Identification of Local Actors for NRC’s response in South Sudan

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has operated in South Sudan since 2004, delivering humanitarian assistance and supporting pathways to durable solutions. NRC implements integrated, multisectoral programs across its six core competencies: Information, Counseling, and Legal Assistance (ICLA); Protection from Violence; Education; WASH; and Shelter.

In line with NRC’s global localization commitments and strategic direction, NRC South Sudan is strengthening partnerships with national and subnational actors to ensure that responses are context-driven, locally led, and sustainable. This includes structured collaboration with local civil society organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based actors, local authorities, private-sector service providers, academia, and traditional leadership structures.

As part of this approach, NRC’s WASH and Shelter programmes are transitioning from primarily short-term humanitarian delivery to more sustainable, systems-strengthening models. This involves:

• Supporting community-managed water systems and sanitation facilities.
• Building the technical and institutional capacity of local authorities and service providers.
• Engaging local private sector actors in construction, maintenance, and supply chains.
• Promoting community participation, accountability, and co-design of interventions.

In parallel, NRC South Sudan is expanding its urban programming in response to rapid urbanization and the growing needs of displaced and vulnerable populations in urban and peri-urban areas. Urban interventions are designed in close coordination with municipal authorities, land administration institutions, and local organizations to strengthen governance, housing, land, and property systems and improve access to basic services. This approach aims to facilitate durable solutions that are locally owned, institutionally anchored, and financially sustainable.

Through systematic identification and engagement of local actors, NRC seeks to progressively shift from direct implementation toward partnership-based and capacity-sharing models that enhance national ownership, strengthen local systems, and contribute to long-term resilience in South Sudan.

Objectives of the EoI

1. Enable transparent and inclusive identification of qualified national and local partners.
2. Establish a pre-qualified pool of partners that can be mobilized for emergency response, recovery, resilience, and durable solutions programming.
3. Strengthen locally led action and promote equitable partnerships in line with NRC’s Localization Vision 2030.
4. Promote collaboration across civil society, the private sector, local authorities, academia, and research institutions.
5. Ensure principled, accountable, conflict-sensitive, and risk-aware partnerships.

Eligible Applicants

NRC encourages applications from:

• National and local NGOs and community-based organisations (CBOs)
• Women-led and youth-led organisations
• Organisations of persons with disabilities
• Local private sector entities (including service providers, construction firms, WASH operators, technology and financial service providers)
• Local and state-level authorities and public service institutions (where partnership modalities permit)
• Academic institutions and research centres
• Policy institutes and think tanks
• Professional associations and cooperatives
• Faith-based organisations

Partnership modalities may include co-implementation, consortium arrangements, service contracting, research collaboration, technical partnerships, and capacity-strengthening initiatives.

Geographic Scope: Applicants should indicate their areas of operation within South Sudan, including urban, peri-urban, rural, and displacement-affected settings.

Partnership Principles

NRC is committed to:

• Equitable risk sharing and mutual accountability
• Capacity strengthening and institutional development of local actors
• Transparent partnership processes
• Safeguarding and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse
• Community accountability and participation
• Conflict sensitivity and do-no-harm principles

You are required to submit the following along with your proposal.

Interested organisations should submit:

· Organization profile (including governance structure and mission)

· Registration certificate

· Names and identification documents of board members or directors (as applicable)

· List of at least five current or past projects implemented in South Sudan (or relevant sector experience for non-NGO actors)

· Most recent audit report (2025 or latest available)

· Evidence of financial and operational systems

· Geographic presence and staffing structure

· Any additional documentation supporting eligibility

· Private sector entities, academia, and research institutions may submit equivalent documentation demonstrating technical, financial, and institutional capacity.

How to apply

Interested and all eligible partners can submit their proposal through this Email address ss.partnerships@nrc.no before this deadline 4:30 PM on 18th March 2026 South Sudan time.