Terms of Reference

Supporting Parents Through Vocational Education Training (VET)

Caritas Switzerland (hereafter Caritas or CACH) is looking for a qualified service provider, specifically a Vocational Education Training (VET) institution, for Supporting Parents (with a Focus on Single-Headed Households) of children newly integrated into preschool through VET schemes, in line with the following Terms of Reference (ToR).

Deadline for submission of offers: 30.09.2024

• Project: Together Advancing Kosovo’s Training and Employment within the Education Sector - TAKE
• Assignment: Supporting Parents Through Vocational Education Training (VET).
• Location: Prishtina

Background

The project aims to support parents—particularly those from single-headed households—whose children are newly integrated into preschool, by utilizing good practices in Vocational Education Training (VET) schemes. The goal is to help these parents secure employment, thereby improving their economic status. Research has shown that increased participation in Early Childhood Education (ECE) enables parents to integrate into the labor market, thus contributing to higher economic returns for families.

During the implementation phase of the project, a strategy for VET has been defined, accompanied by a needs analysis study. This study has gathered data on the most in-demand professions, as well as the interests and potential of the parents/caregivers. The VET services will focus on enabling parents to obtain certification in specific professions such as cooking, business management, electrical work, plumbing, and more.

Objective(s):

The objective of this assignment is to engage a qualified service provider to deliver VET programs tailored to the needs of 30 parents, focusing on single-headed households. The program should address their unique challenges and focus on practical skills that can help them secure stable employment, improve their income, and manage household responsibilities.

Scope of Work:

Identify the most demanded and updated professions in the local labour market.

• Assess the VET capabilities for the target group (parents) to align them with appropriate training programs.
• Provide VET training modules in professions such as: hairdressing, manicure, pedicure, makeup, tailor, assistant chef, etc.
• Ensure that the training is accessible and tailored to the unique needs of the target group (particularly single-headed households) across different municipalities in Kosovo.
• Deliver the individualised VET training to 30 selected parents, ensuring that all participants successfully complete the certification process.
• Provide additional support, including mentorship, job search assistance, and connections to potential employers.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Monitor the progress of participants throughout the training.
• Provide regular reports on the training outcomes, including certification rates.

Expected Results

Empower 30 parents by providing them with the skills and opportunities needed to improve their economic situation. By focusing on good practices in VET, the project seeks to create lasting impacts on the lives of the participating parents and their families.

1. Schedule

The Supporting Parents Through Vocational Education Training (VET) within the project activities will be implemented over a 6-month duration from October 2024 to March 2025, with key milestones set for the inception phase:

1. Deliverables

• Programs with proof of accreditation, length, title, certification.
• Detailed schedule for VET training, including the methodology.
• Timesheets of participants for program attendance.
• VET training materials for targeted professions.
• Documentation of support mechanisms provided to participants.
• Summary of the outcomes, including the number of parents who completed the VET training and secured employment.
• Certificates of program accomplishment for each participant.

1. Experience and skills required

The service provider - Vocational Education Training Institution (VET institution) - should possess the following experience:

• Proven experience in delivering VET programs, especially for vulnerable groups such as single-headed households.
• Strong knowledge of the local labor market and in-demand professions.
• Experience in providing mentorship and job placement services to training participants.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct training programs accordingly.
• A minimum of3 years of work experience in the field.
• Familiarity with collaboration strategies between educational institutions and private sector entities.
• References or previous work samples that can demonstrate their expertise in this sector.
• CVs of the staff for each VET program.

1. Application process

This Terms of Reference (ToR) outlines the key requirements for delivering VET programs to meet the needs of 30 parents. Offerors are encouraged to provide additional details and insights in their proposals to ensure a comprehensive understanding of their methodology and approach and capabilities.

All interested service offerors should submit their application, including all the requested documents in English. The expression of interest/proposal must be signed/stamped, and submitted in PDF format by 30.09.2024,16:00h. The subject of the e-mail shall be“Supporting in Parents Through Vocational Education Training (VET)” and addressed to the following email addresses: [email protected] CC: [email protected]

The application must contain the following documents to meet the eligibility criteria:

Technical offer, including:

• Professional profile of the service provider, Vocational Education Training (VET) institution.
• CV’s of all the staff for each VET program.
• 3 professional references with relevant experience, including contact details.
• Details of the training programs that the institution offers, including accreditation proof, title of the profession, and certification information.
• Methodology for completing the assignment, along with a tentative training plan/schedule, including a suggested timetable for each program.
• Financial offer, with and without VAT, for each profession/ program, including the program duration, learning materials, and certification costs. (annex 1)
• A copy of the institution’s registration certificate. (plus VAT certificate, if applicable)

Please make sure to submit all the requested documents/information; otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete!

In case of questions or for further information, please contact [email protected] , or [email protected]

Questions can be submitted until 23.09.2024, 16:00h.

Deadline for submissions of application is 30.09.2024. Please send your offer to [email protected] and CC to [email protected]

Note that applications missing the required documents will not be considered for shortlisting!

1. Budget

The maximum budget available for delivering VET programs to 30 parents is 21,000.00 €.

CACH/TAKE project will not cover any additional costs or expenses that may arise during the training process beyond the financial amount presented and agreed upon in the service agreement with the VET institution.

1. Evaluation criteria

• Experience and qualifications of the service provider
• Quality of the proposed training program, including methodology and the plan/schedule for training sessions.
• Cost-effectiveness (best price for the quality)

1. Bidding Costs

CACH in Kosovo will not cover any bidding costs and reserves the right to accept or reject any bidders, or to cancel or postpone the entire bidding process prior to signing of any agreements.

Annex 1