A.       Introduction

The Government of Ghana has Credit from the International Development Association (IDA) towards the cost of the above project / program. The implementing institution intends to apply part of the respective proceeds of these funds for local Project Management related Trainings/Workshops in knowledge areas such as MONITORING & EVALUATION and  SAFEGUARDS amongst others. The Centre’s specialists on M & E and Safeguards will supervise the nominated firm in respect of these segments. The Centre’s specialists on M & E and Safeguards will supervise the nominated firm in respect of these segments. The training or Workshop will be physical in hotel environment with all covid protocols and requirements observed.  There is a third (3^rd) segment on Endowments and Independent Fund Raising which was part of this but is now separated into another Terms of Reference (TOR). The two (2) TORs will be floated to run parallel so that firms with ability to deliver on all three (3) segments can make submissions accordingly or pool with other firms.

B.    Rationale and Overview of the Training

To provide knowledge and build capacity of the project and beneficiary agency teams. Other officials/staff not necessarily under the projects could also benefit.

Being local training, it tends to be relatively cheaper and more in tune with the needs of the project and its people. More persons are also likely to benefit given the local venue and circumstances. The training is expected to take four (4) days with two (2) days for each of the segments. It is expected to take place in the last week of September,2021. The expected participant numbers are up to Fifty (50) persons. It will be organized in a Conference Hotel with required Conference Facilities and in suitably large conference room to comply with needed Covid protocols. All other Covid requirements will be practiced and met.

C.    Project Background 

The GTEC (Ghana Tertiary Education Commission), formerly known as the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) is the PCU. There are nine (9) centers of excellence under the project, all of which are part of the universities and function as their own implementing agencies.

The centers comprise of center leader (usually a faculty member or dean) and other teaching and research faculty members with administrative tasks aided by fiduciary and monitoring team member. Three (3) are in Accra and the remaining Six (6) outside of Accra.

The AAU (Association of African Universities) is the Regional Facilitation Unit of the Project for the 50 Centers of Excellence, Emerging Centers and Colleges of Engineering in 11 West African countries (and Djibouti). . The project is officially called the FIRST AFRICA HIGHER EDUCATION CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPACT PROJECT (ACE IMPACT PROJECT). There is both a Credit and a Grant Component, totaling US$258mn for the five (5) Countries. Ghana has an allocation of US$60mn of which US$56mn has been allocated to the nine (9) centers already under Components One (1) and Two (2). There is an unallocated amount of about US$2mn and another US$2mn is allocated to GTEC to support project coordination under Component Three (3).  There is no Grant part for Ghana unlike other Countries as this depends on the agreed terms at government level and country financial status. The project duration is 2019 – 2024.

The project is part of the World Bank’s Africa Regional Integration and Cooperation Strategy. The project is also well aligned with the pillars of “Renewing Social Contract” and “Regional Cooperation” of the WBG Africa Regional Strategy by strengthening skills that match market demands, building greater citizen trust and inclusive and accountable service delivery, as well as promoting a regional education initiative. The project is included in the Country Partnership Strategies for the countries involved.

The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve the quality, quantity and development impact of postgraduate education in selected universities through regional specialization and collaboration.

The PDO-level indicators are:

                 i.          Number of students (national and regional) enrolled in specialized master’s, PhD and short-term professional courses/programs in the ACEs (Quantity of Education & Regional Specialization)

                ii.          Number of ACE programs and ACE host institutions that obtain international accreditation (Quality of Education)

              iii.          Percentage of ACE host institutions with a comprehensive strategic plan for regionalization (Regional Specialization and Collaboration)

              iv.          Number of ACEs that have had substantial development impact (as measured by an

independent evaluation of each center’s impact on development at mid-term and end of project)

               v.          Number of students and faculty participating in internships in relevant institutions (Development Impact of Education)

The proposed project consists of three (3) components:

·       Component 1: Establishing new and scaling up well-performing existing ACE centers for development impact;

·       Component 2: Fostering regional partnerships and scholarships; and

·       Component 3: Enhancing national and regional project facilitation and M&E.

