Public Call for Tender nb. 83455887 Lab Technician ToT trainer 18.2208.9-001.00 QuA-VET

 1. Context

Brief information on the project

The project "Improving the Quality and Attractiveness of Vocational Education and Training in Lebanon" (QuA-VET) aims to increasingly align vocational education and training in sectors with sustainable employment potentials with the needs of the Lebanese economy.

Emphasis is placed on improving the partnership between vocational training institutions and the private sector, strengthening human resource capacity in vocational training institutions, and developing practice-oriented training programs. The target groups of the project are young people, unemployed and underemployed adults who want to improve their employment prospects through qualifications relevant to the labour market.

The implementing partner is the Directorate General for Vocational and Technical Education (DGVTE), which lacks capacity at various levels to involve the private sector in vocational education and training. This concerns curriculum development, teacher training and the expansion of practical elements in teaching. The project's advisory approach includes establishing and advising coordination bodies with representatives of the state vocational training sector and company representatives at the macro and steering levels, piloting cooperation models between vocational training institutions and the private sector, systematic human resources development in public vocational training institutions and testing competency-based, modularized training programs.

Background

The TS (Technicien superieur) curriculum in Health Inspection and Food Safety (HIFS)

The public technical schools have existing BT and TS programmes, but the curricula are outdated and do not present a consistent content in terms of hourly distribution and type of subjects. Recently a tentative of standardisation was carried out by GIZ setting common general education subjects in TS1 and TS2 for all programmes and stating the number of hours for theoretical subjects and practical activities (Travaux Pratiques). The TP is delivered in a school workshop where the trainees practice the use of tools and materials typical of the occupation.

Currently the number of TP hours in the TS are not sufficient to develop the practical competences of the students. Eventually the project will propose a model to the DGVTE containing 2 to 4 in a year with 50 to 80 hours per TP.

The curriculum of a TP is designed in a way that the same curriculum can be used to deliver a short-term course named Competency Based Training (CBT) in the frame of continuous education.

The curriculum of a CBT module

A CBT module is a short-term course with 40 hours in the workshop in a school where the trainees practice the use of tools and materials typical of the occupation, the curriculum adopted is the same of the corresponding TP. At the end of this first in-school training a written assessment is carried out to issue a DGVTE certificate. Passing trainees will attend 80 hours of on-the-job training in a working site where they can practice in a working environment the skills acquired in the previous part of the course. At the completion of the experience in the workplace trainees’ skills are assessed by and a professional certificate is issued.

The curriculum of a CBT module is composed of the following documents:

Occupational standard:    A4 page describing synthetically the processes to be carried out by the job holder.

Competence standard:     A4 page defining learning outcomes grouped in competence unit (indicatively 4 Competence Units (CUs) per CBT module).

Assessment standard:      A definition of the conditions and the criteria for the assessment of the learning outcomes of each Competence Unit included in the qualification standard. The certification of competences is provided on the base of the verification of the criteria stated in the standard by an external professional assessor.

Education standard:          The document describing synthetically the topics covered in each classroom lesson (if any) and the practical activities in the workshop and in the workplace (internship) carried out by the trainee with the timing planned for each of them.

Training standard:             The training standard is a guidance for the teacher and the trainer to deliver the lessons. The training standard includes, the guideline, the list of tools and materials, the formative assessment and the summative assessment related to each competence unit.

Training guideline:            The training guideline is defining the topics covered in the lessons with some description for each topic and at the same time set the working procedure that are in line with best practice that should be implemented during the training program. The training guideline includes the links to tutorial videos (at least two) that were used for the development of the guideline.

Tools and materials:         An indicative list of tools and materials to be purchased for each Competence Unit to conduct the CBT training with a brief description and picture of the items, the quantities required per trainee, workshop, or CBT module edition, along with any further comments.

Formative assessment:    A definition of the conditions and the criteria for the assessment of each learning outcome of each Competence Unit included in the competence standard for improving the performances of the trainees.

Summative assessment:  A definition of the conditions and the criteria for the assessment of each learning outcome of each Competence Unit included in the competence standard to provide the trainees with the certification of competences on the base of the verification of the criteria by an external professional assessor.

Outline of the mission

Highly competent, qualified, motivated, flexible, and creative VTE teachers are the backbone of any TVET system; capable of adjusting to changing technological environments and creating conducive learning environments for their students. In the frame of QuA-VET project, GIZ organizes train the trainer (ToT) courses, aiming to address the entire range of necessary competences, including practical skills, occupational theory and technology as well as pedagogical, didactical, and methodological competences to enable them not only to gain skills in dealing with new technologies prevailing on the labour market, but also to develop practical experience in making teaching and training more responsive to the needs of the trainees and the labour market.

