[Re-Ad] Developing a Handbook for Working Groups for Strengthening Disaster- Resilient Local Governance in Kerala

Organization: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center Closing date: 26 Oct 2026 The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) is an autonomous international organization established for scientific, educational, developmental, and humanitarian purposes with a vision of safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific. Established in 1986 as a technical capacity-building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences, envisioning safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction. Being an autonomous international organization governed by the Board of Trustees. It supports sustainable solutions for disaster risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas, with a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientists to social scientists with experience at all levels of engagement typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) effectively. ADPC’s Strategy 2030 guides the organization in providing comprehensive risk reduction support to countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific, with various programs being implemented under 15 strategic themes by three departments, namely the Preparedness and Climate Actions, Risk Analytics and Climate Services, and Risk Governance and Financing. In addition to these, ADPC also works on three cross-cutting themes: Gender and Diversity, Innovation, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation through permanent working committees. These activities are supported by proactive individual departments of Finance, Human Resources, and Administration. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change, and regional cooperation. For details, please refer to the ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/. B. Department Introduction The Preparedness and Climate Action (PCA) Department of ADPC advances ADPC Strategy 2030 by strengthening disaster preparedness, anticipatory action, emergency response, resilient recovery, and climate resilience across Asia and the Pacific. The department works with governments, national and local institutions, civil society organizations, volunteer networks, the private sector, communities, and other traditional and non-traditional actors to promote inclusive, locally led, and whole-of-society approaches to disaster risk management. In line with ADPC’s strategic priorities, PCA supports countries and communities in developing and operationalizing preparedness, response, recovery, and climate action frameworks, plans, systems, and capacities before, during, and after disasters. It also promotes localization, gender equality and social inclusion, innovation, regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and partnerships to ensure that disaster preparedness and climate action are practical, evidence-informed, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of at-risk communities. C. Statement of Intent The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), under the INSPIRE Program, is providing technical assistance to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), in collaboration with the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), to strengthen disaster risk governance and institutional capacities in Kerala, with particular emphasis on risk-informed local governance and strengthening the capacity of Local Self Governments (LSGs). Kerala's decentralized governance system provides a strong institutional platform for integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA) and resilience into local development planning. Working Groups within LSGs play an important role in participatory planning, situation analysis, identification of development needs, project formulation, prioritization, and monitoring. However, LSGs-Working Groups are not equipped with adequate practical tools for mainstreaming DRR, CCA and resilience into local development planning and implementation. Based on the findings of the Learning Needs Assessment undertaken under the INSPIRE program, the State Steering Committee recommended that a Handbook for Working Groups LSGs should be developed to facilitate effective integration of disaster and climate risks into local development processes. In this context, it is proposed to develop a handbook for LSG Working Groups to facilitate mainstreaming DRR, CCA and resilience into local development planning. D. Purpose of the Assignment The purpose of the assignment is to develop a practical handbook for LSG Working Groups with a special focus on the LSG DM Working Group (13th Working Group) to enhance their technical capacity, provide operational clarity, and facilitate mainstreaming of DRR, CCA, and resilience into development planning across developmental sectors, thus promoting disaster-resilient local governance. The objectives of developing the Handbook are to: • clarify the mandate, roles and functions of the Disaster Management Working Group at different LSG levels. • provide practical guidance and define mechanisms for integrating DRR and CCA into local development plans, budgets, projects and monitoring systems. • provide practical tools, templates, checklists and frameworks for use by Working Groups to integrate DRR and CCA into local development planning and implementation. • support Working Group members to translate identified risks into DRR/CCA interventions and project concepts, including linkage with relevant planning and financing opportunities across development sectors. • strengthen the technical competency of Working Group members on disaster risk, vulnerability, climate risk and resilience. • strengthen coordination and convergence between the Disaster Management Working Group and other sectoral Working Groups. • promote inclusive, gender-responsive and participatory