Background

A.Title of the Project: “Achieving Kuwait 2035 Vision Towards Persons with Disability Project”

This assignment is implemented within the framework of the Project: “Achieving Kuwait 2035 Vision Towards Persons with Disability Project”. The project is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Kuwait office and implemented by the Public Authority for Disabled Affairs of Kuwait.

B.Background of the project

Project Description       

The project “Achieving Kuwait 2035 Vision Towards Persons with Disability” supports PADA to enhance its human capacities and organizational effectiveness towards achieving its mandate. It supports its efforts at integration of PWDs in schools, employment, and social life in partnership with CSOs working for disabilities and supports it to ensure an inclusive physical environment for PWDs. The project will continue until December 2018. It seeks to achieve three outputs:

• Output 1.1: Enhanced human capacities and institutional effectiveness for prevention, early detection, diagnosis and rehabilitation of disabilities.
• Output 1.2: Coordinated and well organized efficient efforts towards removal of barriers to social, economic and educational inclusion of persons with disability.
• Output 1.3: Increased technical expertise and organizational capacities for implementation of Universal Design and countrywide use of technology enablers.

The Public Authority for Disabled Affairs (PADA)

The Public Authority for Disabled Affairs (PADA)  of Kuwait is responsible for all matters related to care and rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities. Its mandate includes, inter alia, setting the disability policy; setting regulations and procedures for education, care and rehabilitation of PWDs and developing and overseeing an integrated action plan responsible for all aspects of Persons with Disabilities’ welfare in coordination with relevant government entities. PADA was established as per law no.8 for 2010  as a governmental entity. The law is concerned with protecting the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Kuwait and covers their inclusion in society, rehabilitation, education and employment in addition to care and other government services and entitlements. PADA developed a five-year strategy 2014 – 2019, which includes 15 themes and goals and provides a guiding framework for implementation, and has an annual development plan. One of these themes is inclusive education that aim to support access of person with disabilities to good inclusive educational services in coordination with Ministry of Education.

Inclusive Education

Education is a right guaranteed by the Kuwait State. In compliance with the Law, education is compulsory and gratis in its first stages. The Law shall lay down the necessary plans to eradicate illiteracy. The State shall take special care of the physical, moral and intellectual development of youth. Law Number 8 of 2010, For the Rights of People with Disabilities, guarantees the rights of children with disabilities ‘building their capabilities, improving their skills and enhancing their incorporation into society. Currently, Kuwait promotes inclusive and sustainable education for persons with disability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) focusing on target 4.5 : By 2030, ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities. Although there are several programs and projects to support education of children with disabilities. However, the full inclusion within mainstream schools is still limited.

Duties and Responsibilities

The assignment will contribute to Output 1.2 of the project above to provide guidance to mainstream schools on inclusion of children with disabilities in their education services. The consultant will develop a comprehensive framework and guideline to be used by mainstream schools to ensure that they provide appropriate services to students with disabilities that meet their needs and enhance their abilities.

Specific tasks include:

1. Develop an updated and adjusted methodology, timeframe and detailed Work Plan for the assignment in consultation with PADA and UNDP including proposed activities and timeframe.
2. Develop good practices report that includes up to date recommended principles and practices based on international and national legal instrument, policy initiatives and successful inclusion programs related to inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools.
3. Development of a comprehensive framework and guideline for the mainstream schools to initiate, maintain and improve inclusive education program for children with disabilities.  The proposed guideline should include but not limited to:
   • Principles of an inclusive education service.
   • School inclusive policies and plans in consultation with all stakeholders, including parents.
   • School built and learning environments.
   • Staffing and personnel to support inclusion.
   • Student access and admission system.
   • Curriculum & teaching strategies.
   • Working in partnership with parents, local community and other stakeholders
   • Mechanism for school self-assessment and auditing.
4. Capacity building of relevant PADA & MOE staff: Propose training plan and conduct training for PADA & MOE staff on application of the guideline.
5. Final report on the assignment including an executive summary of the whole mission, description of the intervention, summary of all the above deliverables, and final recommendations.

