Invitation to Tender
The Embassy is now inviting bids for project funding from the Conflict Pool for projects in the South Caucasus region from 20 December 2013.
The Conflict Pool aims to reduce the potential for violent conflict in the region by investing in upstream conflict prevention and by creating an environment that is more conducive to the resolution of conflicts. Projects can be targeted at civil society, local or national government and can be local, national or regional in scope.
British Embassies in Tbilisi and Yerevan are also inviting bids on the same timescale. See websites for details.
Criteria for Bidding Projects must be aligned with the UK Government’s Building Stability Overseas Strategy and must contribute to one or more of the following outcomes:
- Improved confidence and understanding between targeted actors across conflict divides, notably through multi-track processes (including the engagement of Diaspora communities);
- Increased awareness and sustainable solutions to problems of radicalisation and/or issues of national / ethnic minorities within countries and across boundary lines;
- Enhanced capacity of all actors, including authorities and security sector organisations to prevent, manage and respond to crisis and conflict, and develop inclusive policies;
- Increased and innovative use of all types of media and communication tools for conflict resolution as well as improving access to conflict sensitive reporting;
- Decreased isolation of conflict affected communities through new sustainable opportunities to connect with the wider region and the rest of the world;
- Conflict prevention and resolution work which subscribes to the ethos of UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women and Peace and Security.
Please note that we do not fund humanitarian or development work from the Conflict Pool.
Projects should:
- Seek to deliver a concrete change in the status quo that is sustainable in the long term;
- Be based on a sound understanding of the conflict dynamic and a clear ‘theory of change’;
- Where possible, work in parallel with pre-identified partner organisations across boundaries / borders;
- Demonstrate good value for money (including a maximum of 10% of administrative costs);
- Be open to external audit.
In April 2015 the UK will introduce a new scheme for supporting Conflict Pool work. As a result funding for this bidding round will only be for one financial year, which runs from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015.
Who may bid? In order to be eligible, your organisation or agency must be a non-profit legal entity or a registered non-governmental organisation, and must demonstrate that it has:
- Experience in confidence-building / conflict resolution projects
- Previous experience working with international agencies / organisations
- Proof of NGO registration and profile (able to provide all necessary documents of legal registration and taxpayer identification)
- Sufficient technical, financial, human and logistical capacity
The Bidding Process Applicants are invited to submit a short concept bid using the attached file . Please do not expand the boxes.
Concept bids should be sent to Baku.ProjectBids@fco.gov.uk indicating ‘Conflict Pool Bid’ in the subject field. The closing date for bids is 9am (local time) Wednesday 15 January.
Selected bidders will then be invited to develop their concept into a full project bid. You will be notified by 5pm Tuesday 21 January if you are invited to do so. The deadline for full bids will be 9pm Sunday 9 February.
Please note that an invitation to submit a full bid does not represent a commitment to fund, it merely indicates that we are interested in your idea and would like to know more.
Bidding is competitive and only selected projects will receive funding. The Embassy reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids without incurring any obligation to inform the affected applicant/s of the grounds of such acceptance or rejection. Due to the volume of bids expected we will not be able to provide feedback on unsuccessful bids.
About the Conflict Pool The United Kingdom Conflict Pool (previously the Conflict Prevention Pool) is a cross-government initiative first established in 2001, and merged with the Stabilisation Aid Fund (focused on UK activities in Iraq and Afghanistan) in 2009 to create a single pool of funds dedicated to worldwide conflict prevention, stabilisation and discretionary peacekeeping activities.
The Conflict Pool is managed – and funded – jointly by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).