REQUEST FOR TENDER. Laos Australia Institute Investing in Women s Leadership Program. Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program

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1 REQUEST FOR TENDER Laos Australia Institute Investing in Women s Leadership Program Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program February 2017

2 Table of Contents 1 Invitation to Tender Registration of Intent to Submit a Tender Timetable Background Document Structure Definitions... 2 Part A... 3 Tender conditions Corrections and Additions Expenses Ownership of Tenders Tenderer s Acknowledgment Right to Conduct Security, Probity and Financial Checks Coffey s Rights Contracting Entity with Coffey Purchasing of Goods and Services Relationship with Tenderers Tender Validity Contract Format Disclosure of Information Provided by Tenderers Technical Assessment Financial Assessment Contract Negotiations Award of Contract Coffey Payment Policy Deed of Novation... 8 Part B... 9 Tender Requirements Tender Particulars Tender Format Tender Contents Lodgement of Tenders Part C Scope of Services LAI / Investing in Women s Leadership Program Contract Details Activity background and objectives i

3 4 Training program overview Financial details Services to be provided and specific tasks Part D Technical proposal Selection criteria Annexes Part E Selection Criteria and Information Required For Price Assessment Financial Proposal Approach to the Financial Proposal Information Required for Price Assessment Retention of Price Component of Tenders by Coffey Escalation Goods and Services Tax (GST) Part F Draft Contract ii

4 Abbreviations AAS DFAT IWLP LAI LANS RFT RTO TAP Australia Awards Scholarships Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Investing in Women s Leadership Program Laos Australia Institute Laos Australia National Scholarships Request for Tender Registered Training Organisation Technical Assessment Panel iii

5 Introduction 1 Invitation to Tender Coffey, the Managing Contractor for the Laos Australia Institute (LAI) is seeking tenders for the design and delivery of a Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program. Details of the training program are included later in this RFT (see Part C Scope of Services). Australian and international training institutions are invited to tender, with the option to partner with a local institution strongly encouraged. A lead Australian tenderer must be a Registered Training Organisation in Australia or an Australian tertiary institution as defined in the Higher Education Support Act, 2003 Table A, B and C. A lead International tenderer must be a registered training organisation in line with their country s legislation. The tenderer s core business must be the delivery of vocational education and training. The tenderer must demonstrate, through their technical proposal and organisational experience, that they deliver recognised training programs to full-fee paying students, providing excellence and high level performance in teaching and learning. 2 Registration of Intent to Submit a Tender Interested parties are required to register their intention to submit a Tender as specified in 3. Timetable. Registrations of an intention to submit a Tender should be transmitted via to LAI@coffey.com. Tenderers should include the training program title: Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program in the subject line. Registration can be made by providing the following information: name of organisation; name of contact person; and full contact details including an address for receipt of Addenda. The requirement to provide an intention to submit a Tender will not impose any obligation on any interested party to actually submit a Tender. Interested parties who have not registered their intent to submit a tender by the deadline, may also submit a tender. 3 Timetable A timetable for the tender process is outlined below: Activity Date Request for tender released Wednesday, 1 st March 2017 Closing date for Registration of Intent to submit a tender Monday, 13th March 2017 Closing date for queries Friday, 17 th March 2017 Last addendum released Tuesday, 21 st March 2017 Closing date for tenders Tuesday, 28 th March

6 4 Background On behalf of the Australian Government s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Coffey International Development (Coffey) manages the Laos Australia Institute (LAI). The focus of LAI is human resource development working at the national level and with key government agencies. LAI manages the Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS) in Laos and the Laos Australia National Scholarships (LANS), which support young men and women from remote and disadvantaged areas to complete a four-year undergraduate degree at a local university. The Institute aims to improve participation of women in leadership and management roles. In 2015, LAI undertook an analytical study into women s leadership in Laos resulting in the development of the Investing in Women s Leadership Program (IWLP) including three components. The Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Training Program forms components one and three. 5 Document Structure This Request for Tender consists of five parts that are attached to and form part of this RFT: Part A: Tender conditions Part B: Tender requirements and attachments (including Statutory Declaration) Part C: Scope of Services Part D: Selection criteria and information required for technical assessment Part E: Selection criteria and information required for price assessment Part F: Draft Contract Tenderers should carefully read Parts A to F including the Scope of Services. Tenders deemed non-conforming by Coffey may be rejected. 6 Definitions In this RFT, the following terms have the following meanings: Coffey means Coffey International Development Pty Ltd (Coffey International) contracted by DFAT to manage the Laos Australia Institute the Commonwealth means the Commonwealth of Australia and its implementing agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australian Aid. Contract means the draft Contract at Part F. DFAT means the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australian Aid. RFT means this letter, Parts A-F and any Addenda issued by Coffey prior to the closing date and time for the submission of Tenders. 2

7 Part A Tender conditions 3

8 1 Corrections and Additions If a Tenderer finds any discrepancy, error or omission in the Request for Tender (RFT) or has any question, or wishes to make any enquiry concerning the RFT, it is to notify Coffey in writing at least fourteen (11) days prior to the closing date and time for the lodgement of tenders. Where appropriate, answers to any such notices or questions will be given by Coffey in the form of Addenda and will be issued to all registered Tenderers. Those parties who have registered their intention to submit a Tender will be provided with all Addenda to the RFT via s. Addenda will also be made available on the Coffey website. All queries pertaining to the RFT must be sent to: LAI@coffey.com. Tenderers should note Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program in the subject line. Coffey may amend any part of the RFT prior to the closing date and time for submission of Tenders including, without limitation, by revising the draft Contract. Any amendment to, or clarification of, any aspect of the RFT will be issued in the form of Addenda and provided to all registered Tenderers before the closing date and time for submission of Tenders. Such Addenda will become part of the RFT. 2 Expenses Tenderers are responsible at their own expense for: a) making all arrangements and obtaining and considering all information relating to the preparation, delivery and lodgement of their Tender; b) answering any queries and providing any further information sought by Coffey International; c) dealing with any issues, including disputes, that may arise out of the RFT process; and, d) engaging in any further process or discussions with Coffey that may result from the RFT. 3 Ownership of Tenders All Tenders become the property of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on submission. Such intellectual property rights as may exist in the information contained in Tenders will remain the property of the Tenderer. The Tenderer authorises Coffey to copy, adapt, amend, disclose or do anything else necessary (in Coffey s sole discretion) to all materials (including that which contains intellectual property rights of the Tenderer or other parties) contained in the Tender for the purpose of its evaluation of Tenders, negotiating any contract with the Tenderer (if the matter proceeds that far) and all other matters relating there to, including governmental and Parliamentary report requirements. Coffey may make such copies of Tenders as it requires for these purposes. 4 Tenderer s Acknowledgment A Tender is made on the basis that the Tenderer acknowledges that: a) it examined the RFT documents; b) the RFT specifies Coffey s rights in respect of the RFT and the Tenderer agrees that Coffey may exercise its rights as set out in the RFT in respect of the RFT process; 4

