Call for Proposals – Drafting of VET College Charters in Accordance with the New VET Law

Overview

GIZ intends to award a contract to a local company for Drafting of VET College Charters in accordance with the new VET law. The detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) of the assignment in English is attached to this Call for Proposals.
If you are awarded the contract, you are not excluded from bidding for the implementation of the following project phase. However, a prerequisite for participation in a subsequent tender is that you do not benefit from your involvement in the previous contract and that the equal treatment of all bidders is ensured.

Brief information on the project
The economic development of Armenia during the last years has been characterized by a transition from a centrally planned economy to a liberal economic model. Despite recording growth rates, particularly driven by the strong Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, Armenia faces significant challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted weaknesses in the vocational training system, especially in terms of digital offerings. Additionally, there is a considerable need to impart skills for a resource-efficient (green) economy and to inclusively promote entrepreneurial and digital competencies.
Currently, the vocational training models in Armenia, oriented towards the needs of the economy, have only been implemented as pilots, reaching less than 5 % of the 4,500 annual graduates. The large discrepancy between the supply and demand for qualifications remains a persistent issue. Furthermore, support structures for developing green and digital innovations, economic diversification, access to new export markets, and promoting corresponding SMEs and startups are inadequately developed.
Despite these challenges, the potential for vocational training is recognized. The Armenian government has shown a keen interest in promoting export-oriented future industries and a resource-efficient, inclusive economic model. The development of demand-oriented vocational training modalities provides a strong foundation for jointly shaping a sustainable and resilient transformation path for the Armenian economy.
The Private Sector Development and Technical Vocational Education and Training (PSD TVET) programme, commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ, aims to promote private sector development with a high focus on employment impacts and close integration of vocational education and training. The programme aims to utilize the potential for transformation towards a future- oriented economy in Armenia within selected sectors by improving the economic and vocational education policy framework conditions and the institutional and professional competencies of individuals.

Context
The programme has set several indicators to measure progress:
Indicator 1: Incorporate 18 recommendations for shaping economic or vocational policy frameworks into relevant political actors’ strategy or action plans.
Indicator 2: Improve the employment situation for 350 people, including 175 women.
Indicator 3: Enhance the performance of 290 Armenian MSMEs, including 80 led by women.
Indicator 4: Ensure 400 out of 650 companies employing apprentices or graduates from demand-oriented training courses confirm that their labor market and future-oriented skills meet the companies’ needs.