Consultancy for an Inclusive Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) in DR CONGO

Background

CBM (Christian Blind Mission) is an international development and humanitarian organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in the world's poorest countries. We are providing inclusive humanitarian assistance in contexts of disasters, conflict, and displacement. CBM’s humanitarian activities aim to equally reach and actively involve persons with disabilities, addressing specific needs while promoting and facilitating full inclusion in mainstream services. We work together with our partners on programmes that are context specific, from disability-inclusive preparedness to immediate life-saving needsto resilience strengthening. CBM is based in Germany with 23 country offices in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. With over 115 years of experience, CBM is considered as one of the world’s oldest organisations working in this field. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces one of the world's most complex humanitarian crises, marked by armed conflict, displacement, protection risks, epidemics, food insecurity and natural disasters. Persons with disabilities, women, children, older persons, IDPs and returnees face heightened barriers to accessing assistance and essential services. To inform future humanitarian programming, including potential interventions under ECHO HIP 2027 and other funding opportunities, CBM seeks to conduct an Inclusive Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) in selected crisis-affected areas. Findings will support evidence-based programme design, strategic positioning and partnership development. CBM is seeking a qualified consultant or consulting team to lead this assessment.

Purpose of the Assignment

The assessment aims to generate evidence on humanitarian needs, vulnerabilities and service gaps among crisis-affected populations, particularly persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups, to inform protection-centred, disability-inclusive and integrated humanitarian programming.

Objectives

• The assessment shall:
• Identify and analyse priority humanitarian needs and vulnerabilities
• Assess barriers to accessing humanitarian assistance and essential services, particularly for persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
• Assess the availability, accessibility, quality and inclusiveness of essential services
• Examine protection risks and inclusion concerns
• Analyse existing services, referral pathways, coverage and response gaps
• Identify geographic areas with the highest humanitarian needs through a comparative analysis of severity, operational feasibility and CBM's potential added value
• Establish the priority order of needs but also of geographic areas
• Generate recommendations on geographic focus, sectoral priorities, targeting, partnerships and implementation modalities for future humanitarian programming, including ECHO HIP 2027

Scope of Assessment

• The assessment will focus on selected conflict-, displacement- and epidemic-affected areas in eastern DRC and analyse:
• Needs and reintegration challenges of returnees
• Opportunities for integrated multi-sector programming and referral pathways
• Capacities of local actors, including OPDs, local NGOs and community-based organisations
• Community feedback systems, communication preferences and accountability mechanisms
• Humanitarian access constraints and operational feasibility
• Community preparedness, surveillance and early warning systems
• Environmental and climate-related risks affecting humanitarian programming. Geographic scope :
• North Kivu (Masisi, Beni, Lubero)
• South Kivu (Kalehe)
• Mai-Ndombe (Kwamouth)

Thematic scope

• The assessment should analyse current and emerging humanitarian needs, service gaps and trends affecting programming in 2027, including:
• Humanitarian needs and vulnerabilities
• Access barriers to services and assistance
• Availability and functionality of services and referral mechanisms
• Areas and population groups with the highest unmet needs
• Implications for future ECHO and other donor-funded interventions

Key minimum sectors

• Health (+MHPSS)
• Protection
• GBV
• Food Security
• Education
• Nutrition
• WASH
• Disaster Preparedness (+Epidemic and Health Risks)

Cross-cutting themes

• Disability Inclusion
• Gender and Age
• Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP)
• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
• Safeguarding and Child Safeguarding
• Protection Principles and Do No Harm
• Localisation and Community Engagement
• Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus

Priority Population Groups

• IDPs
• Returnees
• Host Communities
• Women and Girls
• Children and Adolescents
• Older Persons
• Persons with Disabilities

Expected Methodology

• The consultant shall propose a mixed-method approach including:
• Secondary data review
• Quantitative household surveys
• KIIs
• FGDs
• Stakeholder consultations
• Analysis of existing response capacities and gaps
• Direct observation of selected services and community structures where feasible. The methodology must ensure meaningful participation of persons with disabilities and comply with humanitarian principles, safeguarding, confidentiality, informed consent, protection and Do No Harm standards

Expected Deliverables

• The selected consultant/team will be expected to provide:
• Inception Report, including methodology and workplan
• Data collection tools and protocols
• Preliminary findings presentation
• Draft MSNA Report
• Final MSNA Report incorporating feedback
• Executive Summary
• Strategic recommendations for ECHO HIP 2027 and future programming, and integrated response options
• Clean dataset and related assessment materials
• PowerPoint presentation of key findings
• Situational statistics on population movement (displaced or returned) in the assessment areas

Duration

The consultancy is expected to be conducted between October and December 2026. The anticipated level of effort is approximately 40 working days.