UNICEF Thailand is seeking a qualified institution (company, academic institution, and/or foundation) to conduct feasibility study to assist the Royal Thai Government in identifying policy options on the length and the compensation level of parental leave, complementing working conditions, the contribution from the employers, the supporting mechanisms and/or incentives that the government can put in place.   Background   The benefits of granting extended parental leave for both mothers and fathers, particularly during the first six months of a child’s life, are widely recognized. These benefits include enhanced child development, improved physical and mental well-being of parents, increased work efficiency, higher productivity for companies, and greater access to the labor market for women. The positive impacts of such policies extend from the individual level to the overall economy. Given that parental leave involves multiple stakeholders—individuals, the private sector, and the government—its successful implementation requires cooperation and endorsement from all parties. This study will explore how the expansion of paid parental leave in Thailand can be achieved, considering the country’s specific context. The International Labour Organization (ILO) mandates a minimum maternity leave period of 14 weeks and recommends increasing it to at least 18 weeks to ensure adequate rest and recovery time for mothers. While there are no established standards for the minimum duration of paternity leave, in 2021, 115 out of 185 countries surveyed by the ILO offered paternity leave, with 33 new countries adopting such policies in the preceding decade. This trend highlights the growing recognition of men’s caregiving roles. While amending the law to extend the length of parental leave is crucial, other factors that encourage leave-taking must also be considered. Compensation levels during parental leave play a significant role in encouraging parents to take leave. Research suggests that a wage replacement rate of at least 80% is necessary to address poverty and promote gender equality in leave-taking. When benefits do not fully replace income, it may not be financially feasible for the primary earner to take paid leave. In many households, men still earn more than women. Among OECD countries, 25 out of 34 have a maximum wage replacement rate of at least 80% for paid maternal leave, and 24 countries offer this rate for paid paternal leave. Additionally, 19 countries have maintained a maximum wage replacement rate of at least 80% for paid maternal leave since 1995 or earlier. A high wage replacement rate for paid parental leave is compatible with high labor force participation rates and low unemployment. Job protection is also critical for allowing all workers to benefit from paid leave. Almost all OECD countries guarantee job protection for the full duration of leave for mothers, and a majority do so for fathers.  Available evidence suggests that workers prefer better-paid leave for both women and men during shorter periods, followed by family-friendly working arrangements and quality, affordable childcare services, rather than extended leave periods with little compensation . Taking leave part-time or intermittently may support earlier return to work for parents and a better work-life balance. A majority of OECD countries offer flexibility in leave.  Therefore, parental leave must be complemented by other types of working conditions such as emergency leave or flexible working arrangements in order to allow parents to spend the most time possible with their newborns. It is essential that parental leave policies do not burden employers excessively and are aligned with the needs of parents. A financing mechanism that balances contributions from the government, employers, and workers is necessary. Given that Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) represent over 99.54% of companies in Thailand and 70.99% of employment, policy recommendations should accommodate this group of employers to better take care of their employees. Considering that 52.3% of the labour force in Thailand are in the informal sector, the proposed mechanism should aim to cover this group of population as well. For example, Mongolia provides universal maternity protection coverage through a combination of mechanisms. Formal employees are covered by social insurance on a mandatory basis and receive a replacement rate of 100% of their covered wage for four months. Herders, self-employed individuals, and workers in the informal economy can join the scheme voluntarily and receive maternity cash benefits for four months at a replacement rate of 70% of their selected reference wage after 12 months of contributions. Additionally, maternity cash benefits under the Social Welfare Scheme are provided to all pregnant women and mothers of infants, regardless of their contribution to the social insurance scheme, employment status, or nationality. Since 2007, these benefits have been delivered through one-stop shops, a unified service delivery system that includes social welfare, social insurance, employment counseling, and civil registration. To meet the needs of rural and nomadic women, all provinces and most districts in Mongolia have one-stop shops, and a mobile one-stop shop van is available for residents in particularly remote areas. Accordingly, it is expected that this study will provide with policy options in ensuring parental leave benefits for all women and men workers, in both the formal and informal sectors.   Objectives, Purpose & Expected results   The objective of this feasibility study is to assist the Royal Thai Government in identifying policy options on the length and the compensation level of parental leave, complementing working conditions, the contribution from the employers, the supporting mechanisms and/or incentives that the government can put in place.   Description of the assignment   The assignment is divided into four main phases as below. Phase 1: Inception i.              Undertake a desk review of the existing conditions/regulations of parental leave in Thailand, its suitability, gaps between national legislation and international standards, and challenges of the expansion, with a dedicated focus on both formal and informal sectors. The analysis should investigate challenges facing the government and employers in implementing the existing regulations and policies to better identify the scope for supplementary regulations and resources. The analysis should also unpack the specific challenges faced by employees in utilizing the available policies and provisions and identify any restrictive eligibility criteria or other factors negatively affecting the uptake of parental leave under the existing policies. ii.             Undertake a brief literature review of the international standards regarding parental leave and benefits as well as brief case studies from at least one higher income and one middle-income country that have implemented full paid parental leave of minimum 14 weeks for mothers, with a significant size of the informal sector and existing benefits of parental leave for the informal sectors and can serve as examples for Thailand.   Location and Duration   • The assignment is expected to be completed within 12 months after the signing of the contract. (tentatively from January to December 2025). A detailed workplan will be agreed with the awarded contractor. • The contractor will work primarily in Thailand and in close collaboration with UNICEF which is based in Bangkok. Regular virtual or in-person meetings are expected. • The assignment will be completed at the contractor’s premises. The contractor will be responsible for acquiring resources and facilities required for its completion, including any travel arrangements.   For full details, please refer to the attached Terms of Reference.   This tender will be run through the UNICEF e-submissions system (UNGM). By clicking on the blue ‘Express Interest’ button in the UNGM tender notice, the full UNICEF e-submission system instructions to bidders document (including instructions on how to access the tender documents and submit an Offer) will be automatically emailed to the ‘contact persons’ included in your UNGM registration. Alternatively, the full UNICEF e-submission system instructions to bidders document is publicly available on the UNICEF supply internet pages here: https://www.unicef.org/supply/index_procurement_policies.html . In the tender management site, if you navigate to the documents tab and opt in to confirm your intention to submit a Bid – you will then see the mandatory placeholders for documents that must be attached prior to submitting your Offer (you will also see if there are any mandatory questionnaires to complete). As such, you are recommended to `opt in` well before the submission deadline so you are clear exactly what documents are required to be uploaded prior to completing your submission. Please note that in order to access the full-set of tender documents through UNICEF’s e-submissions system, vendors must: (1) be registered with UNICEF in UNGM as a company/NGO; (2) have successfully completed all mandatory information currently required by UNGM when registering. Please ensure that any files submitted as part of your bid are not corrupt or damaged in any way. Please exercise caution when using compressed files. Any corrupt or damaged files may lead to your Bid being invalidated. All vendors are strongly recommended to regularly log-in to the UNICEF e-submissions system to check for any deadline extensions, new clarifications, new correspondence or updated tender documents relating to this tender. Should you have any questions against this solicitation, please submit your queries to Tongchanok Sonsawangphol at [email protected] with CC to: [email protected] - no later than 14 November 2024 so that all queries could be clarified and circulated to all bidders before the deadline. In addition, appreciate if you could confirm your interest in this bidding by Monday 11 November  2024 COB Bangkok time. We look forward to receiving your proposals within the given timeline.   Best regards, UNICEF Supply team