REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
SAINT LUCIA
OECS SKILLS AND INNOVATION PROJECT
Credit No. IDA-74830
Project ID No. P179210
Assignment Title: Consultancy to Identify Barriers faced by Young Men in Accessing Post-Secondary Education
Reference No. OECSSK/014/2025-CS/IC/10
The World Bank’s Board has approved US$36 million to Grenada, Saint Lucia and the
OECS Commission from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group to finance the OECS Skills and Innovation Project (SKIP) Each participating country will receive funding in the amount of US$15 million credit while the OECS Commission will receive an IDA grant in the amount of US$6 million.
The OECS Skills and Innovation Project will provide for investments in post-secondary education to promote transversal and advanced technical skills among youth while strengthening regional cooperation in post-secondary education. Over the next six years, the project will benefit 40,000 youth (18 to 34 years of age) who are currently enrolled or will enroll in post-secondary institutions in the OECS region, and who will benefit from regional interventions to foster collaboration in the post-secondary education space. In addition, youth will benefit from the project’s provision of new tools to assess priority skills and support teachers, as well as 120 entrepreneurs and firms that would participate in collaborative innovation projects. The project will also foster collaborative innovation within Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Member states.
The Government of Saint Lucia intends to apply part of the proceeds of the financing for consulting services for a qualified individual consultant. The consultant is required to identify and analyze the barriers that encumber young men’s access to and retention in post-secondary education in Saint Lucia and to recommend relevant strategies to improve male participation and attainment in higher education. Strategies should encompass practical and implementable policy, programmatic and institutional developments that can be undertaken by the Ministry of Education and/or education institutions.
The duration of this assignment will be for thirty-five (35) business days completed over a two (2) month period.
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found at the following website: www.govt.lc/consultancies or www.finance.gov.lc or can be obtained at the following email address: tenders.oecsskip@learning.edu.lc
The Department of Education, Innovation and Vocational Training, the Project Executing Agency, now invites Eligible Individual Consultants (“Consultants”) to submit Expressions of Interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services (Curriculum Vitae inclusive of description of similar assignments, experience in similar areas and clients’ references).
The criteria for selecting the Consultant are:
Qualifications and Experience:
The assignment is to be undertaken by a suitably qualified Individual Consultant1 possessing the following qualifications:
- Post Graduate Degree in Higher Education, Education, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, or a related field
- Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in education research and policy
- Minimum of two (2) years of experience in data collection, statistical analysis, and qualitative research methodologies
- Proven experience in conducting gender-disparity studies, social development and research on male participation in education would be an asset
- Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
The desired skills and professional experience for the qualifying consultant is as follows:
- Minimum of five (5) years of experience working with programs that support atrisk male youth
- Experience in developing gender responsive policy recommendations and educational interventions
- Knowledge of gender-responsive educational programming and mentorship programs for males
- Background in inclusive education and supporting learners with disabilities.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” published in February 2025 and became effective in March 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultants Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
A firm may propose an individual who will be evaluated on the basis of the individual’s qualifications, experience and competencies.
Expressions of Interest must be submitted in English electronically via the following email address: tenders.oecsskip@learning.edu.lc. All Expressions of Interest must be submitted no later than 4:30 pm local time on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Expressions of Interest for the “Consultancy to Identify Barriers faced by Young Men in Accessing Post-Secondary Education” are to be addressed to the attention of:
Permanent Secretary
Policy & Administration Unit
Department of Education, Innovation and
Vocational Training
4th Floor, Francis Compton Building
Waterfront, Castries SAINT LUCIA
Further information including details of the project may be obtained by contacting 4683257/8966 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm local time, Monday to Friday, or by emailing tenders.oecsskip@learning.edu.lc
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