FINAL_SOL-367-14-000001.pdf

Issuance Date: November 20, 2013

Closing Date and Time: January 13, 2014 0900 Hrs. Nepal time

Deadline for Pre-Proposal Conference Registration: December 9, 2013 0900 Hrs Nepal time

MANDATORY Pre-proposal Conference: December 13, 2013

Deadline for Questions: December 23, 2013 1600 Hrs. Nepal time Oral Presentations, if required TBD

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) No. SOL-367-14-000001

USAID/Nepal Business Literacy Program

Dear Potential Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking proposals from qualified local Nepali organizations interested in providing the services as described in the attached solicitation.

The justification for the use of other than full and open competition which limits competition to the local

Nepali market for this contract has been approved by the Contracting Officer. To be considered a local

Nepali organization, an Offeror must: (1) be legally organized under the laws of Nepal; (2) have as its principal place of business or operations in Nepal; and (3) either is (A) majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of Nepal; or (B) managed by a governing body the majority of whom are citizens or lawful permanent residents of Nepal. “Majority owned" and "managed by" include, without limitation, beneficiary interests and the power, either directly or indirectly, whether exercised or exercisable, to control the election, appointment, or tenure of the organization's managers or a majority of the organization's governing body by any means.

USAID plans to award a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Type Contract for a performance period of three years, subject to the availability of funds. Offerors must propose a firm fixed price that they believe is realistic and reasonable for the work. The Government intends to evaluate proposals using the lowest price technically acceptable source selection process and therefore, award will be made on the basis of the lowest evaluated price of proposals meeting or exceeding the acceptability standards for non-cost factors.

The Government intends to award a contract without discussions with Offerors in accordance with FAR

52.215-1 (f), therefore Offerors are advised to review the RFP in detail, raise questions and request clarifications by the due date, and submit a comprehensive proposal meeting all of the requirements of this RFP by the due date.

This solicitation is subject to amendment at any time. Any amendments to this solicitation will be issued and posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website. In order to be informed of changes that may affect proposal preparations, Offerors are encouraged to check this website

(http://www.fedbizopps.gov) periodically.

http://fedbizopps.gov/

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER RATING PAGE 3 OF 192

PAGES

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700) N/A

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER 4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION 5. DATE ISSUED 6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

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

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

9. Sealed offers in original and _____________________________ copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the depository located in until local time _______________________ (Hour) (Date)

A. NAME B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS) C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

AREA CODE NUMBER EXT.

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

PART I - THE SCHEDULE PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

A SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM I CONTRACT CLAUSES

B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

C DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

D PACKAGING AND MARKING PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

E X INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 33

F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

G CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA L INSTR., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

H SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

K

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER

STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

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

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within ________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted by the Offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT 10 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 20 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 30 CALENDAR DAYS (%) CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52-232-8)

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT NO. DATE AMENDMENT NO. DATE

(The Offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the

SOLICITATION for Offerors and related documents numbered and dated:

CODE FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER 15A. NAME AND

ADDRESS

OF OFFEROR

(Type or print)

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER 17. SIGNATURE 18. OFFER DATE

AREA CODE NUMBER EXT.

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM

ABOVE - ENTER SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED 20. AMOUNT 21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION: 23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified) 10 U.S.C. 2304(a) ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253(c) ( )

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7) 25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE CODE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

Shirley L. Baldwin, Contracting Officer

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 28. AWARD DATE

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

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

(REV. 9-97)

10. FOR INFORMATION CALL:

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

STANDARD FORM 33

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

SOLICITATION

OFFER (Must be fully completed by Offeror)

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

SOL-367-14-000001

X

November 20, 2013

72000

Office of Acquisitions and Assistance (OAA)

USAID/Nepal

GPO Box 295, US Embassy

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

Nepal

See Box 7 January 13, 2014

0900 hrs. Nepal Time

Ram N. Gurung 977 1 4007200 4339 rgurung@usaid.gov

See Attached Table of Contents

X 3

X 4

X 6

X 32

X 34

X 40

X 44

X 60

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72000

Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA)

USAID/Nepal

GPO Box 295

U.S. Embassy, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal

Office of the Controller (OC)

USAID/Nepal

GPO Box 295 U.S. Embassy, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal

RFP No. SOL-367-14-000001

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this Contract is to acquire services to implement the USAID/Nepal Business

Literacy Program for Nepal.

The Contract consists of the following three key program activities:

Activity 1: Development of business literacy training materials

Activity 2: Delivery of Training of Trainers

Activity 3: Delivery of business literacy training to beneficiaries

See also section “C.1 PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, KEY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, AND

OUTCOMES OF THE USAID/NEPAL BUSINESS LITERACY PROGRAM”.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

This is a Firm Fixed-Price Contract. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs described in Section C and F and comply with all the Contract requirements.

