J_and_A Tusome Extension fully signed.pdf

TO: Patrick Kollars, Contracting Officer

CC: Deborah Broderick, Agency Competition Advocate

Heather A. Schildge, Mission Competition Advocate

FROM: Lilian Gangla, Contracting Officer Representative, Education and Youth Office

DATE: August 23, 2020

SUBJECT: Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition under the Expedited

Procedures Package (EPP) for Responding to Outbreaks of Contagious

Infectious Diseases: Time and Cost Extension of Tusome Early Grade

Reading Program (Tusome) - Awarded to RTI International (RTI) -

Contract number AID-615-C-14-00007

We request approval of this justification for use of other than full and open competition pursuant to the authorities under the EPP for Responding to Outbreaks of Contagious Infectious Diseases (the “Expedited Procedures Package”), approved on March 24, 2020. Your approval of this J&A constitutes the justification for other than full and open competition as required by Tab 1 (Determination and Findings (D&F) Authorization for the Use of Other than Full-and-Open

Competition in the Award or Modification of Contracts) of the EPP.

a. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

This request is to approve a 9-month period of performance extension from January 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021 and a $6,500,000 TEC increase thereby changing the TEC under the above-referenced USAID contract with RTI International (RTI) from $81,879,593 to $88,379,573.

Through this proposed non-competitive contracting action, USAID will continue to provide technical support to the Government of Kenya’s (GoK) Ministry of Education (MoE) under the Tusome Early Grade Reading Program (Tusome) in Kenya, including support for activities that require additional time to complete due to delays resulting from changes in the learning context due to COVID-19 and additional time and funding required to adapt Tusome materials to support distance learning.

The planned activities and proposed actions in this request that are responsive to COVID-19 align with the Mission's cleared submission to the COVID-19 Task Force.

b. A description of the supplies or services required to meet USAID’s needs (including the estimated value).

The GoK commenced social distancing learning policies to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus soon after the first case was announced in Kenya. This included closing schools nationwide, which immediately altered the learning and teacher training landscape in the country. As a result, the Basic Education team held discussions internally with RTI and the MoE under the Education Development Partners Coordination Group and the Troika+ (6 key

Development Partners in the sector including USAID) on the best ways to respond to learning needs under the circumstances. Reaching children with distance learning interventions while they are at home was identified as a key intervention that needed immediate action and thoughtful programming and planning for sustainability. At the same time, activities relating to innovative teacher training, capacity building of education managers and development of assessment tools were also requested to sustain learning.

USAID will support the following interventions under this proposed non-competitive contracting action:

▪ Continued support to the MoE to maintain sustainable distance learning approaches including application of information communication technologies especially among hard-to-reach communities,

▪ Innovative and sustainable national teacher training, including teachers of hearing impaired and visually impaired learners,

▪ Development of assessment tools for teacher trainee practicum for primary teacher training colleges (PTTCs),

▪ Capacity building for education officers including quality assurance and standards officers, sub-county directors of education, among others,

▪ Support the development of catch up learning tools for teachers and youth linked to Tusome and the MoE’s curriculum approach,

▪ Leveraging community-based learning models such as Northern Rangeland Trust (NRT) to support early grade reading in the ASAL region,

▪ Assessment of student learning loss and other education issues related to COVID-19, and

▪ Grants to youth groups to support literacy.

These services are estimated to cost $6,500,000 spread over a period of 9 months.

c. Identification of statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

Forty U.S.C. §113. See also AIDAR 706.302-70(b) and the “Expedited Procedures Package for

Responding to Outbreaks of Contagious Infectious Diseases” approved March 24, 2020. The D&F is attached to this file in Tab 1. The EPP can only be used for an Infectious Disease Outbreak, as defined in paragraph 2 of the D&F (Tab 1). The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 30, 2020 and therefore the class D&F applies to COVID-19 emergency response activities. The COVID-19 EPP guidance applies to awards and modifications/amendments of awards to respond to an outbreak. The authority provided by the EPP allows Operating Units to respond to an outbreak in a multisectoral way, including through programs outside of the health sector.

d. A discussion of the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition that requires use of the authority cited.

