RFP 0342153 Provision of Vocational Skills Training

Who is the Danish Refugee Council?

Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. Active in 40 countries with 9,000 employees and supported by 7,500 volunteers, DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence.

Background

DRC has been operational in Kenya since 2005 and has been working with refugee and host communities. DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement affected people and communities. It provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence. DRC is present in Garissa (Dadaab & Garissa), Turkana (Kakuma, Kalobeyei & Lodwar), Nairobi and Mandera counties.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Grundfos Foundation has granted funding to a consortium led by DRC, comprising DCA and TUPADO to implement Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) project which intends to promote self-reliance and resilience interventions in Turkana West Sub-County. Through this project, DRC is seeking offers for technical assistance in providing technical skills support to targeted participants to acquire skills through formal and informal approaches geared towards enabling them transition to work by having access to trade services, products promotion and expansion of business networks. Participants targeted for this support will be the ultra-poor from both refugee and host communities, mainly women and youths with low participation in economic activities that enhance self-reliance through practical livelihoods interventions to expand their role in production and extension services as well as upskilling and support to individuals and groups with established skills and businesses.

Danish Refugee Council seeks to collaborate and partner with established institutions, private sector, and social enterprises, to provide technical skills training aimed at supporting targeted participants undergoing a graduation model acquire the necessary skills, competencies, knowledge to transition them into sustainable employment and entrepreneurial activities. The service providers will be expected to support the participants to tailor and refine their skills in enabling them to effectively navigate challenges of transitioning into the job market. This will be achieved by focusing on competencies and adapting to shifting market trends, while participants with viable job opportunities.

Purpose

The purpose of this engagement is to identify, select and partner with service providers within or outside the operation area but with capacity to deliver whilst bringing onboard new opportunities envisioned to increase employment opportunities. This will consider those in private-sector and other relevant service providers with proven competencies in provision of intended holistic skills training support to onboarded vulnerable refugee and host community participants, while in cooperating technical and supportive skills within the Kakuma camps and Kalobeyei settlement.

The activities will entail onsite training approaches within the DRC training centres units and in mapped and engaged service providers workspaces. DRC will be open to advice and recommendations by service providers engaged to undertake training and make necessary adaptations based on identified gaps. Onboarding of alternate / complimentary service providers will be guided and limited to DRC’s terms of engagement and the due diligence process.

The trainings are designed to take place using blended approaches with trainer and learner contact duration on technical skill development expected to take an average of 6 months, however this may vary depending on the nature of the trade, minimum requirements for acquisition of the necessary skills, the delivery approach and given training guidelines/curriculum. Mobilization and on boarding of participants will be DRC’s responsibility, done in cohorts and expectation is the related activities will run throughout the year 2025.

Objective

• To co-develop training schedule for onsite classroom with training approaches aligning with training demands per trade and/or per NITA guidelines / TVET standards.
• To undertake training and enable participants gain relevant skills, competencies and knowledge.
• To support the participants with job linkages and work-based opportunities.

Scope of Work

1. Technical training Support

• The training sessions are designed to be taking place every Monday to Friday with provision for flexible sessions (Morning and afternoon shifts) within a period of six months.
• Support development of vocational skills training guidelines with detailed implementation plan including timelines, frequencies and deliverables while putting in place key monitoring components to be evaluated. This will be done in collaboration with DRC team.
• The training sessions will be conducted within the provided DRC training centres or any other agreed upon training space located within the camp in Kakuma and settlement in Kalobeyei
• DRC working closely with engaged service providers, will procure training tools, equipment’s and consumables for the trade skills to be provided
• The engaged service provider will be held accountable on use of received training materials, tools, equipment’s and tools. Inventory of the same will be conducted periodically as agreed by designated persons from both parties. Stock cards will be in place to guide in this process.
• The service provider working closely with DRC is to design adoptable and contextualised training methodologies and progress tracking tools to monitor the project milestones bearing in mind the varied levels of literacy of the targeted beneficiaries.
• Employment linkages will focus on both the soft skills to succeed in employment and networks to identify potential short- or long-term jobs
• With concrete justifications, the service provider will play a key role in recommending to DRC participants to be provided with start-up kits, identifying coaching and mentorship needs and recommending linkage needs for both apprenticeship and job-based opportunities as per learner’s progress and ability.
• NITA guidelines will be used with expectation of the training to be learner centred, contextualized and comply with competence based and practical oriented.
• Develop tools to be used for continuous monitoring during training period and periodic evaluation after every stage of the training. The tools include:
  • Attendance sheets for monitoring availability of the participants during class sessions
  • Practical and theory assessments through CATS, projects and class discussions.
  • Document milestones achieved based on the expected project outcome
• Training Areas/Skills/Trades include Electrical wireman, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration, Solar Photovoltaic with consideration to expand on other potential trade areas based on relevant expertise.
• Target participants will include refugees and hosts residing within the geographical area of the project target.
• Training locations / sites/units will be within the DRC vocational training centres in Kakuma 4, Kakuma 1, Kalobeyei village 1 and Women Centre in village 3. The need for additional satellite training units will be based on justifiable reasons and agreed upon within the mapped working areas which include Kakuma and Kalobeyei.

