Jordan Technical Assistance Program - RFI.pdf

Subject: Jordan Technical Assistance Program (JTAP) Reference: Request For Information (RFI)

Issuance Date: May 21, 2020 Closing Date: June 04, 2020, 04:00 pm Amman Time

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Jordan, is seeking input from interested organizations and individuals who may provide comments, opinions and recommendations in response to the proposed project approach and questions outlined in this Request for Information (RFI) announcement.

This RFI is issued in accordance with FAR 15.201(e) solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue a RFP in the future. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract; only the information requested in this RFI will be reviewed. Further, the Government is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responses to this RFI will not be returned and respondents will not be notified of the result of the review.

Respondents are advised the Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred in response to this RFI.

Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized at https://beta.sam.gov. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

Submission is strictly voluntary. USAID will not provide feedback or responses to questions submitted in response to this RFI and no proposals or resumes will be accepted or considered.

Thank you for your interest.

Sincerely, Michael Ashkouri, Esq.

Supervisory Contracting Officer http://www.fbo.gov/ https://beta.sam.gov/ http://www.fbo.gov/

Jordan Technical Assistance Program (JTAP) Request for Information

SECTION I – FAR CLAUSE

52.215-3 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR SOLICITATION FOR

PLANNING PURPOSES (OCT 1997)

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(b) Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of requesting comments for a proposed program.

(End of provision)

[End of Section I]

SECTION II - REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 Goal

The goal of this Activity is to transform the organizational culture and capacity within the Government of Jordan (GoJ) to successfully implement education and youth reforms supported by direct USAID investment, by providing complementary technical assistance to relevant stakeholders.

C.2 Development Hypothesis

USAID considers that optimizing education and youth program implementation is dependent on how the relevant GoJ entities function at their core. A holistic approach to organizational culture and capacity strengthening must therefore focus on systems, staff and resources together as interconnected and complementary elements. There would be limited change if staff had improved technical skills and a strong work ethic, but little resources to apply them in practice during program implementation, or if ample resources were available but skills and attitudes remained unchanged. USAID’s development hypothesis for this activity is, therefore:

If targeted GoJ systems and frameworks are strengthened to enable effective staff engagement, behavior and management, and the requisite quantity and quality of human, material, and financial resources are available then the GoJ’s organizational culture and capacity to drive results in the education and youth sectors will be transformed.

C.3 Background

USAID has made significant investments in Jordan’s education and youth sectors over several decades through a mix of implementing partner-led and GoJ-led activities. To institutionalize the reforms supported through these activities, USAID plans to increase the support it provides to the GoJ through Partner Government Systems (PGS) over the next five years. The GoJ has demonstrated increasing ability to directly manage USAID funds to advance shared United States Government (USG) and GoJ goals, but progress has not been uniform across the various stakeholders or even within different operating units under the same body.

The GoJ’s implementation of programs in the education and youth sectors is limited by an organizational culture that does not promote or perpetuate effective performance and innovation.

Despite the introduction of ambitious strategic plans and significant donor support, the GoJ struggles to develop, mobilize and institutionalize positive practices. The current organizational culture is a product of systemic weaknesses and strained resources, which have impacted the GoJ’s ability to deliver essential services and adapt to evolving needs.

Monitoring and evaluation, financial and human resource planning, and overall coordination systems at the central, field directorate and school levels are underperforming, including between ministries and other relevant entities. This hinders effective day-to-day functioning, resilience to shocks, as well as longer-term planning and decision-making. In addition, many GoJ staff lack the necessary skills to perform their duties, and are further limited by a shortage of material and financial resources, inefficient resource management, and unclear or cumbersome bureaucratic processes. External factors, such as the Syrian refugee crisis, demographic shifts over the past ten years, and the current COVID-19 pandemic place additional pressure 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. Poor learning outcomes and low levels of youth engagement persist across the country, notably in the southern regions. Students in Jordan score poorly on national and international assessments, with particularly low levels of literacy in the early grades. Schools are overcrowded and often unsafe or unsuitable for learning, with violence being a recurring problem. Large numbers of children and youth are out of school, including a significant proportion of children with disabilities. Youth feel undervalued and unable to engage productively in their own futures.

