Call for proposal: Implementing partner to facilitate Quality Apprenticeship for refugee and host communities in Addis Ababa and facilitate Industrial

Background Ethiopia is among the largest refugee-hosting countries in Africa , currently providing shelter to over 1 million refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea. While the majority reside in 24 camps across five regional states, more than 70,000 live as urban refugees in Addis Ababa ( UNHCR Ethiopia ). Forcibly displaced persons and vulnerable host communities continue to face significant challenges in accessing essential services, particularly in the areas of skills development, employment opportunities, and sustainable livelihoods. In response, the Government of Ethiopia has adopted a more inclusive, development-oriented approach to refugee support, as outlined in the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) and Refugee Proclamation No. 1110/2019 . These frameworks advocate for equitable access to skills training, jobs, work permits, and local integration for refugees. Achieving meaningful inclusion, however, requires a comprehensive, multi-sectoral strategy , one that combines policy implementation, capacity-building for service providers, and the development of accessible infrastructure. Achieving meaningful inclusion requires a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach that integrates policy implementation, capacity-building for service providers, the development of accessible infrastructure, and the active involvement of organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and refugee-led organizations. In support of these efforts, the Partnership for Improving Prospects for Forcibly Displaced Persons and Host Communities (PROSPECTS), funded by the Government of the Netherlands, brings together six key partners: the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Finance Corporation (IFC), UNHCR, UNICEF, and the World Bank. The partnership aims to foster economic inclusion and improve education and protection outcomes for forcibly displaced populations and the communities that host them. ILO-PROSPECTS has been active in the Somali and Amhara regions, working to enhance access to and improve the quality of inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and employment opportunities. This has been achieved primarily through work-based learning and self-employment initiatives. In collaboration with the Ethiopian Employers Federation, the PROSPECTS programme has implemented work-based training that connected 30 trainees from refugee and host communities to companies in Jigjiga. These trainees received practical training in occupations such as aluminium work, furniture production, and finishing construction. Other institutions, including the World Bank, GIZ, and various non-governmental organizations, also support government-led Quality Apprenticeship programs, particularly in the social and environmental sectors. However, one of the main challenges is the fragmented nature of these efforts. Many of these initiatives operate without clear institutional guidelines and are not aligned with ILORecommendation No. 208 [1] or Ethiopia’s national TVET policy and Quality Apprenticeship strategy. To address these gaps, ILO-PROSPECTS assessed Ethiopia’s existing Quality Apprenticeship and work-based learning systems, with a particular focus on their alignment with ILO R208 and the development of a national framework for Quality Apprenticeships. The assessment aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of Ethiopia’s current work-based learning systems, with a particular focus on Quality Apprenticeship programs, and to evaluate their alignment with the core principles of ILO Recommendation No. 208 (R208). The objective was to lay the foundation for a national roadmap for the implementation of R208, potentially including the design of pilot Quality Apprenticeship programs in selected economic sectors. The assessment produced actionable recommendations across immediate, medium-term, and long-term timelines. These include Policy and regulatory reforms, strengthening multi-stakeholder coordination, Institutional capacity building, Promotion of inclusive Quality Apprenticeship programs, Establishment of monitoring and evaluation systems for continuous learning and improvement, and Implementation of pilot projects to support comprehensive Quality Apprenticeship reform. In line with these recommendations, the ILO will partner with selected organizations to implement Quality Apprenticeship programs for refugee and host community members in Addis Ababa. The initiative will also focus on building the capacity of TVET trainers from Addis Ababa, Amhara, and Somali regions through a one-month industrial attachment in companies located in Addis Ababa. The ILO is currently seeking an implementation partner to: Facilitate a three-month quality Apprenticeship placement for 200 refugees and host community members in companies in line with R208 and the findings of the ILO’s Ethiopia Quality Apprenticeship assessment for 200 (at least 40% should be women) located in Addis Ababa, operating in the hotel and tourism, as well as construction sectors. Support the one-month industrial attachment of 50 TVET trainers in companies located in Addis Ababa, across the following occupations: building construction, electrical installation, plumbing, food preparation, beauty salon services, and textile and garment production. 2. Objectives The main objective of this assignment is to facilitate the design and implementation of inclusive, Quality Apprenticeship programs in line with R208 and the findings of the ILO’s Ethiopia Quality Apprenticeship assessment for 200 (at least 40% should be women) beneficiaries from refugee and host communities in Addis Ababa. This will be achieved through institutional capacity building and enhanced stakeholder coordination to support the beneficiaries’ successful transition into employment. In addition, the assignment will support a one-month industrial attachment for 50 TVET trainers from TVET colleges in Addis Ababa, Somali, and Amhara regions, by placing them in relevant companies located in Addis Ababa. Specifically, the assignment aims to: Assess the readiness of hotels and construction companies in Addis Ababa to participate in the Quality Apprenticeship program and retain apprentices after the completion of the training. Facilitate the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the colleges and participating companies. Design a 3-month Quality Apprenticeship program in the hotel and construction sectors for 200 refugees and host community members in Addis Ababa. Facilitate 10-day capacity-building sessions for TVET and in-company trainers on key aspects of Quality Apprenticeship, including the use of logbooks and effective supervision. Support the selection, enrolment, and implementation of the Quality Apprenticeship program in the identified TVET institutions and companies. Support a one-month industrial attachment of 50 TVET trainers from TVET colleges in the Amhara, Somali, and Addis Ababa regions into companies based in Addis Ababa. Monitor the employment outcomes of the Quality Apprenticeship program and track and trace completion rates and transition into wage employment. 