RFP 72060821R00002 Inclusive Education Teacher Training Activity.pdf

RFP no. 72060821R00002

Inclusive Education Teacher Training Activity

Project Title Inclusive Education Teacher Training Activity

Request for Proposal (RFP) Number 72060821R00002

Issuance Date of RFP January 29, 2021

Question Submission Deadline February 5, 2021 12:00 noon Rabat local time

Closing Date/Time for Submission of Full

Proposal* February 26, 2021 12:00 noon Rabat local time

*Late submissions will not be accepted.

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP) No.: 72060821R00002

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International

Development (USAID) in Morocco (USAID/Morocco), is seeking proposals from qualified and eligible organizations interested in providing technical services for the project entitled Inclusive

Education Teacher Training Activity as fully described in this solicitation.

This procurement will be conducted under full and open competition procedures, pursuant to Part

15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (48 CFR Chapter 1), under which any type of organization is eligible to compete. All types of organizations (large or small commercial for-profit firms, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations) meeting USAID source and nationality geographic code 937 are eligible to compete. The North American Industry Classification System

(NAICS) code for this solicitation is 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical

Services).

USAID/Morocco intends to award a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion-type contract for a period of four (4) years from the date of award with an overall estimated cost between $2 million and $2.8 million, subject to the availability of funds and other internal USAID approvals. Revealing the estimated cost range for the contract does not mean that Offerors should necessarily strive to meet the maximum amount estimated. Offerors must propose costs that they believe are realistic and reasonable for the work described in their proposal. The most effective approach for achieving the expected results is encouraged and the award will be made to the Offeror whose proposal offers the best value to the Government considering technical and cost factors (see Section M) of the solicitation.

Offerors are encouraged to read the entire solicitation, which includes all pertinent technical sections and the terms, conditions and instructions required for submitting proposals, paying special attention to Section L – Instructions to Offerors and Section M – Evaluation Criteria. Sections B through J of the solicitation will become a substantive part of the anticipated final contract with blanks to be completed by the Contracting Officer upon award. Offerors must comply with FAR Clause 52.204-

7, System for Award Management and adhere to the requirements set forth in Section K –

Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors.

Electronic responses to this RFP are mandatory (See Section L). You are invited to submit a proposal in accordance with the requirements of the enclosed RFP No. 72060821R00002. Proposals must be received by the Government no later than the closing date and local time as specified on the top right of this cover letter and in the RFP. Receipt Time is when the proposal is received by the

USAID/Washington internet server. Proposals received after the closing time will be subject to the

Late Proposal guidance in FAR Part 15.208 – Submission, Modification, Revision and Withdrawal of Proposals. Hand delivery of proposals (including commercial courier) and facsimile transmission will not be accepted.

Any Questions or communications regarding this RFP should be directed by e-mail to usaidmoroccocontracts@usaid.gov and Ms. Salya Yacoubi, Supv. Senior Acquisition and

Assistance Specialist, at syacoubi@usaid.gov with a copy to Zachary Clarke, Regional Contracting

Officer, at zclarke@usaid.gov. No questions will be accepted after the specified date. Each e-mail must contain a subject line clearly indicating the “Name of the Offeror, 72060821R00002 -

Inclusive Education Teacher Training Activity”.

This RFP and any future amendments can be viewed and downloaded from https://beta.sam.gov/ .

USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

Further, be aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same internet site from which you downloaded the solicitation. You are therefore advised to regularly check the above internet site for amendments.

Please note that issuance of this RFP does not in any way obligate the USG to award a contract nor does it commit the USG to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

Furthermore, the USG reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the USG.

Thank you for your interest in USAID Programs.

Sincerely, Zachary Clarke

Regional Contracting Officer

USAID/Morocco

Zachary C Clarke (affiliate)

Digitally signed by Zachary C Clarke (affiliate) Date: 2021.01.29 16:33:06 +01'00'

72060821R00002

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SEALED BID (IFB)

5. DATE ISSUED

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED RATING PAGE OF PAGES

1 128

C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)A. NAME

10. FOR

INFORMATION

CALL:

CAUTION: LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(Date)(Hour) local timeuntildepository located in copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

I

J

K

L

M SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

PACKAGING AND MARKING

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSESPART I - THE SCHEDULE

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G

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SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) DESCRIPTION SEC. (X)

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

18. OFFER DATE17. SIGNATURE

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER

(Type or print)AND

ADDRESS

OF

OFFEROR

CODE FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER15A. NAME

DATEAMENDMENT NO.DATEAMENDMENT NO.

