TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)
TOR Title
Terms of Reference (TOR) – Consultancy for Transition and School Needs Assessment in Somaliland
Project
Refugee and Host Community Education Support Program
Start Date
To be determined soon.
Duration
Three Months (with possibility of extension)
Location
Hargeisa, Somaliland
1. JUSTIFICATION
Somaliland’s educational system faces significant challenges: low gross enrolment rates, shortage of qualified teachers, poor infrastructure, and limited access for vulnerable groups such as refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, rural children, and girls.
In preparation for the full transition of education service delivery for refugee children to the Ministry of Education and Science (MOES) by August 2025, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) seeks a competent consultancy firm to assess the quality, gaps, and capacity needs of public schools attended by refugee and IDP children.
2. OBJECTIVE
The objective is to:
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Assess infrastructure, resources, and management systems of selected public schools.
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Identify barriers facing refugee and vulnerable students.
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Evaluate the MOES’s capacity to sustain and manage refugee education services post-transition.
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Provide actionable, prioritized recommendations for strengthening the education system.
3. SCOPE OF WORK
The selected consultant will be responsible for:
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Conducting site assessments across public schools accommodating refugee and IDP students.
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Evaluating infrastructure needs (classrooms, furniture, WASH facilities).
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Assessing resources for children with disabilities.
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Evaluating teacher qualifications and training needs.
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Reviewing the capacity of school management committees (CECs).
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Consulting with MOES, REOs, DEOs, school heads, teachers, and refugee communities.
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Documenting challenges and opportunities for smooth transition and sustainability.
4. METHODOLOGY
The study will apply mixed methods, including:
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Literature review (policies, past assessments, statistics).
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Quantitative surveys with school administrators and teachers.
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Qualitative key informant interviews (KIIs) with MOES and CECs.
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Focus group discussions (FGDs) with refugee/IDP students and parents.
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Classroom observations.
Data will be analyzed to uncover systemic gaps and practical opportunities for improvement.
5. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
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Inception Report: Detailing methodology, sampling, and data collection tools (within one week).
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Draft Report: Summarizing findings and preliminary recommendations (by end of month two).
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Validation Workshop: Presentation and stakeholder feedback.
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Final Assessment Report: Incorporating feedback, with an executive summary and action plan.
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Data Sets: Clean, coded, and organized data for NRC archives.
6. EXPERIENCES AND QUALIFICATIONS
The consultancy firm must demonstrate:
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A minimum of 7 years of experience in education assessments.
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Proven track record in refugee or education sector research.
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Key experts with postgraduate degrees in Education, Statistics, Community Development, or related fields.
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Excellent understanding of the Somaliland education system.
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Strong analytical, report-writing, and stakeholder engagement skills.
7. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA
Mandatory Requirements:
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Company Registration Certificate (Ministry of Trade & Tourism, Somaliland)
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Valid Tax Compliance Certificate (Ministry of Finance, Somaliland)
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Evidence of at least two similar assignments completed
Technical Evaluation (70 Points):
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Understanding of assignment and methodology (20 points)
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Relevant experience and team composition (30 points)
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Workplan and deliverable timeline (20 points)
Financial Evaluation (30 Points):
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Cost-effectiveness and competitiveness of the financial offer.
8. HOW TO APPLY
Interested consultancy firms should submit their proposals via email to so.procurement@nrc.no by 05th May 2025, 11:59 PM (Hargeisa time).
Proposals must be submitted in three separate documents:
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Mandatory Documents
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Technical Proposal
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Financial Proposal
NB: Proposals combining all documents into one attachment will be disqualified.
Email Subject Line:
Terms of Reference – Consultancy for Transition and School Needs Assessment in Somaliland
NRC reserves the right to reject any or all bids without obligation to disclose reasons.
For inquiries and clarifications, contact: so.procurement@nrc.no before 1st May 2025, 4:00 PM.
