About the Project
The “Partnerships for Syunik: Enhanced Community-Based Social Services” project is a Team Europe initiative funded by the European Commission. The project aims to support the development of a more resilient and sustainable social service system in Syunik, Armenia. The implementing organizations for the project are People in Need, in partnership with the “WINNET Goris” Development Foundation and the “Armenian Caritas”.
The project’s three main outputs focus on building the capacity of Civil Society Organizations to deliver high-quality social services, developing sustainable mechanisms for participatory planning and delivery of services in partnership with local authorities, and engaging in policy dialogue and advocacy campaigns for sustainable funding of community-based social services. Through these outputs, the project aims to support the shift from a reactive, ad-hoc assistance system to a more integrated, shock-resilient social service system that better serves the needs of vulnerable populations in Syunik.
Background
The Government of the Republic of Armenia, through the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MLSA), supports the development and implementation of social services aimed at improving the well-being of vulnerable populations. Within this framework of “Partnerships for Syunik: Enhanced Community-Based Social Services” project, there is a need to develop high-quality, compliant, and costed social service packages that can be submitted to MLSA for consideration as a new service developed based on the models piloted by Syunik CSOs.
Main objectives
Armenian Caritas is looking for a skilled expert or a team of experts to develop comprehensive social service packages in line with MLSA standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices in social service delivery. The main objective of the task is to develop complete and submission-ready social service packages։ Individuals registered with the probation service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, including former convicts and developed Menu Database for Elderly Care Institutions.
Scope of Work
The selected expert(s) will be responsible for the following tasks:
- To analyze the best practices and lessons learned from international and local experiences, with an aim to identify the most relevant components for the local context.
- To develop service models based on the identified needs and lessons learned from international and local practices.
- The designed model should include components related to operational, methodological, and administrative aspects of the service provision.
- Ensure compliance with MLSA regulatory and methodological standards: service description, methodology, operational manual, service quality standards, competencies for the personnel.
- Develop service delivery models, including service description, methodology, operational models and costing.
- Consulting with Caritas Armenia, PIN and WINNET Goris, local actors, and relevant stakeholders as needed.
- Give consultancy to the Syunik-based project targeted 1 to 2 CSOs for submitting the packages to MLSA for getting state accreditation.
- Finalizing the packages based on feedback and ensuring they comply with MLSA submission requirements.
Deliverables
The expected deliverables include:
- Inception note outlining methodology and work plan;
- Draft versions of two social service packages;
- Finalized MLSA-compliant packages for 2 services which should include: service description, methodology, operational manual, service quality standards, personnel competencies, and cost calculation.
Specific positions to fill include
The following packages must be developed and submitted by the expert(s):
1. Social service for Individuals registered with the probation service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, including former convicts
Description of the Social Service
This social service is designed to meaningfully reduce the risk of reoffending by tackling the root causes that often lead individuals back into conflict with the law. Rather than focusing only on past offences, the service takes a forward-looking, strengths-based approach that helps participants rebuild their lives in sustainable ways. Through coordinated and person-centered support, individuals receive tailored guidance that responds to their unique circumstances, challenges, and goals. The service promotes lasting positive behavior change by fostering personal responsibility, motivation, and pro-social attitudes, while also building practical life skills such as communication, financial literacy, time management, and employability.
In addition, participants are supported to access essential social, health, legal, and community-based resources that are often critical for successful reintegration. This includes assistance with psychosocial support, vocational training, and employment pathways. By addressing these interconnected needs holistically, the service creates conditions for individuals to reintegrate successfully into society and to engage in lawful, constructive, and productive participation in community life. The duration and intensity of support are flexible and responsive, determined by individual needs and risks, and guided by regular reviews of progress. Support plans are continuously adjusted to reflect changing circumstances, ensuring that beneficiaries receive short, medium, or long-term support as appropriate to achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes.
Purpose of the Social Service
The purpose of this social service is to promote the social reintegration, rehabilitation, and long-term inclusion of individuals who face barriers following involvement with the justice system. It seeks to strengthen self-sufficiency by empowering participants to take an active role in shaping their own life trajectories, building resilience, and developing the skills and confidence needed to live independently. At the same time, the service promotes lawful and productive participation in community life by supporting individuals to reconnect with their families, communities, education systems, and labor markets.
The service addresses a broad range of interconnected needs—social, psychological, legal, and economic—recognizing that sustainable reintegration requires more than short-term assistance. By responding to these multiple dimensions in a coordinated and person-centered manner, the service aims to break cycles of marginalization, reduce dependence on emergency support, and enable participants to establish stable, dignified, and meaningful lives within their communities.
Social Service Delivery Approach
The service is delivered through a rights-based, person-centered, and confidentiality-focused approach that places respect for human dignity at its core. All participants are engaged without discrimination, and their autonomy, privacy, and informed consent are upheld throughout the support process. Practitioners work collaboratively with beneficiaries, viewing them as active partners in their own rehabilitation and reintegration rather than passive recipients of assistance.
Service delivery is primarily organized through structured individual casework, which allows for in-depth assessment, personalized planning, and consistent follow-up. This is complemented by group-based activities that encourage peer learning, mutual support, and the development of social and communication skills. Where additional or specialized assistance is needed, coordinated referrals are made to relevant social, health, legal, educational, and employment services, ensuring continuity of care and a seamless support pathway across institutions.
