Request for Proposal - Gender Strategic Planning Consultant - RFPJOR2023391 - MENA Jobs For Worldwide Job Vacancies

In order to be awarded the contract, bidders should possess the financial, economic, technical and professional capacity to perform the contract. Bidders should fulfill their tax and social insurance liabilities in the country and should not currently be subject to a debarment penalty.
Bidders must adhere to the highest ethical standards, both throughout the bidding process and execution of the contract.
WUSC has a zero tolerance for unethical behavior/corrupt practices including:

- Bribery: the act of unduly offering, giving, receiving or soliciting anything of value to influence the procurement process;
  – Extortion or coercion: the act of attempting to influence the process of procuring goods or services, or executing contracts by means of threats of injury to person, property or reputation;
  – Fraud: misrepresentation of information or facts for the purpose of influencing the procurement process;
  – Collusion: an agreement between bidders designed to result in bids at artificial prices that are not competitive;
  – Guilt of misrepresentation in supplying the information required by the contracting authority as a condition of participation in the contract procedure or failing to supply this information;
  – Anti-terrorism: support of any terrorist or terrorist group as defined by donors;
  – Other civil, criminal acts or otherwise illegal activity which would be detrimental to the financial interests of WUSC

WUSC may declare the consultancy firms, their boards of directors and/or individual personnel ineligible to register with the organization either indefinitely or for a stated period of time.
WUSC will reject a proposal if it establishes that the bidder recommended for award has engaged in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive practices in competing for the contract.

3. Language of the Proposal

The Proposal as well as all, correspondence and documents related to the proposal shall be written in English Language.

4. Documents included in the Proposal

The proposal will be prepared, submitted and evaluated in two parts as follows:

1. Technical Proposal Format and Content

The Technical Proposal shall be prepared using the format provided below and shall comprise the documents listed**.** The Technical Proposal shall not include any financial information. A Technical Proposal containing material financial information shall be declared non-responsive.

Section 1 (In case of an open tender where the suppliers are not known to WUSC; the following documents should be requested) for eligibility and compliance check/evaluation

- Covering letter on firms headed paper giving complete details including email addresses, telephone contacts, office location
  – Copy of Certificate of incorporation/registration (Commercial registration)
  – Valid Tax compliance certificate (where applicable)
  – Copy of Current Trading License (Vocational license)
  – Copy of regulatory body certificate (where applicable)

Failure to submit the documents requested in section 1 will lead to rejection of the proposal.

2. Financial Proposal format and content

The Financial Proposal shall be prepared in the format below and it shall list all costs associated with the assignment, including (a) remuneration for Key Experts and Non-Key Experts, (b) reimbursable expenses as follows:

- Summary of Costs
  – Breakdown of Remuneration of the key experts proposed
  – Reimbursable expenses if any

4.2.1 The prices given in the financial proposal must include all taxes and duties in accordance with the laws of the country.

4.2.2 The price offered must remain fixed during the contract performance.

4.2.3 The bid price must be in the requested Currency, which is Jordanian Dinar (JOD).

5. Clarification and Amendment

WUSC will, within 5 working days, respond in writing or electronic mail to any request clarification received in writing or electronic mail no later than 7 days before expiry of the deadline for submission of the bid. The response will be distributed to all bidders without identifying the source of the request. All enquiries should be written to WUSC through ([email protected])

6. Modification and Withdrawal

1. The bidder may submit a modified bid or a modification to any part of it at any time prior to the proposal submission deadline. The bidder’s withdrawal notice envelope must be marked as “Modification”. No modifications to the bid shall be accepted after the deadline.
2. The bidder may submit a bid withdrawal notice to any part of it at any time prior to the proposal submission deadline. The bidder’s withdrawal notice envelope must be marked as “Withdrawal”. No withdrawals to the bid shall be accepted after the deadline.

7. Payment and Currency

Payment under the Contract shall be made in the currency or currencies in the bid which is (JOD)
Payment will be made within 30 days upon submission of invoice and satisfactory receipt of goods.

8. Format, signing and submission of Proposals

An authorized representative of the bidder shall sign the original submission letters in the required format as one original.
The original Technical Proposal shall be placed inside a sealed envelope clearly marked “TECHNICAL PROPOSAL” Tittle of assignment, name and address of the Consultant, and with a warning “DO NOT OPEN UNTIL May 16th 2023 16:00.
The original Financial Proposal shall be placed inside a sealed envelope clearly marked “FINANCIAL PROPOSAL” Tittle of assignment, name and address of the Consultant, and with a warning “DO NOT OPEN UNTIL May 16th 2023 16:00.
The sealed envelopes containing the Technical and Financial Proposals shall be placed into one outer envelope and sealed. This outer envelope shall be addressed to WUSC and bear the submission address, RFP reference number, the name of the assignment, the Consultant’s name and the address, and shall be clearly marked “Do Not Open Before May 16th 2023 16:00”. The bidder will submit his bid in a sealed envelope which must be addressed and delivered to: WUSC Jordan Country Office.

9. Deadline for Submission of Bids

The sealed envelopes containing the bid shall be addressed to WUSC and bear the submission address, RFP reference number, the name of the assignment, must be received by WUSC by May 16 2023 16:00. Bids received after this date will be rejected.

Proposals submitted must be valid for 90 days from the bid submission date.

10. Bid Opening

WUSC evaluation committee shall conduct the opening of the proposals immediately after the bid submission time.The opening date will be May 17th, 2023.
At the opening of the proposals, only the envelop with the Technical proposal shall be opened while Financial Proposal shall remain sealed and shall be securely stored. bids the following shall be read out: (i) the name and the country of the bidder (ii) any modifications to the bid submitted prior to proposal submission deadline; (iii) the presence or absence of a duly sealed envelope with the Financial Proposal (iv) any other information deemed appropriate. This information will be filled in the bid opening form.

11. Evaluation of Technical Proposals

The evaluators of the Technical Proposals shall have no access to the Financial Proposals until the technical evaluation is concluded.
The tender committee shall evaluate the Technical Proposals on the basis of their responsiveness to the Terms of Reference and the RFP, applying the evaluation criteria, sub-criteria, and point system specified below. Each responsive Proposal will be given a technical score.

A Proposal shall be rejected at this stage if it does not respond to important aspects of the RFP or if it fails to achieve the minimum technical score.

During evaluation of bids, WUSC may request of the bidder, in writing using mailing address or email address, to provide clarification of his bid. No change in price or substance of the bid shall be sought, offered or permitted.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

Criteria, sub-criteria, and point system for the evaluation of the Technical Proposals:

Points

Technical (70 points)
Financial Proposal (30 points)

Total points for the four criteria: 100**

The minimum technical score (St) required to pass is: 65

The minimum Overall score 70

Evaluation of Financial Proposals
1. The Financial Proposals of the bidders who attain the minimum technical scores are opened (can be made public to all bidders who participated, and if a public opening is called all bidders must be informed in advance of their technical scores and those qualifying informed that their financial proposals will be opened during the public opening and those who did not attain the minimum points are informed that their financial proposals will be returned unopened after the contracting process is complete ) and the summary of cost prices read out and recorded in the bid opening form by the tender committee. All other Financial Proposals are returned unopened after the Contract negotiations are successfully concluded and the Contract is signed.
2. Arithmetical errors will be rectified in the following manner. If there is a discrepancy between the unit price and the total price, obtained in multiplying the unit price by quantity, the unit price will prevail. If there is a discrepancy between the words and figures, the amount in words shall prevail. If the bidder disagrees with such his bid will be rejected.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

The lowest evaluated Financial Proposal (Fm) is given the maximum financial score (Sf) of 100.

The formula for determining the financial scores (Sf) of all other Proposals is calculated as following:

Sf = 100 x Fm/ F, in which “Sf” is the financial score, “Fm” is the lowest price, and “F” the price of the proposal under consideration.

[or replace with another inversely proportional formula acceptable to the WUSC]

The weights given to the Technical (T) and Financial (P) Proposals are:

T = [70], and

P = _______[30]

Proposals are ranked according to their combined technical (St) and financial (Sf) scores using the weights (T = the weight given to the Technical Proposal; P = the weight given to the Financial Proposal; T + P = 1) as following: S = St x T% + Sf x P%.

