Expression of Interest: “Cash for Work (CfW) Intervention - The Mills Path Trail, Nahr el Joz Area” UDP_NL / GIZ Beirut Office

Project description

In collaboration with the Koura & Batroun Union of Municipalities, GIZ Urban Development Programme for deprived Areas in North Lebanon (UDP-NL) is intending to implement a project along Al Joz River to support eco-tourism and income generation activities in the area.

Al Joz river is marking the borders between Al Koura and Al Batroun Districts; along the river, 10 villages are under the province of Batroun and 5 villages under the province of el Koura. The region is rich with natural resources, archeological, and religious monuments. The Mills path trail project covers the area from the waterfall at Kfarhelda village to the dam in Batroun.

The overall goal of this project is to promote eco-tourism in the Nar Al Joz area as a regional attraction covering the natural beauty and connecting cultural and heritage sides in the region attracting visitors from all over Lebanon with the aim to enhance the local business development.

The project will be implemented in the frame of a Cash for Work (CfW) intervention. The main activities will be upgrading, cleaning and blazing the trail network. The objective of the CfW intervention is to provide short term employment opportunities and immediate availability of income for vulnerable members of the host communities and displaced Syrians with a special focus on youth and women.

Objective

This request for Expression of Interest (EOI) is intended to support UDP-NL in identifying NGOs who are experienced in similar CfW interventions and are interested in being included in a short list of pre-identified implementing partners who will be asked at later stage to prepare a detailed technical and financial proposal on how to manage and implement the activities of the “Mills path trail” project.

The Mills Path Trail Project CfW Activities

The implementation of this project will be in the form of CFW activities. As per the standards and job counting methodology the job duration is defined as: A total number of 40 labor days/person consisting of one fulltime or several shorter placements during a time period of not more than 3 months starting from the time of first assignment. The beneficiaries’ target for this project is approx. 150 vulnerable workers which are ideally 50% Lebanese and 50% displaced Syrians from the local community.

The project area stretches around the area from the waterfall at Kfarhelda village to the dam in Batroun, along the Al Joz River.

Potential CfW activities would be as upgrading and cleaning existing trails and partially extending the trail network, rehabilitating accessible roads and on-site-parking, marking and blazing the trails, installing sign and information boards, minor infrastructure interventions such as rehabilitation of stone mansury etc., raising awareness on the benefit of protecting the heritage and natural beauty and of the area as a long term goal among the participants but also among the local community.

The implementing organization should be able to recruit, organize, steer and manage approx. 150 workers and fore workers conducting the activities in different areas along the river. Due to the size of the intervention area it is intended to subdivide the workers in groups covering different sections of the trail. As the area is only a few points accessible by vehicles mules might be required for transportation of material. Food and meals for the workers must be organized as well as all required tools and materials.

Along the implementation the CfW workers should be trained in basic life skills and work safety and other skills related to the scope of work.

In addition to the CfW workers a group of experts like engineers, surveyors, designers etc. must be assigned for the planning, execution and supervision of the work.

Qualifications and Requirements

Eligibility Criteria:

• NGO must be registered under the Lebanese rules and regulations.
• NGO must have experienced implementing similar projects and should be familiar with the North region especially Koura & Batroun districts. (at least 1-2 projects implemented in North region)
• NGO should have experience in eco-tourism, heritage or natural sites’ projects.
• NGO should have the resources and capacity to implement such large scale project.
• It is required to have experience in CFW projects or similar activities.
• NGO must have good understanding of the Al-Joz river context; the social and political dynamics in this area.
• NGO should work closely and coordinate with local authorities mainly municipalities and focal points for the project implementation.
• NGO should have experienced receiving grants from donors and have financial capacity to implement such projects.