Terms of Reference (ToR) for the labor market analysis

 Terms of Reference (ToR) for the labor market analysis

 Background on Save the Children

 Save the Children is the leading global independent organisation for children. Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

 We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our vision: A world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.

Our mission: To inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Our values: Accountability, ambition, collaboration, creativity and integrity.

We are committed to ensuring our resources are used as efficiently as possible, in order to focus them on achieving maximum impact for children.

 Background information/context

 Street involved and at-risk children present one of the most jeopardized groups in the state of social need that due to the poverty and high unemployment rate remain excluded from all relevant social systems. The number of street-involved children has increased rapidly over the past few years. Most street-involved children live below the poverty line, often part of a cycle of poverty that is passed on from generation to generation.  As a group, street-involved children have been ‘hidden’ from the public eye as well as excluded from the main spheres of political, economic and social life in B-H. 

 Opening of Drop-in centres (DiC) for street-involved and at-risk children was on several occasions characterized as the only positive example of support provided to this population. Strengthening the existing and replicating quality services for street-involved children has become a basis of the ENVISION project within which Save the Children has established strategic partnerships with governmental institutions and NGOs in Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka, Brčko and Bihać in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Podgorica and Nikšić in Montenegro. 

This service consists of several components: from specialized programs for children and families, legal assistance, psychological counselling, educational activities, school inclusion, and reintegration to access to welfare benefits.

 Besides services defined through DiC methodology, additional specialized programs have been developed and tested during the period 2016-2018. Family Strengthening Program (FSP) was developed in 2016, and by the end of 2019 was piloted in all seven DiCs. Additionally, this program has been integrated and piloted in 3 Centres for Social Welfare (CSW) (Bihać, Banja Luka and Nikšić). In a relatively short time, FSP showed significant results in supporting and strengthening families. The FSP program offers a working model with vulnerable families, boys and girls.

To additional strengthening capacities of families and young boys and girls, we plan to expand the FSP program with one more component - Economic Empowerment of Families and Youth in 2020, through ENVISION project intervention.

After the planned expansion, this component of the program will be piloted in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro and primarily implemented by DiCs and introduced to CSWs. Since this component will be part of the already existing program, we plan to bolster implementation involving families and young boys and girls enrolled within the FSP program.

A purpose of this program component will be to conduct a Labour Market Analysis to assess gaps, opportunities and recommend strategies for strengthening competencies and skills of adult caregivers and young people in at-risk households/families to transition to decent income earning opportunities/jobs.

 1.     PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

 Objective

 Objective 1:

To conduct a labor market analysis by market sectors in B&H and identify market gaps and employment opportunities focused on adult caregivers and young people in socially vulnerable families/households.

 Objective 2:

With the support of Save the Children, the consultant will conduct a needs assessment, aspiration and employability skill level in socially vulnerable families and youth, with the results forming an integral part of the Market analysis.

 Objective 3:

Following the results of the needs and labor market analysis, identify key program components that will serve as guidelines for the development of the Economic Empowerment Program for families and youth. 

 Location and official travel involved

 The Consultant will organize its own time in its own facilities during the time of engagement which will be no longer than 24 business days.  The Consultant will be required to travel to other locations.  Any required travel will need pre-approval by SCI in accordance with SCI’s Travel Policy and applicable Regional Office/Country Office Expense Policy.

 The Consultant will provide:

Desk research to identify required additional labor force within the market, market gaps, and companies that practice employment support programmes such as internship, temporary or permanent employment, as well as business development support.

1. Conduct needs assessment, aspiration and employability skill level of socially vulnerable families and youth (in collaboration with Save the Children)
2. Conduct semi-structured interviews (in collaboration with Save the Children based on the number of employment opportunities in each sector) with key stakeholders within the trade, government, NGOs and private sector associations.
3. Facilitate meetings with Regional Chambers of Economy, business associations, and NGOs to determine the current job market situation in different parts of B&H, with a focus on local communities where Save the Children supports Drop in Centres (Bijeljina, Brčko, Mostar, Bihać, Banja Luka)
4. Prepare a list and information on potential labor market partners (in collaboration with Save the Children) who could provide employment opportunities for the targeted beneficiaries and organizations; provide employment services (linkage with employers or employment agencies, training institutes of specific sectors, websites, and contact information of those organizations).
5. Following the results of the conducted analysis, propose programmatic interventions and strategies for strengthening the capacities of targeted groups of families and youth, which would be guidelines for the development of the Economic Empowerment Program for families and youth.
6. Submission of the final report with recommendations and strategies.

 Experience and skills set required

1. Master’s degree in a relevant thematic area or an equivalent practical experience in the related field;
2. Proven previous experience in development/empowerment and youth employment/livelihoods;
3. Demonstrated experience in conducting program baselines, evaluations, research for programs/projects in the respective sector;
4. Experience working on studies with projects of similar size and scope;
5. Evidence of having written a full evaluation report, including methodology and data analysis, with recommendations;
6. Experience managing data collection and quality control;
7. Experience designing quantitative and/or qualitative studies – whichever is relevant to the study design;
8. Background training or equivalent practical experience in Research, Monitoring and Evaluation.

