RPF No. 72052220R00001 (AMENDED_0001).pdf

72052220R00001

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SEALED BID (IFB)

5. DATE ISSUED

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED RATING PAGE OF PAGES

1 123

C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)A. NAME

10. FOR

INFORMATION

CALL:

CAUTION: LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(Date)(Hour) local timeuntildepository located in copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

I

J

K

L

M SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

PACKAGING AND MARKING

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSESPART I - THE SCHEDULE

H

G

F

E

D

C

B

A

SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) DESCRIPTION SEC. (X)

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

18. OFFER DATE17. SIGNATURE

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER

(Type or print)AND

ADDRESS

OF

OFFEROR

CODE FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER15A. NAME

DATEAMENDMENT NO.DATEAMENDMENT NO.

and related documents numbered and dated):

amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

CALENDAR DAYS (%)30 CALENDAR DAYS (%)20 CALENDAR DAYS (%)10 CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232.8)

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

28. AWARD DATE

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

CODE 24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

41 U.S.C. 253 (c) ( 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION20. AMOUNT19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

AWARD (To be completed by government)

CODE

REQ-522-20-00009909/30/2020

X

720522

USAID/Honduras 00000

Electronic submission ONLY, via email to:

oaahonduras@usaid.gov

1000 C 11/20/2020

Maria Reyes mreyes@usaid.gov

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

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PAGE(S)

Brian Chang

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within _____120_________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted

72052220R00001-0001 10/19/2020

RFP No. 72052220R00001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I – THE SCHEDULE 1

SECTION A - SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM (SF-33) 1

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS 5

B.1 PURPOSE

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

B.4 AWARD BUDGET BY LINE ITEM

B.5 INDIRECT COST RATES

B.6 CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

B.8 PAYMENT OF FEE

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK 9

C.1 PURPOSE

C.2 BACKGROUND

C.3 LINK TO USAID STRATEGY

C.4 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

C.5 BASE AND OPTION PERIODS DESCRIPTION AND TARGETS

C.6 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING 32

D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

D.2 BRANDING POLICY

D.3 MARKING AND BRANDING STRATEGY

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 34

E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 35

F.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

F.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

F.3 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

F.4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

F.5 AUTHORIZED WORK DAY / WEEK

F.6 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES OR OUTPUTS

F.7 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND PERSONNEL

F.8 KEY PERSONNEL

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 52

G.1 CONTRACTING OFFICER

G.2 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

G.3 CONTRACTOR’S PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT

G.4 PAYING OFFICE

G.5 ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

G.6 CONTRACTOR’S PAYMENT ADDRESS

G.7 TECHNICAL DIRECTIONS/RELATIONSHIP WITH USAID

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 55

H.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

H.2 AUTHORIZED GEOGRAPHIC CODE

H.3 TITLE AND CARE OF PROPERTY

H.4 NONEXPENDABLE PROPERTY PURCHASES AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

H.5 SUBCONTRACTING CONSENT

H.6 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE

H.7 AIDAR 752.7007 PERSONNEL COMPENSATION (JUL 2007)

H.8 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL COMPENSATION

H.9 AIDAR 752.7027 PERSONNEL (DEC 1990)

H.10 AIDAR 722.170 EMPLOYMENT OF THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS (TCN’S) AND COOPERATING

COUNTRY NATIONALS (CCN’S)

H.11 AIDAR 752.229-71 REPORTING OF FOREIGN TAXES (JULY 2007)

H.12 USAID-FINANCED THIRD-PARTY WEB SITES (November 2017) H.13 SUBMISSION OF DATASETS TO THE DEVELOPMENT DATA LIBRARY (DDL) (October 2014)

H.14 ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS SYSTEM

H.15 LIMITATION ON ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (APRIL 2018) (DEVIATION NOs.

M/OAA-DEV-FAR-20-3c and M/OAA-DEV-AIDAR-20-2c) (APRIL 2020)

H.16 RESTRICTIONS AGAINST DISCLOSURE (MAY 2016)

H.17 EXECUTIVE ORDER ON TERRORISM FINANCING

H.18 GRANTS UNDER CONTRACTS

H.19 PERFORMANCE MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

H.20 TEST AND EVALUATION

H.21 COLLABORATION, LEARNING AND ADAPTING (CLA)

H.22 GENDER EQUITY, GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (GBV), AND MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS

H.23 PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS

H.24 YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND DEVELOPMENT

H.25 SURVEY DATASETS

H.26 GEOGRAPHIC DATA AND CARTOGRAPHIC PRODUCT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

H.27 CLIMATE RISK SCREENING

H.28 REDUCING IRREGULAR MIGRATION

H.29 PROCUREMENT OF “COVERED MATERIAL”

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES 78

SECTION I - CONTRACT CLAUSES 78

I.1 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

I.2 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

I.3 52.204-1 APPROVAL OF CONTRACT (DEC 1989)

I.4 52.204-25 PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTING FOR CERTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO

SURVEILLANCE SERVICES OR EQUIPMENT (AUG 2020)

I.5 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES. (NOV 1999)

I.6 52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT. (MAR 2000)

I.7 52.222-36 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES. (JUN 2020)

I.8 52.229-8 TAXES—FOREIGN COST-REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACTS (MAR 1990)

I.9 52.243-7 NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES (JAN 2017)

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS 89

SECTION J - LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 89

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS 90

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS 90

K.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

K.2 52.204-3 TAXPAYERS IDENTIFICATION (OCT 1998)

K.3 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (MAR 2020)

K.4 52.209-5 CERTIFICATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (OCT 2015)

K.5 52.209-7 INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (OCT 2018)

K.6 52.230-1 COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NOTICES AND CERTIFICATION (JUN 2020)

K.7 AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATORS

K.8 AGREEMENT ON, OR EXCEPTIONS TO, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

K.9 SIGNATURE

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS 102

L.1 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

L.2 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

L.3 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

L.4 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

L.5 INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING KEY PERSONNEL

L.6 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

L.7 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE COST/BUSINESS PROPOSAL

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 118

M.1 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

M.2 GENERAL INFORMATION

M.3 EVALUATION CRITERIA

M.4 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

M.5 COST/PRICE EVALUATION

M.6 DETERMINATION OF THE COMPETITIVE RANGE AND CONTRACT AWARD

M.7 SOURCE SELECTION

M.8 CONTRACTING WITH SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND DISADVANTAGED ENTERPRISES

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of the Youth Employment for Migration Prevention (YEMP) Activity is to increase employment of youth at risk of irregular migration in support of Mission-wide efforts to reduce irregular migration to the United States by increasing their educational and income generating opportunities.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

USAID intends to award a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion contract. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs described in Sections C and F, and in accordance with the performance standards specified in Section E.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) BASE PERIOD: The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The estimated cost plus fixed fee, if any, for the BASE PERIOD is [TBD upon award].

(b) OPTION PERIOD 1: The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The estimated cost plus fixed fee, if any, for OPTION PERIOD 1 is [TBD upon award].

(c) OPTION PERIOD 2: The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The estimated cost plus fixed fee, if any, for OPTION PERIOD 2 is [TBD upon award].

(d) OPTION PERIOD 3: The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The fixed fee, if any, is [TBD upon award]. The estimated cost plus fixed fee, if any, for OPTION PERIOD 3 is [TBD upon award].

(e) Within the estimated cost plus fixed fee (if any) specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is [TBD upon award]. The Contractor shall not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount.

(f) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through [TBD upon award].

B.4 AWARD BUDGET BY LINE ITEM

[Offeror must propose amounts]

Line Item No. Description AMOUNT TOTAL

0001 BASE PERIOD

Direct Costs (Inclusive of Subcontracts) Indirect Costs Grants Under Contract (GUC)** Estimated Cost Fixed Fee

Total Estimated Cost + Fixed Fee $25,000,000 - $27,500,000

1001 OPTION PERIOD 1

Direct Costs (Inclusive of Subcontracts)

Indirect Costs Grants Under Contract (GUC)** Estimated Cost Fixed Fee

Total Estimated Cost + Fixed Fee $1,000,000 - $1,500,000

2001 OPTION PERIOD 2

Direct Costs (Inclusive of Subcontracts) Indirect Costs Grants Under Contract (GUC)** Estimated Cost Fixed Fee

Total Estimated Cost + Fixed Fee $5,500,000 - $6,500,000

3001 OPTION PERIOD 3

Direct Costs (Inclusive of Subcontracts)

Indirect Costs Grants Under Contract (GUC)** Estimated Cost Fixed Fee

Total Estimated Cost + Fixed Fee $2,000,000 - $3,000,000

TOTAL CPFF Base + Option 1 + Option 2 + Option 3 * $33,500,000 - $38,500,000

* Final dollar amount to be determined at time of award based on the selected offeror’s proposal.

** The proposed GUC value must mirror the distribution detailed in Section L.7.b, final dollar amount is to be determined at time of award based on the selected offeror’s proposal.

