1. About Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 21 organizations working in over 60 countries worldwide seeking to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice around the world. Oxfam is determined to change that world by mobilizing the power of people against poverty. Around the world, Oxfam works to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive. We save lives and help rebuild livelihoods when crisis strikes. And we campaign so that the voices of the poor influence the local and global decisions that affect them. In all we do, Oxfam works with partners, public and private sector institutions alongside vulnerable women and men to end the injustices that cause poverty. Read more about Oxfam from https://kenya.oxfam.org/
2. About the assignment
The training, in observance of the mental health day, is designed to equip grassroot Women’s Rights Organizations with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage their mental well-being, provide support to their colleagues and strengthen Mental Health systems and structures within their institutions. It aims to help them create an environment that encourages open dialogue about mental health, ultimately boosting team morale and productivity.
Assignment location
Kenya – Nairobi
Contract start date
October 2024
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Mental health is a key tripartite component of health in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of Health as a state of physical, mental and social well-being, and not just mere absence of infirmity. Further, WHO defines mental health as a state of well-being in which individuals realise his or her own potential/abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and are able to contribute to his or her community. Mental health is a key determinant of overall health and socio-economic development. It influences a variety of outcomes for individuals and communities, such as healthier lifestyles, better physical health; improved recovery from illness, fewer limitations in daily living, higher education attainment, greater productivity, employment and earnings; better family relationships, social cohesion and engagement and improved quality of life (WHO Global Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020).
The Kenya Mental Health Policy (2015-2030) envisions a nation where mental health is valued and promoted, mental health conditions are prevented, and persons affected by mental health conditions are treated without stigmatization and discrimination. The policy provides a roadmap for securing reforms and building strong mental health systems with the ultimate goal of attaining the highest standard of mental health in Kenya. This is achieved through the Kenya Mental Health Action Plan (2021-2025), which operationalizes the mental health policy. In 2021, Kenya achieved notable progress in mental health by conducting its first Mental Health Investment Case (MHIC) in collaboration with development partners. The goal was to provide quantified evidence of the long-term health, social, and economic benefits of investing in mental health in Kenya. The findings confirmed the significant economic impact of mental health conditions in Kenya. The total estimated economic burden on account of mental health conditions on the Kenyan economy in 2021 is KES 62.2 billion (US$571.8 million), an equivalent loss of 0.6% of the GDP in 2020. Lost productivity due to premature mortality, absenteeism and presenteeism accounted for the largest share of this annual cost amounting to KES 56.6 billion while health care expenditure accounted for KES 5.5 billion. This evidence clearly demonstrates the multidimensional impact of mental health on the Kenyan population. The MHIC has demonstrated that investing in Mental Health will accrue productivity gains and social value of health worth KES 161.6 billion over a ten-year period. (Mental Health Investment Case (MHIC), MoH).
In 2023, the Ministry of Health launched the National Guidelines on Workplace Mental Wellness to improve employees’ mental health. This aligns with the Government’s commitment to building a highly-skilled, agile, and responsive public service workforce that can meet the unique needs of the population. These guidelines will help organizations assess their mental health risks, lower healthcare costs, guide organizations and programs to successfully promote mental wellness, prevent mental health conditions, and support those affected by mental health conditions.
Globally, it is estimated that 15% of the working population has a mental health condition. In Kenya, this implies an estimated 3.7 million of the 24.9 million workforce might be living with a mental health condition (National Guidelines on Workplace mental wellness, MoH). According to the guidelines, 1 out of 4 persons who seek healthcare in Kenya have a mental health condition. Depression is common, and there are increasing rates of substance and alcohol use disorders. Mental health conditions not only contribute to healthcare costs but are also a significant socio-economic drain on individuals, families, and communities.
Employed adults spend more time working than doing any other activity during their waking hours. Work can provide a livelihood and be a source of meaning, purpose, and joy. However, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are common in workplaces globally, impacting productivity, attendance, and overall performance.
