Request for Information 72052122RFI00001_WFD Activity.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Mission in Haiti is in the process of designing a new Workforce Development (WFD) Activity. Given the critical nature of this activity, USAID/Haiti is reaching out to all local stakeholders and interested parties, to obtain comments/suggestions in order to incorporate new, innovative solutions on how to increase access to livelihood and job opportunities, particularly for youth, in a way that is equitable and sustainable. Please see Attachment - Questions for Response.

By issuing this Request for Information (RFI), USAID/Haiti aims to consult with the broad community of private sector actors, public institutions, development partners, non-governmental organizations, industry associations, think tanks and academia, concerned with advancing more inclusive, locally-driven economic growth in Haiti. Your comments will be used to develop a design document that is clear, maximizes development impact, facilitates coordination with existing and planned USAID and other development partner programs, as well as aligns with the

Government of Haiti’s priorities.

The information contained within the RFI is intended solely as a thought-piece; ideas may change significantly during the activity’s design and approval process. In addition, this RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Notice of Funding Opportunity

(NOFO)/Request for Applications (RFA), an Annual Program Statement, a Request for Proposal, a Request for Quotation, an Invitation for Bids, a Solicitation, or an indication that USAID/Haiti will make an award from this RFI.

Responses to this RFI shall not be portrayed as applications and will not be accepted by the U.S.

Government (USG) to form a binding agreement. This RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the USG to issue any NOFO or ultimately award of an agreement on the basis of this RFI, or to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

Responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any firm or organization in any subsequent procurement and will not lead to an organizational conflict of interest. Responses will strictly be held confidential.

Responses (comments, suggestions, and enhancements) to this RFI are due on October 28, 2022, 15:30 (Haiti time). To expedite our review and also be considerate of your time, please keep responses to no more than three (3) pages in length, 12 pt. font. Responses may be submitted in

Request for Information Number: 72052122RFI00001

USAID/Haiti Workforce Development Activity

English, Haitian Creole, or French. Please number each page consecutively. While the limit on the length of submissions is three (3) pages, we value concise, issue-specific comments. Please send responses to this RFI via email to Jerry Etienne at jetienne@usaid.gov and usaidhaitioaa@usaid.gov with the subject title “Request for Information (RFI): USAID/Haiti

Workforce Development Activity”, no later than the date/time stated above. You will only receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response. No feedback or debrief will be provided on comments received. Phone calls or hard copy responses will not be accepted.

Thank you for your assistance and interest in USAID/Haiti programming.

Sincerely, Alina Menicucci

Contracting/Agreement Officer

USAID/Haiti

Attachment: Questions for Response mailto:jetienne@usaid.gov mailto:usaidhaitioaa@usaid.gov

I. Background and Context

Over the past three years, Haiti has been facing a rapid deterioration of its economy coupled with escalating insecurity. The country’s overall macroeconomic situation remains challenging. Gross domestic product has declined over three (3) consecutive years: by 1.7 percent (1.7%) in 2019, 3.3 percent (3.3%) in 2020 and by 1.8 percent (1.8%) in 2021. Approximately 24 percent (24%) of the population lives in extreme poverty, earning less than US$1.23 per day. Socio-political instability, rampant insecurity, and international supply shortages, particularly fuel and food staples, have led to an annual inflation rate of 30.5 percent (30.5%) as of July 2022.

In urban areas, a high number of Haitian citizens live in gang-held territories, leading to displacement and irregular migration. As of January 2022, more than 16,500 people, the majority being women and children, left their homes due to violence from areas such as lower Delmas, Martissant, and downtown Port-au-Prince and are sheltering in makeshift sites, public buildings, or at relatives’ homes. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over

25,000 people, including children, were returned to Haiti by air or boat from January 1st, 2022 to

February 26, 2022. Economic distress, lack of jobs and livelihood opportunities, particularly for youth, lack of access to basic social services, gang violence and insecurity are among the factors fueling irregular migration.

II. Activity Concept

Increased access to livelihood and job opportunities, particularly for youth living in at-risk communities, may be a key instrument contributing to reducing economic and political instability, citizen insecurity, and the growing rates of irregular migration. According to the International

Labor Organization, Haiti’s youth unemployment rate is 35.66 percent (35.66%) in 2021. Young

Haitians receive workforce preparation through a variety of institutions, including secondary schools, universities, and technical and vocational education and training schools (TVETs), supervised by the Haitian Institute for Vocational Training (INFP), under the Ministry of

Education and Professional Training (MENFP). However, the current socio-economic conditions may affect the capacity of these workforce development institutions to equip youth with the skills and competencies being now required by potential employers. On the demand side, the worsening macroeconomic environment limits the ability of potential employers to absorb new labor forces.

Over the past 10 years USAID/Haiti has supported workforce development through activities such as the Opportunity for Haitian Youth (OHY), which addressed the education and livelihood needs of disadvantaged young women and men; and through the Local Enterprise Value Chain

Enhancement (LEVE) project where technical and vocational schools received assistance to provide skills development training and job placement services for young Haitians. This new activity wants to include socially-excluded, geographically-isolated and economically-marginalized youth living in urban areas that are prone to gang violence. This activity will build on the learning and achievements from USAID’s past workforce development programs, but will incorporate new, innovative, and market-driven elements to traditional interventions, such as enterprise development, entrepreneurship opportunities, access to finance and skills adapted to income generating activities or to support general business operations. It will address context-specific constraints to youth employment, both at the supply and demand sides. This activity is grounded on the principles of the USAID Private Sector Engagement Policy, with an emphasis on engaging the private sector early and often.

The Theory of Change underlying this effort is:

IF local workforce development institutions are strengthened, and IF the capacity of employers to create and retain new jobs (with a focus on youth) increases, and IF the ecosystem for supporting inclusive employment is strengthened….

THEN more Haitian youth will have access to sustainable employment and livelihood opportunities, contributing to citizen security and economic stability.

III. Questions for RFI Respondents

Respondents to this RFI are asked to provide input on some or all of the questions below.

All respondents are encouraged to review and respond to this first set of questions:

1. As it relates to your organization, what do you see as key barriers to workforce development in Haiti? Are there specific or unique barriers for people living in or associated with communities with high rates of gang violence, irregular migration or internally displaced persons? How could a workforce development activity help address the barrier(s) you have identified?

2. What should be the focus (e.g., long-term technical, managerial, professional certifications, etc.) of a workforce development program targeting youths living in these areas? Which sectors would offer the best opportunities?

3. What are the risks (for businesses, for the vocational schools and for the potential participants) inherent to a workforce development activity today in Haiti? Are there steps that can be taken to mitigate these risks? Please feel free to provide actual examples or approaches that you have used or have heard about that to minimize the risks you have identified.

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1865/usaid_psepolicy_final.pdf

4. From your experiences, what technical approaches for supporting workforce development in crisis and gang violence settings have proven effective or are showing enduring results that could be applicable in Haiti?

5. What opportunities and constraints exist to strengthen private sector engagement in workforce development? Is there specific capacity, policy, financial, and/or institutional bottlenecks that must be addressed in order to unlock additional private sector participation? What approaches have been effective in addressing these bottlenecks elsewhere?

6. How can sustainability (financial, social, political, technical, etc.) be built into workforce development interventions? Could you share specific examples of strategies to support workforce development that have worked in Haiti, or other countries with similar contexts?

7. Are there other factors, recommendations, or considerations regarding workforce development in Haiti that USAID should be aware of?

8. Please provide any suggestions you have regarding consultations that may be useful for

USAID to conduct during the design period.

Specifically for private sector1 organizations, USAID would encourage your input for the following questions:

1. What are effective approaches to securing substantive private sector investment and participation in workforce development programs that are appropriate for the private sector in Haiti?

2. What capacity does your sector have for hiring new employees? What types of positions are most in need to fill? To what extent would a demand -driven workforce development activity help meet your employment needs?

3. Considering the main target population and proposed geographic focus (at-risk youth living in vulnerable urban neighborhoods that are prone to gang violence), to what extent could job creation in your sector of the economy be driven by increased private sector investment?

1 Private sector is defined as: For-profit, commercial entities and their affiliated foundations; Financial institutions, investors and intermediaries; Business associations and cooperatives; Micro, small, medium and large enterprises;

American, local, regional, and multinational businesses; and For-profit approaches that generate sustainable income

(e.g., a venture fund run by a non-governmental organization (NGO) or a social enterprise). The private sector is large and diverse and encompasses the part of the economy run by individuals and companies for profit and is not state-controlled.

4. As a private sector employer, how have you measured the success of workforce development programs and/or on-the-job training provided to your employees? What experience do you have with improving profits while addressing skilled workforce needs?

5. As a private sector employer, are there any lessons learned in past programs and investments? Are there examples of best practices? What pitfalls should USAID avoid?

6. As a private sector employer, are there any additional factors, recommendations, or considerations regarding workforce development activities in Haiti’s current context that

USAID should be aware of?