These line items amounts may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The contractor will not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item as illustrated above. The base amount plus the cumulative amount of any or all options exercised cannot exceed the Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee of the contract.

B.5 INDIRECT COST RATES

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

PRIME CONTRACTOR:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate: Predetermined Period:

SUBCONTRACTOR(S):

1/Base of Application:

B.6 CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES

(a) Reimbursement for indirect costs must be at final negotiated rates, but not in excess of ceiling rates specified below:

1/Base of Application:

(b) The Contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs that impacts this contract without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

(c) The Government may not pay any additional amount associated with indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract. This advance understanding must not change any monetary ceiling, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment.

B.8 PAYMENT OF FEE

(a) The total amount of fee payable upon completion of all contract requirements will be set at the time of award and does not vary with actual cost.

(b) Definite goals or targets must be achieved and end products must be completed, delivered, and accepted by USAID during the period of performance and within the total estimated cost as a condition for payment of the entire fixed fee.

(c) A Fee Distribution Schedule must be approved before a fee is paid. The final FEE DISTRIBUTION SCHEDULE, and any subsequent changes, must be approved by the CO, and shall be incorporated as an attachment to the contract award.

(d) Goals or targets and end products from the Fee Distribution Schedule that have fee associated with their completion or delivery must be referred to as Fee Bearing Results or Deliverables.

(e) Fee Bearing Results or Deliverables proposed in the Fee Distribution Schedule must appear in the Work Plan (WP) and/or Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan that has been prepared in compliance with the specifications and requirements of this Contract. Appropriate Fee Bearing Results are completion of items that meet the USAID definition of an Output or Result. Performance Indicators are generally not an appropriate Fee Bearing Results. Deliverables such as reports may be Fee Bearing.

(f) The Fee Distribution Schedule must emphasize completion of goals, targets and/or deliverables that are the development results sought by USAID through this award, but must also include selected implementation management and development results milestones as Fee Bearing Milestones.

(g) As a condition for the payment of the portion of the total fixed fee associated with a specific goal, target and/or deliverable, the Contractor must complete the goal, target and/or deliverable. When a Fee Bearing Milestones is not completed or achieved, the portion of the total fixed fee allocated to the Milestone in the Fee Distribution Plan will not be paid.

(h) When a Fee Bearing Milestones is not completed on time, or requires more cost/effort to complete than projected in the WP and/or MEL Plan, the portion of the total fixed fee allocated to the Milestone in the Fee Distribution Plan may be subject to adjustment of the fee by the Contracting Officer.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of the Youth Employment for Migration Prevention Activity is to increase employment of youth at risk of irregular migration in support of Mission-wide efforts to reduce irregular migration to the United States by increasing their educational and income generating opportunities. The beneficiaries will be youth from high out-migration areas as well as other youth at risk of irregular migration, including returned youth migrants. In certain geographic areas youth will be vulnerable and/or at risk of being victims or perpetrators of violence and or at risk of gang recruitment. Offerors are requested to propose a public name for this activity that will be youth accepted and well recognized for its purpose.

Working through partnerships with public and private sector stakeholders, this Activity will reach at least 500,000 youth at risk of irregular migration with diverse services to assist them in becoming productively engaged in the Honduran economy and society over a period of five years. Out of those 500,000 at-risk youth, 100,000 will 1) secure viable employment, 2) return to and/or complete full formal or alternative education and/or technical/vocational training, and/or 3) create innovative youth enterprises, including social entrepreneurship efforts, or other innovations in youth employment. The above-mentioned targets are for a fully-funded Activity. However, please note that this is a flexible contract with a guarantee base and three quantity/technical option periods, subject to the availability of funds as detailed in the RFP. The technical options correspond with the Objectives/Components laid out below. More details on the base and option periods targets can be found in Section C.5.

The Activity will support these results through partnerships and alliances with public and private sector entities ready to invest in education and technical/vocational training that lead to youth employment.

Public and private service providers will work together in developing commercially viable employment models, forming strong links to employers and other partners for employment of youth at risk of irregular migration. Specifically, USAID seeks to facilitate partnership models that catalyze additional private and public investment which: 1) are market-driven; 2) increase the number of employable at-risk youth for growth-oriented industries; 3) are integrally tied to aggressive job placement; 4) more efficiently link employment-seekers and employers around existing and anticipated employment opportunities; 5) address potential barriers to youth returning to school or entering the workforce; and

6) stimulate other public and private sector entities in the market system to use and invest in these models.

