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Request for proposals for Consultancy Services to Develop Housing, Land and Property (HLP) Due Diligence Framework for Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) Programming. Closing Date: 16 Sep 2026 Type: Consultancy Location: Remote, and with travel to Syria (subject to visa availability) Duration: 3 months (TBC) Timeframe: End of September to November 2026 (TBC) Supervision: DRC Syria Head of Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding, Country Protection Technical Lead / DRC Regional Protection Coordinator, Global HLP Advisor. Who is the Danish Refugee Council? Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. In 34 countries across the world, our 6,000 employees work to protect, advocate and build sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement-affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence. DRC has been operating in Syria since 2008, initially responding to the Iraqi refugee crisis before pivoting to a full-scale response to the Syria crisis from 2011 onwards. Our work encompasses the full cycle of displacement, responding to life-saving humanitarian needs and supporting community recovery until durable solutions can be achieved. DRC Syria takes an area-based approach to supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities across our key sectors: Economic Recovery and Resilience, Protection, WASH, Shelter and Infrastructure, and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (including Humanitarian Mine Action). 2. Background After over a decade of armed conflict and the political transition in Syria, the country faces a complex Housing, Land and Property (HLP) landscape characterized by widespread displacement, destruction of housing and infrastructure, loss or destruction of civil and HLP documentation, damaged land administration and cadastral records, insecure tenure and secondary occupation, and unresolved HLP disputes (HNRP, April 2026). At the same time, extensive contamination by explosive ordnance (EO) remains a significant protection concern and a major obstacle to safe access to housing, agricultural land, public infrastructure, and essential services. Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) interventions - including explosive ordnance clearance, rubble removal, debris management, site preparation, and support to infrastructure rehabilitation - can have significant implications for HLP rights if implemented without adequate due diligence. Such activities may unintentionally reinforce insecure tenure, secondary occupation, disputed ownership, or unlawful occupation where HLP risks are not properly identified and mitigated. The HLP TWG is currently working to consolidate HLP due diligence approaches for Shelter/NFI and CCCM activities, while HLP considerations in Mine Action have primarily been addressed by specialized mine action actors, in line with their technical expertise, operational standards, and mandates. However , the absence of a common framework or agreed minimum standards for integrating HLP considerations into HMA programming, has resulted in inconsistent operational approaches, duplication of effort, and varying levels of HLP risk management across humanitarian actors. Recognizing this gap, the HLP Technical Working Group (TWG) and the Mine Action Area of Responsibility (MA AoR) have identified the need to develop harmonized guidance and a fit-for-purpose HLP due diligence approach for HMA interventions. This consultancy will support that process by mapping existing approaches and tools, identifying operational and policy gaps, facilitating stakeholder consultations and technical workshops, and developing harmonized guidance, adaptable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and an HLP due diligence framework to strengthen coherent, conflict-sensitive, and rights-based implementation of HMA activities across Syria. 2. Objectives The primary objective of this consultancy is to strengthen the integration of HLP considerations into HMA programming in Syria by mapping existing approaches, identifying HLP risks associated with HMA activities, technical and operational gaps, facilitating inter-agency consensus and developing harmonized guidance, adaptable standard operating procedures, and a fit-for-purpose HLP due diligence framework to support coherent implementation across HLP and HMA actors. The consultant will: Map existing HLP and HMA actors, approaches, tools, guidance, SOPs, and operational practices across Syria, including their geographic coverage, technical focus, and areas of complementarity. Conduct a comprehensive gap and risk analysis of the extent to which HLP considerations and potential HLP risks arising from HMA activities are identified and addressed within existing HMA approaches, guidelines, tools and operational processes and provide recommendation where necessary for their mainstreaming and standardization. Facilitate technical dialogue and consensus-building between the HLP TWG, Mine Action AoR, National Mine Action Centre (NMAC) and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen coordination and promote resource sharing for the operationalization of the HLP and HMA workstream. Facilitate validation workshops to achieve stakeholder agreement on harmonized approaches, minimum standards, key HLP risks and mitigation measures and implementation priorities for HLP and HMA programming. Develop practical recommendations, harmonized guidance, adaptable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and an HLP due diligence framework to support consistent implementation of HLP and HMA activities and strengthen inter-agency collaboration. 3. Scope of work and deliverables (Remote and in Person) The consultant will be responsible for the following: A. Actor Mapping, HLP Risk Assessment and Gap Analysis (Done remotely) Actor Mapping: Conduct a comprehensive mapping of HLP and HMA actors operating in Syria, documenting their mandates, geographic coverage, technical services (e.g., non-technical survey (NTS), legal aid, land release, tenure verification, risk education, clearance, victim assistance, rubble removal, and related HLP services), coordination arrangements, and areas of operational overlap or complementarity. The mapping should identify service gaps and opportunities for improved collaboration. Methodological Review: Review existing HLP/HMA approaches, methodologies, tools, guidance documents, SOPs, due diligence mechanisms, operational practices, and lessons learned currently used by humanitarian actors in Syria, identifying examples of good practice that could inform sector-wide harmonization. HLP Risk Mapping and Assessment: Identify and assess key HLP risks associated with HMA activities across the programme cycle, including risks related to land access and use, ownership and tenure, competing claims, displacement and return, land release and handover, reconstruction, and impacts on vulnerable or absent rights-holders. Map these risks by HMA activity, context, affected rights-holders, and level of risk. The findings will inform the development of an HLP Risk Matrix for HMA Activities, with appropriate mitigation and due diligence measures to be further developed and validated through the stakeholder consultation and coordination sessions. Gap Identification: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of operational, technical, procedural, institutional, and policy gaps affecting the integration of HLP into HMA programming. The analysis should identify barriers to the adoption, sharing, and harmonization of existing tools and approaches and provide practical recommendations to strengthen coherence across the response. B. Stakeholder consultation and coordination (Done remotely) Stakeholder Consultations: Design and facilitate consultations with the HLP TWG, Mine Action AoR, NMAC, UN agencies, international and national NGOs, civil society organizations and other relevant technical stakeholders to gather inputs, identify priorities and build consensus around harmonized HLP and HMA approaches. Coordination: Prepare and facilitate technical working sessions, and bilateral consultations; prepare agendas, presentations, briefing materials, and meeting summaries; document recommendations and agreed actions; and support follow-up with NMAC and relevant stakeholders throughout the consultancy. Collaboration Roadmap: Develop a practical roadmap for strengthening coordination and harmonization between the HLP TWG, the Mine Action AoR and NMAC including priority actions, institutional responsibilities, implementation milestones, recommendations for information sharing, and opportunities for joint programming and technical collaboration. C. Development of harmonized guidance and due diligence framework (Done remotely) Harmonized Guidance and SOPs for HLP/HMA actors: Develop fit-for-purpose technical guidance and adaptable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support the consistent integration of HLP considerations into HMA programming. The guidance should include operational procedures, decision-making processes, referral considerations, minimum standards, and risk management measures that can be adapted by humanitarian actors and NMAC. HLP Due Diligence Framework: Support the HLP TWG in developing a context-specific and operational HLP due diligence framework for HMA interventions. The framework should define key principles, minimum requirements, due diligence procedures, risk assessment methodologies, mitigation measures, and Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4228092/rfp-syr-006951-consultancy-services-develop-housing-land-and-property-hlp-due-diligence-framework-humanitarian-mine-action-hma-programmin
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