These issues have broader effects on economic growth and stability in Jordan, and impact the public’s trust in government. To maintain support and revive the economy, the GoJ must tangibly demonstrate its ability to provide essential services in a consistent, equitable, and accountable manner.

A number of studies produced by the GoJ, USAID and other donors provide important insights on GoJ programs, systems and capacity, and have informed the design of this Activity. This includes assessments conducted jointly with the GoJ, including USAID’s Stage II Public Financial Management Risk Assessment Framework (PFMRAF) of the MoE and a limited risk assessment of the MoY. USAID also draws on the work and assessments of current contractors deeply familiar with GoJ systems, such as the Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Program (RAMP) and the Enhancing School Management and Planning (ESMP) Project, and evaluations of past USAID and other donor activities. These have highlighted a number of challenges in strategic planning and implementation, financial planning, technical expertise and data utilization at the central and field-directorate levels, including behavior change around school infrastructure processes, among other things.

USAID has also coordinated closely with the GoJ and the large number of donors providing assistance in the education and youth sectors to ensure complementarity of its planned programming given the complex environment.

C.4 Opportunities, Assumptions, and Risks

There is significant momentum and goodwill being built in the education and youth sectors that USAID seeks to capitalize on through this Activity. The current Prime Minister and the Royal family have elevated education and youth issues into the spotlight, and it is, therefore, an opportune time to support the GoJ to build its capacity as it pursues ambitious new targets.

Among the numerous initiatives being implemented, there is a push to achieve universal kindergarten within the next three years, reforms to the teacher licensing system, a new multi-sectoral National Youth Strategy 2019-2024, a target for building 600 schools in the next 10 years, and shifting from humanitarian to development assistance for Syrian refugees, among other things. There are also many other donors whose strategies are aligned with the GoJ, and with whom USAID coordinates closely.

The primary assumptions underpinning the success of this Activity are that the GoJ remains committed to reform in the education and youth sectors and that GoJ capacity to take on more PGS awards improves in the short-medium term. This includes the ability to identify champions within ministries and GoJ entities, to spearhead reforms and build ownership. This Activity also assumes that the USG will continue to support education and youth initiatives in the Middle East, and that Jordanians will remain open to the gradual social changes that are required to move beyond the status quo on issues such as inclusion, gender, youth empowerment, and a love of reading.

USAID/Jordan also recognizes that a number of factors may impact the success of this Activity, including the risk of sector-specific strikes that interrupt services and cause political instability and expanded regional conflict causing additional refugee influx and further strain on public service provision. School and youth center closures and disruptions to training schedules for GoJ staff in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will impact the timing and implementation of some PGS activities, that will in turn require rapid adjustments to interventions under this activity. Service delivery and progress on reforms may also be affected by a lack of stability in leadership at the Ministerial and Secretary General levels, slow action on staffing and policy reforms currently underway, including Civil Service Bureau requirements, and insufficient or poorly formulated budget allocations in line with strategic priorities. In addition, there is a risk that a lack of political will could stymie important reforms in areas of concern beyond individual line ministries, for example on decentralization or the Civil Service Bureau.

C.5 Geographic Scope and Target Beneficiaries

This Activity will be implemented nationwide, supporting a broad range of education and youth stakeholders and GoJ counterparts at central-level Ministries, governorate and field directorate-level entities, as well as other relevant actors. These will include the following:

● Ministry of Education (MoE)

● Ministry of Youth (MoY)

In addition, as appropriate, support may be provided to other stakeholders who are critical to achieving the education and youth sector goals shared by USAID and the GoJ. These may include: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHED), National Center for Curriculum Development (NCCD), Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions (AQACHEI), Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), Civil Service Bureau (CSB), Teachers’ Unions, Ministry of Public Works and Housing

(MPWH), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC), National Center for Human Resource Development (NCHRD), Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC), Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), and the Jordanian National Commission for Women.

C.6 Technical Components and Results

Organizational culture is closely linked with organizational performance; it affects how members of an organization perceive the need for reform, as well as their responsiveness and commitment to implementing innovations and achieving transformational change. Organizational culture includes an organization’s work ethic, diligence, accountability, communication and gender norms, among other things. As stated above, the goal of this Activity is to transform the organizational culture and capacity within the targeted GoJ entities to successfully implement education and youth reforms supported by direct USAID investment, by providing complementary technical assistance to relevant stakeholders. The reforms targeted by this Activity, and that will guide its implementation, are the Priority Areas outlined in USAID’s planned PGS agreements with GoJ entities, and in the GoJ’s education and youth strategic plans. In this way, the Activity will provide the necessary support to ensure the success of USAID’s planned direct awards while increasing the effectiveness of public entities in the education and youth sectors as a whole.

The Priority Areas targeted by this Activity will include:

a. Education and Youth reforms determined in USAID’s direct awards with the GOJ. These will be 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, 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 ◆ Quality of teaching ◆ 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 practices and behavior, and equipping staff with the resources and skills needed to effect major change. The Contractor must 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.

The Contractor must remain dynamic and responsive to the priorities of the GoJ’s education and youth reform agenda, as communicated by USAID, and must 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. The Contractor must implement behavior change and organizational culture change approaches under every Intermediate Result. These must be rooted in best practice for the Jordanian and Middle Eastern context, and that are sensitive to local norms so as to have a high likelihood of success and uptake beyond the life of this Activity.

This Activity will also include a strong focus on co-creation with the GoJ in the assessment of needs and identification of opportunities and solutions, and the development of annual work plans that align closely with the PGS agreements. This Activity will increase the government’s ability to assume financial responsibility for its own development over the long term, and must, therefore, build capacity and support a transition to full government implementation. The Contractor must negotiate commitments for systems reform, or “hard asks”, with the GoJ, that will be used as one of the measures of success of this Activity. In addition, the Contractor must propose illustrative indicators that demonstrate meaningful and innovative ways of measuring the capacity being built under each Result, and measures for organizational culture change and effective organizational performance that demonstrate changes in behavior at the individual and collective levels.

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 quantity and quality of human resources available

Result 3: Requisite material and financial resources for effective education and youth program implementation are available

IR 1.1: GoJ system strengthening and policy reform needs identified

IR 2.1: Gaps in key staff’s skills, knowledge, behavior and practice identified

IR 3.1: GoJ material and financial needs identified

IR 1.2: Monitoring, evaluation, and learning

(MEL) systems and evidence-based planning and decision-making functions supported

IR 2.2: Key staff’s technical, human resource, and financial management skills supported

IR 3.2: Materials for education and youth program implementation developed & procured

IR 1.3: HR management systems supported

IR 2.3: Behavior change and program management skills of key staff supported

IR 3.3: Development and execution of budgets by GoJ supported

IR 1.4: Financial & resource management systems supported

IR 2.4: External/surge technical support provided

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

IR 1.6: Integration of best practices supported

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. Interventions under Result 1 must 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. Under each of the Intermediate Results (IRs) below, the Contractor will utilize interventions that 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 must 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.

IR 1.1: GoJ system strengthening and policy reform needs identified

For each of the Priority Areas, the Contractor must determine, together with USAID and the GoJ, what systems, policies, practices and behaviors are in need of support to achieve Result 1. In these needs assessments, the Contractor must take into consideration that USAID, the GoJ and other donors have recently conducted a number of assessments in these fields whose findings are still valid and applicable, and that must not be repeated. The Contractor must work with the GoJ to produce a report following each assessment that outlines the proposed interventions to respond to the needs, with justifications for the proposed approach that highlight best practices and what other previous, current and planned GoJ and donor initiatives address the issues. The Contractor must perform an initial needs assessments, followed by further assessments as needed on a rolling basis.

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

Through this Intermediate Result, the Contractor must support the GoJ in producing, analyzing, and making available data related to the Priority Areas, and must support the GoJ’s positive behavior change and ability to utilize this data when planning, implementing or assessing programs, and during the development and implementation of policies and strategies and outreach initiatives. In addition to any areas of need identified by the Contractor under IR1.1, other areas of need may include providing technical assistance to strengthen the MoE and MoY Planning Directorates, and overall MEL functions and frameworks at the central and field directorate levels. The Contractor must also support the GoJ in conducting and analyzing Early Grade Reading and Math Assessments (EGRA/EGMA) and Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) at the school level, as well as other national and international assessments. Where an independent perspective is needed, or where GoJ capacity for conducting assessments is not yet sufficient, the Contractor must conduct research and analysis to aid in GoJ decision-making. This may include a cohort study tracking the effects of the extracurricular activity implemented by the GoJ through a PGS agreement, and a study on reading practices inside and outside of school.

IR 1.3: HR management systems supported

The Contractor must provide technical assistance to the GoJ to address issues related to human resources, which may include the Civil Service Bureau and issues identified by Stage II PFMRAFs and other assessments. Specific areas of need to be addressed during the first year(s) of this Activity may include supporting the GoJ in upgrading its payroll system, improving central and field directorate level staff accountability and performance management practices, finalizing MoE career paths and licensing/certification requirements, ensuring adequate and equitable staffing levels in Amman and throughout the governorates, and ensuring gender equitable practices are institutionalized throughout the HR cycle. The Contractor must provide technical assistance to the Human Resources Directorates and related directorates and units, and must also enable and facilitate dialogue with teachers’ unions, as appropriate, and consider conducting analysis or supporting piloting of improved human resource incentive structures.

IR 1.4: Financial & resource management systems supported

The Contractor must bolster the overall financial planning and budget development functions of GoJ entities, including at the field directorate and school/youth center levels, and together with the MoF and MoPIC. This may include addressing the findings of the Stage II PFMRAF, MoPWH Host Country Contract assessment and other assessments that have not yet been addressed, in particular with respect to ensuring transparent and efficient procurement systems, budget alignment and tracking with key policies and strategies, and resource management.

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

The Contractor must support the GoJ in developing and implementing community and national outreach, awareness-raising and social behavior change campaigns, as needed, targeting the Priority Areas. This may include support starting in the first year of the Activity for creating a culture of reading, the inclusion of vulnerable children and youth, and increased youth engagement. The Contractor must work with the GoJ to ensure that the outreach approaches and messages are gender-sensitive and reinforce positive practices and transformation changes in gender relations. In addition, the Contractor must support stronger inter and intra-ministerial coordination, including through a coordination committee, and collaboration with related entities (such as the NCCD, AQACHEI, and HCD) and unions, including through interventions focused on behavior change.

IR 1.6: Integration of best practices supported

The Contractor must provide technical assistance to the GoJ in the development, roll-out and tracking of policies and procedures to incorporate international best practices for public education and youth programming into activities, organizational structures and day-to-day functions at the central and field directorate levels. Starting in the first year of this Activity, the Contractor will focus on gender in the student body and workforce, health and safety protocols, child protection, private sector engagement, and inclusion of persons with disabilities and vulnerable populations regardless of citizenship.

Result 2: Requisite quantity and quality of human resources available.

Under this Result the Contractor must ensure that the GoJ has all necessary human resources to implement programs and policies in the Priority Areas. The Contractor must utilize a mix of approaches that is best suited to promoting positive behavior change and building human resource capacity, including training, workshops, short and long-term coaching, embedded support and ongoing assessments. Where current GoJ human resource capacity is insufficient, the Contractor must itself provide additional 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.

