Attachment_J.9_Reference_Links.docx

SUBJECT: Request for Proposals (RFP) RFP No.: SOL-176-16-000002

To All Potential Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International Development Regional Mission to Central Asia (USAID/CA), is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to implement a project entitled “Tajikistan Basic Education – READ WITH ME” as detailed in Section C.

USAID anticipates awarding a cost plus fixed-fee completion-type contract as a result of this solicitation, covering an estimated period of five years. The total estimated value of the base period is $19 - $23 million. Please refer to L.8 for further details on pricing. Offerors must propose costs that they believe are realistic and reasonable for the work described herein.

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). All types of organizations are eligible to compete. If your organization decides to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, it must be submitted in accordance with Section L of this RFP. Offerors must also carefully review Section M - Evaluation Factors for Award. Sections B through I of the solicitation will become a substantive part of the anticipated contract with blanks to be completed by the Contracting Officer upon award. Section K - Representations, Certifications and Acknowledgements must be filled out in full by the offerors.

It is the responsibility of the recipient of this solicitation to ensure that the solicitation has been received from the FBO page in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from download or conversion processes.

Offerors can register and use the Interested Vendor List (IVL) on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website, so that firms can contact one another for consideration of teaming arrangements and/or small business subcontracting opportunities in response to this solicitation.

Questions and comments related to this RFP must be submitted electronically to the attention of Mr. Seilkhan Yeleussizov at syeleussizov@usaid.gov and AlmatyAAsolicitations@usaid.gov no later than January 25, 2016, 10:00 am Almaty Time using the following format for the email subject line: “SOL-176-16-000001, Tajikistan Basic Education Project Read With Me – [Name of Organization] Questions/Comments”.

USAID may consolidate and/or not respond to questions/comments and will publically post all responses as an amendment to this RFP. All amendments to this solicitation will be issued and posted on the FBO website. Offerors are encouraged to check this website (http://www.fbo.gov) periodically.

The Technical and Cost proposals must be separate and must be submitted according to Section L of this RFP. Only electronic proposals will be accepted in response to this RFP. The subject line for Technical and Cost Proposal submissions must follow the following format: “SOL-176-16-000002, Tajikistan Basic Education Project Read With Me - [Name of Offeror] [Technical/Cost] Proposal, [Email _ of _]”. Proposals must be signed by an official who is authorized to bind the offeror’s organization.

Proposals are due February 29, 2016, 10:00 am Almaty Time. Proposals received after the closing date and time will be processed as late and handled in accordance with FAR 15.208

Issuance of this RFP in no way obligates the U.S. Government to award a contract nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the U.S. Government.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, Kerry West Contracting Officer

Contents

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to obtain services as described in Section C. Statement of Work.

B.2 COST REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACT TYPE

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion contract. For the consideration set forth below, the contractor must provide the deliverables or outputs described in Sections C and F in accordance with the performance standards specified in Sections C and F.

B.3 TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE 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, if any, is TBD. The estimated cost plus 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 cannot exceed the aforesaid obligated amount.

(c) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through TBD.

B.4 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

Total

a. Direct Costs

b. Indirect Costs

c. Fixed Fee

Total Price

B.5 FIXED FEE (CPFF)

Pursuant to FAR 16.306(d), the fixed fee payable under this contract will be tied to the completion of the reports and deliverables specified in Section F.6 of this contract and in accordance with the final approved Fee Schedule.

B.6 INDIRECT COSTS (CPFF)

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:

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

2/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

3/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE (CPFF)

Allowable costs will be limited to reasonable, allocable and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment.

In addition, the requirement and conditions concerning estimated cost and funding apply as detailed in FAR 52.232-22, Limitation of Funds, incorporated by reference in Section I of this contract.