World Mental Health Day takes place every year on October 10th to spotlight mental health around the world, raise awareness of mental health issues and encourage efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues. This year’s theme set by the World Federation of Mental Health is*, “it’s time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”.* The theme highlights the importance of addressing mental health and well-being in the workplace to benefit people, organisations, and communities. Creating a more inclusive and supportive work environment for all employees is essential for promoting mental health and well-being. This means creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or any other aspect of their identity.
PURPOSE OF THIS CONSULTANCY
The direct motive for this procurement for consultancy services is to facilitate a training session for Women’s Rights Organizations in observance of World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2024. Women’s Rights Organizations are integral to the achievement of Oxfam’s overarching goals and furnishing them with mental health awareness training will empower them and their staff with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage their mental well-being and provide support to their colleagues. This initiative aims to cultivate an environment that promotes open dialogue about mental health, thereby enhancing team morale and productivity. Moreover, the training will provide valuable insights and expertise to promote optimal well-being and resilience for individuals and their teams, fostering a culture of trust and safety that facilitates meaningful engagement. Furthermore, the training will provide strategies for Women’s Rights Organizations to integrate mental health into their day-to-day work, rather than treating it as a one-time intervention only observed on World Mental Health Day.
- SCOPE OF WORK
The scope of work entails conducting a two-day training session for Women’s Rights Organizations to help them recognise and address mental health issues in the workplace and provide support based on the diverse needs of their members of staff.
Overall objective
The main goal of the consultancy is to conduct a training session for grassroots Women’s Rights Organizations on mental health and well-being in observance of World Mental Health Day on 10th and 11th October 2024. The training will equip Women’s Rights Organizations with strategies to incorporate mental health considerations into their daily work, enabling them to thrive in their roles, cope with stress, and enhance resilience and productivity.
The specific tasks related to this scope of work are outlined as:
- Preparation of training materials for Women’s Rights Organizations encompassing current initiatives, experiences, and lessons learned to prioritise mental health and well-being in the workplace.
- Facilitate the sessions during the mental health at the workplace training for Women’s Rights Organizations
- Prepare a guide on promoting inclusive mental health and well-being in the workplace to be shared with the Women’s Rights Organizations for integration into their daily activities.
Specific outputs
The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:
- OUTPUT 1 – Deliver a two-day training for grassroots women’s Rights Organizations on fostering a positive work environment by equipping them with the tools to recognise and address mental health issues in the workplace.
- OUTPUT 2 – To facilitate the exchange of information among Women’s Rights Organizations on current initiatives, experiences, and lessons learned to prioritize mental health and well-being in the workplace.
- OUTPUT 3 – Prepare a guide on good practices for mental health and a training report on well-being at the workplace that will then be shared with the various Women’s Rights Organizations
- METHODOLOGY
The proposed methodology for the delivery of the training is a mix of interactive, participatory and frontal activities across the day of the training.
Planned timeline.
Activity / Milestone Estimated date
- Submission of an inception report – 1st Week of October 2024
- Joint review of the training materials – 1st Week of October 2024
- Execution of the training – 10 – 11th October 2024
- Submission of training report & write-up on – 13th October 2024
good practices for mental health and well-being
at the workplace
- DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Remuneration is based on the submission of final deliverables according to the schedule below.
Deliverables or Documents to be delivered
- Deliverable 1
Inception Report
This report should include:
- A comprehensive desk review of documents relevant to an understanding and execution of the assignment
- An elaboration of a methodology/action plan and work plan
Estimated Dates of Submission: 1st week of October
% Payment – 40% total budget]
- Deliverable 2
Execution of the Training on mental health and well-being at the workplace
Estimated Dates of Submission: 10th and 11th October 2024
% Payment – 40% total budget]
- Deliverable 3: – Submission of a training report and write-up on best practices for workplace mental health, including recommendations for enhancing workplace mental well-being for the WROs
Estimated Dates of Submission: 13th October 2024
% Payment – 20% total budget
- TRAINING ETHICS
The training should pose no ethical or security risks. The engagement with partners who handle sensitive issues and programmes will always carry some risk on data protection and health risks. To mitigate these risks, the consultant will be asked to comply to Oxfam’s non-staff code of conduct guidelines and protocols, data protection policy as well as safeguarding protocols.
