FSM Government: Extension of application deadline: REI - Curriculum Development and Master Training of Trainers for Agriculture Program for High Schools: 2024/706+
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Extension of Application Deadline: Pacific Vacancies Announcement No. 2024/706+ ? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ? ? REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI) CONSULTANT’S QUALIFICATIONS BASED SELECTION (CQS) ? The deadline has been extended to January 10, 2024 by 3pm Pohnpei time. ? Please find the TORs attached ?
? The FSM National Department of Education has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the FSM Skills and Employability Enhancement (SEE) project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the following consulting services. ? The Services include the provision of technical and capacity-building support to the Government of FSM in developing market-relevant career and technical education (CTE) curricula at high-school level.? Specifically, the Services will focus on:
? The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment is attached to this REOI. ? The FSM National Department of Education now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services.? Interested Consultantng firms should provide detailed information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services as outlined in the TOR. ? The attention of the interested Consulting firm is drawn to paragraph 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers Fifth Edition, September 2023 (“the Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. ? The most substantially responsive consulting firm ?that will carry out the services will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications Based Selection (CQS) method set out in the Regulations and based on the following criteria: ? Mandatory requirements ? ·?????? Minimum of?5 years?of proven experience in developing vocational education training programs in the agriculture field. ·?????? At least?3 years?of experience in designing and delivering MTOT with at least?2 completed MTOT programs?focused on building teaching capacity for CTE or similar educational programs. ·?????? Minimum of?3 years?conducting comprehensive needs assessments related to educational programs, including analysis of occupational demand, teacher capacity, infrastructure, and equipment, with at least?2 completed assessments?specifically for CTE or vocational programs. ·?????? Possesses in-depth knowledge of the local environment, including soil conditions, effective pest management strategies, and/or crop varieties. ? Desirable Requirements ·?????? Prior experience in at least?1 project?in the Pacific region or a similar developing context, particularly with educational or workforce development projects. ·?????? Background in designing vocational programs that integrate in-school youth apprenticeship, internship, or practical training components, with at least?1 completed project including this integration. ? The evaluation will be based on the firm qualifications including its managerial capabilities and relevant experience.? Key expert’s staff will not be evaluated at EOI stage.?? ? Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 8am to 5pm Pohnpei time. ? Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below via e-mail by Friday, January 10, 2024, 3pm Pohnpei time. ? FSM National Department of Education ? Attention to: Hyunjeong Lee, Project Manager P.O. Box PS 87, Palikir, Pohnpei, FM 96941 Tel: +691 320 5219 E-mail: hyunjeong.lee@... with a copy to angelyne.aten@... and ciu.dofa@... ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Annex ? TERMS OF REFERENCE CONSULTING SERVICES ? ? ? 1.?Background The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is committed to enhancing its vocational education offerings in high schools, particularly in response to the growing demand for skilled professionals in various industries.? To support this effort, the?National Department of Education (NDOE)?is implementing the?Skills and Employability Enhancement (SEE) Project, which focuses on developing occupational profiles, curricula, and apprenticeship programs aligned with industry needs. The project also seeks to build the capacity of educators, strengthen school-industry partnerships, and equip students with market-relevant skills to enhance their employability.? Specifically, the SEE Project consists of the following three main components: ???????? Component 1: Improving equitable access to vocational education and training. The objective of this component is to ensure TVET access to all eligible youth, especially the poor and vulnerable youth, women, persons with disabilities, and geographically disadvantaged groups such as students or trainees from outer islands. The component aims to achieve this by expanding the availability of quality skills training while providing information, incentives, and support to increase participation of under‐represented and disadvantaged groups in TVET. ???????? Component 2: Improving the relevance and quality of TVET. The objective of this component is to enhance the relevance and quality of training offered by TVET institutions by upgrading the training curricula and its standards; improving the quality of trainers; and making provisions for independent testing and certification of skills. ???????? Component 3: Improving labor market information and employment services. This component aims to establish capacity within the Government to provide labor market information and employment support services with a view to improve labor market outcomes among potential workers—including TVET graduates—in FSM. To this end, the activity will support schools and relevant Government units, and the SDOEs, in their efforts to match jobseekers with appropriate vacancies through comprehensive job search assistance. ? Given that the FSM currently operates decentralized Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, where each state has autonomy over its CTE programs and curriculum, the NDOE works closely with the State Department of Education (SDOEs) and high schools to enhance the effectiveness and consistency of these programs through the SEE project.?? ? As part of these efforts, the NDOE conducted a comprehensive data collection to better understand the workforce needs across all four states in FSM.? During this process, and through a stakeholder consultation workshop held in June 2024, seven key industries and 36 occupations were collectively identified by state stakeholders.? From these,?30 priority occupations?were selected by stakeholders and the NDOE for further development and implementation.: ?