RFP No.: SOL-176-16-000002

[END OF SECTION B]

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SECTION C – DESCRIPTION / SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

READ WITH ME

C.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to improve reading outcomes for students in grades one through four in targeted schools in Tajikistan. The contractor will achieve these results by providing educators with reading-specific in-service training, supplementary materials, and integration of assessments to monitor reading progress; increasing the availability of age-appropriate reading materials in mother-tongue languages, specifically Tajik and Russian, that will develop students’ core reading skills; increasing government support for reading through capacity building in the area of reading instruction and mentoring, as well as, increasing dialogue on the environment for reading; and increasing innovations and partnerships supporting literacy outcomes. There are approximately 683,000 primary students, 29,000 teachers, and 3,800 primary schools in Tajikistan. USAID expects the contractor to reach 75% of the primary students and teachers by the end of the activity period.

C.2 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this contract will be achieved through 4 Activity Results (ARs). USAID/Central Asia expects approximately 75% of the resources will be focused on ARs 1 and 2, 15% on 3, and 10% on AR 4. The four Activity Results expected as outcomes of this activity’s interventions are:

C.3 BACKGROUND

Tajikistan Country Context

Tajikistan is a small, landlocked developing country in Central Asia, with the population of around 8.3 million and a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of US$1,060 (World Bank, 2015).The education budget has steadily increased as a percentage of GDP from 3.4% in 2007 to 5.5% in 2015 (19% of the state budget). Despite these increases, the level of financing is inadequate to meet system needs, according to the funding gap analysis conducted by the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES). The country inherited a serious decline of education as a result of the breakup of the Soviet Union and consequences of the Civil War (1992-1997).

The central government consists of the President’s office, ministries, and committees. The sub-national administration consists of four types of units -Oblasts (regions/provinces), towns, rayons (rural districts) and Jamoats (subdistricts). There are four oblasts and oblast-level entities and 68 rayons. Tajikistan is a centralized state with most social services provided by sub-national decentralized government structures.

Despite insufficient financial resources, low capacity, demographic challenges, increased migration of adults for job employment opportunities, and vulnerability to natural disasters (e.g floods, landslides, earthquakes, and droughts) and other external challenges, the Tajik Government and the Ministry of Education and Science is willing to continue reforming the education sector as outlined in the national Strategy for Education Development for 2012-2020 (NSED) and Mid-Term Development Strategy for (2016-2020), which identifies the need to modernize the education sector, increasing access and inclusiveness to quality education to meet the requirements of the market economy. The population is growing and predominantly rural. Thirty seven percent of the population is under 14 years of age. The average annual population growth over the past five years was 2% and it is expected to increase from 1.8 to 2.3 million students by 2020.

There is no industrial development; thus, up to 40% of the working population seeks job employment opportunities abroad, mostly in Russia and remittances are equivalent to roughly half of the GDP. The professional skills of youth remain relatively poor. Many professional and skilled workers left Tajikistan after independence, thereby affecting vocational and tertiary education services. The growing absence of men has meant that many women are taking on new responsibilities. Women’s progress is constrained, especially, but not only in rural communities by relatively rigid notions of men’s and women’s appropriate roles in society. Many believe men should be the key breadwinners and women should maintain the home and care for the children and the elderly, limiting women’s opportunities to work outside the home. Education for girls and women is increasingly discouraged beyond the compulsory years, making them even less prepared to enter the economy and contribute to development of civil society as a whole.

The education system in Tajikistan consists of preschool (ages 1-6) and General School (Grades 1-11). The General level is divided and referred to as primary (Grades 1-4) and Compulsory Basic (Grades 1-9). Professional education consists of Primary Vocational Education and Training (VET) (Ages 16+), Secondary VET (ages 16+) and Tertiary education (ages 18+). Tajik is the main language of instruction through secondary school, but, in 2003, Russian was restored as a mandatory second language.

C.4 LINK TO THE U.S. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR FOREIGN ASSISTANCE

Under the Foreign Assistance Framework, this project supports:

Program Objective: 3 Investing in People Program Area: 3.2 Education Element: 3.2.1 Basic Education

C.5 USAID AND OTHER DONOR-RELATED ACTIVITIES

Current USAID Education activities include the Quality Reading Project, Global Partnership for Education Grant-4 (GPE-4), and the Economic and Social Connections: Multi-Input Area Development Financing Facility for Tajikistan (ESCO-MIAD).

USAID/Quality Reading Project (June 2013-October 2017) Overview: USAID Quality Reading Project (USAID/QRP) assists the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) in Tajikistan to reform the primary education system and to improve the primary education system through the following key objectives: (1) Improved reading instruction in Grades 1-4; (2) Increased availability of reading materials; (3) Increased out of school reading time; and, (4) Increased government support on reading. USAID/QRP is scheduled from June 2013 to October 2017, is aligned to USAID’s Global Education Strategy Goal 1, and is consistent with the National Strategy for Education Development 2015-2020 (NSED) aimed at improving reading skills among primary grade students.

Global Partnership for Education Grant-4 (GPE-4) (September 2013 - September 2017) Overview: The fourth grant to Tajikistan from the Global Partnership for Education Fund, formerly known as Education For All-Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund, was launched in 2014 in Tajikistan to complement the previous allocations that have had a catalytic effect on the mobilization and improvement of the usage of national and international resources. GPE-4 is focused on four objectives to ensure all children in Tajikistan, especially the most marginalized groups such as girls, ethnic minorities, disabled children, and those from remote areas have access to quality education. Component one aims to increase access to quality early childhood education programs; Component two enhances the quality of education (primary and secondary curriculum and pedagogy) and promotes inclusive education; Component three improves child-friendly learning environments, and Component four strengthens government management capacity and piloting of per capita financing in pre-school education.

USAID is the only donor who supports the government in the reforms of primary education. The MoES expects assistance from USAID in the development of two additional packages focused on a competency-based methodology and a student performance assessment. This is to ensure the content of the In-Service Training (IST) curriculum on competency-based approaches contains all required standards and is integrated into the national system for long-term development.

Economic and Social Connections: Multi-Input Area Development Financing Facility for Tajikistan (ESCO-MIAD) (October 2014-October 2019) Overview: The overall goal of ESCO-MIAD initiated in October 2014 aims to improve the quality of life for people living on the Tajik-Afghan border through a) improving local governance via better relations between local communities and government; b) improving utilization of economic opportunities for individuals, micro-, small-, and medium-enterprises; and c) improving the quality of social services. The ESCO-MIAD is a partnership between USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF); each institution provides half of the project funding. Under the Improving Quality of Social Services, ESCO-MIAD will help strengthen the Teacher Training Institute in Kulyob (Khatlon District), Teacher Training Institute Korugh (Gorno-Badakshan Autonomous Region), and the District Education Departments to enhance the capacity of 96 key primary teachers from 610 targeted schools covering 8,900 primary students through application of the Relevancy Pedagogy in instruction. Teachers also will benefit from on-going professional dialogue through the establishment of Education Communities of Practice.

Relationship to Partner Country, Local Stakeholders, and Other Donor Programs Many tasks and activities under this SOW are part of larger initiatives led by other donors. The contractor will take steps to ensure that its activities are well-coordinated with other donors and avoid duplication of efforts.

USAID is a member of the Tajikistan Development Coordination Council working group on education which works closely with the MoES and donors in implementation of the NSED and Mid-Term Action Plan (MTAP). USAID is a core donor who assists the country to implement the NSED, MTAP, and GPE-4 under Component two leveraging its resources, building human capacity, and affecting policy transformations from traditional to modern pedagogical approaches.

There are a number of examples of efficient joint coordination and partnership among the donors and ministry. For example, UNICEF, OSI, and AKF assist the government to improve access in the areas of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and inclusive education and scale up, as appropriate, the operations of alternative preschools.

Funding from the World Bank, OSI, and the Russian Government helped to pilot the Unified University Entrance Examination (UEE) through the National Testing Center (NTC). The new National Testing System was piloted twice in 2014 and 2015 to ensure quality, transparency, accountability in implementation, and prevent corruption in tertiary education.

UNICEF assists the country to promote inclusive education and mitigate multigrade education challenges in Tajikistan. UNICEF works closely with government and donors to strengthen the national policy framework to ensure teachers, directors, and other relevant education staff have professional development opportunities to deliver quality education for all students including multigrade classes.

