SOL-306-15-000014_Promote_Scholarships.pdf

Issuance Date: January 11, 2015

Deadline for Questions: January 20, 2015, 17:00, Kabul Time (08h30 Washington time)

Closing Date: March 12, 2015

Closing Time: 17:00, Kabul Time (08h30 Washington time)

Subject: Request for Proposal# SOL-306-15-000014 – Promote Scholarship

Activity

To All Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to implement the Promote Scholarship activity to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) to increase women’s equality and empowerment through expanded educational opportunities, as described in Section C of the attached

Request for Proposals (RFP).

USAID/Afghanistan anticipates awarding one cost reimbursement completion-type contract as a result of this solicitation covering an estimated period of five (5) years, subject to availability of funds and demonstration of successful performance. Offerors must propose costs that they believe are realistic and reasonable for the work described herein. The range of the contract (cost and fee) is between $16 and $19 million.

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). 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.

It is the responsibility of the recipient of this solicitation to ensure that the solicitation has been received from the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from download or conversion processes.

An Interested Vendor List is not included in this solicitation. Offerors can register and use the Interested

VendorList (IVL) on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website. This is a useful tool so that firms can contact one another for consideration of teaming arrangements and/or small business subcontracting opportunities in response to this solicitation

Proposals must be signed by an official who is authorized to bind the offeror’s organization. All proposals in response to this solicitation will remain available for acceptance by USAID for a minimum of one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days. Proposals must be submitted by the designated date and time indicated in Block 9 of theRFP cover page (Standard Form 33). Proposals received after the closing date and time will be processed as late and handled in accordance with FAR 15.208.

Any questions regarding this RFP are to be submitted in writing to the following e-mail address:

aruble@state.gov and meburgos@state.gov by the date and time specified above. Oral instructions or mailto:aruble@state.gov mailto:meburgos@state.gov explanations given before the award of the contract resulting from this solicitation will not be binding.

Answers to all Offerors’ questions will be provided in writing at the Federal Business Opportunities

(FedBizOpps) website.

If substantive questions are received, which affect the responses to the solicitation, or if changes are made to the closing date and time, as well as any other aspects of the RFP, this solicitation will be amended.

Any amendments to this solicitation will be issued and posted on the Federal Business Opportunities

(FedBizOpps) website. Offerors are encouraged to check this website (http://www.fbo.gov) periodically.

Only electronic proposals will be accepted in response to this RFP, sent to the following e-mail addresses: aruble@state.gov and meburgos@state.gov. For detailed submittal instructions, please refer to

Section L. No other forms of submission will be accepted.

Issuance of this solicitation does not in any way obligate the U.S. Government to award a contract nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for 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. USAID anticipates award of one contract under this solicitation.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, /s

Michael F. Capobianco

Contracting Officer mailto:aruble@state.gov mailto:meburgos@state.gov

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The objective of the Promote Scholarship Sector Resiliency Project is to support increase women’s equality and empowerment through expanded educational opportunities through accomplishing the results, conducting the activities, providing the deliverables and performing the services specified in

Section C.

B.2 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, if any, is $TBD and the estimated cost plus all fixed fee, if any, is

$TBD.

(b) Within the estimated cost plus all possible fee (if any) specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable and allocable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $ TBD. The Contractor must not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount.

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

B.3 CONTRACT BUDGET

TBD

B.4 INDIRECT COSTS

For the Prime Contractor:

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:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate: Predetermined

Period:

For Major Subcontractor(s)*

* “Major subcontractor(s)” are those subcontractors whose costs exceed 15 percent of the contract value or who are otherwise defined by the prime to be essential to successful project implementation.

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:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate: Predetermined

Period:

B.5 ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING ON CEILING ON INDIRECT COST RATES AND FINAL

PERFORMANCE FOR INDIRECT COSTS

(a) For each of the Contractor's accounting periods during the term of this contract, the parties agree as follows:

(1) The distribution base for establishment of final [rate 1 description to be inserted] is [to be inserted at award].

(2) The distribution base for establishment of final [rate 2 description to be inserted] is [to be inserted at award].

(3)The distribution base for establishment of final [rate 3 description to be inserted] is [to be inserted at award].

(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.

