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Tenders are invited for External Collaborator-Estidama++ Program Operation Support 06.2025 Closing Date: 18 Jun 2025 Type: Consultancy Assignment: Terms of Reference for Estidama++ Program Operation Support Contract Type: Call for External Collaborator only individuals residing in Jordan Location: The assignment takes place in Jordan Duration: June to August - 2025 REF: Call for external collaborator-Estidama++ Program Operation Support 06.2025 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Background In Jordan, the majority of the workforce is in the informal economy, where there is increased risk of exploitation and a lack of social protection coverage. The exact number of informal workers in Jordan is difficult to measure, but based on previous labour force surveys, certain characteristics appear to increase the likelihood of workers being informal, marked by their lack of social security coverage. Workers in micro and small enterprises, non-nationals and workers in particular sectors such as construction and agriculture, all have lower rates of social security coverage. A combination of factors such as legal exclusion, contribution cost, awareness and employer compliance, influence participation. Without some form of social protection, workers face higher financial risks and consequences to their well-being when contingencies, such as sickness, unemployment and work injury, occur. The right to social protection is universal, and one in which Jordan has taken important steps to realize. Estidama++ Fund - Extension of Coverage and Formalization project was initiated as a response to the COVID-19 crisis. This COVID-19 crisis funnelled into pre-existing decent work deficits, in particular those related to gaps in social protection coverage. Workers themselves realized the consequences of inadequate coverage as firms slowed operations and put workers into Furlow. The programme leveraged the increased attention to social protection during the pandemic as an opportunity to extend social security coverage to vulnerable informal workers, including refugees, while providing short-term income support to incentivize registration with the Jordanian Social Security Corporation (SSC) and to support compliance with contributions in the medium/long-term. The design and inception phase of the project started in June 2022 and will have a total duration of 18 months, the facility will focus on certain key priority sectors and typologies of workers. In Phase 2 (with prospective start up in May 2023) and other subsequent phases of the project, it is expected that the overall scope will be extended to additional sectors and types of workers. The project is innovative in bringing together donor governments to help offset some of the financial barriers vulnerable workers experience in accessing social security, and to help offset the risk incurred by the SSC in extending benefits to groups who may be unable to pay full contributions in the short-term. In Phase I, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom pledged their support. The SSC mobilized operational and technical teams to oversee the programme operations and integrate it into the SSC architecture (IT, Finance, Operations, Media etc.), with technical guidance and oversight from the ILO. One key area of ILO led support is in monitoring, evaluation, accountability, research and learning. Project Objective The overall objective of Estidama++ is that national social protection systems achieve substantial coverage of female and male, Jordanian and non-Jordanian workers from vulnerable categories. This overall objective is to be achieved through the following specific objectives: Coverage reward and contribution subsidy mechanisms are in place and accessible to previously uncovered male and female workers from vulnerable categories. Regulatory framework, systems and capacity for extension of Social Security Corporation coverage is strengthened to support the extension of coverage to vulnerable workers. Knowledge about sector specificities, workforce composition, needs, perceptions and factors influencing willingness to join the social security system is enhanced. Vulnerable workers and employers have improved knowledge of social security and access to advisory services. Estidama++ reaches and mobilizes previously unreached, workers from vulnerable categories. Vulnerable male and female workers participate in sustainable social security system, for the long-term Scope of work and methodology As part of research and learning agenda, the ILO and SSC are implementing two Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) to test interventions aimed at increase coverage increasing social security participation among vulnerable workers by addressing key barriers such as misinformation, financial barriers, and attractiveness of the social security package. First RCT: Conducted with firms employing 110 workers, this trial evaluates the impact of bi-weekly SMS messages and face-to-face outreach on registration and contribution rates. Second RCT: Targeting firms with 1119 workers, this trial tests whether financial incentives or child benefit can improve participation and contribution to social security. Furthermore, Between June 1, 2022, and March 31, 2025, a number of beneficiary cases have remained pending in registration and payment processes. This is mainly due to some beneficiaries opting for one-time lump-sum payments and others having outdated or missing IBAN information on the SSC portal, which must be updated every six months. In addition, Other minor issues have also contributed to these delays, these pending cases require corrective measures to ensure timely payment completion before the project ends. Moreover, In light of recent amendments to SSC internal regulations permitting self-employed individuals to cancel their social security registration retroactively, it is necessary to assess the implications of this policy change on Estidama++ beneficiaries. Specifically, this review targets self-employed categories such as taxi drivers and tour guides. The regulation may significantly affect beneficiary status and the integrity of the payment system. A comprehensive identification of all impacted cases, up to March 2025, is required to inform appropriate response measures. Findings and recommended actions will be presented to the Estidama++ Operational Committee at SSC, with timely and effective implementation of approved corrective steps to follow and per ILO approval. Tasks The tasks of the assignment is as follows: Design and implement the required payment system programming for RCT 2, ensuring timely initiation and continued disbursement of payments to all eligible beneficiaries, including both Jordanian and non-Jordanian participants, throughout the study period. Identify and classify all Estidama++ beneficiaries pending cases (Payments / Registration) between 1- June 2022 to 31- March 2025, propose correction measures alignment with the SSC insurance and financial legislations and Estidama++ operational framework, finalise pending cases, ensuring all associated payments are processed without delay, documented and reflected in SSC internal financial systems and in Estidama++ financial reports. identify all Estidama++ self-employed beneficiaries (Taxi drivers and Tour guides )who affected from the recent SSC internal regulation (allowing self-employed cancelling registration retroactively in SSC) and its impact on Estidama++ beneficiaries and payment systems. This required a depth identification for all registered cases affected by this regulation retroactively and up to March 2025, provide list of cases, propose measures of required actions to the operational committee of Estidama++ in SSC, implement agreed correction actions on timely and efficient way for all approved cases. Deliverables & Timeframe (June 2025 August 2025) This assignment will be awarded to two consultants each with 30 working days. Work distribution and deliverables submission will be agreed after the kick off meeting between the consultants and the ILO. The assignment is scheduled to start on June 22, 2025, and is expected to conclude by August 30, 2025, with an estimated duration of 30 working days for each consultant. The table below provides an overview of the deliverables and estimated working days for each activity. Final deliverables will be subjected to the approval of the National Social Protection Project Coordinator and Sr. Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant in the ILO. Each approved deliverable will be linked to the submission of an invoice and the confirmation of services rendered, as per the price list provided by the contractor. Table 1: Deliverables and due dates Deliverable Estimated Working days Due Dates D1: Submission of a report with related annexes (E++ updated database of the beneficiaries, financial tracker from SSC, and financial report for the developed RCT 2 payment system ensuring disbursements to beneficiaries until study end and assignment workplan end: Design and implement the required payment system programming for RCT 2, ensuring timely initiation and continued disbursement of payments to all eligible beneficiaries, including both Jordanian and non-Jordanian participants, throughout the study period, furthermore, the two consultants are requested to provide one consolidated workplan about the assignment and how the deliverables will be achieved, and timeline for each deliverables Working days: 10 Due by: July.02nd. 2025 D2: Submission of a list containing all cases including pending cases with its resolution and payment clearance. Review, Identify and classify all Estidama++ beneficiaries pending cases (Payments / Reg Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4157872/call-external-collaborator-estidama-program-operation-support-062025
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