SOL-391-13-000034.pdf

OFFICE OF ACQUISITION AND ASSISTANCE

USAID/PAKISTAN

U.S. EMBASSY

DIPLOMATIC ENCLAVE,

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER RATING PAGE OF

PAGES

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER 4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION 5. DATE ISSUED

SEE COVER PAGE

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 _6__ 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 (Islamabad) time .

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

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

X A SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM 3 X I CONTRACT CLAUSES 80

X B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS 8 PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

X C DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT 11 X J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 109

X D PACKAGING AND MARKING 41 PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

X E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 43

X F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 44

X G CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 55 X L INSTR., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS 119

X H SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 59 X M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 150

X K

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER

STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS 110

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 OFFER15A. 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 BYCODE

USAID/Pakistan Financial Management Office U.S. Embassy, Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad, Pakistan

CODE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

Dale Lewis

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)

N/A

SOL-391-13-000034

X

See Attached Table of Contents

X 1

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Contents

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

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

B.4. BUDGET

B.5 REIMBURSABLE COSTS

B.6 INDIRECT COSTS (DEC 1997)

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

B.9 SECURITY COSTS

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

ACRONYMS

C.1 INTRODUCTION

C.2 BACKGROUND - THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

C.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT

C.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

C.5 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT

C.6 MONITORING AND EVALUATION

C.7 STAFFING AND KEY PERSONNEL

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

D.2 BRANDING AND MARKING POLICY

D.3 BRANDING STRATEGY

D.4. DELIVERABLES IN PAPER FORM

D.5 DELIVERABLES IN ELECTRONIC FORM

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1. NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

E.2. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

F.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

F.3 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

F.4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

F.5 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES OR OUTPUTS

F.5.1 CONTRACTOR DELIVERABLES

F.6 SYNOPSIS OF CONTRACT REPORTS/PLANS

F.7. KEY PERSONNEL

F.8 AIDAR 752.7005 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE

DOCUMENTS (JAN 2004)

F.9 Electronic Payment

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1. AIDAR 752.7003 DOCUMENTATION FOR PAYMENT (NOV 1998)

G.2. ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING OFFICE

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G.3. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

G.4. TECHNICAL DIRECTIONS/RELATIONSHIP WITH USAID

G.5. PAYING OFFICE

G.6. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

H.2 AIDAR 752.7004 EMERGENCY LOCATOR INFORMATION (JUL 1997)

H.3 FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DELEGATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES (JAN

2002)

H.4 INSURANCE AND SERVICES

H.5 752.228-70 MEDICAL EVACUATION (MEDEVAC) SERVICES (July 2007)

H.6 AUTHORIZED GEOGRAPHIC CODE

H.7 LOGISTIC SUPPORT

H.8. CONSENT TO SUBCONTRACT

H.9 EXECUTIVE ORDER ON TERRORISM FINANCING (MAR 2002)

H.10 REPORTING OF FOREIGN TAXES (July 2007)

H.11 USAID DISABILITY POLICY - ACQUISITION (DECEMBER 2004)

H.12 752.225-70 SOURCE AND NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS (FEB 2012)

H.13 TITLE TO AND CARE OF PROPERTY

H.14 752.7007 PERSONNEL COMPENSATION (JULY 2007)

H.14.2 EMPLOYMENT OF THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS (TCNs) AND COOPERATING

COUNTRY NATIONALS (CCNs)

H.15 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST

H.16 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENT

H.17 MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

H.18 HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE-12 (HSPD-12) (September 2006)

H.19 VALUE ADDED TAX AND CUSTOMS DUTIES

H.20 752.7032 INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL APPROVAL AND NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS71

H. 21 TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION (JAN 1990)

H.22 NONEXPENDABLE PROPERTY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

H.23 LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

H.24 EMPLOYMENT COSTS OF THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS AND COOPERATING

COUNTRY NATIONALS

H.25 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND MANAGEMENT

H.26 GENDER CONSIDERATIONS

H.27 PROHIBITION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION (OCT 2011)

H.28 SECURITY CONDITIONS

H.29 AMMONIUM NITRATE AND CALCIUM AMMONIUM NITRATE RESTRICTION

H. 30 AMERICAN CITIZENS SERVICES REGISTRATION

H. 31 ANTI-FRAUD HOTLINE

SECTION I - CONTRACT CLAUSES

I.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

I.2 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

I.3 52.216-7 ALLOWABLE COST AND PAYMENT (DEC 2002)

I.4 52.216-8 FIXED FEE (MAR 1997)

I.5 52.204-7 CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION (JUL 2006)

I.6 52.232-25 PROMPT PAYMENT (OCT 2003)

I.7 52.222-50 COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (FEB 2009)