Component 1 will aim to strengthen capacity in 16 ACE centers and their host institutions (supply-side), while Component 2 will aim to strengthen non-ACE institutions in the region and allow students to benefit from the capacity in the ACE centers (demand-side). Centers under Component 2 will be known as Emerging centers. Component 3 will aim to support national and regional facilitation of the project and M&E related activities. Financing for Components 1 and 2 are result-based, while financing for Component 3 is input-based.

A.    The Objectives of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment is to engage a local training firm with the requisite record and experience to develop the needed course content and provide delivery of it to the needed and identified participants. This is to help them to support the project and equally build their capacity in the handling of their individual responsibilities.

Specifically, the objective of the assignment is to design course content and train project staff in MONITORING & EVALUATION and SAFEGUARDS

2. Scope of Services

The firm shall comply with the following:

• Provide profiles of its practice and course modules
• Provide an Offer Paper for the training engagement
• Provide a course outline and structure for the course content for the training to be undertaken
• The minimum training duration must be 8 hours daily (including one hour lunch break and two 30 minutes coffee break intervals for morning & afternoon)
• The training must be scheduled and executed within one month of the engagement
• Have required training tools/equipment/resources to undertake the engagement
• Provide quality training that will enhance  the capacities of the staff involved in their areas of responsibility
• Provide training in English;
• Make use of skilled, qualified, professional and experienced resource persons with minimum of Ten (10) years of experience and experts in the respective training fields with no less than Masters Degrees in the designated subject areas to undertake the training programme during the course of this assignment;
• Provide  any administrative support required for the implementation of the training programme;
• Identify an efficient focal person that will be the programme manager from the firm’s side. The focal person will be the communication point for the client and will be responsible for the management of the engagement
• Provide feedback to the project on issues/challenges related to implementation of the training programme, in good time for the client to be able to intervene appropriately;
• Provide a course completion report (which will include detailed course module, trainee’s assessment, attendance report and a photo album amongst others.

3. Competence and Experience

The firm shall meet the following requirements:

• Must be a local firm (not an individual)
• Must be a training service provider
• Must be one that specialize in providing project management related trainings / workshops for donor funded projects especially those of the IDA
• Must be familiar with the client’s project and the sector
• Must have delivered similar engagements for similar clients / projects
• Provide proposed course themes and content
• Should have the necessary resources for conducting the training;
• Provide the details of key persons for the engagement
• Should have a dedicated focal person (operations manager) assigned to manage the engagement
• Firms will be allowed to do joint submission to take advantage of their respective specialties unless this makes the engagement relatively more expensive given the relatively small budget that there is for this activity.

4. Deliverables/Outputs

• Development of relevant training / workshop materials in the required course areas of MONITORING & EVALUATION and SAFEGUARDS. These when ready will be submitted for final review before the Workshop is conducted
• Conduct of Workshop / Training on the above knowledge Area to the selected participants
• Training Evaluation by participants and National Focal Unit (NFU) which evaluation will be included in the Engagement Completion Report with needed detailed criteria provided as appendices
• Completion Report submitted after execution. This would include participants assessment Copies of signed attendance registers, presentations, other course materials, Participants Certificates, photo album and Stationery Supplies.

E.                    Justification for Tailored Local Training

                 I.          Relatively lower costs per participant and with much savings

               II.          Opportunity to train a lot more of the project’s people from both Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) and Implementing Agencies (IA) within the same time frame

             III.          More relevant training / workshop content that resonates more with the project

            IV.          Training exclusively for the project’s people hence greater tailoring or customization

              V.          Suitable duration exactly for the targeted subject matter compared to the sometimes prolonged duration of foreign workshop that take several weeks

            VI.          Greater opportunities for capacity building within the sector

F.                       Preference for a Firm

              I.          An individual consultant can only provide training in one knowledge area such as Procurement, Financial Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, Safeguards etc unlike a firm that will have the capacity to provide workshops / training in all the knowledge areas.

