CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST AND PROPOSAL (EOIP)

1.????GENERAL CONDITIONS

1.1?Requester: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), Office Tirana, ProSEED 2.0

1.2?Profile:

The Program “Sustainable Economic and Regional Development, Employment Promotion and Vocational Education and Training 2.0” in Albania (GIZ ProSEED 2.0), is implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.

The objective of this programme is: The employment situation in Albania has improved, including digital and green elements. Implementing partners of the programme are the Ministry of Finance and Economy, and their subordinate institutions NAVETQ and NAES.

The general outcomes of programme comprise: (1) improving the supply of skilled labour, (2) improving the competitiveness of MSMEs and their capacity for creating jobs, (3) supporting the policy development in the areas of VET and Private Sector Development, mainstreaming digitalization and green economy in all outcomes. The three intervention areas will contain the following main measures:

Intervention Area 1 (VET): Improve the supply of skilled labour in areas with high employment potential, by systematic integration of digital and green elements into VET system through curricula as well as their implementation in measures of formal and non-formal vocational qualification.

Intervention Area 2 (PSD): Increase the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME), to secure existing jobs or to create new ones. This includes the use of digital and green development potential to improve awareness of modern, IT-supported, processes and management. MSMEs hit by the COVID crisis will be supported to overcome the hardship and successfully adapt business models to become resilient, sustainable and future-oriented to the new market conditions.

Intervention Area 3 (Policy Development Support): Support MoFE, NAES, NAVETQ and AIDA to develop new policies, strategies and improve the framework conditions for the integration of digitization and green elements in PSD, Employment and Skills Development to boost economic development, job creation and employment.

The programme activities will be implemented at national level, in all regions of Albania and target adult male and female as well as returnees coming from Germany and other EU member states.

2.????SUBJECT

Institutions in the field of international development cooperation such as UN and EU, have reached consensus that a fast and fair transition of global economic systems towards greener, digital, equitable and resilient economies is needed. These efforts are currently boosted through two major cross-cutting interventions “digital transformation” and “green recovery” as reaction to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

European Commission in 2021, launched the EU digital decade and presented The Digital Compass 2023 that evolves around four cardinal points: Skills, Infrastructure, Business and Government. The EU’s digital strategy aims to make this transformation work for people and businesses, while helping to achieve its target of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. On the other side, climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. To overcome these challenges, the European Green Deal will transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy.

Taking in consideration the aspirations of Albania to become an EU member state country, the need to comply with EU policies and guidance comes naturally and is reflected in government dialogue at all levels, including all developments about EU Digital Compass, EU Green Deal, Western Balkans Green Agenda, UNSDGs etc.

Soon, in Albania, most of the jobs will require a certain degree of digital and green competencies. These innovative approaches should not only provide today’s and tomorrow’s workforce with the appropriate skills for rapidly-changing labour markets but should also qualify the workforce with skills to confront the growing complexity that we all face such as climate change, the protection of biodiversity, clean energy, public health, digitalization and automation, artificial intelligence, robotics and data analysis.

In this respect, ProSEED 2.0 under the VET component is announcing a Call for (i) Expressions of Interest and (ii) Proposals until 25 June 2022, which shall help to identify private training providers and companies that offer short-term Vocational Training Courses (VTC) in line with the requirements below:

-???????The contractor will offer short-term vocational training courses where green and digital competencies, skills and/or elements are part of the training programme. The training duration of each course per batch should be from 1 up to 3 months, maximum.

-???????The training courses under each contract should target a minimum of around 30 unemployed people. 40% of the participants are to be female and 30% are to be returning migrants from EU Member States.

-???????The courses should be demand-driven and include work-based learning based on local labour market needs and eventually aim at employment.

-???????The proposals should reflect and include information on job placement mechanisms to guarantee employment of a minimum of 50% of the participants.

-???????There is no limitation in terms of trade and geographical location, though priority will be given to rural/disadvantaged areas and sectors with high demands and potential for employment in future green jobs and recycling economic activities.

-???????The overall implementation timeframe for the contract is up to 10 months.

-???????The proposals that are to be selected through this call shall receive financial support ranging between 30,000 – 35,000 EURO (equivalent in ALL). Only applicants that will pass the first phase of evaluation will be required to submit a budget proposal. The budget will be subject of negotiations.

a.????ELIGIBILITY

Participation is open to all legally registered entities with active status, (individually or in consortiums) established according to Albania’s low in force. All legal entities interested in the application process should ask for application forms at the address: [email protected] .

3.????Selection Procedure:

????????First step: All EOIPs will be evaluated based on the technical criteria described in the evaluation grid attached to the TORs:

????????Second Step: All entities that have passed the 1st round of evaluation will be notified within 15 working days in writing and will be invited to submit a budget and the log-frame. Interviews and negotiations can take place before a final decision is made.

????????Third Step: Contracts will be awarded to the applicants with best technical and financial offer. Applicants that will not be qualified will be notified in writing after the evaluation process is completed.

4.????DEADLINE & SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS

Please, send an email to [email protected] , to receive EOPI format with the technical evaluation grid. For further questions contact us via email to [email protected] during the application period until 20th of June 2022.

The deadline for submitting the application is 25th of June 2022

The documents should be submitted in pdf format via e-mail to [email protected] .

All written communication for this procedure and the following successful ones must be in English.