(c) Reimbursement for indirect costs will be at the final negotiated rates, but not in excess of the following ceiling rates:

Description 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

[Rate 1 description to be inserted] __% ___% ___% ___% ___%

[Rate 2 description to be inserted] __% ___% ___% ___% ___%

[Rate 3 description to be inserted] __% ___% ___% ___% ___%

(d) The government will not be obligated to pay any additional amount on account of indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract. This advance understanding will not change any monetary ceiling, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract.

B.6 COST REIMBURSABLE

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.

B.7 MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT

This contract is considered non-severable, and is therefore a multi-year contract as defined in FAR

17.103. Therefore, this contract is subject to the requirements of FAR 17.106.

Cancellation Dates:

Contract Year 2: March 15, 2016

Contract Year 3: March 15, 2017

Contract Year 4: March 15, 2018

Contract Year 5: March 15, 2019

Cancellation Ceiling:

This is a CPFF type contract where the contractor is authorized to be reimbursed for all costs which are allowable in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, “Allowable Costs and Payment”. Therefore, the contractor will not incur any costs which would have been amortized over the life of the contract should the contract be cancelled in accordance with FAR 52.217-2. Therefore, the cancellation ceiling for each cancellation date is $TBD.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

C.1 SUMMARY

Congress has mandated that USAID programs address the needs and protect the rights of Afghan women and girls. These needs include (a) protection from discrimination and violence, (b) economic and leadership opportunities, (c) participation in all levels of the political process, and (d) physical security.

The primary responsibility of the contractor is to implement a program to provide scholarships for Afghan women at the undergraduate and graduate levels, managing all activities related to recruitment, selection, placement, and student services. The contractor must build the capacity and work through a local Afghan non-governmental organization from the beginning of the activity with full handover in the implementation of the scholarship program by the beginning of year three of the project. Scholarships and fellowships must, with the coordination and approval of the USAID, be awarded in high-demand sectors of the public and private job-market, including, but not limited to, health, technology, and science.

The scholarships must be awarded to Afghan women through an equitable and transparent process based on (a) academic merit, (b) financial need, and (c) leadership potential. The majority of scholarships must be for study in quality private universities within Afghanistan (accredited or endorsed by the Afghanistan

Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE). A smaller number of scholarships may be awarded to highly meritorious women for study at universities in the region and in the United States.

Support services for students, including pre-departure orientation and training, academic and life support during the program, and post-graduate employment assistance will be important components of the

Program.

The contractor must also be responsible for identifying an Afghan organization and developing its management capacity to assume the functions required in this contract, leading to a full transition of management responsibilities for the scholarship program after the end of year two. The Afghan organization must be identified and named at the time of contract award with support from the contractor during the first two years of the project.

The contractor must develop a strategic branding and communications strategy that will ensure the scholarship program is recognized as a USAID legacy for Afghan women, enduring after the scholarship activity implementation is transferred to local management.

The contractor must provide the full range of planning, analysis, management, administration, and logistical services to rapidly start this new higher education scholarship program for women and to achieve its objectives. All project activities performed by the contractor must seek to enhance the visibility of the United States’ commitment to Afghan women and girls and to leave a legacy of American support to higher education for women.

C.2 CRITICAL CONTEXT

C.2.1 Problem Statement

Afghanistan’s higher education system includes both public universities and private higher education institutions. Currently, there are more than 20 public universities and institutes and more than 80 private post-secondary institutions. The total number of public higher education students increased from less than 8,000 in 2001, to approximately 123,000 in the 2013-14 academic year. Not only is the system incapable of serving the rapidly growing number of high school graduates, the quality and relevance of the curriculum and instruction is below what is necessary. Thus, even women who are able to attend university are hindered in their rise to positions of leadership by the poor quality of their post-secondary education.

There is a significant and persistent gender disparity in higher education enrollment due to cultural and other barriers. The disparity stems in large part from a lack of preparation at the secondary school level that impedes the ability of women and girls to attend post-secondary institutions. As of 2014, approximately 19 percent of enrolled students were female, a percentage that has not increased for three academic years. This gender disparity is partly due to low enrollment at the secondary school level and inadequate academic preparation for those girls who attain a high school education. Of the total number of high school graduates who sat for the Kankor, only about one-third were female. Of the women who took the exam, their performance was significantly below that of men; the passing rate for females was 19 percent compared to 30 percent for males. One reason for the girls’ relatively low examination performance is that they participate in Kankor test preparation courses at a much lower rate than boys.

A shortage of qualified female teachers in secondary schools contributes to the low enrollment for girls in secondary schools. Since many parents do not permit attendance in classes with male teachers, girls have fewer opportunities to attend secondary school and, for those who do, the quality of instruction is below that of boys.

Another barrier to post-secondary enrollment for women is that support available to all students from the

Ministry of Higher Education covers only tuition, housing, books, and meals. Many females cannot afford the additional expense of local transportation or the frequent transportation home which parents expect.

C.2.2 Linkage to U.S. and Afghan Strategic Priorities and Donor Programs

The Promote Scholarship is aligned with United States and Afghan Strategic Priorities and complements other U.S. and other donor-funded activities. These strategic priorities are defined in the following documents:

- USAID Education Strategy

- U.S. Embassy Kabul Interagency Gender Strategy, 2012

- USAID Strategic Framework

- USAID Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy

- U.S. Mission to Afghanistan Strategy

- Afghanistan Strategic Framework

- Afghanistan National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan

- Afghanistan National Development Strategy

C.3 PROJECT STRATEGY

Promote Scholarship, implemented by the contractor, in combination with other USAID/Afghanistan education and gender programs, must help ensure female perspectives and priorities are taken into account in shaping Afghanistan’s national agenda. This agenda includes integration with Afghan-led programs directly aligned with any or all the three pillars of development outlined in the National Action

Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA):

1. Security;

2. Government, Rule of Law, and Human Rights, including leadership and political participation;

and

3. Economic and Social Development.

This scholarship program will prepare women to assume positions of leadership, resulting in more inclusive, effective, and sustainable social, political, and economic progress over time. Promote

Scholarship will increase Afghan women’s access to higher education and enable acquisition of the professional skills required to productively participate in Afghanistan’s economy and governance arenas at all levels of leadership and decision-making.

The contractor must select the most appropriate interventions that will result in a high quality and cost effective option to meet the project objectives and expected outcomes. The contractor must ensure that all participants have a sound understanding of the objective of the education activities and that they are willing and able to meet any and all conditions of participation. In particular, the contractor must employ innovative procedures and incentives to ensure the return of graduates to Afghanistan. The contractor must also ensure that potential female scholarship participants and their families are aware of the scholarship opportunity through an effective and efficient national recruitment process and that they are required to return to Afghanistan upon the completion of their academic program.

To achieve the maximum impact in preparing women to participate in the workforce and to assume leadership positions, the contractor must couple academic support with activities that connect the beneficiaries with the private and public labor markets. Mentoring activities and internships are examples of the kinds of tangible connections required. Innovative and feasible applications of communication technologies, including the introduction of social media mechanisms, to facilitate networking with mentors and other scholarship recipients, are encouraged.

To enable the scholarship program to continue after the contract period and to maximize cost-effectiveness, the contractor must partner with an existing Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). The objective is for the NGO to execute selected scholarship implementation activities with oversight and technical assistance from the contractor. During the period of contract performance, the NGO will expand the number of activities it implements under the contract as its capacity and effectiveness increases. Through the contractor’s capacity-building activities, oversight, and management it provides to the NGO, the NGO must be registered and recognized as an Afghan NGO, be predominantly staffed and led by Afghans, and have the capacity by the final year of the contract to assume sole management of the

Promote Scholarship program in order to continue the program for years to come through different funding streams outside of this contract.

The following framework defines the results the contractor will achieve.

Program Objective

Women’s equality and empowerment increased through expanded educational opportunities

Intermediate Result (IR) 1

Increased access to advanced professional development opportunities

Sub-IR 1.1

Increased number of Afghan women with a high-quality, credible undergraduate degree

Sub-IR 1.2

Increased number of Afghan women with a high-quality, credible graduate degree

Sub-IR 1.3

Increased number of Afghan women qualified for admission to post-secondary education

IR 2

Improved local capacity to sustainably support higher education opportunities for women

Sub-IR 2.1

Increased capacity of an Afghan organization to implement a sustainable women's scholarship program

Cross-cutting critical element

Enhanced visibility of the United States’ commitment to promote Afghan women and girls’ equal opportunity to be active actors of change within Afghanistan.

C.4 BENEFICIARIES

The direct beneficiaries of the contractor’s interventions must be female students and professionals with high academic merit, leadership potential, and financial need. The beneficiaries must demonstrate a commitment to serve as a catalyst for change through increased participation and leadership in decision-making within Afghan government, civil society, and the economy. Continual recruitment activities will be conducted nationwide and beneficiaries will be selected to ensure geographic, cultural, and socio-economic diversity.