9 c) it sought and examined all necessary information which is obtainable by making reasonable enquiries relevant to Coffey s requirements, including the risks and other circumstances which may affect a Tender; d) in lodging its Tender it did not rely on any express or implied statement, warranty or representation, whether verbal, written, or otherwise made by or on behalf of Coffey other than any statement, warranty or representation contained in the RFT; e) it did not use the improper assistance of Coffey s employees or ex-employees, or Commonwealth employees or ex-employees, or information unlawfully obtained from Coffey or the Commonwealth in compiling its Tender; f) it satisfied itself as to the correctness and sufficiency of its Tender; g) it is responsible for all costs and expenses related to its involvement in the RFT, including: preparation and lodgement of the Tender; any subsequent negotiation; any other action or response in relation to this RFT; h) Coffey and the Commonwealth are not responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by the Tenderer or any other person in responding to or taking any other action in relation to this RFT, whether or not Coffey terminates, varies or suspends the RFT process or takes any other action permitted under this RFT, i) the Tenderer understands that the selection of a successful Tenderer and/or Subcontractor must have DFAT agreement before Coffey can award a contract for the Activity and that DFAT reserves its rights to accept or reject any Tenderer or Subcontractor for any reason; and j) the Tenderer will comply with the rules set out in this RFT. 5 Right to Conduct Security, Probity and Financial Checks Coffey, in its absolute discretion, reserves the right to conduct such security, probity and/or financial checks on Tenders and/or Tenderers for the purpose of evaluating Tenders to this RFT or any other stage of the Tendering process for the services described in this RFT, as it deems necessary. 6 Coffey s Rights Without limiting its rights at law or otherwise, without incurring any liability for any costs, losses or expenses or damages incurred by any Tenderer or Tenderers and without any obligation to inform any affected Tenderer or Tenderers of the grounds for such action, Coffey reserves the right in its absolute discretion at any time to: k) subject to the RFT, evaluate Tenders as Coffey sees appropriate in the context of its requirements; l) cease to proceed with the process outlined in this RFT or any subsequent process; m) suspend or vary the process or any part of it; n) require additional information or clarification from any Tenderer or anyone else or provide additional information or clarification to any Tenderer; o) call for new Tenders; p) accept or reject any Tender that does not comply with this RFT; and q) add to, alter, delete or exclude any services to be acquired by Coffey. 5

10 7 Contracting Entity with Coffey Coffey intends to contract with one legal entity only. Tenderers must provide detailed information on services proposed to be sub-contracted and will be expected to take full responsibility for all sub-contracted services. 8 Purchasing of Goods and Services In its purchasing of goods and services, the appointed Contractor will be required to comply with Commonwealth Procurement Rules in order to achieve value for money through open and effective competition in the selection of suppliers. In addition, the Contractor will be required to follow Coffey s procedures as set out in the Contract and its Scope of Services. All procurement processes must be carefully documented. The Contractor will be liable to audit by Coffey or its nominee to ensure adherence to these principles. The sub-contractor must comply with Australian copyright law. 9 Relationship with Tenderers Coffey is not bound contractually or in any other way to any Tenderer by this RFT. 10 Tender Validity Tenders are accepted on the basis that they are valid for ninety (90) days from the closing date for receipt of Tenders. 11 Contract Format Coffey intends to enter into negotiations for a goods and services agreement with the preferred Tenderer. These negotiations will be on the basis of a Contract including fixed and reimbursable cost components. These payments are made against the achievement of measurable milestones for the delivery of defined outputs. Coffey is responsible for ensuring that the Commonwealth obtains value for money through the subcontracting process. A copy of the draft Contract is attached at Part F. 12 Disclosure of Information Provided by Tenderers Coffey s selection process for services is conducted in accordance with Commonwealth Procurement Rules. For the purpose of assessing Tenders, Coffey is required to pass Tenders to Commonwealth Government Departments and Agencies as Coffey sees fit and to relevant Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries. It is a Coffey policy not to divulge to one Tenderer information that has been provided in-confidence by another. Tenderers should note that the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (The Act) gives members of the public rights of access to official documents of the Commonwealth Government and its Agencies. The Act extends, as far as possible, rights to access information in the possession of the Commonwealth Government and its Agencies, limited only by considerations for the protection of essential public interest and of the private and business affairs of persons in respect of whom information is collected and held by departments and public authorities. 6

11 13 Technical Assessment Coffey will rank Tenderers on the basis of technical and price assessments. A Technical Assessment Panel will assess each submission using the criteria as set out in this RFT (e.g. Organisational capacity and training experience, Response to training program specification, Core Personnel, Innovation and Value for Monday). The Technical Proposal of each submission will be worth 80% of the total assessment score and will be assessed separately to consideration of the Financial Proposal. The result, together with any other factors relevant to the selection, will be taken into account by Coffey in deciding on the selection of the preferred Tenderer and/or award of Contract. Tenderers should be aware that DFAT must approve the selection of the successful Tenderer before any contract can be awarded. 14 Financial Assessment Following the technical assessment, the Financial Proposal of each submission will be assessed using the criteria set out in this RFT (e.g. Fixed Management Fee, Fixed personnel design and delivery costs, Reimbursable travel costs). The Financial Proposal will be worth 20% of the total assessment score. At any time before a Contract is awarded, a Tenderer must, if requested to do so by Coffey, make available for inspection by Coffey or persons appointed by Coffey, all financial records including accounts, profit and loss statements, balance sheets and other relevant information to enable an assessment to be made as to the financial capacity of a Tenderer to undertake the Activity. The Tenderer will allow copies to be made of any such records. 15 Contract Negotiations Coffey will conduct contract negotiations only with the person identified in the Tender with the authority to negotiate and conclude a Contract on behalf of the preferred Tenderer. In the event that Coffey is unable to satisfactorily conclude contract negotiations with the preferred Tenderer, Coffey reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to terminate the negotiations and enter into Contract negotiations with the next ranked Tenderer(s). Coffey expects the Contract negotiations to be concluded within a reasonable period of time, no longer than two (2) weeks. Coffey reserves the right to negotiate with the most favourable tenderer should it be deemed that the offering prices are unreasonable or greater than the targets set in the planning process as per Commonwealth Procurement Rules. Please note the insurance requirement for the successful Tenderer outlined in the Draft Contract of this RFT at Part F. 16 Award of Contract Any Contract resulting from the Tender process outlined in this RFT is subject to: Coffey s satisfactory assessment of the Tenderer s ability to meet requirements as per the Scope of Services Evidence of relevant insurance coverage as specified in the Draft Contract of this RFT at Part F. 7

12 The negotiation of a mutually acceptable Contract based on the draft Contract at Part F of this RFT. This draft Contract will be tailored to the meet the specific requirements of the LAI: Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program. 17 Coffey Payment Policy Tenderers should note that it is Coffey policy to pay accounts in arrears on the due date specified in the agreement with the supplier. Coffey s standard terms are payment thirty (30) days from the acceptance of goods or services and the receipt of a correctly rendered invoice (and subject to the delivery of outputs against specified milestones to Coffey s satisfaction). Payment, however, does not mean that Coffey necessarily accepts that the work meets that milestone and Coffey reserves its rights to full reimbursement if DFAT does not accept that a milestone has been reached which justifies payment. 18 Deed of Novation The selected Tenderer will be required to execute a Deed of Novation and Substitution, in the appropriate form, to ensure the rights of DFAT, in the event of DFAT issuing a note of substitution, at the time of executing the contract. 8

13 Part B Tender Requirements 9

14 Prospective Tenderers are to read this statement of Tender requirements carefully. At Coffey s sole discretion, non-conforming Tenders may not be accepted. 1 Tender Particulars 1.1 Issue of RFT Wednesday, 1 st March Closing date for confirmation of intent to submit Tender 5.00pm local time in Adelaide Monday, 13 th March 2017 Note: Registrations of an intention to submit a Tender should be transmitted via to LAI@coffey.com. Tenderers should note the title Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program in the subject line. 1.3 Closing date for questions on the RFT 5.00pm local time in Adelaide Friday, 17th March 2017 Note: All queries pertaining to the RFT must be sent to: LAI@coffey.com before this closing time. Tenderers should note the title Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program in the subject line. Responses to queries will be provided to all registered Tenderers no later than Tuesday, 21 st March Coffey reserves the right to provide answers to all queries to all Tenderers. 1.4 Closing date for submission of Tender 5.00pm local time in Adelaide Tuesday, 28 th March 2017 Note: Late submissions will not be considered unless the delay is solely due to Coffey mishandling. 1.5 Mode of submission submission to LAI@coffey.com before the Tender submission closing time. Note: Tenderers should note the title Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program in the subject line. 1.6 Number of Copies of Tender One (1) electronic (.pdf) file of the Technical Proposal including all required annexes. One (1) electronic (.pdf) file of the Financial Proposal. 10

15 1.7 Page limits Technical Proposal: maximum of six (6) pages plus Annexes as follows: Annex 1 Tender Submission Form (use the template provided) Annex 2 - Organisation s Experience, maximum of three (3) description sheets (must not exceed one A4 page each) Annex 3 Curricula Vitae, maximum of three (3) pages for each person. Annex 4 Draft Training Program, maximum of two (2) pages. Annex 5 Statutory Declaration (use the template provided) Annex 6 Risk mitigation matrix (template provided maximum of two (2) pages) 1.8 Other Tender Requirements Australian and international training institutions are invited to tender, with the option to partner with a local institution strongly encouraged. A lead Australian tenderer must be a Registered Training Organisation in Australia or an Australian tertiary institution as defined in the Higher Education Support Act, 2003 Table A, B and C. A lead International tenderer must be a registered training organisation in line with their country s legislation. The tenderer s core business must be the delivery of vocational education and training. The tenderer must demonstrate, through their technical proposal and organisational experience, that they deliver recognised training programs to full-fee paying students, providing excellence and high level performance in teaching and learning. Tenders are to be submitted in the name of the entity with which Coffey would enter into contract and include the name of the person authorised to negotiate and conclude contract. Tenderer must not have any representation or mark which may indicate that the Tenderer is in any way related to or connected with Coffey, LAI, DFAT or any of the identified other Australian Government Organisations. 1.9 Tender outcome notification date Monday, April 10th (this may change at Coffey s discretion) 11

16 1.10 Expected mobilisation date for program delivery July 2017 Exact final program dates will be determined in consultation with the successful Tenderer and DFAT. 12

17 2 Tender Format Tenderer and Authorised Person Page limit Submission format Electronic size limit Layout/font Financial Proposal Language Tenders are to be submitted in the name of the entity (including, where appropriate, ABN) with which Coffey would enter into the contract and include the name of the person authorised to negotiate and conclude a contract. Include the name, telephone number and address of the person Coffey should notify of the outcome of the Tender in section 2 of the Tenderer s Submission Form. Technical Proposal: maximum of six (6) pages plus Annexes as follows: Annex 1 Tenderer s Submission Form (template provided) Annex 2 Organisation s Experience, maximum of three (3) description sheets ( template provided must not exceed one A4 page each) Annex 3 Curricula Vitae (template provided maximum of three (3) pages for each person) Annex 4 Draft Training Program (maximum of two (2) pages) Annex 5 Statutory Declaration (template provided) Annex 6 Risk mitigation matrix (template provided maximum of two (2) pages) Relevant templates are provided in the separate document: RFT Attachments. Financial Proposal: one (1) Excel document (template provided). The financial proposal submission needs to be in PDF format as specified below. Technical Proposal: PDF Financial Proposal: PDF The size of a tender proposal must not exceed 10MB. The Technical and Financial Proposal must be presented using: 10 point font Arial Single column 2.5 cm margins (minimum) Only the organisation logo can appear on the Tender document. The Financial Proposal is to be submitted as a separate attachment. It should NOT form a part of the Technical Proposal. All proposals must be in English. 13

