Subcontractor for E-Learning Course on Efficient Disposal of Less Complex Public Procurement Misdemeanor Cases

Statement of Work

E-Learning Course on

Efficient Disposal of Less Complex Public Procurement Misdemeanor Cases

BACKGROUND

The Improving Public Procurement project (the Project), implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP in cooperation with the Development Professionals Inc. - DPI, is a five-year United States Agency for International Development-funded project initiated in July 2022 with the overall objective to strengthen institutional capacities for management and oversight of a fair, open, non-discriminatory and transparent public procurement process at the national and local levels. The Project is structured around four components focused on 1) improving local procurement planning, 2) improving procurement procedures across the entire procurement lifecycle in accordance with international standards, 3) improving capacities for effective legal enforcement, and 4) increasing the effectiveness of public procurement oversight. The Project counterparts include local self-governments (LSGs), the Public Procurement Office, the Commission for Protection of Rights in Public Procurement Procedures, public prosecutors’ offices, Administrative Courts, Misdemeanor Courts, the Commission for Protection of Competition, the Ministry of Finance, State Audit Institution (SAI), civil society organizations, and investigative journalists.

The Project’s strategy is to enhance the implementation of existing laws, policies, and procedures and to support the alignment of the public procurement ecosystem to international standards and good practices. The Project will facilitate the identification of locally led solutions that cut across government, business, and civil society, to create space for stakeholders to collaborate across institutional boundaries. Emphasis will be placed on professionalization of the procurement function through trainings, development of tools, and identification of leading practices for adaptation by institutions. Collaboration and information exchange among institutions will be supported with the objective to increase oversight, improve identification of procurement irregularities for prosecution and adjudication, legislative engagement to resolve identified weaknesses in the law, and capacity building of civil society organizations to contribute to oversight and communication to the public.

As part of the EU integration process, Serbia enacted the Public Procurement Law in 2019 ("Official Gazette of the RS", no. 82/19, 92/23, hereinafter: PPL), which shifted the mandate for conducting first-instance misdemeanor proceedings from the Republic Commission for the Protection of the Rights in Public Procurement Procedures to misdemeanor courts.

However, the introduction of a new mandate for misdemeanors related to public procurement placed an additional responsibility and elevated the workload for already overburdened judges in the misdemeanor courts. In order to identify the need to enhance the capacities of misdemeanor courts to deal with emerging challenges and complex public procurement cases, the Project developed the Legal and Case Load Assessment (the Assessment). The Assessment recommended three phases for better adjudication for misdemeanors in public procurement in the following order: 1. reduction of the backlog of decriminalized and statute-barred cases, 2. resolution of less complex misdemeanor proceedings, and 3. resolution of misdemeanor proceedings with very complex factual and legal issues.

As part of the three-stage structured approach, the Project developed the Guidelines for the Efficient Disposal of Less Complex Public Procurement Misdemeanor Cases (the Guidelines), which include models of decisions for decriminalized misdemeanors and statute-barred proceedings. To promote the Guidelines and offer instructions on their practical application, the Project organized training for judges from misdemeanor courts across Serbia.

Building on this effort, the Project will further enhance capacity-building initiatives by developing an e-learning course on the public procurement legal framework, the Law on Misdemeanors, and the Guidelines for Efficient Disposal of Less Complex Public Procurement Misdemeanor Cases. Designed for the Judicial Academy’s e-learning platform, this course will target misdemeanor court judges, judicial assistants, and Judicial Academy attendees, employing a methodological approach that includes thematic lectures with post-training assessments.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Development Professionals Inc., DPI, is a woman-owned small business providing technical implementation and analytical services for democracy, human rights, good governance, civil society, and related sectors. DPI has successfully led and implemented rule of law and governance reforms in more than 25 countries since its inception in 2009. Our work includes projects focused on judicial and prosecutorial reform, access to justice, citizen security, human rights, institutional capacity building, anti-corruption, women and youth empowerment, and gender-based violence, among others.

DPI continues to expand our expertise and breadth of projects, both short- and long-term to address development needs around the world. Based on our long experience and successful models, we focus on diversity, equality, excellence, innovation, and integrity to ensure we continue to succeed and improve the lives of those we serve.

SCOPE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Under the direct supervision of the Project, the selected Subcontractor will be responsible for the comprehensive development and delivery of a SCORM e-learning course. To achieve this, the company will collaborate closely with an expert in public procurement, engaged per separate SOW, to create interactive and engaging learning content. The expert will provide all necessary legal content and ensure its accuracy and relevance, while the subcontractor procured under this SOW will focus on transforming this material into an educational and technically sound e-learning course. The content will be grounded in the public procurement legal framework, the Law on Misdemeanors, and the Guidelines for Efficient Disposal of Less Complex Public Procurement Misdemeanor Cases.

The instructional design will incorporate a pedagogically sound structure, including thematic lectures, real-life case studies, and practical examples tailored to the needs of misdemeanor court judges, judicial assistants, and Judicial Academy attendees. To evaluate learning outcomes, post-training assessments will be embedded within the course. These assessments will objectively measure participants' knowledge levels after the training, ensuring their understanding and retention of key concepts can be accurately evaluated. Additionally, the module will include functionality to track participants' progress and automatically generate certificates of completion for those who successfully meet the training requirements.

The SCORM-compliant e-learning course will also include an electronic library designed as an integral part of the learning experience. This library will house supplementary learning materials, including legal documents, guidelines, and analyses. Participants will be able to access these resources as additional references throughout the training. The library will be linked to relevant modules of the course to enhance understanding of key concepts. Depending on training requirements, certain materials may be mandatory for review before participants can progress to subsequent modules.

The technical development of the course will ensure SCORM compliance, enabling seamless integration with the Judicial Academy’s e-learning platform. The course will feature multimedia elements such as animations and infographics to enhance engagement and improve comprehension of the material. Additionally, the module will include interactive features such as quizzes, drag-and-drop activities, and scenario-based learning exercises to provide a hands-on and immersive learning experience. The SCORM-compliant e-learning course will be designed as a guided and structured package. Participants will be required to complete each module in a predefined sequence, with progress tracking enabled to ensure that no steps are skipped. Each module will also include interim assessments to evaluate knowledge acquisition before unlocking subsequent modules. Additionally, the modules will have a set timeframe for completion.

Rigorous testing and quality assurance will be conducted to ensure the course is fully compatible with the Judicial Academy platform and adheres to SCORM standards. Any technical issues or bugs identified during testing will be promptly addressed to guarantee a smooth user experience upon deployment. To support the Judicial Academy in managing and maintaining the module, the company will provide a brief training session and develop a user guide for Academy staff. This guidance will focus on how to manage, update, and deploy the module effectively. Moreover, the company will offer post-deployment technical support for a period of six months, ensuring any issues are promptly handled.