3. Tasks associated with this assignment The implementation partner is expected to support: 3.1 Design and Implementation of Quality Apprenticeship programme Conduct needs assessments in the hotel and construction sectors to identify relevant skills and job roles. Identify, assess and engage potential TVET colleges, hotels, and construction companies in Addis Ababa. Organize consultation meetings and workshops to align expectations and build partnerships. Facilitate the development and signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between TVET colleges and host companies. Develop a competency-based Quality Apprenticeship curriculum aligned with national standards and industry needs that incorporates gender, disability, and refugee inclusion considerations. Collaborate with local authorities and community organizations to mobilize and enroll participants Develop transparent criteria and processes for selecting 200 beneficiaries (refugees and host community members) Place selected apprentices with appropriate TVET institutions and companies. Deliver 5-day training sessions for 50 (10 TVET instructors and 40 in-company supervisors) on Quality Apprenticeship methodology and supervision, use of logbooks and performance tracking tools, gender-sensitivity, inclusive training practices, and other relevant topics related to practical training on the ILO Apprenticeship Practitioners Toolkit [2] . Coordinate orientation sessions for apprentices, TVET staff, and company representatives. Oversee the rollout of the Quality Apprenticeship program, ensuring effective coordination between institutions and companies Monitor and support apprentices during the training period, addressing any implementation challenges Document lessons learned, develop 2 success stories and portraits of successful apprentices and companies, and provide regular progress reports, including recommendations for scaling up. 3.2. Support industrial attachment of TVET trainers Identify suitable companies in Addis Ababa for hosting 50 TVET trainers from Amhara, Somali, and Addis Ababa regions. Support the travel, accommodation, and allowance logistics of the TVET trainers who come from the Somali and Amhara regions (15 from Somali, 15 from Amhara and 20 from Addis Ababa) Facilitate matching and placement based on the trainers’ specialization and the companies’ needs. Regular monitoring of the training process and providing support to ensure learning objectives are met. Plan, coordinate, manage logistics, prepare certificates and awards, and document the ceremony for future promotion and reporting. Document lessons learned and provide regular progress reports, including recommendations for scaling up. 4. Deliverables and Timeline The timeline for this assignment is twelve months, starting from the date of contract signing and extending through the full implementation, monitoring, and reporting phases. Deliverable 1: Inception Report: Detailing the proposed approach and work plan:3 weeks after the signing of the contract Deliverable 2: Needs assessment report for hotel and construction sectors, list of identified TVET college and companies to place the apprentice:3 months after the signing of the contract Deliverable 3: Stakeholder mapping and engagement summary, Minutes and reports on consultation workshops, Signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between TVET colleges and host companies, designed apparenticiep curriculum :5 months after the contract agreement Deliverable 4 : Report on capacity building training For TVET and in-company Trainers who supervise the Quality Apprenticeship programme :6 months Deliverable 5: List of 50 trainers placed for industrial attachment, with placement reports, Summary of feedback and learning outcomes from attachments :8 months Deliverable 6: Beneficiary selection criteria and final list of 200 enrolled participants, Orientation session materials and attendance records, Monitoring log of Quality Apprenticeship implementation and progress: 10 months after the signing of the agreement Deliverable 7: Final Evaluation and Graduation Event Report that includes Monitoring and evaluation tools and findings (pre-, mid-, post-assessment, Final narrative report including lessons learned and recommendations, Documentation of graduation ceremony and recognition event (agenda, media, photos):12 months after the signing of the contract 5. Payment modality The ILO will issue the payments in three phases as described below: 20 % up on the submission of the inception report with detailed workplan, methodology, approach to conduct the assignment, incorporating ILO’s comments. 40 % upon submitting the 2nd report (technical and financial) on deliverables 2, 3 and 4 35% upon submitting the 3rd report (technical and financial) on deliverables 5 and 6 5% upon submitting the 4th report (technical and financial) on deliverable 7 6. Qualifications and Specialized Experience The above-specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number. The organization should be a non-profit making organization that is legally registered and authorized to operate in Ethiopia Must have a dedicated team of technical experts, experienced and qualified to carry out the assignment: Technical experts (at least 3, one of them will be the project coordinator: for the project coordinator, in addition to the above, s/he should demonstrate at least 10 years of experience in coordinating and managing project in skill development, work place attachment, employment linkage working with TVET organization and companies providing skill training for youth. The team leader should have a postgraduate degree in project planning and management, curriculum and teachers’ development, economics, social science, public management, and any other relevant fields The organization should have prior experience implementing skills training , work-based learning programs, and employment linkage in various regions of Ethiopia. Experience working with refugee or displaced populations, ideally with a proven track record of expanding services to these groups. 7. Evaluation criteria 7.1 Technical Evaluation (70%): The Technical proposal will be evaluated as per the following criteria: 1. Application depth and quality of response to the TOR (including all required documentation, curriculum vitae of key personnel, expression of interest, and contact details: 30 points 2. Technical compliance with the TOR (Quality of the application, including coherence, clear and feasible strategy for addressing all components of the TOR, realistic and sustainable exit strategy : 40 points 3. The qualifications and experience of proposed key personnel (work-based learning and skill development, previous experience in conducting similar assignments with governmental and non-governmental organizations, and experience working with vulnerable groups, including FDPs knowledge, skills: 30points Only proposals that achieve a minimum score of 60 will be considered for evaluation of their Financial Proposals. The technical offer will be weighted at 70% the financial offer 30%. 7.2 Financial evaluation (30%) Financial proposals of offers having passed the technical review will be considered (technical scoring 60 and above). The financial offer will account for 30% of the final score. The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal will be allocated to the lowest-priced proposal. All other price proposals receive pro-rated points according to the following formula: p = y (x/z), where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated, y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal x = price of the lowest priced proposal, z = price of the proposal being evaluated. The proposal obtaining the highest score overall, after adding the score of the technical and the financial proposals, is the one that offers the best value for money. The financial proposal should detail each line of envisaged expenditure, in particular: Quality Apprenticeship Program Design Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement including cost for consultation, assement of companies Beneficiary Selection and Enrollment Quality Apprenticeship Program Implementation, cost related to tool development, trainee allowance, trainee accidental insurance, material cost, in-company trainer’s cost Placement of TVET Trainers for Industrial Attachment; cost related to identification of companies in Addis Ababa, travel, insurance cost during the industrial attachment allowance, accommodation costs, monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting Organize graduation ceremonies and recognition for companies Travel costs for local missions, event organization Sub-contracting related to capacity-building training Administrative costs 8. Management of the assignment The implementing partner will work under the overall authority of the Director ILO Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan and a Special Representative to the AU and ECA, under the direct supervision of the ILO-PROSPECTS Programme Manager in Ethiopia. The Implementing Partner will get technical guidance from the National Program Officer- ILO CO Addis. There will also be technical support from the skill and employment specialist in Cairo and the Gender, Inclusion, and Disability Inclusion (GEDI) specialist from ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The ILO, RRS, and Kebrebeyah’s Bureau of Labor and Skills will provide the documents and other related literature relevant to this task; assist in coordination with relevant stakeholders; review the progress of the work and provide feedback as necessary. For reporting, bi-weekly Ms team calls with the officers responsible will be organized. Draft deliverables will be submitted by the Implementing Partner in time for review and feedback by the ILO team. Payments will be released upon submission to the satisfaction of the ILO. 9. Format and content of the Proposal 9.1 Technical Proposal The technical proposal should include an introductory note, company profile, list of projects delivered, customer references, project team, CVs of individuals proposed for the assignment, outline of the methodology to be employed, and supporting certificates. The submission should include realistic and feasible methods, approaches, and tools corresponding to the work program, and a staff task matrix showing the nature, dates, and place of intervention of each expert. 9.2 Financial Proposal The financial offer should be submitted in ETB and should include all envisaged costs of the delivery and activities under each delivery listed as below. Deliverable 1: Inception Report: Detailing the proposed approach and work plan Deliverable 2: Needs assessment report for hotel and construction sectors, list of identified TVET college and companies to place the apprentice. Deliverable 3: Stakeholder mapping and engagement summary, Minutes and reports on consultation workshops, Signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between TVET colleges and host companies, designed apparenticiep curriculum Deliverable 4: Report on capacity building training For TVET and in-company Trainers who supervise the Quality Apprenticeship programme Deliverable 5: List of 50 trainers placed for industrial attachment, with placement reports, Summary of feedback, and learning outcomes from attachments Deliverable 6: Beneficiary selection criteria and final list of 200 enrolled participants, Orientation session materials and attendance records, Monitoring log of Quality Apprenticeship implementation and progress Deliverable 7: Final Evaluation and Graduation Event Report that includes Monitoring and evaluation tools and findings (pre-, mid-, post-assessment, Final narrative report including lessons learned and recommendations, Documentation of graduation ceremony and recognition event (agenda, media, photos)

Interested applicants who meet the eligibility requirements should submit their details: - Technical and financial proposals, including CVs of the key personnel to work on this project, and previous experience of the organization - CSO registration - Recent audit report of the CSO - Other supportive documentation electronically to:ADDIS\[email protected] Kindly title your email subject as “Call for proposal – Facilitate Quality Apprenticeship for refugee and host communities in an Industrial attachment of TVET trainers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.” The deadline for the application will be 31 August 2025, 02:00 pm (EAT). The successful organization will be expected to start the project in September 2025.