QUESTIONS_AND_RESPONSES_TO_RFI.xlsx

XLSX spreadsheet 40 KB Posted May 2, 2014

Attached to: Career Centers in Morocco
Solicitation number: Not on record
Issued by: US Agency for International Development Morocco

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QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES - USAID/MOROCCO CDC/WORK-READINESS PROJECT

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RFI_Career_Centers_USAID_Morocco_03072014.docx	DOCX document	Mar 7, 2014

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q&a

Comments	Questions	Response
language is barrier to higher education and employment	1.Will USAID provide the target pilot locations and institutions during the solicitation process, or after the award is made?	USAID will not provide the site selection prior to the issuance of the RFP. The sites will be finalized prior to award and will be subject to change. Please see revised language in the statement of work.
public universities are severely overcrowded and unable to provide students with high quality of education	2. When does USAID expect this project to begin implementation?	Aug-14
lack of employment data	3. We agree with USAID’s commitment to long-term sustainability of the career center model. The RFI rightly notes the challenges of resource constraints. Dedication to the career center model from the Government of Morocco is essential to long-term sustainability.	Yes, we agree.
labor policy problematic for new entrants
year 1 result cites "gold standard career centers" which is unclear and should be defined
recommend outlining specific experience needed for each position
career specialist should have I between 3 to 8 years of experience
activity impact could be amplified by addressing labor policy considerations
activity could work with faculty to reform curricula in light of market needs

Comments	Questions	Response
Identification of cites should be done in collaboration with private sector
Additional context in RFP on how CDC fit into the broader YEP
Resources should be added to mobilize timely labor market demand and trends information
Physical location of CDCs is important, particularly for vocational students
Ensure institutions have budgets to maintain CDCs
Recruitment of qualified career counselors is critical to success of activity
Resources are needed to help institutions align and refine curricula to private sector needs
Activity should leverage IT
Results are too modest and should be more ambitious
Consider scaling CDCs in year 2-4 to reach more universities
Leveraging IT should be noted in results
Results should include performance benchmarks = % of students placed in jobs & internships, # of jobs posted, # of alumni & companies in database
CoP does not need 15 years experience in career counseling rather 5 to 8
Career specialist should have experience working with IT tools for career counseling
Impact could be major if CDCs achieve scale
Impact can be amplified by establishing a virtual nationwide platform with counseling services, employability tools, and self help

Comments	Questions	Response
CDC activity should build upon advanced regionalization and the national strategy for employment	1. Is GIZ eligible to USAID financing for the herewith mentioned USAID project „Career Centers in Morocco“ as a primary contractor?
Donor coordination is important	2. Is GIZ eligible to implement activities under the herewith mentioned USAID project „Career Centers in Morocco“ as a junior partner in a consortium lead by an American association?
An entrpreneurship skill component should be added
Results are reasonable	3. Is GIZ eligible to implement activities under the herewith mentioned USAID project „Career Centers in Morocco“ as a subcontractor to a consortium lead by an American association?
SMEs should be targeted for partnerships as they serve as the main engine for job creation
There should be 3 key personel with a third position with expertise in vocational training policies
Fluency in french and strong cross -cultural awareness is necessary for CoP
Success depends on the GOM's ability to replicate CDCs
The link between high schools and universities in critical & the activity should consider covering high schools as well

Comments	Questions	Response
Site selection of CDCs is critical - using an expression of interest approach may link the activity up with motivated institutions
The Higher Council of Education is overseeing a market-linked program and aims to help Morocco establish 250,000 new jobs per year
Results are reasonable
Qualifications seem appropriate
Activity could have significant impact on improving access to career services

Comments	Questions	Response
Activity should address the quality of teaching	1. We would suggest that the project begin with an assessment of the current state of affairs in the job market. Would USAID be open to including that in the Scope of Work?	1. USAID has refrained from listing illustrative activities in the program description. If such an assessment is necessary for the contractor to reach the stated results, USAID would support the measure.
The timeline of activity should be lengthened if appropriate
Results are reasonable yet success will depend on the selection of the institutions and ministerial buy-in
Required experience for both positions is overly restrictive given limited number of similar projects in MENA
Recommends 10 years of experince for CoP and 5 years for Career Specialist
Two key personel mirror one another rather than complement one another - CoP should have broader management experience and Career Specialist should have deepere CDC expertise
Activity has possibility of huge impact if it can build confidence between universities and the private sector

