Development of Thematic Paper on Youth employment and a project proposal on Youth Employment and Skilling (YESI) in the IGAD region. At International Labour Organization

1. Introduction and background

The ILO is implementing the FMPT project “Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in the IGAD Region: Improving Opportunities for Regular Labour Mobility” in collaboration with IGAD and its Member States. The project is a key component of the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa-financed programme “Towards Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in the IGAD region”. The overall objective of the programme is to support the free movement of persons in the IGAD region, with a view to spur regional economic integration and development. Its specific objective is to improve opportunities for regulated labour mobility and decent work within the IGAD countries.
In approaching migration as a labour market issue, the project follows the underlying logic that the creation of more and better quality jobs is key to enabling migrants to contribute to productive growth, as well as to making migration a choice1. The project therefore takes a development-oriented approach. By creating decent jobs for nationals and migrants, the project will contribute to addressing irregular migration, providing opportunities for income- generating activities, decent work and business development in their current area of residence.

The FMPT project has five key result areas: to improve opportunities for regulated labour mobility and decent work within the IGAD Region

• Policy relevant research is produced and disseminated
• Increased capacity to collect and analyse labour migration and labour market indicators
• Promote Rights Based Approach to Labour Migration Governance
• Promote tripartism and social dialogue
• Support Youth Skilling and Employment Initiative

As part of result area one of the project, knowledge generation, the ILO has conducted a series of studies which aims to generate evidence to contribute to the drafting, negotiation and implementation of protocol, once it is adopted, and improve knowledge base on labour migration and mobility governance in the region. In this context, the ILO plans to produce a thematic paper on youth employment in the IGAD region. The thematic paper is supposed to contribute to the development of the regional program on Youth Employment and Skilling Initiative (YESI) as part of result area 5 of the project.
Therefore, this ToR is prepared to hire the service of a consultancy firm to produce a thematic paper on the state of youth employment in the IGAD region: Opportunities, Challenges and Policy implications and further lead the formulation of the Youth Employment and Skilling initiative/program.

2. Overall Objective

The overall objective of the assignment is to produce a thematic paper on the state of Youth Employment in the IGAD region and lead the drafting and validation of the YESI project document through desk review and consultations with IGAD MS, IGAD secretariat and other stakeholders.

2.1 Specific Objectives
Specific Objective 1: produce a thematic paper on the state of youth employment in the IGAD region: Opportunities, challenges and Policy Implications:
The thematic paper on youth employment is expected to examine the status of youth employment in the region by mainly looking into trends, opportunities, challenges, including impact of COVID 19. In addition, the study is expected to look into policy implications in the short, medium and long term and further come up with concrete recommendations to improve youth employment in the region. To this end, the thematic paper needs to be

• Short and concise: the thematic paper on youth employment in the IGAD region is expected to be a maximum of 20 pages including list of bibliography and annexes.
• Up-to-date: the thematic paper needs to be up to date with the date, information and analysis. To this end, in addition to the available literature, the consultant needs to review relevant data sources / data base to find latest information about the state of youth employment in the region. In addition, the consultant is also expected to conduct limited key informant interviews with experts in IGAD member states, the ILO and IGAD to update and triangulate secondary sources with the situation in the ground.
• Focused: the thematic paper needs to focus on trends, opportunities, challenges including the impact of COVID 19, policy implications and come up with concrete short, medium and long terms recommendation at both policy and operational level to improve youth employment in the IGAD region.
• Presentation and style: in addition to the narrative presentation, the consultant is expected to use tables, charts, diagrams and other visual tools to make the paper reader friendly and interactive.**Specific Objective 2**: develop a regional project document on Youth Employment and Skilling Initiative (YESI)
  Drawing on the findings of the thematic paper on youth employment as well as other relevant studies on the area of Youth Employment, skills development and further consultation with stakeholders at national regional level, the consultant is expected to develop a project document on Youth Employment and Skilling. To this end, the consultant is expected to lead and coordinate the drafting and validation of the YESI project document through desk review and consultations with IGAD MS and IGAD secretariat. This entails:
• Reviewing key reference documents on opportunities and challenges to promote decent employment and skills development for youth in general and youth on the move in particular, in the IGAD region;
• Coordinating and leading national and regional level consultations with key stakeholders working in the field of youth employment, skills development and migration: this includes interviews (face-to-face and virtual) and conducting national or regional stakeholders’ consultation workshops;
• Drafting the comprehensive project document of the YESI for review and comments by ILO and IGAD team;
• Participating to the Regional Employment Forum organized by the FMPT project either face to face or virtually, to present and validate the interventions models identified in the draft PRODOC of the project;
• Coordinating and leading the validation of the YESI initiative/program for youth and youth on the move;
• Submitting final project document of the YESI for resource mobilization.**2.2 Tasks and Deliverables**
  Inception report: the consultant is expected to submit one comprehensive inception report covering specific objective 1 and 2 of the assignment. The inception report, among others, is expected to show the expert’s/consultant’s understanding of the assignment, detailed methodology, work plan, draft outline of the thematic paper and the project document for YESI. The consultant is expected to submit the following deliverables for each of the specific objectives of the assignment:

Below is a detailed list of deliverables for each of the specific objectives:

Specific deliverables related to the development of a thematic paper on the state of youth employment in the IGAD region:

• Draft thematic paper: the consultant will submit the draft thematic paper for review and comments by the ILO, IGAD and other key stakeholders as required.
• Revised draft thematic paper: the consultant will submit a revised draft thematic paper incorporating comments from the ILO, IGAD and other stakeholders.
• Presentation of the draft thematic paper: the consultant will present the thematic paper in the experts meeting/conference which will be scheduled either physically or virtually depending on the COVID situation;
• Final thematic paper: the consultant will submit a final thematic paper incorporating comments and inputs made during the ministerial conference. The consultant will also address comments and inputs from the proof-reader and editor before or after the ministerial conference as required.

Specific deliverables related to the development of a project document on YESI:

• Draft YESI Project document:the consultant is expected to submit the first draft PRODOC of the YESI for the review and comments of the technical team and social development division of IGAD secreteriate. The draft YESI project document will be submitted within two months after signing of the contract.
• Participate in a Regional Employment Forum/workshops: The consultant will participate and present the draft project document and its intervention logic in a regional workshop/employment forum. The consultant is expected to gather comments and inputs from the workshop/forum and submit a revised project document. The workshop will take place either physically or virtually depending on the COVID situation.
• Validation Workshop: The consultant will present the revised project document to a wider stakeholder for consultation, review and validation. The workshop will take place either physically or virtually depending on the COVID situation.
• Final YESI project document: the consultant will submit a final YESI project document incorporating comments and inputs including the budget to the satisfaction of the ILO and IGAD. The final YESI project document will be submitted within a maximum period of four months after the date of signing the Contact.

3. Duration of Services

The duration of the assignment will be for a period of 4 months to undertake all the above deliverables. The assignment is expected to start by 1st December 2021.

4. Minimum qualifications and capacity

The lead consultant / team leader and key members of his team needs Master’s degree in the field of social sciences, economics, international relations, development or related field and ten years of work experience in the field of employment, skills development, migration as well as project designing and project management;

• Proven technical experience in designing project proposals for funding preferably in the area of youth employment, skills development and migration;
• Demonstrable experience in leading and coordinating multi country research in the area of regional integration, employment and labour market analysis, skills development, migration and human mobility;
• Proven previous working experience in project design, project cycle management including monitoring and evaluation, conducting multi country research and assessments;
• Excellent project and report writing skills and ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in English;
• Good computer application skills including use zoom, skype and other teleconferencing applications, managing and administering on line surveys as well as extracting and analyzing data using appropriate tools and methods;
• Experience in working with UN agencies and multi-lateral organizations and institutions such as AU, IGAD and other Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
• Capacity to mobilize networks of experts at national level as a means to mitigate the impact of COVID related travel restrictions on data collection and stakeholder’s consultation on the field.**5. Logistics**
  The lead consultant/team leader will work with a team of national consultants from the IGAD Member States who will be experienced in the field of SME development, entrepreneurship, business administration, human resources management, education or related disciplines. The lead consultant will be coordinating all the national consultants and will work under the direct supervision of the project Chief Technical Adviser and Technical officer of the FMPT project based in Djibouti. The lead consultant will also get technical feedback and support from IGAD secretariat, GIZ, ILO regional office for Africa (ROAF), Decent Work Country Team Cairo (DWCT-Cairo), and headquarters.

