Consultancy to do a review of “Cycles”, NRC’s digital project and grants management tool

Objectives
The focus of this review is “Cycles”, NRC’s digital project and grants management tool. Cycles was introduced to the regions and countries as a digital project management platform for projects implemented at Country and Regional level in 2016, and rolled out in 2018 and onwards.

There have been considerable challenges and blockers to organization-wide adoption. There is general agreement that a digital, organizational tool for managing grants is needed, but efforts are needed to see if and how Cycles can be this tool for NRC. This review is being commissioned to look at the larger process of the development of Cycles, to understand what is working in the current system and what is not, understand what needs the organization has for a digital project and grants management tool and what such a system could look like – and ultimately whether, and how, Cycles can match these needs.

The objective of the review is hence to provide NRC’s senior management with the perspective to better define what is needed from a digital grants management tool, and make a decision on efficacy and ownership of Cycles going forward, that is anchored in a wider organizational ownership and participation in the process.

Approach
The first phase of this review should follow an adaption of a standard After Action Review (see ToR) process with some additional data collection points to better inform the second half of the review. During this inception phase, the consultant(s) will receive, proactively gather, and analyze existing data and information about Cycles, its roll out and its adoption. The methodology proposed will be further refined together with the selected team/individual.

Qualifications and Application:
We are looking for a team or individual with:

• 10 years’ experience with reviewing and evaluating humanitarian and development strategic initiatives. Preferably with experience of conducting digital product reviews and consultative strategy processes.
• This is a review of a digital solution. The consultant hence needs to have demonstrated experience in digital product management and the ability to understand and represent user needs.
• Experience in prioritizing product features and capabilities and validating the vision for the product.
• Experience in designing and conducting organizational project reviews, including reviewing and assessing digital products, through both desk reviews and speaking to users in participatory methodologies.
• Experience designing and implementing strategic review processes, trend analysis and other tools across multiple organizational levels.
• Excellent understanding of collaboration and integration models in humanitarian settings.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Experience with the Salesforce platform is preferred.
• Fluency in English and one additional language – French, Spanish or Arabic – an advantage.

Expressions of interest from individuals or teams with proven experience in similar projects are requested with the following information:

• Proposal including: the consultant’s understanding of the brief, proposed approach, scope of work, deliverables, draft work plan (including time frame) and level of effort (where multiple team members are envisaged, please elaborate on who will be involved/leading each piece). No more than 5 pages.
• A two-page summary of the qualifications and relevant experience in relation to this project.
• CV of individual(s) involved.
• Financial proposal including number of days work and daily rate.
• Example(s) of relevant previous work.

Expressions of interest should be emailed to ict.procurement@nrc.no by 23:59 CET on Wednesday 13 July. 

Download the full TOR; https://www.nrc.no/tender/consultancy-to-do-a-review-of-cycles-nrcs-digital-project-and-grants-management-tool/