Indicative Approaches

• Gender approach: the consultant should ensure gender analysis is conducted based on the differentiated needs of girls and boys, men and women and it should be considered and explicit in all the components, especially the situation analysis and proposal.
• Participation and ownership: the consultant should ensure participation of PADA staff in the process of analysis and ensure their views and feedback is incorporated.
• Capacity Development approach: the consultant should work closely with project staff to enable the transfer of know-how as well as through the direct training component of the assignment
• Innovation and cultural: sensitivity the consultants should select contents and utilize techniques that are innovative and culturally appropriate and effective. 

A.Expected Outputs and Deliverables

All final deliverables must be submitted in hard copy and electronic format.

B.Institutional Arrangement

1. The consultant will report on a day to day basis to the UNDP Project Manager.
2. All submitted deliverables, reports, developed papers (reports, framework, guideline, training plan, etc.) are subject to PADA, GSSCPD and UNDP Programme Analyst approval. These documents will serve as a justification of payments.
3. Regular meetings will be set for updates on progress in line with the agreed work plan with UNDP and PADA teams.
4. The consultant will be provided with access to printer, internet and work space in PADA.  

C.Duration of the Work

The duration of this consultancy is expected to be 8 weeks.  Expected start date of the assignment is 15th Jun 2018.

D.Duty Station

The consultant is expected to be in Kuwait for the duration of the consultancy and will be based at PADA office. Only one round trip will be covered under this assignment.

Competencies

• Flexibility and adaptability to uncertain environments
• Political and cultural sensitivity
• Promoting ethics and integrity
• Gender sensitivity
• Teamwork and cooperation with colleagues
• Creating and promoting an enabling environment for open communication;
• Sharing knowledge and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.
• Conviction of the full rights of Persons with Disabilities and alignment with the values of human rights

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree in education, special education, teaching, social studies, or related fields.

or

• Bachelor degree in the mentioned fields with additional 5 years of experience in the same fields. 

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in inclusive education, special education, or persons with disabilities learning framework.
• Proven experience in supporting schools and local programs of inclusive education.
• Fluency in English or Arabic is required. Knowledge of the other language is desirable.

A.Scope of Price Proposal

The financial proposal submitted shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. The financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, living allowance, and the number of anticipated working days).

Travel: All envisaged travel and other related costs must be included in the financial proposal.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging, and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

A.Evaluation

Cumulative analysis

Total score=Technical Score + Financial Score.

Technical Criteria weight - 70%, 700 scores maximum 

Financial Criteria weight - 30%. 300 scores maximum

The selection of candidates will be done in 3 stages:

1st stage: Prior to detailed evaluation, all applications will be thoroughly screened against eligibility criteria (minimum qualification requirements) as set in the TOR to determine whether they are compliant/non-compliant.

2nd stage: Evaluation of technical proposals

Short-listed candidates will be evaluated based on the following criteria. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 points (70%) at the Technical Evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

3rd stage: Financial evaluation

The cumulative analysis will be used based on the following methodology: All the offers of individual consultants who scored 490 (70% from 700) and more points during the desk review are acceptable for financial evaluation. The lowest financial qualified proposal receives 300 points and all the other technically qualified proposals receive points in inverse proportion per the formula:

The candidate achieving the highest cumulative score for both Technical and Financial evaluations will be recommended by the Evaluation Committee for contracting.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

Applicants are requested to compile and submit as one PDF file the below-requested documents:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability; http://www.kw.undp.org/content/dam/kuwait/documents/Procurmenet/Template%20for%20Confirmation%20of%20Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal.docx
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects that show how the candidate meets the above requirements, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional referees;
3. Technical Proposal includes:
   1. One page that highlights your track record of work experience that demonstrates your practical skills and abilities in these areas and how you’ve been involved in these tasks in the past and explaining why you are the most suitable for this assignment.
   2. Proposed Methodology, Approach and Implementation Plan – this section should demonstrate the Proposer’s response to the Terms of Reference by identifying the specific components proposed, how the requirements shall be addressed, as specified, point by point; providing a detailed description of the essential performance characteristics proposed; and demonstrating how the proposed methodology meets or exceeds the specifications.
4. Financial Proposal that indicates an all-inclusive Lump Sum Amount with a fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP, the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.  The consultant should be aware that the contract price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components. http://www.kw.undp.org/content/dam/kuwait/documents/Procurmenet/Template%20for%20Confirmation%20of%20Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal.docx