C.5 OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: WOMEN’S EQUALITY AND

EMPOWERMENT INCREASED THROUGH EXPANDES EDUCATIONAL

OPPORTUNITIES

Result 1: Increased access to professional development opportunities

Promote Scholarship addresses the persistent shortage of women who are academically prepared to participate in the skilled workforce and to assume leadership responsibilities in Afghanistan. Specifically, the contractor must expand access to higher education opportunities for Afghan women at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Scholarship awards made by the contractor must respond to public and private sector workforce demands and needs in sectors with a high demand for a skilled workforce.

Result 1.1 Increased number of Afghan women with a high-quality, credible undergraduate degree

The contractor must award full undergraduate scholarships to women to attend private universities in

Afghanistan and universities outside of Afghanistan to attain degrees in a broad range of disciplines, including science, technology, and health, which are important for entering the workforce. While most scholarships will be for those starting university, currently enrolled transfer students will also be eligible.

As appropriate, supplemental English training, academic preparation, and acculturation support must be provided to beneficiaries before they depart for universities outside of Afghanistan and during their academic program. Academic degree scholarships will be awarded for both undergraduate and graduate programs in Afghanistan, the region, and the U.S. A greater proportion of scholarships must be made to in-country Afghan, private universities over regional or international universities. Innovative technical approaches and cost sharing arrangements must be utilized by the contractor in order to maximize the number of scholarships given.

1. Undergraduate Degree Study in Regional and U.S. Institutions. The contractor must provide full scholarships to pursue degrees at universities generally within the Asia and Middle East regions.

Some scholarships may be made for study in the U.S. Scholarships must include tuition, books, fees, travel, and living expenses. Living expenses may include, but are not limited to, insurance coverage, housing, meals, child care, and other expenses responding to cultural barriers to participate in this scholarship program. Host universities must have institutional accreditation from a U.S. accrediting board, or an affiliation with an accredited U.S. university, or other recognized international accreditation to validate academic quality. Host universities must have a partnership agreement with the contractor, stipulating negotiated reduced tuition, fees, and the provision of student support services.

2. Undergraduate Study at Private Universities in Afghanistan. The contractor must provide full scholarships to attend selected private universities in Afghanistan. In consultation with the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and USAID, private Afghan universities must be selected based on academic quality and program alignment with workforce needs. Scholarship support must include tuition, books, fees, child care, transportation, and housing. Host universities must have a partnership agreement with the contractor, stipulating negotiated reduced tuition, fees, and the provision of student support services. The contractor must coordinate and collaborate with the universities to recruit applicants, select students, and facilitate student services, avoiding duplication of effort and achieving cost-effectiveness to the maximum extent possible.

Any scholarships awarded after the end of the Year Two, where the beneficiary’s course of study will not be completed by the end date of this award, must be managed by the local Afghan NGO. After year two, the NGO must be responsible for all components of the program with support from the contractor, including recruitment, student pre-departure support and support during the time at university, as well as overall monitoring the implementation of the program. Implementation of the scholarship program must be managed by the Afghan NGO after the end of year two, with support by the contractor through the end of the project.

To accomplish Result 1.1, the contractor must achieve the following outcomes:

Implementation of a uniform, quality, equitable, and coordinated scholarship recruitment, selection, and management process, including academic support for students, orientation programs, enrichment activities, and career development support;

Award of full undergraduate scholarships to high-quality Afghan private universities and universities in the region or the U.S.;

Implement processes and procedures to ensure the highest possible graduation rate amongst scholarship recipients;

Implement creative and innovative ways to incentivize graduates to return to Afghanistan and contribute to the nation’s social and economic progress; and

Implement processes and procedures to ensure the highest possible percentage of scholarship recipients will be actively involved in leadership development activities annually, such as participation in seminars, extracurricular activities, service learning projects, community outreach mobilization, or development.

Result 1.2 Increased number of Afghan women with a high-quality, credible graduate degree

The contractor must award graduate degree scholarships to women of exceptional promise who have earned an undergraduate degree with a selection priority to those who hold a faculty position in an

Afghan university. Awards must be made in a range of high-demand disciplines including science, technology, and health. Graduate scholarships must include the same benefits as undergraduate scholarships. The requirements for managing the graduate scholarship component are the same as for the undergraduate component. As with the undergraduate scholarships, a greater proportion of scholarships must be made to in-country, private Afghan universities, rather than regional or international universities.

