GoJ Technical Assistance - Sources Sought.pdf

March 23, 2020

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

BACKGROUND

USAID/Jordan is considering an activity to enhance the implementation of programs in the education and youth sectors by the Government of Jordan (GoJ), with a focus on organizational culture, capacity and effectiveness.

Over the next five years, USAID/Jordan plans to increase the support it provides to the GoJ for education and youth programs through Partner Government Systems (PGS) agreements, in order to advance shared USG and GoJ goals, and nurture stronger government ownership and self-reliance. However, USAID recognizes that despite progress in managing such direct awards, additional technical and material support for key systems and resources will be needed to ensure the success of the planned PGS agreements and the achievement of GoJ targets.

The current organizational culture across key GoJ actors in these sectors does not promote or perpetuate effective performance and innovation, and is a product of a) systemic weaknesses and b) strained resources. This has impacted the GoJ’s ability to deliver essential services and adapt to evolving needs. Despite the introduction of ambitious strategic plans and significant donor support, the GoJ struggles to develop, mobilize and institutionalize positive practices. Day-to-day functioning, resilience to shocks and long-term planning are hindered by underperforming systems, including monitoring and evaluation, human resources, coordination and budgeting. In addition, GoJ staff lack the necessary skills to perform their duties, and are further limited by a shortage of essential material and financial resources. External factors, such as the Syrian refugee crisis, demographic shifts over the past ten years, and the current COVID-19 pandemic place additional pressures on an already strained system. The impact of these challenges is evident across the youth and education sectors, where reforms are lacking to help children and youth reach their full potential.

SERVICES AND TASKS REQUIRED

The activity would provide support to the GoJ in strengthening the effectiveness of public entities and implementing PGS agreements across a number of Priority Areas in the education and youth sectors. The Priority Areas may include:

a. Education and Youth reforms focused on - ◆ Improving learning outcomes in foundational skills (e.g., Arabic, English, math, science from KG2-

Grade 10) through in-class or distance learning ◆ Promoting positive youth development (e.g., career counseling, anti-violence, extracurricular activities, and community engagement in schools and youth centers) ◆ Inclusion of vulnerable children and youth, including people with disabilities ◆ Increased availability and quality of non-formal education programs ◆ Pre-service teacher education ◆ School leadership and management ◆ Cross-ministry collaboration on education and youth issues

b. Reforms external to education and youth, but that impact education, youth and other sectors (eg.

administrative systems like procurement, decentralization and civil service reform, as well as health, democracy, governance, and water priorities that intersect with education and youth issues).

To achieve the goal and nurture an organizational culture that enables the success of these reforms, this Activity will focus on strengthening GoJ systems and management, and equipping staff with the resources and skills needed to effect major change. The Contractor will utilize the Results Framework below as a lens through which the needs for successful implementation of reforms in each Priority Area can be identified and addressed. This Activity will remain dynamic and responsive to the priorities of the GoJ’s education and youth reform agenda, and will pivot to provide an appropriate mix of support based on the needs in the identified Priority Areas, in line with the PGS agreements agreed between USAID/Jordan and the GoJ. Different levels of support may be needed for some Priority Areas, but some elements will be cross-cutting and impact the implementation of programs in a number of Priority Areas.

Result 1: GoJ management systems and policies in the education and youth sectors strengthened.

The purpose of this Result is to strengthen the overall systems and frameworks needed to support a high-performing organizational culture within the GoJ, namely monitoring, evaluation and learning systems, evidence-based planning and decision-making functions, human resource management systems, financial and resource management systems, and public outreach and coordination. Interventions under Result 1 will focus on GoJ systems reforms that enhance the will and ability of GoJ staff to carry out core functions and complex technical tasks that are critical for the success of the Priority Area reforms outlined above. Support provided will include a mix of training, on-the-job coaching, research, data analysis, coordination, outreach and any other interventions to ensure that weaknesses in GoJ systems, policies, practices and behaviors are adequately addressed. This will also include an element of learning-by-doing and learning-by-teaching, through which GoJ staff will apply their knowledge and training by replicating system and policy reforms across different education and youth entities or units at the central and field-directorate levels, as well as in select ministries and operating units in other sectors such as health and water.

