WIPS Engineer - CRS

WIPS Engineer - CRS

Catholic Relief Services

Jerusalem, West Bank, & Gaza (JWBG)

 

Workplace Improvements Planning & Support Engineer - (WIPS Engineer) – Gaza Strip

 

Salalem Leadership Institute

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States and has been present in the Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza (JWBG) since 1961. The CRS JWBG country program currently supports development/relief programs and activities in the sectors of civil society, humanitarian assistance, youth empowerment, education, and peace & justice. For further information about CRS, please visit: www.crs.org.

Through generous funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), CRS is working with partners to implement Salalem, an innovative, five-year project that focuses on improving the skills and professional networks of young women and youth with disabilities, enabling them to enter and remain in the labor market. This project further seeks to build support from key influencers in the home, workplace, and community, creating an enabling environment in which young women and youth with disabilities realize increased agency and self-reliance. Through Salalem, these marginalized individuals in Gaza and the West Bank will become better prepared for jobs, with opportunities to contribute to the well-being of their families and communities. As a part of the project, the Salalem Leadership Institute will provide young women and youth with disabilities with increased skills and the opportunity to apply these skills, while creating access to professional networks is intended to improve their sense of agency and thereby employability.

Workplace Improvements Planning and Support Background:

Through Salalem, CRS and partners will provide support to 60 employers hosting interns in Gaza and West Bank to improve the disability inclusive and gender responsive workplace accommodations to meet the needs of persons with disabilities and women. Workplace improvement support will include a financial assistance to help improving the physical accommodations, equipment (Software applications) accommodations, and security measures as detailed below:

1. Physical upgrades may include but are not limited to installing ramps at entrance, installing grab bars in bathrooms, installing handrails at pathways and facilities, widening doors or pathways, providing adjustable furniture, and others,
2. Equipment upgrades may include but are not limited to installing software and computer accessibility applications for persons with sensory disabilities such as screen readers, font color and size adaptors, and other computer accessibility applications, equipment upgrades may include the supply of some adaptive technology to support staff with disabilities to perform responsibilities at their workplace,
3. Safety measures upgrades may include but are not limited to providing fire extinguishers and conducting awareness raising on emergency and evacuation plans.

Additionally, CRS and partners will provide technical support to raise awareness of hosting employers on key policies and procedures related to disability inclusion and gender responsiveness and best practices at workplaces such as in recruitment, targeting, marketing, and others. 

Purpose:

This Terms of Reference (TOR) describes the tasks and responsibilities of the Workplace Improvement Planning and Support Engineer (WIPS Engineer) needed to lead the Technical Assessments, develop the plan to address identified gaps within the specified budget, monitor Inclusive Accommodations Installation, and provide technical guidance and support to hosting employers who are based in Gaza (across the 5 governorates of Gaza Strip).

Under this consultancy: The WIPS Engineer will primarily be responsible for the following activities in close coordination with CRS staff:

1. Conduct Technical Site Assessment visits to identified hosting employers across Gaza Strip governorates to identify disability inclusion gaps from physical, informational, and equipment perspectives at the workplace environment. Share the technical site assessment reports with CRS’s Salalem team including recommendations to prioritize the support to install inclusive accommodations.
2. Develop and submit individualized Workplace Improvement Plans (WIP) for each participating employer based on the needs and gaps identified in the Technical Assessment and as per the templates of CRS; WIPs include but are not limited to the following components: physical accommodations design drawings, detailed bill of quantities (BoQs), detailed budgets, supply lists, timetables, and others.
3. Review and update (if necessary and with CRS approval) the Technical Site Assessment tool, BoQ form, Recommended Environmental Management Considerations, and other tools for structural and non-structural works that may be identified in coordination with CRS.
4. Conduct site technical monitoring to ensure quality installing of identified accommodations at each employer’s workplace, ensure adherence to the agreed upon WIP (employer agreement), ensure application of agreed upon environmental considerations, review to ensure quality standards were met during the purchase of materials, recruitment of workers, conduct of work, etc.
5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the installed accommodations both with hosting employers and interns with disabilities and proposes any upgrades if needed.
6. Document the improved workplace accommodations and share good inclusive practices of supported employers with CRS team, share before and after pictures of accommodations, and feedback reports.
7. At the outset of the consultancy, attend all orientation meetings about the project by Salalem’s team, and read all assessment reports including the Light Assessment, and the Inclusion Assessment conducted previously with hosting employers across Gaza Strip governorates.
8. Throughout the consultancy, report and communicate regularly (at minimum on a weekly basis) with the Salalem team on the progress and results of workplace improvements assessment and monitoring at minimum on weekly basis, identify and immediately share with Salalem’s team any challenges or concerns.
9. Participate in Salalem’s regular learning events conducted with project and partners’ teams and share insights on the successes, challenges, and recommendations to improve the quality implementation of the workplace improvements planning and support to hosting employers.