18 3 Tender Contents TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (one separate PDF file) The Technical Proposal must contain the following parts in the order as below: Cover Page The cover page must clearly indicate Technical Proposal, the Tenderer s contact person and contact details. The cover page must not contain Coffey, LAI, DFAT or any of the identified other Australian Government Organisations logo. Submission Form Tenderers are to complete the Submission Form as included in the separate document RFT Attachments: Annex 1. Response to the Selection Criteria The Technical Proposal must substantively and individually address the selection criteria as set out in Part D and be no more than six (6) A4 typewritten pages (including tables, diagrams, notes and references but excluding annexes). Technical Proposal Annexes The following annexes must be submitted in the format as requested at Part D: Annex 2 Organisations Experience Annex 3 Curricula Vitae Annex 4 Draft Training Program Annex 5 Statutory Declaration Annex 6 Risk Management Matrix Relevant templates are provided in the separate document: RFT Attachments. FINANCIAL PROPOSAL (one separate PDF file) This component of the tender is to include fully costed firm quotes in Australian dollars at current prices valid for ninety (90) days from the closing date for the receipt of Tenders. The title of the file and the spreadsheet must clearly indicate Financial Proposal. The document must include the Tenderer s contact person and contact details and must not contain Coffey, LAI, DFAT or any of the identified other Australian Government Organisations logo. Tenderers are to complete the separate Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program Financial Proposal Excel spreadsheet, which includes: Schedule 1: Fixed management fee Schedule 2: Fixed personnel design and delivery costs Schedule 3: Reimbursable travel costs Schedule 4: Cost summary schedule 4 Lodgement of Tenders Tenders must be submitted no later than the time indicated in Tender Particulars above. Tenders are to be submitted separately in electronic format either as a PDF. Submissions should be transmitted via to: LAI@coffey.com. The subject line of the tender submission should include the title: Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program. Late submissions will not be considered unless the delay is solely due to the mishandling of Coffey. 14

19 Part C Scope of Services 15

20 1 LAI / Investing in Women s Leadership Program 1.1 Client Coffey International Development Pty Ltd (Coffey) 1.2 Project Laos Australia Institute The focus of LAI is human resource development working at the national level and with key government agencies. LAI manages the Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS) in Laos and the Laos Australia National Scholarships (LANS), which support young men and women from remote and disadvantaged areas to complete a four-year undergraduate degree at a local university. The Institute aims to improve participation of women in leadership and management roles. 1.3 Activity Investing in Women s Leadership Program (IWLP) 1.3 Training program title Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program 1.4 Training program duration and proposed delivery dates This training program is planned to commence in July 2017 and delivered over a period of 12 months in Laos. Exact final training program dates will be determined in consultation with the successful Tenderer and DFAT. Inputs could include for example: professional development workshops information, research or lunch time seminars networking events retreats industry/field visits or a combination of the above. 1.5 Number of participants Twenty (20) to twenty-five (25) participants 1.6 Training provider conditions for participation Australian and international training institutions are invited to tender, with the option to partner with a local institution strongly encouraged. A lead Australian tenderer must be a Registered Training Organisation in Australia or an Australian tertiary institution as defined in the Higher Education Support Act, 2003 Table A, B and C. A lead International tenderer must be a registered training organisation in line with their country s legislation. The tenderer s core business must be the delivery of vocational education and training. The tenderer must demonstrate, through their technical proposal and organisational experience, that they deliver recognised training programs to full-fee paying students, providing excellence and high level performance in teaching and learning. 16

21 2 Contract Details 2.1 Delivery The program must be designed and delivered by a qualified and competent team in Laos in Australia. Training program delivery is in Laos. 2.2 Contract Type Goods and services agreement to be negotiated between Coffey and the lead Tenderer. 2.3 Basis of Payment Fixed fees paid as milestones including the fixed management fee and personnel costs Reimbursable expenses (e.g. costs associated with delivery team travel to Laos) 3 Activity background and objectives 3.1 Background Laos is currently at a critical juncture where it needs to optimise the potential of its economic growth to improve its human development, while at the same time ensuring an equitable future for all. To achieve this, it is necessary to place gender equality and women s empowerment at the core of national development plans. While the Government of Laos (GOL) is committed to social justice for all citizens regardless of age, sex or ethnicity, and this duty is enshrined in the country s Constitution, there are indications that Lao women have often borne the burden of under-development, and that their right to equality is not always realised. In particular, Lao women s ability to influence policy is limited; because of a combination of lack of representation, lack of skills and experience, and socio-cultural expectations regarding gender roles in the household and the workplace. Promoting women s professional qualifications and leadership is both a means and an end in itself. LAI s strategic approach to HRD in Laos incorporates existing scholarships, in the form of Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS) and Laos Australia National Scholarships (LANS), into a broader range of integrated HRD planning, while implementing a range of activities to meet specific strategic and operational needs. Evaluations of returned AAS awardees consistently find that while female alumnae do progress more quickly in their careers than other women, they do not progress at the same rate as male alumni. A recent DFAT review of scholarships, and analytical work undertaken by LAI, have both recommended that women s leadership be more integrated in scholarships and that DFAT consider investing more in returned graduates, especially women. Investment in recently returned and mid-career female alumnae and their organisations will result in better use of skills and qualifications obtained through the scholarships, and will facilitate change processes within partner organisations. LAI and DFAT recently secured funding to expand and deepen women s leadership elements through the Investing in Women s Leadership Program (IWLP). This work is anchored in the Australia s aid policy Australian aid: promoting prosperity, reducing poverty and enhancing stability 1 which establishes gender equality as one of six priority areas for the aid program, and DFAT s Gender equality and women s empowerment strategy which sets out women s leadership as one of three priority areas for the aid program s work on gender equality. 1 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2014, Australian aid: promoting prosperity, reducing poverty and enhancing stability 17

