Consulting services for developing and carrying out training programs to teachers, school principals, their deputies (upper-secondary school)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

UKRAINE

Country: Ukraine

Program: «Lifting Education Access and Resilience in times of Need in Ukraine Program»

Grant №: TF0C5794

Project №: P504171

Assignment Title: Consulting services for developing and carrying out training programs

to teachers, school principals, their deputies (upper-secondary school)

Contract Package ID: LEARN-1.1-TRAINING

Ukraine has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine Program.

The Ministry of Education and Science intends to use part of the proceeds for consulting services, for which this REoI has been issued.

Consulting services (hereinafter referred to as "Services") include: developing and implementing two modular training programs for professional development: for Grade 10 teachers across 10 subject areas in pilot lyceums, currently estimated at approximately 3278 teachers, and school management teams and for 750 future trainers for teachers and managers of schools in NUS implementation on the level of Upper Secondary (Specialized) Education.

The expected period for the Consultant to provide services for the development of the online course is approximately 14 calendar months, starting in June 2026.

Detailed information regarding the provision of the specified Services is provided in the Terms of Reference (hereinafter referred to as "TOR"), which is attached.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (hereinafter referred to as the "Client") invites qualified consulting companies (hereinafter referred to as "Consultants") to express their interest in providing the specified Services. Interested Consultants must provide information that confirms their qualifications and experience required to perform the Services.

The evaluation of the expressions of interest provided by the Consultants will be carried out based on the following criteria:

1. Legal status and market experience

• The company is registered as a legal entity in Ukraine or abroad (in the case of foreign company, the representative office/JV/consortium with a local firm should exist by the date of the Contract signing).

• At least 5 years of experience in the market (in case of JVCA, at least the Lead Member shall meet the criterion, while each other member shall meet at least 50% of the criterion).

• The company's core business has proven experience in implementing education sector projects, including training, professional development, and institutional capacity-building initiatives.

2. Experience in preparing documentation in both Ukrainian and English, including:

• technical specifications

• reporting

• supporting documentation.

3. Financial stability

• The amount of confirmed turnover for the last two years is at least $396,000 (in case of JVCA, the Lead Member should meet at least 50% of the requirement, while the combination of partner/members must fully meet the requirement)

• Financial statements:

• (i) Tax returns

• (ii) Balance sheet

• (iii) Certificates of completion.

4. Confirmation of qualification.

A Consultant shall provide:

• Portfolio of completed projects

• Documents confirming qualifications:

(i) certificates (if any)

(ii) letters of recommendation (if any).

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, items 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of The World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers [1], dated September 2023 with amendments of February 2025[2] (hereinafter referred to as the "Procurement Regulations"), which contains the World Bank's policy regarding conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

Selection of a Consultant will be performed in accordance with Consultant’s Qualification-based Selection (CQS) method following World Bank’s Consultants Guidelines.

Further information may be obtained at the address below.

Expressions of interest must be submitted in Ukrainian or English via email to the address: Cc: ; by 2:00 PM Kyiv time on April 30, 202 6 .[3]

Expressions of interest to be clearly marked: " LEARN-1.1-TRAINING: Expression of Interest" .

Consultants should provide not only information demonstrating their compliance with the Mandatory Minimum Qualification Requirements , but also information that meets the specific requirements of the assignment and will be considered an advantage. The Consultant rating will be based on compliance with these latter requirements. The Consultant with the highest rating, determined according to the established criteria for evaluating the Consultant’s qualifications, will be invited to submit a technical and financial proposal.

Information on the Consultant’s experience provided by the Consultants must be documented (copies of contracts or parts thereof, and acceptance certificates for services provided; additionally, client references may be submitted, describing the specifics of the completed assignment).

Interested Consultants are additionally advised to pay attention to the following aspects when preparing their information:

• Files submitted by the Consultant should be in PDF (Portable Document Format) and/or JPG formats and should be as consolidated as possible;

• When preparing information describing your qualifications and experience, provide as much detail as possible to demonstrate compliance with the established qualification criteria and relevance to the assignment;

• Include copies of documents confirming the stated experience and competencies, and provide contact information of third parties who can confirm your experience and provide relevant references.

Consultants who have submitted an EOI should not submit any documents or information after the deadline for EOI submission , except for providing documents and/or information requested by the Employer for clarification or explanation of the submitted EOI. Any exchange of information between the Employer and Consultants must be in writing via the official email addresses specified in this announcement .

LIST OF ATTACHED DOCUMENTS

• Terms of Reference (TOR)

[1] https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/6c0602876d68949e80820507d90a14ed- /original/Procurement-Regulations-September-2023.pdf

[2] https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/20fb60f35ce8f2b52bb205da13c4df /original/Revisions-of-the-Procurement-Regulations-September-2023.pdf

[3] Consultants are advised to ensure that their submission has been delivered to the recipient

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consulting services for developing and carrying out training programs

to teachers, school principals, their deputies (upper-secondary school)

Contract № LEARN-1.1-TRAINING

World Bank Project No. P504171 , grant: TF0C5794

List of abbreviations

LEARN The Program «Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in

Ukraine Program»

MoES Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

NUS The New Ukrainian School

PDF The format of the document Portable Document Format

PL Pilot lyceums

TLM Teaching and learning materials

Word The format of the document Microsoft Word

Developing and carrying out training programs to teachers,

school principals, their deputies (upper-secondary school)

I. Background

Ukraine and the World Bank have signed the agreements for the Program «Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine Program» (hereinafter referred to as the LEARN). The objectives of the LEARN are: to (i) improve teaching and learning conditions; and (ii) to strengthen the management capacity of the education system.

The total financing for the Operation is US$451 million using a combination of the World Bank’s financial instruments: Program-for-Results (PforR) complemented by Investment Project Financing (IPF).

The Program-for-Results (PforR) is funded by a US$235 million credit provided by Bank resources, supported by credit enhancement from the Advancing Needed Credit Enhancement for Ukraine (ADVANCE Ukraine) Trust Fund, which is backed by the Government of Japan. This is formalized under the Financing Agreement between Ukraine and the International Development Association for the Program (CREDIT NUMBER 7626-UA). An additional US$150 million is provided under the Special Program for Ukraine and Moldova Recovery (SPUR) of the International Development Association (IDA) Crisis Facility, as outlined in the Loan Agreement between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the Program (LOAN NUMBER 9721-UA). Financing Agreement (Additional Financing: Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine Program) between Ukraine and the International Development Association (CREDIT NUMBER 7905-UA) was signed in the amount of US$4.9 million.

Furthermore, US$30 million in Investment Project Financing (IPF) is secured under the Grant Agreement between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association, acting as the administrator of the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Multi-Donor Trust Fund (URTF GRANT NUMBER TF0C5794).

Furthermore, US$31.1 million in Additional Financing is provided through grant resources, consisting of US$30.0 million from the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Multi-Donor Trust Fund and US$1.1 million from the Global Partnership for Education Fund. This additional financing is formalized under the Grant Agreement between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association, jointly acting as a Supervising Entity for the Global Partnership for Education Fund and as administrator of the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Multi-Donor Trust Fund (URTF GRANT NUMBER TF0D0612; GPE GRANT NUMBER TF0D0613), and supports activities related to the continued implementation of the Program.

Hereinafter, the portion of the Operation financed through the PforR is referred to as the Program and the portion financed through the IPF is referred to as the Project.

The Project complements the Program by supporting the piloting of the NUS reform in grades 8 to 12 and strengthening the MoES’capacity for education system management.

The Project will provide technical support to pilot the NUS reform in selected schools for grades 8 to 12, through: (i) developing, printing, delivering, and testing teaching and learning materials for the NUS Pilot; (ii) developing and carrying out training programs to teachers, school principals, and their deputies; (iii) providing technical assistance to design a fit-for-purpose instrument for measuring teacher classroom practices and to implement said instrument in a sample of classrooms in grades 8 and 9; and (iv) providing STEM, ICT, and other required equipment aligned with the NUS standards to schools in the NUS Pilot at the basic education level for grades 8 to 12.