RTI is uniquely positioned to implement the proposed contract extension in a timely manner without compromising quality and expected results. RTI has successfully delivered highly specialized services by building technical networks, introduced key innovations, and collaborated with MoE and other key stakeholders in implementing the Tusome project since its launch by President Kenyatta in August 2014. RTI has worked with MoE and associated Agencies such as the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to develop Ministry -approved pedagogical approaches and instructional materials for teaching reading in Kenya’s primary schools. The resultant textbooks, teacher’s guides and supplementary readers are now the foundational materials for Kenya’s new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the approach for which all other learning materials will be developed in Kenya. Furthermore, RTI’s in-country technical experts are already known and respected by the MoE for having successfully delivered a national reading program that has shown significant student learning gains nationwide.

For the foregoing reasons, RTI is best placed to respond as quickly as possible with its staff already in place to adapt the Tusome materials it helped the MoE develop.

e. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable.

The Mission did not solicit offers from any other sources. This was due to the MoE’s urgent need for technical assistance to provide distance learning content to children during GoK-mandated school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Soliciting from other potential sources would result in substantial delays in meeting the critical time-sensitive needs already identified by the

MoE. Additionally, given the current ban on international travel, public office closures, as well as ongoing social distancing policies, bringing a new partner on board would be logistically challenging and create even greater time delays. Thus, a limited extension period of 9-months for Tusome is requested to use the qualified staff it has already assembled to complete the specialized work it has already started within the existing award in partnerships with the MoE.

f. A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the

Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the USG of the proposed contract modification is fair and reasonable after a review of the independent government cost estimate (IGCE). The IGCE costs for the additional services during the extension period of the contract are primarily based on the current contract implementation costs.

g. A description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason(s) market research was not conducted.

Market research was not conducted. Given the urgency of this requirement in response to the COVID-19 crisis, it is not feasible to conduct market research.

h. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

Publication of a notice is not required per the determination at AIDAR §705.202(b) and no sources submitted a written expression of interest in this acquisition.

i. A statement of the actions, if any, USAID may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition of the supplies or services required.

If the Mission develops a new basic education program as a follow-on to Tusome, the Mission plans to compete the requirement using competitive procedures.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that you approve this justification for use of other than full and open competition pursuant to the “Expedited Procedures Package for Responding to Outbreaks of

Contagious Infectious Diseases”, approved on March 24, 2020. Your approval of this J&A constitutes the justification for other than full and open competition as required by Tab 1 (D&F for the Authorization of Less than Full and Open Competitive Procedures in the Modification or Award of Contracts) of the EPP.

TECHNICAL OFFICER CERTIFICATION:

The requirement for technical certification at FAR 6.303-1(c) is fulfilled through:

a. The signature of the Technical Officer below certifying the specific supporting data for this J&A; and

b. The D&F Authorization for the Use of Other than Full-and-Open Competition in the Award or Modification of Contracts under the Expedited Procedures Package for Responding to Outbreaks of Contagious Infectious Diseases” approved on March 24, 2020. (attached in Tab 1).

I hereby certify that the supporting data which form a basis for the justification are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

MChen, EDY Michelle Chen 6/9/20 Technical Officer Date

CONTRACTING OFFICER APPROVAL:

The Contracting Officer is the Approving Official based on the authority given under the EPP.

However, a separate Contracting Officer certification is not required per AIDAR 706.302- 70(c)(1).

PKollars, OAA ____________________ _____________

Contracting Officer Date:

Ecl. Tab 1- EPP D&F for the Authorization of Less than Full and Open Competitive Procedures in the Modification or Award of Contracts.

CLEARANCE:

TNunn, RLO___TNunn w/edits ____ ____August 13, 2020

Date: