Solar Energy Labor Market Assessment Consultant

About Chemonics

Chemonics International is an international development company based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to promote meaningful change around the world to help people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives. Since 1975, we have worked in 150 countries around the world, and we are currently implementing 118 projects in 84 countries. Our main partner is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and we also work with foreign donors such as the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Global Fund. We have more than 4,000 staff in our project offices around the world, and more than 500 staff based in our headquarters in Washington, D.C.

I – Project Background

The Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP) is a multi-year project funded by USAID to support municipalities and underserved and vulnerable communities in providing better services and enhanced economic opportunities to improve lives and reduce tensions that contribute to conflict and violence, primarily in Lebanon’s North, South, and Beqaa regions.

Under Task Order No. 4 (TO 4), the Workforce Development (WFD) project will provide technical assistance and other support to improve labor skills and job placement opportunities through partnerships with companies, private sector associations, private technical and vocational education, and training (TVET) providers, municipalities, and other public sector entities.  The main objective of this 3-year task order is to improve skills and job placement opportunities for at least 1,000 beneficiaries from vulnerable communities.

CSP WFD (TO4) is designed with a confirmed commitment to promote a “demand-driven TVET system” that provides competencies and skills relevant to the labor market needs/gaps to enhance access to dignified work and meet the skills demand for economic growth.

II – Rationale

Since 2019 – coinciding the launch of the CSP WFD/TO4 project – Lebanon has been struggling to cope with prolonged economic and financial crisis, an outbreak of COVID-19, and continuing implications of the Beirut blast. This triple-crisis is causing multi-faceted challenges and disruptions, leading to rising unemployment, skyrocketing inflation, and overall poverty.

This context is associated with growing skills shortages and youth seeking employment opportunities, putting high pressure on the Lebanese vocational and technical education (VTE) system not only to deliver more skills, but also different skills sets tied to the changing needs in the economy. Furthermore, the anticipation of the labor market’s needs through the Lebanese VTE system is rather mismatched. There is a consensus that training providers are predominantly supply-led and that vocational streams do not provide adequate relevant practical skills for employability. The profound skills mismatch in Lebanon leaves many firms struggling to attain and retain a high-quality workforce. As a result, the private sector finds it difficult to recruit skilled young professionals, but at the same time is only prepared to play a minor role in their training.

CSP WFD/TO4 has been designed as a “pilot” initiative with a robust learning and evaluation component to adapt and identify existing and/or emerging windows of opportunity and interventions worth scaling for programming interventions. Despite the ongoing crisis and collapsing economy, Lebanon is witnessing an emerging need for new skills in promising employment sectors such as the renewable energy field. Indeed, observation suggests that renewable/solar energy offers promising potential for job growth in Lebanon considering the on-grid energy crisis there is potential for vocational and technical education (VTE) interventions related to the renewable/solar energy sector needs.

According to Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon (EUD) research in 2018, there is a striking need for the booming renewable energy sector to set and enforce policies, regulation, and standards, introduce curricula in technical education and training institutions, on the job training, set up education/training programs, provide supplementary education and training, build on existing skills, and setup a platform for coordination between renewable energy firms, contractors, suppliers, and operators. All these needs are coupled with a general lack of public awareness about the importance of social and ecological issues, as people seem to be insufficiently aware of the benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

According to UNDP-CEDRO (Country Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Demonstration Project for the Recovery of Lebanon) in 2015, the amount of university graduates with renewable energy technology qualifications theoretically covers the local requirements. Yet, manufacturers and importers are having greater difficulty finding workers with requisite expertise, namely skilled workers, and technicians, which constitute the bulk of their respective workforces. Renewable energy technologies are relatively new in the local market so there is a general lack of experience and knowledge, which forces the companies to invest significant time and money in employee training where skilled employees and technicians tend to gain their experience through on-the-job training. However, emigration of professional staff and skilled workers to better paying countries remains a major obstacle for renewable energy industry owners. Unfortunately, both importers and manufacturers suffer from the brain drain Lebanon is experiencing and from a lack of sufficiently qualified staff.

Parallel to that, up to now there are no training institutes focusing on environmental protection, with only a few VTE institutes and schools that offer courses related to renewable energy. Meanwhile, in the context of the many skills development initiatives related to the Syrian refugee crisis, several donors offer short-term courses related to renewable energy. Whereas in terms of vocational training, the assessments have identified a need to embed skills to sustain the industry in vocational education and training programs, including development of new curricula, upskilling VTE trainers to be able to deliver training on renewable energy skills. The largest need is for technicians, with the most direct impact on VTE interventions, may well be in the construction, installation, operations, and maintenance of solar energy systems. Yet, one of the main constraints facing employers and providers of VTE education and training from responding quickly to emerging skills requirements is the shortage of suitable trainers and educators.

III- Summary of Activity

Chemonics, USAID’s implementer of CSP, is seeking a firm, consultant, or a consortium of consultants to undertake a comprehensive assessment and validation study of the demand and supply of required labor skills related to solar energy construction, installation, operations, and maintenance. The target areas for this study are the Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North, Bekaa, and South regions of Lebanon.

The goal of the study is to assess existing and projected skills needs/gaps in the solar energy sector.

The study will consolidate quantitative and qualitative data to answer the following questions in a final report to be submitted within twenty days of awarding the consultancy:

1. What is the projected growth of the solar energy sector over the next five years?
2. Relatedly, what is the projected growth of new employment opportunities to construct, install, operate, and maintain (CIOM) solar systems over the next five years?
3. Relatedly, what is the existing and projected demand for qualified workers to CIOM solar systems?
4. What is the existing and expected availability of related vocational education institutions/programs to acquire necessary CIOM skills to gain employment in the solar energy sector?

Timeline:

1. Within five business days after awarding the consultancy the complete/detailed outline of the final report responding to the above questions.
2. Within ten business days after awarding the consultancy the first draft of the final report.
3. Within fifteen days after awarding the consultancy the second draft of the final report.
4. Within twenty days after awarding the consultancy the final draft of the final report.

The offeror will work closely with the CSP WFD/TO4 team through regular check-ins on the progress of the assessment.

IV - Submission Guidelines

• Proposed methodology for completing the assignment
• Proposed tools for completing the assignment. Draft examples are not required but are advantageous.
• Past performance of activities undertakes with similar budget and timeframe
• Links to or excerpts of completed similar studies
• CVs of proposed key staff
• Initial workplan with timeline of total Level of Effort required
• Budget

IIV - Minimum Qualifications

• At least ten years undertaking economic development research and analysis activities with some demonstrated experience in jobs, employment, workforce development in Lebanon.
• Demonstrated experience completing at least one labor market assessment in Lebanon and one program evaluation in Lebanon in the past five years.
• Previous experience working in the renewable/solar energy sector preferred.
• Previous experience working on USAID-funded assessments or programs preferred.
• Copy of legal and financial registrations/certificates (for firms).
• DUNS number (for firms).

IIIV - Level of Effort and Period of Performance

Activity shall be completed within 20 business days after awarding the consultancy. Offeror shall determine the total LOE needed to complete assignment

VI - Place of Assignment

Lebanon (Beirut, Bekaa, North, South, and Mount Lebanon)

VII - Reporting

The Offeror will report to the CSP TO4 Director

 Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants that can legally work in Lebanon will be considered for employment based on their qualifications without discrimination.