Terms of References (ToR) - Expert on Renewable Energy & Climate Change (YEGE Project)

	 	 

Terms of References (ToR)
Expert on Renewable Energy & Climate Change (YEGE Project)
Introduction
Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo (CACH) is implementing the project “Youth Empowerment in Green Energy (YEGE)”, which aims to enhance climate action and support the renewable energy transition by empowering youth, high school teachers, environmental officials, and environmental journalists across Kosovo.
The  project  focuses  on  strengthening  capacities  in  climate  change  and  energy  transition,  supporting  youth participation in Municipal Energy and Climate Action Plans (MECAPs), promoting green school initiatives and environmental awareness, and implementing climate and green project awards in high schools. The proposed project intervention is tailored around mobilizing youth in addressing Kosovo's environmental and climate challenges. Investment in climate education and youth-led awareness campaigns on energy transition and  climate  change,  and  related  impacts  will  be  a key  focus.  These  efforts  prioritize  youth  empowerment, ensuring young people actively participate in shaping a sustainable future in climate change and renewable energy.
In order to ensure high-quality technical support and effective implementation of project activities, CACH will engage one expert in renewable energy and climate change, who will also contribute to the evaluation of school project  proposals  and  support  municipal-level  processes.  CACH  hereby  invites  qualified  experts  to  submit their applications for the provision of consultancy services as an Expert on Renewable Energy and Climate Change within the framework of the YEGE project and in accordance with the presented Terms of Reference.
The assignment will be implemented over a defined period and based on a deliverables-driven consultancy contract with total 45 consultancy days for a period until March 2027.

 Objective of the Call

The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical expertise and capacity development support in the areas of:

Contribute to the organization of roundtable meetings with responsible stakeholders/ministries on discussion related to the integration of renewable energy solutions and related activities into school curricula and education policies. Prepare and present a synthesis report with key findings and recommendations including inputs from responsible stakeholders for validation.
Deliver renewable energy and climate change training courses to eco clubs’ representatives, high school teachers of biology/ecology/physics, local and central level officials, and environmental journalists.
Contribute to the evaluation process of the School Climate Competition “Dervish Rozhaja” in awarding three best climate and green project proposals for support.
Contribute to the development and implementation of the monitoring mechanism for the Municipal Energy and Climate Action Plans (MECAPs) and to track the progress of the Youth Component and its integration into the Municipal Energy and Climate Action Plans (MECAPs).
Reflect together with and advise the YEGE project team including its partners on how to effectively involve high school students, teachers and school directors as well as municipal officers and the relevant governmental institution to strengthen Youth awareness and Youth engagement in climate change and renewable energy topics and initiatives.


 About Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo

Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo (CACH) is an international non-governmental organization engaged in Switzerland and in more than 15 countries worldwide, including Kosovo, where it has been active since 1999. CACH implements programmes focused on sustainable socio-economic development, inclusive economic growth, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability, in alignment with national priorities. Its interventions place particular emphasis on youth and women empowerment, capacity development, and strengthening institutional cooperation.
The thematic focus areas of Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo include income generation, migration, and leveraging diaspora potential for local development, as well as promoting inclusion and strengthening links between local communities and international markets. This includes support to socio-economic development in rural areas, women’s empowerment, reintegration of returnees and refugees, and advocacy and policy influencing. All activities are guided by CACH’s commitment to preventing and reducing poverty in a sustainable manner, in line with its organizational values and the requirements of key donors.
Caritas Switzerland  integrates women and youth empowerment across all  operational priorities, both as a mainstreamed approach and at a focused  outcome level. A gender transformative approach, including  the active engagement of boys and men, aims to shift social norms toward greater equality.

 Scope of Work

The expert will support the YEGE project through the following key tasks:
3.1 Comprehensive synthesis report

Facilitation of roundtable meetings with responsible stakeholders for  integration  of  climate change and renewable energy modules into school curricula.
Preparation of a comprehensive synthesis report including findings and recommendations resulting from consultative meetings in consultation with responsible stakeholders, CACH and CEDE.
Present findings to relevant stakeholders (e.g., MESTI, ME, MESPI) for validation.