Target Group
The target group of this social service consists of individuals registered with the probation service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, including people who have completed their sentences and require structured post-release social support. This includes former convicts and others under probation supervision who face heightened risks of social exclusion, unemployment, housing instability, or psychosocial vulnerability following their involvement with the justice system.
The service is tailored to meet the diverse needs of this group, recognizing variations in age, gender, offence history, family circumstances, health status, and socio-economic background. By offering differentiated and needs-based support, the service seeks to ensure that each participant receives appropriate assistance to rebuild stability, restore social connections, and move toward lawful, independent, and productive participation in society.
- Development of Menu Database for Elderly Care Institutions
Purpose
The purpose of this is to develop a menu database for elderly care institutions in compliance with the requirements of the applicable legal regulations.
The database should enable meal planning as well as the calculation of financial costs for food provision based on suppliers’ price quotations.
Scope of Work
The following tasks should be performed:
- Develop a menu database for elderly care institutions.
- Ensure that the database complies with dietary requirements established by current legal regulations.
- Include menus for all daily meals in the database:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Afternoon snack
- Dinner
- Each menu should include the corresponding dishes with their ingredients and quantities used.
- Develop cost calculation mechanisms to calculate the cost of food preparation based on price quotations provided by suppliers.
Structure and Functions of the Database
The database should provide the following capabilities:
- Include all menus with their respective dishes and ingredients.
- Provide the possibility to choose between alternative ingredients required for preparing certain dishes.
- Provide the possibility to choose between different dishes.
- Automatically calculate the final cost of the dish and the menu based on the selected ingredients or dishes.
As a result of ingredient selection, the price of each dish within the menu should be formed automatically.
Calculation System
Separate calculation sheets should be created in the database for each meal type, for example:
- “Breakfast – Calculator”
- “Lunch – Calculator”
- “Afternoon Snack – Calculator”
- “Dinner – Calculator”
These sheets should include the corresponding dishes of the menus along with their ingredients and exact quantities used.
The calculation system should ensure automatic calculation of the total quantity of ingredients required to prepare the menu, based on the portion size defined for each dish.
Principles of Menu Development
The database should allow the creation of a balanced daily diet through various combinations of breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner options.
The database should ensure:
- A wide selection of menus,
- A flexible and easy-to-use system,
- Not fixed 1–2week menus, but continuously changing and non-repeating menu options.
All menus should have approximately the same nutritional value corresponding to the given meal type.
Equivalent nutritional values of the menus should allow them to be combined in different ways without violating daily nutritional standards.
Content of the Diet
The database should ensure a wide variety of foods. It should include both traditional national dishes and new recipes. Daily menus should include foods from all main food groups.
Expected Result
Upon completion of the work, a complete and practically applicable menu database should be delivered, enabling:
- Planning of balanced diets for elderly people,
- Ensuring food diversity,
- Conducting accurate calculations of food preparation costs.
Duration and Timeline
The expert work is expected to be completed within a period 2.5 months the date of contract signing. A detailed timeline will be agreed upon during the inception phase.
Required Qualifications and Experience
- Proven experience in social service development and social protection systems of RA;
- Strong knowledge of MLSA regulations and standards;
- Strong knowledge of state accreditation procedures and requirements proposed by MLSA;
- At least 5 years of experience with a focus on policy development;
- At least 5 years of experience in the area of social protection and social services;
- At least 5 years of professional experience in social services, social policy development, or service package design;
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex legal and policy concepts to a variety of stakeholders in a clear and concise manner;
- Practical experience in legal and policy analysis, including the ability to identify gaps and inconsistencies in legal frameworks and propose appropriate revisions;
- Experience working with government agencies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to develop and implement policies and regulations;
- Ability to work independently and deliver high-quality outputs within deadlines;
- Demonstrated analytical and report-writing skills;
- Fluency in Armenian and English, both written and spoken.
Reporting and Coordination
The expert(s) will work under the supervision of the contracting organization and in close coordination with relevant stakeholders. All deliverables will be submitted for review and approval prior to finalization.
Application Procedure
- Interested applicants are invited to submit;
- CV(s) demonstrating relevant experience;
- A brief technical proposal outlining the proposed approach and methodology;
- Financial proposal;
- At least one sample of previous similar work (if available).
Reporting Requirements
- The expert(s) will report directly to Caritas Field Coordinator
- All deliverables must be submitted in Armenian.
- Regular brief updates will be provided during the assignment.
Payment Schedule
Payments will be made upon submission and approval of the following:
- 40% upon approval of deliverables.
- 60% upon submission of final
How to apply
Those interested in applying should provide a submission package containing:
- CVs;
- Technical proposal including work plan;
- A cover letter indicating the candidate'(s) experience in conducting work in the social protection sphere;
- Financial proposal (including a detailed breakdown of costs).
The application package should be submitted via emails: info@caritas.am and d.miribyan@caritas.am, indicating “Social service packages” in the subject line no later than 26th of March, 2026.
Both individual experts and companies would be eligible.
