goal
The primary goal of this consultancy is to harmonize and optimize the 16 existing IT policies within the
Information Technology Department in the Hebron Municipality, ensuring they are comprehensive,
coherent, and effectively tailored to the current and future operational context of the department.
This consultancy has the following objectives:
1. Comprehensive Review and Analysis:
• Conduct a thorough examination of the existing policies to determine their current
effectiveness and relevance to the IT Department in Hebron Municipality.
2. Stakeholder Engagement:
• Engage relevant stakeholders, including IT Department staff and other relevant
municipal department representatives, to garner insights, feedback, and suggestions for
policy enhancement.
3. Policy Adaptation:
• Modify and adapt the 16 policies ensuring they align with the specific needs, demands,
and context of the Hebron Municipality IT Department.
4. Integration and Alignment:
• Ensure the harmonized policies are integrated and aligned with each other, preventing
overlap or contradiction, and enhancing the coherence and efficiency of policy
implementation within the IT Department.
5. Final Presentation and Documentation:
• Present the harmonized policies to the relevant authorities for final review and approval.
• Document and compile the harmonized policies into a consolidated policy manual for
easy access, reference, and implementation by the IT Department staff and related
stakeholders.
3.2. Scope Area: Hebron City
Geographical regions: West Bank
Country: Occupied Palestinian Territories
Region: Middle East

4. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED

4.1 Evaluation Management Unit
Entity Responsible of this Contract: Alianza por la Solidaridad member of ActionAid (Alianza) -
On behalf of Alianza: Victoria Gerbaudo Delfino– Development Projects Coordinator and Aseel
Salah–Participation and Engagement Officer.
Entity Responsible of Project Execution: The Palestinian Information Technologies Association
(PITA) - On behalf of PITA: Nur Hamdan – Project Manager.
5. Theoretical Framework and Technical Approach

Technical approaches:
1. Gender approach: The project considers the gender approach from the sense of understanding that the
roles and values attributed to women and men in a society represent social constructions. These social
constructions influence the relationships between the genders, the evaluation and distribution of power and
finaly the access and control of resources and opportunities (including decision making platforms).
2. Human Rights-basedapproach:The project considerspeople not as mere beneficiaries with certain needs,
but as subjects endowed with certain rights with the capacity to claim themselves and demand their
compliance to states and other public actors. The rights of women are integrated within the global scope of
Human Rights. Likewise, the project is based not only on the needs of the target population, but also on
their capacities, threats, and vulnerabilities.
3. Democratic governance approach: This project has an impact on this area, especially since the project
is related to presenting CSOs as actors of governance and development work as well as women and youth
taking part in CSOs to contribute to a stronger social accountability and participation in the public services
decision making.
The consultant is generally expected to utilize a participatory approach in this consultancy
work from a gender, human-rights, and governance perspectives

6. METHODOLOGY

The methodology for this consultancy project to harmonize the policies of the Information Technology
Department in the Hebron Municipality will be straightforward, ensuring clarity and effectiveness
throughout the process. The methodology will be divided into three main stages:
1. Review and Analysis:
- Policy Review:
A detailed examination of the existing 16 IT policies will be conducted.
Interviews and consultations with key IT Department personnel and relevant stakeholders will be held
to gain insights into the practical aspects and potential gaps of the current policies.

- SWOT Analysis:
Perform a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for each policy to
understand their current state and potential for improvement.
2. Policy Adaptation and Refinement:
- Drafting Revised Policies:
Based on the review and SWOT analysis, necessary modifications will be made to each policy to ensure
they are tailored to the Hebron Municipality IT Department’s needs and contexts.

- Stakeholder Validation:
Share the revised policies with relevant stakeholders for feedback and further refinement.
Ensure that the adapted policies align with overall organizational goals and compliance standards.

- Integration Assurance:
Review the adapted policies to ensure seamless integration and alignment with each other, avoiding
overlap or contradiction.
3. Finalization and Implementation Support:
- Final Policy Documentation:
Compile the finalized policies into a comprehensive and organized policy manual.

- Implementation Support:
Provide support during the initial phase of implementation to handle queries and clarifications, and
provide additional training as needed.

- Monitoring and Feedback:
Establish a simple mechanism for ongoing monitoring and feedback to ensure the policies are effectively
implemented and remain relevant and effective over time.

By following this straightforward and structured methodology, the project ensures the effective
harmonization of the 16 IT policies within the Information Technology Department in the Hebron
Municipality, promoting improved operations, compliance, and service delivery,