In this specific assignment, the Subcontractor will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Submit the draft of the SCORM e-learning course, designed as a structured and guided package, consisting of three thematic modules. Each module should include interactive elements, multimedia features, post-training assessments, certification, and the initial setup of an electronic library.
   The course must include a detailed storyboard and content outline for each of the three thematic modules. The content should be based on materials provided by the public procurement expert, which include the storyline and transcript of the audio lectures for each module, PowerPoint presentations, case studies, and practical examples grounded in the public procurement legal framework, the Law on Misdemeanors, and the Guidelines for Efficient Disposal of Less Complex Public Procurement Misdemeanor Cases.
   After each module, there should be a post-training assessment with closed-format questions. The content of these assessments will be provided and verified by the public procurement expert. The course should include a link to the electronic library where relevant. The contractor is responsible for setting up the electronic library using the materials provided by the public procurement expert.
   Additionally, the contractor must establish a sustainable process for verifying post-training assessments, functionality for tracking participant progress and enabling the automated generation of certificates for successful completion.
2. Submit a report summarizing the compatibility testing results, including testing of the electronic library on the Judicial Academy platform, along with any identified technical issues and implemented solutions.
3. Submit a finalized and fully functional SCORM e-learning course designed as a guided and structured package, incorporating all feedback from testing, public procurement expert, and stakeholders, ready for deployment (including integrated fully operational electronic library as well as functionality for tracking participant progress and enabling the automated generation of certificates for successful completion) and provide written guarantees of post-deployment technical support for a period of six months to address any issues or necessary updates that may arise during the use of the course on the Judicial Academy platform.
4. Develop a concise user guide and conduct a training session for Judicial Academy staff on managing, updating, and deploying the e-learning course, including the functionality of the electronic library.
5. Submit the Final Report that describes but is not limited to the following: the purpose of the engagement, progress made, and any other notable observations; issues and/or problems encountered; and expected follow-on interventions, as well as actions to be performed by counterparts, not exceeding 5 pages.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The expected period of performance is from March 1, 2025. to July 17, 2025.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The place of performance is in Belgrade, Serbia.

SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES

Technical assistance shall be delivered as follows:

* The due date could be subject to change due to unforeseen events and circumstances and will be subject to agreement with the beneficiary institution.

All deliverables will be subject to the Project team's and the Judicial Academy's review and approval.

The Subcontractor will report directly to the Project's Component Lead and Legal Specialist.

QUALIFICATIONS

NOTE: Offerors must:

 Relevant Experience:

• Have a proven track record of successfully developing and implementing SCORM e-learning courses.
• Reference: j0lrcKzqN2USe7sOl56bYMghhYaUyLCnIkGz3qc1GBE.

  Professional competence:

• Managing projects professionally. Offerors must have a history of successful project management, including coordination with diverse stakeholders and adapting to unforeseen challenges.

  Stakeholder Engagement:

• Experience in working with academic institutions, government bodies, or international organizations, ensuring effective collaboration and alignment with the goals of all stakeholders.          

Legal Requirements:

• Offerors must be a legal entity registered in the Republic of Serbia.

Content of the Proposals

Proposal must include:

1. Technical Proposal Form: proposed technical approach, organizational capacities, relevant previous experience and management, personnel, and staffing plan.

2. Financial Proposal Form: cost for the assignment presented per deliverable

Evaluation Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Technical proposal
• Organizational capacities, experience, and past performance
• Management, personnel, and staffing plan
• Financial offer

INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS

Applicants must:

• Submit a curriculum vitae(s) of each consultant or team member and a cover letter describing direct relevant experience with references. A legal entity must submit additionally a business registration document, including past performance.
• Submit a Technical Proposal
• Submit a financial offer for the assignment (in US dollars) presented per deliverable (Use the Financial Offer Template presented below in the SOW document.). The financial offer should reflect the contracting party – an entity; the contract will be signed with the entity indicated in the application. When calculating your financial offer, the offeror should include all anticipated costs for the assignment such as labor, travel, accommodation, and Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance. Please be advised, DBA insurance is mandatory for all subcontractors at their expense. DBA insurance is 2% of labor costs. DBA insurance cannot be added to the cost afterwards or be reimbursed. Any airfares must be Fly America compliant. We base estimates for a reasonable cost on economy class airfare and daily fees not exceeding the USAID maximum rate.
• Offers should be submitted via email to IPP Project Office in Belgrade, Serbia, no later than 5pm CET on February 6, 2025.

NOTE: Submission of a CV(s) alone IS NOT considered a complete application. An application MUST include a Financial Offer in a format provided within the Scope of Work. Failure to provide the required information will result in your not being considered for this assignment.

We will consider only candidates that deliver us full financial offer by using THIS link to download empty form.