B.3 SCHEDULE OF PRICE

TBD Offerors see Section” J ATTACHMENT 5”.

B.4. PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND PROCEDURES

Payment Schedule: Payment will be made on a frequency of a monthly basis upon the fulfillment of the deliverables (See Section F) and fulfillment of the requirements of Payment Procedures as indicated below.

Payment Procedures: Payments shall be in United States Dollars or Nepali Rupees (TBD).

Supplier shall submit proper invoices to USAID for Delivered Goods and Related Services that have been successfully performed, in accordance with payment terms submitted in the Price

Proposal, the document entitled Price Schedule and Payment Terms (See Section J Attachment

5).

Each invoice shall provide the following information:

a. Supplier name, invoice date, and delivery date (for Delivered Goods) or performance date (for

Related Services), as applicable;

b. Complete account and bank SWIFT number if payment by means of electronic funds transfer is preferred;

c. Contract number;

d. Description of each type of Delivered Goods and Related Services included in the invoice.

e. The e-mail address for submission of vouchers, invoices and other supporting documents is payments-kathmandu@usaid.gov

B.5 CONTRACTOR'S INVOICE AND CONTRACT PERFORMANCE STATEMENT

1. Monthly Invoice and Final Invoice

Requests for payment will be processed in accordance with the Contract Clauses in Section I

FAR 52.232-1 Payments and FAR 52.232-25 Prompt Payment.

The Contractor's invoice will be certified by the Contractor, on the form furnished by USAID for this purpose. The Contracting Officer will supply a ―Contractor Invoice Form SF1034, Public

Voucher for Purchases and Services other than Personal. Submit original and five copies.

A Final Release Form shall accompany the Final Invoice. If the Contractor is incorporated, the release shall contain the corporate seal. An officer of the corporation shall sign the release and the corporate secretary shall certify the release.

2. Delivery of Invoices

All progress payment invoices shall be delivered to the Government through the COR, with the marking in large letters, "PROGRESS PAYMENT INVOICES ENCLOSED."

Progress payment invoices will be dated upon receipt by the COR.

Invoices not completed in accordance with the contract requirements will be returned to the

Contractor for correction of deficiencies. Final invoices not accompanied by a Final Release

Form will be considered incomplete and will be returned to the Contractor.

3. Payments to the Contractor

Payments will be made on submission of the Contractor’s Invoice which complies with the requirements of this Section and Section F acceptance of deliverables and other Contract terms, and will be subject to reduction for overpayments or increase for underpayments made on previous payments to the Contractor.

4. Obligation of Government Payments

The obligation of the Government to make payments required under the provisions of this contract will, at the discretion of the Contracting Officer, be subject to reductions and/or suspensions permitted under the FAR and agency regulations including the following in accordance with FAR 52.232-1.

[END OF SECTION B]

mailto:payments-kathmandu@usaid.gov

SECTION C: STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, KEY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, AND OUTCOMES OF

THE USAID/NEPAL BUSINESS LITERACY PROGRAM

C.1.a PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of the USAID/Nepal Business Literacy Program for Nepal is to increase the resilience of vulnerable households and communities through enhanced literacy, numeracy and business/entrepreneurial skills.

C.1.b KEY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

The USAID/Nepal Business Literacy Program consists of the following three key program activities:

These activities will enhance beneficiaries’ literacy, numeracy, life skills, nutrition education, and entrepreneurial skills. It will thereby enable women, youth, disadvantaged, and ethnic minorities to improve their access to agricultural and nutrition interventions and business opportunities.

C.1.c EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Successful implementation is expected to result in the following minimum program outcomes.

48,000 vulnerable households benefiting directly from USG assistance

48,000 beneficiaries trained (one beneficiary per household)

97% (46,560) of beneficiaries successfully completing the literacy training

90% (43,200) of trainees that initiate/expand sales of good/services

C.2 OVERVIEW: USAID NEPAL’s FEED THE FUTURE PROJECT

The USAID/Nepal Business Literacy Program is a part of USAID/Nepal’s Feed the Future (FTF)

Project, a U.S. Government Presidential Initiative. The goal of Nepal’s FTF Project is to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger in Nepal by achieving inclusive growth in the agriculture sector, increasing income of farm families and improving nutritional status, especially of women and children. USAID/Nepal will implement FTF over a five-year period through an integrated, whole-of-government approach of strategic agriculture and nutrition investments supporting contributions in cross-cutting areas.

FTF is focusing on 20 Terai and lower hill districts in the Far-Western, Mid-Western, and

Western Regions of Nepal (see Section C.5.2 Geographic Focus). This multifaceted project is integrating agriculture and nutrition in order to increase agriculture production and improve the nutrition status of women and children less than 5 years of age. FTF has three primary and integrated components which focus on: A) Agricultural productivity; B) Improved nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation; and C) Skills development (literacy, numeracy, and business/ entrepreneurial skills). This contract represents Component C of FTF; components A and B are being implemented by Winrock International through the Knowledge-based Integrated

Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition (KISAN) Program.

FTF’s purpose will be achieved by producing the following nine outcomes.

1. Farmers receive training on improved practices leading to increased agriculture production

2. Improved capacity of agriculture extension workers, service providers, farmers, health workers, caregivers, and female community health volunteers (FCHVs)

3. Improved and sustainable agriculture production and post-harvest technologies and practices adopted at the farm level

4. Improved market efficiency

5. Increased capacity of GON and Nepali organizations for agriculture-related technology identification and dissemination

6. Improved knowledge and behavior on agricultural, nutrition, hygiene and sanitation practices

7. Improved access to water and sanitation facilities

8. Improved agricultural policy environment

9. Increased resilience of vulnerable communities and households through skills development

The development hypothesis is that through specific trainings in literacy, numeracy and entrepreneurship, the most vulnerable individuals and groups (e.g., disadvantaged castes, youth, women, and ethnic minorities) will increase their effective engagement in their communities and market-led initiatives like FTF’s flagship program, KISAN, thereby reducing poverty rates and improving food security. By targeting vulnerable groups for income generating activities and improving access to savings groups, incomes will be higher and more consistent throughout the whole year.

How the Business Literacy Component Fits In:

The USAID/Nepal Business Literacy Program is designed to address FTF Output #9: Increased resilience of vulnerable communities and households through skills development. This program will integrate vulnerable groups through literacy, life skills, and entrepreneurial training that will enable women, youth, disadvantaged castes, and ethnic minorities to access agricultural and nutrition interventions.

USAID/Nepal’s previous experience has demonstrated that women greatly benefit from agricultural programs when they have completed literacy and numeracy programs combined with entrepreneurial, business and life skills. These literacy groups often continue working together through cooperatives and savings and credit groups even after they have completed the training modules. This will help reduce male migration and use of coping strategies, thereby diminishing the negative impact of lean seasons and food price fluctuations, especially among female-headed households. These outcomes will directly affect the successful results of the FTF Project.

While the Contractor implementing the USAID/Nepal Business Literacy Program will not have any direct responsibility for FTF Outputs 1 through 8, the Contractor must coordinate with the

KISAN implementers. The Contactor must target a subset of vulnerable participants (women, ethnic minorities, disadvantaged castes, and youth) from among the beneficiaries targeted by the

FTF KISAN program (see section C.5 regarding the required collaboration and integration with

USAID/Nepal Activities).

C.3 BACKGROUND

With a population of 29 million, Nepal is a severely food deficit country struggling to recover from a decade-long civil war. With a GDP per capita of $524 (estimated FY 2010), Nepal remains one of the poorest countries in South Asia. About 25% of Nepalese live below the international poverty line of $1.25/day. Over 75% of the population works in the agriculture sector, accounting for 38% of the Nepal’s GDP.

Recent declining agricultural production has depressed rural economies and increased widespread hunger and urban migration in Nepal. This situation is compounded by a population growth rate of over 2% per year and one of the highest ratios of population to arable land in the world. In

2009, 43 of 75 districts were reported to be food deficient, with 23 districts in Nepal chronically food insecure. Two out of three Nepalese suffer food insecurity at some point during the year.

Based on these high levels of hunger and poverty, on April 24, 2010, Nepal was officially selected as one of twenty focus countries worldwide for the US Feed the Future (FTF)

Presidential Initiative.

According to the Nepal Demographic Health Survey (NDHS 2011), the rate of stunting among under-five children is 41%, wasting is 11% and underweight is 29%, reflecting widespread chronic malnutrition. Nearly half of children six months to five years of age are anemic. Although the problem of under-nutrition is pervasive across all of Nepal, national aggregates mask wide disparities across socioeconomic groups and ecological regions.

Agriculture plays a crucial role in Nepal’s economy. Due to increasing population and declining rates of agricultural growth, Nepal is considered a structurally food deficit country. Crop production, like poverty rates, varies significantly by region and district.

66% of households in Nepal are experiencing food shortages

43% of households are skipping or reducing meals

30% of households in the hill and mountain regions are forced to consume seed stock

The hills and mountains in the Mid-Western and Far-Western Regions typically have the highest rates of food insecurity and hunger, since crop production is often poor and transportation and other infrastructure is lacking.

Nepal’s terrain, 64% of which is covered with mountains, is only about 22% arable, and is therefore not easily suited for efficient food grain production. In this context, farmers have limited exposure to improved agriculture practices and technology and the government extension system needs to be strengthened. Furthermore, there are weak linkages between producers and consumers and poor access to markets for farmers. The rugged terrain increases transport costs, impedes links of products to markets, and makes service provision difficult for large parts of the country. Nepal is also particularly vulnerable to climate change and has recently experienced increased drought and flooding.

Due to extremely low levels of income and agricultural production, the poorest households must allocate almost three quarters of their income to food. Additionally, many of these people were highly affected by the decade-long conflict and increasingly common drought and other natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, leaving them with few coping mechanisms to deal with rising food prices. See Section J Attachment 17 for more background information.

Further exacerbating this situation is the socio-cultural dynamics. Nepal’s traditionally patriarchal social hierarchy system, gender and caste relationships are shaped by broad inter-related parameters based on community norms and social hierarchy, demographic factors, institutional and legal structures, economic conditions, and political developments. Women, Dalits, and other disadvantaged castes and disadvantaged groups typically have less access to education, medical facilities, and other social services and little access to property ownership or cash. For example, only 14% of working women are paid fully in cash, while 41% are paid in food or other materials.

Dalits in the Terai have among the highest poverty rates in Nepal (49.2% vs. 42.6% national average).

The majority of Nepali women are engaged in agriculture. Since the current fertility rate is 3.1 nationally, but much higher in some areas (particularly in the Mid-Western and Far-Western

Regions), most women have the multi-faceted role of caring for fields and livestock, taking care of children and doing domestic chores. Furthermore, political uncertainty and declining employment opportunities have resulted in a significant number of male laborers migrating for work abroad.

This has added even more responsibilities for these women. In addition to higher levels of poverty, women and children typically suffer greater hunger levels. Often, female-headed households use harsher mechanisms (e.g. skipping meals or selling assets) than male headed households to cope with hunger and food shortages.

With three-quarters of women unable to functionally read and write, the illiteracy rate in Nepal is one of the highest among low-income countries. This remains the case despite efforts by the government and many non-governmental organizations (NGO) to implement literacy programs for women. Literacy attainment among women in Nepal has potentially far-reaching implications for individuals, families, communities and national development. The increased knowledge, skills, attitudes and self-confidence that come with acquisition of literacy skills have been demonstrated to help women in many ways. Literate women more successfully pursue income-generating activities and become more active in community groups and organizations. They also more effectively pursue their individual and family health needs and provide better support for their children’s schooling.

The empowerment of women and other groups is influenced by their educational, social and economic status. There is a direct link between economic status and educational attainment.

C.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

The USAID/Nepal Business Literacy Program consists of three key activity areas:

The Contractor must design and deliver business literacy training such that after the completion

Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, 2006

UNDP, “The Dalits of Nepal and the New Constitution,” September 2008

Adhikari, Ramesh, and Podhisita, Chai, “Household Headship and Early Child Death in Nepal”, June of training, the beneficiaries will be able to recognize, read and write Nepali consonants and vowels; read and write simple sentences; recognize and write numbers from 1 to 100, and perform simple additions, subtractions and multiplications. The Contractor must tailor the

Business Literacy Program to address the needs of specific clusters of beneficiaries to include women, disadvantaged castes, ethnic groups and youth. The Contractor must ensure that the

Business Literacy Program improves literacy and numeracy, and enhances beneficiaries’ capacity to take advantage of entrepreneurship and income generation opportunities.

As the majority of illiterate Nepalese are women, they are expected to comprise most of the beneficiaries. However, the Contractor must encourage men’s participation in the literacy classes.

When planning class schedules and timings, the Contractor must develop solutions that consider the heavy workload that women already bear.

C.4.1. Description of Program Activities

C.4.1.1 Activity 1: Development of business literacy training materials

The Contractor must develop content for literacy training that can be adapted through instruction techniques for learners at different levels and from different backgrounds.

The Contractor must develop business literacy training materials that consist of the following:

a. Pre- and Post-Program Test and answer key

b. Pre-Module and post-Module tests and answer keys for each Module (1-5)

c. Five Business Literacy Program Modules

i. Module 1: Literacy and Numeracy

ii. Module 2: Nutrition

iii. Module 3: Life Skills

iv. Module 4: Entrepreneurial Skills

v. Module 5: Access to Finance

d. Training of Trainers Manual

e. Community Trainer’s Guide Book Set

Prior to developing the business literacy materials further described below, below, the Contractor will evaluate training materials and methods from successful adult literacy projects implemented in Nepal including those implemented by USAID/Nepal, the GON and other donors where such materials are not subject to copyright restrictions. Such projects include, among others, USAID/Nepal’s Education for Income Generation, Women’s Economic Empowerment and

Literacy, and Women’s Empowerment Program.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will provide copies of USAID/Nepal’s previous literacy project materials. Illustrative tables of contents from previous literacy projects are provided in Section J Attachment 13 for information purposes only and are not representative of the appropriate or required training content for this Contract. The Contractor is responsible for obtaining other materials from appropriate sources. The Contractor, in consultation with the

COR, will determine to what extent materials, methods, lessons learned and best practices from comparable adult literacy projects can be adapted in a cost efficient manner and in a manner that is most effective to achieve the goals of the USAID/Nepal’s Business Literacy Program. The

Contractor must ensure that adapted and original content adheres to the required content descriptions which follow in this section.

The Contractor must design and deliver training content in contexts that link to the KISAN program activities. All business literacy materials must be appropriate for and include positive examples and messaging of the benefits of gender equality and social inclusion for women and members of marginalized groups. Materials, including teacher training materials, must reinforce the importance of higher education for girls and marginalized groups.

The Contractor must develop and print all the training materials in Nepali script. The Contractor must translate and print training materials in English where noted. The Contractor must deliver all training in Nepali language and/or local language as appropriate to the beneficiary community.

The Contractor must provide USAID/Nepal with hardcopy and electronic versions as described below and in Section F.

Modules must be designed to be delivered to meet the needs of the target population in two hours per class. Considering local and/or seasonal household needs, hours per class/day can be flexible on special occasions. However, hours per class/day should not exceed three hours. This requirement is applicable to all Module training.

C.4.1.1.1 Activity 1: Contents of Business Literacy Training Materials

C.4.1.1.1a Pre- and Post-Program Tests and Answer Keys

The Contractor must design Pre- and Post-Program Tests to determine the degree of impact the

Business Literacy Program has had on specific beneficiary skill areas. The Contractor must design pre- and post-program basic test contents to determine the degree to which beneficiaries are able to recognize, read and write Nepali consonants and vowels; read and write simple sentences; recognize and write numbers from 1 to 100; and perform simple additions, subtractions and multiplications in appropriate life contexts. The tests must consist of at least 25 distinct skill measures which can be administered to a group in a period of approximately one hour, and may consist of composite verbal, if appropriate, and written content to be administered and graded by the Community Trainer. The answer keys must be designed to enable the Community Trainer to grade completed tests. Identical pre- and post-program test content is acceptable.

C.4.1.1.1b Pre- and Post-Module Tests and Answer Keys

The Contractor must design Pre- and Post-Module Tests to determine the degree of impact the training in the respective Module has had on specific beneficiary skills in the areas of Module instruction. The Contractor must design pre- and post-Module basic test contents to determine the degree to which beneficiaries have improved through Module instruction. The tests must consist of content testing at least 10 distinct skill areas from the respective Module which can be administered in a period of approximately 30-45 minutes, and may consist of composite verbal and written content to be administered and graded by the Community Trainer. The answer keys must be designed to enable the Community Trainer to grade completed tests. Identical pre- and post-Module test content is acceptable.

C.4.1.1.1c Five Business Literacy Training Modules

Business literacy training will equip beneficiaries with skills to engage in income generating activities, improve dietary habits and nutritional intake, enhance their business skills, establish or expand their enterprises, enhance entrepreneurship and marketing, and learn how to access savings and credit services available within their communities. It is expected that these interventions will complement the KISAN program in contributing to improved food security and nutrition in the targeted population.

While the Contractor must design Module 1 to focus intensively on literacy and numeracy, the

Contractor must design all sequential modules to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills. The

Contractor must develop content for each Module that reiterates common thematic content appropriate to learning level and Module focus. The Contractor will design training modules to be delivered in training courses to beneficiaries in the sequence indicated below.

Module 1: Literacy and Numeracy

The Contractor must design the Literacy and Numeracy Module with content to improve the literacy and numeracy abilities of beneficiaries. The contents of the module must incorporate basic reading, writing, and math skills. Beneficiaries of USAID/Nepal’s current and past literacy programs have expressed a strong desire to learn math. Hence, the module must have strong math lessons. While Module 1 lays a foundation for learning, the Contractor must design content in Module 1 to introduce themes from subsequent modules and the KISAN program objectives at an appropriate learning level.

The Contractor must design the content for the Literacy and Numeracy Module for a course duration of 16 consecutive weeks of at least 12 hours per week. Two hours per class is recommended. Considering local and/or seasonal household needs, hours per class can be flexible on special occasions.

Module 2: Nutrition Education

The Contractor must design the Nutrition Education Module with content to influence positive change in beneficiaries’ health and nutrition practices within their households. The

Contractor must incorporate USAID/Nepal-funded Suaahara/Integrated Nutrition Program

(INP) messaging from its training and information, education, and communication (IEC) materials. The Contractor must contact the Suaahara project office and/or the Child Health

Division at the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) for those materials.

The Nutrition Module must include content on basic nutrition, hygiene, maternal and child health care, sanitation, food preparation, and food safety education. The Module content must include household production and information on diet diversity and available nutritious foods and their preparation, as well as information on community-based initiatives that contribute to improved consumption of nutritious foods and promote improvements to hygiene and sanitation practices. The Contractor must include content on nutrition education for pregnant and lactating women and children less than five years of age with an emphasis on children under two years of age.