I.8 52.227-23 RIGHTS TO PROPOSAL DATA (TECHNICAL) (JUN 1987)

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I.9 52.203-13 CONTRACTOR CODE OF BUSINESS ETHICS AND CONDUCT (APR 2010)

I.10 52.204-10 REPORTING EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND FIRST-TIER SUBCONTRACT

AWARDS (JUL 2010)

I.11 52.209-7 INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (JAN 2011)

I.12 52.209-9 UPDATES OR PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION REGARDING

RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (JAN 2011)

I.13 52.215-23 LIMITATIONS ON PASS-THROUGH CHARGES (OCT 2009)

I.14 52.229-8 TAXES-FOREIGN COST-REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACTS (MAR 1990)

I.15 52.243-7 NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES (APR 1984)

I.16 52.249-4 TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT (SERVICES)

(SHORT FORM) (APR 1984)

I.17 52.252-6 AUTHORIZED DEVIATIONS IN CLAUSES (APR 1984)

I.18 752.219-70 USAID MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM (JULY 2007)

I. 19 752.242-70 PERIODIC PROGRESS REPORTS (OCT 2007)

I.20 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES

I.21 PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA RELEASES (JAN 2004)

SECTION J - LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

OFFERORS

K.1 NOTICE LISTING SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

K.2 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (JAN 2006)

K.3 52.222-21 PROHIBITION OF SEGREGATED FACILITIES (FEB 1999)

K.4 INSURANCE - IMMUNITY FROM TORT LIABILITY

K.5 52.204-3 TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION (OCT 1998)

K.6 52.209-5 CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, PROPOSED

DEBARMENT, AND OTHER RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (APRIL 2010)

K.7 52.230-1 COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NOTICES AND CERTIFICATION

K.8 52.230-7 PROPOSAL DISCLOSURE--COST ACCOUNTING PRACTICE CHANGES

K.9 COMPLIANCE WITH VETERANS EMPLOYMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

K.10 SIGNATURE

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

L.1 NOTICE LISTING SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

L.2 FAR 52.215-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION (JAN 2004)

ALT I (JAN 2004)

L.3 FAR 52.252-2 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)122

L.4 FAR 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

L.5 FAR 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

L.6 QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

L.7 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

L.8 UNNECESSARILY ELABORATE PROPOSALS

L.9 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

L.10 BRANDING STRATEGY

L.11 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE COST PROPOSAL

L.12 DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1 OVERVIEW

M.2 CONTRACT AWARD – BEST VALUE

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M.3 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

M.4 COST EVALUATION CRITERIA

M.5 DETERMINATION OF THE COMPETITIVE RANGE AND CONTRACT AWARD

SECTION J- ATTACHMENTS

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PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The primary objective of the Sindh Reading program is to improve early grade reading in primary schools.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion-type contract. For the consideration set below, the Contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs described in Section C and F, in accordance with performance standards specified in Section E.

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

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

(b) Within the estimated cost plus fixed fee (if any) specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $TBD. The Contractor shall not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount in accordance with the Limitation of Funds Clause, FAR 52.232.22

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

B.4. BUDGET

B.4.1 The contract line item numbers (CLINs) in Section B.4.3 below are based on the Contractor’s original proposal and/or final proposal revision, which was accepted by USAID through award of this contract, and which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this contract.

B.4.2 Without the prior written approval of the Contracting Office, the Contractor may not exceed the total estimated cost set forth in the budget hereunder or the obligated amount, whichever is less.

B.4.3 PRICE SCHEDULE

CLIN DESCRIPTION Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total

001 Component 1 - Improve teacher competencies for effective early grade reading and mathematics instructions

Fixed Fee (if any) $_____ $_____ $_____ $_____ $_____ $_____

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002 Component 2 – Improve early grade reading and mathematics assessment practice

003 Component 3 – Improve student access to supplementary reading and mathematics material

0004 Component 4 – Enhance participation of parents and caregivers in support of early grade literacy and early grade numeracy for out of school children

Total Estimated Costs

Plus Fixed Fee (if any)

B.4.4 The Contractor is not allowed to exceed each CLIN line item total per year nor is authorized to shift funding between CLINs without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

B.5 REIMBURSABLE COSTS

The U.S. dollar costs budgeted herein above shall be limited to reasonable, allocable and allowable costs determined in accordance with FAR 31 (Contract Cost Principles), 2 CFR Part 220 (Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (OMB Circular A-21)), 2 CFR Part 230 (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-122)), FAR 52.216-7 (Allowable Cost and Payment), FAR 52.216-8 (Fixed Fee) if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003 (Documentation for Payment).

