TERMS OF REFERENCE

Background of Sudokkho
Sudokkho is a 5-year skills training and employment programme, funded by DFID and SDC and implemented by Palladium in a consortium with Swisscontact and the British Council.

The programme seeks to test and scale-up market-driven, quality skills training systems within the Readymade Garments (RMG) and Construction sectors that will stimulate further investment in training by trainees, private training providers and employers. The programme’s target is that 100,000 poor people, including women and disadvantage populations, will earn increased income in skilled or semi-skilled jobs after successful completion of training

The programme supports Private Training Providers (PTPs) and Industry-based training initiatives (supply-side stimulation), and raises awareness about the value of skills development among the trainees and industry (demand-side stimulation).

Sudokkho builds upon the TVET reform agenda in coordination with the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) of the Ministry of Education (MoE). The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) supports initiatives that facilitate greater involvement of the private sector to ensure skills training is relevant and of high quality, thereby increasing post-training employment opportunities, as stipulated in the National Skills Development Policy 2011. The programme strengthens the institutional capacity and supports key functions of the Industry Skills Councils (ISC) in the concerned sectors and supports capacity building of national training consultancy service providers (TCSP) to sustain a long-term development process.

Rationale for the consultancy assignment
Sudokhho has developed a soft skills training package of 20 hours based on the needs of industries. This training will enhance trainee’s knowledge on life skills, gender equality and diversity, employability skills, and workers’ rights and responsibilities.  This is a common module for all training participants irrespective of occupations in Construction and RMG sectors. It is mandatory to all PTPs to deliver this training to participants who are participating in occupational skills training. Instructors and training coordinators are new to the concept of soft skills and hence their capacity needs to be strengthened through a ‘TOT on Soft Skills’ which is a 5-day long training course. Subsequently, instructors and training coordinators are allowed to implement 20 hours of soft skills training while conducting the training course. To further strengthen their capacity, each PTP gets coaching and guiding supports for two days to make sure soft skills training is institutionalised as a part of PTP training course. Participants from 11 new PTPs whose contract will start from December 2017 and existing PTPs will participate in this training course.

Key duties and tasks
The consultant will undertake the following duties and tasks:

• Based on the existing training manual of soft skills, prepare a detailed work plan considering 5 days and approved by the Skills and Employment Director.  
• Conduct 3 batches of TOT on soft skills to train instructors and relevant officers from the new and existing PTPs. The date for each training batch will be decided in consultation with Sudokkho.
• Provide on the job coaching and guidance support to 11 new PTPs to build capacity of instructors while implementing soft skills training to the trainees. These practical coaching sessions will be provided for two days for each PTP. The dates for inputs will be decided in collaboration and discussion with each PTP.
• Prepare flipcharts on soft skills training session which can be printed, laminated and used by instructors of the PTPs. Flipcharts must have proper design with diagrams where applicable and user friendly.

Deliverables and reporting
The Consultant will ensure the following deliverables:

1. A work plan for the entire period of consulting work including a training schedule for soft skills training.
2. Three batches of 5-day long TOT on soft skills for Instructors and relevant officers from the PTPs. Each batch of training will have minimum of 20 participants.
3. Practical coaching and guidance support provided to 11 PTPs, two days for each PTP.
4. Soft copy of flip charts on soft skills training sessions which can be printed and laminated.
5. A brief report on consulting assignment including TOT on soft skills and practical coaching and guidance support to the PTPs. The report is to be approved and accepted by the Skills and Employment Director of Sudokkho.

Time schedule
A total of up to 50 consultant-days within the period of December 2017–June 2018 has been allocated for the entire assignment, including all duties and tasks as mentioned above. Travel days outside of Dhaka will not be considered as workdays. The following time schedule is suggested:

Profile/requirement of the consultant
The consultant or team of consultants should meet the following profile:

• A minimum of 10 years’ experience deigning and delivering training related to soft skills
• Also as part of this, a good track records in implementation of TOT on soft skills, experience in implementation of such soft skills training for Sudokkho instructors will be an added value.
• A Master’s degree in related field
• Proficiency in MS Office (particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
• Excellent communication and analytical skills
• Proficient in English and fluent in Bangla
• Results orientated and team player

Consultancy proposal
Interested consultants should prepare a technical and financial proposal.
The technical proposal should include:

1. CV(s) of the Consultant(s) proposed
2. Overview of relevant experiences

The financial proposal should include the number of consultant-days and the gross daily per-person consultancy fee (project will deduct VAT and taxes where applicable). Local costs relevant to the assignment will be paid by Sudokkho directly conform its operations manual and does not have to be included in the financial proposal. Both the proposals should be sent to Sudokkho, email: info@sudokkho.org with “Soft skills training” in the subject line.

Closing date and time for issuing proposals is 28th November 2017, 17:00 pm Bangladesh Time.