approaches to local disaster risk governance. • strengthen monitoring of preparedness, disaster management plan actions, and priority interventions. • establish a roadmap for strengthening and institutionalizing the LSG DM Working Group. E. Expected OutputsOutputs/Deliverables • Inception Report and Detailed Work Plan, including understanding of assignment, methodology, stakeholder engagement approach and work schedule Timeline: Within 2 weeks • Desk Review and Gap & Need Assessment Report Timeline: Within 1 month • Draft Note for the Handbook Conception Workshop, including presentation of findings and proposed handbook framework Timeline: Within 2 months • Detailed Handbook Framework and Finalised Chapter Structure, including proposed tools Timeline: Within 3 months • Zero Draft of Handbook along with Tools-Templates, Checklists Timeline: Within 4 months • Revised Draft incorporating Expert Panel Review Recommendations Timeline: Within 5 months • Pilot Testing and Validation Report, including documentation of user feedback and recommendations Timeline: Within 6 months • Final Handbook and Practical Tools, incorporating all agreed comments and pilot-testing findings Timeline: Within 7 months • Final Consultancy/Completion Report and Presentation summarising the assignment, consultations, key findings, revisions and recommendations Timeline: Within 8 months Note • The sequence may be adjusted with the agreement between ADPC and KSDMA. • The final handbook should be submitted in editable source format and final publication-ready PDF format, along with editable versions of all tools and templates. F. Scope of Work The scope of work will include, but will not necessarily be limited to, the following: 1. Desk Review and Needs Assessment The consultant shall: • Review relevant national and state policies, guidelines, frameworks, and institutional arrangements related to: Local governance and decentralized planning; Disaster management; Disaster Risk Reduction; Climate Change Adaptation; Local Disaster Management Plans; GPDPs and other local development planning processes; Working Group functioning; and Social inclusion and gender-responsive planning. • Review relevant existing manuals, guidelines, tools and training materials. • Review relevant national and international good practices on strengthening local disaster governance and Working Groups. • Identify institutional, operational, technical, knowledge and capacity gaps affecting the functioning of LSG Disaster Management Working Groups. • Identify opportunities for convergence between DRR, climate action and local development planning. Output: Baseline and Gap Assessment inputs/report. 2. Stakeholder Consultation and Handbook Conception The consultant shall support ADPC and KSDMA in conducting a stakeholder consultation/workshop for handbook conception. The consultant shall: • Present key findings from the desk review and needs assessment. • Facilitate technical discussions on the proposed handbook scope and structure. • Consult relevant LSG representatives, government departments, technical institutions, experts, and other stakeholders. • Identify practical requirements and user needs. • Facilitate co-design and co-creation of the handbook framework and chapterization. • Finalize the proposed chapter structure and thematic areas in consultation with ADPC and KSDMA. • Identify the practical tools required under each thematic area. Output: Agreed handbook framework and chapter structure. 3. Content Development and Draft Handbook Preparation The consultant shall develop the chapter-wise contents and draft the Handbook as per the agreed framework and chapter structure. The consultant shall: • Develop chapter-wise contents as per agreed structure. • Draft templates, checklists and other such tools as agreed. • Draft the Handbook along with all Annexures in consultation with ADPC and KSDMA. Output: Draft Handbook (zero draft) with all Annexures 4. Expert Panel Review The consultant shall facilitate Expert Panel Review of the draft Handbook. The consultant shall: • Share the draft Handbook with the Expert Panel to be set up by ADPC/KSDMA comprising select subject matter experts, LSG representatives, technical institutions, and others as deemed appropriate. • Obtain feedback and suggestions of the of th on improving the Draft. • Incorporate the suggestions/feedback and revise the draft Handbook. • Share the draft Handbook with ADPC and KSDMA for review and feedback. • Revise draft Handbook and share with ADPC and KSDMA. Output: Revised Draft Handbook (version1.0) with all Annexures 5. Pilot Testing and Validation Workshop The consultant shall support ADPC and KSDMA in pilot testing with a selected LSG Disaster Management Group through a consultation workshop with LSG representatives, government departments, technical institutions, experts, and other stakeholders for validation of the Handbook. The consultant shall: • Support in pilot testing of the handbook and tools with selected LSG Disaster Management Working Groups • Make chapter-wise presentation. • Facilitate technical discussions on each Chapter and Annexures. • Facilitate consensus development on contents of the Handbook including templates, checklists and other such tools. • Incorporate suggestions/feedback received in the Workshop. • Finalize the Handbook in consultation with ADPC and KSDMA. Output: Final Version of Handbook with all Annexures G. Responsibilities and Tasks The Consultant Shall: • Prepare an Inception Report and detailed work plan for completing the Assignment. • Undertake the desk review and needs assessment. • Conduct consultations with relevant stakeholders. • Facilitate in organizing the Workshop for the conception of the handbook structure, content and chapterisation. • Develop the handbook framework and detailed content in close consultation with ADPC and KSDMA. • Draft the handbook in close consultation with ADPC and