The UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) aims to address the culture of impunity, ensure more perpetrators are brought to justice and provide better support for survivors. To do this, we are supporting the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict, campaigning to raise awareness, rallying global action, promoting international coherence and increasing the political will and capacity of states to do more.

2019/20 Programme

The target thematic areas for the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative in DRC in 2019/20 are:

• Support for a more effective legal response to sexual violence in conflict in DRC, including sexual slavery. Under this theme we are particularly interested in bids that include some or all of the following: that can demonstrate strategic impact; that will increase access to justice for victims; that aim to strengthen investigative and judicial responses to sexual violence in conflict in DRC; that take a sensitive approach to tackling a culture of impunity, including consideration of the rights of suspects; that are conscious of and mitigate against some of the negative unintended consequences of interventions in this field.

• Challenging harmful attitudes towards survivors and victims of sexual violence in conflict, including victims of sexual slavery, and working to end the stigma they suffer.

Under both themes, we are particularly interested in projects that seek to apply innovative and/or strategic approaches to tackle sexual violence, including supporting the implementation of DRC government commitments.

Bids are invited on one or both of these thematic areas. For each thematic area, we welcome bids for projects of $10,000 - $309,000 per year. Project proposals can be for one or two years, although funding will only be guaranteed for the first financial year (2019-20) and will need to be reapplied for annually thereafter.

How to bid

Applicants are invited to submit a project proposal and Activity Based Budget in English and send them electronically to Guy.Janes@fco.gov.uk copying Ange.NangiMawete@fco.gov.uk

Please include ‘PSVI in DRC Bid’ in the subject field. The deadline for submitting concept bids is 17.00 (GMT) Wednesday 25 September 2019.

Selection Criteria

Please consider the below tips when designing your project:

• Projects should aim to start by October 2019 and end in March 2020

• Projects should plan to spend 90% by the end of December 2019

• Payments are normally made quarterly. Payments are made after the completion of project activities. Advance payments are not usually possible.

• We require monitoring reports throughout the project, including financial reports. At the end of a project, we require a completion report, including a detailed financial report.

• Project bids should ensure that the services are designed and implemented in a manner that respects international human rights norms, considers gender impact and is designed and implemented in accordance with the ‘do no harm’ principle.

• Duty of care for all staff and participants in project activities shall lie with the project implementer.

We are particularly looking for suppliers who can demonstrate:

• A strong track record of successful project delivery in DRC and will be able to draw on previous lessons learned to mitigate against risks and any unintended consequences of interventions.

• A proven ability to coordinate with multilateral organisations, INGOs and the DRC government to avoid duplication of effort and direct services to those in need.

• Active consideration of gender inequality including by ensuring that where possible women are offered places in project activities, and included in training and consultative panels.

Please Note: Due to the volume of bids expected, it is unlikely we will be able to provide feedback on unsuccessful bids.

PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM - PSVI: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/831096/Proposal_form_-_PSVI.odt

Example of an Activity Based Budget (ABB): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/831098/Example_of_an_Activity_Based_Budget.ods