Functional Needs Assessment and Capacity Building Plan
Functional Needs Assessment and Capacity Building Plan for Strengthening Land Sector Institutions in Palestine within the framework of the project: “Scaling Up Community-Driven Processes of Mapping of Land Rights and Land Use Planning in the West Bank,
1. Introduction
The Terms of Reference (TOR) at hand is for conducting a functional needs assessment of the institutions related to the land sector in Palestine. This is within the framework of a project titled “Scaling Up Community-Driven Processes of Mapping of Land Rights and Land Use Planning in the West Bank, including Area C” funded by the European Union, implemented by UN-Habitat in partnership with the Land and Water Settlement Commission (LWSC), Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) and the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA).
This project aims to enhance the resilience of Palestinian communities in the West Bank, particularly in Area C, by advancing planning and land rights in partnership with national and local stakeholders. It seeks to improve land tenure security through gender-responsive, community-led land settlement; enhance service provision and resilience via inclusive spatial planning; and strengthen the institutional capacities of Palestinian authorities in land governance and service delivery. Within this framework, a key component is the development of human resources within the main institutions responsible for land administration and planning: the PLA, LWSC and MoLG.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations agency, mandated to promote the socially and environmentally sustainable development of human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action to leave no one and no place behind. The agency supports Member States in development of sustainable cities and human settlements through its normative and operational work at global, regional, national and local levels.
Since 2008, UN-Habitat work has been guided by successive, multi-year strategic plans of 2008-2013, 2014-2019 and 2020-2025. The Strategic Plan 2020-2025 has the overarching objective of advancing sustainable urbanization as a driver of development and peace, to improve living conditions for all. It’s four subprogrammes (called domains of change), address broader global challenges of poverty, prosperity, climate change and crisis prevention.
The Special Human Settlements Programme for the Palestinian People (SHSPPP) (UN-Habitat, Palestine) was established following the adoption of UN-Habitat Governing Council resolution 19/18 by governments in 2003. During the 23rd session of the Governing Council in 2011, a new resolution 23/2 was adopted, providing a clearer and more focused mandate for the SHSPPP, requesting UN-Habitat “to further focus its operations on planning, land and housing issues in view of improving the housing and human settlement conditions of Palestinians”.
Further, during the 26th session of the Governing Council (now UN-Habitat Assembly) in 2017, a resolution was adopted calling UN-Habitat “to continue to focus its work where there are acute humanitarian and development needs as identified through technical assessments by UN-Habitat”.
The spatial planning support programme for Palestinian communities in Area C, West Bank is one of the programmes implemented under the SHSPPP. In close collaboration with MoLG and funding from the EU, UN-Habitat has provided spatial planning support to the Palestinian communities through the following projects: (i) Spatial Planning Support Programme for Palestinian Communities in Area C (2013-2015; (ii) Fostering Tenure Security and Resilience of Palestinian Communities through Spatial- Economic Planning Interventions in Area C (2017-2020)”; (iii) Achieving Planning and Land Rights in Area C (2019-2024); and (iv) Scaling Up Community-Driven Processes of Mapping of Land Rights and Land Use Planning in the West Bank, including Area C.
UN-Habitat has leveraged its spatial planning interventions in Area C by working closely with the Palestinian partners, especially MoLG, and the Area C National Coordination Team affiliated to the Office of the Prime Minister. Development and planning of Area C is defined as a priority in the Palestinian National Development Plan (2021-2023) dubbed “Steadfast Resilience, Disengagement, and Cluster Development Towards Independence”. Likewise, the PLA and LWSC continue to receive technical and financial support from development partners, to support the Road Map for Reforming Palestinian Land Sector (2017).
The overall objective is to assess the capacity of these entities to effectively perform their respective land governance and service delivery functions. This includes reviewing institutional mandates, identifying functional overlaps, evaluating technical and human resource capacities, and examining coordination mechanisms. The consultancy will propose actionable recommendations, including potential institutional restructuring and strategic capacity-building interventions.
● To assess the institutional, technical, and operational capacities of entities responsible for land administration, land settlement, and property taxation, focusing on the following core functions and cross-cutting capacities:
○ Land registration and cadastre
○ Land and water settlement
○ Property valuation and taxation
● Legal and regulatory oversight
● Geospatial data and GIS management
● Gender mainstreaming in land governance
● Communication and advocacy functions
● Digital governance and e-services related to land and property functions
● To evaluate coordination, data sharing, and inter-institutional workflows across the above
● To assess the technical and human resource capacities related to these functions, with a focus on gaps, duplications, and opportunities for improved integration.
● To examine the feasibility, institutional implications, and support requirements the integration of LWSC into the PLA, including governance, legal, staffing, and operational dimensions.
● To develop a detailed and comprehensive Capacity Building Plan and Implementation Strategy that aligns with institutional mandates and sectoral reform priorities.
● Map the current delivery model of the following core land governance and planning functions:
Land settlement and adjudication
Land administration (registration, titling, documentation)
● Identify which institutions perform which parts of each function, and assess the coherence, effectiveness, and sustainability of current arrangements.
● Evaluate the institutional capacity of GDPT to manage property valuation and taxation, and its linkage to land registration systems.
● Assess how GDPT can be better integrated with land governance functions to enhance sustainable revenue generation and service provision.
● Analyse mandates, overlaps, and synergies between PLA, LWSC and GDPT in relation to land and property functions.
● Review coordination mechanisms, legal frameworks, and data interoperability across
● Identify structural bottlenecks and areas requiring regulatory or institutional
● Analyze the legal, operational, and human resource implications of the integration of LWSC into
● Identify key transitional risks, legal requirements, staffing changes, and measures required to ensure operational continuity during the merger.