- PROFILE REQUIREMENTS
The company/ individual(s) should have the following competencies:
Essential
Academic / Professional qualification
- A degree in psychology, counselling, Social Sciences, or a related field.
- Having experience in supporting mental health projects in a recognised organisation
- Proven experience in training development and delivery
- Proven experience in workplace mental health support is a plus
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Familiarity with cultural sensitivity and diversity considerations.
- Good understanding of policies and frameworks regulating mental health in Kenya.
- Ability to facilitate and relate to stakeholders at multiple levels and in diverse contexts.
- Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills
- Strong communication and report-writing skills
- Good spoken and written communication skills in Kiswahili and English
Administrative compliance (list of documents to be submitted)
Responses must be submitted and prepared in [English] and received by the deadline.
To be shortlisted for evaluation against award criteria, the following documents must be included in the application:
- Technical proposal / approach paper to conduct the assignment and achieve objectives including methodology, proposed work plan and timelines – (Mandatory)
- Financial offer (price quotation) including budget and pricing. – (Mandatory)
- All prices must appear in KES, with and without VAT (specify the VAT rate if applicable)
- The total budget, which must include a detailed breakdown of costs by [deliverables / day / working hours].
- The total budget proposed by the Consultant must include all costs that will be invoiced to Oxfam in the financial offer[1]:
- all technical services and activities e.g., research, report writing, analysis, instrument development costs.
- office related costs e.g., communications (phone), printing, IT costs (laptop), mail/courier.
- travel related costs (including flights, taxi, car, visas, vaccination, prophylaxis, accommodation, food).
- relevant insurance
- and travel to destination
Please provide a detailed breakdown of your daily rate and the number of days and resources required per activity, as well as the associated cost. (Mandatory)
1. Curriculum Vitae(s) (CV) of the proposed consultant(s), proving relevant experience and/or qualifications. If multiple people are involved, an outline of roles/ responsibilities also needs to be included. (Mandatory)
2. Two relevant references (minimum) for previous comparable assignments (Mandatory)
3. Proof of registration: The bidders also must include a copy of their registration at the relevant Chamber of Commerce and / or document showing self-employed tax registration. (Mandatory)
Oxfam withholds the right to conduct interviews with one or more potential suppliers before an award decision is made. The purpose of the interview is to seek further clarification on the submitted quotations and learn more about the background and previous experiences of the potential suppliers and their teams.
- OTHER CONDITIONS
Issuance of this Terms of Reference does not constitute an award commitment on the part of Oxfam, nor does it commit Oxfam to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a bid.
The attached Annexes are an integral part of this Request for Proposals – see section 13.
Oxfam may contact bidders to confirm contacts, addresses, bid amount and to confirm that the bid was submitted for this solicitation.
Quotation validity
- The quotation shall be valid for 90 days from the date of submission. If this is not possible, the bidder may propose a different timeframe.
- If the bidder is awarded the contract, all information provided in the quotation and negotiation process is contractually binding.
Right to Select/ Reject
Oxfam reserves the right to select and negotiate with those firms it determines, in its sole discretion, to be qualified for competitive proposals and to terminate negotiations without incurring any liability. Oxfam also reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received without explanation.
Reserved rights
All applications and quotes become the property of Oxfam, and Oxfam reserves the right in its sole discretion to:
- Disqualify any offer based on applicant’s failure to follow solicitation instructions.
- Waive any deviations by the applicant from the requirements of this terms of reference that, in Oxfam’s opinion, are considered immaterial defects requiring rejection or disqualification; or where such a waiver will promote increased competition.
- Extend the time for submission of responses after notification to all applicants.
- Terminate or modify the process at any time and re-issue the request for quotation to whomever Oxfam deems appropriate.
- Issue an award based on the initial evaluation of offers without discussion.
- Award only part of the activities in the solicitation or issue multiple awards based on solicitation activities.
- CODE OF CONDUCT
Oxfam is committed to integrity in its operations and supply chains and ensuring high ethical standards. Complying with all laws and regulations and ensuring fair competition are fundamental to this commitment. We actively promote these principles and standards and expect all Oxfam suppliers to demonstrate commitment towards them.
