The Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) hereby invites interested parties to submit a tender compliant with this tender material for the contract for support to the establishment of a regional secretariat for the Network of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in the Americas.
DIHR manages an EU funded project (grant) that aims, inter alia, to support the the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas. The network has not yet established a permanent secretariat and the operations of the secretariat are therefore carried out by an elected NHRI based on rotation. Therefore, the quality of the operations of the secretariat will depend on the technical, financial and human resources of the NHRI acting as secretariat at a given time.
In the first meeting of the Committee of Coordination of the network, carried out on the 6th and 7th of July 2017 in Quito, it was decided to establish a permanent secretariat for the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas.
The general objective of the tender is therefore to analyse the opportunities and viability of establishing a permanent secretariat for the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas to be in charge of carrying out the daily activities of the network.
Specific objectives:
1.Elaborate a technical justification for the necessity of legally establishing the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas and with it: a permanent technical organ.
2.Identify the most viable options for the legal establishment of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas and the establishment and functioning of the permanent technical organ, according to information provided by the NHRIs and through acquirement of additional information.
3.Propose a reform of the Statute of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas in order to optimize the functioning of the network and reflect the proposed changes for its strengthening.
In order to achieve these objectives the consultant must elaborate the following products:
1.A document of justification for the legal establishment of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas, to be presented in the General Assembly of the Network (February 2018).
2.A proposal of amendment of the Statute of the Network, to be presented in the General Assembly of the Network (February 2018).
3.A questionnaire to acquire information about the legal personality of the network: Design of the questionnaire, follow-up on the responses of the NHRIs.
4.A document of analysis of the viability of creating a permanent secretariat and definition of its location, in relation to the criterions defined by the Comity of Coordination and the directives of the General Secretariat, based on the responses from the NHRI to the previous questionnaire. The analysis must include all countries of the American continent as the possible location and must recommend three options as the most adequate, also considering the location of GANHRI.
5.A document of the functions and responsibilities of the permanent secretariat.
6.A proposal for an Agreement of constitution of the Network of NHRIs in the Americas, to which the authorities of the member institutions will subscribe in the general assembly of the network (February 2018).
During the period of annoncement of this tender, we were asked the following questions, and have provided answers below each question.
1.Should all the deliverables (legal documents, recommendations etc.) and the final report be submitted in Spanish and/or English?
In Spanish.
2.Under point 3 of the deliverable products you refer to a questionnaire to the NHRI’s regarding the legal personality of the network. As we have understood it, this tender aims to establish a permanent secretariat FOR the network and not to amend the legal structure of the network itself. Please elaborate on what kind of information you would like to receive from this questionnaire as it also seems to be targeted at defining the country where the permanent secretariat would be based (see point 4) more than the question of legal personality.
The regional network secretariat needs to have a legal personality in one country and the questionnaire to be submitted to all NHRIs in the region will have to request information about where it is most feasible and where conditions are best legally for such a regional secretariat
3.In point 4 of the deliverable products you refer to criterions defined by Committee of Coordination and directives of the General Secretariat. Would it be possible to receive these criterions and the directive in order to adequately assess the scope of this proposal?
The service provider will be briefed about these criteria, which are very much aligned with the work of the sub-committee on accreditation also.
4.In point 4 you also refer to the geographical location of GANHRI. Are we right in assuming you refer to Geneva, and – if so – could you elaborate on the parameters you would like us to use for deciding on its relevance?
The head office of GANHRI is in Geneva and the question about where to place the regional secretariat of Americas is legal and political and the assignment is to assist with the best possible solutions to this question.
6.At several points in the CfP you refer to a meeting in February 2018, where the documents should be presented. Could you give us a precise date so we know the deadline for the deliverables?
For specific deadlines, please read Annex 2 (TDR), section 5. ”The GANHRI 2018 Annual Meeting will be held from 21 to 23 February 2018 in Geneva (Switzerland). The documents to be ready for this particular meeting are: product 1,2 and 6.