TOR - International disability and development consortium

National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE NUDIPU ORGANISATIONAL
ASSESSMENT 2015
NUDIPU
2/1/2015
1.0 Background
National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda was formed on 14th November 1987 with mission of
creating a unified voice of PWDs in order to advocate for the equalisation of opportunities in
development processes. Since then NUDIPU membership has significantly grown and increased from 56
district unions to 112 and 10 National DPOs now. At the General Assembly held in 2013 the National
Uni-disability organisations new members were admitted as full members (MHU, ESAU and UPPID, LPU)
each being represented by one board member1. This was in part to ensure that NUDIPU remain
relevant and legitimate umbrella organisation. In 2010, the partners NAD, DPOD and ADD strongly
supported the need for NUDIPU to address the membership issues with a view of catering for all
disability categories2. This has since been achieved by the General Assembly of 2013. This nature of
membership has several implications on the umbrella. For instance membership demands services from
NUDIPU in terms of capacity building, programmes and projects. The new district unions have weak
systems and procedures and most of their leadership is interim based and not fully democratically
elected. Similarly the new DPOs require institutional capacity building and strengthening their systems
and expect sub grants from NUDIPU. The sustainability of NUDIPU in part requires strong members
with ability to advocate and demand for the respect of the rights of PWDs.
There is also reduced funding from development partners while others such as DPOD are in the process
of phasing out. There is need to develop sustainability strategies and refine our programme
implementation approach to meet the needs of members. There is need to assess the capacity of
organisation as whole to identify bottlenecks and define robust strategies in terms of human resource,
financial systems, sustainability and inform restructuring of the organisation in order to remain relevant
and effective. The BOD and management have originated these terms of reference with a view of
ensuring that NUDIPU develops and adapts organisational strength and reposition herself to continue
playing a leading role in promoting the rights and interests of PWDs in Uganda. The TOR has taken
consultative process involving NUDIPU development partners as well.
1.1 The rationale for the organisational assessment
The time of the 2008 Organisational assessment several DPOs were not full members of NUDIPU with
exception of UNAD and UNAB. Since then there have been a series of changes that have seen more
new DPOs becoming members even at the governance level. At district level several districts have been
1
2
th
See joint letter of DPOD and NAD on membership issues dated 28 May 2010
Ibid pg. 2
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created and majority of the have interim leadership. NUDIPU has limited capacity to support the new
members in terms of capacity building among others. The new dimension of membership call for the
need to develop strategies on how to meet the various expectations of members. NUDIPU needs
strategies to reposition it to meet the needs of her membership.
A change in donor priorities and dwindling resources from development partners limits the ability of
NUDIPU to meet her mandate. More so economic changes and shrinking donor space and funding
priorities require robust actions. There is need for strategic thinking with the current partners on how
best to address the matter including formulating a sustainability strategy to enable NUDIPU continue
playing a leading role in promoting the rights of PWDs in Uganda. Due to limited resources NUDIPU is
unable to neither create sustainable structures nor run programmes that benefit all members.
OA will obtain systematic information about the performance of the organisation and the factors that
affect that performance in order to diagnose areas of possible investments for change and or
demonstrate competence. OA will provide an assessment of organisation’s performance, enabling
environment, resident capacity and motivation.
2.0 Overall objective of the Organisational Assessment
The overall objective of OA is an effective, efficient and transformed NUDIPU that is able to meet her
mandate.
2.1. Specific objectives of the OA:
2.1.1 NUDIPU leadership and members agree on NUDIPUs mandate including the roles and
responsibilities of different member organisations, NUDIPU secretariat and management.
2.1.2 NUDIPU leadership and membership make strategic decisions on how to transform NUDIPU into a
relevant and legitimate umbrella organisation for all its members.
2.1.3 NUDIPU Leadership and members are able to make informed strategic decisions on how to
transform NUDIPU into a sustainable and financially sound organisation based on the following:
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Assessment of NUDIPUs financial management, including

Efficiency in financial transactions/processes including Identification of challenges or bottlenecks
and mitigation strategies;

Efficiency and transparency in logistical arrangements and purchase of goods and services,
including Identification challenges/bottlenecks as well as mitigations measures

Cash flow and liquid management including identification of challenges/bottlenecks as well as
mitigation measures.