The World Food program supports primary students with the provision of meals in rural areas.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is supported by the European Commission and GIZ.

Government Stakeholders The contractor will work closely with government services and education stakeholders for all four ARs. A key stakeholder must be the Ministry of Education and Science and its national and regional affiliates. Affiliates include: Academy of Education (AOE), Education Development Institute, Republican Methodological Center, National Testing Center (NTC), Teacher Training Institutes (TTIs) in Dushanbe, Qurgonteppa, Kulyob, Khojand and Khorugh including regional educational departments (Rayons and Oblasts). Central to this activity will be the involvement of regional and district education departments and schools with key stakeholders including directors, deputy directors, school directors, librarians, methodologists, and teachers. Due to AR1, which focuses on increasing reading materials, work with local authors, illustrators, book sellers, and publishers is vital and mandatory.

Partner Outreach AR3, which focuses on innovations and partnerships, necessitates that the contractor must seek out a variety of partners who are willing and able to support improving reading materials and the learning environment. Such partners envisioned include, but are not limited to: corporations through their corporate social responsibility endeavors, local businesses, venture capitalists, angel investors, media outlets, libraries, and community organizations. Recognizing the importance of families in raising children and inculcating the love for reading, the activity will engage family members toward the goal of improving primary reading outcomes.

Local organizations The Offeror should be aware of efforts of local organizations such as: M-Vector, Tajik Association on “Reading and Writing and Critical Thinking” (RWCT) and the Center of Sociological Research, known as Zerkalo and coordinate with them as appropriate.

M-Vector in Tajikistan is a leading Central Asian research and consulting company. In the Fall of 2011, USAID contracted the Aguirre Division of JBS International and its subcontractor M-Vector to implement a research study to promote the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA). Research focused on a quantitative oral assessment of reading skills in grades two to four in Tajik and Russian schools and a qualitative research study of current pedagogical practices and materials related to early grade reading. USAID contracted the Research Triangle Institute, which in partnership with M-Vector, will promote an Early Grade Reading Assessment in 45 schools for 1,350 students in GBAO district, planned in spring 2016 to assess the reading abilities of Tajik- and Russian-speaking students in Grades 2 and 4.

The Tajik Association on “Reading and Writing and Critical Thinking” (RWCT) strengthens capacity of teachers on innovative techniques and best practices in the areas of reading, writing, and critical thinking. RWCT has the capacity to organize scientific research activities, workshops, and training for teachers at the national, regional, and school community levels to enrich their knowledge and skills on new teaching techniques. RWCT trainers are involved in the delivery of training that focuses on teaching modern reading practices through MoES, OSI, USAID/QRP, AKF, GIZ, UNICEF, and the Global Fund.

The Center of Sociological Research, known as Zerkalo, is one of the leading local agencies specializing in carrying out regular large scale, sociological, and marketing research throughout the country. Zerkalo designs research methodology, tools, and questionnaires; implements data collection, and analyzes data. Zerkalo conducted the Baseline Qualitative Study of reading in the home, school, and community in Tajikistan for the USAID/QRP project in the fall of 2013.

C.6 ACTIVITY COMPONENTS AND RESULTS

The purpose of Read with Me is to improve reading outcomes for students in grades 1-4 in targeted schools in Tajikistan through the following four activity results (AR):

The contractor will reach 75% of primary students and provide training to 75% of primary grade educators. Before October 2017, neither Quality Reading Project treatment or control schools, nor ESCO-MIAD schools before October 2019 may be part of the contractor activity.

Interventions under this activity will take place in Tajikistan, specifically working with schools that are not designated as either Quality Reading Project treatment or control schools prior to October 2017 or ESCO-MIAD schools prior to October 2019. The geographical focus for this activity will be nationwide; however, the implementation plan will need to prevent spillover and contamination effects by not targeting treatment and control schools under the Quality Reading Project and ESCO-MIAD during their activity life. The geographic location of pilot and intervention schools will be defined in discussions and consultations with the Ministry of Education and Science once the activity is launched to avoid overlapping and duplicative actions. There are 68 districts in Tajikistan (e.g., Dushanbe, Regions of Republican Subordination, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Khatlon Province, and Sughd Province).