Technical approaches must maximize the number of scholarships provided.

1. Graduate Study in Regional and U.S. Institutions: The contractor must provide scholarships to attend universities generally within the Asia and Middle East regions. Some scholarships may be made for study in the U.S. Host universities must have institutional accreditation from a U.S. accrediting board, or an affiliation with an accredited U.S. university, or other recognized international accreditation to validate academic quality. For graduate study, preference must be given to host universities with program accreditation in the recipient’s selected discipline from a U.S. or internationally recognized body. Recipient institutions must have a partnership agreement with the contractor, stipulating negotiated reduced tuition, fees, and the provision of student support services.

2. Graduate Study in Private Universities in Afghanistan: The contractor must provide scholarships to attend selected academic institutions in Afghanistan. In consultation with the MoHE, a limited number of institutions will be selected for student enrollment. The institutions will be those assessed by the MoHE for academic quality and program alignment with workforce needs. Support will include tuition, books, fees, and a stipend to offset living expenses.

Any scholarships awarded after the end of the Year Two must be managed by the local Afghan NGO.

After year two, the NGO will be responsible for all components of the program with support from the contractor, including recruitment, student pre-departure support and support during the time at university, as well as overall monitoring in the implementation of the program.

To accomplish Result 1.2, the contractor must achieve the following outcomes:

Implementation of a uniform, quality, equitable, and coordinated scholarship recruitment, selection, and management process, including academic support for students, orientation programs, enrichment activities, and career development support;

Award of full graduate scholarships to high-quality Afghan private universities and universities in the region or the U.S.;

Implement processes and procedures to ensure the highest possible graduation rate amongst scholarship recipients; Implement creative and innovative ways to incentivize graduates to return to Afghanistan and contribute to the nation’s social and economic progress.

Implement processes and procedures to ensure the highest possible percentage of scholarship recipients will be actively involved in leadership development activities annually, such as participation in seminars, extracurricular activities, service learning projects, community outreach mobilization or development etc.

Result 1.3 Increased number of Afghan women qualified for admission to post-secondary education

To increase the number of women who meet the admission criteria for a public post-secondary education in Afghanistan, the contractor must provide access to test preparation programs to enable women to participate equitably in post-secondary education opportunities. The contractor must identify test preparation program providers, verify that they deliver quality test preparation instruction per the criteria of the Ministry of Higher Education, and provide scholarships to eligible Afghan women to attend the test preparation program. The objective of these programs is to improve the performance of women on

Afghanistan’s university examination instrument, the Kankor. The contractor must work with the providers of the preparatory test to remove barriers that reduce the number of women who are able to participate. At a minimum, the contractor will provide scholarships that reduce financial barriers of participation. The contractor may also identify other barriers, such as transport, cultural barriers, or expenses not covered through support from the government, and propose solutions to remove these barriers.

To accomplish Result 1.3, the contractor must achieve at least the following outcomes:

Identification of quality Kankor test preparation programs, which are deemed of high quality by the Ministry of Higher Education, for women that are geographically distributed throughout

Afghanistan.

Provide scholarships to Afghan women to participate in the Kankor test preparation program.

Identification of specific barriers to female participation in the test preparation programs and implementation of at least one solution to address the identified barrier..

Result 2: Improved local capacity to sustainably support educational opportunities for women

The contractor must build the capacity of an Afghan NGO to effectively continue the management of all aspects of the implementation of the Promote Scholarship Program for Afghan Women by the beginning of year three of the contract. The NGO must be identified at time of award. The Afghan NGO must be selected based on (a) its current capacity to support the contractor’s implementation plan, and (b) its potential and commitment to eventually assume independent scholarship program management. While the NGO will gradually build capacity to assume full program responsibility over the five-year period of performance, the NGO, through the support of the contractor, must implement the Promote Scholarship program after the end of year two of the project. Upon conclusion of the five-year period of this award, the organization must have developed the capacity to independently implement and continue the scholarship program.

Result 2.1 Increased capacity of an Afghan organization to implement a legacy women's scholarship program

In accordance with the capacity building plan, the contractor must increase the capacity of the local NGO.