and related documents numbered and dated):

amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

CALENDAR DAYS (%)30 CALENDAR DAYS (%)20 CALENDAR DAYS (%)10 CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232.8)

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

28. AWARD DATE

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

CODE 24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

41 U.S.C. 253 (c) ( 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION20. AMOUNT19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

AWARD (To be completed by government)

CODE

REQ-608-21-00000401/29/2021

X

720608

USAID/Morocco American Embassy Rabat, Morocco KM 5.7, Avenue Mohammed VI Souissi, Rabat, 10170, Morocco 10170

1200 A 02/05/2021

Salya Yacoubi syacoubi@usaid.gov

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PAGE(S)

Zachary Clarke

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

1-2 3-5

6-17 18-21 23-42 43-47 48-67

68-78

80-103

104-123

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12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within _____180_________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I – THE SCHEDULE……………………………………………………………………………. 5

SECTION B – SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS…………………………………………………………5

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT………...8

SECTION D – BRANDING AND MARKING………………………………………………………….20

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE……………………………………………………24

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE…………………………………………………….25

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA……………………………………………...45

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS……………………………………………..50

PART II – CONTRACT CLAUSES……………………………………………………………………70

SECTION I………………………………………………………………………………………………..70

PART III – LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS……………..81

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS………………………………………………………………81

PART IV – REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS…………………………………………82

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

OFFERORS……………………………………………………………………………………………….82

SECTION L – INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS………………...106

SECTION M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD……………………………………………126

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance and other services as described in detail in Section C for the implementation of USAID/Morocco’s activity entitled “Inclusive Education

Teacher Training.”

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Completion-Type Contract. For the consideration set forth in the contract, the Contractor shall provide the results as described in Section C, and the deliverables as described in Section F. The Contractor must also comply with all other contract requirements.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is TBD. The fixed fee for the contract period, if any, is TBD. The estimated cost plus all fixed fee, if any, is TBD.

(b) Within the estimated cost-plus-fixed-fee (if any) specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor

(and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is TBD. The Contractor shall not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount.

(c) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through TBD. Funding for this contract will be on an incremental basis, subject to the availability of funds.

(d) The Contractor must not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount unless authorized by the

Contracting Officer pursuant to the clause of this contract entitled "Limitation of Funds" (FAR

52.232-22).

B.4 CONTRACT BUDGET AND CEILING

(a) The contract budget found herein is based on the Contractor’s original proposal and/or final proposal revision, which was accepted by USAID through award of this contract.

(b) The following itemized budget sets forth the estimates for individual line items of cost:

Cost Category Total estimates in $

1) Direct Costs TBD TBD

2) Indirect Costs TBD TBD

Total Estimated Cost TBD

Fixed-Fee TBD

Total Estimated Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee TBD

The total cost (including fixed fee) stated above may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. No amounts in excess of the amounts specified for each line item above shall be billed against the Contract.

(c) The inclusion of any costs in the above budget does not obviate the requirement for prior approval by the contracting officer of cost items designated as requiring prior approval by any of the terms and conditions of this contract, including the applicable cost principles (see FAR §

52.216-07, “Allowable Cost and Payment”); nor does it constitute a determination of allowability by the Contracting Officer of any item of cost, unless specifically stated elsewhere in this contract. Also, these amounts may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor will not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item as illustrated above.

(d) The Contractor agrees to furnish data that the Contracting Officer may request on costs expended or accrued under this contract in support of the budget information provided herein.

B.5 INDIRECT COSTS

(a) The contract clause entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment (AUG 2018)”, FAR 52.216-7, specifies that the indirect cost rates shall be established for each of the Contractor’s accounting periods that apply to this contract.

For the Prime Contractor:

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases pursuant to the contractor’s current executed Negotiated Indirect Cost

Rate Agreement:

Description Rate Base Type Period

% 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

For Major Subcontractor(s):

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs will be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases pursuant to the contractor’s current executed Negotiated Indirect Cost

Rate Agreement:

Description Rate Base Type Period

% 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

(b) The contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

B.6 REIMBURSABLE COSTS

The U.S. dollar costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable, and allowable costs determined in accordance with FAR 31 (contract cost principles), FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and

Payment, FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, FAR 52.232-20, Limitation of cost, and FAR 52- 232-22, Limitation of funds, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment.

B.7 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

Payment of fixed fee will be made upon receipt of a proper invoice and shall directly correspond to the percentage of allowable costs being paid. Specifically, in accordance with FAR 52.216-8, Fixed

Fee, after payment of 85 percent of the fixed fee, the Contracting Officer (CO) will withhold 15% of the total fee or $100,000, whichever is less, until the required award conditions under the referenced clause have been met.

Two exceptions to paying fixed fee in this manner apply:

(a) If the CO determines that this method results in paying a disproportionately higher ratio of fixed fee than the percentage of work that the Contractor has completed, then the CO may suspend further payment of any fixed fee until the Contractor has made sufficient progress to justify further payment, up to the agreed percentage.

(b) The clauses entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment” (FAR 52.216-7) and “Fixed Fee” (FAR 5.216-

8 are incorporated into this contract.

[END OF SECTION B]

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY.

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 TITLE

C.2 ACTIVITY PURPOSE

The purpose of the Inclusive Education Teacher Training Activity is to improve the quality of education for deaf1children and youth in Morocco. This purpose will be achieved through sustainably improving the performance and capacity of Moroccan Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and regional teacher training centers (CRMEFs) to provide quality teacher preparation and professional development in bilingual2 deaf education.

This activity will not involve the development of curricula, textbooks or any other materials for DHH children in grades 1-6. The SOW is solely focused on teacher preparation and training.

C.3 BACKGROUND

Situation of Education for Persons who are Deaf in Morocco

There are over one million deaf and hard of hearing people in Morocco.3 There are no exact statistics about DHH school enrollment rates. According to unofficial data from the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOE), the number of deaf children and youth who are in schools (K-12) is somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000. Very few students who are deaf attend primary school and few of those who do pass the national exams at the end of grade 6 and even fewer continue their education beyond grade 6. Those who continue their education beyond grade 6 either attend a mainstream secondary school, where they have no access to Moroccan Sign Language, or the

Lalla Asma Foundation in Rabat which is the only school for the deaf that offers secondary education opportunities catered to deaf youth in Morocco. Schools in Morocco’s mainstream education system

(primary through post-secondary) have few, if any, teachers and peers with fluency in Moroccan Sign

Language (MSL)4 and a small number of MSL interpreters, who often do not have formal training to effectively interpret between spoken French/Arabic and MSL inside and outside the classroom. This creates an isolating environment for deaf learners and affects their long-term learning outcomes and socio-emotional well-being.

The current education system in Morocco does not offer inclusive education teacher training nor an option for teachers to specialize in bilingual deaf education -- both are necessary components for an

‘Deaf’ is an umbrella term that represents the diversity and intersectionality within the deaf community and includes people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and deaf+ (deaf + another disability).

Standard Modern Arabic and Moroccan Sign Language

The Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity (2014). Enquête nationale sur l’handicap 2014 and recensement général de la population 2014

(HCP)

MSL is a visual/gestural language that is distinct from spoken Moroccan Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and French. MSL is also distinct from other sign languages, including sign languages present in other Arabic-speaking countries.

inclusive education system. There is no standardized plan for educating children who are deaf nor is there any curriculum for MSL. Prospective teachers do not have the opportunity to become fluent in

MSL or gain an understanding of sign language-centered pedagogy and deaf history. Most teachers of students who are deaf are hearing people who have little to no fluency in MSL and no specialized training in teaching students who are deaf. To date, most schools for the deaf in Morocco discourage the use of

MSL and facilitate learning through hearing and speaking. These actions are contrary to evidence and best practices that demonstrate deaf children and youth who learn through sign language contribute to stronger foundational skills and make further progress in learning outcomes.5 At present, there is no opportunity for people who are deaf to access education in a sign language rich environment in the current education system beyond grade 6.

Moreover, there are barriers that prevent members of the Moroccan deaf community from attaining teacher certifications. Evidence shows that teachers who are deaf contribute to improved learning outcomes for students who are deaf. However, because most deaf adults in Morocco have been prevented from continuing their schooling beyond grade 6, they are also unable to meet the prerequisite of passing the end of secondary exams in order to qualify for beginning studies to become a teacher. Most deaf students are encouraged to learn a trade (carpentry, sewing, etc.) rather than continue formal education which may yield better economic outcomes. They also continue to face stigma and discrimination as adults. However, there is a very small number of individuals who are deaf who managed to get their high school diploma, all from Lalla Asmaa Foundation. In 2018, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation negotiated agreements with a number of Moroccan universities to accommodate the deaf high school graduates within specific programs such as information technology.

Data recently provided by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and

Scientific Research (MOE) shows that there are some 200 in-service educators presently working with deaf children in schools run by non-government organizations (NGOs). According to the same source, 90 of these educators are tenured teachers seconded by the MOE to the NGOs. The remaining teachers are mostly volunteers or workers hired by the NGOs directly. Most of the teachers working with deaf students have little to zero fluency in MSL. The few who know some MSL did not learn MSL through formal training and are not capable of using it as the language of instruction in their classroom. These in-service teachers, whether tenured or volunteers have not received any specialized training on pedagogical skills for teaching students who are deaf.

Moroccan Sign Language (MSL)

Broadly, MSL as a language has limited analysis and documentation. As a result, there is limited understanding of MSL’s grammar, syntax, and regional variations. Further, MSL has not yet gained legal recognition by the Government of Morocco. This all has implications for the education system starting with early childhood education through higher education, in that there are no formal opportunities to learn MSL, no curriculum for MSL instruction and learning in primary, secondary or tertiary levels.

In Morocco, the Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity (MoS) is the Ministry charged with documentation of MSL. A meeting held by USAID/Morocco with the Minister of Social

Development, Family and Solidarity in Fall 2019 confirmed that the MoS has been pursuing the

Visual Language and Visual Learning Science of Learning Center. (2012, June). The Benefits of Bilingualism (Research Brief No. 7). Washington, DC: Sarah

Fish and Jill P. Morford.

development of an MSL dictionary since 2010, but has not been able to complete the process due to lack of expertise, resources and national buy-in. Until recently, the Moroccan government did not consider

MSL as a language of instruction for people who are deaf. USAID/Morocco encouraged the adoption of bilingual deaf education (MSL and Standard Modern Arabic) and this was formalized through the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MOE, Lalla Asmaa Foundation (the

Foundation), Mohammed V University and USAID. The MOU establishes a framework for collaboration among all participants to promote bilingual deaf education and improve the preparation and professional development of existing and prospective teachers of children and youth who are deaf. The MOU also lays the groundwork for formal legal recognition of MSL by the Government of Morocco.

Key stakeholders

For the purpose of this activity, key stakeholders include USAID/Morocco, Morocco Ministry of

Education, Vocational Training institutions, Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOE) staff, Lalla Asmaa Foundation staff, Mohammed V University in Rabat, the Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity (MoS), local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the members of the

Moroccan National Federation of the Deaf.

The Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific

Research (MOE) is the key institutional partner of USAID/Morocco and will take a lead role in this activity. The Ministry is a participant in the aforementioned MOU and is fully committed to supporting this program for training in-service teachers and new teachers on the competencies for implementing a bilingual deaf education approach to improve the quality of education for children and youth who are deaf. Under the framework of the MOU, the MOE will appoint the teachers who will benefit from the required training to teach in target schools managed by Lalla Asmaa Foundation for Deaf Children. It will review and approve key materials related to this program, including training materials, training guides, and other relevant documents. The MOE will facilitate the collaboration with regional and provincial level education offices, including the mobilization of these institutions, the issuing of the required documentation, and the allocation of the facilities needed for training or students’ instruction and learning. The MOE will also issue certificates to teachers who complete the program (in-service and pre-service).

Lalla Asmaa Foundation (the Foundation) is a registered non-profit organization operating under the

Moroccan law. The Foundation is a signatory of the MOU mentioned above. It is presided by Princess

Lalla Asmaa. The Foundation will support the implementation of this program through hosting of the activity physically within its premises; providing opportunities for new teachers to complete practicum in the schools managed by the Foundation; host, in close collaboration with the deaf community, special events to raise community awareness around the importance of MSL and bilingual deaf education; and encouraging deaf alumni and other qualified deaf Moroccans and MSL users to engage in teaching and to specialize in deaf education.

In the upcoming years, the MOE and the Foundation are planning to expand the education of children and youth who are deaf to cover all grades from K to 12. This will be done through the creation of new schools in major cities to absorb children from all regions. However, the greatest challenge will remain providing qualified teachers for these new schools. A comprehensive teacher training program that is sustainably embedded within a HEI is needed to prepare a cohort of teachers to acquire the MSL fluency and pedagogical skills to be utilized for the purpose of improving the quality of education for deaf learners.

