Background

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 program 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 labor 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. Labor market relevance is aimed to be achieved by increased employability of youth and vulnerable groups, to enhance and match their skills with dynamic labor market. All the activities of the project are based on 4 cross-cutting principles: Gender Equality, Inclusion, Environmental Protection and Partnership. 

• The CBLLL Project envisages to strengthen secondary school capacities for provision of III or IV level integrated VET programs, training/retraining in municipalities not having VET colleges.

This action will promote accessibility of VET services through effective institutional partnership of VET colleges and schools to raise accessibility of services and deliver individual or joint VET education and training/retraining programmes. The approach to joint programme development and authorization is ongoing initiative of the Ministry of Education and Science  of Georgia (MoES) with the support of UNDP and is expected to be introduced soon. The new approach will create opportunities to expand VET provision in municipalities and cover considerable amount of youth, including NEETs and vulnerable groups. This action will support schools and VET institutions in implementation of joint 5 full vocational educational and 5 training/retraining programmes.

• The CBLLL Project will develop catch-up courses for early school leavers (NEETS and other disadvantaged groups) and those who face difficulties to enrol and participate at VET courses. These courses will prepare youth lacking the basic key competencies for VET.

COVID-19, as the most consequential crisis of the decade, will assuredly leave its mark on the global and local economies, as well as human rights. The world has witnessed a variety of actions taken by states and governments. While the end goal was similar for many – protecting the right to life and health and saving the economy, measures taken by countries varied in the process of combating COVID-19.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Government of Georgia has been taking active measures to ensure the protection of the rights of vulnerable and minority groups.

The proposed research will look at the selected stakeholders, i.e. the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), VET provider, Local government, private employer, public school, NGO and youth organization. Results of the assessment will be used to model safe and risk-free working and learning environment tailored to the specifications of each institutional modality. Specific recommendations will also be reflected in the capacity building strategy and practice such as trainings, coaching, workshops and other activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Local Expert will assess the stakeholders’ needs related to teaching /learning process during pandemic including safety issues to respond COVID-19 risks based on different institutional modalities.

Specific tasks of the Local Expert include:

• To assess the impact of the pandemic on the target VET, secondary schools and other stakeholders to be involved in teaching/training process within the project. The consultant should consult with the MoES, local and regional authorities, as well private sector companies to be involved in teaching process
• To assess the degree of implementation of regulations, recommendations and measures taken by the Government against the impact of pandemic and their effectiveness to mitigate worsened conditions in the VET system, including in rural areas and especially for vulnerable and special target groups (Persons with disabilities - PwDs, youth, ethnical minorities)
• To cumulate actual key findings of the assessments into a paper
• To review and incorporate the already existing COVID socio-economic impact studies of the country and other relevant analysis related to the objective of this study
• Assess coping practices and various needs of the listed stakeholders, including technical, infrastructural, IT, personal protection equipment, disinfectants, awareness of staff and others and reflect them in the paper
• Based on the above-mentioned objective analysis, to develop a paper with recommendations for improving safety and risk-free working and learning environment for VET system as well as provide recommendations with clearly defined plan for action.

NOTE: To accomplish the above-mentioned duties and responsibilities, the Local Expert is expected to collect data from the state institutions/key stakeholders and conduct a desk review; In-depth qualitative interviews from the relevant institutions and other relevant parties is also considered.

Deliverables and payment modality:

The Local Expert will be paid a lump sum in two installments upon successful completion of the deliverables according to the following scheme:

1. Report with assessment of the impact of pandemic on country’s VET system; An in-depth desk review on the relevance and coverage of the anti-crisis measures taken by the Government of Georgia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic – due  by end of August 2021, 50% of the consultancy fee
2. Final paper on safe and risk-free working and learning environment model for VET system as well as provide recommendations with clearly defined plan for action – due by end of September 2021, 50% of the consultancy fee.

The payments will be produced in two installments upon the confirmation by UNDP of high-quality performance.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional competencies:

Knowledge management and learning:

• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, 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, mobilize resources;
• Strong IT skills, particularly with MS Office;
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills.

Management and leadership:

• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master) in international relations, human security, crises management, public policy/ policy analysis, development policy, economics or other similar fields (minimum requirement: 10 points).

Experience: 

• 5 years of experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative researches in economic and social spheres (minimum requirement: 5 years– 9 points; more than 5 years– additional 6 points);
• 5 years of demonstrated track record of policy research, analysis, needs assessments and publications related to VET or education system development, including research services (minimum requirement: 5 years– 9 points; more than 5 years– additional 6 points); publications to be listed in the application form and/or resume or will be requested later) is an asset;
• Work experience in providing services to the public (national and local government) and/or non-government organizations on the social and economic development issues, inter alia focused on vulnerable groups as part of the development response measures;
• A good understanding of the VET system in Georgia would be highly desirable
• Strong knowledge of best international practices, is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Georgian.

Evaluation:

Offerors will be evaluated against a combination of technical and financial criteria provided in the below table. Technical criteria consist of a desk review and an interview. 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 compose of desk review (40 points) and interview (30 points). Offerors not meeting any of minimum technical qualification requirements will be automatically excluded from the list of candidates for further technical evaluation.  Offerors obtaining minimum 28 points as a result of the desk review (criteria 1, 2 and 3) will be short listed and invited for an interview. Offerors obtaining minimum of 21 points as a result of the interview (i.e. minimum of 49 points in the technical criteria) will be considered qualified and requested to provide financial proposal for the assignment.

Financial Proposal

Lump sum contracts: The financial proposal 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. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount.