BACKGROUND
In November 2024, the Job-Matching Platform was launched as a key milestone in the joint efforts of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with technical collaboration from the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT). The platform was officially inaugurated during a high-profile Job Fair held on 10 November 2024 at the Erbil International Fairground, drawing wide attention from employers, job seekers, government representatives, and international stakeholders.
This platform is designed to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers, enhance transparency and efficiency in the labor market, and provide inclusive access to employment opportunities across the Kurdistan Region. Since its launch, the ILO has continued to work closely with MoLSA and DIT to maximize the platform’s outreach and impact. Several supporting initiatives have been implemented, including targeted outreach campaigns, the mobilization of employers to actively post job vacancies, and the organization of two successful job fairs to encourage real-time connections between supply and demand in the labor market.
As the platform completes its first eight months of operation, its continued performance, technical sustainability, and responsiveness to user needs are critical. Ensuring the platform remains fully functional and reliable over the long term requires dedicated follow-up, regular maintenance, and structured coordination between technical actors and institutional partners.
To this end, the ILO seeks to recruit an individual consultant with proven experience in digital platform management, system maintenance, and stakeholder coordination, particularly in government settings. The consultant will serve as a focal point for monitoring the platform’s technical operations, liaising with MoLSA and DIT, resolving technical issues, supporting user needs, and advising on improvements. The assignment is an essential part of the ILO’s broader strategy to ensure the platform’s sustainability and its value as a core employment facilitation tool in the region.
ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES
Under the EU-funded project “Social Protection Programme for Iraq: Leveraging Effective Response and Accelerating Reform,” the International Labour Organization is seeking an Individual Consultant for Maintenance and Technical Support for the Job-Matching Platform in KRI.
The Individual Consultant will play a critical role in ensuring the continued functionality and relevance of the Job- Matching Platform, which has been online for eight months and serves as a vital tool for enhancing job matching and labor market efficiency in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. As the platform enters a critical phase of operational consolidation, the consultant will be responsible for ensuring that it remains fully functional, regularly updated, and responsive to the needs of its users.
To achieve this, the consultant will work closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT), serving as a key liaison between these institutions and the ILO. The consultant will monitor the platform’s performance, coordinate the resolution of technical issues, follow up with the platform developer, and facilitate improvements based on stakeholder feedback. In doing so, the consultant will also support the development of local capacity within MoLSA and DIT to manage and sustain the platform independently in the long term.
The consultant’s work will help ensure that the Job-Matching continues to serve its intended purpose of improving access to employment opportunities for job seekers, enabling more efficient recruitment for employers, and supporting the broader goals of labour market formalization and digital transformation in the Kurdistan Region.
SCOPE OF WORK
The consultant will be responsible for the day-to-day oversight of Job-Matching Platform’s technical performance and functionality. This will involve conducting regular assessments of the platform to ensure that it is operating smoothly and efficiently. The consultant will act as the first point of contact for identifying and following up on any technical issues, working closely with the platform’s development team to implement timely fixes, updates, and enhancements.
A key part of the consultant’s role will be to maintain continuous coordination with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT). By engaging with their designated focal points, the consultant will gather user feedback, identify emerging needs, and ensure that both institutions are fully informed of ongoing developments. The consultant will also be responsible for organizing and facilitating regular coordination meetings between MoLSA, DIT, and the ILO to align on technical progress, strategic priorities, and long- term sustainability plans for the platform.
In addition to these coordination responsibilities, the consultant will contribute to strengthening the institutional capacity of MoLSA and DIT by delivering targeted knowledge transfer and training sessions. These will focus on practical platform management, enabling local staff to gradually assume greater ownership of the system.
To ensure transparency and accountability, the consultant will provide weekly updates to the ILO, summarizing technical actions taken, issues resolved, stakeholder coordination efforts, and upcoming priorities. The consultant will also support MoLSA and DIT in preparing performance analytics and reports that can inform policy discussions and future system enhancements.
DELIVERABLES
The consultant is expected to submit the following deliverables: Deliverables: Monthly Report (11 monthly reports in total).
Each month, the consultant will submit a monthly report covering the following:
• Technical Monitoring Reports
A monthly report documenting:
• Issue Tracker & Resolution Log
A consolidated, up-to-date record of all technical and operational issues raised, categorized by urgency and status, with notes on actions taken and responsible parties.
• Training & Support Sessions for MoLSA Staff
DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT
The assignment will run from 1 July 2025 to 31 May 2026, covering a total of 110 working days, with an average of 10 working days per month.
SHEDULE OF PAYMENTS
Payments will be released according to the schedule below, subject to the satisfactory completion of activities, as determined by the ILO, and the submission of corresponding monthly reports confirming the working time.
