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Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT)

Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Development Project (TVETSDP)

AFD Loan 8305-CAM (SF)

National Start-Up Cost Impact Assessment Consultancy (3 person-months)

1. This request for expressions of interest follows the General Procurement Notice for this project that appeared in the “ADB Business Opportunities” with link below: http://csrn.adb.org or http://www.ntb.gov.kh/tvetsdp

2. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has received a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and additional financing from AFD (Loan 8305) toward the cost of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Development Project (TVETSDP) and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this loan to payment for recruitment of national employment facilitation and coordination specialist. The Government believes that a strong, relevant Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system with solid links to the labor market will contribute to social stability and inclusion, poverty reduction, and sustainable economic development.

3. The selection and engagement of an individual consultant to undertake this study to be financed under the project will be done in accordance with ADB’s Guidelines, using the Individual Consultant Selection (ICS) procedures.

4. The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) now invites all qualified and experienced individual consultant who have (i) a post-graduate degree, preferably in social sciences; (ii) at least 5 years of relevant experience in Cambodia conducting analyses of various project interventions, preferably in ADB financed education and/or technical and vocational project in Cambodia; (iii) fluency in Khmer and English is essential; (iv) demonstrated capacity to conduct quantitative and qualitative evaluation data collection and analysis; (v) demonstrated capacity to conduct survey, lead focus group discussions and conduct training; (vi) experience preferably in implementation or analysis of start-up-like and/or financial support programs, preferably in developing countries; and (vii) experience in education or TVET sector is desirable.

5. Interested and eligible the individual consultant may obtain further information related to ToR and project

documents at the address given below from 08:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 17:00 hours on all working days, Monday to Friday.

6. Expressions of interest must be submitted online via http://cms.adb.org no later than 24:00 hrs (midnight,

local time in Philippine), Friday 23 August 2019. Only those expressions of interest, which are compliant with the term of reference (TOR) of this assignment, may be considered. Women are encouraged to apply.

Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training Project Coordination Unit (PCU) Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Development Project (TVETSDP) # 3, Russian Federation, Sangkat Teuk Laak II, Khan Toulkork, Phnom Penh Attention: Mr. Kheng Khemara, Chief of Procurement Email: tvetproject@gmail.com http://www.ntb.gov.kh/tvetsdp

TERMS OF REFERENCE

NATIONAL START-UP COSTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT

CONSULTANCY

INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT

[C-20-AF-ICS]

1. BACKGROUND The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Development Project

(TVETSDP) is funded jointly by the ADB [USD 23 million] and the AFD [USD 15

million], as well a further USD four million from the government of Cambodia. It

commenced in 2015 and runs until mid-2021. The Ministry of Labour and Vocational

Training (MLVT) is the executing agency of the program, and Directorate General of

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (DGTVET) is the implementing

agency.

The TVETSDP supports the government of Cambodia to address equity and quality

issues facing the TVET system through:

Increased access to TVET programs, particularly for women and the poor

Improved quality and relevance of the TVET system

Strengthened governance and management of TVET delivery

The project supports RGC’s commitment to the development of high-quality, skilled

and capable human resources in order to meet the immediate and long-term needs of

economic growth and socio-economic development. The impact of the project will be

increased employability of TVET certified workers. The outcome of the project will be

an accessible, demand-driven TVET system responsive to continuing and emerging

labour market demands.

The project is delivering four outputs: (i) increased access to TVET programs,

particularly for women and the poor; (ii) improved quality and relevance of the TVET

system; (iii) increased involvement of employers in TVET delivery; and (iv)

strengthened governance and management of the TVET system.

2. START-UP COSTS The Project has provided start-up costs to selected Public TVET Institutions, in

particular RTCs and PTCs, to offer courses at CQF levels 2–4. The start-up costs is

funded on a sliding scale: 100% in the 1st year, 80% in the 2nd year, 50% in the

3rd year, 30% in the 4th year and 10% in the 5th year. T h e s e l e c t i o n o f

RTCs and PTCs to be provided with start-up costs is based on the evaluation of

their business plans, which they have to submit to the project. This business plan

has to clearly state total budget and expenditure items and the activit ies and

items to be financed by the Project’s start up funds.

The eligible expenditure items are staff training, teaching materials and equipment,

stationery, utilities, transport, industry liaison, marketing, tracer studies of certificate

graduates, monitoring and evaluation, and cluster development. Funds are provided

to RTCs and PTC in semester 1 of the following academic year once enrolments

are verified by submission of student details to DGTVET through appropriate forms

at the end of the academic year. Further funding is based on full accounting and

reconciliation against the annual budget and business plan. The relevant extracts of

the Project Administration Memorandum are given in Annex 1.

The start-up cost program was implemented from September2017. In academic year 2016/17, start-up cost was provided to1,702 students (424 females, 24.91%) of 14 provinces. The total funds disbursed was USD 150,320. The data of the beneficiaries disaggregated by province, institution, gender, IP, CQF levels, priority sectors, and job occupation are given in Annex 2. A total of 16 training institutions have fully settled (100%) settled their accounts and the other three have not settled their accounts yet. The start-up cost funds were used for expenses under 3 broad categories, namely for increasing access to CQF levels 2-4 courses, quality improvement, and monitoring and coordination. The start-up cost for academic year 2017 - 2018 was approved in April 2019 with 1,235 students, 119 females (9.63%) from 19 selected training institutions. The fund approval for 1,235 students was 125,140 USD, of which 54,000 USD was lump-sum budget to 9 PTCs, based on agreed guidelines. The funds were disbursed in June 2019. The data of the beneficiaries selected in academic year 2017-2018, disaggregated by province, institution, gender, IP, CQF levels, priority sectors, and job occupation are given in Annex 3.