The overall success of the activity will be measured by the equitable placement of 100,000 youth into jobs (if fully executed with its options), including self-employment and entrepreneurship, or the return to and/or completion of full education as described above, with the goal of reducing irregular migration and curbing at-risk youth engagement in violence. The Activity will work with existing education and technical/vocational service providers to address bottlenecks in recruitment, training and job placement approaches leading to employment of graduates. It will address the range of barriers for youth’s successful return to and/or completion of education or entrance to employment and will include the incorporation of complementary Positive Youth Development (PYD)-related activities, where necessary.

The Activity will support existing service providers in recruitment and training as necessary, but the primary focus will be on labor market bridging and job placement. In other words, placing youth at risk of irregular migration into employment is the essential outcome of the Activity. This will be the model across the Activity, as opposed to creating new educational entities dependent on donor support.

Flexible partnerships that catalyze additional private and public investment will result in employment opportunities and job placement supported by tailored education, skills training and internships to fill market-identified gaps, based on the education and skill level of the entering beneficiary. A pronounced shortage of secondary education graduates for employment will be addressed to ensure that Honduran at-risk youth have entry qualifications for unfilled openings. The Activity will use a private-sector needs-based approach to an education and skills training problem, ensuring the identification of needs and skills training is market driven, that will have a systemic impact on youth employment in high out migration areas. Additionally, youth social entrepreneurship activities will leverage efforts of better educated youth with proven business ideas that will lead to employment of hundreds of additional at-risk youth.

The mobilization of additional public and private sector resources is an important objective of this activity. These resources may include financial investments or in-kind resources from public and/or private actors that complement the work done under the Activity. The aim is for the Activity to serve as a catalyst for partnerships to strengthen systems for youth employment, and while there are no specific monetary requirements under the award, the aim is for the Activity to catalyze an overall outside investment ratio of no less than 1 (USAID) to 2 (outside funding) of the total TEC for the life of the award.

This Activity will operate within a situational context affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and will need to take that into account in its response. Given the Honduran context, the Activity must also be flexible enough to address other emergencies and unforeseen events, including environmental and economic shocks, among others.

C.2 BACKGROUND

USAID/Honduras will support private, civil society and public sector institutions to build a more prosperous and safer Honduras. USAID’s assistance will be delivered to support country partners to overcome barriers to sustainable economic growth, inclusive development, democratic governance, and in building human and institutional capacity across sectors, as stated in USAID’s Policy Framework.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

A more prosperous Honduras will depend on the ability to engage the country’s at-risk youth in productive social and economic activities. With over 53.4 percent of the population of Honduras below age 25, Honduran youth have the potential to transform the country. However, high rates of under-education, unemployment, and under-employment are driving irregular migration of at-risk youth from Honduras, resulting in the loss of human capital and growth potential. If current trends in education/skills attainment and employment continue, numerous studies reveal that as many as 70 percent of at-risk youth will not have the skills to participate in the Honduran economy and will likely continue to migrate in large numbers. Furthermore, the limited opportunities for youth serve as a risk factor for youth’s susceptibility to violence and engagement with violent groups.

THE PREDOMINANT DRIVER OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION

USAID migration analysis showed that economic reasons are overwhelmingly (90 percent +) given as the top reason for migration among returned migrants.

TABLE 1: Migration Drivers (for returnees only)

AGE, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND MIGRATION

Under-educated youth comprise the majority of migrants. Data indicate that during 2013 - 2019, Honduras migrants apprehended at the U.S. border were 40 percent female and 60 percent male, with an average age of 20.2 and 22.1 years respectively. The most frequently observed age was 17 years (DHS/CBP apprehension data 2013-2019). According to the Inter-American Development Bank’s 2015 report, individuals who complete secondary education in Honduras are less likely to intend to migrate without papers than those with no education. This finding is supported by Pew Research Center data from 2015, that finds that among U.S. immigrants over 25 years old, 51 percent have less than secondary school education. The protective effect of education is also seen in data from migrants returned to Honduras from Mexico and the U.S. by government authorities from 2016-2018. Fifty-five percent of returned migrants over 18 years old from urban, high violence municipalities had only primary school education or less. In addition, students who are returned migrants have significantly poorer academic performance than their peers (MOE, Informe de Factores Asociados, 2017).

TABLE 2: Intent to Migrate

TABLE 3: Age of Migrants

In terms of psycho-emotional factors, using the Violence-involved Persons Risk Assessment survey data, Monitoring and Evaluation Support for Collaborative Learning and Adapting (MESCLA) found that resilience, community cohesion and emotional regulation capacity together correctly predict 63.4 percent of the positive or negative intention to migrate. The most important is resilience, followed by community then emotional regulation.

