Expression of Interest and Request for Information at Catholic Relief Services and state Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development (MWASD)
Catholic Relief Services Nigeria Program
Expression of Interest and Request for Information
Nigerian Civil Society Organizations
Catholic Relief Services and state Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development (MWASD) in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Edo and FCT Social Development Secretariat are pleased to announce the release of its call for Expression of Interest for Nigerian Civil Society Organizations working in the field of supporting and improving lives of Vulnerable Children (OVC).
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs. The agency re-established its presence in Nigeria in 2000 and currently focuses on HIV and AIDS including Vulnerable Children, agriculture, governance, peace building, health systems and institutional strengthening programs.
CRS Nigeria is leading the USAID-supported Sustainable Mechanism for Improving Livelihoods and Household Empowerment (SMILE) project in consortium with Actionaid Nigeria and Westat. The SMILE project is designed to scale-up care and support services for vulnerable children in 5 states in Nigeria namely FCT, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Edo.
SMILE project working with and through local CBOs, is targeting to improve the lives of 500,000 children and 125, 000 caregivers in the project communities. Successful organizations will be contributing to the overall project goal of improving the quality of life for vulnerable children and their caregivers. One of overarching objectives of the SMILE project is to catalyse changes and ultimately link these changes in behaviour for improved organizational, technical or resource capacity support thus increasing caregiver’s access to Household Economic Strengthening (HES) resources.
The SMILE program is issuing Call for Expression of Interest and Request for Information (RFI) from Nigerian CSOs working to serve vulnerable children and their households in the states mentioned above. This RFI will be used to inform the planning for a state-level bidder’s conference and identify CSOs and other partners to be invited to the event in the five states. A detailed Request for Application (RFA) will be issued requesting organizations to submit concept papers/proposals that will be considered for funding.
Interested CSOs already working in the targeted states are requested to download an RFI form which is available at SMILE project web page
https://www.smileprojectnigeria.crs.orgunder section Expression of Interest and submit completed form to smileproject@crs.org by 5 PM Friday, October 20th, 2013.
You can also collect the required forms as well submit your full package of documents as hard copies to any of the following offices:
1. CRS Abuja Office, Plot 477, 41Crescent, A Close, Gwarinpa
2. CRS Makurdi Office, Jonah Jang Crescent, Nyiman, adjacent St. Joseph’s Parish
Interested CSOs have to meet following criteria:
- Applicants must have been legally registered in Nigeria before January 1st , 2010
- Applicants must be working in one of the targeted states where they propose to work
- All applicants must have at least three years of experience in the OVC service deli very
- All applicants must be able to provide their recent external audit report or certified annual financial statement.
CRS intends to issue up to 5-10 awards per state, for a period of one to two years, for the initial period starting in the month of November, 2013. Amount and duration of the awards will be based on the proposed geographical area coverage, number of potential targeted beneficiaries as well institutional capacity of the potential partners. Awards are renewable based on partner’s performance to deliver on the agreed objectives, targets and cost efficiency and effectiveness. CSOs interested in providing services in multiple states, should indicate the same in their Expression of interest as well in the RFI document.
Please, note that submission of an Expression of interest and response to the RFI does not constitute formal request for funding. A formal RFA and funding award process mil he advertised subsequently.