Due to the lack of established, standardized practical training methods tailored for food laboratory technicians, the Training of Trainers (ToT) program strives to address the deficiencies in the knowledge and skills of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) instructors in the field of food safety, particularly in laboratory testing. The ultimate goal is to empower these educators to deliver high-quality, competency-based training consistently and durably. The approach implemented in the ToT course requires instructors to actively participate in all practical exercises and assessments to ensure comprehensive learning.

Selected public VTE schools in different regions of Lebanon are considering offering practice-oriented competency based modular training for the “Food Laboratory technician” occupation within the corresponding curriculum at TS level:

Food Laboratory Technician:

- Performing chemical and microbiological lab tests on samples

- Performing physical tests on samples

- Registering and storing samples

The description of the ToT course and the Curriculum (occupational, qualification, assessment and training standards, Training documentation-in English, and Arabic) will be provided by the QuA-VET team.

The STE will prepare and conduct ToT trainings, according to and with the support of the provided CBT Module, for up to 60 participants (approx. 10 per training), which are teachers from public TVET schools in Lebanon, having a background in food safety.

The ToT shall take place within one the schools’ premises and will gather selected teachers from different schools. The trainings may occur within Lebanon depending on the modules and time frame at the following school premises:

• The Orthodox Vocational Institute – Akkar
• Renee Mouawad Technical Institute (TI) – Zgharta
• National Institute of Nursing Care – Bir Hassan
• Bednayel TI – Bednayel
• Nabatiyeh TI – Nabatiyeh

2. Tasks to be performed by the contractor

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

• Critical examination of relevant project documentation (curricula and other materials provided by the Project Team) including written comments on the curricula
• Structured meetings with Project Team Leader, Project Team Members, staff of the DGVTE and of other organisations involved in the project as considered necessary
• Preparation of training material under supervision of QuA-VET technical experts before the starting of the course, based on the given CBT curricula
• Meeting with the Project Team for guidelines to conduct practical training in the workshop based on the CBT approach
• Regular information and consultation with the Project Team members
• Familiarisation with the training locations and with the job-related equipment, materials, and consumables
• 2 working days per school to support and help setting the laboratories and equipment in the school, in coordination with the delivery of the material delivered by QuA-VET
• Preparation of daily training plans for the implementation of the ToT based on the given CBT curricula
• Organisation of the training sites in a way that tools and materials purchased by the project team are available as well as personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Delivery of the ToT training program (applying the CBT model) using the curricula developed by QuA-VET
• Recording of the participants’ attendance to the ToT with the attendance sheets provided by QuA-VET
• Conducting and documenting the formative assessment of trainees as stated in the curricula
• Coordination with QuA-VET team for communication with the school(s) in advance for the list of necessary school supplies (Classroom with projector, white board…)
• Management of the proper use and storage of the training materials
• Follow-up of the implementation of the training at the schools through coaching of the teachers
• All activities necessary for the accomplishment of the required outputs / results
• Writing of mission report and required administrative deliverables
• Availability after the short term-mission through internet for follow-up discussion

Outputs/Results
The outputs / results requested to the Expert are:    

Prior to training:

• Short report of 2 pages maximum (per school) with recommendations/modifications on the setting up the laboratories, tools and materials in school workshop
• Detailed daily training plan/agenda in coordination with the QuA-VET team
• Commented review of the curriculum for each module
• Training documents (ppt., list of videos, list of exercises…)

During training:

• Delivery of up to 6x 40 hours of training (4 hours for 10 consecutive days per training module) in Arabic for teachers in Health Inspection and Food Safety of public TVET schools (locations in Bekaa, North, Beirut Area and Nabatiyeh to be defined by QuA-VET team)
• Follow-up on dropouts, document reasons, and inform the cooperating organizations
• Conduct formative assessment of the trainers for each unit of competence as defined in the Curriculum and document the assessments
• Attendance sheets

After the training:

• Attendance of minimum 8 hours during the summative assessment
• At least 1/3 of the teachers attending the ToT course should receive the qualification certificate (summative assessment will be carried out by a professional selected by the project)
• 2 visits (equivalent to 2 working days or 16 hours) per module per trained school in their premises to follow up the implementation of training incl. short report on observations & recommendations. So, if the 5 schools are trained, 10 visits per module (i. e. 10 working days) have to be planned
• Training material (Videos used, ppt created incl. modifications done during the ToT if any)

