REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Issue Date: 15/10/2024

Proposal Due Date: 21/10/2024

Anticipated Award Date: 15/11/2024

RFP Number: 028

To Whom It May Concern:

IREX is seeking an Energy expert who will work with the Activity team and relevant partners to draft a comprehensive report on Labor Market Information (LMI) for the Energy sector and adjacent sectors in Kosovo. The report will focus on workforce demand and supply data analysis. In addition, the Expert will be engaged in providing feedback on digital solution platform and advice the Activity on Energy sector workforce activities. The expert will work under the guidance of the Activity Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) and Component 1 lead. IREX reserves the right to withdrawal this request for proposal at any time up to the award of the contract and issuance of this RFP does not guarantee an award.

Background of Private Sector-Led Workforce Development Activity in Kosovo:

The USAID Private Sector-Led Workforce Development Activity in Kosovo, further referred to as the Activity, aims to harness the private sector's leadership to build sustainable and innovative models to develop the Kosovo workforce in four sectors: Agribusiness, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Wood Processing, and Energy. The Activity established the Sector Workforce Councils for the four sectors, which are led by the selected sector Associations[1]. Their role is to unite the private sector, educators, government, diaspora, civil society organizations, and donors, aiming to define sector workforce development needs and support workforce development solutions. To support workforce development solutions, the Activity supports Councils to build capacities towards labor market information (LMI) data gathering and dissemination, which is used by the private sector and relevant stakeholders for data informed decision making towards workforce solutions.

Proposal Requirements

Consultants interested in providing this service must submit a proposal, which demonstrates the capacity to provide the activities below.

a. Draft the report of the LMI for the Energy Sector in Kosovo with focus on the following areas:

• Workforce demand, including active companies, employment, sector turnover, salary structures, export-import trends, and job announcements.
• Workforce supply, including vocational training, education institutions, and Occupational Standards.
• Additional insights from secondary sources and NGOs regarding barriers faced by underrepresented groups.

The Expert will conduct a comprehensive analysis of workforce demand and supply data for Kosovo’s Energy sector and adjacent sectors. The analysis will provide insights into workforce dynamics, employment trends, sector performance, training availability, and barriers to employment for youth, women, and minorities.

The expert will base his/her work on the data already gathered and presented by the Activity at the Energy Data Swap workshop in September 2024, which are available with the Activity. He/she will cross check the information gathered and by the Activity and review accordingly for the purposes of the report.

The expert is also expected to conduct additional desk review as necessary of existing research, policies and other related documents on current Energy challenges and opportunities, development trends with focus on workforce, in order to enrich the final report.

• Please note that the Expert should generally follow the specific report template/format provided by the Activity (see an example on the provided link.)Adjustments may be made to add or remove any sector information deemed relevant for the report, as necessary.

b. Support and advice the Activity team on Energy sector workforce activities including the digital solution platform

The Expert will provide support and feedback to the team developing the digital solution platform for the Energy sector and advise the Activity as necessary.

c. Other tasks as assigned.

Time frame: The Consultancy is expected to start November 2024 and finish in June 2025 for up to 25 days.

Required qualifications and experience:

• A Master’s degree in the Energy (renewable energy/mechanical/electrical engineer) and other related fields;
• Experience in consulting and research in the Energy sector with focus on renewable energy.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills in English;
• Ability to work effectively with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Proven track record of delivering high-quality research papers/ report drafting on time.
• Proactivity and openness to communicate and accommodate new requests.

Application submission instructions:

1. CV that emphasizes relevant experience for this assignment.
2. Cover Letter briefly outlining general information about the expertise, limited to 1 page
3. Proposed gross daily rate and reasonableness within the market rate.
4. Indication of availability for November 2024 to June 2025.

Proposal Submission

If you are interested in furnishing this service, please e-mail a proposal to [email protected]. All submissions should reference RFP 028. If you decide to submit a proposal, it must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the closing date indicated above. Late submissions will only be considered if in the best interests of the project, and then at IREX’s sole discretion. All proposal pricing and costs submitted must be valid for a period of not less than sixty (60) calendar days from the closing date indicated above.

Proposal Evaluation

The criteria for evaluation of proposals are listed below in descending order starting with the most important factors to be evaluated.

• Price Competitiveness (35%)
• Technical Expertise & Customer Service (35%)
• Past references and demonstration of relevant work (30%)

Evaluation and ranking of proposals will be conducted by IREX following the closing date listed above. IREX may at its discretion ask for additional information or documentation.

Renewal

IREX reserves the right, based on availability of funding and consultancy performance, to enter into subsequent contractual agreements with the winning consultant (s) for a period of up to three years without issuing a new RFP.

[1] The Associations of Fruits and Vegetables of Kosovo (PePeKo)

The Kosovo Association of Information and Communication Technology (STIKK)

The Association of Wood Processors of Kosovo (AWPK)

Metal Industry and Renewable Energy Cluster in Kosovo (MIRECK)