Terms of Reference for Consultancy

Manual on Economic Integration of Foreigners
(Asylum Seekers and Refugees)

 Within the Municipal Action for Reintegration and Diaspora (MARDI) Project

General information

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Job title: Consultancy for the Development of a Manual on Economic Integration of Foreigners

Project title: Municipal Action for Reintegration and Diaspora
Beneficiaries: Ministry of Interior, Municipal Offices on Communities and Return, Repatriated persons (RPs), internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers and refugees
Project country: Republic of Kosovo

About Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo

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Caritas Switzerland (CACH) is an independent Swiss NGO, engaged in Switzerland and in more than 20 countries worldwide, including Kosovo. Our mission is to prevent, combat and eradicate poverty in a sustainable manner. To achieve this goal, CACH employs a policy of equity: we support inclusive communities with opportunities for everyone regardless of their ethnic background, group affiliation or gender.  CACH has been working in Kosovo since 1999, focusing on social inclusion, rural development and rehabilitation. Based on the Strategy 2021-2025, our central themes are Income, Climate Change and Migration. For more than twenty years, CACH has worked closely with municipalities to increase incomes in agriculture and preschool education, and for three years for the sustainable (re)integration of returnees.
The bilateral Country Programme defines country-specific outcomes: In the area of migration, CACH in Kosovo has been focusing on the reintegration of Repatriated Persons (RPs) in the last three years. The approach of CACH, combining labour market measures with psycho-social services is unique in this field and fits well for particularly vulnerable RPs, which face diverse, interlinked challenges and need specific support. During its first project on this topic, CACH has developed detailed concepts and manuals for project implementation, which are ready to be scaled up and out. With the additional focus on income generation, CACH has also good experience in supporting skills enhancement and economic empowerment through counselling, business support and on-job training and job placement.  

The MARDI Project

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In January 2022, CACH in Kosovo started implementing the Project “Municipal Action for Reintegration and Diaspora” – MARDI, seeking to address the challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic for RPs. The MARDI project aims to enhance coordination amongst multiple stakeholders to address the underlying and longer-term needs of people returning and integrating. At the same time and under the lens of diaspora cooperation, the project aims to make use of the untapped potential of the diaspora to see back-migration as something positive, that can be combined with investment and economic development in increasingly attractive communities in Kosovo. In particular, the MARDI project shall reach to a total of more than 400 returnees and provide them with psycho-social and economic support based in a holistic approach that is increasingly practiced in municipalities and is being implemented consistently. Additionally, to ensure sustainability, capacity building will be provided to psychologists and social workers living and working for the municipalities; as well as, to all front-line responders/staff of Kosovar municipalities, including MOCRs, CSWs, education departments, MIA regional coordinators and Employment Offices (EOs) etc.

This assignment focuses on the second project component: Psycho-social, Legal and Economic (Re) Integration Support: MARDI aims at development of local capacities to provide tailor made individual support, to facilitate the sustainable (re) integration of migrants and to improve the overall welfare of repatriated persons and their families through psycho – social counselling, legal advice and implementing economic (re) integration measures (on-the-job training, job placement);

Purpose and Objectives of this Assignment

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Local capacities are developed and strengthened to provide individual support and to facilitate the sustainable (re-)integration of migrants. A selected team of consultants shall work to develop a Manual on Economic Integration of Foreigners (mostly for Refugees and Asylum Seekers).  

In particular, the assignment will focus on the development of a Manual for a sustainable process of economic integration by:

Conducting desk research and interviews with relevant actors in order to:
– Analyze local and international integration policies, as well as laws and regulations;
– Identify and map the responsible institutions involved in the process of economic integration of foreigners;
– Analyze the framework of the process of economic integration of foreigners, starting from admission to employment or self-employment;
– Analyze the labor market – the match between supply and demand;
– Analyze the opportunities for training and qualification as well as the entrepreneurship;
– Explore anti-discrimination and diversity models;
– Define coordination between local business actors;
– Organizing a workshop with all relevant stakeholders to present and validate the findings;

The written feedback from CaCH, partners and the donors is planned to be given within a maximum of three weeks after submission of the reports. 

Management Arrangements

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The team should consist of consultants with experience in economy, (re)integration and working with the local institutions. In particular, the consultants must have experience in economic (re)integration system. At least on one of the consultant must have international experience in research on reintegration and integration mechanism and best practices. The consultants will work in close cooperation with the MARDI Project Manager and the Integration Coordinator. The MARDI project team will provide administrative support if needed.

Additionally, the consultants are expected to have the following skills:

• At least 7 years overall professional experience and Bachelor degree in relevant field as in Economics, Business, Migration and any other related University degree;
• Experience in conducting qualitative research studies using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and analyzing qualitative data;
• Experience in developing and delivering handbooks and manuals;
• Experience in migration management and specifically with foreigners;
• Fluency in Albanian and/or Serbian, fluency in English;
• Excellent research and writing skills;

 Specifications for the Submission of Offers Application process

Interested candidates/companies are requested to submit an electronic copy of their expression of interest/proposal by 19^th of July 2022 with the subject REF: “Manual on Economic Integration” to [email protected] with CC to [email protected]

Applicants must submit:

• Professional profile of the team/company (CVs of all individuals included in the consultancy team);
• The consultants’ suitability for the assignment and match with previous work experience, qualifications etc.;
• Composition and division of work between team members;
• The methodology;
• Draft work plan including suggested timetable;
• Financial offer including budget broken down and individual daily fees; All budget items need to be presented without VAT

The offer will be evaluated by using the best value for money approach (combined scoring method). The technical proposal will be evaluated with 80% weight, whereas the financial one will be evaluated with 20%.

*Note: Transportation cost and translation cost need to be included in the offer. The offer should also include workshop expenses (organization, venue, other related costs).

This contract is subject to availability of funds.