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY An impact evaluation of the start-up cost program will be undertaken to measure its

impacts on:

Improvement of quality and relevance of the TVET system: Has this

program increased the quality and relevance of the TVET CBT training in CQF

Levels 2-4, especially in the priority sectors?

Increased enrollment of targeted beneficiaries: Has this program increased

the enrollment of female students, members of indigenous groups, the poor,

and other disadvantaged categories of trainees?

Improvement in training delivery: Has this program improved training

delivery by providing funds to address the shortage of government budget for

staff training, teaching materials and equipment, marketing of TVET progams

etc.?

Retention and completion: Has the program been effective in reducing

dropouts and ensuring better completion rates of the students in CQF levels

2-4, especially in the priority sectors?

Employability: After the completion of their training what proportion of the

s t u d e n t s from start-cost supported institutions gain appropriate

employment, either as self-employed persons, in family businesses or in the

formal job market?

The consultancy aims to:

assess the impact of the start-up costs program

review the existing guidelines and procedures

review the submission of the business plans by the TTIs and the selection process

review the adequacy, efficiency, equity, and/or timeliness of the disbursement of the start-up program

evaluate the financial management of the system (including funds flow),

evaluate the use of the start-up funds, and the compliance to the agreed eligible categories by the beneficiary institutions

conduct surveys and focused group discussions

assess the monitoring and verification system of the program

analyze the findings and submit recommendations, including revised guidelines and procedures to make the start-up program even more effective in the future

Based on the detailed analysis of the findings, the consultants will identify areas for

improvements and provide recommendations to strengthen performance of the start-up

program through better implementation.

4. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The specialist will have

(i) a post-graduate degree, preferably in social sciences

(ii) at least 5 years of relevant experience in Cambodia conducting analyses of various project interventions, preferably in development partners financed education and/or technical and vocational projects in Cambodia

(iii) fluency in Khmer and English is essential

(iv) demonstrated capacity to conduct quantitative and qualitative

evaluation, data collection and analysis

(v) demonstrated capacity to conduct survey, lead focus group discussions and conduct training

(vi) experience preferable in implementation or analysis of start-up-like

and /or financial support programs, preferably in developing

countries

(vii) experience with education or TVET sector is desirable.

5. TASKS AND DELIVERABLES The specialist will responsible for:

(i) submit inception report presenting a review of the existing guidelines,

review of the exact status of start-up recipients till date, disaggregated by

province, institution, gender, IP students, CQF levels, priority sectors, skill

area as well the work plan, scope, sample size, methodology, including

survey questionnaires, to the Project Director, Coordinator and Team

Leader for review 10 days after signing of the contract;

(ii) undertake review of the performance of the start-up costs programs,

especially the efficiency and effectiveness of targeting, financial

management, payments, compliance review and monitoring systems

(iii) conduct qualitative research as per agreed sample size for different key

informants and focus group discussions, with recipients, families, institution

staff and recent graduates on benefits and procedures;

(iv) conduct qualitative research as sample size, such as focus group

discussions, with recipients, families, institution staff and recent

graduates on benefits/ disbenefits and procedures;

(v) based on the analysis of the findings, provide recommendations for

improvements in the Guidelines for better and more effective

implementation of the start-up program;

(vi) submit a draft Final Report, including the analysis of findings,

recommendations and revised and improved guidelines and conduct a

dissemination workshop to share the analysis of the findings/results

and consult on the recommendations for improvement/adaptation;

and

(vii) Based on feedback from the dissemination workshop, submit the

final report, including the analysis of the findings, the final set of

recommendations and revised and improved guidelines.

6. CONTRACT PERIOD The contract will be for a period of three months maximum from September

2019 to November 2019.

7. SUPERVISION The consultant will report to the Project Director and Project Coordinator

through the Department of Training of DGTVET, the Team leader, and other

consultants of TVETSDP involved in this activity.

Annex 1: Extract from the TVETSDP PAM describing the Provision of Start-up Costs

65. Strengthen Financing of Public TVET Institutions. The Project will finance start-up costs of select Public TVET Institutions, in particular RTCs and PTCs, to offer courses at CQF levels 2–4. The start-up costs will be funded on a sliding scale: 100% in the 1st year, 80% in the 2nd year, 50% in the 3rd year, 30% in the 4th year and 10% in the 5th year 66. RTCs and PTCs will submit a business plan as a basis for spending start-up costs provided under the Project, as well as an annual comprehensive budget for the institution which identifies proposed spending items to be financed by the Project funds. Spending must be on eligible expenditures such as staff training, teaching materials and equipment, stationery, utilities, transport, industry liaison, marketing, tracer studies of certificate graduates, monitoring and evaluation, and cluster development. Funds will be provided to RTCs and PTC in semester 1 in advance once enrollments are verified by submission of student details to DGTVET through appropriate forms. Further funding will be based on full accounting and acquittal against the annual budget and business plan.

Annex 2: Start-up Cost Beneficiaries of AY 2016/17 by Province, Training Institute, Gender, IP, CQF Level, Priority Sector, Skill Area

Annex 3 Start-up Cost Beneficiaries of AY 2017/18 by Province, Training Institute, Gender, IP, CQF Level, Priority Sector, Skill Area