Call for expression of Interest for SKY GRADUATES TRACER STUDY

1. Background

Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia: Skills and Knowledge for Youth (SKY) project works with disadvantaged young women and men with no or limited marketable skills and no way of entry into the labor force. The project in partnership with the government and private institutions provides training and facilitates their employment. In the second phase of SKY over 3000 youth were trained of which over 1200 were trained in the past two years (2020 and 2021).

Currently, the SKY project office is planning to conduct a tracer study to determine the employment status of SKY graduates and impacts of the project implementation on the lives of disadvantaged young women and men in Bahir Dar, Debretabore and Dangila towns where the project was implemented. ” As the tracer study is considered as a powerful monitoring and evaluation instrument to gain information about the relevance and effectiveness of the program and this is going to be the last tracer study for this project period, Helvetas, would like to hire a consultant with the proper experience to handle this piece of work..

The time frame for the task would be a total of thirty working days (30). The findings of this study will be used to be as a major input the design of the next phase of the project in addition with the final/terminal evaluation results.

2. Objectives of the Tracer Study

The overall objective of the tracer study is to assess the employment status and impact of Skills and Knowledge for Youth on the livelihood of disadvantaged youths. Specifically, the objectives of the survey are to:

• determine the means by which SKY graduates acquire employment
• investigate the satisfaction of graduates with the completed training, their current job and changes in their life
• analyze monthly income, saving practice
• determine the level of employer satisfaction with regard to SKY graduates’ skills and level of performance
• determine the type and rates of employment of SKY graduates
• determine waiting times for first employment and associated reasons
• compare the skills attained from the training and the requirements of the labor market which contribute to the success to the graduates
• disclose the influence of personal factors in finding a job in terms of gender, and the background of the graduates
• analyze gender and social equity aspects, (participation/enrollment, employment trends, satisfaction on their current job, satisfaction of their employers, participation of women in traditional and  nontraditional occupations)
• analyze the difference and similarities between men and women graduates in terms of income, and satisfaction on training and current job across different occupations,
• identify the challenges encountered by graduates that have not been employed,
• impact of COVID-19 on the training and jobs.
• determine the source of finance for self-employed graduates both men and women
• analyze the difference between wage and self-employed graduates in terms of income, retention of job, satisfaction on job, life improvement etc ..

Note: -All the data should consider gender disaggregation

3.  Scope of the study

This tracer study is expected to encompass three project sites, in Bahir Dar, Debretabore and Dangila with a detailed analysis of the outputs, outcomes and impacts of skills training. It also focuses on cost-efficiency and quality control, input VARIABLES (motives that lead graduates to certain training occupation, their socio-economic background, education history and training conditions) and process variables (training methods and contents of curricula).

4. Research Methods

A descriptive research design with quantitative and qualitative approaches are proposed. For a complete understanding of the situation, the consultant shall use a concurrent mixed approach. To capture relevant information and to triangulate the findings of the tracer study mixed methods and tools would be used. The consultant shall employ the following data collection tools:

• Reviewing of existing literatures,
• Individual interviews,
• Focus group discussions (FGDs),
• Case stories
• Key informant interviews and,
• Workplace/home visit and observation

There should be a detailed methodology taking into consideration of the local context. Scientifically appropriate and valid sampling techniques and data collection tools shall be applied. The consultant shall define sample size using 95% confidence level that should meet the outcome of the tracer study. The sample size, sampling techniques and proposed tools will be discussed and approved by the SKY team before the commencement of the tracer study.

5. SKY Project Management Unit (PMU) Duties and Responsibilities

• Review submitted technical and financial proposals; select and recruit the competent consultancy firm for the job.
• Conduct consultative meetings with the consultant during the contract period.
• Provide comment on the methods suggested by the consultant.
• Make regular consultations on pertinent issues with the consultant and provide with new ideas and adjustment when necessary.
• Review and ensure that the assessment report is relevant to the objective and meets the standard quality requirements.
• Organize a debriefing session that will help to comment and suggest on the findings of the assessment.
• Final review, approve and endorse the final assessment report.