In terms of employment, according to the Honduran National Statistics Institute, women represent 52.3 percent of the labor workforce in the country and those in the 15-29 age range have the highest rates of underemployment. Of the 169,000 youth who join the labor market each year, only 36 percent obtain viable jobs. Exacerbating this issue, the invisible and visible underemployment rate in 2018 was 62.8 percent. These rates will be much higher going forward given the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

Along with inadequate access to capital, inflation and rising interest rates, location of business ventures, extortion and taxes and regulations, education and skills levels are among the main constraints to business growth. A secondary diploma is the normal entry-level requirement for employment in Honduras, essentially excluding 70 percent of youth from the full-time job market. Consultations between USAID and the private sector as well as market surveys revealed that many private sector enterprises are in need of qualified employees, particularly in value-added agriculture, tourism, financial services, private sector education and training, transport, logistics, arts, entertainment and recreation, light manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade. The majority of businesses surveyed stated a need for entry-level employees to have at least a secondary education. “A third of business people see their workers’ educational shortcomings as the main barrier to doing business. Unfortunately, sectors considered to have the most potential for growth are those who report that education level/skills are a constraint to growth” (MESCLA, Applying Evidence: Youth Employment in the Honduran Context, Literature Review).

Along with other factors, education levels of citizens influence migration trends (de Hass, H. (2010) and Clemens, M. (2017). The 2015 IDB study shows that those with secondary education or higher are less likely to be undocumented migrants. Other studies show that more education is associated with more income and more education also is related to less involvement in violence, including domestic violence, both known drivers of migration. Thus, the data indicates that education has both direct and indirect effects on the propensity to migrate irregularly.

Directly related to migration is the poor school performance of returned migrant children who made up approximately 7 percent of 8th grade students in 2017. Returned migrant students have significantly poorer academic performance than their peers. This may fuel a revolving door of poverty and poverty-driven migration, and makes it more likely that these students will not complete secondary education.

The dropout rate in Honduras after the 6th grade is a major factor hindering economic growth and fueling the migration of youth. Of the 288,925 students who enrolled in 1st grade in 2008, only 81,453 of these enrolled in 11th grade in 2018 (MOE, USINIEH, INE, data from 2014-2019). This drop in enrollment is exacerbated by poor quality secondary education, with only 30 percent of 15-year-olds minimally proficient in reading and 15 percent minimally proficient in math (PISA for Development Report 2018). Education level and skills are a constraint to business growth, and a majority of companies in one survey stated the need for employees with at least a secondary education. This is also a factor in reintegration efforts as public institutions supporting reintegration of returned migrants report that it is very difficult to place or employ youth without a secondary diploma or with limited basic skills.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING (INFOP)

Aside from private sector service providers such as technical and vocational centers, San Juan Bosco Center, CADERH, PROCINCO and others, INFOP is the Government entity responsible for technical/vocational training, offering training to at-risk youth and adults. INFOP is a potential game changer because of its funding base, reach and potential overall impact, but currently is not as effective as it could be. More than 253,000 pupils enrolled in vocational education in 2016, with a slightly higher proportion of male students compared to female students. While technical training is a necessary component for employment placement, quality assurance in the current technical/vocational system is weak, and training is often not market-driven (Youth Power (2018), Youth Assessment Situational Analysis).

C.3 LINK TO USAID STRATEGY

C.3.1 USAID Policies and Strategies

The Activity will directly address U.S. Government and USAID strategic and policy priorities, such as the

1) USAID Policy Framework: Ending the Need for Foreign Assistance (April, 2019), 2) Private-Sector Engagement (PSE) Policy 3) the USAID Education Policy, 4) the Youth in Development Policy, 5) The U.S.

Strategy for Central America, 6) the USAID Policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment, 7) USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance, and 8) the USG Growth in the Americas initiative.

1) USAID Policy Framework: Ending the Need for Foreign Assistance: The Activity will help reform-minded partners reach the point where they can tap into private-enterprise solutions by strengthening existing for-profit and public-sector service providers for the outcome of job placement---this will be the model across the Activity, as opposed to creating entities heavily dependent on donor support. Strong job placement located in the private sector will be a major step towards ending the need for foreign assistance. The Activity will work hand-in-hand with the USAID sister program, Transforming Market Systems (TMS), for sector-specific training and job insertion into TMS target markets that will “generate better employment, and, ultimately, countrywide self-reliance.”