2. Transition to work

• Support the participants to secure employment and start earning through utilization of their skills by leveraging the actors available within and beyond Kakuma.
• Secure work-based training opportunities for ongoing trainees and participants who have completed their courses.
• Establish job networks and linkage for graduates for the purpose of continuity
• Support participants to access placements for internship and attachment opportunities

Expected Outputs/Deliverables

• Depending on the content to be covered, contact hours per learner will be a minimum of 4 hours per day, with class sessions scheduled five days a week (Monday to Friday). The expected class size for each session is 25 students.
• Attendance and training completion of registered students with at least 90% succession rate.
• Vulnerable refugee and host community participants have gained market driven skills and using them for meaningful income generating activities.
• Vulnerable refugees and host community households graduate to more sustainable income.
• Training Materials: PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and resource materials.
• Implementation/work Plan: A detailed course timetable and session breakdown.
• Participant Progress Reports: Regular updates on the progress of participants, including any monthly attendance, performance and challenges and proposed solutions.
• Final Report: A comprehensive report detailing the outcomes of the skills training program, including recommendations for future initiatives.

The assignment will span a duration of 9 months, with the initial 6 months dedicated to the training phase for the onboarded learners, followed by a 3-month support period to assist the graduates in transitioning to employment.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Service Provider

• Delivering of training; Skills and other support skills based on capacity and agreement
• Development and sharing of report based on agreed frequency and timelines
• Tracking of participants attendance
• Job linkage and placement for internship
• Management of and be accountable to use training equipment’ and consumables
• Support DRC in identification of participants for awarding of start-up kits
• Progressive administration of continuous assessment exercises

2. Danish Refugee Council

• Support registration and certification for NITA where relevant
• Mobilization and registration of participants
• Acquisition of training consumables and tools where need be and as per agreements
• Monitoring and follow up of project participants
• Development of success stories
• Support career guidance sessions
• Support mentorship and coaching

Proposed Composition of Team

Lead Trainer – 1

Technical instructors – 6

• 2 Electrical wireman to cover trainings in Kakuma and Kalobeyei
• 2 Solar Photo Voltaic to cover trainings in Kakuma and Kalobeyei
• 2 Air conditioning and refrigeration to cover trainings in Kakuma and Kalobeyei

Eligibility, Qualification, and Experience Required

• Experience in delivering vocational skills training with consideration of varied approaches to suit the target beneficiaries.
• Demonstrated expertise in the specified areas of training courses
• Experience working with vulnerable and marginalized population.
• Attainment of the relevant qualification and certification for the instructors.
• Competent and knowledgeable in their craft/skill.
• Understanding of HR and safeguarding practices.
• Strong proficiency in English/ Swahili
• Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches to project development;
• Excellent team player.
• Networking and collaboration skills.
• Problem solving skills.

Lead Trainer Qualifications

• Degree in technical education or relevant area
• Above 5 years’ experience working in / with TVET institutions and preferable in marginalized areas.

Technical Instructors Qualifications

• Diploma in technical education or relevant area
• Above 4 years facilitating vocational training, preferably in marginalized areas

All the persons be in possession of certificates from accredited institutions

Conditions

The engagement calls for adherence to the context security guidelines. On the same breadth, DRC does not guarantee security in relation to this engagement, and it will therefore not be liable for any eventuality. Nevertheless, any relevant security updates will be shared when necessary.

• The tasks must be completed within the stipulated time frame.
• This engagement is set to begin in May 2025 with assignment spreading within a period of 9 months. The operations must be within the agreed terms of engagement.
• The engagement calls for adherence to and signing of DRC’s Code of Conduct
• The offer for this engagement should be inclusive of all associated and agreed costs.
• For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please visit www.drc.dk.

Travel

The engagement necessitates Service Provider representatives to be based or travel to Turkana County during the implementation process in understanding the context, participants and establishing possible linkages. The engagement will therefore call for personal arrangements on transportation, accommodation, insurance, food and make adequate provision for this in the Financial Proposal.

Application, budget and plan

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply for this assignment by submitting a concise write up that includes:

• Updated CVs with details of qualifications, experience and names of the team to be involved in the work. A profile should also be included summarizing understanding of technical skills training process, methodology and tools to be used.
• Technical proposal outlining basic strategy and technical approach to the TOR, methodology, team composition, clearly indicating the level of effort required.
• Work-plan clearly indicating the activity schedule and timelines.
• Financial proposal providing with a breakdown of budget covering service provider fees and all related expenses to implement the activities during the engagement period.
• References of similar assignment, include documented evidence from other similar assignments and/or references from the organizations that contracted the work.
• Work-plan clearly indicating the activity schedule.

Application Submission process

• Applications must be submitted to the following address [email protected] with ‘Vocational skills training’ in Turkana West’ in the subject line.
• Applications must be submitted as MS Word/PDF/Excel files, ideally packaged in a Zip file.
• The engagement is expected to be conducted starting the month of May 2025.

Evaluation

All bidders’ applicants will be reviewed following a set criterion and will be assessed for profile and qualifications technical approach, and similar experience accordingly for the initial screening. Based on the screening, DRC will invite selected bidders for an interview and further conduct reference checks from at least 2 previous works as an additional mandatory requirement prior to contracting.

Please find complete biding documents in the following link: RFP 0342153 Provision of Vocational Skills Training