13. Confidentiality

No bidder will contact WUSC on any matter related to his bid except for requests related to clarifications of the bid. Information concerning procurement process and evaluation of bids is confidential. Any clarification related to the selection process, shall be done only in writing.
Any attempt by the bidder to influence improperly WUSC officials in the evaluation of the bid or Contract award decisions may result in the rejection of its bid, and may be subject to the application of prevailing WUSC’s debarment procedures.

14. Notification of Award

The Consultant with the Most Advantageous Proposal, which is the Proposal that achieves the highest combined technical and financial scores, will be notified of award of contract by WUSC in writing.
At the same time WUSC notifies the successful bidder, WUSC will notify all other unsuccessful bidders and provide a debrief where one is sought in writing within 5 days.
The notice of acceptance will be given by the successful bidder within 7 days of the notification of award.

15. Award of Contract

WUSC will award the contract to the bidder whose bid is determined to be substantially responsive and who offered the best evaluated bid.
WUSC reserves the right to accept or reject any bid or all bids and to cancel the bidding process at any time prior to award of the contact without thereby incurring any liability to bidders without being required to inform the bidders of reasons for such actions.

16. Signing of Contract and Performance Security

WUSC will send the successful bidder the Contract. The bidder will sign and date the contract and return to WUSC within 14 days of receipt of the notice of award.
Together with the signed Contract, the bidder will furnish WUSC with a Performance Security, if required to do so.
If the successful bidder fails to submit the performance security, if required to do so, within 14 days, then it shall be sufficient grounds to revoke the award of the contract. In this case, WUSC will award the contract to the next bidder.
A performance security may be required in cases where the supplier is given an advance payment. Performance Security must be in the form of a Bank Guarantee or a bond from an Insurance Company licensed by the Bank.

17. Settlement of Disputes

Disputes that may arise during the performance of the Contract shall be settled in accordance with the laws of the country, by arbitration or mutual agreement between the parties.

18. Compliances

Bidders must submit valid certificates of compliances from the relevant bodies as requested.

ANNEX 1

Women’s Economic Linkages and Employment Development (WE LEAD)

VTC’s Gender Unit Strategic Planning Consultant

Terms of Reference (PRJOR2023391)

1. Background

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a global non-profit organization providing education, economic and empowerment opportunities to youth, particularly young women, marginalized youth and refugees. WUSC and Canadian Leaders in International Consulting (CLIC) are implementing the Women’s Economic Linkages and Employment Development (WE LEAD) project in Jordan from 2017-2024. WE LEAD collaborates with several local partners: a key one is the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC). The project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, operates in the three governorates of East Amman, Irbid, and Zarqa.

WE LEAD increases women’s empowerment and economic opportunities through technical training and employment. Its goals are to increase women’s employment in the health and childcare sectors, and to reduce gender-specific barriers to women entering into and remaining in these workforces. After identifying a market need, WUSC and the VTC created 3 new training curricula (Early Childhood Care & Development (ECCD), Medical Office Assistant (OMA) and Health Services Worker (HSW) focused on female students. In late 2021, the VTC created a Gender Unit in the Business Development Department (BDD), with the goal of integrating Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) throughout all areas, policies, programs and procedures of the VTC. Its first, part-time staff person was assigned in 2022.

In Nov. 2022, the “VTC Strategy Roadmap – 3 years” was released, but did not identify a role for the Gender Unit. The Gender Unit needs to secure its place within that plan, and create a strategy to ensure its role can be accomplished. A Baseline Assessment of the Gender Unit was done in late 2022, (will be shared with the selected bidder). It recognized that a strategic plan is needed to maximize the impact of the Gender Unit, ensures it has a clear role in the VTC, and to help the VTC meet the expectations set out in: Jordan’s National Youth Strategy 2019-2025[1]; Jordan’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Action Plan[2]; MASHREQ World Bank: Jordan[3]; and Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision: “A Better Future”.[4]

2. Context

In Jordan, many projects have tried to empower women, and increase their participation in the labour market. The long term benefits from these projects often are limited, since donors focus on accomplishing the project’s activities, and providing the needed resources during the implementation period, without regard to what is required to sustain the work in the long run. However, WE LEAD has adopted a “Systems Change” approach. By strengthening the VTC’s Gender Unit through a strategic planning exercise, coaching its staff and acting as a facilitator (as opposed to a delivery agent), the VTC’s Gender Unit should have a sustainable outcome once the project is completed [at the end of March, 2024 at the latest].