Note: The WIPS Engineer will be responsible to ensure his/her full adherence to the COVID-19 safety and protective measures while working in the field. Failure to adhere to safety measures related to COVID-19 will result in disciplinary measures.

Level of Effort and Timeline:

The schedule of work will vary month-to-month dependent upon the stage in the WIP development and implementation process. This WIPS Engineer is expected to work for approximately 8 hours per week on an “as-requested” basis; during busy periods support needs may reach up to a maximum of 10 days per month. The consultancy period will begin from February 2022 till September 2022, upon the quality and satisfactory performance during the consultant’s first

month, CRS will extend the agreement till end of September 2022, with a possibility to further extend the agreement timeline in case of continued quality and satisfactory performance. CRS reserves the right to and may identify more than one Engineer to perform this consultancy.

For those who are interested, kindly download the following: Tender Document

Minimum Required Qualifications:

1. Bachelor's degree in Architecture or Civil Engineering is required 
2. Minimum of 8 years of experience working with INGOs, including at least 3 years of experience leading construction and/or physical upgrade plans and related site monitoring work.
3. Experience in designing accessible premises and/or installing inclusive accommodations at workplaces for persons with disabilities is required 
4. Demonstrated experience in environmental management consideration planning when designing disability inclusive accommodations. 
5. Experience and familiarity with institutional donors, especially Canadian-funded projects, strongly preferred.
6. Experience working with local partners and participating in community-engagement activities is strongly preferred.
7. Proficiency using MS Windows, MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and construction design programs

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Strong written and oral English and Arabic language required.

Travel: Must be willing to travel throughout Gaza Strip 5 governorates on a regular basis which include visits to host employer workplaces and the CRS office in Gaza City.

General Rules:

1. Under no circumstance can the WIPS Engineer be a current employee of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Hiring PA employees is prohibited.
2. CRS is NOT committed to the lowest price offer and has the right to cancel or re-advertise this TOR without explicating the reasons.
3. CRS may select more than one WIPS Engineer(s) to complete the full scope of this ToR. If this is the case, the components for which each firm is responsible will be made clear in each respective contract.
4. CRS requests that the selected WIPS Engineer(s) be flexible regarding the timing of work due to any changes in schedules or needs of project team and/or hosting employers.

Tentative Dates: *

• Applications submission deadline: January 25, 2022, 4:00 pm.
• Selection decision: January 31, 2022.
• Coordination meetings with Salalem’s Team: February 2, 2022.
• Technical site assessments to hosting employers: February 3, 2022.

*Final dates are subject to change based on WIPS Engineer selection and start date of the agreement.

How to Apply:

 Interested applicants with relevant experience and qualifications are encouraged to submit an application as follows: 

• Application form and complete Terms of Reference is available at (https://jobs.crsjwbg.org/Tenders/Index).
• Applications will be accepted from applicants specialized in civil engineering or architectures or in other related fields with significant relevant experience; this may include individuals or consulting/training firms.
• Submit a technical application that includes at minimum:

Cover Letter summarizing:

1. Relevant previous experience of the WIPS Engineer with emphasis on previous related work
2. Period of availability and suggested duration/timing of engagement 

CV highlighting relevant experience

Certificate in architecture, or civil engineering or related field

CRS Consultancy Application Form (see template below)

Submit a financial proposal. Prices should be in New Israeli Shekels and must be valid up till 90 days after the submission date. The financial proposal must identify the daily rate and the total cost and should respect the scope of work described and maximum limit mentioned in this TOR. 

Please submit your complete application online at: (https://jobs.crsjwbg.org/Tenders/Index) no later than January 25, 2022 @ 4:00PM.

Important Notes:

• The successful bidder will sign all donor required documents. 
• CRS reserves the right to reject all bids, and to decide not to pursue this procurement.
• CRS is not obliged to procure the lowest priced offer, when the lowest price does not offer the best overall value and all other factors considered. 

CRS is an equal opportunity employer, where qualified women, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented populations are encouraged to apply and to seek CRS support on the application process where additional accommodation is required.