2) Private-Sector Engagement Policy: The private sector will be indispensable to the success of this Activity to establish a clear link between the supply and demand for jobs and the skills needed to fill them. One PSE principle is to engage and work with the private sector “early and often.” This has been ongoing with input already received from the private sector regarding a job-oriented secondary completion exam or basic knowledge leveling efforts that meet the requirements for entry-level jobs. Additionally, private sector input was received regarding opportunities for internships and entry-level positions, addressing the PSE principal, “incentivize and value PSE.” This Activity is expected to form partnerships directly with private sector players to catalyze public and private investments to increase youth employment.

3) Education Policy: Partnerships between private and public sector actors to catalyze their investment for financially sustainable local education and training institutions is a key principle of the USAID Education Policy. This Activity will enable at-risk youth to gain the literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills they need to gain viable employment. The Policy states, “to increase employment prospects for at-risk youth, education and skill-building interventions need to be paired with economic growth efforts. Further, employment interventions require economic analysis to ensure that programming is tailored to address the relevant challenges and barriers. Programs that take a comprehensive approach to at-risk youth employment, by addressing both skills issues and labor demand challenges, should include both education and economic growth investments.” In particular, the Activity and its sister activity from the Economic Growth Office, Transforming Market Systems, must be aggressively co-managed with comprehensive joint planning at both the USAID Mission level and the contractor level in order to effectively pair job creation with job placement.

4) Youth in Development Policy: A key priority of the USAID Youth in Development Policy is

“Participation/Partnerships: Strengthening Youth Leadership, Organizations and Networks.”

Innovation and at-risk youth leadership are essential to the success of the Activity. The Activity will identify and build on Positive Youth Development (PYD) models and approaches that have been successful to enable at-risk youth to become more deeply engaged in their communities, demonstrating leadership as well as social and growth entrepreneurship skills to increase at-risk youth incomes and address community challenges. At-risk youth will be met where they are and sought as agents of change for their own and for their communities’ positive and economic development, a key aspect of Positive Youth Development. The PYD youth feature youth Engagement and Contribution will guide the work in Objective 3 in particular, by providing entrepreneurial structure for at-risk youth contributions feeding back into the objectives of the Activity.

5) U.S. Strategy for Central America: The Activity directly addresses sub-objective 1.4 of the Strategy:

Improve quality of education; Central American youth receive higher quality secondary education.

Honduras has a real problem in terms of transition to secondary education as only 52 percent of youth transition to 7th grade and of those only 31percent transition to 10th grade. This lack of basic skills directly impacts the types of opportunities that youth have for further education and for employment. This Activity will address this issue from the perspective of secondary completion and skills development for the purpose of employment and irregular migration prevention.

6) USAID Policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment: Gender equality and female empowerment are core development objectives, fundamental for the realization of human rights and key to effective and sustainable development outcomes. No society can develop successfully without providing equitable opportunities, resources, and life prospects for males and females so that they can shape their own lives and contribute to their families and communities. Targets and indicators of the Activity will fully support the Gender Policy.

7) USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance: USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR) is reorienting the Agency’s strategies, partnership models, and program practices to achieve greater development outcomes and work toward ending the need for foreign assistance. The J2SR approach emphasizes the importance of partnering with local stakeholders to achieve locally-sustained results, helps countries mobilize public and private revenues, strengthens local capacities, and accelerates enterprise-driven development. This Activity embodies this approach with its focus on strengthening local systems, its strategic engagement with local entities, the advancement of public-private partnerships to strengthen systems for youth employment, and an emphasis on using Activity resources to catalyze outside investment from local actors towards shared development goals. .

8) Growth in the Americas: América Crece serves as an umbrella under which all current U.S. energy and other infrastructure initiatives will be advanced. It seeks to catalyze private sector investment in infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean. These kinds of investments will be attracted and implemented only with a labor force that is properly trained and ready to participate in the large-scale projects.

C.3.2 Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) and consolidated Economic Support and

Development Fund (ESDF)

The Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) focuses on citizen security throughout the region. Both CARSI and ESF funds advance U.S. political and strategic interests by helping countries meet political, economic, and security needs, including increasing the role of the private sector in the economy. To illustrate the increasing importance of irregular migration as a U.S. priority, the FY 2020 Congressional Budget Justification (March 11, 2019, p.70), states that addressing “causes of irregular migration to the United States” is a priority of the United States for the consolidated Economic Support and Development Fund. The Activity will support these efforts by providing youth at risk of irregular migration with viable economic alternatives to violence and reducing the flow of youth migrants outside of the country.