KSDMA. • Develop guidance notes, assessment tools, templates, and checklists, etc. • Ensure that the handbook is technically rigorous while remaining simple and user-friendly for LSG Working Groups. • Ensure alignment with existing Kerala LSG planning and disaster management systems. • Integrate gender, social inclusion and differentiated vulnerability considerations throughout the handbook. • Incorporate multi-sectoral convergence and inter-Working Group coordination mechanisms. • Participate in expert review processes as agreed with ADPC and KSDMA. • Revise the handbook based on expert feedback and comments. • Support pilot testing of the handbook and tools with selected LSG Disaster Management Working Groups. • Facilitate/participate in validation workshops. • Incorporate field-level feedback and recommendations. • Undertake final technical and editorial refinement. • Submit the final handbook and all associated tools in editable and final formats. • Prepare a brief completion report documenting the consultancy process, key findings, consultations undertaken, revisions made, and recommendations for future application. H. Reporting Arrangement The consultant will report to the Unit Head, RBL, PCA, working closely with the Program Coordinator, State Consultant, and other relevant ADPC staff as required. • The Consultant will work under the overall supervision of ADPC and in close coordination with KSDMA and KILA. • Development of the Handbook will be guided by KSDMA, with technical and institutional inputs from KILA and other relevant Government stakeholders. • Overall strategic oversight will be provided through the INSPIRE Program Steering Committee (PSC) at the State level. • Progress will be reported to NDMA, as Chair of the INSPIRE Program Steering Committee, through quarterly progress updates and meetings of the PSC. • The Technology Partner shall participate in consultations, demonstrations, review meetings, and validation exercises as required. I. Required Qualifications and Experience1. Minimum Academic Qualifications The consultant should possess: • A Master's degree or equivalent in Disaster Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change/Climate Adaptation, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Policy, Urban/Regional Planning, Rural Development, Environmental Studies, Earth Sciences or a related discipline. • A doctoral degree or additional specialised qualification in a relevant field will be an advantage. 2. Professional Experience The consultant should have: • At least 8 years of relevant professional experience in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, local governance, development planning, institutional strengthening or related fields. • Demonstrated experience in developing technical manuals, handbooks, guidelines, frameworks, toolkits or similar knowledge products. • Demonstrated understanding of Local Self Government systems and decentralized planning in Kerala. • Experience in integrating DRR and/or climate resilience into local development planning and governance. • Experience working with government institutions, LSGs, development agencies or international organisations. • Experience in conducting stakeholder consultations, participatory processes, workshops and validation exercises. • Demonstrated experience in developing practical tools, templates, assessment frameworks or SOPs. 3. Technical Expertise The consultant should have demonstrated expertise in the following areas: • Disaster Risk Reduction and disaster management • Climate change adaptation and resilience • Local governance and decentralized planning • Risk-informed development planning • Hazard, vulnerability, and risk assessment • Community-based and inclusive disaster risk management • Gender-responsive and socially inclusive planning • Institutional capacity development • Multi-sectoral coordination and scheme convergence • Monitoring and performance assessment • Knowledge management and development of user-oriented technical guidance. 4. Language Proficiency The consultant must have language proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English and Malayalam. 5. Desirable Experience Preference may be given to candidates with: • Prior experience working with Kerala LSGs/KSDMA/KILA or other relevant state institutions • Experience in developing guidelines or handbooks for government institutions • Experience in disaster-resilient local governance • Experience in integrating DRR into GPDPs, Ward Development Plans or equivalent local planning processes • Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder and co-creation processes • Publications or demonstrated technical writing experience in relevant areas. J. Duty Station The assignment will be primarily home-based, with regular virtual coordination with ADPC and KSDMA. The consultant will be required to travel to Thiruvananthapuram and other locations within Kerala, as necessary for stakeholder consultations, workshops, meetings with KSDMA/ADPC/others, pilot testing, state-level dissemination/launch, etc. Travel and associated expenses, where applicable, shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the contract and relevant ADPC policies. K. Duration The assignment is expected to be completed within 8 months of contract commencement. The detailed work plan will be finalised during the inception phase. How to apply Interested candidates can submit the completed ADPC application form and Financial Proposal (downloadable from www.adpc.net), resume, and a copy of their degrees/certificates together with a cover letter to Google Link or https://forms.gle/iNmpwpMXTQW83o8e6. Interested candidates are required to submit a financial proposal using the attached form, together with all other required documents. Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply. ADPC encourages diversity in its workplace and supports an inclusive work environment.