The Module must include content with information for beneficiaries on the availability of and how to access existing maternal and child health and nutrition (MNCH).

The Contractor must design content for the Nutrition Education Module for a duration of 4 consecutive weeks of at least 12 hours per week.

Module 3: Life Skills

The Contractor must design the Life Skills Module with content to enable individuals to translate knowledge, attitudes and values into actual abilities. The Contractor must design content that instructs beneficiaries in life skills to develop their abilities to make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and develop coping and management skills which would help in leading a productive life. Hence, the Life Skills module must address all of these aspects.

The Contractor must include content for developing livelihood-focused skills that help vulnerable populations understand the importance of these skills in enhancing their income-generating activities. The Contractor must include content to provide an understanding of how to identify and navigate formal and informal community hierarchy systems. Content must assist participants to identify and learn how to leverage their own knowledge, roles and experience within their community.

The Life Skills Module must include content in the following areas: HIV/AIDS; disaster risk reduction in the events of floods, earthquakes or fires; and human trafficking.

The Contractor must design the content for the Life Skills Module for a course duration of 8 consecutive weeks of at least 12 hours per week.

Module 4: Entrepreneurial Skills

The Contractor must design the Entrepreneurial Skills Module with content to motivate the beneficiaries towards entrepreneurship while strengthening their literacy and numeracy abilities. The content of this Module must provide lessons in basic economic and business skills and ways to initiate or expand a business such as how to prepare a market analysis, budget, and methods of basic financial accounting. The Module must include lessons on agriculture and livestock as potential enterprise options. Content will include how to identify and leverage community resources for income generation. The Contractor may also incorporate content on other possible enterprises that can be run at the local level.

The Contractor must design content for the Entrepreneurial Skills Module for a course duration of 16 consecutive weeks of at least 12 hours per week.

Module 5: Access to Finance

The Contractor must design the Access to Finance Module with content to enhance beneficiaries’ knowledge of credit and financial services from a variety of financial institutions present in their localities. Content must include information on how financial investments could help beneficiaries initiate and/or expand their enterprises. Content must include basic information about typical loan terms, interest rates and collateral, and calculating whether potential profits ensure loan repayment among other lessons.

The Contractor must design content for the Access to Finance Module for a course duration of 4 consecutive weeks of at least 12 hours per week.

C.4.1.1.1.d Training of Trainers Manual

The Contractor must develop a “training of trainers” (TOT) manual which will be used by the

Contractor to conduct training of the Master Trainers and will be used by the Master Trainers to conduct training of the Community Trainers. The Contractor will design content to include, at a minimum, such topics as:

i. Methods for mobilizing communities for high beneficiary participation;

ii. Test administration;

iii. Coaching and mentoring adult learners

iv. Classroom management techniques;

v. Instruction techniques;

vi. Recordkeeping

The Contractor must design content for the Training of Trainers Manual such that it can be delivered in a 5-day, 8 hours-per-day course.

C.4.1.1.1.e Module Guide Book Set

The Contractor must develop a Set of Guide Books, one Guide Book for each training

Module. The purpose of the Guide Book is for daily use by the Community Trainers. In addition, the Contractor will provide and train Master Trainers on the contents of the

Community Trainer’s Guide Books so that the Master Trainers can in turn train the

Community Trainers. The Contractor will design content to include, at a minimum, complete content from the respective Module, supplemented by such topics as:

i. Topic-by-topic instructional tips and context;

ii. Case studies and examples, including positive messaging regarding the positive benefits of gender equality and social inclusion for women and marginalized groups;

iii. Relevant links to KISAN activities;

iv. Answer keys where appropriate to Module content; and

v. Other appropriate content to enable Community Trainers to effectively conduct the

Business Literacy Program trainings.

The Contractor must design content of the Guide Book Set such that Master Trainers can train Community Trainers on content in a 5-day, 8 hours-per-day course.

C.4.1.1.1.f Activity 1 Deliverables – Formats, Printing and Distribution of Training

Materials

The Contractor must produce all training materials in searchable, editable and reproducible electronic versions on DVD or other electronic media acceptable to USAID/Nepal in Nepali and

English language.

Prior to completing content design for any training materials, the Contractor shall consult with the

COR and provide a draft Table of Contents (TOCs) for each Module, the Training of Trainer’s

Manual, and the Community Trainer Guide Books and tests. The Contractor must proceed with materials design following receipt of the COR’s written concurrence on draft tables of contents.

The Contractor is responsible for the development and timely printing and distribution of the required training materials and must provide all trainers and beneficiaries with printed training and testing materials. The Contractor must plan printing to anticipate an attrition rate of at least

7%. The following illustrative calculations are shown for the Contractor’s convenience to indicate the minimum quantities for each category of training material at an incremental attrition rate of 7%. Incremental attrition or Module post-test failures may be greater. To ensure full

Contract price payment for final deliverables, the Contractor must continuously gauge and manage beneficiary learning success.

Illustrative printing needs based on 7% attrition at each testing/training stage:

Business Literacy Program Pre-Test 72,035

Module 1 Training materials and Test 67,322

Module 2 Training materials and Test 62,918

Module 3 Training materials and Test 58,802

Module 4 Training materials and Test 54,955

Module 5 Training materials and Test 51,360

Business Literacy Program Post-Test 51,360

Training of Trainers Manuals 2,300

Sets of Guide Books, one for each of the five Modules 2,300

The Contractor must deliver to the COR hardcopies in Nepali and translations in English the following deliverables by the due date and in the quantities indicated in Section F:

1. The five beneficiary training Modules, pre-Module and post-Module tests and answer keys

2. The pre- and post-Business Literacy Program tests and answer keys

3. The Master Trainer’s Training of Trainers Manual

4. The Community Trainer’s Guide Books, one for each of the five Modules

With the exception of the hard copies due as a deliverable to the COR listed in the Price Schedule and Payment Terms, the Contractor will not receive payment for printing expenses independent of training delivery: Printing of training materials for the purpose of training delivery is not a separately priced item in the Price Schedule and Payment Terms. The Contractor must manage the program’s needs for printed materials according to the approved training schedule.

C.4.1.2 Activity 2: Training of Trainers

General Approach

The Contractor must use a training of trainers (TOT) approach to deliver the business literacy training. The Contractor will design and deliver the TOT activity using methods that are replicable and scalable by communities for sustainable impacts.

In the TOT approach, there are two tiers of trainers, Master Trainer and Community Trainer. The

Contractor must establish qualifications for, recruit, and employ a minimum of 150 Master

Trainers and 2,000 Community Trainers.

Each Master Trainer is a short-term activity employee responsible for delivering training to a minimum of approximately 13 Community Trainers over a two-week period. Each Community

Trainer is a long-term activity employee responsible for delivering all five modules of business literacy training to a minimum of approximately 24 beneficiaries at the Village Development

Committee (VDC) level over a one year period.

The Contractor must recruit qualified individuals from the KISAN Program districts in the Far-

Western, Mid-Western, and Western Regions. These districts are listed below:

6 districts in the Far-Western Region: Achham, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Doti, Kailali, and

Kanchanpur

10 districts in the Mid-Western Region: Banke, Bardia, Dailekh, Dang, Jajarkot, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, and Surkhet

4 districts in the Western Region: Arghakhachi, Gulmi, Kapilvastu, and Palpa.

The Contractor must schedule the training of Master Trainers, secure the training venue, ensure efficient logistics of Master Trainer training delivery, and deliver Master Trainer training. The

Contractor must provide all necessary classroom tools such as note-taking materials, pencils, calculators, and other appropriate types of classroom materials.

The Contractor must schedule the training of Community Trainers, secure the training venue and ensure efficient logistics of Community Trainer training, and deliver the training through the

Master Trainers. The Contractor must provide all necessary classroom tools such as note-taking materials, pencils, calculators, and other appropriate types of classroom materials.

The Contractor must conduct all training to include positive examples and messaging of the benefits of gender equality and social inclusion for women and members of marginalized groups.

Training methods must reinforce the importance of higher education for girls and marginalized groups.

C.4.1.2.1 Activity 2 Deliverables

The Contractor must deliver:

C.4.1.2.1.a Master Trainers and Community Trainers Selection Plan: The contents of this plan explains the selection criteria, geographic coverage and logistical approach, and schedule for selecting the trainers. The Contractor must submit a draft plan to the COR for review and acceptance, make changes in consultation with the COR, and submit a Final

Master Trainers and Community Trainers Selection Plan for written COR acceptance.

C.4.1.2.1.b TOT Training Delivery Plan: This plan explains who, how, when and where the Contractor will conduct the training of: a) master trainers; and b) training of Community

Trainers. The Contractor must submit a draft plan to the COR for review and acceptance, make changes in consultation with the COR, reconcile the Annual Work Plan as appropriate, and submit a Final TOT Training Delivery Plan for written COR acceptance for payment.

Following payment for this deliverable, changes to this plan are subject to CO approval.

C.4.1.2.1.c Delivery of Master Trainers Training: The Contractor must deliver training in accordance with Contract requirements to the Master Trainers. If the Contractor determines that it is necessary due to the results of monitoring and evaluation, the Contractor may deliver additional refresher trainings for Master Trainers. Training delivery to Master Trainers may only be counted once for payment purposes.

C.4.1.2.1.d Delivery of Community Trainers Training: Through the Master Trainers, the

Contractor must deliver training in accordance with Contract requirements to Community

Trainers. If the Contractor determines that it is necessary due to the results of monitoring and evaluation, the Contractor may deliver additional refresher trainings for Community Trainers.