Below is a table with anticipated results for this contract:

EGRA

May 2014

14%

TBD

+2%

+5%

+11%

+16%

+23%

USAID F-indicator: 3.2.1-28: Proportion of students who, by the end of the primary grade cycle (grade 4), demonstrate that they can read AND understand the meaning of grade level text.

May 2014

1.1%

TBD

+2.9%

+5.9%

+8.9%

+10.9%

+14.9%

Required components/outcome measures for the four Activity Results:

AR 1: Increased Availability of Reading Materials

Age-relevant reading materials in Tajik, Russian, and other mother tongue languages of Tajikistan are very limited, especially in formats that can increase the effectiveness of the learning-to-read process, increase students’ enjoyment of reading, and be easily obtained or produced. Through AR 1, the contractor will address this issue by procuring and developing age-appropriate primary reading materials in mother tongue languages that support learning standards. This AR also requires the contractor to increase the capacity of local authors and illustrators to create mother tongue, magnified or enlarged versions of children’s books also known as “big books” for educators to use during instruction and trade books for primary students (Grade 1-4).

Sub AR 1.1: Quality, age-appropriate reading materials in Tajik and Russian that support learning standards procured.

The contractor is responsible for the procurement of 256,000 grade appropriate big books and trade books for classroom instruction and out-of-school reading activities. Books must be aligned with the subject topics identified in the curriculum, standards, language of instruction for associated grade, and/or an international benchmark. The list of reading materials to be procured by the contractor in both languages must be selected in consultation with the MoES representatives and USAID. Where appropriate, the contractor must make use of resources that have been created by other donors, international organizations, and/or the private sector. The contractor will accomplish the following:

Required components:

· Develop criteria to guide purchase of primary grade relevant reading materials available in the market.

· Develop a detailed list with the cost of the existing, appropriate primary grade level books available on the market per grade that are desirable for procurement and distribution among targeted schools.

· Procure and distribute a minimum of 256,000 age-appropriate books for classroom instruction in grades 1-4, which may support out-of-school reading activities. This book procurement should represent about 10% of available funding of the procurement for supplemental primary reading materials, depending on the final activity budget and be distributed to the targeted schools (reaching 75% of primary students in Tajikistan).

Illustrative areas of work:

· Integrate primary, age-relevant reading materials into instruction.

· Develop a crosswalk to show the alignment of procured titles to curriculum standards, to IST modules, and which key reading component skills the titles address (i.e., phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, fluency)

Outcome measure:

· # age-appropriate materials procured in mother tongue, disaggregated by language

· # of textbooks and other teaching and learning materials provided with USG assistance (Standard F 3.2.1-33)

Sub AR 1.2: Capacity of local authors and illustrators to create mother tongue reading materials in the form of big books and trade books increased.

By recognizing a lack of age-appropriate, quality reading material available in mother tongue languages aligned to curriculum standards and in use as core or supplementary material in the schools, the contractor will work to increase the capacity of local authors and illustrators to improve this situation. Training modules for authors, illustrators, and designers must be developed to ensure book developers have professional skills and abilities on creation and production of big books and trade books for primary students. This component, intended for classroom and out-of-school use, must be followed in consultation and partnership with the MoES to ensure its acceptance, of placing relevant reading materials into the hands of children, and to build the capacity of the government to continue this endeavor for the long-term.

Required components:

· Develop and deliver capacity building workshops for authors and illustrators that focus on creation of magnified or enlarged version of children’s books also known as “big books” and trade books that reflect the cultural context, support the academic standards, and provide a platform for “Fab 5” (e.g., comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, phonics, and phonemic awareness) development.

· Provide training to help authors, illustrators, designers, educators, and publishers create reading materials that are developmentally appropriate (grade-level correlated).

· Develop review criteria to guide development of primary grade/age-relevant reading materials (e.g Number of pages in the book; word limit per page; illustration; organizational structure; topics; vocabulary, Fab 5 skill development, and complexity).

Illustrative areas of work:

· Incorporate children’s literature experts, illustrators, and designers into the trainings and/or development of training packages.

· Incorporate experts in reading instruction to discuss reading development materials and how educators can use books to foster primary children’s reading skill development.

Outcome measure:

· # of training programs provided with USG assistance.

· # of person/hours of job skill development conducted that are led by the private sector and that contribute to advanced economic development needs.

· # of new types of training that teach new skills for emerging sectors of the economy.

Sub AR 1.3: Quality, age-appropriate reading materials in mother tongue languages that support learning standards and complement what is available on the market developed.

Under this Sub-AR the contractor through trained authors, illustrators, and designers will develop age/grade appropriate reading materials in native languages (mother tongues) in partnership and consultation with the MoES to ensure these materials are aligned with subject topics identified in the curriculum, consistent with the standards, and program of instruction for the associated grade. Materials developed will supplement those books available on the market and procured under Sub-AR 2.1. Developed materials must include big books for teacher-led instruction to model reading strategies and trade books for student use during school and for use at home to reinforce reading skills and subject matter. Following capacity building, the authors, designers and illustrators will start developing age/primary grade level reading materials. The contractor shall at a minimum accomplish the following:

Required components:

· Develop a variety of primary, age-appropriate “big books,” trade books, and supplementary reading materials in mother tongue languages to support learning standards; facilitate building of students’ comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, phonics, and phonemic awareness; and complement what is available on the market.

· Developed age-relevant reading materials must be of high quality, able to sustain use by primary-aged children in school and home settings.

· Developed materials need to be of the format and structure to be reproduced in mass and disseminated to primary audiences.

· Developed books field tested to help establish anchor levels for grade/age-appropriate reading materials.

Illustrative areas of work:

· Develop assessment of market gaps based on learning standards supported, age-appropriateness, language, content and relevance.

· Provide alternative platform delivery to supplement required components, such as through apps, mobile phones, tablets, computers, television.

· Translate age-appropriate literature in other languages, subject to copyright and publishing agreements.

· Develop books to include messaging of other USAID interventions and activities to reinforce learning (i.e., agriculture, health, civic responsibility, trade) and include gender- balanced and inclusive-sensitive themes.

Outcome measures:

· # of textbooks and other teaching and learning materials provided with USG assistance (Standard F 3.2.1-33)

AR2: Improved reading instruction in grades 1-4

At the primary school level, the contractor will work on capacity building of teachers for long-term sustainable impact by providing in-service teacher training institutions on early reading pedagogy. Irrespective of training quality at in-service teacher training centers, teachers need a lot of practical guidance and support while they are in their classrooms. The contractor will provide the support for teachers through the following activities:

Sub AR 2.1: Design reading strategies training packages The contractor will develop reading strategy trainings on competency-based approaches through capacity-building workshops with representatives from the Academy of Education and institutions such as the Republican Institute for In-Service Teacher Training (RITT), regional Teacher Training Institutes (TTIs) and Republican Methodological Center, as appropriate, as well as primary educators (i.e., teachers, librarians, school directors) and those who teach future educators (i.e., pedagogical instructors). These trainings must reflect specific reading-based strategies and methods directly related to improving primary grade reading outcomes. Trainings will be designed for institutionalization and replication nationwide in Tajikistan. Copies of training instructions will be distributed to all in-service training institutions and targeted primary schools during the training delivery. Training package modules must be developed so that sections can be used as stand-alone documents if necessary. The contractor will accomplish the following on training packages components:

Required components

· Develop training packages that must align with and support revised national reading standards on competency-based approaches.

· Develop and support best practices in reading instruction and on incorporating these practices into lesson plans through tools such as best practices videos or eLearning repository.

· Adapt and apply research on effective reading strategies to local context. Integrate the strategies into instructional practices.

