The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is developing an advisory project aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of logistics and warehousing firms in Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and Albania.  One means towards this goal is structured and tailored training and capacity building of employees of companies active in the sector.

The IFC is therefore looking for training providers that have international/EU best practice expertise and proven experience in successfully providing such trainings.

·         Target Audience: The target audience are operational and managerial staff of logistics and warehousing firms and firms with large in-house logistics departments.

·         Period of Performance: The trainings should begin by September 2025 and be delivered over a period of 12 months, maximum 15 months.

·         Number of participants to be trained: Our aim is to train a total of 600 individuals, approximately 40% in Ukraine, 25% in Serbia, and 35% total for Moldova and Albania (i.e. 240, 150, 210 respectively), of whom at least 15% should be women, in such skills and knowledge that will result in the participants’ improved awareness, knowledge or skills, and actual use of these skills in their jobs.

·         Mode/timing of training delivery:

§  Trainers should be recognized experts in their field with excellent and up to date understanding of EU and international requirements and practices.  They should have proven experience as trainers.  Practitioners preferred.

§  Instruction Language: In consultation with the local partners, instruction language will be either English or local language (Ukrainian, Romanian, Serbian, and Albanian), depending on local preference and capabilities. Simultaneous interpreters, if needed, can be found through the local partner. Technical knowledge by the interpreter will be essential. 

§  Format: Given the proposed multi-country engagement covering a large geographic area, it may be convenient and efficient to deliver a portion of the training modules in an on-line format. Local partner will advise on preference of trainees regarding on line versus face to face.

§  Individual, self-contained modules should be offered so that participants remain engaged and can complete the course  within reasonably short intervals. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion based on attendance.  

§  Certification programs can be offered as an additional option. The individual modules offered should in this case be part of the certification requirements.

§  Local partners: The IFC will identify and contract in each country local partner(s), such as a national business association or chamber, which will serve as the promoter, convener, and facilitator of the trainings.  Local partners may have their own training platform and training content, which may be used to supplement the international training offering.

·         Topics to be covered:  

·         The training topics offered should provide the participants with enhanced practical knowledge so that by applying them, their firms become more effective and more competitive sector and economic participants. 

·         The proposed core curriculum should cover four areas – technical skills, management skills, soft skills, and emerging areas.  For example:

§  Technical skills: Demand, Production, Distribution Requirements Planning, Sourcing, Transport Operations, Warehousing, Customs and Transport Documents; 

§  Management skills: Management in Logistics and Transport, Project Management, Change Management, Supply Chain Management;

§  Soft skills: Customer Service, Leadership and Team Building, Negotiation Skills;

§  Emerging areas: Automation and robotics, of 3PL and 4PL services, AI, green logistics, and supply chain innovation.

·         The project intends to offer a set of common modules across the four countries.  

·         Each module will have about 20 participants; it could be repeated if there is more demand for it. 

SELECTION OF CONSULTING FIRMS BY THE WORLD BANK GROUP

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

Electronic Submissions through WBGeProcure RFx Now

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW

Assignment Title: Provision of Trainings in Logistics

Assignment Countries:

Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Albania

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is developing an advisory project aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of logistics and warehousing firms in Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and Albania.  One means towards this goal is structured and tailored training and capacity building of employees of companies active in the sector.

The IFC is therefore looking for training providers that have international/EU best practice expertise and proven experience in successfully providing such trainings.

·         Target Audience: The target audience are operational and managerial staff of logistics and warehousing firms and firms with large in-house logistics departments.

·         Period of Performance: The trainings should begin by September 2025 and be delivered over a period of 12 months, maximum 15 months.

·         Number of participants to be trained: Our aim is to train a total of 600 individuals, approximately 40% in Ukraine, 25% in Serbia, and 35% total for Moldova and Albania (i.e. 240, 150, 210 respectively), of whom at least 15% should be women, in such skills and knowledge that will result in the participants’ improved awareness, knowledge or skills, and actual use of these skills in their jobs.

·         Mode/timing of training delivery:

§  Trainers should be recognized experts in their field with excellent and up to date understanding of EU and international requirements and practices.  They should have proven experience as trainers.  Practitioners preferred.

§  Instruction Language: In consultation with the local partners, instruction language will be either English or local language (Ukrainian, Romanian, Serbian, and Albanian), depending on local preference and capabilities. Simultaneous interpreters, if needed, can be found through the local partner. Technical knowledge by the interpreter will be essential. 

§  Format: Given the proposed multi-country engagement covering a large geographic area, it may be convenient and efficient to deliver a portion of the training modules in an on-line format. Local partner will advise on preference of trainees regarding on line versus face to face.

§  Individual, self-contained modules should be offered so that participants remain engaged and can complete the course  within reasonably short intervals. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion based on attendance.  

§  Certification programs can be offered as an additional option. The individual modules offered should in this case be part of the certification requirements.

§  Local partners: The IFC will identify and contract in each country local partner(s), such as a national business association or chamber, which will serve as the promoter, convener, and facilitator of the trainings.  Local partners may have their own training platform and training content, which may be used to supplement the international training offering.

·         Topics to be covered:  

·         The training topics offered should provide the participants with enhanced practical knowledge so that by applying them, their firms become more effective and more competitive sector and economic participants. 

·         The proposed core curriculum should cover four areas – technical skills, management skills, soft skills, and emerging areas.  For example:

§  Technical skills: Demand, Production, Distribution Requirements Planning, Sourcing, Transport Operations, Warehousing, Customs and Transport Documents; 

§  Management skills: Management in Logistics and Transport, Project Management, Change Management, Supply Chain Management;

§  Soft skills: Customer Service, Leadership and Team Building, Negotiation Skills;

§  Emerging areas: Automation and robotics, of 3PL and 4PL services, AI, green logistics, and supply chain innovation.

·         The project intends to offer a set of common modules across the four countries.  

·         Each module will have about 20 participants; it could be repeated if there is more demand for it. 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The World Bank Group invites eligible firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services described above, to include:

Corporate Experience: Examples of past logistics-related trainings, including brief information about the curriculum, modes of delivery, size of training workshops and any experience in the targeted countries.

Trainer Roster: List of qualified trainers, their bios and focus areas for training

Implementation Plan: Proposed timeline and discussion how your firm would carry out such trainings in the four countries – timing, mode of delivery, number of modules, time commitment per module, collaboration with local implementation partner, etc.

Core Curriculum Proposal: Given the described target audience and the objectives, propose a core curriculum of 6 modules/courses and 6 optional additional courses for full-time operational and managerial professionals aiming for a 70% completion rate. 

Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Firms may associate to enhance their qualifications unless otherwise stated in the solicitation documents. Where a group of firms associate to submit an EOI, they must indicate which is the lead firm. If shortlisted, the firm identified in the EOI as the lead firm will be invited to the request for proposal (RFP) phase.

Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through WBGeProcure RFx Now