Importantly, the IPF will also strengthen the management capacity of the MoES to manage, monitor, and evaluate the rollout of the NUS reform through:

• providing technical assistance to: (i) the Directorate of School Education and its office responsible for NUS implementation to plan, monitor, and evaluate the reform at national and decentralized levels; and (ii) MoES units in charge of NUS reform administration and communication;

• strengthening the Ukrainian Institute of Education Development’s (“UIRO”) capacity through: (i) carrying out an organizational capacity audit; (ii) designing a capacity development plan; (iii) carrying out staff Training; (iv) creating a digital platform for the storage, distribution, organization, and assessment of digital educational materials; and (v) providing material and equipment for educational and methodological laboratories of UIRO;

• creating a Special Online Platform (“SOP”) for State Final Examination (“DPA”) including: (i) development and piloting of SOP software; and (ii) modernization of SOP software during implementation and provision technical support;

• modernizing the education management information system (“AIKOM”), through: (i) development of new AIKOM functionality; (ii) support for AIKOM interoperability with the solutions/clients; and (iii) provision of services and equipment for proper systems functioning and management; and

• improving the education infrastructure management through: (i) technical assistance to strengthen institutional data bases, systems, structures and teams; (ii) technical assistance for the development of innovative designs aligned to the education reforms, including NUS teaching and learning practices; (iii) technical assistance for the preparation of infrastructure development plans for investment prioritization in educational institutions; and (iv) financing of equipment, such as servers and computers, to manage the education infrastructure systems.

With a funding commitment of $451 million and a timeline extending to 2027, LEARN represents a transformative effort to ensure every child in Ukraine has access to safe, high-quality education. The initiative not only addresses immediate challenges posed by the conflict but also lays the groundwork for a resilient and future-ready education system.

At the current stage of implementation of the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education, Ukraine is entering a critical phase of reform of upper secondary schooling. The introduction of specialized education requires significant changes at the school level, including the redesign of educational programmes, curriculum planning, assessment practices, and the organisation of the educational process. These changes place new demands not only on individual teachers, but on school teams as a whole, including teaching staff, school principals, and deputy principals, who must work collaboratively to ensure coherent and effective implementation of the State Standard.

Effective implementation of specialized secondary education therefore depends on the availability of targeted professional development and expert support for school teams. Training and support activities must strengthen both pedagogical capacity at the classroom level and leadership and management capacity at the school level. Given the scale and complexity of the reform, and the limited internal capacity of public institutions to deliver all required support activities directly, the engagement of external expertise is essential to design and deliver high-quality training, provide sustained expert support, and develop scalable solutions that can support the implementation of specialized secondary education beyond the pilot phase.

ІІ. Objectives

The Assignment for Consultant is:

a) to develop and implement two modular training programs for professional development:

• for Grade 10 teachers across 10 subject areas in pilot lyceums, currently estimated at approximately 3278 teachers, and school management teams (including principals and deputy principals responsible for upper secondary (specialized) education), currently estimated at approximately 450 participants (hereinafter – Program 1). The Program 1 should include a practical component aimed at aligning institutional educational programs and subject-specific curricula with the State Standard of Upper Secondary (Specialized) Education (hereinafter - State Standard) and the needs of pilot lyceums, as well as aligning school management practices with NUS approaches to leadership, strategic management, and the management of the educational process.

• For 750 future trainers for teachers and managers of schools (hereinafter - Trainer candidates), in NUS implementation on the level of Upper Secondary (Specialized) Education (hereinafter – the Program 2). The practical component should include hands-on activities for trainer candidates, such as job shadowing.

b) to develop a scalable online course on the implementation of the State Standard.

The Program is aimed at strengthening the capability of school staff to implement the NUS reform in upper-secondary school.

The overall objective of this assignment is to support the implementation of the State Standard by strengthening the professional capacity of trainer candidates and the teaching staff of 149 pilot lyceums (10th grade), pre-selected by the Ministry of Education and Science through an official administrative decision (the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine No. 437 dated 11.03.2026).

This objective will be achieved through the design and delivery of two comprehensive training programmes providing participants (teachers, school principals, their deputies and trainer candidates) with practical tools to plan and implement educational programmes aligned with the State Standard.

Specific Objectives

Within the scope of Assignment, the school teachers, managers, and future trainers (three target groups) shall be trained to achieve the following learning outcomes/competencies including but not limited to:

Teachers:

Upon completion of the training, teachers will be able to:

• Interpret the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education and translate its requirements into classroom practice.

• Apply competency-based approaches in teaching and learning, including the design of competency-based tasks.

• Plan and implement educational programmes and lesson sequences aligned with the State Standard and model curricula.

• Use assessment approaches consistent with competency-based learning, including formative assessment practices.

• Support individual learning trajectories of students within specialized secondary education.

• Reflect on and adapt their teaching practices in response to implementation challenges.

School managers:

Upon completion of the training, school managers will be able to:

• Understand the structure, principles, and implementation requirements of the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education.

• Organise and oversee the development and implementation of school-level educational programmes aligned with the State Standard.

• Support teachers in applying competency-based approaches through instructional leadership and internal professional support.

• Ensure alignment between curriculum planning, assessment practices, and organisational arrangements at the school level.

• Manage change processes related to the introduction of specialized secondary education.

• Monitor and support the quality of teaching and learning during the implementation of the State Standard.

Trainer candidates

Upon completion of the training, trainers will be able to:

• Demonstrate a solid understanding of the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education, equivalent to the level required of their respective target groups (teachers or school managers).

• Apply competency-based approaches, curriculum planning principles, and assessment practices in line with the State Standard, corresponding to the professional focus of the target group they support.

• Facilitate learning processes for adult learners using appropriate adult learning methodologies, including interactive, practice-oriented, and reflective approaches.

• Design and deliver training sessions for teachers and school managers that are aligned with the approved training materials and responsive to participants’ professional needs.

• Support teachers and school managers in addressing implementation challenges related to classroom practice and school-level organisation.

• Use facilitation, moderation, and feedback techniques to foster professional dialogue, peer learning, and reflection among participants.

• Adapt training content and methods to online and delivery formats.

The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

• Establish and prepare a cohort of trainers capable of delivering high-quality, practice-oriented training and providing ongoing support to teaching staff and school leadership of pilot lyceums in the implementation of the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education.

• Build a shared understanding of the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education among trainers and teaching staff of pilot lyceums, including its structure, learning outcomes, and guiding principles.

• Strengthen the capacity of teaching staff (teachers, school principals and deputy principals) of pilot lyceums to implement competency-based approaches in specialized secondary education, competency-based tasks, and appropriate assessment practices.

• Support the development of coherent educational programmes at the school level, aligned with the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education and responsive to the needs of pilot lyceums.

• Provide scalable training solutions, including distance learning modules, that can support further professional development of trainers and teaching staff beyond the pilot phase.

ІІІ. Scope of Services

The Program coverage is 149 pilot lyceums. Current gender balance of participants will be considered, and even regional representation of schools provided.

Two separate training programmes shall be developed under this assignment.

The first programme (Program 1) shall be designed for pedagogical staff, including teachers and school managers, and shall include both shared modules and role-specific modules tailored to teachers and school managers respectively.

The second programme (Program 2) shall be designed for future trainers for teachers and school leaders (hereinafter referred to as trainer candidates), and shall include both shared modules and role-specific modules tailored to trainer candidates for teachers and school managers respectively.

Each training programme shall have a volume of 3 ECTS credits (1 ECTS credit = 30 hours, 1 hour = 60 minutes), including guided (contact) training hours and individual work.

Both programmes shall be implemented in online format, combining synchronous and asynchronous learning.

In addition, a separate programme of consultation sessions shall be developed and delivered throughout the academic year to provide ongoing professional support to programme participants.

The Consultant is obliged to manage risks in line with the Risk Management Plan developed.

The Consultant is obliged to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all training activities delivered under this Assignment, in accordance with applicable national legislation and World Bank requirements. Emergency preparedness and response plans will be developed by Consultant for each training location for offline sessions in line with the World Bank War-Hazard Emergency Preparedness & Response Guidance for IBRD Ukraine Portfolio.

The Consultant is obliged to adhere to the principles of academic integrity for all the activities and products created.

The Consultancy Services are expected to start on June 1, 2026, for a period of 15 months, i.e., to be completed on September 30, 2027, with exact deadlines determined by MOES and PIU.

The following activities shall be conducted to achieve the above-formulated objectives under Assignment:

• Design and development of curricula for the training programmes and materials , including the preparation of modular, practice-oriented content aligned with the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education, tailored to the needs of teachers, school principals, deputy principals, and trainers.

• Selection and preparation of a cohort of trainer candidates , including representatives of teacher training institutions, higher education institutions, and professional communities, to support the delivery and sustainability of training activities.