Expected Deliverables

SCI expects the following deliverables to be provided:

1. Analysis of the labour market that will contain:  identified gaps and wage and self employment opportunities focused on socially vulnerable families and youth; needs assessment of socially vulnerable families and youth; identified key programme components that will serve as guidelines for the development of the Economic Empowerment Program for families and youth. 

 (The document should include: Table of Content; Abbreviations; Abstract; Introduction; Purpose and objectives of evaluation; Target community socioeconomic status, Methodology; Findings; Recommendations and Attachments: list of employment service providers, Business development service providers and contact information)

 2. Report on completion of the task submitted in English and local language.                           

 Timeline

 Estimated Commencement Date: 27^th October, 2020

Estimated End Date: 27^th November, 2020

 In order to perform all scheduled tasks, an independent Consultant shall be hired for the period October 27^th, 2020 – November 27^th, 2020. The consultant will prepare and implement the work plan in consultations and with the support of relevant Save the Children staff.

* The timeframe can be changed in consultation with the relevant Save the Children staff.

 Status updates/reporting

All documents should be written in one of the local languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Latin alphabet,  A4 format, Gill Sans MT, font size: 11).

 The Contractor shall provide the below status updates for the duration of the services:

• Bi-weekly progress update with the project team.

 Acceptance

• Analysis of the labor market – to be accepted by Project Board within 15 days of the delivery date
• Report on completion of the task – to be accepted by Project Board within 15 days of the delivery date

 General assumptions and dependencies

 Save the Children will provide the Consultant with all relevant information.

Save the Children will actively cooperate with the Consultant in collecting information from DiCs and targeted beneficiaries.

 Payment information 

The consultant must indicate the prices he/she is offering to Save the Children as part of the contract, including the currency in the Bidding Response document as well as SC-PR-10-Request for Quotation if applying on behalf of a company or organization. Provide a narrative clarification of each budget activity demonstrating how they relate to the proposed methodology and work plan. The budget headings and specific budget lines are obligatory within proposed budget.

*Note: Include only consultancy fee and task related travel costs (if any).

 40% of the total cost payable within 5 days of satisfactory submission of the brief report after conducting labor market assessment.

60% of the total cost payable within 15 days of satisfactory submission of the final report.

 The Fees includes all costs, overheads and expenses, including travel, subsistence and accommodation.

How to apply for the services

Interested consultants or companies/organisations should develop and submit the bidding proposal (accompanied with relevant annexes) in English language to respond to the above mentioned specific tasks. The bidding proposal should include: 1. Package for Consultants companies OR 2. Package for Consultants Individuals:

 Package for Consultants individuals (complete if applying as an individual):

1. Bidder Response document - individuals;

2. CVs format - individuals (maximum 3 pages) emphasizing relevant experience

3. Reference list and example of a Research Paper/ Analysis/Evaluation in English

 Selection criteria

SC will make a decision on the most successful bidder, subject to the available budget, based on the following criteria:

 Essential criteria

Bidders must meet the following criteria:

• That the bidder has legitimate business /official premises, or that they are registered for trading and tax as appropriate.
• That they are not any prohibited parties or on government blacklisting

• Bidder’s confirmation of compliance with the attached Conditions of Quotation, Terms and Conditions of Purchase, Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy, Save the Children’s Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Policy and IAPG Code of Conduct

Capability criteria

The following criteria are considered very important in the evaluation of this quotation

Quality /Service (25 %)

• Quality and certification of Bidder’s  services
• Previous Award Recipients: More independence and responsibility and/or working towards publication or presentation in a professional setting.

 Capacity (25 %)

• Bidder’s capacity to provide expected tasks within the timeline
• The financial sustainability of Bidder
• Bidder demonstrates understanding of Research through described methodology
• Bidder’s ability to place his/her research in a broader context
• Bidder’s demonstration facility with the concepts, methodologies, and questions in the field of research.
• Bidder’s articulation of his/her responsibilities and how they relate to the overall research task.
• Previous Award Recipients

• Bidder provides satisfactory client references:

 Commercial criteria 

Cost factor-pricing (50 %)

 No person working on any task for or behalf of Save the Children may in no way whatsoever be involved or related to child abuse or exploitation as defined in the Save the Children's Child Safeguarding Policy.  The contracting authority also requires that the personal data of all evaluation participants must be protected and stored in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation - (EU) 2016/679 and the national law on personal data protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH Law on Personal Data Protection, Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina No. 49/06).

 Application procedures

Interested candidates should send their applications including documents enclosed on link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kIZyl9W_UFqYBmvwq6PCGgeaqflZTkAw/view?u... to e mail address:  info.nwbalkans@savethechildren.org no later than October 23^rd  2020. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.