Punjab SKills Development Fund
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Skills for PunjabGrowthStrategy - 2015

FOREWORD

Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) is a section 42, not-for-profit Company,established under the Companies Ordinance 1984 by the Government of Punjab, with the objective to provide funding to Training Service Providers (TSPs). PSDF fundsvocational training and intends to improve income generation capacity ofthe residents of Punjab. PSDFuses competitive bidding method for engaging TrainingService Providers through inviting proposals from short-listed organisations andassessing these on the basis of quality and cost.

Thisscheme,namely“Skills for PunjabGrowthStrategy - 2015”, is funded by Government of the Punjab throughfinancing from the International Development Association (IDA), a lending arm of the World Bank. The objective of this project is to improve the quality, labour market relevance of, and access to skills training programs in growth sectors ofPunjab.

PSDF intends to engage multiple training service providers toprovide skills and vocational training (hereinafter referred to as “Training Services”) to theresidents of Punjab.

This document provides general information and basic eligibility requirements of Training Service Providers for provision of training services. Interested Training Service Providerswho meet the eligibility requirementsare invited to submit Expression of Interest (EOI).

EOI must reach the following address bySeptember20, 2015.Incomplete or late received EOI will not be evaluated.

Chief Operating Officer/

Convener Bids Evaluation Committee

Punjab Skill Development Fund,

House No. 125, Abu Bakar Block,

New Garden Town, Lahore

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

SECTION / CONTENTS / Score
Description of Product / DEFINITIONS
INTRODUCTION
DATA SHEET / BRIEF SUMMARY OF PRODUCT
Expression of Interest Form / PART A: INFORMATION ABOUT THETRAINING SERVICE PROVIDER
PART B: ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
PART C: COURSES AND NUMBERS TO BE TRAINED
PART D: PAST EXPERIENCE, CAPACITY OF THE ORGANISATION, INSPECTION OF TRAINING FACILITIES & OUTREACH MECHANISM FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE / 80
PART E: MANAGEMENT TEAM PROFILE / 20
PART F: APPLICANT DECLARATION
PART G: EOI CHECKLIST
Total / 100

It is mandatory to achieve minimum 65 score to qualify for shortlisting.

Description of Product

Definitions

  1. “Board” means Board of Directors of Punjab Skills Development Fund, a company incorporated under section 42 of the Companies Ordinance 1984.
  2. “Client” means Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF).
  3. “Contract” means the contract signed by PSDF and Training Service Provider along with all attached documents thereto.
  4. “Data Sheet” means such part of the Instructions to Training Service Providers used to reflect specific conditions.
  5. “Day” means calendar day.
  6. “Financial Proposal” means that part of the proposal which provides details about cost of the proposed training.
  7. “Formal Training Institute” means an institute registered / affiliated / accredited by an authority such as NAVTTC, TEVTA, Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE), National Training Bureau (NTB), City and Guilds, HEC or any other accredited / authorized national/international certifying body.
  8. “Government” means the Government of the Punjab.
  9. “IDA” means the International Development Association, a lending arm of the World Bank.
  10. “Instructions to Training Service Providers” means the document which provides shortlisted Training Service Providers with all information needed to prepare their proposals.
  11. “Letter of Invitation (LOI)” means a letter included as a section in the RFP to be sent to the shortlisted Training Service Provider.
  12. “PBTE” means the Punjab Board of Technical Education, established in 1971 as pursuant to the Punjab Board of Technical Education Ordinance (Punjab Ordinance No. II of 1971), and amended by Punjab Board of Technical Education Ordinance 1985 (Ordinance IV of 1985), or any successor thereto.
  13. “Personnel” means temporary or permanent staff employed by the Training Service Provider and assigned to perform the Services or any part thereof.
  14. “Professional Staff” includes management team, training and/or monitoring staff of Training Service Provider.
  15. “Proposal” means the entire set of documents consisting of Technical and Financial Proposals submitted by an organisation.
  16. “RFP” means the “Request for Proposal” prepared by PSDF for submission of Technical and Financial Proposals by Training Service Providers.
  17. “Services” means one or more of the services specified in the Data Sheet and ancillary activities performed by the Training Service Provider in pursuance of the Contract.
  18. “Target Group” refers to potential candidates for admission who fulfill the eligibility requirements defined in the Data Sheet.
  19. “Technical Proposal” means that part of the proposal which provides information about the technical aspects of the proposed training.
  20. “Terms of Reference” (TOR) means the partofEOI/RFP which explains the scope of work, activities, tasks to be performed, respective responsibilities of the Client & the Training Service Provider and expected results and deliverables of the assignment.
  21. “Trainee” means any eligible person who is selected for trainingby the Training Service Provider.
  22. “Training Service Provider (TSP)” means either a public institution; or public/private institution; or private institution; or industry association; or academic institution, duly qualified to provide training, selected in accordance with the criteria set forth for the purpose.

