WeProtect: Future independent governance structure.

Online child sexual exploitation is an international crime requiring a coordinated global response by governments, the technology industry and civil society. The WePROTECT Global Alliance is the international initiative brought together by the UK to tackle this crime. The strategic direction and objectives of WePROTECT Global Alliance were set out in our published strategy of July 2016 (www.weprotect.org/strategylaunch).

The WePROTECT Global Alliance has its own branding, communications and an independent Board and Chair, who are supported by Home Office staff (the secretariat) and Home Office resources. In advance of the next Summit end 2017, we are looking to agree a stable long-term governance structure with an executive and a full-time staff, independent of the Home Office, with the appropriate level of financial support. This will best enable us to secure a sustainable future for WePROTECT Global Alliance, deliver its vision and ensure other stakeholders buy in to its success.

We are looking to procure a team of consultants to help us understand the options for a future independent governance structure. The consultants will be expected to work collaboratively with the WePROTECT Global Alliance secretariat. We envisage four stages to this work:

Stage 1: The service provider will make an initial study of governance structures for the governance sub-committee of the Board, determining the governance options that best address the Board's role to provide strategic direction, be representative of its stakeholders and generate high-level support. They will identify relevant other prominent international initiatives, for example GAVI or the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, to draw out best practice and benchmark the governance options against them.

Stage 2: The service provider will develop options to address the variables identified by the Board such as size, composition, seniority of membership and location. They will then take forward the options, as chosen by the sub-committee, for consultation with a wider group of WePROTECT Global Alliance stakeholders and members at an event in London. They will then produce a report from which the Board will select a single preferred option.

Stage 3: The service provider will generate a final report setting out the Board's preferred governance, a costed action plan for recruiting any proposed executive and support functions and putting in place necessary infrastructure and facilities, and the proposed funding model for the secretariat with a strategy for achieving it. Stage 4: The service provider would potentially be retained for carrying through on the recommendations including for example high level consultations with potential donors in the lead up to the 2017 WePROTECT Global Alliance summit. This is optional and would require funding in 2017/18.