7.WORK PLAN

REVISED WORK PLAN
Week 1: Initial Review and Consultation
Days 1-3:
- Task: Commencement Meeting and Overview
- Details: Conduct a kickoff meeting with the IT Department and relevant stakeholders to outline the
consultancy objectives and methodology. Begin a comprehensive review of the existing 16 policies.
- Output: Meeting notes and initial observations document.
Days 4-5:
- Task: Stakeholder Consultation
- Details: Initiate interviews and discussions with the IT Department staff and other key stakeholders
to understand the practical implementation and challenges of the existing policies.
- Output: Summary of stakeholder insights and feedback.
Week 2: Policy Adaptation and Initial Validation
Days 6-9:
- Task: Policy Revision
- Details: Based on the review and consultations, draft the initial revisions of the policies, ensuring
alignment with the Hebron Municipality’s objectives and compliance standards.
- Output: Draft of revised policies.
Days 10-11:
- Task: Stakeholder Feedback
- Details: Share the drafted revised policies with stakeholders for initial feedback and further
refinement.
- Output: Consolidated feedback document and further refined policy drafts.
Week 3: Finalization and Initial Implementation Support
Days 12-15:
- Task: Final Policy Documentation
- Details: Finalize the policy adaptations based on the feedback and compile them into a
comprehensive policy manual.
- Output: Final Policy Manual for the Hebron Municipality IT Department.
Days 16-17:
- Task: Implementation Support
- Details: Provide on-ground support for any queries or clarifications as the updated policies are rolled
out.
- Output: Implementation support documentation.
Day 18:
- Task: Review Meeting
- Details: Conduct a review meeting to evaluate the initial phase of the policy rollout and gather
feedback for any immediate adjustments needed.
- Output: Meeting notes and feedback compilation.
Day 19:
- Task: Final Adjustments and Closure
- Details: Make any final adjustments to the policies based on the review meeting feedback and
formally close the consultancy project.
- Output: Finalized IT policy manual and project closure document
8.DELIVERABLES
The consultant must deliver the following outputs:
1. Inception Report:
- Description: An initial report outlining the understanding of the assignment and an approach for the
harmonization of the IT policies.
- Due Date: Within the first 2 days post-commencement.

2. Stakeholder Consultation Summary:
- Description: A document summarizing the insights and feedback gathered from discussions and
interviews with the IT Department and other stakeholders.
- Due Date: End of Week 1.

3. Draft of Revised Policies:
- Description: Initial revisions of the 16 IT policies based on the comprehensive review and
stakeholder consultation.
- Due Date: Mid of Week 2.

4. Consolidated Feedback Document:
- Description: A document summarizing the feedback on the drafted revised policies.
- Due Date: End of Week 2.

5. Final IT Policy Manual for the Hebron Municipality:
- Description: The final version of the adapted policies compiled into a comprehensive policy
manual.
- Due Date: Mid of Week 3.

8. Implementation Support Documentation:

- Description: Documentation offering support and clarification for the rollout of the updated policies.
- Due Date: End of Week 3.

9. Finalized Project Closure Document:

- Description: A document signaling the formal closure of the consultancy project, including any final
adjustments to the policies.
- Due Date: End of Week 3.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- All the above deliverables will be provided in both English and Arabic.
- Any feedback and adjustments will be incorporated in a timely manner within the given period of
three weeks.

This structured breakdown keeps the focus on tangible outcomes at each stage of the policy review
and adaptation process, ensuring clarity and accountability for all parties involved.
9.DURATION OF ROLE:
The duration for the harmonization of the Information Technology Department's policies in the Hebron
Municipality is outlined below:
• Total Duration: 3 weeks (21 days)
• Start Date: 6
th November 2023
• End Date: 26th of November 2023
10. CONSULTANT REQUIREMENTS
Key Selection Criteria:
• Understanding of Project:
• Detailed technical response to the TOR, demonstrating comprehensive understanding and
approach towards harmonizing IT policies.
• Relevant Educational Background:
• Advanced degree in fields such as Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity,
or related fields.
• Experience:
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in policy analysis, specifically within IT departments.
• Proven track record of working on policy harmonization projects.
• Technical Skills:
• Expertise in IT policy formulation, review, and adaptation.
• Familiarity with the specific challenges and needs of IT departments within municipal settings.
• Language Proficiency:
• Proficiency in both English and Arabic.
• Local Context:
• Knowledge and understanding of Local Municipalities, especially within the Hebron area, is a
plus.
11. Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments
Lump sum amount in Euro with all costs excluding of VAT (firms) and income tax (individual
consultant). The contract price will be fixed regardless of changes in the cost components
12. Application Submission and Deadline:
- Detailed technical proposal to ToR (maximum of 15 pages), with specific focus
addressing the scope of work, methodology to be used and key selection criteria
- Composition of the individual/ consultant team.
- CV of the individual/ consulting team.
- Past experiences in the policies’ field, including samples of policies of related or same
activity previously done.
- Proposed methodology including ethics and feminist participatory research approaches
in line with the values mentioned earlier.
- Detailed financial proposal based on expected daily rates, travel expenses, field work
expenses
and others, with the breakdown of the price per unit and the number of units, amount in
Euro with al costs excluding VAT (firms) and income tax (individual consultant).
- Initial work plan and availability of the consultant.

Only applicants/consulting teams who have the required qualities, experience, and skills will
be considered.
Interested applicants must send the technical and financial proposal (in English) of two Sealed
envelopes no later than Wednesday, 25th October 2023 before 3:00 PM local time in Palestine,
to Aseel Salah at ActionAid Palestine office in Hebron Al-salam Street behind Al Ama Saleh
restaurant. please type the “Preparation a Handbook of Standard Operating Policy for
Citizens’ Participation via Online Internal Electronic System in Hebron Municipality” in each
envelope the technical and financial offer. An exceptional to submit the technical and
financial proposal via email([email protected]) in case the consultant will not be able
to deliver the envelope due to the political situation but needs to keep original copies and
deliver them later to APS staff.

Applications received after this date will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be
contacted. The cost of advertising in Jobs.ps (58 $) will be covered by the winner.

If you have any further inquiries, please contact +972 (0)569182426 (Aseel Salah)