Mohammed V University is a public university in Rabat. Mohammed V University will select a number of existing faculty to participate and work with deaf community stakeholders in the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based certificate program for deaf education that is rooted in a bilingual approach to deaf education and will deliver the certificate to new students who complete the new degree program.

The Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity (MoS) is in charge of all actions and initiatives related to persons with disabilities, including persons who are deaf. Since 2010, this Ministry has been trying to document MSL. The MoS is not a participant in the MOU, however, USAID/Morocco is brokering a partnership among MoS, the MOE and the other partners. The MoS coordinates its work with a network of civil society organizations to provide basic services to children and youth with disabilities, including child protection, health, socio-economic support. The implementer of this activity shall coordinate all aspects related to MSL with the MoS.

Local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): There are 52 local NGOs working with children and youth who are deaf that are recognized as legitimate by the MoS and the MOE. These NGOs depend on volunteer teachers who have no credentials. Until recently, the education of deaf children was fully left to these NGOs. However, since 2019, the MOE has started taking gradual responsibility for this marginalized population. The NGOs will still be providing education and other social services to DHH children for the next few years and for the duration of this activity, but it is expected that their role will start shifting slowly more towards health, social and economic support. This activity will support targeted

NGOs by providing needed training to their teachers (whether volunteers or tenured). The collaboration with these NGOs will be crucial to make sure that all in-service teachers are trained and that the NGOs are allowing their teachers to apply the training they received in the classroom. The NGOs may also help identify champions and teachers who master MSL to implement MSL training.

Fédération Nationale des Sourds du Maroc, also known as the ‘National Federation of the Deaf,’ is a national non-governmental organization. It is listed separately from the above because of its unique governance role. The Federation is an NGO that is led by deaf people and advocates for the rights of deaf people, including the right to learn MSL and quality, equitable and inclusive education. The organization states that there is little unity between associations and deaf citizens with common goals, agendas and incentives. Although associations from abroad have been trying to help this organization by supplying funds, there is little to no progress. The organization is also a member of the World Federation of the

Deaf. The Federation will facilitate the direct contact with deaf and hard of hearing people in Morocco.

Relevant USAID-funded Learning Activities and Analyses

Improving Deaf Children Reading through Technology (2015-2018): The Reading for Success-

Assistive Technology for Deaf Children’s Reading Improvement activity was a USAID-funded three-year collaborative endeavor implemented by the Institute for Disability Research and Training (IDRT) to benefit children in grades one through three in schools for the deaf to improve their reading competencies in Arabic. The implementation team worked with the MOE and local deaf associations to develop a software that helped teachers and parents create and publish MSL-supported educational materials; train teachers, parents, Ministry and deaf association representatives, and other stakeholders to use the software; train teachers and other educators on reading instructional techniques appropriate for young children who are deaf; develop a sign language-based Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA);

and evaluate the effectiveness of the software for improving teacher practice and students’ reading skills.

The software included a database of 3,000 signs with their regional variations. This activity was conducted as part of the All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development

(http://allchildrenreading.org/).

Situation and Needs Assessment for Students Who Are Blind/Low Vision or Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Morocco (2016):6 Under USAID’s guidance, Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International coordinated a team of international, regional, and local experts in the field of education for children with disabilities to conduct an in-depth assessment in Morocco. This assessment included a review of more than 70 documents on international laws and standards related to inclusive education, the general education system in Morocco, and laws and past reports on the education of children with disabilities in the country. The report provides a detailed analysis comparing international standards and best practices to the current situation in Morocco in the following areas: stakeholder engagement, legislation and policy frameworks, disability prevalence rates, general education of children with disabilities, education of children who are blind/have low vision, and education of children who are deaf/hard of hearing. The report states that the current education system in Morocco limits the potential of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, pointing out many of the findings included in this Statement of Work. The report also provides a number of concrete recommendations on how the Ministry of Education in Morocco can transition towards a more inclusive system aligned with international best practices.

The National Program for Reading (RFS-NPR) (2018 - 2022): Broadly, this project supports the MOE in its efforts to enhance educational attainment for Moroccan children at the primary level by improving

Arabic reading instruction. Relevant to this new activity, RFS-NPR supported the development of remote learning for deaf students. In response to the COVID-19, the MOE opened a national education platform with some 3,000 digital courses for students in primary schools. The courses were provided in the form of 26-minute videos, however, these education services were not accessible to learners who are deaf.

Thus, USAID/Morocco and Creative Associates, the implementer of this flagship activity, supported the

MOE in providing MSL interpretation services to make all lessons at the primary level that are offered online or on TV accessible to children who are deaf.

Higher Education Partnership-Morocco (HEP-M) (2019 - 2024): This activity is being implemented by Arizona State University in collaboration with 12 Moroccan Universities and teacher training institutions to design and develop a comprehensive systems approach to primary teacher preparation.

The activity will result in Moroccan faculty-designed and piloted comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum in primary-grade teacher education. It will include content that focuses on inclusive education practices and models equity and gender equality across all aspects of program design and implementation.

C.4 SCOPE OF WORK

Task Order 15: Data for Education Programming in Asia and the Middle East (DEP/AME) Situation and Needs Assessment for Students Who Are Blind/Low

Vision or Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Morocco

This USAID/Morocco Statement of Work (SOW) addresses the following USAID Education Policy priorities: “children and youth, particularly the most marginalized and vulnerable, have increased access to quality education that is safe, relevant, and promotes social well-being,” and “children and youth gain literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills that are foundational to future learning and success” with the overarching objectives of:

● Improving access to quality of bilingual education for deaf children and youth in Morocco.

● Sustainably building Moroccan HEIs’ capacity and improving their performance to provide quality teacher preparation and professional development for bilingual deaf education.

● Strengthening capacity of the local deaf community to support improved bilingual education for deaf learners.

C.5 DEVELOPMENT HYPOTHESIS

USAID/Morocco is basing this activity on the following premise:

● If teachers receive appropriate pedagogical training to meet the needs of deaf students, and are assessed for minimum fluency in Moroccan Sign Language as the main language of instruction for deaf students, and,

● If the capacity of the local deaf community to support bilingual deaf education is improved,

● then learning outcomes for children and youth who are deaf in Morocco will improve.

C.6 WORK REQUIREMENTS

The purpose of this activity is to improve the quality of instruction for children and youth who are deaf in Morocco. For an education system to become inclusive of learners who are deaf, it must have the capacity to be able to integrate principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to address gaps in achieving access to quality education for children and youth who are deaf. UDL looks at providing multiple means of engaging learners, multiple means of representing learning content and multiple means of action and expression. Principles of UDL should be reflected throughout all aspects of this activity.

Also, the activity should use existing curricula, materials and content while staying true to evidence-based approaches of bilingual deaf education, good practices and respecting the deaf and Moroccan contexts to improve access to quality and inclusive education especially in these key areas:

a) Provision of high-quality teacher training (pre- and in-service) and professional development in the area of bilingual deaf education, including professional learning of MSL.

b) Provision of services and opportunities for supporting the acquisition and continuous learning of MSL

c) Opportunities for Moroccan adults who are deaf to be role models and resource people inside and outside education environments.

In order to achieve this purpose this activity will focus its efforts on two main results:

Result 1: Capacity of teachers strengthened for improved bilingual deaf education.

Result 2: Capacity of the local deaf community strengthened to support improved bilingual deaf education for children and youth who are deaf.

Result 1: Capacity of teachers strengthened for improved bilingual deaf education

This result focuses on building the capacity of teachers’ pedagogical and language skills using bilingual deaf education pedagogy (MSL and Standard Arabic) in order to holistically support the development of learners’ pre-literacy and literacy skills. This activity will build on other relevant Ministry and USAID-funded Reading for Success activities such as the MoS’ efforts to develop a MSL dictionary and past work with IDRT.

Requirement 1: An intensive course on Moroccan Sign Language developed and delivered in conjunction with the Moroccan deaf community for teachers working with learners who are deaf.

This requirement focuses on building an intensive course on Moroccan Sign Language with fluency metrics. This should be done with the active participation of the Moroccan deaf community and will require engaging members of the Moroccan deaf community who have fluency in MSL and building their capacity to develop MSL course content with fluency metrics and their capacity to teach Moroccan

Sign Language. Once the deaf Moroccans’ capacity is developed and the training content is designed, they are expected to teach MSL to participants of the 12-month in-service training program and the certificate program for bilingual deaf education (both described below) and support ongoing efforts to sustain language learning beyond the 12-month period.

In addition, this MSL intensive course will also be offered to faculty from a selection of higher education institutions who are going to be involved in implementing pre-service teacher training (Requirement 3) for prospective teachers who want to specialize in DHH education.

Requirement 2: An in-service training program on bilingual deaf education developed and delivered.

This requirement focuses on the development and implementation of a 12-month in-service training program on bilingual deaf education for teachers who are currently working in schools for the deaf. This training is to be delivered in collaboration with select teacher training centers (CRMEFs). USAID’s objective is to work with the Moroccan partners to establish an intensive training curriculum on bilingual deaf education pedagogy and MSL to all practicing teachers who are currently teaching students who are deaf. These teachers may or may not be tenured.

To avoid disruptions to teaching and learning at schools for the deaf and to maximize the benefit of the training offered to in-service teachers, training sessions may be offered in a blended format, with face-to-face training offered during school breaks and the remainder of the training offered virtually.

Teachers will be tested for their MSL fluency at the beginning and end of the in-service training to measure their progress. Teachers will need to achieve the minimum level of fluency to teach as eventually defined under Requirement 1. Teachers will also need to pass a pedagogical skills test for bilingual deaf education. If teachers reach a minimum level of MSL fluency, and pass the pedagogical skills test, they will get a certificate issued by the MOE regional centers for teacher training (CRMEFs).

Note: Efforts to develop content under Requirements 1 and 2 should run simultaneously.

Requirement 3: A certificate program in bilingual deaf education for teachers developed.

For this requirement, the implementer will work closely with select university faculty and deaf community partners that participated in activities under Requirements 1 and 2 to develop and implement an 18-month certificate program for teachers on bilingual deaf education. Content for this certificate program would draw from existing content, including what was created under Requirements 1 and 2.

Program candidates include new teachers who graduated from the Higher Education Partnership-

Morocco program for teacher preparation, and tenured teachers who want to specialize in bilingual deaf education. The program will be delivered by a select number of universities in Morocco.

The implementer should consult with the MOE and the NGOs on how many new tenured teachers will need to be trained each year to cover the needs of existing and/or new schools. The implementer should also work with the MOE and HEI(s) to determine eligibility requirements and develop related assessment tools.

Requirement 4: Assessment Plan

This is a cross cutting requirement. The Contractor must provide a plan on how to assess the language and pedagogical skill levels of the teachers for bilingual deaf education after completing the in-service and certificate programs. As part of this effort the following must also be developed:

- Criteria to measure individuals’ fluency in MSL. This will involve the establishment of benchmarks for levels of fluency, and identification of the minimum fluency benchmark in order for adults to be able to teach deaf students.

- Pre and post MSL fluency tests using existing materials, as appropriate, to measure the progress of teachers’ MSL learning during the in-service program and their level of fluency at the end of the program to indicate whether they have achieved the minimum level of fluency to teach.

- Formative and summative evaluation tools to measure participants’ acquisition of pedagogical knowledge/skills for teaching DHH students.

Note: Result 1 activities will be developed and tested centrally by the implementer. The implementer will also train trainers to scale up these activities. However, the scale up itself will be the responsibility of the MOE.

Result 2: Capacity of the local deaf community strengthened to support improved bilingual deaf education for children and youth who are deaf.

This result focuses on building the capacity of Moroccan deaf community members to provide mentorship and facilitate early and ongoing access to MSL, assist in reducing parents’ anxieties relating to their deaf child, establish peer support networks and promote positive self-identity among deaf children and youth.

While teachers are the primary beneficiaries of this activity, families and communities of children and youth who are deaf must also support the work of teachers to see the end goal of thriving people who are deaf contributing to the Moroccan society as equals. The majority of families and communities have never met another deaf adult, typically hold negative stigma and perception of deaf people, and lack awareness regarding the education needs of deaf people including little to zero fluency in MSL. Offerors should suggest innovative ways for achieving this result.

C.7 ACTIVITY PARAMETERS

A. Target Beneficiaries

The activity will be designed to benefit teachers in all deaf schools and new teachers aspiring to specialize in bilingual deaf education nationwide.

This activity must include at a minimum three main groups of beneficiaries:

● In service teachers. There are currently around 200 teachers working in schools for the deaf that are primarily managed by NGOs. Based on statistics provided informally by the

MOE, out of these 200 in-service teachers, 90 are tenured teachers that are seconded by the

MOE to work within these schools.

● Tenured teachers and holders of the new Bachelor of Arts (BA)7 degree. In consultation with the MOE, the Contractor should establish the number of new teachers needed each year. These include:

○ Tenured teachers who are not presently teaching students who are deaf and wish to do so in the future.

○ Tenured teachers who are teaching students who are deaf and want to become certified teachers of the deaf.

