Lebanon: Training Consultant

Organization: World Learning
Country: Lebanon
Closing date: 22 Feb 2015

Expand Your Horizons - Lebanon

International Field of Activity Expert

To serve as a Training Consultant for a

Stone Pine Tree Production Cooperative in Lebanon

Sponsored by:\*The United State Agency for International Development*

Managed by:\*Expand Your Horizons Program*

Administered by: World Learning, AMIDEAST, KDC

Estimated Date for delivery of the service requested:\*March, 2014*

1.Background:

Expand Your Horizons (EYH), a three year USAID-funded project, aims to build the technical and professional capacity of Lebanese organizations and their employees to play a more effective role in their community. This project is made possible by the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development.

The project aims to achieve this through:

1.Strengthening the capacity of 150 organizations from various sectors and 400 of their employees in selected core skills and competencies through training and follow-on support activities.

2.Increasing communications and networking among participating organizations and individuals.

EYH outsources trainings for the selected organizations to highly qualified training providers based on the needs identified in the project’s assessment phase. In order to do so, EYH issues Request for Training Proposals (RFTP) and completes a competitive procurement process. The purpose is to solicit proposals from qualified training providers who have the capacity to develop and deliver training in coordination with EYH staff. These trainings must be designed to support the development of skills and knowledge of professionals as guided and indicated in the details of the RFTP.

2.Training Topic and Objectives:

EYH is commissioning a 5-day training for a private stone pine tree cooperative producing pine nuts within the Food Production sector in Lebanon. The purpose of this program is to assist participants within the cooperative in improving their pine cone and pine nut production and advising on possible expansion into new pine products.

Specific objectives to be covered by the training provider in technical training sessions (practical hands-on applications and workshops accompanied by tools/templates and take-aways):

· Introduce participants to international best practices and techniques in gathering pine cones, producing pine nuts, and planting stone pine trees.

· Advise the Cooperative on key steps and technical considerations when starting and maintaining a new pine nursery.

· Advise the Cooperative on potential new pine product development in line with international trends and markets.

3.Methodology:

The methodology for this training should revolve around hands-on participatory adult education techniques. The training should not rely heavily on traditional lecturing and instead should focus on practical issues and be activity-based. Each training session should be designed to meet clearly the identified training objectives.

Training providers are expected to share in their training proposal an explanation of the training methodology to be used in each session to achieve the set objectives. Training materials developed and used should include up-to-date information and tools with practical examples and procedures that will aid the trainees in applying what they have learned within their organization.

The selected training provider is expected to:

• Prepare and design modules of the training in line with the training objectives set by EYH;
• Share the outline of the training modules and a brief description of each topic with EYH for approval before the training;
• Share all relevant training materials, tools and templates with EYH prior to the training including handouts, PowerPoint presentations, and other relevant material;
• Deliver the training, equip trainees with relevant skills, knowledge and materials and work with trainees on developing Individual Development Plans (IDPs);
• Submit a training report at the end of the training;
• Be available for follow-up coaching of the participants on a limited basis as needed through email or phone calls for additional support within the period of three months post-training.

4.Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and Action Planning

The IDP is an action planning tool completed by participants during the training which helps to measure progress and change within the individual and their organization afterwards. The IDP form, which participants are introduced to by EYH prior to arrival at the training will describe what each trainee expects to accomplish through training and how their new skills and knowledge will contribute to their organization’s development plan already prepared by EYH. Training providers are asked to hold daily check-ins at the end of the day and remind participants to consider ideas from the day to include in their action plans. At the end of the training the provider should also allocate adequate time and assistance to coach participants in completing a draft action plan to be handed in to EYH.

5.Trainee Background

Trainees consist of 22 professionals that each represent a small organization assembled together as a stone pine tree production cooperative in Lebanon.

1. Language of Training

Training delivery and training material will be provided in English. Interpretation and translation will also be arranged and provided for this training by the EYH team.

7.Outputs

Expected outputs from the training include:

· Building capacity of Lebanese participants in stone pine tree and pine nut production;

· Sharing with EYH the training materials;

· One IDP Action plan completed per trainee based on already developed EYH template;

· Final Training Report within two weeks after the completion of the training.

· Follow-up coaching support provided for up to three months post-training

8.Training Provider/Consultant Profile

EYH is looking for a training provider with a clear understanding of global standards, trends, products and services in the field of stone pine tree and pine nut production. The training provider can be a registered commercial company, an institution, organization, or an individual consultant with proven credibility within the field of training.