Training delivery to Community Trainers may only be counted once for payment purposes.

C.4.1.2.1.e TOT Training Report: On a monthly basis or less frequently as appropriate, the

Contractor must report specified details on the completion of each Master Trainer and each

Community Trainers Course. The contents of the TOT Training Report include a summary of training statistics disaggregated by caste, gender, age, ethnicity, geographical data including type of training conducted; location of training and geographic origin of trainees; method of training delivery; lessons learnt; and an annex of the attendance report with site name, date and trainees’ names and signatures. Reports are subject to independent verification. TOT

Trainees may only be counted once in program’s TOT training records and for the purpose of

Contract payment. Each TOT Training Report shall serve as the basis for payment of TOT training delivery.

C.4.1.3. Activity 3: Delivery of Business Literacy Training to Beneficiaries

The Contractor must deliver twelve months of literacy training to at least 48,000 beneficiaries in all 20 KISAN program districts.

The Contractor must select at least 48,000 beneficiaries from vulnerable groups defined as women, ethnic minorities, disadvantaged castes, and youth from among a subset of beneficiaries and the households of the KISAN program. Since the targeted communities and geographical areas will be the same, the Contractor must coordinate with the implementers of the KISAN program on beneficiary selection, sequencing and timing of the trainings. In order to meet the program target of 48,000 households, the Contractor must select one member per household from among at least 48,000 households within the KISAN Program districts in the Far-Western, Mid-

Western, and Western Regions. These districts are listed below:

6 districts in the Far-Western Region: Achham, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Doti, Kailali, and

Kanchanpur

10 districts in the Mid-Western Region: Banke, Bardia, Dailekh, Dang, Jajarkot, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, and Surkhet

4 districts in the Western Region: Arghakhachi, Gulmi, Kapilvastu, and Palpa.

The Contractor must develop and apply a Beneficiary Selection Criteria and criteria weighting in consultation with KISAN and the COR. Minimum required criteria includes: vulnerable groups and individuals with high poverty levels. Vulnerable individuals and groups include disadvantaged castes, youth, women, ethnic minorities, and the landless. The Contractor will prepare a rationale for additional criteria for such things as geographic equity, limited landholdings, seasonal considerations, and the degree to which the selection aligns with and complements KISAN activities.

Following required consultations and receipt of approval for Beneficiary Selection Criteria, the

Contractor must apply the criteria to identify beneficiaries and determine the locations of beneficiary training venues and other logistics. The Contractor must develop the beneficiary training schedule in consultation with KISAN for potential efficiency or possible conflicts.

In order to assess the beneficiaries’ levels of literacy and numeracy and their understanding of subject matters (access to finance, nutrition, entrepreneurial skills and life skills), the Contractor through Community Trainers must conduct a Business Literacy Program pre-test to each beneficiary prior to commencing training.

The Contractor through Community Trainers must conduct a pre-test at the beginning of each training module and a post-module test at the end of each training module. Beneficiaries must achieve a minimum score of 75 percent at the end of each module to advance to the next module.

For payment purposes, Module training must include fully graded pre and post-tests as well as the conduct of the Module training itself.

In order to receive full price Contract payment, the Contractor must anticipate and plan for attrition or Module tests failures of approximately 7%. This means the Contractor must plan for greater numbers of trainees, printed materials, classroom materials, etc., to reach the target completion of 48,000. The Contractor may design training delivery such that beneficiaries may be afforded the opportunity to repeat a Module, however, beneficiaries may not be counted more than once for any one training Module for contract payment purposes.

The Contractor must conduct a final post-Business Literacy Program test at the end of the completed 12-month training Program.

The Contractor must schedule the training of beneficiaries, secure the training venue and ensure efficient logistics of beneficiary training delivery, and deliver the training through the

Community Trainers. The Contractor must provide all necessary classroom tools such as note-taking materials, pencils, calculators, and other appropriate types of classroom materials.

The required duration for each training module is stated in the respective Module description in

Section C.4.1.

The verification of the conduct of training and testing is subject to unannounced site visits and interviews and other verification methods by USAID or third-parties engaged by USAID.

C.4.1.3.1. Activity 3 Deliverables

C.4.1.3.1.a Beneficiary Selection Criteria – Following required consultations and consistent with the requirements of the Contract, the Contractor must document its methodology, rationale and conclusions on beneficiary selection criteria. The Contractor must submit a draft criteria to the COR for review and acceptance, make changes in consultation with the COR, and submit a

Final Beneficiary Selection Criteria for written COR acceptance for payment. Following payment for this deliverable, changes to criteria are subject to CO approval.

C.4.1.3.1.b. Beneficiary Training Schedule – The Contractor must document the Beneficiary

Training schedule to include VDC locations, dates, venues, Community Trainer names, registration process, and plans to overcome any potential conflicts and obstacles to timely delivery.