22 3.2 Situation and problem analysis In 2015, LAI undertook an Analytical Study into women s leadership in the Lao PDR to investigate the situation of women and provide LAI, DFAT and counterpart GOL agencies with an understanding of the potential enablers and existing barriers to women s participation and advancement, and the impact this could have on achieving national and program level HRD goals and objectives. The study found that improvement to women s leadership outcomes in Laos is achievable through the existing legal framework and gender machinery, the gender sensitivity of institutions as well as existing leadership capacities and role models that some women in senior positions are giving to other women. Such enablers to potential women s leadership are, however, outnumbered by structural and other barriers for women, especially in education and the public service, that prevent their full participation in the social and economic life of the country. According to the Study, the most important barrier to women s leadership is that women tend to be less educated than men, particularly in some provinces where opportunity for education has been hindered by poverty, physical access, patriarchy and other deeprooted traditions and gender stereotypes. The problem is exacerbated by the country s education system, and its civil service recruitment system, both of which do not consider existing and historical disadvantages experienced by ethnic minority groups. Rural-urban development gaps mean that progressive ideas of gender relations and norms that some schools and workplaces are starting to promote do not reach the most advantaged and marginalised groups in society. When women cannot freely express themselves whether due to confines of traditional roles, or from lack of education, skills and opportunity, this impacts greatly on their leadership potential. The resulting low confidence level is compounded by unequal division of household tasks, especially after starting a family. Lao women s continuing responsibility for household and family welfare is a fundamental barrier to women s leadership in the country. Their diminished capacity (having less time and opportunity) to develop themselves professionally, and in some cases their resulting lack of interest in leadership positions, further impede their advancement. In many cases gender stereotypes continue to inhibit women s progress; for example, women s abilities are doubted by others and regarded as weak because women tend to show more emotions than men. Some institutions still uphold and practice discriminatory rules and regulations that keep women from advancing in the workplace, e.g. the unequal retirement age and regulations around women s recruitment. In spite of an existing national legal framework that guarantees equality between men and women, there remains a strong tendency towards a gendered division of labour, and gender bias, through all levels of society. Leadership and executive positions both in the public and private sectors are still male dominated. Access to externally funded training programs can be difficult for mid-career women professionals in the public sector. Many female government staff are unable to take the requisite time off to undertake overseas scholarships, while in-country training programs are not always well targeted or accessible. For women in particular, family and social responsibilities often preclude them from undertaking further study or professional development, especially if it involves sustained periods of time away from the office or home. In the last few decades gender relations within the family and society at large - have been gradually changing with greater women s empowerment being observed in urban areas. Considering that gender equality is a core development objective, investing in women s leadership is also smart economics because empowerment enhances productivity, improves development results, and makes institutions more representative. 18

23 3.2 Purpose To promote women s leadership in the public and private sectors in Laos Objectives Maximise the benefits of Australian scholarships for women graduates and their organisations. Establish and nurture a professional network of current and future women leaders. Better prepare next generations of women for leadership, through the development of leadership skills. 3.3 Components The IWLP consists of three components to achieve the above objectives: Component 1: Women s Executive Development Program Component 2: Women s Leadership The Next Generation Component 3: Passing the Torch Component 1: Women s Executive Development Program The program will cover different elements of leadership and management, reflecting the organisational, social and cultural context in Laos. This program is planned to commence in July 2017 and delivered over a period of 12 months in Laos. This component is designed on the basis of similar programs in Australia and other countries, focussing on current and emerging female AAS alumni, who are leaders from the public and private sectors. DFAT will partner with the government s HRD Secretariat at the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) for the public sector and LNCCI for the private sector. Component 2: Women s Leadership The Next Generation The objective of this program is for female LANS graduates to acquire job skills, making them more work ready, and more attractive to prospective employers. The LANS program supports young women and men from remote and disadvantaged areas to complete a 4-year undergraduate degree program at a local university. Around 80 per cent of LANS students come from ethnic minority groups. DFAT expects up to 30 female LANS graduates to participate in the program in 2017 and The program is expected to commence in July of each year for a duration of a maximum of six weeks. Performance in academic and support courses undertaken in the undergraduate degree will be used to assess an individual s entry to the graduate program. Successful participants, as far as practicable, will receive an Australian qualification including for example the Certificate III in Business Administration, Certificate IV in Business Administration, Certificate IV in Leadership and Management or Certificate IV in Women s Education. Component 3: Passing the Torch A key feature of the IWLP is the aim of forging networks and mentoring linkages namely: supporting young LANS graduates to be work ready ; sponsoring executive development among AAS alumnae; and matching senior and retired AAS alumnae with younger LANS graduates as mentors. 19

24 This component links the first two components through developing a network of mentoring and career coaching. Participants in the Women s Executive Development Program (Component 1) will be trained as mentors and matched with participants in the Women s Leadership The Next Generation (Component 2). The IWLP will include a series of networking events and employment matchmaking over the 12 month period of the Women s Executive Development Program. These events will draw on AAS alumni and organisations such as the Laos National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Laos The Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Training Program consists of Components 1 and 3 of the IWLP. 4 Training program overview 4.1 Objectives and learning outcomes The objective of the Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Training Program is to contribute to the IWLP by: Increasing the leadership and management skills of female AAS alumni. Developing a network of mentoring and career coaching between AAS alumni and LANS graduates Supporting female AAS alumni to: gain a deeper understanding of gender relations in Laos, particularly as it concerns career development and leadership in the workplace; understand the fundamentals of leadership and the diversity of different leadership styles; identify and develop practical strategies which support women s empowerment and the creation of an enabling environment in the workplace and wider society and; establish and develop expanded and diversified personal and professional networks. The program will cover different elements of leadership and management, and adapted for the local organisational, social and cultural context. It is expected that the Tenderer will propose training program topics in the Draft Training Program. 4.2 Location The training program will be delivered in Vientiane, Laos. 4.3 Duration It is planned the training program will be delivered over a period of 12 months from July 2017 to June Exact final training program dates will be determined in consultation with the successful Tenderer and DFAT. 4.4 Participant profile Up to 25 Lao women selected from outstanding returned AAS female alumnae from the public and private sectors. The participants will meet the following criteria: Be an Australian scholarship alumnae. 20

25 Demonstrate a willingness to deepen their understanding of gender issues in Laos and commit to supporting women s leadership. Be currently employed (including self-employed). Women on maternity leave or returning from maternity leave are eligible. Be willing to: - commit to the training program over 12-months participation - participate in mini projects and follow-up monitoring 4.5 Teaching / learning approach As part of the training program design, the successful tenderer will identify the most appropriate teaching and learning approach for the participant profile. This could include for example: professional development workshops information, research or lunchtime seminars networking events retreats industry visits or a combination of the above. The incorporation of high profile female Lao leaders is encouraged. An important feature will be engaging employers (e.g. senior officials in Ministries, CEOs of companies) as part of program delivery. Employers and CEOs will be involved to build the enabling environment for women to demonstrate their higher technical and executive competencies, and assume positions of greater authority. Participants will develop mini projects, related to the goals of women s empowerment, gender policies or other human resources themes relevant to policy or organisational change happening in their workplace. There will be a commitment to implementing any recommendations by the host organisation the principal reason for involving employers. Please note participants may have limited access to online information. 4.6 Training Program Assessment The Contractor will conduct summative competency assessments of participants in accordance with the requirements of the program. Documentation will be consistent with that used within the Contractor s own programs in Australia or those used elsewhere as agreed with LAI. Results of assessments will be communicated directly to the participants and copied to LAI and GOL. 4.7 Certification The Contractor will make the appropriate arrangements for the certifying of participants once they have finished all program requirements and assessments are complete. The Contractor will consult with LAI and MOES on the appropriate measures for recognising program completion at a ceremony or other event. 21

26 5 Financial details 5.1 Funding The contracted Tenderer will be paid Service Fees including fixed and reimbursable costs. The maximum service fee awarded to the successful Tenderer must not exceed AUD 200,000 (ex GST). The Service Fees will be negotiated with Coffey during contract negotiations based on the proposed Training Program and costings provided by the Tenderer in the Women s Leadership The Next Generation Excel spreadsheet. Important note: For the purposes of this RFT and the financial proposal, it is assumed that Coffey will handle all in-country logistics and administration involved as per the Scope of Services. Coffey however, strongly encourages the involvement of a local provider in the design and delivery of the program. Where a local provider has been nominated as part of the submission, it is expected that the Tenderer will carry out the in-country logistics and administration through the local provider. This arrangement will be negotiated during the contracting phase. 5.2 Invoicing and payment Coffey shall pay the Contractor the Service Fees in instalments known as Milestone Payments (based on outputs as summarised in section 6.7 below). The Payments will be payable to the Contractor progressively, on Coffey s acceptance of the satisfactory completion of identified outputs and a correctly rendered invoice. Where a Payment is to follow acceptance of a report, Coffey shall not be obliged to make full payment until all of the outputs to be achieved by the Contractor in the period covered by the report have been achieved to its satisfaction. Payments will be paid within thirty (30) days of acceptance by Coffey of the input/outputs being completed to its satisfaction as summarised below: Further detail is provided in the Draft Contract provided as Part F of this RFT. 5.3 Value for money Coffey is responsible for ensuring that the Commonwealth obtains value for money through the procurement and subcontracting process. Value for money will be considered as part of the technical and financial assessment. Co-contribution of the Tenderer is not mandatory but will contribute to the value for money assessment. Where there is co-contribution by a Tenderer, the tenderers must clearly demonstrate a monetary and in-kind contribution from its own resources. 6 Services to be provided and specific tasks 6.1 Overview of tasks LAI is responsible for: Overall management of the IWLP in partnership with the HRD Office of MOES and the Australian Embassy. Organisation and procurement (where necessary) of all in-country logistical requirements. The Contractor is responsible for the: 22

27 Design and delivery of an Executive Development and Mentoring Training Program appropriate for up to 25 selected senior AAS alumnae from the public and private sectors in Laos as per the Scope of Services. Provision of appropriately qualified and experienced personnel to design, deliver and administer the program. Nomination of a representative for contact on all matters pertaining to the contract, including logistic arrangements, monitoring and reporting, changes to staffing and payment procedures. Strategic management of program components through effective coordination with the LAI team and HRD Office. 6.2 Pre-program preparation including design The Contractor will: 6.3 Delivery Design the training program in line with the Scope of Services; to reflect the local organisational, social and cultural context in Laos and; to encourage active participation of senior executive women. Assess nominated candidates for entry into the proposed program, taking account of previous qualifications, current workplace experience and knowledge, recognition of prior learning and potential to complete the training program. Design and deliver with LAI, an in-country pre-program workshop to brief selected participants on the program and conduct a brief participant needs analysis to tailor and finalise the training program design. The Contractor will: 6.4 Logistics Deliver the training program according to the approved design, contractual requirements and Scope of Services. Develop and provide all training program materials and information. Monitor participant performance, including in the workplace, provide on the job coaching/mentoring, measure and assess achievement, and provide regular reports on participant progress to LAI. Support and deliver appropriate training, counselling and related assistance to program participants to ensure they can effectively complete their programs in a timely manner. Ensure participants successful completion of the course results in a Certificate as per section 4.7. The Contractor will: Recruit (where necessary) and mobilise all delivery team members and monitor their performance, as well as being accountable for all financial and administrative arrangements, including personal equipment and communication. Develop, implement and maintain a Safety and Security Plan to ensure the continuing security of all personnel and continuous service to counterparts in partner governments. Organise and procure all travel requirements to and from Laos including visas, medical requirements, insurance, airfares, accommodation, per diems and associated travel costs. All travel requirements are subject to the rates specified in the LAI head contract and ARF. 23