INTRODUCTION

  1. PSDF wishes to shortlist interestedTraining Service Providers (TSPs) who will be invited to submit proposals for training services under the scheme.
  2. TSPs contracted under this scheme will be responsible for selecting training the trainees and providing post-training support. They may select trainees from across Punjab.
  3. Training Service Providers will be engaged following Quality and Cost Basis Selection (QCBS) methodology.
  4. The purpose of this document is to provide orientation to enable Training Service Providers to evaluate their interest in tendering and conducting training and is not a guarantee of the actual conditions under which the training services will be tendered or executed.Furthermore, it contains Forms and list of required documents to be submitted.
  5. This Expression of Interestis governed by the procedure approved by PSDF Board of Directors.
  6. Only short-listed applicantswill be invited to submit proposals.
  7. All documents and information received by PSDF from applicants will be treated in confidence.
  8. The documents submitted to PSDF will not be returned.
  9. All expenses related to participation in this Expression of Interest shall be borne by the applicants.
  10. A hard copy of documents shall be submitted in a sealed envelope marked as “EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:Skills for PunjabGrowth Strategy - 2015”. The envelope must be submitted at the specified address in person/through courier.
  11. The closing date for receipt of Expression of Interest and required documentsisSeptember 20, 2015.
  12. PSDF reserves the right to request submission of additional information from applicants in order to clarify any aspect of Expression of Interest, if required.
  13. Training would be conducted inpriority sectorscovered under GoPb Growth Strategy or as decided by PSDF Board. Priority sectors for conducting trainings under this scheme are:

Construction / Light Engineering / Textile & Garments
Food Processing / Surgical / Cutlery

List of trades/ courses under the respective priority sectors are indicated in Annexure A, and is subject to revision by PSDF.Training Service Providers are required to choose trades / courses from the list of courses specified in Annexure A (in case of courses for National Certification).