To accomplish Result 2.1, the contractor must achieve the following outcome:

Identification of an Afghan organization that USAID can partner with to provide women’ scholarships through Promote Scholarship beyond the five-year life of the contract.

Human and institutional capacity of a local Afghan organization developed to effectively manage all aspects of a scholarship program, including recruitment, selection, placement, retention, and academic support.

The local organization’s financial and management systems strengthened and qualified to receive and manage funds from USAID and other donors.

C.6 TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The contractor must provide administrative, logistical, and programmatic support services, including planning and coordination, needs analysis, recruitment, screening, placement and selection of beneficiaries, criteria for continuation of scholarships, scholarship program components, and orientation programs.

For scholarships to institutions outside of Afghanistan, the contractor must provide the full range of services discussed in sections C.6.1 – C.6.9, described below. For scholarships within Afghanistan, the services discussed in sections C.6.1 through C.6.9 must be provided by the local Afghan NGO or local

Afghan university, for services deemed as relevant and necessary by the contractor.

C.6.1 Planning and Coordination

The number of scholarships and related activities initiated per year may fluctuate depending on the security situation in Afghanistan, the political environment, or other factors in the country. The contractor must plan its work to ensure full support to scholarship recipients up to the end of the recipient’s study period or the end of the contract, whichever is first. Such support could be provided directly or, after year two, through the identified local Afghan NGO partner. The contractor must provide support to ensure that USAID adheres to required procedures for the design and implementation of all training activities, as stated in USAID Automated Directives Systems (ADS) 253 Participant Training for Capacity

Development.

C.6.2 Needs Analysis

The contractor must:

• Continually assess and identify Afghan, regional, and U.S. academic institutions to receive scholarship awardees, in addition to those identified at time of contract award, which meet the academic quality, cost effectiveness, and cultural requirements identified in Section C;

• Continually establish partnership agreements with academic institutions in addition to those identified at time of contract award, including negotiated tuition, fees, and support services;

• Analyze beneficiary needs and identify the most appropriate educational placement and develop with the beneficiary a plan consistent with career goals. For placement in local Afghan universities, this would be the responsibility of the local Afghan NGO or the local university;

• Monitor all activities and modify plans as necessary to reflect evaluation findings with regards to cost-effectiveness and results; and

• Decide which training interventions and support for professional activities will best achieve desired results, and modify plans and budgets accordingly.

Assessments and identification of the most appropriate universities for academic studies will guide beneficiary pre-scholarship preparation assistance and post-scholarship support planning. The contractor must work closely with the host academic institutions to ensure the provision of student services before, during, and after the student’s academic program (e.g. English language instruction may be provided by the contractor, the host institution, or both, depending on cost-effectiveness and quality of instruction.)

The assessments will also inform the development of partnership objectives, the activities that will be facilitated through them, and required training and technical assistance planning.

C.6.3 Recruitment

The contractor, in collaboration and with approval of USAID, must implement the most effective and cost-efficient methods to publicize the scholarship program and recruit students through a wide variety of media including newspapers, radio, television, internet, and mobile telephony. The recruitment campaign must be national in scope and designed to achieve geographic diversity. Communications must be timely and include explanatory information as needed to facilitate a broad range of applications. The contractor, as necessary, must propose other cost-effective means to ensure that the scholarship announcements are distributed as broadly as possible throughout the country to ensure increased equal opportunity to access these scholarships. For those universities in Afghanistan, the contractor must work with potential host universities to coordinate recruitment efforts. This recruitment will be done either by a pool of host universities or by the contractor. The contractor must ensure that there is no duplication of efforts.

The contractor must address spatial/geographic, economic, and ethnic disparities by taking more affirmative action for the candidates from the provinces that are lagging behind the rest of the provinces in terms of women’s participation in higher education and employment in public and private sector jobs.

The existing perception at the Gender Department in the Ministry of Higher Education reveals that

Nuristan, Khost, Kunar, Nimruz, Badghis, and Daykundi are lagging behind other provinces. The contractor should consider existing evidence when developing the geographic scope of its approach.

