Historique

UNDP project “Creating Better LLL Opportunities through Local Partnerships” addresses the employability related challenge of the most vulnerable cohort of Georgia’s population, Youth and physically or socially disadvantaged people. The project complies to the overall objective of the programme by addressing the human capital development, with focus on creation of accessibility to new education services and quality development of Vocational Education and Training provision.

The project is concentrated around two sectors of Care Economy: Tourism and Wellness/health around with specific objectives, which are building three main pillars, addressing leading components – Accessibility, Quality and Relevance of skills to labour market needs, taking into consideration the new realities, including safety requirements caused by COVID-19. The project aims at increasing three different types of accessibility - Geographical - by developing new VET provision spot in non-covered municipalities. Social - creation of new opportunities for early school leaver vulnerable groups to finalize the basic education level through catch-up courses and access VET system; Physical - by developing digital/blended learning opportunities for all with focus on people with special needs and those who cannot regularly attend the learning process. The project also aims at strengthening of service quality, which will be achieved by two types of interventions: Institutional strengthening - Capacity building of the managing teams in stakeholder institutions, also support to VET providers in introducing Entrepreneurial School Model and establishment of the Sectorial School Networks, including peer-learning; Multiplier strengthening – training and coaching of teachers, trainers, professional associations, youth workers to improve the service quality and transfer knowledge, including on safety requirements against COVID-19 in education and employment. Labour market relevance is aimed to be achieved by increased employability of youth and vulnerable groups, to enhance and match their skills with dynamic labour market. All the activities of the project are based on 4 cross-cutting principles: Gender Equality, Inclusion, Environmental Protection and Partnership. 

To achieve the programme purpose and finally the programme goal, it will aim to improve the quality of service provision in VET and employment promotion in Georgia.

The outcomes and outputs of the project are:

1. Outcome 1. Strengthened institutions contribute to delivery of high quality live-long-learning provision in selected regions is achieved through 2 outputs:

• Output 1.1. Accessibility on skills of youth, women and men, including vulnerable groups, in selected regions is strengthened through new types of formal and non-formal education-related service provision.
• Output 1.2. Quality of skills development is improved through institutional and human capacity strengthening of the service providers.

1. Outcome 2. Youth and selected vulnerable groups have access to the flexible services of formal and non-formal learning in targeted regions is achieved through 1 output:

• Output 2.1. Employability of youth is enhanced through developed key competences including digital and entrepreneurial competence.

Approximately 31 percent of youth (persons aged 15-24) are not in education, employment or training (known as NEET) that leads to the exclusion from social and economic life. Under this action, The International Consultant will develop the concept for introduction and implementation of catch-up programmes in VET system for early school leavers (NEETs and other disadvantaged groups) as well as introduce the special catch-up courses for preparation to VET of youth out of system and lacking the basic key competencies.

The International Consultant works closely with the CBLLL Project team to provide expertise and advice in the process of creating access to new educational services in vocational education and training (VET), ensuring sustainable and inclusive development of the VET system and the labour market in Georgia.

Devoirs et responsabilités

The overall objective of the assignment following tasks and activities:

1. Development of concept for introduction and implementation of catch-up courses for early school leavers (NEETs and other disadvantaged groups) and those who face difficulties to enrol and participate at VET courses
2. Development of special instruments to identify NEETs

Under this activity, the International Consultant shall produce a concept paper and recommendations that will include the vision, concept and supporting mechanisms for the effective implementation of the catch-up programme in the VET system. 

The special instruments for identification of NEETs will be drafted together with stakeholders, to be applied further within the Georgian VET system. The concept will help for development and adoption of respective changes/ amendments or new provisions in existing normative documents or drafting new regulation by the Ministry of Education of Georgia which will be supported to ensure institutionalization of this innovative approach.