            II.          Even within the one knowledge area, there are specializations. So an individual consultant will be constrained even with a single knowledge area unlike a firm which is likely to have multiple specialists for the different areas of specialisation even within the same knowledge area.

          III.           Training is also a Service which comes with other dimensions. A firm specialising in training & workshop services has the capacity to provide a complete service including venues, course materials, award of certificates, logistics, and all the related services rather than an individual consultant who can only do presentations.

          IV.          A firm will be better to hold responsible and be liable compared to an individual.

            V.          Outsourcing to a firm, frees the client completely from being involved in the management of the engagement. It is a total outsourcing.

          VI.          The delivery of Training, Workshops and Capacity Building Services is a complete business and hence better managed by a firm rather than an individual.

7. Payment Schedule

Payments shall be made in accordance with the guidance below: 

8. Selection of Service Provider

The project will be using CQS - Selection based on consultant’s Qualification – (i.e. experience, competence and track record) to identify the service provider. Please see weblink below for details on this Selection Method from the World Bank new procurement framework for Borrowers (Procurement Framework and Regulations for Projects After July 1, 2016 (worldbank.org).

9. Document Formats

All deliverables should be in electronic and hardcopy formats. This should include all data, course materials, report and photos.

10. Data, Services and Facilities to be provided by the Client

K.    Content Overview of Courses

MONITORING & EVALUATION (M &E)

Title:            Effective Monitoring & Evaluation for a Results Based Financing Project of the IDA, the case of the ACE IMPACT PROJECT within the context of the broader issues of Knowledge Management and Learning

Objectives:  To broaden the understanding and appreciation of participants on the concept of Results Based Management and how it translates into Monitoring and Evaluation activities for a Project that is Results Based Funded. The Workshop will also provide a practical and concise understanding of the project in question, on the basis of its design and results framework, and the key means of delivering its required results using the tools of M & E.

Context:      

M & E permeates donor development projects right from conceptualization to closure. The Baseline Studies will provide the initial data for assessment and design of project; The Results Framework provides the roadmap to delivery; Monitoring Activities ensure staying on course; Evaluation confirms success or otherwise and provides lessons learnt. M & E is hence intricately tied to the design and delivery of donor development projects and hence its understanding. This workshop will seek to open up the project in question for a very practical understanding and appreciation and assist the participants in demystifying it vis a vis its  M & E and Results Framework requirements within the larger context of it being mainly Output Based in funding.

Duration /

Participants Two (2) days duration and for up to five (5) key project implementation officers

from each of the implementing Centers. This makes about forty five (45) participants with the remaining five (5) from the National Focal Unit making a total of up to fifty (50).

Key Outline:

§  M & E as a management tool in project / development interventions

§  Results Indicators and Results Chain - why greater focus on “OUTCOMES & IMPACTS” than "Outputs"

§  Traditional M & E versus Results Based M & E (Results Based Management)

§  Understanding the ACE IMPACT Project in question

§  Effective use of the Project’s Results Framework to deliver the PDO

§  How M & E can enhance implementation and delivery efforts of the ACE Project

§  The impact of Results Based Financing on M & E and Project Management

§  Data Systems and Data quality and how they strengthen the M & E function

§  Project / M & E Reporting for enhanced story tellingExperience Sharing / Case Studies / Group Work

Environmental and Social Safeguards

Title:            Understanding and Implementing the required Environmental and Social Safeguards Arrangements for the ACE IMPACT PROJECT within the broad Frameworks of both the World Bank and Ghana Country Requirements

Overall Goal:

The overall goal is to strengthen development outcomes and sustainability of ACE actions by assuring that participants have the motivation, knowledge, and skills to achieve environmental and social compliance and integrate environmental and social considerations in activity design and management.