• Delivery of online training activities , including large-scale synchronous webinars complemented by asynchronous learning, as well as cohort-based interactive online sessions in smaller groups focused on applied practice and the development of implementation solutions aligned with the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education.

• Delivery of role-based online practical training sessions designed to ensure broad regional participation, active engagement, and applied implementation of the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education.

• Provision of expert-led consultation and mentoring support for teachers and school leadership during the academic year to support practical implementation of the State Standard.

• Development of a scalable asynchronous online course , building on the materials and experience generated through training activities, to support wider dissemination beyond the pilot phase.

• Monitoring, documentation, and reporting on the implementation of training activities and achievement of key milestones under the Assignment.

This assignment consists of two distinct but related tracks of activities addressing different capacity-building needs and requiring different types of expertise.

The Consultant shall provide technical, organizational, and content development support in accordance with the scope described below.

Inception phase

Purpose of the component

An inception phase shall be conducted at the beginning of the assignment to confirm the implementation approach, experts’ availability to start the Assignment, workplan, timelines, and quality assurance arrangements relevant to the respective scope of services. The inception phase shall commence on the effective date of the Contract and shall last for a period of one (1) month.

The inception phase will result in the submission of an Inception Report for the Client’s review and approval, including curricula and the overall structure of the training programmes.

Social aspects, ethical behavior, and prevention of SEA/SH:

During the initial phase, prior to commencing work or interacting with stakeholders, all experts involved in the Task must:

• undergo mandatory training and awareness-raising on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEA/SH) in accordance with the World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) requirements;

• sign the SEA/SH Compliance Statement, confirming their understanding of prohibited behavior and personal responsibility;

• sign and adhere to the Code of Conduct, which includes provisions on professional ethics, non-discrimination, and a zero-tolerance policy towards SEA/SH, etc.;

• be familiar with the Project's Mechanism for Submitting and Reviewing Grievances, including complaint submission procedures and confidential reporting channels.

• be familiar with the Emergency Preparedness & Response Guidance.

Track 1. Training and expert support for trainers and teaching staff of pilot lyceums

This track focuses on strengthening the professional capacity of trainers and teaching staff of pilot lyceums to support the effective implementation of the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education at the school level.

As part of Track 1, the Consultant shall develop two professional development programmes:

• a professional development programme for pedagogical staff, including both shared modules and role-specific modules tailored to teachers and school managers respectively; and

• a professional development programme for trainer candidates, both shared modules and role-specific modules for trainer candidates of teachers and trainer candidates of school leaders.

Each programme shall serve as the basis for the design and delivery of training activities under Track 1 and shall support different online delivery formats, including large-scale webinars and role-based practical sessions, as applicable. In addition, the Consultant shall design and deliver a separate programme of expert consultation and support to be implemented throughout the academic year.

Upon successful completion of the online practical training component, teaching staff as well as school managers of pilot lyceums shall receive certificates confirming their participation and completion of the relevant training modules, in accordance with procedures agreed with the Client. Trainer candidates who successfully complete the online practical training component shall also receive certificates confirming completion of the training programme.

Component 1.1. Development of training materials

Purpose of the component

This component aims to design and develop a comprehensive, structured, and practice-oriented package of training materials to support the online delivery of training activities for teaching staff and trainer candidates of pilot lyceums on the implementation of the State Standard.

Training materials developed under this component shall serve as the core content base for all training and expert support activities under Track 1.

Scope of work

Under this component, the Consultant shall carry out the following tasks.

1.1.1. Analytical and conceptual groundwork

The Consultant shall:

• review and analyse key policy, regulatory, and methodological documents relevant to the implementation of the State Standard, including but not limited to:

• the State Standard of Specialized Secondary Education;

• approved and draft model curricula and educational programmes;

• teaching and learning materials developed for upper secondary education;

• methodological guidance and policy documents issued by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine;

• analyse the professional development needs of the target groups, including:

• teaching staff of pilot lyceums;

• trainer candidates involved in the delivery of training activities.

1.1.2. Coordination of the trainer-expert team

The Consultant shall:

• identify and engage a multidisciplinary team of trainer-experts required for the development of training materials, which may include:

• subject-matter trainer-experts across educational fields;

• trainer-