RFI-72048223RFI00001_All Youth Learning Activity.pdf

Issuance Date: August 23, 2023

Response Due Date and Time: September 13, 2023 at 9:00 AM Burma Local Time

Subject: Request for Information (RFI) and Expression of Interest

(EOI) on USAID/Burma’s All Youth Learning, RFI Number 72048223RFI00001

Dear Interested Parties:

The U.S Agency for International Development Mission in Burma (USAID/Burma) is in the process of designing a new activity to strengthen the foundational literacy, numeracy, livelihoods, and life skills of targeted vulnerable youth in Burma, enabling them to become positive change agents as individuals, within their families and communities, and to the benefit of the larger society. Subject to availability of funds, it is anticipated that this activity, entitled “All Youth Learning”, will be implemented over a period of five years. To that end, USAID is seeking information about the interests and capabilities of potential implementers and sector information responding to a set of specific questions in this Request for Information (RFI) to inform the design.

By issuing this RFI, USAID/Burma aims to consult with the broad community of local and international educational institutions, private sector actors, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, development partners, think tanks, and academia concerned with the education and training of Myanmar youth. Your comments will be used to develop an activity design document that is clear, maximizes long-term development impact, and facilitates coordination with existing and planned USAID and other development partner programs.

FAR 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 obtaining information from interested parties on a potential new award titled All Youth Learning.

[End of Provision]

General Instructions:

USAID requests all interested parties to review and comment on this RFI. All responses to this RFI must be submitted in writing by the due date listed above and via email to the address stated below. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted.

Please include the title “[Organization Name] RFI All Youth Learning Response” in the subject line of your email.

Please provide one electronic copy of your response in Microsoft Word format as a single email attachment to USAID/Burma’s Office of Acquisition and Assistance at burmaoaa@usaid.gov.

USAID welcomes concise and direct responses addressing all, or a subset of the questions, to help best inform USAID’s planning and activity design.

Responses should be organized as follows:

1. Name of the Organization:

Address:

Unique Entity Identifier:

2. Contact Person:

Name, Position, Email:

3. Type of Organization:

● US Organization (other than small business)

● Higher Education Institution

● Ethnic Education Provider

● US Small Business

● Public International Organization (e.g. United Nations)

● Non-US Organization

● Other (please specify)

4. Optional Expression of Interest:

Please provide brief information that describes your organization’s capability and interest in implementing activities to achieve the objectives of All Youth Learning.

5. Optional Past Performance Information:

● Past experience working in this subject area and working with relevant stakeholders.

● Types of relevant activities and programs your organization has experience with.

mailto:burmaoaa@usaid.gov mailto:burmaoaa@usaid.gov

(Respondents are encouraged to provide hyperlinks to websites, activity documents, and/or evidence-based research and studies regarding the effectiveness of these activities.)

● Duration of past activities and scale of projects/budget.

● Information on the populations reached in activities.

6. Request for Information Questions:

USAID seeks responses and feedback to any or all of the following questions. Responses will help USAID shape its thinking during its current phase of activity design and stakeholder consultation.

1. What types of approaches could be used to recruit youth for participation in All

Youth Learning? In what ways can families, communities, ethnic education organizations (EEOs), other civil society organizations (CSOs), religious organizations and/or other types of training institutions be involved in supporting youth education in this activity?

2. A significant number of youth have moved to the ethnic controlled regions after the political crises. What types of strategies can engage these youth and support local community needs for improving learning and civic education?

3. What strategies are (or could be) effective to identify and subsequently address the needs of youth who wish to study under the All Youth Learning activity? (The goal is to prevent drop-out and ensure that youth have what they need to complete their programs of study.)

4. What strategies can USAID use to support disability inclusive education1 in All Youth Learning? What approaches could be effective for increasing awareness of and support for disability inclusion in Burma? What potential role can local Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs) play? What type of reasonable accommodations may need to be made available for learners with visual, hearing and mobility disabilities?

5. What strategies can USAID employ to ensure All Youth Learning is grounded in an inclusive development approach? How can All Youth Learning meaningfully engage LGBTQI+ leaders and youth in the program?

6. Recognizing the complexity of diversity in Burma, what types of programs aimed at supporting youth to develop both foundational literacy and numeracy skills and vocational skills currently exist? What are the requirements for entry to these programs? What opportunities exist for USAID collaboration with these programs?

7. What strategies could All Youth Learning use to increase awareness and action to combat climate change and food insecurity while supporting the acquisition of

1 USAID Disability Inclusive Education Toolkit. https://www.edu-links.org/resources/disability-inclusive-education-toolkit https://www.edu-links.org/resources/disability-inclusive-education-toolkit foundational skills through youth engagement?

8. Burmese youth who wish to study at the higher education level often require additional support to improve their English language skills. What programs currently exist (or could be developed) to provide such services?

9. What opportunities exist, or could be created, for youth to develop leadership skills in their communities?

10. What strategies could be used to identify and develop relationships with potential employers to support or create locally-relevant employment opportunities for youth?

11. What are the capacity strengthening needs of EEOs and CSOs providing education for youth in Burma? How can All Youth Learning address these needs?

12. What challenges do community educators face in meeting the needs of at-risk youth? What approaches could All Youth Learning use to help educators address the challenges they face, including helping them to improve their teaching skills?

13. What approaches could All Youth Learning use to support communities in identifying and meeting their needs to provide locally relevant education?

14. Are there other factors, recommendations, or considerations regarding the design or implementation of this Activity that USAID should be aware of? Please feel free to suggest edits or revisions to the draft Objectives or Theory of Change stated in Attachment 1.

DISCLAIMER

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. It is not a Request for Proposal, a Request for Quotation, an Invitation for Bids, a solicitation, nor is it an indication that USAID/Burma will contract for the items contained in this Notice. This RFI is an opportunity for USAID/Burma to obtain information from interested parties regarding the anticipated activities. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are NOT considered offers and CANNOT be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Therefore, USAID is not seeking technical or cost proposals at this time. Please do not submit a full proposal as these will not be reviewed and will be discarded.

Responses to this RFI are strictly voluntary and USAID will NOT reimburse respondents for the preparation of information submitted in response to this RFI. Submissions in response to this RFI will NOT be returned and respondents will NOT be notified of the results of the review. Respondents may however receive a confirmation of receipt of the response.

This RFI does NOT restrict the Government's acquisition approach on a future solicitation nor does it obligate USAID to issue a solicitation.

USAID will use information provided by respondents to inform planning, discussions with stakeholders, and planned future activity designs. Any information submitted in response to this notice is voluntary. Not responding to this request does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued.

Thank you for your interest in USAID’s activities.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Colarik Contracting/Agreement Officer

Attachment 1: Activity Design Paper