Request for proposals: designing and delivering a training programme

1. Introduction:

Pal-Think for Strategic Studies, in partnership with Acted and Convergences, funded by the European Commission (EU), is implementing the project “Turning the principles of democracy and human rights into a way of life and daily practice for the residents of the Gaza Strip”, with the aim of contributing to strengthening the values and practices of democracy, rights, and civic culture in society through:

• Improving the technical capacities of human-rights defenders, change-makers, and civil-society leaders, by their obtaining the necessary information and skills through the Pal-Think community academy.
• Strengthening the institutional and organisational capacities of a group of civil-society organisations in the Gaza Strip, with the aim of encouraging them to monitor and follow respect for human rights in their local communities.
• Developing the capacities of traditional and new media in spreading a culture of respect for human rights.

1. Background / scope of work:

Pal-Think for Strategic Studies, in cooperation with Acted and Convergences, funded by the European Commission (EU), intends to implement three training programmes targeting 60 young men and women, focusing on the new concepts of democracy and human rights, confronting hate speech, gender-based violence, gender equality, decision-making skills, and presentation skills — the training programme relying on an interactive approach.

The training programme will run for 15 days per training group, distributed over the two years 2023/2024 (10 days in the first year and 5 days in the second). The training will be followed by giving the trainees the opportunity to pass the skills and knowledge gained during the training to their peers and communities, through supporting them in implementing community initiatives and awareness meetings, in addition to working on integrating them into Pal-Think's partner institutions. The training will be implemented in multiple areas of the Gaza Strip.

1. Target group:

The training programme's target group is 60 young people aged 24–34 from all governorates of the Gaza Strip, graduates of the specialisations (law, social sciences, human rights, or any related specialisation), representing their marginalised communities and not having received similar trainings. Trainees meeting the enrolment conditions will be recruited via an electronic registration form published on Pal-Think's platforms, followed by personal interviews of the shortlist of candidates until the required number is selected.

1. Purpose of the announcement:

Contracting a specialised, officially registered consulting company to deliver training for 60 young men and women aged 24–34, of both sexes, in the foregoing topics, divided into three training groups at 15 training days per group as set out above.

1. The company's duties and responsibilities:

Delivering training for 60 young men and women of both sexes in the foregoing topics, divided into three training groups at 15 training days (80 hours) per group, to the following specifications:

• Preparing and approving the training methodology and the detailed plan.
• Preparing a comprehensive training plan for the training days, and a schedule and timings suited to the training fields and topics.
• Delivering the training programme in creative, non-traditional ways, using all modern and advanced techniques.
• Following up on the beneficiaries and evaluating them throughout the training period and during their execution of the training activities.
• Designing the forms needed for the practical applications and activities, and providing a breakdown of the activities.
• Pre- and post-training assessments to measure the effect and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes gained from the training.
• Preparing the reports required for the three training programmes, comprising a report documenting the training's events and activities, the methodology followed, the trainees' evaluation, the beneficiaries' satisfaction with the training services, the aims and results achieved from the training, impact measurement, recommendations, observations, lessons learned, and success stories.

1. Outputs:

• 60 young men and women of both sexes now possessing the skills, knowledge, and information of the new concepts of democracy and human rights, hate speech, gender-based violence, gender equality, the mechanisms of monitoring and documenting human-rights violations, decision-making skills, and presentation skills.
• Submission of a final report, comprising all the following points:
• An executive summary.
• Analytical in nature (quantitative and qualitative).
• Description, aims, and scope of the training.
• The work plan.
• A description of the activities implemented in all stages of the training.
• Data collection and analysis techniques with the indicators.
• An explanation of the use of the tools employed at each stage of the training.
• Presentation of the training's results.
• Conclusions and recommendations.
• Lessons learned and any success stories — if any.
• The trainees' evaluation.

1. Timeframe:

The company commits to delivering the above tasks and outputs within the period agreed after the award of the tender.

1. The work team:

The company's training team is expected to possess the following:

• A university degree in any field related to the requirements of the training topics.
• Strong skills in time management and communication, excellent report preparation, and formal writing skills in both English and Arabic.
• Experience in training methodologies.
• The ability to convey information to the trainees in a simplified way.
• The ability to monitor and evaluate the trainees alongside the training period.
• Good experience and background in democracy and human rights, hate speech, gender-based violence, gender equality, the mechanisms of monitoring and documenting human-rights violations, decision-making skills, and presentation skills.

1. Mechanism of submitting price offers:

Your price offers (the technical and financial offer) must be delivered by hand, one copy, in Arabic, in closed and sealed envelopes clearly bearing the title of the terms of reference according to the required form, to the office of Pal-Think for Strategic Studies (fourth floor — Dream Building — Habboush Street — Gaza port — opposite the Monetary Authority — Gaza, Palestine). Offers arriving by fax or email are not accepted.

1. Submission deadline:

The final deadline for receiving price offers at the address indicated above is Tuesday, 30 May 2023, at 12:00 noon.

1. Price evaluation and award:

The award will go to the supplier whose offer obtains the highest scores in the technical evaluation (70%) and financial evaluation (30%). The technical evaluation will proceed according to the criteria in the table below, with the weight against each criterion.

1. Technical evaluation:

Criterion	Score
The work team's experience of no less than 5 years, and knowledge of trainings in the mechanisms of monitoring and documenting human-rights violations, decision-making skills, presentation skills, and the issues of gender and gender-based violence.	30
The university degree and the work team's specialisations in the topics related to the training	20
The quality of the submitted technical offer and the proposed work plan, and the ability to use modern training methods matching the training's requirements.	40
Good conduct and the company's degree of commitment (good reputation, no breach of contract in previous contracts, no conflict of interest, etc.).	10
Total	100

1. Financial evaluation:

Your price offers must be submitted according to the following instructions and in reliance on the supply conditions set out below. Price offers must be submitted in euros, inclusive of value-added tax, with the necessity of providing a comprehensive withholding-at-source certificate covering the implementation period and a tax-invoice template for the company with a copy of the licence:

#	Required item	Unit	Quantity	Unit price in euros		Total price in euros
				Cent	Euro	Cent	Euro
1.	Training 60 young men and women of both sexes in the foregoing topics, divided into three training groups at 15 training days per group	Training day	45 days
				Total amount
				Tax %
				Grand total

1. Validity of the offer: Your price offers must remain valid for 90 days from the date of receipt of offers indicated in this invitation to tender.
2. Fixed price: The prices indicated above are fixed and not subject to any change or adjustment during the period of the contract's implementation.
3. Delay penalties: Should the supplier fail to deliver all the required services, or any of them, by the delivery date(s) specified in the contract, the purchaser has the right to deduct an amount from the contract's value as delay penalties: 2% of the delivery price of the delayed or unperformed services for each week of delay or part thereof until their actual delivery or performance, up to a maximum of 10%. Should the maximum (10%) be reached, the purchaser has the right to terminate the contract.

1. Force majeure:

The supplier shall not be subject to forfeiture, payment of delay penalties, or termination of the contract if the delay in performance or any other failure to perform its obligations under the contract results from force majeure. In such circumstances the supplier must inform the purchasing body immediately and in writing of how it affects its performance, and the supplier and the purchasing body shall agree on alternatives for implementing the contract. For the purposes of this paragraph, “force majeure” means any event or condition beyond the supplier's will that could not be avoided or foreseen and does not result from its negligence or default.

Download the terms of reference