IR 2.1: Gaps in key staff’s skills, knowledge, behavior, and practice identified

The Contractor must conduct an initial human resources needs assessment for the Priority Areas identified by USAID to determine areas of weakness in skills, knowledge, behavior, and practice that must be addressed to support successful implementation. The Contractor must conduct rolling assessments, as appropriate. The assessments must include a review of relevant gender-sensitive data, and engagement with relevant GOJ counterparts and other stakeholders, including through interviews, surveys, staff observations/shadowing, and testing, etc. The Contractor must propose its plan for gender-sensitive human resource development or policy reform based on the results of the needs assessment, and will take into account what previous technical assistance has been provided (including its successes, failures, and need for further assistance), as well as any other current or planned long/short-term support. The Contractor must outline how its proposed support is complementary and not duplicative of previous, current or planned interventions that address the weaknesses identified.

IR 2.2: Key staff’s technical, human resource and financial management skills supported

Under this IR, the Contractor must support human resource development for individuals and operating units in Amman and in relevant directorates across Jordan. This must include supporting the development of technical area expertise of GoJ staff working in the Priority Areas, and enhancing capabilities in planning, human resource management, evaluation, communication, finance and other aspects of professional development identified by USAID and in the needs assessments. Specific areas of need already identified that may be addressed starting in the first year include supporting staff in the Curriculum Directorate and NCCD in the review and development KG2-grade 10 learning materials, supporting MoE staff in developing and managing a school leadership/start-up program, supporting MoE and MoY staff in implementing PFMRAF and financial assessment recommendations, supporting the MoE’s Development Coordination Unit in managing activities, operationalizing the Policy, Planning, and Coordination body under the Education Strategic Plan as well as the MoE’s extracurricular framework, and supporting the

Planning, Early Childhood Education and Non-Formal Education Directorates in all phases of the program cycle, including coordination and collaboration. As the Contractor works with GoJ to develop and execute plans and programs, it must ensure they are gender-sensitive and reinforce positive practices and transformation changes in gender relations.

IR 2.3: Behavior change and program management skills of key staff supported

The Contractor must support staff within targeted GoJ entities to develop, practice and institutionalize positive behavior that contributes to effective program management, and supports the use of established GoJ systems in an optimal way. Utilizing evidence-based methodology for changing behavior and developing strong organizational culture within public-sector entities, the contractor must focus on strengthening individual and unit-level accountability, adaptability, pride, efficiency, and outcome-oriented outlook during their management of programs. The contractor must assist the GoJ in defining and nurturing existing positive behavior, and will provide staff with the tools to navigate systems reforms and challenges identified in the needs assessments conducted under IR 2.1.

IR 2.4: External/surge technical support provided

Through this result, the Contractor must support the GOJ in implementing technical components of both PGS activities and GOJ initiatives where the capacity is not yet available within the GOJ.

Specific areas of need already identified by USAID include the analysis of Early Grade Reading and Math Assessments conducted through the PGS agreement with the MoE and the provision of coaches to fill gaps in GOJ supervisor availability and capacity in the implementation of early grade reading activities under the PGS agreement. The Contractor must include elements that build the capacity of the GOJ to perform the technical components without external assistance and phase out USAID support during the implementation of this Activity, as well as incorporating the required staff positions into the GoJ’s planning and budgeting process.

Result 3: 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 must 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 must itself develop or procure the necessary materials through this Activity while also designing a transition plan with the GoJ to internally manage future material and financial needs.

IR 3.1: GoJ material and financial needs identified

For each of the Priority Areas identified, the Contractor must conduct an initial needs assessment followed by rolling needs assessments, as appropriate, together with the GoJ. These assessments will determine gaps in financial and material resources at the central and field-directorate levels that must be addressed to support successful program implementation and day-to-day functioning.

