National Consultant - Support Project and Financial Management Services to Lao Youth Union to Implement Vocational Training Programmes

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges. UNDP, as a trusted partner for the government of Lao PDR, has been providing support and working closely with a number of line ministries. Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Unit has been working with the Lao Youth Union (LYU) on youth support over the employment opportunities and education in the past few years. Such contribution, there will be a continuation of activities support to LYU.

As Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has one of the youngest populations in the region, as close to 60% of the total populace is aged 25 and younger which making it one of the youngest populations in Southeast Asia. As this number is only set to increase over the next ten years, Lao PDR has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to benefit from this demographic dividend entering the workforce. Currently, 25% of the youth population are not in education, employment, or training, which is the highest in the region. This presents a major opportunity to accelerate the socio-economic development of the country as the labour market is projected to increase rapidly and a large number of youths is poised to contribute to the economy as medium- and high-skilled workers. However, economic growth stemming from this youth demographic dividend faces several barriers. There is a mismatch between labour market needs and the skills and education levels of youth in Lao PDR, in that the current levels of education and skills are inadequate to meet the demand for medium- and high-skilled workers. Secondly, the agricultural sector is beset by low productivity. In addition to the skills gap and low productivity in the agricultural sector, participation and engagement of young citizens in community activity and local-level decision making is limited, which renders them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse and hampers policy-making that may benefit the youth.

Improved livelihoods and poverty reduction is the first out of three outcomes of the Country Programme Document (CPD) of UNDP in Lao PDR for the period of 2022-2026. The project “Promoting Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth and Recovery” seeks to support poverty reduction and sustainable and inclusive economic growth through inclusive planning and interventions to empower local economic actors. The project aims to support activities of the Lao Youth Union on skills development. UNDP is currently seeking the services in project and financial management support to Lao Youth Union to implement the planned activities. These activities include (i) producing advertising media and campaigning to provide knowledge about farming-livestock courses for young people through Sinxay Radio, Lao TV, Facebook and various media of the Lao Youth Mass Media Department and LYU (ii) selection of underprivileged youth and orientation for target groups who have been selected to participate in training, (iii) training on mushroom cultivation, indoor vegetable cultivation, fish farming, frog farming and cricket farming, (iv) practice life and communication skills (v)marketing training and access to funding sources (vi) study tour and exchange lessons in Paksong District, Champasak Province (vii) evaluation meeting after completion of trainings and (viii) monitoring and evaluation.

OBJECTIVE:

Under the direct supervision of the Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Unit and in close coordination with LYU the consultant firm will provide Financial and Project Management Guidance Support to LYU in 5 provinces, 10 districts with a total of 11 activities. There will be 5 selected youth from each province to attend the training course activities with LYU. The consultancy firm will ensure funds management, activities implementation and guide LYU alongside to achieve the areas of support required by LYU

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK

The successful applicant will be expected to be responsible for the following:

UNDP seeks to obtain the services of a consultancy firm to support LYU in funds management and to ensure timely implementation of activities. Under supervision and consultation with of the Team leader of the UNDP Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Unit, the potential consultancy firm will be required to undertake the following duties in guiding the Central LYU in collaboration with provincial LYU to manage funds and ensure successful the implementation of activities. There are 4 main objectives with 11 activities in total (to support 20 youths – 5 youths from four target provinces for the firm to ensure effective funds management and ensure activities accomplishment per details below:

• Revise the concept and project proposal, as well as the budget for each activity
• Create a plan for each activity so that the responsible committee can begin work on time
• Create budgets and schedule regular project progress report meeting
• Evaluate youth awareness and comprehension before and after the trainings
• Keep track of the project's tasks and encourage activities to proceed as planned
• Survey the results of the project after the completion of the training to re-evaluate the implementation and summarize the lessons learned on producing advertising media and campaigning to provide knowledge about farming-livestock courses for young people through Sinxay Radio, Lao TV, Facebook and various media of the Lao Youth Mass Media Department and LYU
• Submit project progress and completion reports including financial reports to UNDP in provided templates

Competencies

• Impressive working experience of project management, financial/ technical report, coordination with government and international organisations
• Excellent computer skills (word, excel, power-point, internet, and other related matters)
• Strong data collection and analytical skills
• Capacity development techniques
• Mature personality with experience working in mixed cultural teams
• Strong interpersonal skill and experience in relation building

Required Skills and Experience

Requirements for submission of proposals

All interested and qualified International or National Individual Consultants should apply online using the following links:

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at https://www.undp.org/laopdr/jobs

In order to make your submission, please read the relevant documents available at the links below

1. TOR (Annex I)

2. IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II

Interested Individual Consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Technical Proposal

(i) Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;

(ii) Providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work including the work

schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverable;

2. P11 Form Education and work experience, including past experience in similar projects and contact references of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar services;

3. Financial proposal: Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable. Please use this template Offerors Letter to UNDP

Instructions for online submissions:

• Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically.

• Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (PDF or WORD file) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using this link https://www.undp.org/laopdr/jobs

• Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Incomplete proposals or proposals received after the deadline will be rejected

Note: Any request for clarification must be sent in writing before the submission deadline to the following emails: surith.sengsavang@undp.org