? These occupations represent key growth areas within their respective industries, while the core skills are essential for success across all sectors.? The development of programs centered on these skills will ensure that FSM’s future workforce is well-prepared to meet local, regional, and international demands. ? To support the development and review of curriculum content and tools, the?NDOE will request each SDOE?to establish a?state-level task force.? These task forces (TFs) will work closely with the NDOE, the SEE project, and the contracted firm to ensure the curriculum and materials reflect both industry needs and local cultural contexts. ? The?state-level TF?will ideally comprise:
? The main responsibilities of these TFs include:
? The SEE project under the guidance of the NDOE will oversee and support the TFs to ensure smooth communication and progress toward shared goals. ? Figure 1. Implementation Arrangement ? Important Considerations
·?????? Consideration 5. To address systemic challenges, such as local workers in FSM often being confined to low-skill jobs while firms hire foreign workers for management roles, the curriculum must include elements that promote upward career mobility and broader workforce aspirations.? This includes: o?? Sensitization to career paths:?Introducing students to potential career trajectories and the requirements for advancing to higher-level positions within their chosen industries. o?? Exposure to higher-level job functions:?Providing opportunities for students to learn about and engage with higher-level roles, helping them understand what these positions entail and the skills required. o?? Fostering aspirations:?Embedding activities and content in the curriculum that inspire students to pursue leadership or specialized roles in their fields, counteracting limitations on local workforce progression. ? ? 2.?Objective The objective of this assignment is to engage a qualified firm to develop a practical, market-relevant, high-school level curriculum for graphic design and social media content creation.? This curriculum should address the specific needs of each state who has expressed interested in piloting the curriculum for Grades 9-12 during the implementation of the SEE project, considering local industry demands and the existing capacity of schools. Additionally, the firm will conduct a Master Training of Trainers (MTOT) program to ensure that CTE instructors are adequately prepared to deliver the new curriculum.? Specifically: ? The selected firm will undertake the following:
? 3. Implementation/Reporting Arrangements ?
? 4.?Scope of Work The following tasks are expected to be undertaken: ?
? ? 5. Duration of the Assignment, Expected Deliverables and Tentative Timeline Based on the tasks outlined in the scope of work, this assignment is expected to be undertaken over the period of March 2025 – October 2025. ?
? 5.1?? Key Deliverable Review Process The NDOE and the PIU will review all key deliverables within?10 business days?from the date of submission.? Any feedback or required revisions will be communicated promptly to the firm to ensure timely adjustments.? ? 5.2?? Document Transfer All deliverables will be submitted by the firm electronically via?email and Google Drive?to ensure easy access for the NDOE and SEE Project team.? ? 6. Core Team The core team should consist of following key personnel with the listed skills and experience: ?
? 7.?????? Qualifications of Firm ? The selected firm should meet the following requirements to successfully carry out the objectives and scope of this assignment. ? 7.1?? Mandatory Requirements ·?????? Minimum of?5 years?of proven experience in developing vocational education training programs in the agriculture field. ·?????? At least?3 years?of experience in designing and delivering MTOT with at least?2 completed MTOT programs?focused on building teaching capacity for CTE or similar educational programs. ·?????? Minimum of?3 years?conducting comprehensive needs assessments related to educational programs, including analysis of occupational demand, teacher capacity, infrastructure, and equipment, with at least?2 completed assessments?specifically for CTE or vocational programs. ·?????? Possesses in-depth knowledge of the local environment, including soil conditions, effective pest management strategies, and/or crop varieties. ? 7.2?? Desirable Requirements ·?????? Prior experience in at least?1 project?in the Pacific region or a similar developing context, particularly with educational or workforce development projects. ·?????? Background in designing vocational programs that integrate in-school youth apprenticeship, internship, or practical training components, with at least?1 completed project including this integration. ? 8. Evaluation and selection process
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will not claim any charges from the specialists. ? [1] Schools will be identified by the NDOE.? This will include the four public high schools and one private school that the project has been working with, as well as other high schools offering CTE programs.? The five high schools are: Pohnpei Island Central School (PICS), Yap High School, Yap Catholic High School, Kosrae High school, and Chuuk High School. |
Wilco Liebregts