28 Ensure clear and timely communication with LAI on logistical requirements for effective training program delivery. LAI will: Provide staff to act as contact and coordination points for the delivery of the program Organise and procure where necessary, suitable venues, catering, equipment and utilities for training program delivery. These venues will include both classrooms (i.e. at LAI) or off site locations (i.e. residential workshops). Providing suitable office accommodation and basic equipment such as desks and chairs for representatives of the Contractor. Provide computers and wi-fi internet access as required through some of the facilities listed above. Important note: For the purposes of this RFT it is assumed that Coffey will handle all in-country logistics and administration involved as per the Scope of Services. Coffey however, strongly encourages the involvement of a local provider in the design and delivery of the program. Where a local provider has been nominated as part of the submission, it is expected that the Tenderer will carry out the in-country logistics and administration through the local provider. This arrangement will be negotiated during the contracting phase. 6.6 Monitoring and evaluation Monitoring and evaluation of the activity will be undertaken by LAI, as part of the program s M&E system, including reporting to DFAT and GOL. The Contractor will; 6.7 Reporting contribute to monitoring and evaluation activities and provide information as requested monitor and evaluate participant progress in line with the proposed program assessment approach continuously monitoring the quality of training delivery, recommending and implementing adjustments as required. The Contractor will prepare: Finalised training program design following the in-country pre-program workshop. Training delivery milestone reports to be submitted at the completion of agreed outputs as per the proposed training program schedule. The reports should set out the Contractor s progress in meeting program outcomes and implementing agreed outputs and activities. The report should highlight achievements, lessons learned, issues and recommended actions. The report should be no longer than 5 pages plus annexes for individual student progress reports. Completion Report to be submitted to LAI one month prior to the contract end date. The report should be no longer than 10 pages plus annexes and must outline overall progress against the IWLP and training program objectives and outcomes, as well as containing recommendations and lessons learned for future programs. 6.8 Other requirements The Contractor will: Not issue or release any media statements, photographs, articles, newsletter items or website content without the express written permission of Coffey for each instance. This includes not assisting any media representative to interview any of 24

29 the participants or to publish an account relating to the program or any of the participants. All photographs taken by the Contractor during the program will be deemed to be the intellectual property of DFAT and may not be used without written permission of the Coffey Project Manager. Notwithstanding these constraints, positive media promotion is encouraged. Comply with the provisions and rates as set out in Australian Government s Adviser Remuneration Framework 2, issued in October Comply with the provisions of Coffey s Child Protection Policy 2 For a copy of the framework go to: 25

30 Part D Selection Criteria and Information Required for Technical Assessment 26

31 1 Technical proposal Tenderers should submit a technical proposal, up to a maximum of six (6) pages plus required annexes, which substantively and individually address the selection criteria below. The Technical Proposal will be worth 80% of the total assessment score. 2 Selection criteria Proposals should be presented in the following format. Each category should be addressed individually under the criterion headings. The weighting of each of the criterion is provided in the following table: Criterion Weighting (%) A. Organisational capacity and training experience 20 B. Response to program specification 40 C. Core personnel 30 D. Innovation and value for money 10 Total 100 A. Organisational capacity and training experience: (20% of the technical assessment) The Tenderer must demonstrate: Capability and expertise in the design and delivery of women s executive development training programs focusing on leadership, management and mentoring. (8% of overall technical assessment) Experience in the design and delivery of training programs for international participants especially in the context of women s leadership. Experience in the design and delivery of training program delivered offshore and/or funded by international donors (including DFAT) should be highlighted where applicable (8% of overall technical assessment) Capacity to ensure that gender equality is integrated appropriately throughout the design and delivery of the program content and practical activities in line with DFAT s Gender equality and women s empowerment strategy (4% of overall technical assessment) B. Response to training program specification: (40% of the technical assessment) The Tenderer must provide details of their approach to the design and delivery of the training program. Specifically tenderers must demonstrate how they will: Design the program to enable the achievement of broader IWLP program objectives as well as the training program objectives and outcomes, including how gender equality will be integrated into program content and practical activities (15% of overall technical assessment) Design and deliver the program to facilitate the active participation of senior executive AAS alumnae and reflect the local organisational, social and cultural context. (15% of overall technical assessment) Effectively monitor, evaluate and support progress towards, and achievement of, individual participant learning outcomes (5% of overall technical assessment) 27

32 Address any identified key challenges in the design and delivery of the program (5% of overall technical assessment) C. Core personnel: (30% of the technical assessment) The Tenderer must demonstrate that their proposed team have the appropriate qualifications and experience to design, deliver and administer the training program. Together the proposed team must demonstrate: Technical expertise to design the program including the development of the training program and all related materials. This includes technical expertise in the subject matter and the capability to liaise with all key stakeholders to ensure the program is aligned to needs and appropriate to the context (10% of overall technical assessment) Technical expertise to lead and deliver the program including technical expertise in the subject matter (10% of overall technical assessment) Management and administration expertise to ensure the program is designed and delivered according to contractual requirements and the Scope of Services. This will include a representative for all matters pertaining to the contract (e.g contractor representative), including but not limited to personnel, logistical arrangements, milestones monitoring and reporting, and payment procedures (10% of overall technical assessment) D. Innovation and Value for Money (10% of the technical assessment) Examples of innovation in delivery effectiveness, special approaches to empowerment/engagement of participants, progress mentoring and sustainability (5% of overall technical assessment) Cost effective delivery demonstrate benefits from factors such as existing delivery models, delivery modes, partnerships, industry connections, capacity building and/or resources and materials that will contribute to effective program delivery (5% of overall technical assessment) 28

33 Annexes The technical proposal should include the following Annexes. Please note! The templates for these annexes are in a separate MS Word document provided to the tenderers. Annex 1 Tenderer s Submission Form The template provided is to be completed by the Tenderer. Annex 2 Organisation s Experience This Annex is to contain Description Sheets of only relevant activities which clearly demonstrate the Tenderer's ability to meet the Scope of Services as outlined in Part D. Up to three (3) Description Sheets can be included and must not exceed 1 A4 page each. Annex 3 Curricula Vitae (CVs) A summary table (as below) is to be inserted at the beginning of this Annex. The table must not exceed one A4 page. Position ARF job level & classification Name Nationality Gender Brief description of key qualifications, expertise and experience (in bullet points) All personnel costs must be aligned to the Adviser Remuneration Framework 3. Technical design and delivery personnel (e.g. designers and trainers) are classified as Discipline Category Group B to a maximum of Job Level 3. Premium remuneration rates are not applicable to this tender. The ARF job level and classification is not required for management and administration personnel including the contractor representative, as these positions form part of the management fee. Certified CVs not more than three pages are to be provided for the contractor representative and up to top three design and delivery team members. CVs should provide a clear response to the duties outlined above in Part D, Section 2 C Core Personnel. Coffey regards the withdrawal or substitution of personnel to be grounds for the cancellation of negotiations and reserves the right to consider alternative offers where personnel nominated in Tenders are subsequently not available. 3 For a copy of the framework go to: 29