Budget management, including identification of challenges and mitigation measures strategies
Assessment of Human resources

Identification of gaps and overlaps in human resources and human resource management and
mitigation measures

Identification of motivational drivers and hindrances or challenges in the work place or work
environment and mitigation measures
Assessment of Programme management

Identification of bottlenecks and mitigation strategies or activities in the project and
programme management and implementation.
Sustainability

Identification of potential and new strategic alliances

Assessing the role of current partners in ensuring a sustainable NUDIPU

Identification of new ideas on fundraising, fund management and utilisation
2.1.4 Make concrete recommendations and propose next steps
3.0 Expected results/ outputs
In addition to a full organisational assessment report, the consultant shall produce and publish 4 four
page analysis report of key findings and recommendations. This summary shall be produced in
accessible format for circulation among the membership and for debriefing key selected stakeholders.
NUDIPU owns the OA report and shall determine the recipients of the report beforehand as well as
agree on the users of the results inside and outside the organisation. It is particularly important to note
that OA is largely internal assessment of the organisation and therefore the report shall not necessarily
be a public document but will be available on request. Development partners, staff and members shall
be privy to the OA report. More specifically the Consultant shall produce and publish two copies of the
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report and a soft copy on CD. Note that the OA report shall remain the intellectual property of
NUDIPU.
3.1 The Content of the Assessment/Scope of Work
The OA will be conducted among DPOs and district unions, stakeholders, MPs, and development
partners/donors. The selection of the sample districts will put into consideration regional balance and a
mix of new and old districts. This is intended to triangulate the information and ideas generated from
diversity of groups and individuals. Staff and BOD will also be part of this assessment. OA assesses
such aspects as capacities, and constraints which explains present performance, the operational context,
inputs and resources available, the “political” aspects of the organization(s) e.g. the internal and
external power relations that energizes the organization(s) (or stifles them), assessment of change
readiness, potential influential actors of change, resistance to change, change management aspects.
3.0 Methodology and approach
OA exercise is a highly participatory process. Organisation assessments are by their nature very
complex undertakings that require great deal of sensitivity, tact and understanding. In other words
good decisions are made depending on quality of information gathered.
The Consultant shall use such methods and tools that will elicit full participation of the respondents. They
may include but not limited to the existing documents and web-sources, broader surveys (self- or
externally administered questionnaires, open and/or multiple choice approaches), focus group
interviews, individual interviews, observation of work processes, meetings, and facilitated selfassessment processes, self-organized self-assessment processes. Whereas these methods and tools are
mentioned the consultant has the leeway and flexibility to use any other tools and methods deemed
crucial in achieving the objectives of the TOR.
The assessment shall target staff, BOD members, representatives of DPOs, networks, development
partners and district union representatives. It is envisaged the consultant will define the framework of
getting information and interviewing the respondents she or he deems suitable. Key informant
interviews with management team members, group/individual interviews with bod members, staff and
partners. Individual meetings with representatives from district unions in the selected districts in the
regions, focus group discussions or individualised meetings National Disabled Peoples Organisations.
Field visits to selected districts in the regions will be conducted. There will be a validation meeting of
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the OA report with NUDIPU and partners. It is imperative that information about all themes and issues
are collected from all areas and levels of the organisation.
4.0 Timeframe
The OA exercise is expected to take two months (60 days). This period covers field work, report
writing and validation processes. The timeframe is inflexible and the consultant shall be expected to
ensure the assignment is executed within this period. The consultant will develop the work plan for OA
with clear and well defined schedule of activities. The time table should indicate sufficient time needed
to achieve the results and purpose of the assessment, debriefing, field visits and deadlines for sharing
the draft and final reports.
Roles and Responsibilities in the Management of the Assessment Process
6.0 Roles of the consultant

Review relevant literature including financial documents to inform the OA process

Write inception report on how the consultant intends to execute the assignment

Develop the relevant tools and instruments and share them in inception meeting with NUDIPU

Conduct interviews with relevant respondents both at national and district levels as well as
representatives of international partners in Uganda and abroad.

Produce draft OA report for validation

Debrief NUDIPU management of the initial findings

Produce and submit final OA report as per agreed template and pages
7.0 Roles of NUDIPU
NUDIPU shall specifically;

Provide the necessary documents for literature review to the team

Together with consultant agree on the OA roadmap

Review and provide input to the tools and instruments for OA process

Define the respondents and share necessary contacts for the respondents

Convene meeting of stakeholders at national and district level

Convene inception meeting with assessment team with Management

Ensure the team reports to the ED while on site on any key issues of concern

Arrange meetings involving staff or BOD members whenever necessary
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
Ensure all logistical support to the team is readily available where applicable
5.0 Qualifications of the consultant
The consultant/firm to execute this task must have deep understanding and experience of OD
processes. The experience should span over a 10 year period. He or she/firm should have wider
knowledge on organisational development and management, HR management. There should be
evidence that part of the past assignments of the consultant are in the area of OA of national
organisations at the level of NUDIPU or beyond. The consultant should have confidence in producing the
relevant recommendation letters on similar assignments executed from previous contracts/assignments.
More specifically, the consultant shall have practical skills in Organisational capacity assessments,
strategic thinking and management and change management.
8.0 The mode of application & deadline for submission of proposal
The ideal consultant shall submit a brief joint technical and financial proposal no later than Friday the
20th of March 2015, via e-mail and fully addressed to the Executive Director, Mr. Ngirabakunzi Edson:
([email protected] / [email protected]), with Cc’ to the Head of Finance and
Administration Mr. Kalyango David ([email protected] / [email protected]). Att. NUDIPU
PO Box 8567 Kampala, Plot 530, Bukooto Kisaasi Road, Uganda.
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