Objectives:

1.     Ensure a working understanding of the concept of Safeguards in Development Projects

2.     Achieve a practical working understanding and applications of the main World Bank Safeguards Policies applicable to the ACE IMPACT Project

3.     Achieve a practical working understanding and applications of the main Ghana Environmental Regulations applicable to the ACE IMPACT Project

4.     Appreciate the key departures and Convergence between the two (2) standards

5.     Understand and appreciate the varying roles and responsibilities in the application of the above policies on the ACE IMPACT Project

6.     Appreciate the broad step by step Safeguards Activities, Procedures and Documents as applicable to the ACE IMPACT Project arising from the combined application of the above two (2) standards

Regulatory

Framework: World Bank Safeguards Requirements and Ghana Environmental Regulations

Context:       Development is progress and improvement of human life. As such, it is centered on people. Projects tend to be the building blocks of development at the community and society levels. Developments must hence co-exist with the lives and welfare of the local community.  These lives and welfare and the conditions and states that preserve them must be protected and harmonized with those of physical development. These conditions include Life itself, water, soil, livelihoods, culture, landmarks etc. and their preservation is the subject matter of Safeguards. For development projects to be successful and sustainable, they must be prepared and implemented with principles which promote doing “no harm” to people and the environment. There is no development without the people. To ensure the preservation of the above, safeguards requirements have become very paramount in project management and often become the foremost considerations in the commencement of project activities.

Duration /

Participants Two (2) days duration and for up to five (5) key project implementation officers

from each of the implementing Centers. This makes about forty-five (45) participants with the remaining five (5) from the National Focal Unit making a total of up to fifty (50).

Key Outline:

·       Broad overview of the thinking behind Safeguards Policies and Requirements in Development Projects and the precision between Environmental and Social

·       Overview of the World Bank Safeguards Requirements and how they are triggered

·       Overview of the World Bank Safeguards Requirements triggered by the ACE IMPACT Project

·       A comparison of the above with the Ghana Regulations (Environmental + Social) noting key departures and key convergence

·       How the above requirements (world Bank + Ghana Regulations) are attended to in the Project’s ESMF (environmental) and RPF (social)

·       Understanding the project’s ESMF and RPF documents and their applications

·       Allocation Roles and Responsibilities in the implementation of the project’s safeguards policies

·       Discuss requirements and standards of practice for assessing and addressing social impacts and gender issues.

·       Engaging and working with the EPA, Lands Commission and Assemblies

·       Overview of the various FORMS and REPORTS requiring completion and submission

·       The emerging NEW Safeguards Framework of the World Bank and its applicability

·       Hiring Consultants for Safeguards activities

·       Sources for information, assistance and updates

·       Discussions, Brain Storming, Group Work; Case Studies, Experience Sharing

·       Field Trip for practical assessment and / or compliance

 Conclusion

It is strongly recommended that companies with the technical capacity to carry out all the training topics offered to apply. Indeed, we encourage the realization of this training in a single batch, and as much as possible, by the same company. We also encourage the formation of business groups to optimize their technical capacity in order to respond to these ToRs. Hence, even in the case of two (2) separate TORs, one for the M &E and SAFEGUARDS and the other for the ENDOWMENT, it is hoped that a single procurement process will be employed for them combined to allow a firm that can deliver all the segments to emerge

LIST OF ACRONYMS / ABBREVIATIONS

GTEC                     Ghana Tertiary Education Commission

NCTE                     National Council for Tertiary Education

PCU                       Project Coordinating Unit

NFU                       National Focal Unit

M & E                     Monitoring & Evaluation

FM                         Financial Management

STEP                      Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement

TOR                       Terms of Reference

E & S                      Environmental and Social

ACE IMPACT          FIRST AFRICA HIGHER EDUCATION CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPACT PROJECT