C.6.4 Screening and Selection

Afghan women will be selected for scholarships based on multiple criteria including academic merit, financial need, geographic and ethnic diversity, leadership potential, and commitment to service in

Afghanistan. The contractor must utilize a screening and selection process, inclusive of selection criteria, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuristan_Province http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khost_Province http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunar_Province http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimroz_Province http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badghis_Province http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daykundi_Province which incorporates input from multiple stakeholders. The system that is utilized must document the selection process and justify decisions for each eligible applicant. Each criterion must have a clear operational definition and a reliable scoring rubric.

Selection panels must be composed of objective and qualified representatives from the academic community, private sector employers, MoHE, and the general public. Panels must consider documentary evidence and are encouraged to conduct interviews with applicants. For screening and selection at

Afghan universities, the contractor must oversee the Afghan NGO, which must have the lead role in the selection process. The contractor must provide technical assistance and training to ensure the NGO implements a fair, equitable, transparent, and valid process. The contractor and the Afghan NGO must select students using a credible, internationally accepted procedure that considers, at a minimum, the following criteria:

Academic Merit: The applicant’s score on the Kankor university entrance examination will be considered along with other indicators of academic merit. The Kankor score will be considered as only one indicator of academic merit; a score that does not meet the criterion for admission to public higher education does not necessarily make the student ineligible for a scholarship award.

Other indicators of academic merit include grades, class ranking, and teacher nominations. The contractor may also propose other indicators of academic merit, including innovative measures to employ in an environment lacking reliable assessment instruments.

Financial Need: Indicators of financial need will be considered. Documentation of need from the student applicant and other sources will be reviewed to ascertain need. Preference in selection will be given to those students with the greatest financial disadvantage. The contractor must identify reliable and valid measures of financial need because tax information and similar indicators may not be available.

Diversity: Geographic and ethnic diversity will be considered to ensure the award pool is representative of the Afghan population.

Leadership Potential: Indicators of leadership potential will be considered. Indicators may include nominations, work history, and performance in the oral interview.

Commitment to Development: Students, through interviews and potentially through essays, should demonstrate a commitment to pursuing academic studies and professional careers in areas of high need that are critical to Afghanistan’s development.

Commitment to Return to Afghanistan: Student selection must include reliable methods to assess and predict the likelihood of the student’s return after graduation. The contractor must implement effective methods employed in other scholarship programs to ensure repatriation to Afghanistan, such as the Fulbright Fellowship Program.

Criteria must incorporate and adhere to eligibility requirements in ADS 253 Participant Training for

Capacity Development. Exceptions may be requested of, and approved by USAID, if justified. The contractor must provide other recruitment services including verification of candidates’ academic and professional qualifications. The contractor must serve on selection panels as needed and recruit panelists.

USAID retains the right to approve the final selection of all scholarship recipients. If USAID asserts the right to approve the final selection, then those selectees are subject to vetting per Mission Order 201.05.

C.6.5 Placement

Students must only be placed in universities with an established agreement with the contractor that defines the obligations of the host institutions. Obligations may include such elements as reduced tuition, provision of student services, academic support, and adequate housing. Students will typically be placed in cohorts of at least two for mutual support. Only in rare, exceptional circumstances will a single student be placed. The following is guidance about placement in international, regional and local universities.

a. Regional and International University placements: The contractor must work closely and collaboratively with USAID in identifying appropriate placement of scholarship recipients in the approved universities. USAID must approve all new recipient universities added after contract award.

Cost efficiency, academic quality, institutional commitment, cultural relevance, and student services are major factors to be considered. All recipient institutions must be determined capable of providing a quality and relevant academic program coupled with student support services. Host international universities must be selected in culturally compatible countries which are proximal to Afghanistan.

Preference must be given to countries and universities already providing scholarships to Afghan women and with high graduation and return rates.

b. Afghan private University placements: Afghan private universities must be selected in consultation with, and the concurrence of, the MoHE. USAID approve all new recipient universities and training institutions added after contract award. Cost efficiency, academic quality, institutional commitment, and student services are major factors to be considered.

C.6.6 Criteria for Continuation of Scholarships

The contractor must utilize clear, measurable, and objective criteria for continuing scholarships, monitor students’ progress towards meeting these criteria, and effectively and swiftly deal with students not meeting the criteria.

C.6.7 Scholarship Program Components

USAID expects scholarship recipients to have an excellent academic experience and complete their degree on schedule. Therefore, it is critical for students to be well prepared through a sound orientation program, to have ongoing support and opportunities to practice leadership outside of the classroom, and to have career development services and, ideally, some follow-on support to maximize students’ ability to take advantage of their scholarship experience once they have graduated. For international and regional universities, the contractor must organize and implement the following minimum program components.