  1. A Training Service Provider may also propose a trade/ course with curricula covering the skills requirements as mentioned in Annexure B. However, Training Service Provider must arrange for testing and certification from an accredited body.
  2. An organisationmay propose training for multiple trades and atmultiple locations.There is no restriction on thenumber of trainees to be proposed. However,no organisation will be awarded contract for number of traineesexceeding 10%of the approved targetunder this scheme.
  3. Each proposed training location must be registered / affiliated/accredited by the relevant authority.
  4. Terms of Reference for Training Service Providers will beas follows:
  5. Mobilize the communities and select trainees from the target group for the proposed skills training as agreed to during negotiations.
  1. Arrange the provision ofproperly equipped training facilities as per demand of curriculumand/or list mentioned in the curriculum. It includes machinery, equipment, tools, class room & lab / workshop furniture and other physical facilities (e.g. washrooms, back-up power, drinking water etc.). In case of deficiency, arrange additional training facilities as per requirement.
  2. Engage competent and qualified instructors and support staff as per qualification and experience mentioned in the curriculum.
  3. Ensure provision of vocational training in approved skills / trades using the curriculum approved by relevant certification authority and following the agreed parameters.
  4. Provide all learning aids, teaching materials, consumables, and additional facilities, as per demand of curricula, free of cost to the trainees (all costs on account of these items will be included in training fee which will be paid by PSDF).
  5. Provide protective clothing / uniform to every trainee.
  6. Make timely stipend payments to trainees in a transparent manner according to the notified rates as per Contract and maintain its record. PSDF may engage a third-party organisation for disbursement of stipend directly to trainees.
  7. Establish a system for providing reports to PSDF within stipulated time through email or on a web-based data management system.
  8. Establish and maintain a proper Placement Cell at the institute. The Placement Cell will be required to establish linkages of trained persons with the employers and place the trained personnel on jobs.
  9. Training Service Providers will track and report employment of trainees for the first six months post-completion of training.
  10. Facilitate and provide access to PSDF monitoring team for monitoring of training.
  11. Maintain separate bank account and financial record relating to the PSDF assignment(s).
  12. Assist any PSDF partner in carrying out a tracer study / evaluation of the trained persons.
  13. Arrange testing and certification from a relevant accredited certification body.
  14. Assist PSDF in the arrangements of graduation ceremony,if graduation ceremony is arranged by PSDF at large scale (cost of such ceremony will be borne by PSDF).
  15. Display prominently banners / sign boards relating to the training, after approval byPSDF.
  16. Any other obligation agreed in the Contract.
  17. The TrainingServiceProvider will be responsible for certain deliverables, including progress reporting, as per requirement of the project.
  1. PSDF reserves the right to verify any information provided by prospective bidders. False information/misstatement will lead to disqualification and rejection of the EOI andthe organisation may also be blacklisted.
  2. PSDF reserves the right to cancel the call of EOIs without stating any reason.
  3. An organisation may submit only one EOI,even if theTrainingService Provider is interested in providing training in multiple trades or at multiple locations.The organisation cannot be part of another EOI directly or indirectly. In case all or any of the owners/directors/members/trustees of an organisation[1] are also owners/directors/members/trustees of any other organisation(s), such organisations may submit only one EOI. In case of participation in more than one EOI, the EOIs will be rejected.
  4. PSDF will evaluate the Expressions of Interest of onlyeligible organisations on the basis of i) past experience & capacity, ii) management team profile, and iii) outreach mechanisms for the poor.
  5. PSDF will notify the short-listed Training Service Providers and will request for the submission of proposals.
  6. Any clarification requests must be made in writing or through e-mail and should be received no later than September 11, 2015.

For the purpose of clarification, the contact person is:

Waleed Rabbani

Associate Technical

Punjab Skills Development Fund,

Phone No. 042-35857780-81;

DATA SHEET / BRIEF SUMMARY OF PRODUCT

Features / Proposed Parameters
Name of the scheme / Skills for PunjabGrowthStrategy –2015.
Time Schedule of the Training Services / All trainees enrolledunder “Skills for Punjab Growth Strategy - 2015” must complete training by June 30,2017 (training to commence by January 01, 2016).
Target Number of Persons to be enrolled for Training / Total enrolment target under the scheme is 13,000, bifurcated as follows:
  • Target for FY 2015-16 (endingJune 30, 2016): 5,000
  • Target for FY 2016-17 (July 1, 2016 toJune 30, 2017): 8,000
PSDF may increase / decrease the set targets. Trade wise target varies.
Maximum Trainees per Training Service Provider / Maximum 10% of the approved target for the scheme per organisation.
Districts of Trainees / The trainees for the scheme can be from any district of the Punjab.
Admitted persons must hold CNICwith permanent or temporary residential address of any district of the Punjab.
Target Group
(Eligibility for Admission) /
  • Age 18 & above.
  • Must have CNICwith permanent or temporary residential address of any district of the Punjab.
  • Must not have previously attended any course funded by PSDF and registered in PSDF database.
  • Must not be enrolled in any other PSDF funded course at the same time.
  • Preference to be given to individuals with demonstrable poor socio-economic conditions, having minimum education level required to meet entry requirements.

