RFI 72066024RFI00008_EduFinance_signed.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Subject: USAID Promoting Access to Quality, Low-Fee Non-State Education Finance RFI Number: 72066024RFI00008 Issuance Date: October 4, 2024 Closing Date/Time: October 24, 2024, 17:00 Kinshasa local time Response Email: drcoaa@usaid.gov and mkadima@usaid.gov

The United States Agency for International Development Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (USAID/DRC) is gathering information to potentially develop an activity to promote access to quality low-fee, non-state education through private sector engagement, household access to affordable financing, and family economic empowerment.

The purpose of this communication is to obtain industry comment on the attached RFI. To that end, information obtained through this RFI will be held in confidence and will not be disclosed to the public unless specifically requested by responding sources. This RFI is open for comments from any interested party.

As the largest bilateral donor to education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) breaks the cycle of conflict by providing safe learning spaces, catch-up programs and clubs, tutoring, and accelerated learning services to over 976,000 children living in conflict affected and neglected zones.

By issuing this RFI, USAID/DRC would like to solicit responses to the questions in Attachment 1 and expressions of interest in the activity per Attachment 2 from the broad community of private sector actors, public institutions, development partners, non-governmental organizations, industry associations, civil society, think tanks, and academia concerned with low-fee, non-state education in DRC. Your comments will be used to develop a design document that is clear, maximizes long-term development impact, facilitates coordination with existing and planned USAID and other development partner programs, as well as aligns with the Government of DRC’s (GDRC) priorities.

Not responding to this request does not preclude participation in any future solicitation.

This RFI has two sections. You may respond to either section but are encouraged to respond to both:

Responses to the RFI questions in Attachment 1 (“Questions for Industry and Partner Feedback”) should be no more than six (6) pages in a Microsoft Word document or an Adobe PDF in at least 12-point font. Responses must be written in French or English with consecutively numbered pages.

mailto:drcoaa@usaid.gov mailto:mkadima@usaid.gov

Clearly label each page with the name of the organization responding and “USAID/DRC PROMOTING ACCESS TO QUALITY, LOW-FEE NON-STATE EDUCATION.” Any response format may be used but USAID values concise, issue-specific responses. Please ensure submitted comments make specific reference to RFI pages and question numbers. 2. EOI responses, in addition to the respondent’s organization information and past experience, should be sent using Attachment 2.

Please limit this additional information to four pages. Information provided in response to this request for information must be received by email; telephone calls and hand-carried documents will not be accepted.

This announcement is a Request for Information (RFI), not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Issuance of this RFI does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure supplies or services or to issue a solicitation. Further, the RFI does not represent any award commitment on the part of the Government or obligate the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of any response.

Please send responses to this RFI via email to drcoaa@usaid.gov and mkadima@usaid.gov with the subject title “Request for Information (RFI): “USAID/DRC PROMOTING ACCESS TO QUALITY, LOW-FEE, NON-STATE EDUCATION”, no later than the date/time stated above. You will only receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response. No feedback will be provided on comments received.

USAID is interested in receiving expressions of interest for this activity from both international and local entities. As defined by USAID’s ADS 303, a local entity:

1. is legally organized under the laws of;

2. has its principal place of business or operations in;

3. is majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of; and

4. is managed by a governing body the majority of whom are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Thank you for your interest and engagement in USAID/DRC programming.

Sincerely, Jamie Lewis Agreement/Contracting Officer

Attachments:

1. Attachment 1: RFI Questions

2. Attachment 2: EOI Response Form

ATTACHMENT 1: RFI Questions

Respondents can choose to answer all or some of the questions below. USAID appreciates brief and concise responses that will help inform activity planning. Please restrict the number of pages for responses to six (6) pages maximum.

USAID/DRC seeks recommendations from respondents to support activities to promote access to quality, low-fee private education in DRC. USAID is accepting responses in both English and/or French.

DRC Context:

● What are the main GDRC, private sector entities, and non-governmental institutions that should be involved in a low-fee, non-state education finance program? What do they do and how could USAID engage with them?

● What are the main barriers to accessibility and retention in quality, low-fee private education, and how can they be addressed?

● What are the main barriers to improving learning outcomes and teaching practices in low-fee, private education and how can they be addressed?

● What are the main barriers to accessing private education financing for low-income and non-salaried households?