The Contractor must work with the GoJ to produce a report following each assessment that outlines the proposed interventions to respond to the needs, with justifications for the proposed approach that highlight best practices and what other previous, current and planned GoJ and donor initiatives address the issues.

IR 3.2: Materials for education and youth program implementation developed & procured

Through this IR, the Contractor must provide, or support the GoJ in utilizing its own resources to provide, material and operational/logistical support to ensure that it is able to implement activities, policies, and strategies under the Priority Areas. Specific areas of need already identified by USAID may include the support for the development, procurement and delivery of learning materials for KG-Grade 10; training materials, supplies, and equipment for youth centers targeted under the PGS agreement with the MoY; training materials and supplies for school leadership, start-up of newly constructed or expanded schools, and extracurricular interventions;

logistical support for coaching and supervision of teachers and principals; and software required for planning and tracking progress, along with training and support in utilizing all of the materials.

IR 3.3: Development and execution of budgets by GoJ supported

The Contractor must provide technical assistance to GoJ entities at the central, field-directorate and school/youth center-levels to utilize budget planning and tracking systems on a regular basis.

This may include support in effective project management, cash flow management, gender-responsive budgeting, internal audits and controls, and use of best practice in procurements, among other things.

C.7 Link to GoJ and USAID Strategies

USAID works closely with its GoJ partners on advancing reforms and institutionalizing progress, in line with joint GoJ and USG priorities. The GoJ has outlined its focus areas in education and youth for the coming years in a number of strategies and policy documents, including the Education Strategic Plan 2018-2022, the Human Resource Development Strategy (2016-2025), and the National Strategy for Youth (2019-2025). USAID/Jordan’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2020-2025 is aligned with the GoJ’s strategic goals, and this Activity will support Development Objective (DO) 4, “Human Potential Accelerated”, in particular Intermediate Result (IR) 4.2 “Learning outcomes for school-age children improved”. In addition, all three IRs under DO 5, “Agency and Leadership of Women and Youth Enhanced”, will be relevant for this activity. This Activity will also support USAID’s new Policy Framework and 1 the Journey to Self Reliance approach that it outlines.

C.8 Guiding Principles

The following principles will guide all aspects of project implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

C.9.1 Responsiveness, flexibility and evidence-based interventions

At the core of this Activity is the Contractor’s ability to respond to GoJ needs as they arise, including shifting Priority Areas and levels of support under each Result depending on need.

The Contractor must incorporate flexibility and responsiveness into its approach to enable the Activity to respond to changing conditions and opportunities over the life of the Contract.

Flexibility refers to the ability to easily adapt to new conditions and particularly relates to short-term decisions concerning implementation, the use of resources, and course corrections as issues arise. Responsiveness ensures that the Contractor maintains a close relationship with the GoJ and is able to anticipate, identify, and prioritize emerging needs, and does not remain committed to one approach blindly. This is particularly relevant with respect to the current landscape in Jordan, where recent events such as teacher strikes, refugee influx and COVID-19 have resulted in sudden and significant disruptions in the education and youth sectors. The Contractor must continually assess whether the timing, selected approach, participants, location, etc. are still appropriate, effective and achieving the expected results.

C.9.2 Sustainability and transition to GoJ implementation

The Contractor must plan interventions in a way that enables the GoJ to take over implementation and to continue to apply the principles and practices learned, once the Activity ends. Planning for transition should take place at the beginning of any intervention, and not be left until the final year of the intervention or the Activity. The Contractor must build exit strategies together with the GoJ that sets out the phased approach throughout the life of this activity.

C.9.3 Gender, inclusive development and positive youth development

The issue of gender impacts all of the Priority Areas in distinct ways, from a shortage of male teachers, low participation of females in the workforce, higher incidents of violence in boys’ classrooms and lower utilization rates of male youth centers, among other things. Participation of children and youth with disabilities, or with non-Jordanian citizenship, is also a significant problem that must be addressed through this Activity. The Contractor must therefore utilize gender-sensitive approaches deliberately to address gender disparities as well as improve the participation of persons with disabilities, refugees, and religious and ethnic minorities. The Contractor must ensure that all activities are inclusive of all beneficiaries, and that they consider

1 IR 5.1: Adoption of inclusive social norms increased; IR 5.2: Barriers to women and youth’s participation and leadership mitigated; and IR 5.3: Inclusive participation in public life enhanced how they can influence changes in policy and practice to do the same. All statistics and data should be disaggregated by sex, and the Contractor must ensure that implementation, management and decision-making processes utilized to achieve the objectives of this Activity (both within the Contractor’s organizational structure and that of beneficiary organizations) is inclusive and equitable. Disaggregation by nationality and disability may also be required. In addition, the Contractor must apply principles of positive youth development in the development and implementation of interventions, to ensure effective and meaningful engagement of youth.

C.9.4 Coordination

The Contractor must coordinate with other USAID implementing partners working in relevant sectors, as well as with implementing partners of other donors, in order to complement and avoid duplicating other efforts. The Contractor must provide regular updates to USAID on how this Activity is coordinating and collaborating with these other stakeholders.

C.9.5 Academia and private sector engagement

The Contractor must engage with a wide variety of stakeholders in developing, implementing and measuring innovative and evidence-based interventions, particularly those related to organizational culture and effectiveness of public sector institutions in the Middle Eastern context. The Contractor must also explore opportunities for engaging with academic institutions and leveraging public and private sector partnerships to support the goal and Results of this activity, in a way that complements but does not replace the GoJ’s provision of essential social services.

C.9.6 Local service providers

The Contractor must partner with at least one local subcontractor that qualifies as an “underutilized partner” , which may be an academic institution, private sector actor or 2 non-governmental organization. The Contractor must enable any local organizations with whom it partners to continue providing high quality services that the GoJ may procure in the future.

The Contractor must include such capacity building as a part of its work plan and must measure the relevant local entities’ capacity to provide services after the life of this Activity.

[End of Section II]

2 Underutilized partner: An organization that has received less than $25 million in direct or indirect awards from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) over the past five years.

SECTION III - SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

All responses must be submitted electronically to the email address point of contact identified below, by the date and time stated in the cover letter.

Kindly respond to the technical questions listed further below. Responses to the questions should not exceed one page per question, two pages in total.

Please do not submit information related to corporate or organizational capacity, applications, proposals, resumes, or promotional material, as they will be discarded. The submission should be written in English, single-spaced, using Times New Roman, font size 12, on 11x8.5 inch letter paper format and one inch margins, with each page numbered consecutively bottom right.

Send all responses to the RFI via email to sbaggili@usaid.gov. Please reference the email with the subject title "Response to JTAP RFI." You will receive electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive feedback. Questions related to this RFI will not be answered. After USAID reviews and considers any responses, a decision will be made regarding whether or how to proceed with the new activity.

Proprietary Information. The submitted documentation and content thereof becomes the property of the U.S. Government and will not be returned. This notice is part of Government market research. Information received as a result of this request will be considered as sensitive and will be protected as such. Any company or industry proprietary information contained in responses should be clearly marked as such, by paragraph, such that publicly releasable and proprietary information are clearly distinguished. The Government will not use proprietary information submitted from any one source to establish the capability and requirements for any future acquisition, so as to inadvertently restrict competition.

[End of Section III] mailto:sbaggili@usaid.gov

SECTION IV – DIRECTED QUESTIONS

Technical Questions:

1. USAID would like to hear from respondents about the best approaches for effecting and measuring changes in organizational culture in the public sector, particularly in the Jordanian context.

2. As the Priority Areas of the Activity will largely track the PGS agreements that will be developed in phases over the next five years, USAID is seeking input from respondents on how to best incorporate iterative and responsive Contractor management structures into the program.

[End of Section IV]

[END OF RFI]