TERMS OF REFERENCE

Recruitment of a Training Provider for The Provision of Project Management Professional (PMP) Training and Certification to International Alert and Partner Staff.   

1. Organization Background.

International Alert (Alert) is an international organization headquartered in the United Kingdom that works to build peace by working with local civil society organizations through research, advocacy, capacity building, inclusive dialogue, and political and civic participation. In partnership with ARCT Ruhuka, International Alert is implementing a four years and nine months USAID funded Dufatanye Urumuri (Light) Project.

The purpose of the USAID Dufatanye Urumuri (Light) Activity is to improve unity, resilience, and social cohesion efforts in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners at national and local levels. Using a combination of dialogue, media involvement, joint economic activities, and psycho-social support in 30 districts of Rwanda.

To achieve the desired goals and drive results, the USAID Dufatanye Urumuri project team must continuously improve skills and competences to be able to implement project activities effectively. 

In this regard, International Alert is recruiting an experienced training agency to provide Project Management Professional (PMP) Training to the International Alert and Implementing Partner Staffs, provide required subjects and allow trainees to pass the PMP examination and obtain related  Certification. The training agency must implement this training within the framework agreement for 1 year which may be renewed based on the performance of the training agency need by International.

2. Objectives for the Consultancy 

Project Management is used to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control, and close projects by applying appropriate skills, knowledge, tools, and techniques to fulfil the project requirements and plan actionable strategies and implement solutions to challenges as they arise. 

Training in program management is essential for a peacebuilding program team. It equips the team with skills for efficient resource allocation, strategic planning, risk management, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. The training should promote accountability, adaptability, and conflict sensitivity while enhancing organizational learning and stakeholders' confidence.

The aim of this consultancy is to empower and equip USAID Dufatanye urumuri project Staff with standards, knowledge, tools, methods, and techniques that describe good practices, globally recognized credentials that certify their project management expertise. 

The overall objective of the training provider is to train about 23 participants/staffs from International Alert and ARCT_RUHUKA on project management course and to support them in getting their PMP Certification.

Specific objectives include:

• Acquiring project management skills to successfully drive projects, to improve performance and results in implementation.
• Establish and manage budget.
• Develop implementation / operational plan.
• Manage the different stakeholders and their expectation.
• Optimizing on project resources
• Improve cooperation among team members both internally and externally.
• Improve effectiveness among team.
• Increase data-driven decision-making skills.

3. Tasks and Scope of Work 

The Tasks and scope of the consultancy will be to define the expected target level, assessing the level of the current project management skills  of all participants, designing Project Management curriculum content, training the selected participants, establishing a methodology to measure and report the level of increased skills for all trainees, and documenting peer reviews.

The training should follow a standardized PMI best practice, the training project will run in agile mode.

The provider will prepare and conduct the Project Management training module with the following key components:

• Project initiation and planning
• Project scope management
• Project time and cost management
• Project quality management
• Project human resource / team management
• Communication
• Risk management
• Procurement management
• Project monitoring and evaluation
• Project closure
• Stakeholder identification and engagement

The firm should ensure that participants have the necessary skills to pass the project management professional exam.  

4. Deliverables

• Training materials including PowerPoint presentations, Handouts, feedback/evaluation forms, exercises, mock exam PMP.
• A high quality and comprehensive training content and lifetime access of course content
• Registration of participants for the certification exams. 

5. Duration of the Courses and Training Method

• The duration of courses will be decided between the consultant and International Alert.
• The training method can be hybrid and the in-person delivery must be in Kigali, Rwanda

6. Firm Profile and Experience 

In addition to the human resources required to assemble its team, as described below, the firm must meet the following requirements:

• Have at least five (5) years professional experience in training of project management practitioners with list of served clients with the brief details on the  profile of their trainees.
• 5 years of experience leading and managing projects.
• Must be an Authorized Training Partner (ATP) - Proof of PMP-PMI certification, Certified Project management trainer (PMT) is required.
• The trainer must be accredited PMI Practitioner.
• Firm must be based in Rwanda with a training centers. 

7. Trainer’s Role and Profile

 The following table presents the trainers’ requirement for the present consultancy: 

Lead Trainer: The lead trainer's role might include coordinating, monitoring, and reviewing the work of the team; preparing training programs, deliver the trainings; Ensuring learners leave with a sense of achievement and an improved capability for working in project and program environment. 

Trainer: The trainer conducts the training and supports participants’ revision questions, under the supervision of the lead trainer. 

The mission will be carried out by highly qualified consultants/experts in the requested specialties, namely: 

8. Evaluation Criteria 

All bidders should note that the evaluation method is Quality Cost based selection (QCBS) for consultants. The technical and financial scores are 0.8 and 0.2 respectively (0.8 + 0.2=1).  

The following model will be used to evaluate all respondents and proposals submitted: 

a. Technical Criteria 

The financial proposal of only those firms will be opened which secure a minimum score of 70/100 in the technical evaluation. 

St= Score for the Technical Evaluation 

b. Financial Criteria 

Once the technical criteria have been evaluated, the costs of all bids will be listed from low to high. Computing the cost criteria score will be accomplished by use of the following formula:

The Applicant getting maximum marks on 80-20 weightage (80% for technical and 20% for financial) will be selected as Consultants for the Client. The weights given to the Technical (T) and Financial Proposals (F) are: T = 0.80 and F = 0.20 

The Final Score (S) is calculated as follows: S = St*T + Sf*F 

10. Submission Requirements for Technical and Financial Proposals 

All technical and financial proposals must be submitted in English. 

1. Administrative documents (Company registration certificates, Tax clearance certificates and License/ Accredited Training Partner certification by PMI.

2. Technical Requirements

• Duly signed and stamped submission Letter.
• Training agency’s corporate profile/Executive summary.
• Understanding of ToR and the need to tailor the same topic to different categories of person.
• Detailed description of Training Approach, plan and relevant Infrastructure description for performing this assignment.
• A Detailed outline of the training material per user group, taking into account their level and time availability.
• Team composition and specific responsibilities per staff.
• Training schedule
• Consultancy references/recommendations with contacts.
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae for the proposed staffs with valid Industry certifications.
• Firms Recommendation letters signed and stamped .

3. Financial Requirements - Summary of Costs. 

• Break down of fees per trainee for the entire training for the cohort of 23.
• Break down of Certification fees per trainee for cohort of 23.
• Reimbursable expenses for the user group applicable.
• Miscellaneous Expenses if any 

11. Submission Process 

Soft copies of both Technical and financial proposals in one document must be sent to: Rwanda@international-alert.org not later than 26^th September 2023, 05:00 pm local time (Kigali).