● What opportunities exist to promote system strengthening and sustainability in the low-fee, private education sector?

● Who are the marginalized and vulnerable populations and what opportunities exist to expand their access to quality education and financial assistance and empowerment at the national, provincial, and community levels?

● What regions in the DRC would most benefit from interventions that target the low-fee, private education sector?

● In what ways do government oversight, legal and regulatory framework create opportunities and barriers to low-fee, private education?

● In what ways do social norms and traditional societal practices and/or power structures create barriers to low-fee, private education?

● How has armed conflict or socio-economic, geographical or gender disparities impacted access and retention to low-fee, private education in DRC?

● What child protection concerns should be considered in a low-fee, non-state education finance activity?

● What research or studies exist that inform your contextual knowledge? Please share any documents you may have.

● Please add any other information you consider useful and not covered by the above questions in the context of low-fee, private education in the DRC.

Effective Approaches:

● What strategies for accessing hard-to-reach rural or conflict/crisis-affected areas have proven effective? How can USAID get private sector finance, education quality and school business management professional development opportunities, and financial literacy capacity building to rural communities and hard-to-reach areas in DRC with a particular focus on gender equity?

● What alternative financing models exist in DRC or in similar contexts for low-fee, private education?

● What strategies for improving the sustainability of financing low-fee, private education have proven effective?

● How best can USAID ensure gradual transfer of responsibilities while implementing education financing and integrate its support and align it with DRC education policies and strategies for sustained change?

● What strategies exist to incorporate technology in improving access to and quality of low-fee, private education?

● How best can USAID foster collaboration between local financial institutions and low-fee private schools to expand access to credit for school improvement?

● Are there any existing policies or plans in the DRC to support private education finance? If so, what are your comments on these documents? Please share them.

● What innovative models for community-based financing (such as saving groups) have successfully been applied in education finance in similar contexts? Please provide examples.

● What strategies exist for financial institutions to incorporate technology in improving greater efficiency in school fee collection and loan eligibility?

● What strategies for mitigating the financial risks (from the perspective of private sector partners) of working with low-income communities have proven effective?

● What strategies for financial literacy capacity building and empowerment have proven effective in DRC or in similar contexts?

● What sustainable models have been applied to continue to implement financial literacy capacity building and empowerment activities?

● What sustainable approaches to capacity building for teachers and school leaders have proven effective in the low-fee, private education sector?

● What is the best way to engage communities in improving learning outcomes for primary aged students and in promoting financial literacy and empowerment that reflects the local context?

● Which holistic, developmentally appropriate primary-grade learning assessments and baseline studies have been used effectively in DRC or in similar contexts?

● What specific approaches for engaging families and communities in low-fee, private education programming have proven effective in DRC or similar contexts?

● Which languages are used in the teaching and learning process in low-fee private primary schools. Which should be the most appropriate, and why?

● What strategies/approaches are deemed appropriate to ensure that the actions implemented in schools as part of private education finance are sustainable?

Coordination:

● What other donor-funded low-fee, private education finance projects are working in DRC that should be coordinated with any future USAID activity?

● What opportunities exist for coordination with other sectors as it relates to improving access to and the quality of low-fee, private education?

● What other opportunities for collaboration should USAID be considering?

Other:

● Are there other factors, recommendations, or considerations regarding low-fee, private education that USAID should be aware of?

● What are the possibilities for cost-share from your organization? Are there opportunities for leverage with private sector partners and public-private partnership?

● How would you ensure the sustainability of the model once the intervention ends?

ATTACHMENT 2: Expression of Interest Response Form

GENERAL INFORMATION

Name of the Organization:

Address:

Unique Entity Identifier (If available):

CONTACT PERSON:

Name: ________________________________________ Position: __________________________________ Telephone: ____________________________________ E-mail address: _________________________________

TYPE OF ORGANIZATION:

Please indicate your organization type:

US Organization (other than small business) US Small Business Higher Education Institution Public International Organization (e.g. United Nations) Non-US Organization Local Entity (defined in ADS 303)

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:

Please provide brief information that describes your organization’s capability and interest in implementing activities to promote access to Quality, Low-Fee, Private Education.

PAST EXPERIENCE:

● Past experience working in Low-Fee, Private Education with relevant stakeholders.

● Experience of leveraging private sector resources in development programming

● Types of relevant activities and programs your organization has experience with including duration and scale of projects/budget and populations reached.

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