The specific skills and competencies sought include:

· At least 5 years proven knowledge and experience in training delivery related to stone pine tree production

· Excellent writing and verbal communication skills in English

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

During the training the provider should:

· Acknowledge and value diversity of experiences and operational environments

· Encourage dialogue, sharing of knowledge and participation

· Be supportive, rather than prescriptive, in building individual participants’ skills and expertise

· Encourage participants to be responsible for their own learning

Proposal Components

1. Technical Proposal:Please describe the methodology and approach that you will use to conduct the training. The technical part of your proposal should include the following and not exceed four pages:

· Your proposed methodology for conducting the training;

· Your approach to conducting the three phases of the training intervention (preparatory, onsite, and follow-up coaching) including a brief description of the training modules and activities broken down for each of the days of the five-day onsite portion;

1. Professional Qualifications:The training provider should provide the following:

· CV with a list of three references including names, organization, and contact information who can provide insights regarding skills, qualifications, and delivery of similar requested training services;

· A cover letter of no more than 1 page introducing the training provider’s background, qualifications, and how the skills and competencies described above are met with concrete examples from past training assignments. Please also use this cover letter to indicate timeframe availability;

1. Timeframe: It is envisioned that preparatory work with the target cooperatives would begin in February, 2015. The five-day onsite visit however is expected to take place in March, in line with the the training provider and target cooperative’s availability. Follow-up coaching may continue into June, 2015 if needed.

Please indicate in the appropriate bullet points in the cells of the table below as much information as possible based on the information we have provided you, including:

· A description of your work for each of the proposed steps of the program. Please note also that the Level of Effort should not exceed 11 working days total, spread over the indicated implementation period.

Steps· Description of work

· # working days Step 1 ·

· 3 preparation day Step 2 ·

· 5 onsite work days Step 3 ·

· 2 distance follow-up coaching days Step 4 ·

· 1 reporting day

1. Budget: Prices must be quoted in USD and include all expenses necessary to perform the contract. The training program budget should include the cost of three days of preparation, five days of onsite training, two days of follow-up coaching, and one day for reporting.

Training fee per day however should be the same regardless of whether work is performed inside or outside Lebanon. Traveling to/from Lebanon will be arranged and paid for by EYH separately. Per Diem will be given by EYH to the training provider to cover all lodging, meals & incidentals and ground transportation cost while in Lebanon.

**Responsibilities**

1.EYH

· Provide bidder this RFP with supporting relevant information;

· Secure participation of the targeted institution in the training intervention;

· Manage and coordinate project resources;

· Liaise with stakeholders and USAID;

· Provide additional relevant information [pertinent to the targeted cooperative] during the preparatory phase;

· Arrange international travel for the training provider or reimburse international travel costs;

· Arrange lodging and per diem for the training provider during the onsite training phase.

1. Training Consultant

· Design schedule and approach to conducting the training intervention to be held with target cooperative in Lebanon;

· Submit a Work Plan to EYH to be reviewed internally and with the target cooperatives for feedback;

· Conduct training intervention in line with the Work Plan;

· No later than two weeks post-training submit to EYH a Training Report;

· Provide up to two days of follow-up coaching offsite to the target cooperative over three months post-training.

Evaluation Criteria

1. Technical approach (see description under point 1 above): 40 points

2. Professional Qualifications (see description under point 2 above): 30 points

3. Timeframe (see description under point three above: 15 points

4. Budget (see description under point four above): 15 points

Training Process, Deadlines and Timeline

The training is estimated to be conducted by March, 2015.

ActionDue Date Responsibility of Submission of questions to clarify the RFP February 4, 2015 Training Provider Deadline for submission of Training Proposals to EYH February 6, 2015 Training Provider Review applications/short list/service procured (tentative timing based on USAID approval) February 11, 2015 EYH EYH meeting (over Skype) with Trainer to agree on methodology and content February 18, 2015 EYH and Training Provider Contract Signed February 25, 2015 EYH and Training Provider Training Delivery March, 2015 (TBD) Training Provider Training Report Submission April, 2015 Training Provider Post-Training Coaching Support up to Two Days (online/phone) March-June, 2015 Training Provider

How to apply:

Applicants not conforming to this model may be rejected. Questions and proposals should be emailed to bothjgerges@eyhlebanon.org****and****holly.mccandless@worldlearning.org**.**