		Comments	Questions	Response
			1. Are electronic databases of information available for various employment data sets:	The High Commission of Planning maintains employment data for Morocco. Numerous initiatives to generate more precise labor market information are ongoing - including a nascent effort by USAID titled the Employers Hiring Data Clearinghouse.
			2. Why do students continue to count on a job in the public sector, despite the significant
reductions in wage and jobs available?	Multiple reasons including, but not limited to, job security, income stability, aversion to risk, prestige, paid vacations, and mistrust of the private sector.
			3. What career services are currently available to students?	The Hassan 1er University in Settat recently launched an information and orientation center for its students as well as high school strudents from the same region. The Ministry of Higher Education runs 13 academic orientation centers, known as Irchad Attalib. These efforts are commendable, but the centers cannot be described as high quality career centers.
			4. Information about current curriculum and how it mis-matches with job openings.	Mismatches obviously vary by sector and tend to be case specific. These mismatches are a result of the low quality and relevance of education on offer.
			5. Information on the labor market needs of Morocco. Are their industry groups, clusters

of occupations or industries, or economic sectors that categorize labor market needs,

occupations, and/or employers?	Current data is patchy. There is a real need for better employment data and more precisely job projections. There are a small number of industry associations that have started to address this problem.
			6. What is the current involvement of students' parents/families in career decision
making? How do schools and colleges keep parents/families informed?	The family structure is very strong in Morocco, but there is little evidence of higher education institutions engaging with parents.
			7. How do students currently make their education and career choices?	Anecdotal evidence suggests that students make academic and career decisions based on feedback from their family and peer networks. Certain professions, such as engineering, are believed to be in demand. Still many students are unable to pass the required tests to pursue degrees in the STEMs.
			8. Do employers and higher education institutions currently work in partnership?
what capacity? If no, why not?	There are examples of successful public private partnerships between universities and private businesses, but these instances remain rare. Some observers believe that universities and businesses are unable to manage these relationships in a manner that is mutually beneficial to both parties.
		Expected results are reasonable if: education institutions are open to change, stakeholders can cooperate, career staff are well trained, and gold standard is defined
		Required experience will make it difficult to mobilize personnel that meet description in RFI
		Impact could be great - but need more precise metrics to measure results
			9. What is USAID’s preference for the location of the office that the contractor will establish?	USAID has no preference.
			10. How many individuals does USAID expect each career center to serve each year of the project?	The exact number of staff should be proposed by the contractor and confirmed after the award in consultation with the education institution and the relevant ministry.
			11. What is the expected number of personnel to work within each center?	This is likely to vary based on the size of the educational institution. The contractor should propose a generic staffing pattern that can be adapted if necessary.
			12. What hours and days of operation does USAID envision for the career centers?	The hours of operation should be determined in consultation with the educational institution. USAID does not have a set preference except that the hours should be convenient for the key partners.
			13. Although the scope of the contract includes higher and vocational education career centers, it is also stated that Career Centers should attract students as early as their first year of high school. Will the contract be expanded to include youth in secondary education? If so, at which point in the contract will secondary students be included?	The activity will not target secondary school students. Some outreach material or IT tools may be intended for this audience, but the centers are not intended to serve secondary students. Reference to high school students has been removed from the SOW.
			14. Please clarify this sentence (page 5, paragraph 2), “Because the pathways of vocational training are typically tailored to a specific industry or type of technique, the model of Career Centers to be developed for vocational education should take into account the specificities of the vocational education system and its target beneficiaries.”	Vocational students have different career pathways than university students and hence their career orientation needs are different. Services and tools must be tailored in a manner that recognize these differences.
			15. Will current coursework and/or curriculum, career and job descriptions and any available industry data be shared with the awarded contractor?	The successful contractor will establish a strong working relationship with the host educational institutions and thus will gain access to curricula and existing career service information. Through a separate activity, USAID is working to generate employer hiring needs. Ideally, the CDCs will be able to leverage this data.
			16. In the Development Cooperation Strategy it is noted that the World Bank and the European Union are working with the Ministry of Employment to establish a labor market information system. What types of data will be available? Will this data be available to the awarded contractor to use in the career centers project? Are there studies currently underway for market needs and trends in Morocco? Will this information be shared with the awarded contractor?	The WB and EU are partnering with the GOM to establish a labor observatory. This body is unlikely to be operational within the next two years. As mentioned above, USAID is seeking to establish an employer hiring data clearinghouse that will collect, analyze, and distribute labor data and projections. Outputs from the Clearinghouse should prove helpful to the CDC activity. Still, the contractor will likely have to be creative to bridge information gaps.
			17. In the Development Cooperation Strategy it is noted that education and training systems will be aligned to high-impact sectors and industries. What are Morocco’s high impact sectors and industries? What agency manages this information?	The Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment, and the Digital Economy oversee the Plan Emergence which has prioritized the following sectors: aeronautics, automotive, agribusiness, craft industry, electronics, offshoring, seafood, and textiles. A new industrialization plan was recently announced by the Ministry of Industry.
			18. Which organizations will be considered implementing partners? What will be their role in the project?	The successful contractor will be the main implemnting partner (IP). Contractually, the IP will answer to USAID. In terms of implemntation, the IP will participate in a steering committee comprised of members from the relevant ministries, education institutions, and the private sector. The IP will be expected to actively collaborate with other USAID IP's under the broader Youth Employability Project.
			19. The following organizations are listed as stakeholders on page 5 of the RFI: the General Confederation of Moroccan Businesses, the National Agency for Employment and Skills Promotion, and the Department of National Education's Regional and Provincial information and orientation centers. How does USAID foresee each organization collaborating with the awarded contractor?	These organizations will likely sit on the steering committee. USAID expects the level of cooperation between various stakeholders to vary. The contractor will not be required to work with a stakeholder if it does not align with the objective of the program description.
			20. Will the results of the private sector surveys be distributed to interested vendors?	USAID will make available several surveys ranging from business environment to workforce development.
			21. What is the role of the universities and vocational schools in this endeavor – providing facilities, equipment, staff, marketing, etc.? Or, should all costs related to these need to be included in the contractor’s budget?	USAID expects the education institutions to contribute to the activity and is in discussions with the two ministries to formalize a MOI spelling out the roles and responsibilities of the various parties. For sustainability purposes, the contractor will have to balance establishing high quality career services with the resource limitations confronting the schools.
			22. In what ways is it envisioned that the operation of the career centers can contribute to the modification of curriculum within that institution?	USAID believes the CDCs will have an indirect role in updating curricula. By forging relationships with the private sector, USAID expects to see closer collaboration between the academic and private sectors.
			23. Who will be expected to carry out the marketing and public relations campaign that will be necessary in order to involve all stakeholders appropriately and to encourage students to use the resources of the career centers? Will this effort and budget be a part of the contractor’s proposal and budget, or of agencies that are collaborative in this effort? What are the envisioned requirements of USAID communication and outreach?	The successful contractor will be responsible for communications and outreach. Proposals should include line items to fund outreach strategies.
			24. How will USAID determine if a career centers has reached the "gold standard"? What criteria is USAID using for "gold standard"?	The results have been revised - see SOW. Gold standard will be defined by the implemnting partner, the ministries, the private sector, and the students/graduates.
			25. Will USAID provide direction on specific initiatives that are already in place in Morocco that could support or be linked to the career centers project?	Yes, but the contractor should also identify such opportunites. The workforce development system in Morocco is fragmented and there exist many initiatives and services that are not well known. The CDCs should not duplicate services. The centers will be well positioned to direct students to existing services and opportunities.
			26. What languages should materials provided by the career centers be in?	The bulk of the material will be produced in French. There may be instances where material will need to be translated into Arabic. Reporting to USAID will be in both English and French (work plan, quarterly reports, final reports, etc.)
			27. What are the current standards for measuring the success of a program similar to the career centers projects?	Once awarded, the contractor will propose a series of metrics to track the progress of the activity. These metrics should be quantitative and qualitative in nature and capture both outputs and outcomes. USAID is interested in the percentage of students who find a job - yet equally as important USAID will be interested in how the CDCs impact students' career pathways.
			28. Will the RFP allow for an Annex or Appendix to accommodate screenshots or descriptive materials for products and services?	Yes
			29. What level of involvement does USAID expect like to see from employers and the business community in this project?	USAID expects to see a high level of engagement from employers. The degree of private sector engagement will likely determine whether the activity succeeds or fails.
			30. Will USAID include a pre-evaluation period for the contractor to assess the career center locations prior to implementing the model and services?	No
			31. Will USAID include criteria for career center staff and management to participate in professional development credentialing related to career advising or guidance?	USAID expects the contractor to propose such criteria.
			32. Will USAID include a deliverable around developing a policy statement on career guidance for that may be adopted by the country of Morocco in order to set the stage and direction for career guidance in the career centers?	No such deliverable is anticipated, but to achieve sustainability and scale, the contractor may be asked to provide advice to the relevant ministries on policy matters surounding CDCs specifically and youth employability more broadly.
			33. Will USAID include a requirement for evidenced-based career inventories that are localized for Moroccans?	No requirements are envisioned, but USAID is open to evidence based career inventories if they contribute to the results of the activity.

Comments	Questions	Response
Organized volunteer experiences should be integrated into the program description as research has shown a link between volunteering and employment.

Comments	Questions	Response
Reform policies serve as barriers to hiring as well as those that inhibit close collaboration between education institutes and the private sector.
The RFI has too weak of a focus on engaging the private sector.
Moroccans studying abroad (32,000) can serve as a means to boosting the competitiveness of the workforce.
Clear commitment from the GOM is necessary to sustain the CDCs
Recommends requiring certain experience be present on the team withoutspecifying which individual must have what
Emphasize personel's ability to manage relationships and to build teams
Activity could move the needle if it's more private sector driven and more creative than past initiatives

Comments	Questions	Response
Due to the job defecit, activity should provide support to entrepreneurs
RIF should emphasize the following barriers: low quality and relavancy of education offering, lack of incentives for educators to reform, lack of labor mobility, prevalence of nepotism and absence of meritocracy, and socio-cultural norms that hinder women's career choices
First two results are realistic depending on how high quality services are defined
15 years of experience with CDCs for CoP is too much and should be modified to include experience in higher education and workforce development	Would USAID consider regional candidates for the key personnel position?	Yes, USAID will consider regional candidates if they meet the criteria spelled out under the key personnel section.
The two key personnel are too similar and should be differentiated
To succeed the activity must partner effectively with the private sector, develop a solid tracking system, raise awareness, link labor market systems to centers, and benefit from strong leadership within host institutions

Comments	Questions	Response
	Are there any past programs linked to workforce development in Morocco that can provide prior data and information about successes and challenges, which can help facilitate the implementation of the career centers initiative?	USAID implemented the ALEF project from 2005 to 2009 with the goal of strengthening the quality and relevance of education and professional training in Morocco for greater integration of graduates into the economically viable sectors. Specifically, the ALEF project intervened in primary and secondary educational levels, in technical professional training for agriculture and tourism and in women’s literacy. ALEF’s efforts focused exclusively on the agriculture sector through the Agricultural Vocational Training Centers (Etablissement de formation professionnelle agricole – EFPA). Of most relevance to DO1 is the ALEF project component that established guidance counseling and employment services, as well as a monitoring system for trainees and graduates of the EFPAs. Named Al Massar, or The Path, this guidance and tracking tool was transferred to the EFPAs upon project completion. Qualitative feedback suggests that the partners highly appreciated Al Massar and found it useful in tracking graduates’ employability. Based on the above‐mentioned insight, the Economic Growth Office will explore ways in which implementers can build on the Al Massar initiative and incorporate lessons learned to the design of the new interventions.
	How accessible is the Moroccan job market data and who will be providing such data?	Current data is patchy. There is a real need for better employment data and more precisely job projections. There are a small number of industry associations that have started to address this problem. Under the Youth Employability Project, USAID intends to address this challenge through a partnership with the General Federation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM). Data from this initiative will assist the CDC activity, but may not yield usable data in the early phases of implementation.
	Can you expand on the level of support and cooperation that the USAID Moroccan office expects to extend to the successful partner(s) especially in the early stages of implementation?	USAID is committed to the success of the CDC activity and will provide technical guidance when appropriate and when requested. USAID is not able to provide logistical support, but can provide guidance and advice on administrative clearances. When requested, USAID can assist in facilitating meetings with the GOM and in most instances with private sector partners.
Yes, CDCs can create a paradigm shift in youth expectations
Qualifications for key personnel will narrow the pool of talent considerably
Activity could have significant impact on gender equality and initiating a paradigm shift in youth's mindset - will also equip youth with a career roadmap
	Can you share efforts being made to stimulate the economy beyond increasing educational opportunities	The Emergence Plan is a government-led industrialization strategy targeting 8 priority sectors including aeronautics and automotive. The Green Morocco Plan is the GOM's agricultural development plan, which seeks to modernize the sector by working with both smallholder farmers and commercial producers. Maroc Export Plus is the GOM's export promotion strategy. There are numerous government led stratgies in various stages of implementation.
	Has the Ministry of Employment and other relevant actors begun to incentivize the hiring of Moroccan youth? Such arrangements are not only instrumental in exposing youth to the world of work, but also encourage the private sector to hire new entrants by mitigating the inherent risk and costs associated with new hires.	There is much interest in incentivizing the hiring of youth within the GOM, however, there is scant evidence that this is occuring. Labor policy reform is necessary, but it is not clear if the political will exists to make the necessary changes.

Comments	Questions	Response
More information on the private sector's ability to employ youth would be helpful.
More information on factors related to gender would also be helpful
Results for year 1 is unrealistic depending on how gold standard is defined and the year 2 results suggests improvement on the gold standard which might be difficult
Not sure if it is realistic to have 6 centers operational by the end of the first year
Ministerial involvement in establishing standards may help achieve the 3rd result
The two key personnel positions mirror one another and should complement one another - may need a manager and a career expert
If approached correctly, the activity could have a huge impact - success factors include outreach to local industries, assisting students to clarify their own job search goals and to understand their aptitudes
	Since the objectives of the career centers are to enhance the employability of youth, increasing their capability for gaining and maintaining employment, USAID may wish to clarify whether it intends to engage local private sector employers in helping to define the skill sets and soft skill training that career centers should offer.	The CDCs cannot function without engaging the local private sector. The key will be to establish mutually beneficial relationships between the centers and private businesses.
	Under section D on page 4 the RFI states that activities will take place in “two to three public higher education institutions in select regions” and “two to three Regional Vocation Education Offices”. Under Intended Results on page 6 by the end of year one, USAID “expects to see a series of gold standard Career Centers operational at universities and in two to three Regional Vocational Education Training Offices…. By the end of Year 2 USAID expects to see an increase in both quality and quantity…” USAID may wish to clarify whether there will be more than four to six centers expected under this project.	The CDC activity will help establish six centers. In year three, four, and/or five, it is anticipated that the contractor will provide a limited amount of assistance to similar institutions to replicate the centers.
	The technical approach is supposed to include a design for a future strategy that will enable the government of Morocco to scale and replicate dynamic career centers in higher education and regional vocational education offices. USAID may wish to clarify whether the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of National Education and Professional Training have a specific role in this project.	Both ministries will particpate in the activity's steering committee and have signalled their intent to be actively engaged in the activity. The specific roles of the ministries will be clarified through a MOI. See revised SOW for more information.
	Will USAID be providing access to the report prepared by RTI International on Morocco Youth-Focused Labor Market Assessment submitted to USAID in 2010?	Yes

Comments	Questions	Response
SME should be leveraged under this activity by linking counseling to actual business and job development
Results need to be overhauled and activity should be pursued once labor market information is available
The timeline for result 1 is too ambitious and there is no mention of whether an agreement with the ministries or universities is in place
Result 2 speaks of increases in quality and quanitity but no measurement indicators are mentioned
The last sentence of result 3 overstates what is possible with CDCs
The qualification requirements for key personnel are too high and will disqualify candidates with relevant experience
A planning and development phase would be usefull to engage stakeholders

Comments	Questions	Response
Labor market information is critical - activity may want to expand scope to assist local entities collect, analyze, and distribute this information - one candidate is the observatoire National
Stronger emphasis on outreach to youth to increase awareness of the link between their course of study and career options
Result 1 is fairly unrealistic unless USAID will work with private universities - to achieve gold standard the contractor requires time, evaluation and learning - gold standard may be possible by the end of year 3
Requirements for key personnel are too steep in regard to the years of experience for both positions
CDCs can have a catalytic effect if done properly
	Does USAID/Morocco envision a role for private universities in the youth employability project?	USAID does not see private universities as a beneficiary under this activity. Still, there may be a role to play for private universities in terms of sharing tools and learning associated with career counseling.

Comments	Questions	Response
Language remains a large barrier to educational achievement and employment - particularly since public universities teach mainly in Arabic
Critical growth sectors should be targeted and CDCs should align focus on these opportunities
Result 1 is ambitious yet result 2 is realistic
Qualifications for key personnel overlap and are too restrictive
Yes the activity should have a large impact by arming students with the knowledge and skills to break into the labor market
	On page 4 of the RFI, USAID states that “activities will take place in two to three higher education institutions in select regions determined by USAID and the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Executive Training and two to three Regional Vocational Education Offices in the regions selected by USAID and the Department of Vocational Education.” Will the two to three higher education institutions be identified in the RFP or will this be determined after contract award? Will USAID seek to establish linkages with private universities and private training centers?	USAID will not provide the site selection prior to the issuance of the RFP. The sites will be finalized prior to award and will be subject to change. Please see revised language in the statement of work.
	Given that youth unemployment is much higher in the urban centers of Morocco, will this program only focus on urban centers, or will there be an expectation that the program will also extend to the rural areas?	The activity will target mainly urban areas as universities and vocational schools tend to be located in cities and towns. Youth unemployment in Morocco also tends to be considerably higher for both men and women in urban areas.
	As we mentioned in our responses to the RFI, there is value in addressing some of the demand-side factors. In the RfI, it is mentioned that USAID/Morocco commissioned a study by the Harvard Business School that further supports the notion that Moroccan job candidates fall short of demonstrating professional level soft skills expected by employers. Will this study be released for offerors to review? Additionally, does this study include an assessment on critical growth sectors that are in the greatest demand for job seekers?	Yes, the HBS will be made available to all bidders. No the study does not have an assessment on critical growth sectors.
	On page 4 of the RFI, USAID states that career centers should attract students as early as the first year of high school. If implementing partners are expected to conduct outreach in high schools, will USAID facilitate a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Education and the project, in order for the project to have formal access to high schools and their students?	The activity will not directly target secondary school students. Some outreach material or IT tools may be intended for this audience, but the centers are not intended to serve secondary students.
	The concept of employability plays a crucial role in informing labor market policy. What degree of influence will this program have on supporting the Government of Morocco in the reform of labor market policies that are responsive to the workforce receiving these services?	USAID agrees that labor policy presents a considerable barrier to first time job seekers. The CDC activity, however, will not directly engage in policy reform. Policy recommendations as a by-product may be shared with the GOM through this activity.
	The RFI suggests a two-pronged approach for the Youth Employability Project: 1) targeting higher education public universities; 2) targeting vocation training centers. Will there be a third component that focuses on capacity building and institutional development at targeted ministries in line with the USAID/Morocco Country Development Cooperation Strategy?	USAID is seeking the bidders to present innovative yet realistic approaches for implementing the CDC activity. The exact structure of the activity is yet to be determined.

Comments	Questions	Response
Impact of globalization should be reflected in the SOW. Mechanisms to facilitate greater communication and participation between labor supply and demand are necessary.
Results should be pushed back 3-6 months. Building relationships will take time and this step is critical to the success of the activity.
Key personnel should complement one another rather than duplicate. Local experience should be supplemented with experience elsewhere.

Sheet1

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Nov 14, 2017.