● Provide strategic recommendations and outline the technical support necessary to facilitate a smooth and effective institutional consolidation.
Based on the findings of the assessment, develop a detailed and practical Capacity Building Training Plan that includes:
● Tailored training pathways for staff at different levels (technical, managerial, operational), delivered through in-person and/or online modalities.
● Each training pathway should specify estimated costs, implementation timelines, delivery modalities, and potential training institutions or partners.
● Monitoring tools for evaluating training outcomes, knowledge retention, and impact on institutional performance and service delivery.
such as:
● Clarification and alignment of institutional mandates across entities;
● Updates to internal regulations, workflows, and standard operating procedures (SOPs);
● Strengthening legal and advisory functions within relevant entities;
● Proposals to harmonize institutional roles with national land, tax, and digital transformation strategies; and
● Recommendations for smoother integration of cross-cutting functions (e.g., GIS, gender, communication) within core operational frameworks.
The consultant is expected to apply a mixed-methods approach, including:
● Desk review of institutional documents, reports, and previous
● Key informant interviews with leadership and technical staff at PLA, LWSC, and
● Focus group discussions with middle management, field staff, and gender
● Surveys to assess skill levels, performance, and training
● Process mapping and organizational
● SWOT and gap analyses across all three
The consulting firm is expected to deliver the following:
1. Inception Report – Including a detailed work plan, methodology, stakeholder engagement strategy and data collection tools.
2. Functional Capacity Assessment Report –Providing an in-depth analysis of capacities at the enabling environment, institutional, and service delivery levels, with a focus on core land and property-related functions across all targeted entities.
3. Institution-Specific and Cross-Institutional Specialized Capacity Building Plans – Outlining tailored specialized training content, institutional development recommendations, and capacity enhancement measures for each targeted entity. The plans should also address cross- institutional capacities and coordination mechanisms, particularly in areas such as:
Interoperable data and GIS systems
Legal and procedural harmonization
Digital governance and e-service integration
Gender mainstreaming and inclusive service delivery
Communication and joint advocacy strategies
4. Implementation Strategies – For each institution, or for any newly proposed institutional arrangement (e.g. in the event of a merger between PLA and LWSC), the consultant shall present a practical roadmap for delivering the capacity building plans. This should include detailed timelines, estimated costs, delivery mechanisms, and a set of monitoring indicators to measure progress. The strategy should remain flexible and adaptable to evolving institutional scenarios, including transitional support needs in the case of structural integration.
5. Final Consolidated Report – Synthesizing findings and recommendations across all components, incorporating feedback from key stakeholders and validation workshops, and providing a strategic overview of the way forward. The report shall be prepared in English, with an Arabic
The assignment is expected to require total of 45 working days and should be completed within a maximum period of 6 months from the date of contract signing. A detailed timeline shall be provided with the technical proposal.
The consultancy firm (or team of consultants) should demonstrate the following qualifications and experience:
● Proven experience (minimum 10 years) in conducting institutional capacity assessments and developing capacity building plans, ideally within the public sector, land administration, or related governance fields.
● Strong understanding of land administration systems, property taxation, and the human resource and institutional capacity requirements for their effective delivery.
● Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas: land administration and management, organizational development and institutional reform, legal and policy analysis related to land governance, governance, GIS and geospatial data systems, and gender and social inclusion.
● Familiarity with the Palestinian institutional and governance context, particularly related to
● Experience designing and facilitating participatory stakeholder consultations, capacity assessments, and training programs design involving government institutions.
● Strong analytical, research, and report writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and actionable outputs.
● Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage effectively at both technical and policy levels.
● Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken) is
● Proven experience in institutional capacity assessments and capacity development planning in Palestine or the region, preferably in land administration or governance sectors. (35%)
● Qualifications and competency of the key personnel assigned: a multidisciplinary team including specialists in organizational development, public administration, land governance, legal frameworks, digital systems, communications and advocacy, and gender. (35%)
● Understanding of the assignment and quality of the technical (30%)
Upon completion of the technical evaluation, the financial assessment will be carried out as follows:
● The technical evaluation will weigh 70 per cent, while 30 per cent will be allocated for the financial offer.
● Financial offers from bidders with a total technical score of 75 points or more will only be considered. Bidders with a total technical score of less than 75 points will be excluded and the financial offers will not be opened.
● The financial assessment points will be calculated for each bidder whose financial offer has been opened according to the following formula:
The financial evaluation of the consultant: Lowest price x 30%
Consultant fees/price
● The technical and financial evaluation points will be combined for each offer that has not been excluded. The tender will be then offered to the consultant with the highest number of financial and technical evaluation points, and as agreed by UN-Habitat.
● The consultant will not be provided with daily subsistence allowance/per UN-Habitat will provide logistical support, including local transportation, where needed.
Interested firms should submit:
● Company profile and registration
● Technical proposal (maximum 15 pages) outlining the proposed approach, methodology and proposed workplan and timeframe.
● Financial proposal detailing all costs including personnel costs, transportation costs, workshops and stakeholder consultations costs, data collection and analysis costs, overhead, etc.
● Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of all team members, including a key description of each person’s role in the assignment.
● Samples of previous work (institutional needs assessment and a capacity building plan).
● All proposals should be submitted via email to [email protected] by 10 July 2025.
The payments for undertaking the evaluation assignment shall be paid to the consultant, according to the following:
● First instalment: 30 per cent of the value of the contract after signing the agreement and submission of the inception plan, including work plan and stakeholder analysis and approval by UN-Habitat.
● Second instalment: 30 per cent of the value of the contract after submission of the Institution- Specific and Cross-Institutional Capacity Building Plans and approval by UN-Habitat.
● Third (final instalment): 40 per cent of the value of the contract after submission of all deliverables and approval by UN-Habitat.