· Use summative and formative reading assessments to track reading progress over time at the individual student level, as well as, use of the Early Grade Reading Assessment to track reading outcomes.

· Develop/Train teacher Read Aloud -book talks/book walks.

· Teacher/Librarian models reading a book, use of comprehension strategies, demonstrating metacognition, and seven areas of reading –phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, reading comprehension, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and writing.

· Directed Reading Thinking Activity, (DRTA), a comprehension strategy that guides students in asking questions about a text, making predictions, and then reading to confirm or refute their predictions.

· Develop and train on reading strategies to improve comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, phonics, and phonemic awareness. Illustrative bullets below.

· Comprehension: text features, compare & contrast, summarizing, story structure, questioning, visualizing, predicting, clarifying, evaluating, identifying, picture cues, graphic organizers

· Vocabulary: word banks, word walls, context clues

· Fluency: timed repeated readings, choral reading (reading aloud in unison with a whole class or group of students), paired reading, readers’ theater, phrasing, accuracy, rate, expression, common word/phrase lists

· Phonics: letter-sound, decoding, chucking, stretching, picture cues, word identification, listening, sorts (seeing-hearing-speaking)

· Phonemic Awareness: blending, segmentation, phoneme manipulation, manipulatives, rhyming, syllables (hearing-speaking).

Illustrative areas of work

· Incorporate Big Books, Trade Books, and supplementary reading materials into reading instruction.

· Introduce read-at-home activity. Illustrative bullets below.

· Activities to reinforce practice reading at home.

· Present with book bags, word/letter rings, and reading logs.

· Introduce reading in the content area

· How to reinforce reading skills when teaching science, math, or other subjects.

· Foster effective methods for positive reinforcement and constructive feedback related to reading, for supporting a safe learning environment, and for conveying habits successful readers

· Possible smaller pilots:

· Introduce concept of small group reading instruction and cooperative learning

· Differentiation within reading

· Classroom management/learning centers to reinforce specific reading skills

Outcome measures

· # of reading training modules developed, including adapting modules to specific targeted groups (i.e., teachers, librarians, school directors, pedagogical instructors, training institutes, other educators)

Sub AR 2.2: Training for teachers, school directors, librarians, pedagogical instructors, and other educators on reading strategies conducted.

This result requires direct capacity building of the stakeholders listed above and training institutions so that they are able to provide reading instruction, mentoring, and coaching in a sustainable manner without USAID assistance by the end of this activity. As a result, 85% of targeted teachers in all targeted districts have demonstrated knowledge of primary grade reading instructional best practices; 85% of targeted other educators in all targeted districts have demonstrated knowledge of primary grade reading instructional best-practices; 85% of targeted teachers in all targeted districts can identify reading skills of primary grade students utilizing formative and summative assessments. The contractor will accomplish the following:

Required components:

· Teachers receive a minimum of 10 days (minimum of 72 hours) of in-service training (IST) implemented in a manner consistent with the professional development and school cycle calendar to allow for training, implementation, reflection, and scale up.

· Instructional support team is a team approach which includes the teacher, classroom teacher, principal, parents, support teacher(s), school counselor, and any other staff/specialists involved with a student. Instructional support teams must receive IST appropriate to their roles in supporting primary reading instructions compatible with the results framework of this contract.

· Modules adapted to fit the needs, roles, and responsibilities of other educators who will receive an appropriate amount of training

Illustrative areas of work

· Training implementation planned and delivered for various stakeholders.

· Work with pedagogical institutions to discuss current teacher preparation programs in the area of reading instruction and how training packages developed under this contract might be integrated into the pre-service curriculum.

Outcome measures

· # of trainings offered

· # of teachers / educators / teaching assistants who successfully completed in-service (or pre-service) training or received intensive coaching or mentoring with USG support (Standard F 3.2.1-31).

· Total # of person hours of teachers / educators / teaching assistants who successfully completed in-service (or pre-service) training or received intensive coaching or mentoring with USG support (Standard F 3.2.1-41).

· Total # of person hours of administrators and officials successfully trained (Standard F 3.2.1-43).

