The Understanding Risk Community (UR) is an open and global community in the field of disaster risk identification (risk assessment and risk communication) with representatives from the public and private sector, multilateral organizations, NGOs, academia and civil society. Every two years, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) convenes the global UR Forum, the world’s leading conference on improving the assessment and understanding of disaster and climate risks. Previous global events brought together over 800 experts and practitioners from more than 100 countries in Washington DC, Cape Town, London and most recently Venice in May 2016. Further, UR has seen the success of smaller spinoff events at the municipal (UR Boulder 2015), the national (UR Brazil 2012, UR Haiti 2014 and UR Austria 2016) and the regional (Understanding Risk and Finance, Africa 2015).

The purpose of all UR events are three fold: 1) to facilitate partnerships across sectors and geographical boundaries; 2) to showcase best practices and the latest technical advances in the field; and 3) to share knowledge. Not only do UR events informally facilitate partnerships by providing a robust networking space at the venue, but also engage with partners globally to (in-kind and financially) contribute to the success of the event.

UR is only as good as its partnerships, and there is a very solid foundation of partners willing to commit time and intellectual capacity to the event. The UR event has had success in developing financial partnerships for global events in the past; however, GFDRR would like to bring the quality and quantity of partnerships to the next level to ensure the ongoing sustainability and high-quality of UR events into the future.

The successful Consultancy will work with the GFDRR to enhance the UR partnership strategy and engage new partners with a particular focus on partners who are able to financially contribute to the next UR event so that UR can remain open to all partners (with no financial barrier to participation). The Consultancy will be able to successfully pitch the benefits of partnering at UR to a wide range of organizations, with the aim of achieving of written commitments from new organizations to partner on the 2018 global UR event.

INDIVIDUAL / FIRM PROFILE
The consultant will be a firm.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The World Bank now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc. for firms; CV and cover letter for individuals). Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.

Interested consultants are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.

Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through World Bank Group eConsultant2 (https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html)

NOTES
Following this invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.

Qualification Criteria

1. Demonstrated experience in building partnerships to financially support communities of practice, conferences and/or other initiatives/projects

2. Demonstrated understanding of the disaster risk identification field and the organizations who are interested in risk assessment and risk communication

3. Provide information on their core business and years in business.

4. Provide information on the partnership generating capabilities of the firm.

5. Provide information on the fundraising capabilities of the firm.

Deadline: September 8