Republic of Moldova
Global Partnership for Education Project
Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.TF 011810

Assignment Title: National Consultant Services to Assist Ministry of Education in the Revision of the Legal Framework Regulating the Social Inclusion of Children 

Reference No. A.2.1.1a

The Republic of Moldova has received a grant in the amount of US$4.4 million from the Global Partnership for Education Fund toward the cost of the implementation of the Consolidated Action Plan on Education, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. 

The objective of this assignment focuses on reviewing and improving the legal framework for integrated, inclusive ECD services. The selected consultant will undertake a desk review of major developmental documents and develop proposals for improving the legal framework for integrated, inclusive ECD services, jointly with the international consultant on:
(i) applying a cross-sectorial legal approach to inclusion and integration at the central, rayon and local level through mobilizing efforts of health, social protection and education towards inclusion and mainstreaming;
(ii) improving the legal framework on inclusive education at all stages of education, including the transition from preschool to school;
(iii) legal framework to facilitate parental involvement in the education and integration of Children with Special Education Needs (SEN) and vulnerable children.

Under this assignment the Consultant will carry out the following activities: 
C.1. In order to identify legislative issues related to inclusion of early aged children with SEN, the consultant shall:
• Review the legal framework on inclusion (education, health, social protection);
• Analyze existing strategies (education, health, social protection).

C.2. The consultant, jointly with international consultant (hired under separate TOR), will propose concrete amendments to the legal framework that would facilitate the creation of access to education for all children referring to:
• Establishment and sustainable functioning of integrated services covering health, social protection and education field;
• Improvement of legal framework on inclusive education at all stages of education, including the transition from preschool to school;
• Improvement of legal framework to facilitate parental involvement in the education and integration process of children with SEN and vulnerable children.
The national consultant, jointly with international consultant, shall propose the implementing mechanisms of the revised legislation at national, rayon and local level. 

The estimated duration of the assignment is 30 days during the period from January 15 – April 15, 2013.

The Ministry of Education now invites eligible individual consults (“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:
• Academic background in a social field;
• Experience in the inclusive education field; 
• Experience of analysis and review of legislative acts in the social field (education, health, social protection);
• Legal expertise in the field of education, health and social protection;
• Experience in other similar tasks (development, revision of legislation in the education, health and social protection field);
• Knowledge of English language; 
• Collaboration with international partners activating in the similar field would be considered as advantage. 

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 Borrowers January 2011 edition, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. 
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection of Individual Consultants method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.

Further information and detailed TOR can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 17:00. 

Expressions of interest (Cover Letter and CV in English) must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 7 December 2012, 17:00.

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