3.2 Training/capacity development for project partners/beneficiaries

Prepare training materials, practical tools and other training related materials in coordination with the YEGE project staff and the project implementing partner–CEDE dedicated to the project beneficiaries (30 Eco Club  representatives,  30  biology,  ecology  and  physics  teachers,  20 local  and  central  level officials, 10 professional environmental journalists).
Deliver training courses on climate change and renewable energy for project beneficiaries and coordinate with the project implementing partner CEDE on organization/logistics support.
Organize pre and post assessment survey with the targeted group on climate change and renewable energy topic.

3.3 School Proposal Evaluation
Serve as a member of the evaluation committee for school proposals submitted under the “Dervish Rozhaja” School Environmental Award Competition.
3.4 Monitoring Mechanism Development

Contribute to the development and operationalization of a monitoring mechanism on Municipal Energy and Climate Action Plans (MECAPs) for the Youth Component and its integration into the MECAPs.
Ensure alignment of monitoring mechanisms with the Municipal Energy and Climate  Action Plans (MECAPs) and national strategies.

Geographic Coverage: Services will be required across 10 selected municipalities in Kosovo under the YEGE project. The  expert  must be capable of providing  in-person support  and, where  applicable,  remote  inputs, including  travel  to  different  municipalities  for  training delivery,  participation  in  evaluation processes,  and coordination with local stakeholders (schools, municipal authorities, and project partners). The project target group will cover new beneficiaries from new Eco Clubs under the YEGE project and previous beneficiaries from existing Eco Clubs established under the YENI project, the predecessor project implemented by CACH from 2022–2024 in the climate change field.

 Deliverables

The expert is expected to deliver:

Inception report (refined methodology for implementation all tasks, detailed workplan and timeline aligned with project implementation, proposed tools for pre-and post-assessment surveys, proposed framework and approach for developing the MECAPs monitoring mechanism, stakeholder engagement plan in coordination  with  the  project  implementing  partner,  identification  of  risks  and mitigation measures).
Final synthesis report (including facilitation of stakeholder consultation meetings, analysis of findings from consultations and roundtables, recommendations for integration of renewable energy and climate change modules into curricula, validation workshop/presentation findings).
Training package and capacity development report (training modules/materials, pre and post assessments, training report summarizing participation, results, lessons learned and findings/recommendations).
Monitoring framework template (with monitoring mechanism methodology, indicators, data collection tools, integration plan for alignment with Municipal Energy and Climate Action Plans (MECAPs) and national strategies).
Final expert assignment report.

The distribution of days per task is indicative and may be adjusted in agreement with CACH, based on project needs and implementation schedule, without exceeding the total allocated level of effort.
Timeline and Milestones


 

 Duration and Level of Effort

The contracted expert will be remunerated based on a maximum contract value of 9,000 EUR, inclusive of all applicable costs.
The level of effort  will  be distributed across  project activities in accordance with the agreed workplan and project implementation timeline in the inception report. The expert will perform tasks based on specific deliverables and milestones, as defined and approved by CACH.

 Required Qualifications and Experience

The expert should meet the following criteria:
Education
Advanced degree (master’s or higher) in:

Environmental science;
Climate change;
Energy engineering;
Or related fields.

Experience
Minimum 10 years of professional experience in

Climate change and renewable energy;
Environmental policy or sustainable development;

Proven experience in:

Capacity development and training delivery;
Evaluation of project proposals or grant schemes;
Working with public institutions, international NGOs or academia.

Skills

Strong analytical and reporting skills;
Experience in policy recommendations and synthesis reporting;
Good facilitation and communication skills.

Language

Fluency in Albanian, English and Serbian is required.
Knowledge of Turkish is considered an asset.