○ New teachers who complete the BA in teaching (under the Higher Education

Partnership-Morocco activity) and want to specialize in deaf education.

● Deaf community members. These may include, but are not limited to, parents, families of DHH children, community leaders and advocates.

B. Geographic Focus

Most design and training of trainers’ activities will happen in Rabat, Morocco. Once the design phase is completed, the implementation of the training will be tested in Rabat, and

The Government of Morocco has recently (2019) adopted a new law to change the pre-service teacher training from a one-year program to a 5 year program.

USAID/Morocco signed an award -- Higher Education Partnership-Morocco -- with Arizona State University (ASU) to help the Moroccan Government implement this new law.

then rolled out gradually at the national level. The roll out plan will be developed and implemented with the MOE leadership.

Travel to the regions8 of Morocco may be necessary to roll out the new training program in the select Teacher Training Centers (CRMEFs) and select Universities. Training may be delivered face-to-face or virtually, or through a blended approach. The Contractor must build enough flexibility in their design to accommodate unforeseen circumstances, such as those imposed presently by COVID-19.

C.8 OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Principles and Guidance

A. Sustainability

The Contractor must:

● Clearly include local systems and HEIs in the long-term sustainability of initiatives.

● Develop a financially sustainable model for the teacher training program to operate within.

● Prioritize building the capacity of the various players of the inclusive education scene in Morocco.

● Include various stakeholders, especially the MOE and the Moroccan Deaf community.

B. Implementation Constraints

This activity will be implemented under conditions where various challenges related to laws, rules, regulations, standards, technology, and other constraints must be successfully navigated. In addition to addressing the development challenges and achieving the stated requirements, the Contractor must integrate each of the following cross-cutting requirements in the implementation of this activity:

1. Language requirements. The work will operate in Moroccan Sign Language, Arabic, and English.

2. Gender, Disability, and Minority-Aware Interventions. The Contractor must integrate considerations of multiple and intersectional identities. For instance, access to education is particularly limited for rural girls, those living in extreme poverty, those living in contexts of conflict or crisis, and those who belong to minority ethnic or language groups in the countries served by USAID. The economically driven interventions possible under this activity are particularly relevant for these beneficiary populations. However, if country selection, data collection, technical analyses and assistance, intervention planning, and monitoring and evaluation procedures do not prioritize services to these potential learners, the likelihood that work under this activity will increase educational equity declines.

8 Morocco’s 12 administrative regions are: Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima. Oriental. Fès-Meknès. Rabat-Salé-Kénitra. Béni Mellal-Khénifra. Casablanca-Settat.

Marrakech-Safi. Drâa-Tafilalet, Souss-Massa, Ghelmim-Ouad Noun, Laayoun-Saquia Lhamra, Dakhla-Ouad Dahab.

The Contractor will be required to conduct a gender analysis at the activity level to identify the gender gaps and issues/concerns

3. Cost-effectiveness. To ensure evidence-based programming and effective public resource investment management, USAID needs data on the effects of, and costs associated with education interventions. The implementer must collect cost data to help USAID accomplish the following: (1) estimate levels of investment needed to produce desired outputs; (2) understand the differences in costs of producing the same outputs across different models; (3) measure inputs into cost categories; and (4) when sufficient evaluation data are available, calculate cost per attributable outcomes and cost-effectiveness of comparable models. In addition, cost tracking must align with the Cost Reporting Guidance for USAID-Funded Education Activities.9

4. Creative Commons. In accordance with the 2013 White House directives on making education materials open source, the materials developed by the implementer under this activity must be licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution (Creative

Commons-By) license. Creative Commons is a non-profit that provides copyright licenses that allow material developers to retain copyright and credit for the original work, while allowing others to copy, distribute, and build upon the work. This licensing arrangement is essential for local partners to scale and sustain the interventions of the activity.

5. Inclusive Development. The promotion of equity and inclusion are key guiding principles of the USAID Education Policy as well as this activity. In this vein, the implementer must ensure an inclusive, equitable approach to education. All newly developed content, materials, and media will be designed to be disability-inclusive, gender-sensitive, engaging, and relevant to the Moroccan context. To support high-quality education for children with disabilities, the activity must ensure inclusiveness in all activities, including classroom management, classroom instruction, and teaching and learning materials. To the extent possible, all events and training should provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. The Contractor must consider an inclusive approach in every element of activity design as well, including assembling a diverse team and providing reasonable accommodations as needed.

C. Science, Innovation and Technology

The…