C.3.3 Integration under the USAID/Honduras Country Development Cooperation Strategy

The purpose of this Youth Employment for Migration Prevention Activity is to increase employment of youth at risk of irregular migration, including, among others, returned migrants as well as youth at risk of violence. Through employment of youth at risk of irregular migration, this Activity will support the current CDCS development objectives of sustainable poverty reduction and citizen security increased.

The Activity will have a flexible approach in terms of geography, meaning that interventions, and beneficiary selection will ensure the Activity’s timely adaptation to current migration data. The target population will be vulnerable youth at risk of irregular migration, inclusive of those at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. Furthermore, the Activity will need to bridge between the current CDCS and the new CDCS expected to start in December 2020.

Relation to Current Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS)

This Activity was designed under the U.S. Government mandate to address and reduce irregular migration, as well as to bridge to the new CDCS to be developed in 2020. The goal of the Activity is “to increase employment of youth in high out-migration areas and other youth at risk of irregular migration, including returned migrants and youth impacted by violence, in support of Mission-wide efforts to reduce irregular migration.” It will contribute to both DO1 and DO2 of the current CDCS as follows:

Under DO1, Citizen Security Increased for Vulnerable Populations in Urban, High-Crime Areas, it is expected that citizen security will be increased as viable alternatives to illicit activities are created. The beneficiaries of the Activity will be youth at risk of irregular migration, including youth from high out-migration areas and returned youth migrants, among others. There will be overlap with DO1 areas as some of the youth will be vulnerable and/or at risk of being victims or perpetrators of violence and/or at risk of gang recruitment.

Under DO2, IR 2.2 Incomes Increased, it is expected that the Activity will address extreme poverty by working with vulnerable youth at risk of irregular out-migration, including returned migrants. The geographic focus will be areas in the DO2 departments of western Honduras that face high levels of irregular out-migration and high rates of poverty.

C.4 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

ACTIVITY GOAL AND DEVELOPMENT HYPOTHESIS

The goal of this Activity is to increase employment of youth at risk of irregular migration, including youth from high out-migration areas, returned migrants, and others, in support of Mission-wide efforts to reduce irregular migration while at the same time having a significant impact on the reduction of violence as a contributor of irregular migration of young people. It will achieve this goal through the following development hypothesis:

If youth in high out-migration areas and other youth at risk of irregular migration have increased access to quality formal or alternative secondary education and technical vocational training, and private sector employers, government, and education and technical training actors are better equipped in delivering job placement and market-driven opportunities for youth; then Honduras will have high-quality and scalable professional development systems for employment, more youth will be employed or in education, and youth will be less likely to irregularly migrate to the United States and more resilient in the face of violence.

TARGET POPULATION

The beneficiaries will be youth at risk of irregular migration. This includes young people from high out-migration areas as well as other youth who may be considered at risk of irregular migration, including, among others, returned migrants and youth at risk of violence, be they potential victims or perpetrators of violence. The age range of the youth will depend on the program component. Component 1 is focused on expanded enrollment in and completion of formal or alternative secondary and technical skills programs for youth. Therefore, the target population for in-school youth would be those aged 13 to 18 and for out-of-school youth, those aged 16 to 30. Youth who return to full formal or alternative education as well as those who complete their education (secondary or vocational/technical) may be counted under this component. Components 2 and 3 are focused on employment, therefore on youth aged 16 to 30.

The geographic focus will be on high out-migration areas of Honduras. As of 2019, according to the latest USG reports, the key high out-migration areas, as measured by density of migrants per square mile and absolute numbers, include San Pedro Sula, La Lima, El Progreso, Choloma, Distrito Central and La Ceiba. New hot spots include Santa Rosa de Copan, Santa Barbara and Puerto Cortes. While taking this into consideration, applicants need to ensure flexibility in their response as targeted geographic areas are likely to shift during implementation due to the fluidity of the situation. USAID will work with the implementing partner on refining the geographic target areas at the time of award and during implementation based on updated data on youth migration trends and other priorities.

Please note that while the Activity will be implemented in high violence areas and vulnerable populations will be included, the focus is on strengthening systems for youth employment. That said, employment interventions will be different in the different contexts and proposals should reflect an understanding of the differences. It is critical that the project is closely integrated with other Mission projects operating in the focus areas, especially those involved in job creation and violence reduction.

For the latter, note that while this Activity will not do individual assessments to identify the level of risk of violence, it will accept referrals from other programs that do implement the individualized risk assessment.

