INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyze action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Adapting to impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for livelihoods, food security, water supply, health, security, and economic growth. The work of the GCA elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning to become more resilient to climate related threats. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam.

The GCA’s ambitious 2020-2025 business plan and strategy have three pillars:

• Programs: Food Security; Using Nature for more resilient infrastructure; Water for Urban Growth and Resilience; Climate Finance; Youth Leadership.
• Knowledge: Building adaptation knowledge globally through cutting edge products such as the State and Trends in Adaptation Report and the Adaptation Knowledge Portal.
• Advocacy and Awareness: Formulating policy messages to move the global, regional, and local adaptation agendas forward.

Program Background Information
The Water and Urban program at GCA addresses barriers to integrating adaptation into water supply and urban resilience projects. It provides analysis, technical support, climate risk assessments, design guidelines, investment options, and capacity building. In this context, the Water and Urban program at GCA supports climate resilience into investments, by addressing key barriers to integrating adaptation into water and urban resilience projects. GCA delivers upstream analysis and technical support to develop information and metrics on climate hazards, assets exposure, vulnerability hotspots, and finally adaptation and resilience options that are financially viable.

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has partnered with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to provide support on a gender vulnerability assessment, for a water and energy investment project in Gabon titled “Integrated Program for the Development of Water and Energy Resources program in Libreville” that will be funded by AfDB.

Purpose of this Assignment
Within this context, GCA is seeking a qualified firm to conduct a gender vulnerability assessment, for a water and energy investment project in Gabon. The detailed Terms of Reference and Deliverables for this assignment are presented in Annex 3. The total duration of this assignment is estimated at up to 8 months.

Objective of the Assignment  
The gender vulnerability assessment aims to collect gender disaggregated data, identify climate gender vulnerability gaps in relation to water supply, sanitation, fecal sludge and stormwater management, and propose appropriate actions to narrow these gaps as an integral part of climate adaptation in the Greater Libreville area. Outcomes from this assessment will directly support and inform implementation of the AfDB project in Gabon. 

The objective of this assignment is to enhance the climate resilience of water and sanitation infrastructure in the Greater Libreville area.  More specifically the assignment will:

• Assess how climate-induced disruptions (e.g., urban floods, service interruptions) disproportionately affect women and vulnerable groups in the project areas and identify gender-specific risks in water and sanitation services.
• Develop a gender action plan and propose interventions to address the identified gender gaps and enhance overall climate resilience of the gender groups. 

Submission of the Proposal
If you are interested in participating in this Request for Proposal, you are requested to submit your proposal in PDF format to the link no later than 3 January 2025, 16:00:00 hours (04:00:00 p.m. o’clock), Central European Time (CET) (hereinafter referred to as “the closing date and time”).

Bidders are cautioned that the timing of submission is based on when the proposal is received by the GCA, not when a proposal is submitted by a bidder. As transmission can be delayed due to file transfer size, transmission speed or other technical factors, bidders should plan to submit proposals well in advance of the Submission Deadline to avoid submitting late due to technical issues. Bidders submitting near the Submission Deadline do so at their own risk.

Proposals received after the closing date and time will be rejected. GCA will confirm receipt of proposals within 24 hours from the closing date and time. Bidders that do not receive this confirmation must contact GCA within 48 hours from the closing date and time. After 48 hours from the closing date and time, GCA shall not respond to any queries related to whether a bidder’s proposal was received.

Please download the full RFP on this page for more information.