Request for Proposals: Nationwide Assessment of Digital Safety Preparedness in Ukraine's Education Systemnew

Finn Church Aid (FCA) invites qualified research organizations, consulting companies, and individual consultants to submit proposals for conducting a nationwide assessment of digital safety and cybersecurity readiness within Ukraine's education system.

The assessment will contribute to the second phase of the Digital Shield Ukraine initiative, which aims to strengthen the protection of children and adolescents from online threats by improving digital safety competencies, institutional preparedness, and cooperation between educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, and child protection services.

Scope of Services

The selected service provider will be responsible for:

• Conducting a nationally representative quantitative survey of at least 1,200 teaching and non-teaching education staff.
• Conducting additional assessments among pupils and students, including interviews, focus group discussions, and competency-based assessments.
• Assessing the institutional readiness of educational institutions to prevent, identify, and respond to digital threats.
• Examining risks related to cyberbullying, online manipulation, fraud, grooming, recruitment through digital platforms, and other emerging online threats.
• Reviewing relevant Ukrainian legislation, policies, and applicable EU standards.
• Assessing inter-agency coordination and existing reporting and referral mechanisms.
• Developing a Digital Safety and Cybersecurity Readiness Index and institutional self-assessment tools.
• Preparing comprehensive analytical reports, baseline indicators, and evidence-based recommendations for Digital Shield Ukraine – Phase 2.

Required Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Relevant experience in conducting research, evaluations, or assessments in education, child protection, digital safety, cybersecurity, or related fields.
• Experience applying quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Capacity to conduct research across different regions of Ukraine.
• Availability of qualified specialists with expertise in research methodology, statistical analysis, digital safety, safeguarding, and relevant legal frameworks.
• Ability to deliver high-quality research outputs in accordance with the Terms of Reference and the established implementation timeline.

Detailed eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria are provided in the Terms of Reference.