IMPACT SOUGHT FROM THIS EXERCISE: To create a solid sustainable plan for GESI to be taught, through the Gender Unit’s actions and coordination, to every instructor, built into every course, included in every manager’s performance management plan, and inform decision-making, internal communications, and policy and program development at all levels of the VTC.to create a sustainable practices , policies , procedures to initialize a gender sensitive and responsive plans and to put the gender justice agenda at the organizational priorities.

3. Job brief

WUSC is seeking an organized, creative, diplomatic, strategic planning professional who can work with a governmental institution on two main deliverables; a gender strategy for the VTC and a gender audit training for the VTC staff.

In order to create a sustainable, gender strategic planning process and plan. You must have significant gender knowledge, strong conflict resolution skills, and a proven ability to work with the public sector. You must be fluent in written and spoken Arabic, and proficient in written and spoken English. All reports must be provided in both languages.

For the strategic planning process to be successful, you will need to work closely with, and guide, the Gender Specialist at WUSC, the VTC’s Gender Unit, and the management at the VTC. Relevant Government entities, employers, (and any others deemed appropriate) should be consulted and/or informed of the process.

With you, the Gender Unit will develop a strategic framework (theory of change) that is mapped to the VTC’s and Jordan’s frameworks mentioned above. Successfully implemented, it will:

develop the Gender Unit’s Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives for activities in progress, and planned, for the next 4 years
Have Strategic Objectives that:
Ensure the Gender Unit is a strong secretariat
Ensure effective governance of the Gender Unit
Provide effective service delivery (including curricula revision) through improved operations (financial, administrative, management)
Ensure engaged members and partners
Ensure a sufficient and diverse staff and funding base for the Gender Unit
Ensure strong GESI monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning for instructors, students and management
Ensure relevant internal and external social, economic and political factors are considered
Ensure increased awareness of, and adherence to gender rights at the VTC, and in the communities it serves
Through its actions, help address Jordan’s goals and its progress towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on gender
Ensure Jordan’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Action Plan[5] is followed

As for the gender audit training, this assignment seeks to equip the VTC with the necessary training and tools to create a gender-sensitive work and training environment. Also, to have them apply a gender lens to their own workplaces and training programs.

By the end of the gender audit training the participants should be able to:

Understand gender concepts including gender mainstreaming, intersectionality, gender relations.
Identify barriers to women’s employment e.g.; lack of child care and transportation.
Be aware of the factors that make a workplace and/or a training environment gender friendly.
Be able to assess their own policies, practices and processes.
Understand the root causes of gender inequities
Identify their organization’s equity strengths and weaknesses in training, promotional opportunities and workplace practices and programs.
Enhance their ability to be more gender-sensitive.
Know how to write a gender action plan.
Know how to make their gender sensitive policies and programs sustainable in the long term.

4. Scope of Work

Scope of Work for Part One (Gender Strategy for the VTC):

Phase 1: Environmental Scan and Internal Analysis

Assess the current situation, review the Baseline Report on the Gender Unit, meet with, and perform, Key Informant Interviews (KII) with WUSC GT, and VTC’s Gender Unit and BDD manager, review relevant documents
Determine the relevant internal and external factors: conduct a PELTS analysis (political, economic, legal, technological and socio-cultural) of Jordanian, Government, VTC and Gender Unit’s values and goals
Conduct an environmental scan: perform a SWOT analysis of factors that may positively or negatively impact the long-term direction of the Gender Unit, including the VTC’s priorities and applicable relations.
Mapping the non-governmental agencies, and the governmental ministries, agencies, or departments that could assist, or impact (positively or negatively) the Gender Unit’s goals
Create a high-level overview of what the VTC ‘s Gender Unit purpose is and what it plans to achieve
In collaboration with the gender specialist at WUSC and the Gender Unit, collect primary and secondary data through one-one meetings and focus group meetings with VTC management, staff and instructors: compare their operations with the priorities identified above.
Identify priorities that need to be incorporated in the Gender Unit’s strategic plan
Show how the strategic plan will guide the Gender Unit’s priorities
Ensure the strategic plan links to the VTC’s 5 Year framework and how GESI can be included in it.
Ensure the strategic plan links to the National Strategy for Women in Jordan (2020-2025)
Outline the strategic planning process, and the proposed timeline
Provide a written Inception Report on the above, and recommendations and timeline for the strategic planning process. [to be completed by June 30, 2023]