6. Evaluation Process and Criteria
The evaluation process would be as shown below. In summary, the proposals will be evaluated on a weighted score of 70/30 for Technical/Financial relative score of 70/30.
6.1 Technical proposal evaluation criteria
In evaluating the technical proposal, the score allotted in the next table shall be used.

Evaluation Dimension and Max. Score

1. Consultant’s experience and portfolio of previous works Max. Score 20

Criteria:

• Possess Master’s degree in the field of social sciences, economics, international relations, development or related field and ten years of work experience in the field of employment, skills development, migration as well as project designing and project management;
• Proven technical experience in designing project proposals for funding preferably in the area of youth employment, skills development and migration;
• Qualification and experience Max Score 20
  Criteria:
• Proven technical experience in designing project proposals for funding preferably in the area of youth employment, skills development and migration;
• Proven previous working experience in project design, project cycle management including monitoring and evaluation, conducting multi country research and assessments;
• Excellent project and report writing skills and ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in English;
• Good computer application skills including use zoom, skype and other teleconferencing applications, managing and administering on line surveys as well as extracting and analyzing data using appropriate tools and methods;
• Experience in working with UN agencies and multi-lateral organizations and institutions such as AU, IGAD and other Regional Economic Communities (RECs)
• Technical proposal for assignment Max Score 30
• The proposal responds comprehensively to the TORs
• Realistic implementation and management plan
• Major risks and mitigation options identified

Total Score 70
The minimum total score required from the technical proposal to be able to proceed for evaluating the financial proposal will be 49/70 which is an equivalent of 70%.

6.2 Evaluation of the Financial Proposal
The financial proposal offers having passed the technical review will be considered. The financial offer will account for 30% of the final score. The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal will be allocated to the lowest priced proposal. All other price proposals receive pro-rated points according to the following formula: p = y (x/z), where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal x = price of the lowest priced proposal z = price of the proposal being evaluated The proposal obtaining the overall highest score, after adding the score of the technical and the financial proposals, is the one that offers best value for money.
The financial proposal should detail all lines of envisaged expenditure. For each line, the unit cost, the quantity of units, and the total cost should be provided.

Technical and Financial Proposal evaluation will be based on the following percentage combination
Technical Proposal 70
Financial proposal 30
Total 100

7. Deliverables with payment Schedule
Payments upon submission to ILO satisfaction of the deliverables and in line with the following payment tranches:

Deliverables, Payment tranches and Time frame
a) Inception report: one comprehensive inception report covering the specific objectives

• First tranche: 30% of total payment
• Time Frame: 15 December 2021

b) Draft thematic paper: a draft thematic paper will be submitted for review and comments.
c) Revised draft thematic paper: a revised draft thematic paper will be submitted after incorporating comments from the ILO, IGAD and other stakeholders
d) Draft YESI project document: a first draft PRODOC of the YESI will be submitted for review and comments
e) Revised draft YESI project documents: a revised revised draft YESI project document will be submitted after incorporating comments from the ILO, IGAD and other stakeholders
f) Presentation of the draft thematic paper: the consultant will present the thematic paper in the experts meeting or conference which will be scheduled either physically or virtually
g) Final thematic paper: the consultant will submit a final thematic paper incorporating comments and inputs made during the conference.

• Second tranche: 40% of total payment
• Time Frame: February 2022

h) Regional Employment Forum/workshop: the consultant will participate and present the draft project document and its intervention logic in a regional workshop/employment forum.
i) Revised project document: the consultant will gather comments and inputs from the workshop/forum and submit a revised document.
Validation Workshop: the consultant will present the revised project document to a wider stakeholder for consultation, review and validation either physically or virtually.
j) Final YESI project document: the consultant will submit a final YESI project document after incorporating comments and inputs including the budget to the satisfaction of the ILO and IGAD.

• Third and final tranche: 30% of total payment
• Time Frame: March 2022

Note: As ILO procedure the office will not cover receiver’s side bank charges
The service provider should submit all reports in English in word format and necessary presentations in ppt format as per requirements.