· # of tertiary institution faculty or teaching staff whose qualifications are strengthened through USG-supported tertiary education programs (Standard F 3.2.-42).

Sub AR 2.3: Incorporate supplementary materials into instruction This result requires capacity building of the stakeholders, teachers, and methodologists to ensure the targeted beneficiaries have the capacity to incorporate supplementary reading materials in native language (mother tongues) instruction and that the innovative teaching strategy is aligned with the subject topics, curriculum standards for the associated grade, and/or international benchmarks. Integration of life skills education, cultural diversity and gender equity principles have to be incorporated into the content of developed materials to be streamlined with the Mid-Term Action Plan under the National Education Development Strategy 2015-2017. Themes from the new curriculum standards on competency based approaches will ideally be studied across grades in consultations with stakeholders. The contractor will accomplish the following:

Required components:

· Targeted stakeholders, teachers, and methodologists received training on how to incorporate supplementary reading materials that contain life skills, cultural diversity and gender equity principles in native languages into instruction.

· Targeted stakeholders, teachers, and methodologists utilize the new teaching approaches / strategies aligned with the subject curriculum standards for the associated grades and/or international benchmarks to incorporate supplementary materials into instruction.

· Targeted teachers and librarians implement supplementary materials into instruction.

Illustrative areas of work

· Develop and incorporate strategies for incorporating mother tongue teaching and learning materials including aligned, age-appropriate reading and supplementary materials into the instructional program.

· Implement usage by primary grade teachers of civic education and conflict-sensitive evidence-based materials to teach early grade reading and foster safe school learning environments.

· Select and assign leveled readers (choosing a “just right” book).

· Understand instructional and independent reading levels.

Outcome measures

· # of teaching and learning material types implemented.

Sub- AR 2.4: Implement assessments tracking reading progress over time The contractor will perform classroom-based reading diagnostics (process focused) and administer nationally representative, standardized baseline, midline, and endline reading assessments (outcome focused) through use of the developed EGRA. The assessments will be conducted in coordination and partnership with MoES, its affiliates, and the National Testing Center to ensure it serves multiple purposes, including long-term strategic planning and evaluation. In addition, the results must identify if there are any target districts that require supplementary attention before completion of the activity. Targeted teachers must receive training on the use of formative and summative assessments and how to appropriately use the assessments to guide instruction and measure student progress. The number of treatment and control schools will be determined through a statistical power analysis. Sampling for the EGRA should use matching or randomized control testing.

Required components

· Targeted teachers receive training packages on how to conduct formative assessments of their students’ reading skills.

· Utilize Early Grade Reading Assessment tool to measure reading progress.

· Baseline, midline, and endline reading assessments are administered in a representative sample of intervention (treatment) and nonintervention (control) groups.

· EGRA results discussed with the ministries and USAID before its public presentation, dissemination of findings, and recommendations.

· EGRA results must be appropriately disaggregated by grade, gender, language, and school type at a minimum.

Illustrative areas of work

· Assessing individual student reading progress (i.e., running records)

Outcome measures

· # of primary teachers that use continuous assessment practices to monitor student reading progress

· # of standardized learning assessments supported by the USG (Standard F 3.2.1-34)

Sub AR 2.5: Implement take-it-home / out-of-school reading reinforcement activities This Sub AR focuses on children strengthening their reading ability through reinforcement activities at home and on improving the culture of reading. The contractor will design, implement, and support application of a training module on specific take-it-home reinforcement activities that foster continued reading skill development and time spent reading at home for teachers to implement in order to extend and to reinforce classroom instruction. In addition, the contractor will develop out-of-school activities that engender the culture of reading in the targeted communities. The contractor will increase public awareness through television campaigns, radio, and or other creative sources to increase knowledge about USAID’s literacy initiatives to strengthen the culture of reading and convey the importance of children's engagement in out-of-school / at-home reading activities. USAID encourages involvement of upper grades, pre-service educators, and community volunteers - such as youth, parents, and pensioners - as reading partners or tutors who can work with primary students.