Consultancy to Conduct CSO Capacity Assessment in Support of PIN Laos’s Civil Society

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Call for Provision of Consultancy to Conduct CSO Capacity Assessment in Support of PIN Laos’s Civil Society Strengthening Strategy

1. Background
Basic information about PIN

We are a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded on the ideals of humanism, freedom, equality and solidarity. We consider human dignity and freedom to be fundamental values. People in Need organization was established in 1992 by a group of Czech war correspondents who were no longer satisfied with merely relaying information about ongoing conflicts and began sending out aid. It gradually became established as a professional humanitarian organization striving to provide humanitarian aid and development support in troubled regions around the world.

Basic information about PIN Laos and the assignment context

In 2024, PIN piloted an Early Warning System (EWS) project in Lao PDR, successfully installing water-level monitoring sensors in flood-prone communities across Champasak, Saravane, and Attapeu Provinces. The pilot demonstrated the effectiveness of PIN’s hydrological monitoring network and early warning system in supporting timely flood preparedness and response.

As the country continues to see rapid economic development and rising levels of public and private investment, including through the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, civil society organisations (CSOs) and civil society actors (CSAs) have an increasingly important role to play in engaging communities, feeding community perspectives into policy and development dialogue, and supporting transparent, accountable, and inclusive development processes. However, the capacity of Laotian CSOs to engage meaningfully with these processes, and to access and manage funding from institutional donors, is not well documented.

PIN Laos intends to strengthen its own strategic approach to supporting the Laotian CSO sector, including through potential future programming, partnerships, and funding proposals designed to build local civil society capacity. This strategy should align with the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative which supports sustainable and inclusive investment by promoting partnerships, local ownership and long-term development outcomes. To ensure this strategy is grounded in an accurate, current understanding of capacities, gaps, and needs, PIN is commissioning a rapid assessment of the Laotian CSO sector.
2. Objective and Scope of the Assessment
Overall Objective(s): The overall purpose of this assignment is to generate an evidence base on CSO capacity gaps and needs that will directly inform PIN Laos’s strategic approach to civil society strengthening. The assessment will identify priority capacity development needs, potential strategic partners, and pathways or opportunity for strengthening the role of local CSOs in promoting sustainable, inclusive and accountable development. The findings will inform the design of future programming, partnerships and funding proposals.

Specific Objectives and Scope of work

• The assessment will map the landscape of CSOs (including NGOs, community-based organisations, networks (LCCC), and coalitions) currently active, or with potential to engage, in development, governance, and accountability work.
• Identify specific capacity gaps relevant to engaging with large-scale development and investment processes, including community engagement and grievance mechanisms, advocacy and policy dialogue skills, and financial/grant management systems, safeguarding, risk management, monitoring and evaluation, visibility and communication, and reporting systems.
• Provide a strategic overview of the enabling environment for CSO engagement in development and investment processes.
• Provide clear, actionable recommendations to inform PIN’s future approach to civil society strengthening and engagement under EU CSO and Global Gateway programming, focusing on priority capacity strengthening needs, opportunities for meaningful civil society participation and collaboration among key stakeholders.

Geographical scope: All of Laos will be considered, but the focus will be on more remote areas/provinces with higher number of ethnic minorities and lower coverage of current CSO programs.
3. Key Assessment Questions
The assessment questions below are intended to provide an overview of the important themes PIN is seeking to understand to formulate the organization’s short and longer-term CSO strategy. These questions will be refined in partnership with PIN once the consultant is selected.

1. What types of civil society actors have the potential to engage in future EU CSO and Global Gateway programming, particularly in the areas of climate resilience, environmental protection, water, green energy, and green and digital skills and employment? What are their respective mandates and roles within local development processes?
2. What organisational capacities enable or constrain grassroots and community-based organisations, as well as more established civil society organisations, including networks or coalitions in implementing projects and activities, establishing partnerships and accessing and managing institutional donor funding?
3. What external factors facilitate or constrain the contribution of civil society organisations to inclusive local development and future EU CSO and Global Gateway programming?
4. Based on the assessment findings, what recommendations should inform PIN’s future approach to civil society strengthening and engagement under EU CSO and Global Gateway programming?

4. Methodology
The consultant is expected to propose a detailed methodology at inception, but it should, at minimum, include:

• Document review: PIN’s relevant strategy and programme documents; existing studies and assessments of the Laotian civil society sector; national policy and legal frameworks relevant to civil society; and relevant donor programmes and coordination mechanisms.
• Desk-based mapping of CSAs and CSOs active in the two target locations, using existing directories, network membership lists, and donor programme documentation.
• Key informant interviews with a representative sample of CSAs and CSOs (recommended minimum: 10–12 organisations), ensuring representation of grassroots and community-based organisations, more established organisations, networks/coalitions, different thematic areas and varying levels of experience with institutional donor funding. Key informant interviews with relevant government stakeholders, donor representatives, and relevant multi-stakeholder coordination platforms or networks.