Training Service Provider / This scheme is only for Formal Technical/Vocational Training Institutes, defined as follows:
A technical/vocational training institute will be deemed to be formal if it is registered / affiliated / accredited by an authority such as NAVTTC, TEVTA, Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE), National Training Bureau (NTB), City and Guilds, Edexcel, HEC or any other accredited / authorized national/international certifying body. General education schools and colleges do not fall into this category.
Training Service Providers must fulfill the following conditions:
  1. Must be registered with any Government authority or regulatory body.
  2. Must have valid NTN / FTN in the name of the entity/organisation.
  3. Must have audited financial statements for the last financial year of the organisation, issued by a Chartered Accountant licensed with Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP), comprising of the following required documents:
  • Audit Report,
  • Balance Sheet,
  • Income & Expenditure Statement of Account,
  • Cash Flow Statement, and
  • Notes to the Accounts
Publicsector institutions have exemption from this condition.
  1. Must agree to open a separate bank account (in the legal name of the organisation) for funds provided by PSDF.
  2. Must agree to allow PSDF assigned auditors to check the accounts opened for PSDF funding, as and when required.
  3. Must not be blacklisted by PSDF or any other organisation or faced contract cancellation or withholding of funds for contractual violations by PSDF in previous training schemes.
  4. Must agree for monitoring by a Third Party contracted by PSDF.
  1. Must have workshops / laboratories/training facilities for the applied courses as per curriculum.In case the institute is offering international certification, the list of training equipment may be provided.The training facilities may be visited by PSDF or PSDF appointed monitors for inspection and verification.
  2. Must have experience of imparting training in the proposed trades/courses.
  3. In case of international certification, the training premises must be registered/affiliated with the relevant testing & certification authority for the proposed trade(s)/course(s) before the closing date of EOI.The registration/affiliation certificate must also indicate the address of the institute, name(s) of course(s) as to appear on the certificate, and complete code number of the course.
  4. In case the formal technical / vocational training institute is owned by organisations registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 / Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control Ordinance) 1961 / The Trusts Act (II of 1882), the value of its assets must be Rs. 10 Million or more as per audited Balance Sheet.
Notes:
1)TEVTA institutes and PVTCVTIs are eligible to submit EOIs individually, subject to the issuance of NOC from their respective Head Offices.
2)Government-run institutions must obtain NOC from their respectiveControlling Authority to submit EOIs.
3)A university may submit only one EOI with the approval of Vice-Chancellor. Departments are not allowed to apply separately.
Selection of TSPs / Training Service Providers would be competitively selected through a public & private window, respectively. The public training service providers eligible to compete would include TEVTA, PVTC, public sector universities[2]and all other public sector training service providers.Any institution that is owned / controlled by aministry / department/ autonomous body will be considered public. In the private window, private, public-private partnership (PPP), and not-for-profit training service providers would be eligible to compete.
Selection of Trades / Courses /
  1. Training Service Providersare required to choose trades / courses from the list of courses specified in Annexure A (in case of courses for National Certification). A Training Service Provider may also propose a trade with curricula covering the skills requirements as mentioned in Annexure B.
  2. Training Service Providersmust haverelevant,valid registration/ affiliation / accreditationfor the proposed courses from an authority such as NAVTTC, TEVTA, Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE), City and Guilds, Edexcel, HEC or any other accredited / authorized national/international certifying body.
  3. Providers of Diploma/Degree level courses shall be considered as having delivered relevant training if contents of the proposed course are covered in the syllabus of the technology.
  4. An organisation may not propose a similar course with multiplecertifications or of multiple durations.
  5. In case of City & Guilds/Edexcel certification, at least a Level 2 Certificate / Diploma or higher level courseshaving demonstrably strong employment prospects,as well as having curriculum contents in line withcorresponding National certification(s) (as mentioned in Annexure-A)in the respective Priority Sectors,may be proposed. The Training Service Provider may not propose the same course of multiple levels.
Note: The decision whether any course can be included in the scheme or not shall rest with PSDF and it may reject any proposed course which does not fit within the training framework announced by PSDF.
Testing and certification /
  • Testing / certification from an accredited body is an essential requirement of the scheme.
  • Training Service Provider will submit documentary evidence of its testing arrangements with the EOI, if these are other than PBTE. The testing agency must be accredited by the relevant regulatory body.
  • Training Service Providers from Punjab will not be allowed certification from Trade Testing Board or Board of Technical Education of any other province.