34 Annex 4 Draft Training Program A training program schedule including all proposed inputs and brief description of possible program topics (no more than 2 pages). Annex 5 - Statutory Declaration Annex 5 is to be completed and signed by the Tenderer. Annex 6 Risk Mitigation Matrix The template provided is to be completed by the Tenderer. 30

35 Part E Selection Criteria and Information Required For Price Assessment 31

36 1 Financial Proposal Tenderers must submit a Financial Proposal as a part of their Submission. It should be a standalone proposal and NOT form a part of the Technical Proposal. The Financial Proposal will be worth 20% of the total assessment score. The maximum service fee awarded to the successful tenderer must not exceed AUD 200,000 (ex GST). The final Service Fee will be negotiated with Coffey during contract negotiations based on the proposed Draft Training Program and costings provided by the Tenderer in the Women s Exeuctive Development and Mentoring Program Excel spreadsheet. Important note: For the purposes of this RFT and the financial proposal, it is assumed that Coffey will handle all in-country logistics and administration involved as per the Scope of Services. Coffey however, strongly encourages the involvement of a local provider in the design and delivery of the program. Where a local provider has been nominated as part of the submission, it is expected that the Tenderer will carry out the in-country logistics and administration through the local provider. This arrangement should be priced accordingly and will be negotiated during the contracting phase. 2 Approach to the Financial Proposal A financial price assessment of those Tenders assessed as technically suitable by the Technical Assessment Panel (TAP) will be undertaken by Coffey. Coffey reserves the right to provide the financial component of any Tender to TAP members for their examination in the context of resource adequacy evaluation against the selection criteria in the technical assessment process. 3 Information Required for Price Assessment Tables for inclusion in the financial proposal are provided below: Schedule 1 Schedule 2 Schedule 3 Schedule 4 Fixed management fee Fixed personnel design and delivery costs Reimbursable travel costs Summary of Unit Costs for Coffey Price Comparison Please note: The tables are included in the Women s Executive Development and Mentoring Program Tender Financial Proposal Excel spreadsheet provided to the Tenderers. Content of Financial Proposal Within the Financial Proposal Tenderers must address the criteria as set out in the table below. These criteria will be used to make a like-for-like financial comparison. Tenderers must complete all schedules showing their firm quotations in whole Australian dollars (AUD). Coffey requires these calculations for the purposes of disaggregating and checking the accuracy of Tenderers total financial assessment figure. Only the final figure provided at Schedule 4 will be subject to the financial price assessment. Tenderers should note that inaccurate or inconsistent calculations in the financial component of any Tender may, in Coffey s sole discretion, be grounds for Coffey to deem that Tender nonconforming and exclude it from further consideration under the RFT process. 32

37 Financial Proposal Criteria Schedule 1: Fixed management fee Total management and administration fee to be charged by the tenderer for the design and delivery of the program as described in the Scope of Services. This includes ongoing activity management (e.g. financial management, administration and communication costs and, contractor representative and head office staff), profits and, any applicable insurance as outlined in the Draft Contract of this RFT at Part F. Tenderers must clearly detail any other costs to be charged to the program. These other costs will be subject to approval during the contract negotiation process. Tenderers must provide details in Schedule 1: Fixed Management Fee. Schedule 2: Personnel design and delivery costs Personnel costs for the design and delivery of the program, expressed as number of person days at a daily rate. The Tenderer needs to make an assessment of the number of people and person days required to design and deliver the program as per the Scope of Services. Tenderers must provide details in Schedule 1: Fixed personnel design and delivery costs. All personnel costs must be aligned to the Adviser Remuneration Framework 4. Technical design and delivery personnel (e.g. designers and trainers) are classified as Discipline Category Group B to a maximum of Job Level 3. Premium remuneration rates are not applicable to this tender. The contractor representative and head office staff costs are not included in personnel design and delivery costs. Contractor representative and head office staff costs are included under Schedule 1: Fixed Management Fee. Schedule 3: Reimbursable travel costs Tenderers are to provide travel costs in line with the scheduling included in Annex 4 Draft Training Program. Coffey will reimbursable travel and transit costs including airfares, necessary visa costs, accommodation and per diems. Insurance and medical costs are non-reimbursable. Airfares: The cost of any airfares will be reimbursed to a maximum of the cost of economy class for each flight sector of four (4) hours or less and business class for each flight sector greater than four (4) hours duration. Travel must be via the most direct and cost effective route. A flight sector means from any one flight departure point to any one flight landing point. Accommodation: Coffey will reimburse accommodation whilst in transit and whilst in Laos to the maximum amounts: In Transit (Bangkok) AUD137 per night In Laos AUD174 per night Per diems: Coffey will reimburse per diem allowances for meals and incidentals at the rate of AUD100 whilst in transit and in Laos. Value for money will be considered as part of the technical and financial assessment including fixed and reimbursable costs. 4 For a copy of the framework go to: 33

38 Financial Proposal Criteria Co-contribution of the Tenderer is not mandatory but will contribute to the value for money assessment. Where there is co-contribution by a Tenderer, the tenderers must clearly demonstrate a monetary and in-kind contribution from its own resources. All fees are to be provided exclusive of GST. GST is to be shown separately. 4 Retention of Price Component of Tenders by Coffey The financial components of all Tenders, including those not considered technically suitable, will be retained by Coffey. 5 Escalation There is no provision for escalation. 6 Goods and Services Tax (GST) Refer to clause 15 and 16 of the draft Contract. 34

39 Part F Draft Contract 35

40 COFFEY INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PTY LTD ( COFFEY INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ) - and - <COFFEY WILL INSERT THE NAME OF THE TRAINING PROVIDER> SUBCONTRACTOR AGREEMENT COMPANY WOMEN S EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING PROGRAM 36