6. Consultant Duties and Responsibilities

For the objectives of the consultancy to be achieved, key tasks to be performed by the consultant(s) will be to:

• Develop an inception report detailing; the process and methodologies to be employed for the assignment. It should include interview schedules and important time schedules for this activity, assessment tools and presented to HELVETAS Ethiopia SKY project for review and further inputs before proceeding to the field for data collection. (Note: For Research Methodology and data collection procedures, the consultant should refer Helvetas’s practical tool kit for Tracer Studies).
• • Conduct a comprehensive field-based assessment both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods based on the purpose and objectives of the consultancy.
  • Write and present a draft report, capturing key findings against objectives of the study to SKY project team for review before producing a second draft.
  • Present a Draft Report (2nd draft report) to SKY project office and other stakeholders in an evaluation workshop to facilitate sharing of the assessment results with a view of incorporating inputs from stakeholders in the final draft.
  • Finalize the report by incorporating inputs from HELVETAS and stakeholders and submit a final assessment report to HELVETAS Ethiopia SKY project office.

7.  Deliverables

The Expectations from the Consultant:

• Debriefing at the end of field work is mandatory with relevant SKY project team.
• Two (2) bound hard copies of the final report not more than 40 including prefatory and annexes.
• Soft copy of the Report.
• The consultant will also be required to submit to HELVETAS Ethiopia SKY project office all assessment materials including:
  • Soft copies of all data sets: both quantitative and qualitative.
  • All filled quantitative data collection tools and qualitative data recording materials.
  • Any other non-consumable documents/items that will be used in the course of the planned consultancy.

8. Time Frame/Schedule

The assessment will be (is scheduled) conducted from November 15^th to 15^th of December, 2021. Thus,

• The consultant needs to submit expression of interest and financial proposal before 10^th of Nov, 2021. Every applicant should consider the potential of changing the time frame based on different circumstances which limit the quality of the tracer study, but, only with the decision of HELVETAS
• A regular meeting will be scheduled between the two parties (the consultant and the PMU) to create common understanding on data gathering tools, review of documents, data gathering, findings and conclusions…etc.

9.  Payment Modality

• 30% on submission of inception report detailing; the process and methodologies to be employed for the assignment.
• 45% on submission of the first draft report
• 25% on the final submission of the report and with the approval of the PMU

10.  Ethical Considerations

• The study is expected to respect basic ethical principles of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia and international standardized research codes of ethics.
• All research/study participants need to be informed primarily about the objectives and process of the study.
• All the study related documents including data gathering tools, checklists and forms will be HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia SKY project office property.

11. Consultant Minimum qualification and experience

The consultants who meet the requirements should submit expression of interest, which should include the following:

• The lead consultant with MA/MSc or above in the areas of Vocational management, education, economics, sociology, social work and/or related fields.
• The other two experts with MA/MSc in different disciplines preferably one in gender and social studies.

Experiences and Other Requirements

• One page Cover letter that describes how the candidate’s previous experience matches the consultancy objectives as well as its interest for the consultancy.
• Technical proposal (not more than 10 pages) which contains the interest and motivation of the consultant or firm, clear framework, methodology and approach, work plan, and any other relevant information regarding the specific assignment.
• Copy of renewed trade license, tax related registration certificates, etc.
• CVs, including detailed work experience and education
• Experience of mobile data collection especially using KOBO Toolbox is advantageous.
• The consultant should complete the whole work within the given time frame and deliver the required documents.
• Financial Proposal: The consultant should prepare and submit a detailed budget plan. The cost may cover items including travel, professional fees, per diem and other expenses, payments for data collectors, data processors, and secretarial services, applicable tax, etc. This should be presented in a separate envelope and should indicate the breakdown of the proposed cost.

NOTE: In order to consider the financial proposal for a given firm. the evaluation result of technical proposal shall be ≥60 out of 80.