All consultants/applicant are required to agree and adhere to the Oxfam Supplier Code of Conduct, whereas individuals (including consultants) must sign the Oxfam Non Staff Code of Conduct[2]. These Codes of Conduct set out the specific standards and principles in the areas of human and labour rights, environmental impact and anti-corruption that suppliers must follow.
Oxfam has the following requirements of its service providers, to ensure integrity in its supply chain:
Bribery and collusion
Oxfam does not tolerate fraud, including bribery or kickbacks, collusion among bidders, bribery or kickbacks. Any firm or individual violating these standards will be disqualified from this procurement and barred from future procurement opportunities.
Employees and representatives of Oxfam are strictly prohibited from asking for or accepting any money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, object of value or compensation from current or potential vendors or suppliers in exchange or as a reward for business.
False statements
Bidders must provide full, accurate and complete information as required by this solicitation and Annexes. False statements in bids constitutes grounds for immediate termination of any agreement with the supplier. OXFAM takes misstatements, falsification, manipulation, alteration of facts and/or documents very seriously, has a zero-tolerance policy to such behaviours, and may choose to take legal action in a case of misrepresented disclosures by
Conflict of interest
Bidders must provide disclosure of any past, present or future relationships with any parties associated with the issuance, review or management of this solicitation and anticipated award. Failure to provide full and open disclosure may result in Oxfam having to re-evaluate the selection of a potential bidder.
Diversion of funds
Oxfam is determined that all its funds and resources should only be used to further its mission and shall not be subject to illicit use by any third party nor used or abused for any illicit purpose. Suppliers (and their affiliates/group companies, employees, officers, owners, agents and sub-contractors) may be subject to formal screening against global lists of individuals subject to designation or proscription under financial sanctions or counter terrorism regulations.
- Monitoring
Due diligence: As a charitable organisation, Oxfam must take care to protect its assets and funds, as well as the communities that we work with. One of the steps that Oxfam takes to comply with this legal duty is to conduct adequate and proportionate due diligence on suppliers prior to entering into a contract. This includes checking legal registration and financial solvency, but may also include other checks, such as misconduct/performance reference checks and if working with children or vulnerable adults, a criminal records check.
Important note: Oxfam performs a regular screening check of all suppliers against international sanctions lists.
Audit: Any audit requirements are detailed in the terms and conditions of business
Data protection: Oxfam is legally bound to ensure that all personal details held by the organisation relating to any individual or entity are kept secure and according to international data protection standards.
- MISCONDUCT REPORTING AND WHISTLEBLOWING
Oxfam’s reporting and whistleblowing mechanisms are available for Service Providers as well Oxfam employees, to ensure that Oxfam continues to operate under the highest ethical standards and principles.
You can use these reporting channels confidentially, anonymously, and in your own language to report any concerns involving fraud, corruption, waste, abuse or safeguarding concerns.
Oxfam GB Oxfam Novib Oxfam Intermón
SpeakUp@oxfam.org.ukintegrity@oxfamnovib.nlbuzon.etico@oxfam.org
Oxfam Misconduct Reporting Webform (including possibility for anonymous reporting)
Global phone number: +44 1249 661808
Check https://speakup.oxfamnovib.nl for local numbers (you can request interpretation)
- ANNEXES
- Oxfam Supplier Code of Conduct: https://oxfam.box.com/v/Oxfam-Supplier-CodeConduct
- Oxfam Non-Staff Code of Conduct: https://oxfam.box.com/v/Nonstaff-CodeConduct
- Conflict of interest declaration form: https://oxfam.box.com/v/Supplier-COI-declaration
- Safeguarding policy
- (If applicable) Oxfam child safeguarding policy
- (Edit if applicable) Example privacy notice: https://oxfam.box.com/s/mo8artt9l8a2x0cnpqrqqrugt8k0r773
How to apply
APPLICATION PROCESS
Submission deadline
Quotations and applications must reach Oxfam not later than 27th September 2024.
Submission instructions
Responses must be submitted electronically to: kpconsultancyservices@oxfam.org.uk
The subject of the mail should be: ToR Reference – Training of Women’s Rights Organizations on Mental Health and Well-Being at the Workplace.
