Title: ToR National Expert ECE and SRP Infrastructure -Special Consultant

• The infrastructure national expert position is based on 2 contracted deliverables, with the final one paid upon acceptance by August 30, 2025.
• Salary Range: $3,000 - $4,500.

Georgia Innovation, Inclusion and Quality Project (I2Q)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Short-Term Consultant (National) for Supporting Revision and fine-tuning of existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation under the ongoing contract №GE-MESCS-212213-CS-QCBS “Improving ECE Institution Management System and Enhancing the Quality of Programs Across the Country”

The salary range for this position is $3,000 - $4,500 depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable. 

Background

The Government of Georgia (GoG) has signed the Loan Agreement (LA) for financing the implementation of Innovation, Inclusion and Quality Project (Project) with the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in June 2018. The Project development objectives along with improving other levels of education, is to (i) expand access to preschool education;

The Project consists of five key components and subcomponents. First Component regards to Improving Quality of and Access to Early Childhood Education:

Component 1- Improving Quality of and Access to Early Childhood Education;

The objective of this component is to provide support to facilitate expanded access to quality pre-school education in selected pre-schools.

Subcomponent 1.1. Improving the quality of ECE programs across the country

Subcomponent 1.2 Increasing equitable access to preschool education for successful transition to school

Subcomponent 1.3 Improving infrastructure to support innovative primary education, including preschool

The Activities are being implemented over a 43 months period by the San Diego State University Research Foundation, in sub-consultancy with Center for International Education. 

Objective of the assignment

The objective of this assignment is to provide support to SDSU for the purpose of revising and fine-tuning the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation as a task agreed within the implementation of “Improving Early Childhood Education (ECE) institution Management System and Enhancing the Quality of Programs Across the Country” under the Component 1 of the I2Q project.

Short-Term Consultant is expected to submit the required deliverable into two parts:

Ø  Deliverable 1 (D1) _ Initial draft of revised and fine-tuned ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation – two months after commencement of works.

Ø  Deliverable 2 (D2) _Final project document of revised and fine-tuned ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation – one month after acceptance of Deliverable 1.

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of SDSU ECE Tbilisi office local manager  and with the close collaboration of ECE Component Lead of the PMU, the Consultant will be working as the Short-Term local expert hired by SDSU to conduct works for analyzing existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation to support and enhance the process of finalization and longed for adoption of aforementioned technical regulation.

Under this assignment the Consultant will be responsible for:

Ø  Analyze the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation;

Ø  Analyze the existing Standards for Buildings and Structures of General Educational Institutions;

Ø  In the light of analysis of both afore-listed documents, reflect with comments for modernization and fine-tuning on the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation to refine it in total alignment with Chapter 3- “Main Requirements for Designing the Part of Building Intended for the School Readiness Programme” of the existing Standards for Buildings and Structures of General Educational Institutions, as well as with the ECE and SRP institutions’ authorization standard;

Ø  In the light of analysis, make detailed comments for modernization, necessary adjustments, and precise recommendations to fine-tune the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation;

Ø  Develop a short report on findings of the analysis and issued recommendations for improvement.

Ø  After submission of each of the afore-listed deliverables (D1 and D2), collect the feedback from the ECE Component Lead of the I2Q Project and SDSU experts and respectively improve and amend the reports.

Expected Outputs

Expected outputs of the assignment for Improving ECE Institution Management System and Enhancing the Quality of Programs Across the Country:

Ø  The analysis of the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation’s.

Ø  Revised and fine-tuned project document of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation with detailed comments for modernization, necessary amendments and precise recommendations.

Ø  Progress Report on conducted thorough work and issued and applied recommendations for improvement.

Consultant shall collaborate closely with the assigned international and local experts of the GE-MESCS-212213-CS-QCBS contract with SDSU, as well as with the ECE Component Lead of the I2Q Project, and support to the following:

Ø  The Consultant shall thoroughly analyze the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation, and Chapter 3- “Main Requirements for Designing the Part of Building Intended for the School Readiness Programme” of the existing Standards for Buildings and Structures of General Educational Institutions. Cross-check the norms and regulations in above-mentioned documents. The comments for modernization and recommendations for improvement must be formulated so that the smooth transition between the draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation and Chapter 3- “Main Requirements for Designing the Part of Building Intended for the School Readiness Programme” of the existing Standards for Buildings and Structures of General Educational Institutions is ensured. Accordingly, every recommendation for improvement and comments for modernization either on expansion, or shortening of the norms and regulations stipulated in the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation must be solidified with relevant justification;

Ø  Throughout the fine-tuning of the existing draft of ECE and SRP settings’ Infrastructure Technical Regulation, the Consultant should ascertain close array with the existing, adopted ECE and SRP institutions’ authorization standard.

Ø  In close collaboration with below-listed key stakeholders and beneficiaries of the task outcomes, the Consultant must ensure development of detailed Progress Report on conducted thorough work and issued and applied recommendations for improvement.

The Consultant is expected to arrange and hold consultation meetings with key stakeholders and beneficiaries of the task outcomes, namely with representatives of Preschool Education and Care Quality Assurance Department of NCEQE, ECE and GE Development Department and ECE Division of the MESY, Infrastructure Project Coordinator – Engineer of the I2Q Project.

The works shall be planned and implemented under supervision of PMU and assigned SDSU international and local experts.

All documents developed during this assignment are intended for internal use only and shall not be disclosed for the third party/parties during the assignment and at least 1 month after its completion. The Consultant will sign the respective nondisclosure declaration.

The necessary standards and drafts shall and will be provided by the ECE Component Lead of the I2Q Project.