Implementation Agreement - Strengthening Public Employment Services, Career Guidance, Job Matching, and Referral Systems for Returnees, IDPs, and Local Communities in Syria

Strengthening Public Employment Services, Career Guidance, Job Matching, and Referral Systems for Returnees, IDPs, and Local Communities in Syria

Syria continues to face significant displacement, recovery, and reintegration challenges following years of conflict, economic decline, and damage to infrastructure, public services, and livelihoods. Returnees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), women, youth, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable local communities face limited access to decent work opportunities, weak livelihood prospects, skills gaps, and constrained enterprise support, affecting economic recovery, social cohesion, and sustainable reintegration. In response, the joint UNHCR–IOM–ILO Durable Solutions Programme in Syria adopts an integrated approach to support national institutions, returnees, IDPs, and host communities through strengthened national systems, labour market governance, and employment pathways. ILO interventions specifically focus on market-relevant skills, employment services, financial inclusion, enterprise development, and institutional capacity-building. The assignment will focus on Aleppo, Hama, and Idleb.

Objective

The overall objective of this TOR is to support the transition of Syrian returnees, IDPs, and vulnerable local populations into decent employment and self-employment opportunities through strengthened employment services, career guidance, job matching, referral pathways, and employer engagement through the engagement of a qualified NGO/INGO. The intervention will support 3,200 job seekers through a structured two-day integrated employment services package, delivered through Public Employment Services (PES) and Directorate of Social Affairs and Labour (DoSAL) centres under MoSAL, TVET centres, UNHCR community centres, NGOs, youth centres, community centres, and other partner facilities.

Major activities under this intervention:

1. Provide employability and career guidance support to returnees, IDPs, youth, women, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable local community members.
2. Support job seekers with career planning, CV preparation, interview skills, job search techniques, and individual action planning.
3. Raise awareness on fundamental principles and rights at work, decent work principles, occupational safety and health, non-discrimination, and fair working conditions.
4. Strengthen community-level job matching and referral systems through PES/DoSAL centres, TVET institutions, youth centres, community hubs, and local referral mechanisms.
5. Facilitate linkages between job seekers and employers in sectors with labour demand and opportunities for decent employment and self-employment.
6. Organize 16 job fairs, career days, employer networking events, and outreach activities.

Required Qualifications

The project shall be implemented with a non-profit organization/entity that shall satisfy the below requirements:

• A legally registered national NGO or international NGO/INGO authorized to operate in Syria in accordance with applicable national regulations and legal requirements.
• Demonstrate an active operational presence and a proven implementation track record in Syria, including established field presence, operational access, and implementation capacity in Aleppo, Hama, and Idleb.
• Minimum seven years of practical experience in employment promotion, labour market interventions, job creation, employability support, livelihoods, and/or income-generating programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in working with vulnerable groups, including returnees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), women, youth, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable local community members.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating and working with government institutions, particularly the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MoSAL), PES/DoSAL centres, TVET institutions, chambers of commerce, employers, humanitarian actors, and local stakeholders.
• Demonstrated financial reliability, accountability, and sound financial management systems, including established accounting procedures, internal control systems, and regular financial audits.
• Have qualified and competent management, technical, administrative, and field personnel with demonstrated experience in employment promotion, employability support, livelihoods, economic inclusion, and labour market interventions.

Interested organizations must submit technical and financial proposals in two separate digital folders clearly marked "Technical Proposal" and "Financial Proposal". Both folders shall be saved within one compressed (ZIP) folder titled with the full name of the bidder followed by the project title and submission date. Proposals should be submitted by email to the following:

• Mrs. Amaal Bani Awwad - Project Manager, baniawwad@ilo.org
• Mrs. Roua Jammal - National Officer, jammal@ilo.org

The subject line of the email should be: "Strengthening Public Employment Services, Career Guidance, Job Matching, and Referral Systems for Returnees, IDPs, and Local Communities in Syria". The deadline for submitting technical and financial proposals is 27 July 2026, 11:59 pm – Damascus time. A confirmation email will be shared upon receipt of the proposal. Both technical and financial proposals shall remain valid for 90 days from the submission deadline. Questions from potential bidders shall be submitted to the designated ILO/Syria email addresses within five calendar days from the publication date.

The selected organization will be chosen in accordance with ILO procurement rules and procedures, based on the technical and financial evaluation of submitted proposals.

• Technical Proposal (70%): Will be evaluated on relevant experience, field presence, methodology, task organization, human resources, and prior donor experience.
• Financial Proposal (30%): Will clearly distinguish between direct implementation costs and management and coordination costs.
   

Please refer to the attached ToR for further elaboration on the required tasks and associated deliverables.