 Quality Assurance and Liability


Performance Review: CACH will monitor the performance of the contracted expert against agreed deliverables, timeline, and quality standards throughout the assignment. Continuation of engagement and approval of outputs will be subject to satisfactory performance. All deliverables will be subject to review and formal approval by CACH before acceptance.
Ethical Compliance: The expert must adhere to the Caritas Switzerland Code of Conduct, including a zero-tolerance policy for fraud, corruption, exploitation, and abuse.
Confidentiality: The expert is required to maintain strict confidentiality of all project-related information and documentation, including sensitive data related to beneficiaries, institutions, and unpublished project findings,  and may  not  disclose  such  information  without  prior  written consent from CACH.
Subcontracting of tasks under  this  assignment  is  not  allowed  as  a rule unless explicitly agreed in writing by CACH. In exceptional cases where subcontracting is proposed, prior approval from CACH must be obtained.


 Eligibility and Qualifications

To be considered, applicants must demonstrate the following:

Legal Status: The applicant must be an individual consultant eligible to provide consultancy services.
Technical Capacity: Proven expertise in the fields of climate change, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability, including experience in capacity development, technical advisory, and evaluation of project proposals or similar assignments.
Documentation: The application must include all required documents, including a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and other supporting annexes, duly signed by the applicant.
Professional Experience: A demonstrated track record of relevant professional experience in the past five (5) years, supported by references, previous assignments, and a list of clients/projects of similar nature.
Financial Offer: The proposed daily rate shall remain fixed for the entire duration of the assignment. Any adjustment to the agreed rate may only be considered under exceptional circumstances and subject to prior written agreement by CACH.


 Evaluation of Offers

Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo (CACH) will evaluate all eligible applications based on the following methodology:
Technical Capacity–40%
Assessment of the applicant’s expertise and competencies in climate change, renewable energy, capacity development, and related technical fields.
Experience and Proposed Approach–40%
Evaluation of relevant professional experience, including similar assignments, and the quality and feasibility
of the proposed methodological approach (if applicable).
Financial Offer–20%
Evaluation of the proposed daily rate in relation to the proposed level of effort and overall value for money.

 How to apply

Interested  candidates  are  invited  to  submit  their  applications  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  outlined below. Applications should be organized into two distinct parts:
Part A: Technical Proposal
The Technical Proposal should include the following:

Curriculum Vitae (CV):

Detailed Curriculum Vitae highlighting relevant education, professional experience, and expertise in climate change, renewable energy, capacity development, and similar assignments, including a minimum of two references.

Methodological Approach:

A brief description of the proposed approach to delivering the assignment, including understanding
of the tasks, workplan, and methods for achieving expected deliverables (max. up to 5 pages).
Part B: Financial Offer
The Financial Offer should include:

Daily Rate (EUR): The proposed professional fee per working day including per diem, accommodation and travel as well as training materials
(Training venue and refreshments are covered separately from the project).

Files should be clearly named (e.g., “Technical Proposal_Name”, “Financial Offer_Name”). The offer remains valid for 30 days after submission.
Important: Only candidates who have submitted all required documents will pass the eligibility stage. All eligible applications will proceed to the evaluation stage in accordance with the criteria outlined in these Terms of Reference.

 Submission Details


Format: Applications must be submitted in PDF format, organized into two separate files: one for the Technical Proposal and one for the Financial Offer.
Submission: Applications   should   be   sent   electronically   to   the      following        email             address: kosovo@caritas.ch, with the subject line: “Expert on Renewable Energy & Climate Change–YEGE Project.”
Deadline for Submission: Applications must be submitted no later than 5th of August 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted and will not be considered for evaluation.

Disclaimer: By participating in this call, bidders acknowledge that they have read and agreed to the terms and conditions outlined in this document. Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo reserves the right to cancel the call
or not award a contract if no satisfactory offers are received, in compliance with its donor-aligned procurement policies.