Result 2: Requisite material and financial resources for effective education and youth program implementation are available.

The purpose of this Result is to ensure that the GoJ has all of the resources needed to operationalize the Priority Areas. The Contractor will prioritize supporting the GoJ to identify, budget for, develop and/or procure materials and logistics utilizing its own finances and technical resources, or those provided through USAID PGS agreements, in order to build capacity and sustainability. Where GoJ capacity and/or financing is insufficient, the Contractor will itself develop or procure the necessary materials through this Activity, but will design a transition plan with the GoJ to internally manage future material and financial needs.

Result 3: Requisite quantity and quality of human resources available.

Under this Result, the Contractor will ensure that the GoJ has all necessary human resources to implement programs and policies in the Priority Areas. The Contractor will utilize a mix of approaches that is best suited to building human resource capacity, including training, workshops, short and long term coaching, embedded support and ongoing assessments. Where GoJ human resource capacity is insufficient, the Contractor will itself provide additional human resources as a stop-gap interim measure while supporting the GoJ to design and execute a long-term sustainable transition plan to internally manage future human resource needs.

Goal: Organizational culture and capacity within the GoJ transformed to successfully implement education and youth reforms

Result 1: GoJ management systems and policies in the education and youth sectors strengthened

Result 2: Requisite material and financial resources for effective education and youth program implementation are available

Result 3: Requisite quantity and quality of human resources available

IR 1.1: GoJ system strengthening and policy needs identified

IR 2.1: GoJ material and financial needs identified

IR 3.1: Gaps in key staff’s skills, knowledge and practice identified

IR 1.2: Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems and evidence-based planning and decision-making functions supported

IR 2.2: Materials for education and youth program implementation developed & procured

IR 3.2: Key staff’s technical, human resource, financial and program management skills supported

IR 1.3: HR management systems supported

IR 2.3: Development and execution of budgets by GoJ supported

IR 3.3: External/surge technical support provided

IR 1.4: Financial & resource management systems supported

IR 1.5: Public outreach and coordination with other GoJ entities supported

IR 1.6: Integration of best practices supported

CAPABILITY STATEMENT REQUIREMENTS

This call is for US and Non-US organizations capable of performing the project described above on a national scale in Jordan.

The items below must be addressed in the response:

1. Up to a two-page statement describing the firm’s capability to execute the services and tasks described in this notice, with specific emphasis on its ability to incorporate iterative and responsive management structures into the program in light of evolving needs and the PGS agreements.

2. Up to a two-page statement describing the firm’s experience in relation to the services being required, with specific emphasis on approaches for measuring changes in capacity and changes in organizational culture, at both central and field-directorate levels.

3. One-page table (Sample Table A below) of this notice with a list of between three and seven past or current projects demonstrating relevant work experience in the items listed under the Services and Tasks Required section above at the prime or subcontractor/awardee level.

TABLE A

Project Overview Country Year (From – To)

Point of Cont act

Phone Email

Responses must not exceed five (5) pages, including Table A. Any organization responding to this Sources Sought Notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform this work.

Written capability statements must be received no later than April 6, 2020 at 4 pm, Jordan Time. These submissions must be sent via email ONLY to the following address: zaltwal@usaid.gov. In the subject line of the email write: Government of Jordan Technical Assistance Activity Capability Statement” - Sources Sought Notice.

Fax and hand carried submissions will not be accepted. Phone inquiries will not be entertained.

This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any RFP or NFO, or ultimately award a contract or assistance agreement on the basis of this notice, or to pay for any information voluntarily submitted as a result of this notice.

Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract. Responses to this notice are strictly voluntary and the U.S. Government will not pay respondents for information provided. Responses to this notice will not be returned and respondents will not be notified of the result of this review.

If a Solicitation is issued, it will be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that Solicitation announcement separately from any response to this notice. This notice does not restrict the Government's acquisition approach on a future Solicitation.

mailto:contracting1@usaid.gov