Administrative Deliverables:

• A comprehensive end of mission’s report submitted to team leader for revision and approval following the structure:

- Scope and objectives of the mission (incl. preparation of training with the school and training itself)

- Approach adopted for conducting the mission

- List of outputs produced during the mission (including meetings and people met)

- Description of the outputs produced during the mission

- Problems and challenges encountered during the mission (incl. preparation of training with the school and training itself)

- Recommendations for the follow-up of the mission

- Recommendations for the improvement of project implementation

• All documents produced should be delivered in hard copy and in digital form using exclusively Ms-Office applications

3. Concept

In the tender, the tenderer is required to show how the objectives defined in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed) are to be achieved, if applicable under consideration of further method-related requirements (technical-methodological concept). In addition, the tenderer must describe the project management system for service provision.

Note: The numbers in parentheses correspond to the lines of the technical assessment grid.

Technical-methodological concept

Strategy (1.1): The tenderer is required to consider the tasks to be performed with reference to the objectives of the services put out to tender (see Chapter 1 Context) (1.1.1). Following this, the tenderer presents and justifies the explicit strategy with which it intends to provide the services for which it is responsible (see Chapter 2 Tasks to be performed) (1.1.2).

The tenderer is required to present the actors relevant for the services for which it is responsible and describe the cooperation (1.2) with them.

The tenderer is required to describe its contribution to promote scaling-up effects (1.5.2) under learning and innovation.

4. Personnel concept

The tenderer is required to provide their CV (see Chapter 7) suited to filling the position described, the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications.

The below specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points in the technical assessment.

STE as trainer for Food Laboratory Technician

Qualifications of the STE

• Education/training (2.1.1): University degree at least at Bachelor level in food technology, food science, biochemistry, or a related field and 7 years of work experience
• Minimum of 3 years of working experience in food laboratories as a food laboratory technician or food laboratory quality controller or equivalent
• Language (2.1.2): C1-level language proficiency in English, C2-level language proficiency in Arabic
• General professional experience (2.1.3):

- 2 years of professional work experience in performing microbiology and chemical tests on food samples

- 2 years’ experience of work experience in performing physical tests on samples

- 2 years’ experience in performing quality control activities in food laboratory or food facility

• Specific professional experience (2.1.4):

- Evidence of working as a trainer in different approaches (Train the trainer, CBT module, practical teaching (instead of theoretical lessons) …)

• Regional experience (2.1.6): 5 years of experience in MENA region, of which 2 years in Lebanon and at least one experience outside of Lebanon.

The tenderer must provide a clear overview of their individual qualifications.

6. Inputs of GIZ or other actors

GIZ and/or other actors are expected to make the following available:

• The CBT curricula will be made available by the QuA-VET team at the signature of the contract
• QuA-VET will provide the schools with the necessary equipment and tools as per the curricula
• Participants (Trainees) to the ToT will receive a compensation fee for transportation delivered by GIZ
• QuA-VET will provide the STE with the necessary contacts to coordinate the preparation and coaching with the schools in due time.
• The school directors will ensure access to the laboratories, workshop and classroom for the trainings as well as for the preparation

7. Requirements on the format of the tender

Based on the technical and financial evaluation of the tender, the 2 best ranked candidates will be selected as short-term experts as trainers for ToT.

The structure of the tender must correspond to the structure of the ToRs. In particular, the detailed structure of the concept (Chapter 3) should be organised in accordance with the positively weighted criteria in the assessment grid (not with zero). The tender must be legible (font size 11 or larger) and clearly formulated. It must be drawn up in English.

The complete tender must not exceed 3 pages (excluding CV). If one of the maximum page lengths is exceeded, the content appearing after the cut-off point will not be included in the assessment. External content (e.g. links to websites) will also not be considered.

The CV of the STE proposed in accordance with Chapter 4 of the ToRs must be submitted using the format specified in the terms and conditions for application. The CV shall not exceed 4 pages. It must clearly show the position and job the applicant held in the reference project and for how long. The CV should be submitted in English.

Please calculate your financial tender based exactly on the parameters specified in Chapter 5 Quantitative requirements. The contractor is not contractually entitled to use up the days, trips, workshops or budgets in full. The number of days, trips and workshops and the budgets will be contractually agreed as maximum limits. The specifications for pricing are defined in the price schedule.