RESULTS FRAMEWORK

The intent of this Request For Proposal (RFP) is that the offeror has the flexibility to create a “way-forward” with minimal products and structures prescribed by the RFP. The proposal will exhibit flexible, innovative approaches and solutions to the problems, guiding principles, systems issues and changes, and particularly the overall targets of the RFP, as further described by the evaluation criteria. Because of this, the Results Framework does not include IRs but components or objectives. Please note that applicants are encouraged to take the liberty to propose a structure that they believe is best suited to achieve the desired goal and objectives.

GOAL: Increased employment of youth in high out-migration areas as well as other at risk youth to reduce irregular migration.

COMPONENT 1:

Expanded enrollment in and completion of basic labor competencies, technical skills and quality secondary education

COMPONENT 2:

Increased investment by education institutions, service providers and employers in mechanisms which link graduates to employment opportunities.

COMPONENT 3:

Improved support system for innovative at-risk youth enterprises including social and growth entrepreneurship for at-risk youth employment, and other youth employment innovations.

ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES

The Activity design includes three objectives to increase youth employment and education, at scale, among youth at risk of irregular migration: 1) Expanded enrollment in and completion of formal or alternative secondary and technical skills programs for youth, including at-risk youth; 2) Increased investment by education institutions, service providers and employers in mechanisms which link beneficiaries to employment opportunities; 3) Improved support system for innovative youth enterprises including social and growth entrepreneurship for employment, and other innovations in youth employment. These objectives, also referred to as components, align with the technical quality options that are a part of this contract. USAID and the implementing partner will jointly determine which option/s of the contract will be implemented, depending on availability of funds. The options may be implemented simultaneously.

COMPONENT 1: Expanded enrollment in and completion of basic labor competencies, technical skills and quality secondary education

Education is a foundational driver of development. Sustainability of investments across all sectors requires skilled populations capable of leading and managing enterprise and sectoral growth. Secondary school completion is closely linked to violence reduction, employment, enterprise performance and sector growth, and illegal migration reduction. Interviews with the private sector and USAID experience in implementing workforce development (WFD) activities in Honduras indicate most modern firms in growing sectors require, as a minimum, a secondary level education and proficiency in reading and writing for employment. In addition, firms indicate that “soft” skills are of high importance. One study indicated that if candidates possess the inter- and intra-personal skills that the company requires, they could be taught the technical skills once hired (especially for less skilled positions in agribusiness, customer service and intermediate manufacturing). Therefore, under Component 1 the contractor will work to advance secondary education attainment, basic labor competencies, technical and soft-skills development, including social and emotional skills, among youth at-risk of migration in the diverse geographic locations with high irregular migration. This component will focus both on the return of youth to full formal or alternative education or technical/vocational training as well as completion of secondary education and/or technical/vocational training.

In implementing the work described under this objective, the contractor must facilitate partnerships to catalyze investment -- including education and technical/vocational service providers, civil society, and private sector actors -- oriented around: addressing bottlenecks for transition to secondary and preparing at-risk youth with both the hard and soft skills, including social and emotional skills, required for employment in modern, formal firms in agriculture, tourism, services, sales and textile manufacturing and production, and other areas with potential for at scale at-risk youth employment;

and improving incentives and support systems both within and outside of schools that increase the likelihood that at-risk youth will complete certification programs. Lastly and of equal importance, the contractor must facilitate partnerships between GOH, and public and private sector education service providers to create alternatives to formal secondary education for the attainment of a secondary-level education certificate recognized by the private sector and endorsed by the Ministry of Education and other appropriate entities for employment purposes.

Desired Changes in System Dynamics Contractor Supported Efforts Must Affect:

▪ Expanding role, levels of investment, support, and active leadership of the private and public sector in regard to the development of innovative, market-opportunity driven, employment-geared education and skills development programs for youth.

▪ Increasing levels of collaboration, coordination, and investment by secondary education and technical skills service providers, employers, GOH, and other actors who benefit from youth education and employment in improving the quality of, and rates of completion of education and skill attainment programs among youth at risk of irregular migration, and expanding options for attainment of secondary-level equivalency certification.

▪ Expanded role and leadership of GOH towards youth employment preparation by further orientation of the Honduran Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor towards employment preparation within formal, non-formal, or alternative education systems, and stimulating the private sector to support development of market-driven alternatives to education and skills development for youth.

▪ All changes in systems dynamics will take into account the target populations in that geographic area, given that youth at risk of irregular migration may also be vulnerable or at-risk youth or returned migrants.

Specific Issues Contractor Supported Efforts Must Address

▪ High drop-out rates of students before completion of formal secondary level school…