The international expert is expected to assume the following duties and responsibilities: 

1. Discuss, plan and coordinate the development of all deliverables under the given assignment with the UNDP’s CBLLL team, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, the Skills Agency and relevant representatives from other public agencies such as secondary schools and vocational colleges to do.
2. Get familiarised with the relevant legal documents regulating the vocational education system and secondary education system to learn the local context and experience in providing catch-up learning opportunities for NEETs locally and apply them in the assignment as well as the project documentation and the reference material elaborated during the project.
3. Develop a paper on best international practice on second-chance learning options for NEETs for further references describing opportunities and challenges taking 3 selected country cases.
4. Conduct virtual meetings and interviews with stakeholders – public and private organizations’ (the list of stakeholders will be developed in cooperation with the MoES representatives) for collecting data and information, getting initial feedback and validating findings.
5. Drafting inputs for the Concept summarizing information collected through various sources such as an individual interview with relevant stakeholders.
6. Develop a draft new concept for introduction and implementation of catch-up courses for NEETs based on best international and local practice and collected findings. The concept document inter-alia must analyse the roles of players, available resources and recommendations with clearly defined guiding principles to be ultimately agreed with and endorsed by the Ministry of Education in line with best international practices.
7. Develop a presentation on the draft new concept and present it to the CBLLL project team and stakeholders, lead a discussion and collect feedback.
8. Reflect the collected feedback into the draft and develop the final draft concept of for introduction and implementation of catch-up courses for early school leavers (NEETs and other disadvantaged groups) and those who face difficulties to enrol and participate at VET courses.
9. Get familiarised with the relevant reference material on the locally existing special mechanisms to identify NEETs, if any.
10. Develop a draft paper on best international practice on identifying NEETs.
11. Develop a draft paper on identification mechanisms of NEETs covering but not limited to the key characteristics of indicators to identify those at risk of disconnection from learning, extent of involvement and roles of secondary and vocational educational institutions in handling the NEETs issues. As well as clear indication of issues to be wider researched for NEETs in a country context in this regard. The paper will be ultimately agreed with and endorsed by the Ministry of Education.
12. Develop a presentation on the draft paper on identifying NEETs.
13. Develop a final report, reflecting the steps undertaken as part of the consultancy, assignment, listing the challenges, lessons and learned.

Payment Schedule:

70 % of the total fee 

Deliverable 1 - A document on best international practice on second-chance learning options for NEETS for further references describing opportunities and challenges. Submission Date: 7 days after the commencement of the assignment

Deliverable 2 - Draft Concept Paper for introduction and implementation of catch-up courses for NEETS based on best international and local practice and collected findings. Submission Date: 14 days after the commencement of the assignment

Deliverable 3 - presentation on the new concept and present it to the CBLLL project team and stakeholders, conduct a discussion and collect feedback. Submission Date: 18 days after the commencement of the assignment

30 % of the total fee

Deliverable 4 – presentation on the draft document on identifying NEETs. Submission:  Submission Date: 21 days after the commencement of the assignment

Deliverable 5 -Submit a final report, reflecting the steps undertaken as part of the consultancy, assignment, listing the challenges, and lessons learned. Submission Date: 30 days after the commencement of the assignment

Management Arrangements: 

The consultant will work closely with the CBLLL project Team in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Skills Agency.

Compétences

Core Competencies

• Demonstrated commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Sensitivity and adaptability to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age;
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Functional Competencies

• Excellent intercultural, moderation, facilitation and negotiation skills;
• Builds strong relationships with stakeholders, focuses on impact and result and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Demonstrates strong oral communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills;
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and operational effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• At least Master or equivalent diploma in international development, education, economics, public policy, policy analysis, social sciences or other relevant field (Minimum Requirement) - 5 Points.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in the Vocational Education and Training systems analysis, research, development, advice or others (Minimum Requirement) -  5 years 10 points, more than 5 years 15 points.

• Experience of leading at least 3 consultancies similar assignments for large international donor funded projects, government organizations or international organization(s) in the areas of employment and/or vocational education and training (Minimum Requirement) -  3 years 10 points, more than 3 years 15 points.

• Demonstrated track record of publications or development of papers related to VET System development - 5 points.

Evaluation:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis: Individual consultants will be evaluated against combination of technical and financial criteria. Technical evaluation stage encompasses desk review and interview of applications. Experts not meeting any of minimum technical qualification requirements will be automatically excluded from the list of candidates for further technical evaluation. Maximum obtainable score is 100, out of which the total score for technical criteria equals to 70 points (70%) and for financial criteria 30 (30%). Technical criteria composed of desk review (40 points) and interview (30 points). Offerors who pass 70% of maximum obtainable scores of the desk review (i.e. 40 x 70% = 28 points because of a desk review of applications will be invited for the interview. Those offerors who pass 70% of maximum obtainable scores for interviews of (i.e. 30x 70% = 21 points) will be considered as short-listed offerors and requested to provide financial proposals. 

Financial Proposal:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum. Payments are based upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.