Payment Percentage Deliverables Estimated number of working
days Due date
First Payment 18% Monthly reports (1 July
– 31 Aug 2025) 20 By 15th of September 2025
Second Payment 18% Monthly reports (1
September- 31 Oct
2025) 20 By 15th of November 2025
Third Payment 18% Monthly reports (1
November– 31
December 2025) 20 By 15th of January 2026
Fourth Payment 28% Monthly reports (1 Jan
2025 – 28 March 2026) 30 By 15th of March 2026
Final Payment 18% Monthly reports (1
April – 31 May 2026) 20 By 15th June of 2026
SELECTION CRITERIA: QUALIFICATION AND EXPERTISE
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field. Master’s degree is an asset.
• At least 5 years of proven experience in digital platform management or web system maintenance.
• strong knowledge of web-based platforms, databases, server hosting, cybersecurity, and CMS.
• Experience in working with government institutions and coordinating with multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Fluency in Kurdish and English.
• Note: This consultancy is opened ONLY for national (Iraqi) applicants, already based in Erbil or Kurdistan region of Iraq.
SUPERVISION
The consultant will conduct the assignment under the overall supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor on Social Security and in close coordination with the National Social Protection Progamme Officer based in Erbil.
Technical Proposal
The External Collaborator shall submit a Technical Proposal, not exceeding three pages, outlining their approach to fulfilling the requirements set out in this Terms of Reference (ToR). The Proposal should reflect a clear understanding of the platform’s objectives, the consultant’s role, and the coordination needed with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT).
Specifically, the Proposal should describe the proposed comprehensive workplan and implementation approach for supporting the ongoing maintenance and performance monitoring of the Job-Matching Platform in KRI and broader coordination in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (maximum one-page section); identify potential risks, challenges, and opportunities related to platform sustainability, technical responsiveness (maximum one-page section); and outline the key stakeholders to be engaged, including MoLSA, DIT, along with any other relevant considerations (maximum one-page section).
In addition, the Proposal must include the CV of the applicant and a tentative timeline for planned coordination meetings, technical assessments, training sessions, and other activities foreseen in the assignment. The External Collaborator may also attach any additional documents or information that demonstrate their technical expertise, experience in platform management, and capacity to engage with government counterparts to ensure the successful delivery of the assignment.
Evaluation Process and Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by an Evaluation Panel, to determine compliance with the requirements in the TORs.
A two-stage procedure will be utilized in evaluating the Proposals, with evaluation of each Technical Proposal constituting 70 points of the total grade being completed prior to any Financial Offer which constitute 30 points of the total grade being opened and compared.
TECHNICAL PROPOSAL
Each Technical Proposal is evaluated on the basis of its responsiveness to the Terms of Reference (TOR).
The technical proposals will be evaluated according to the criteria described below. The minimum passing score is 50 points:
30 points maximum The proposed workplan should be feasible and aligned with the requirements of the ToRs; risks, challenges, and opportunities are clearly identified, and stakeholders are effectively mapped in accordance with the expectations outlined in the ToRs.
25 points maximum The Consultant’s CV demonstrates professional experience in development programming, with proven expertise in liaising with government authorities, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT), as well as with national and international technical counterparts. The Consultant also has relevant experience in similar digital platform assignments in the Kurdistan Region or broader Iraqi context, and in building effective, multi-stakeholder partnerships.
15 points maximum the tentative timeline for tripartite and other proposed meetings and activities, as outlined in the Proposal, is clear and feasible, ensuring regularity of interactions with stakeholders while not overloading them.
The technical proposals should be submitted in English
FINACIAL PROPOSAL
During the second stage of the evaluation, the Financial Offers (30 points) of all Bidders which have attained at least the minimum score (50 points) during the technical evaluation will be compared. The maximum number of points – 30 points – will be assigned to the lowest Financial Proposal submitted by applicants. All other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion.
• A financial proposal for conducting this assignment, based on a total of 110 working days, should be submitted in USD or IQD1 as per the table below.
• Proposed daily fees should exclude transportation and daily allowances.
1 As per April 2025 official ILO exchange rate, 1 USD = 1,310 I
The financial proposal template includes the table below:
Reporting Period Estimated Working Days Daily Rate (USD or IQD) Total (USD or IQD)
Monthly reports (1 July –
31 Aug 2025) 20
Monthly reports (1
September- 31 Oct 2025) 20
Monthly reports (1
November– 31 December
2025) 20
Monthly reports (1 Jan 2025 – 28 March 2026) 30
Monthly reports (1 April –
31 May 2026) 20
TOTAL for 110 working days
UNGM Link: Individual Consultant – Maintenance and Technical Support for the Employment Platform in KRI
How to Apply:
Please submit the following by 15th of June 2025 at 17:00 Baghdad time to: iraq-procurement@ilo.org
Please indicate the title of the consultancy in the subject of the email: ***RFQ-027-25_***Individual Consultant –
Maintenance and Technical Support for the Job-Matching Platform Required Submissions:
- Technical Proposal (including implementation methodology, risks, challenges and opportunities assessment and stakeholder analysis)
- CV
- Tentative timeline
- Financial proposal