Phase 2: Strategic Direction (Working with the WUSC Gender specialist and Gender Unit throughout)

Use what was learned from the environmental scan and internal analysis to create a strategic direction for the Gender Unit.
Summarize the Gender Unit ‘s theory of change
State the Gender Unit ‘s values and ways of working
Develop a gender-sensitive process for strategic planning, in close collaboration with identified staff at the VTC.
Specify appropriate communication and training needed for the process. Work with the Gender Unit and BDD to ensure key messages are effectively communicated to internal stakeholders.
Meet with staff and stakeholders: use their input to build a vision for the Gender Unit’s future that is both idealistic and high-impact.
Propose how to align the VTC Gender Unit’s GESI priorities with those of the VTC overall
Propose how to align the Gender Unit ‘s work with government priorities
Determine what is achievable, and the overall time frame
Set the vision, mission, goals and strategic direction of the VTC’s Gender Unit, with the training & communications plans, and the process to develop the strategy.

Phase 3: Develop Goals and Objectives

Meet with internal stakeholders and senior leadership to create a focused set of goals and objectives.
Facilitate focus groups and meet with subject matter experts to come up with strategies, indicators, and desired outcomes for each goal
Coach the gender Unit staff throughout this process, so they are an integral part of the process and have the skills to update the strategic plan annually
Use existing processes like staff engagement, communities of practice, and quarterly reviews to get buy-in from across the VTC.
Goals should ensure effective governance at all levels
The reputation and effectiveness of the Gender Unit relies on a strong governance model that ensures support and accountability. This includes:
- All staff, volunteers and members knowing the GESI standards they are to meet, and how to incorporate them into their work
- Governing bodies are aware of their GESI responsibilities
Provide a written report for Phases 2 & 3, in English, on the Gender Unit’s proposed theory of change, the vision, mission, values, goals and strategic direction of the Gender Unit, and how it fits within the VTC’s strategic direction, on the proposed goals and objectives, and the governance model

Phase 4: Define Metrics, Set Timelines, and Track Progress

Determine who is responsible for each goal, and create a reporting process
Identify the necessary resource allocations, create realistic timelines, and define metrics that will best measure success.
Set milestones and timelines to ensure the process stays on track.
Set out how progress and impact will be monitored and evaluated
Work with the Gender Unit to create a policy on cross-sharing and learning so that good practices are replicated across the VTC e.g. It is the responsibility of staff and volunteers who return from training events to share, debrief and present outcomes to their colleagues
With the Gender Unit, create a policy on how it will work to maximize resources and efficiencies
Demonstrate the Gender Unit’s value through effective and efficient policies, programs and services, documenting along the way to ensure institutional memory of best practices, etc.

Phase 5: Write and Publish a Strategic Plan

Write a strategic plan, in English and Arabic, including a Gender Unit communications strategy, aplan for implementation and the future, including time frames & duration, that reflects the vision and goals of the VTC’s Gender Unit, and shows its integration in the VTC
Throughout the process, take the necessary steps to obtain VTC-wide support for the plan, to help ensure that the Gender Unit’s strategic plan succeeds

Phase 6: Plan for Implementation and the Future

Plan the implementation
Propose changes to the Gender Unit’s composition and staff job descriptions, so that they have the necessary responsibility and authority to accomplish the Strategic Plan
Provide Guidelines for the Gender Unit’s interactions with the broader VTC as it conducts its strategic planning exercise and implementation.
Include performance measures that track progress
Create a formal system for leadership and staff to annually review the plan and update goals and objectives as needed.
Directly influence VTC management to incorporate gender into all aspects of the VTC’s operations and support them in their responses
Collect

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