The consultant should give explicit attention to gender, disability inclusion, and the participation of grassroots/community-based organisations, not only Vientiane-based intermediary NGOs, throughout the sampling and analysis.
5. Specific Tasks
The consultant will be expected to conduct the following:

• Review of relevant background documents and existing CSO/sector mapping resources.
• Development of an inception note, including refined methodology, sampling approach, data collection tools, and detailed workplan.
• Desk-based mapping and profiling of CSOs in Laos with a focus on Vientiane and more remote areas/provinces.
• Conduct of key informant interviews with CSOs, government, donor, and other network stakeholders.
• Analysis of findings in line with the agreed methodology.
• Presentation of preliminary findings to PIN Laos in a validation debrief.
• Preparation of assessment documents (inception note, draft report, final report, and concept-note-ready summary).

6. Expected Deliverables
The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables. All deliverables must be submitted in English. The CSO mapping matrix (Deliverable 2) should be provided in a format PIN can maintain and update beyond the life of this assignment.

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Deliverable
Format
Indicative Timing

1
Inception note (methodology, sampling, tools, workplan)
Word document, max 3 pages
Second week of October 2026

2
Draft CSO mapping (list/matrix of CSOs identified with basic profiling data)
Excel matrix
Third week of October 2026

3
Draft assessment report
Word document, max 25 pages excluding annexes
End of October 2026

4
Final assessment report, incorporating PIN feedback
Word and PDF
First half of November 2026

7. Assessment Report
The final assessment report should follow the structure below:

• Executive Summary: Summary of the assessment, with particular emphasis on the main findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Introduction: Description of the assignment’s purpose, questions, and context (PIN Laos’s civil society strengthening strategy and programme development process).
• Methodology: Description of the sampling strategy and methods used for data collection, and description of limitations.
• Findings:  Presentation of findings organised around the key assessment questions. Findings should distinguish between different types of civil society actors where appropriate and be supported by evidence and illustrative examples.
• Gap Analysis: Analysis of key strengths, opportunities and gaps affecting the participation of different types of civil society organisations and actors in future EU CSO and Global Gateway programming, including organisational capacities.
• Recommendations: Specific and actionable proposals regarding target CSO groups, capacity-strengthening priorities, partnership modalities, and geographic/thematic focus, to directly inform PIN’s civil society strengthening strategy.
• Annexes: Terms of Reference, CSO mapping matrix, list of stakeholders consulted, data collection tools, and other supporting materials.

The Executive Summary should not exceed 2 pages, and the remaining parts of the report should not exceed 12 pages (excluding annexes).
8. Duration
The assignment is expected to take approximately 6 weeks from contract signature, with an estimated level of effort of 10–15 working days, and is expected to be completed in the first half of November 2026.
9. Logistics

• PIN will provide access to relevant background documents and existing partner contacts.
• PIN will facilitate introductions to contacts where possible.
• PIN will provide timely feedback on draft deliverables, within 3 working days of submission.
• The consultant is expected to work independently, manage their own schedule of stakeholder consultations, and flag any access or scheduling risks to PIN promptly.

10. Qualification Requirements

• Advanced degree in development studies, social sciences, public policy, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience conducting organisational capacity assessments, sector/stakeholder mapping, or similar assessments for civil society or NGO sectors, ideally in Southeast Asia.
• Demonstrated familiarity with major institutional donor funding instruments and requirements (e.g. bilateral and multilateral development partners) is strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of Laos’s civil society environment and broader development and governance landscape.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience conducting key informant interviews with government, donor, and civil society actors.
• Excellent written English and strong analytical and report-writing skills;
• Prior experience with international NGOs, and familiarity with Laos’s EWS, climate programming landscape, is an asset.

Evaluation criteria

• Technical quality: 60%(understanding of the TOR, proposed methodology, relevant experience of the firm/and or key experts in the similar assignment, workplan/realistic implementation schedule and allocation of personnel and resources).
• Financial proposal: 40% (Including VAT 10% according to the Laotian Tax Law or 15% of the withholding Tax law of Laos (for individual/unregistered consultant) from the total fee).

Application Process

• Deadline for submission of application: October 7, 2026 at before 5:00 pm.
• Application package: technical proposal (max 2 pages) outlining understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, and indicative workplan; financial proposal, including daily rate, estimated number of days, and any anticipated travel or logistics costs; updated CV (or CVs, for a team).
• Selection criteria: relevant experience and qualifications (Section 10); quality and feasibility of proposed methodology; value for money.
• Please submit your technical and financial proposal to: pavina.savannaly@peopleinneed.net

12. Payment Modalities
Maximum budget available for this assignment is $3,500 (including VAT, other taxes or any applicable taxes). The amount is an estimated budget for planning purposes only. Tenderers shall submit their most competitive financial offers. The contract will be awarded in accordance with the evaluation criteria set out in the tender notice, taking into account the best value for money.

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Milestones

60%
Following the signing of the Contract on Consultancy Services

40%
After the final version of the final assessment report (including the concept-note-ready summary) has been submitted and approved by PIN

13. Ethics and Safeguarding
The consultant will be required to comply with PIN’s Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Policy, and Data Protection standards throughout the assignment. All primary data collected from CSO, government, and community respondents must be handled confidentially, and informed consent must be obtained prior to interviews or consultations. Any personal or sensitive data collected during the assessment must be stored and shared in line with PIN’s data protection requirements. The consultant is also expected to immediately report any safeguarding concerns or incidents identified during the assignment in line with PIN’s Safeguarding Policy and reporting procedures.