For local, private, Afghan universities, the Afghan NGO or the private university must ensure that the following minimum components, as needed by each recipient as determined by the contractor, are provided.

C.6.7.1 Pre-departure Support Program Component

All scholarship recipients must be provided with a written confirmation of their scholarship as early as possible. A range of pre-departure services must be provided to ensure students understand their obligations and have the academic and life skills necessary to succeed. The contractor must address all cultural concerns that might be barriers to their accepting the scholarship opportunity. The contractor must work closely with host universities to determine the most efficient and cost-effective ways to provide pre-departure training and avoid duplication of effort.

C.6.7.2 English Language Training Component

Scholarship recipients may require up to one year of English language training prior to beginning their academic courses. The contractor must provide language training when necessary. The contractor, will identify the most cost-efficient and effective method of providing language instruction, relying on existing Afghan providers as much as possible.

C.6.7.3 Academic Program Component

The contractor must provide scholarships and place students in highly respected, accredited programs that are responsive to Afghanistan’s public/private workforce market needs.

C.6.7.4 Student Support Component

The contractor must provide a variety of ongoing support to scholarship recipients to ensure that they are able to function and flourish in their new environment both academically and socially. This support includes, but is not limited to, activities for team building, basic academic preparation, library research skills, study skills, and use of technology.

It is evident that male students at the university avail the opportunity to work part-time to support their educational expenses and sometimes to support their families. However, female students do not have these opportunities due to various reasons. The contractor may utilize innovative approaches to partner with host universities in Afghanistan and private businesses to arrange on-campus part-time work for the female students.

C.6.7.5 Career Development

The contractor, through the local Afghan universities must promote the provision of career development opportunities for scholarship recipients. In addition to career counseling and relatively basic skills such as resume writing and interviewing, the contractor must provide other public/private sector linkages and other forms of school to work transition activities, such as student mentoring, job shadowing, and internships. The contractor is encouraged to be innovative in this area.

C.6.7.6 Post-Program Services

To further achieve Program goals, the contractor, through the Afghan NGO, must identify partners who may develop activities to provide scholarship beneficiaries with access to support networks and internships that will link them to employment opportunities upon graduation. The contractor must make maximum possible use of existing resources, including the Career and Partnership Centers established through USAID’s Higher Education and Workforce Development Program. Local universities will also be encouraged to establish linkages with support networks and employment opportunities upon graduation.

The contractor must provide post-program student services for at least six months following graduation or until the end of the contract, whichever is first. Illustrative activities include career counseling, peer networking, alumni associations, and internship.

Through the completion of the contract, the project will implement innovative approaches, including mobile technologies and social networking sites. The contractor must build capacity in the Afghan organization to continue post-program services after the completion of the contract.

C.6.8 Housing

The contractor must ensure that host universities provide proper housing which is both cost effective and adequately addresses cultural norms in Afghanistan and the region related to female students living away from home.

C.6.9 Innovation for Addressing Barriers to Public/Private University Attendance by

Afghan Women

There are a number of additional barriers, other than tuition and study fees, that women face related to participation in tertiary and university studies. Some barriers include transportation to and from university, access to part time employment in or off campus during university study, housing for girls going to public university and others. The contractor is encouraged to propose innovative approaches to addressing some of these additional barriers. Construction of any type will not be considered for funding by USAID. The contractor is encouraged to leverage other private, foundation or philanthropic resources in addressing additional barriers, including construction.

C.6.10 Knowledge Management

The contractor must implement and maintain a Management Information System which will safeguard all

Personally Identifiable Information (PII). It is essential that all PII remain confidential with technical requirements, policies, and procedures established and enforced according to international standards. The system must be designed to report disaggregated data to monitor and evaluate program effectiveness and outcomes. The MIS system should include procedures for longitudinal data collection and analysis, including incentives for students to maintain connection and periodically report.

The contractor must coordinate and share knowledge and learning with all other partners under

PROMOTE through the Promote Knowledge Management Platform, which is currently being developed.

C.7 COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

Organizations, students, and the general public should understand and have an appreciation for USAID’s contributions. The contractor must utilize a communications strategy that is innovative and robust, including public events and announcements at a variety of levels using a variety of low-tech and high-tech modalities and media.