REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
Republic of Moldova
Global Partnership for Education Project
Grant No. TF 011810
Assignment Title: Local Service Provider for the End-of-Project Evaluation Study
Reference No. CQS-09/A.4.3.1
The Republic of Moldova received a series of three Grants totaling US$ 13.2 million from the Education for All (EFA)/Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund (EFA FTI CF) and Global Partnership for Education (further called GPE) to support the implementation of the Consolidated Strategies and Action Plans on Education. Implementation started in 2006 (EFA FTI 1) and continued through 2010 (EFA FTI 2). The third Grant (GPE) was initiated in March 2012 and will be closed in October 2014. In addition, an Education Program Development Fund (EPDF), associated to the EFA FTI Grant, provided a grant in the amount of US$ 598,000, which was executed by the World Bank to support the Ministry of Education (MoE) in conducting the necessary background work to expedite the EFA FTI Grant implementation. The MOE intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.
The objective of this assignment is the evaluation of the EFA/FTI Grant Year I, Year II and GPE Grant activities. Local Service Provider (LSP), a firm or an NGO is required to carry out the end-of-project evaluation study with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of the Project interventions in the context of the implementation of “Education and Early Development” component of the Consolidated Action Plan in Education. The Project Evaluation study shall respond in-depth to the following topics:
Ø If the Project interventions contributed to reach the objectives defined in the Consolidated Strategy and Consolidated Action Plan: improve access, enrollments, quality, inclusion and equity of preschool services;
Ø If the impact on the major beneficiaries, preschool education sub-sector and education sector as a whole have been relevant;
Ø If the impact of the mentoring programs on the beneficiaries and the preschool education sub-sector have been efficient and positively impacted the quality of provided services;
Ø If Community Driven initiative empowered communities to demand the right to education and care of their children and ensured the sustainability of newly set up services;
Ø If private-public and social partnership built around ECD helped to advance the ECD Agenda forward;
Ø If the Grants’ activities managed to produce a change in professionals’ and caregivers’ mindsets nationally, regionally and locally regarding the importance of ECD in child’s development;
Ø If the Grants’ activities impacted the learning outcomes of children;
Ø If the Grants’ activities had an equity approach in order to help most vulnerable children to exercise their right to education and care;
Ø If inter-sectorial activities implemented under the 3 Grants boosted inter-sectorial cooperation among line ministries;
Ø If complimentary funding had a positive impact on the overall achievements of the grants;
Ø If the programming and implementation process and procedures have been efficient and effective.
The study’s objective is to assess the process, effectiveness, impact, relevance, and sustainability for each of the components of Projects (EFA FTI Year I, Year II, GPE) and draw conclusions in relation to the implementation of the Consolidated Strategy and Actions Plan in Education and future efforts in achieving objectives set in the Consolidated Strategy and Consolidated Actions Plan and future efforts in achieving objectives set in the new Education Strategy 2020.
The Ministry of Education now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:
Ø At least 5 years of professional experience in academic research, analysis, forecasts;
Ø Knowledge and expertise of team in use of various evaluation instruments;
Ø Knowledge and expertise in conducting interviews, development of monitoring indicators;
Ø At least 3 years’ experience in conducting similar studies, financed by international financial institutions.
The experience in conducting evaluation studies in education and/or social protection fields will be regarded as an asset.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants [under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants] by World Bank BorrowersJanuary 2011 edition, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a subconsultancy to enhance their qualifications.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications Selection (CQS) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.
Note: Given the nature of this assignment which foresees the evaluation of all project activities, the Conflict of Interest provisions foresee that no consultants, including their personnel and/or sub-consultants, nor any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that consultant, shall be hired for this assignment if it is in conflict with any other assignments which this consultant has carried out under the project.
Further information and detailed TOR can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 17:00.
Expressions of interest (description of similar assignments, the approach applied under accomplishment of such tasks, etc.) must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 23 June 2014, 17:00 hours.
Ministry of Education of the Republic of Moldova
1 Piaţa Marii Adunări Naţionale, MD-2033, office 431,
Chişinău, Moldova
Attn: Ruslan Malai, Procurement Specialist
Tel: +373 22 233139
Fax: +373 22 233897
E-mail: ruslanmalaipge@gmail.com; cc: proiectpge@gmail.com