B.6 INDIRECT COSTS (DEC 1997)

The contract clause entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment (DEC 2002)”, FAR Subpart 52.216-7, specifies that the indirect cost rates shall be established for each of the Contractor’s accounting periods which apply to this contract. Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate based:

Sindh Reading Program (SRP) Page 10 of 172

Description Rate Base Type Period 1/ 1/ 1/ 2/ 2/ 2/ 3/ 3/ 3/ 1/Base of Application Type of Rate: Predetermined Period:

1/Base of Application Type of Rate: Predetermined Period:

(1) The Government shall not be obligated to pay any additional amount should the final indirect cost rates exceed the negotiated ceiling rates. If the final indirect cost rates are less than the negotiated ceiling rates, the negotiated rates shall be reduced to conform to the lower rates.

(2) This understanding shall not change any monetary ceiling, obligation, or specific cost allowance or disallowance. Any changes in classifying or allocating indirect costs required the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable shall 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.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

Monthly payment of fixed fee shall be paid in proportion to the LOE delivered during that month and pursuant to FAR 52.216-8, it shall be made upon receipt of a proper invoice.

In the event the contractor has not delivered the total LOE at the expiration of the contract period, the fixed fee shall be adjusted proportionately to the LOE delivered. For example, if the contractor has expended 85% of the total level of effort, then the contractor is entitled to 85% of the fixed fee amount, provided that the performance has been satisfactory.

B.9 SECURITY COSTS

The Contractor must provide USAID/Pakistan a security plan (referenced in Section H. 27 and Attachment J.4) and budget for security. The Security Plan and budget must delineate and justify the reasonableness of all costs and provide a coherent, overall integrated security plan that demonstrates that the Contractor has undertaken a thoughtful review of their security needs and includes analysis of the various elements of a security plan.

[END OF SECTION B]

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SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

ACRONYMS

AKDN Aga Khan Development Network ASER Annual Status of Education Report BOC Bureau of Curriculum CMP Community Mobilization Program (Sindh) COP Chief of Party COR Contracting Officer’s Representative DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DfID Department for International Development DO Development Objective ECNEC Executive Committee of the National Economic Council EDC Education Development Center EFS Education Fund for Sindh EGMA Early Grade Math Assessment EGRA Early Grade Reading Assessment EU European Union FATA Federally Administered Tribal Area GDP Gross Domestic Product GCE Government College of Education GECE Government Elementary College of Education GoS Government of Sindh HANDS Health and Nutrition Development Society ICT Information, Communication & Technology INSET In-service Education for Teachers JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency KEDC Karachi Education Development Centre KP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa KYI Karachi Youth Initiative NEP National Education Policy PEACE Provincial Education Assessment Centre PITE Provincial Institute for Teacher Education PMIU Program Management and Implementation Unit PMP Performance Management Plan PRESET Pre-service Education for Teachers PSLM Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey RCC Releasing Confidence and Creativity RSU Reform Support Unit SAFED South Asian Forum for Education Development SBEP Sindh Basic Education Program SEF Sindh Education Foundation SEMIS Sindh Education Management Information System SERP Sindh Education Reform Program SRP Sindh Reading Program

Sindh Reading Program (SRP) Page 12 of 172

STEDA Sindh Teacher Education Development Authority TRC Teachers’ Resource Centre TLM Teaching Learning Materials

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C.1 INTRODUCTION

USAID is a development partner to the Government of Sindh and is currently supporting the Department of Education and Literacy with implementation of the Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP) in Districts Sukkur, Khairpur, Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Dadu and selected towns of Karachi city (i.e. Kemari, Liyari, Orangi, Gaddap and Bin Qasim). The overarching goal of SBEP is “Increased and Sustained Student Enrollment in Primary, Middle and Secondary Schools in targeted geographical locations in Sindh”.

As a sub-component of SBEP, the Sindh Reading Program (SRP) is a five-year initiative with an operating budget between $23-25 million in the same geographic areas of the parent SBEP. SRP will support the SBEP goal based on lessons learned from USAID and the Government of Sindh’s legacy of early grade teaching and learning. SRP aims to:

Improve teacher competencies for effective early grade reading and mathematics instruction;

Improve early grade reading and mathematics assessment practice;

Improve student access to supplementary reading and mathematics material;

Enhance participation of parents and caregivers in support of early grade literacy and early grade numeracy for out of school children.

SRP will contribute to USAID/Pakistan’s Education Results Framework DO4: Improved opportunities for learning and work and to the framework’s IR 4.2: Improved Quality of Education through the following intermediate results sub-IRs:

IR 4.2.1: Improved policies, laws, and guidelines for teachers and educational administrators

IR 4.2.2: Improved reading instruction for children in primary grades

Over the life of the program, it is expected to achieve the following results:

Demonstrated literacy and numeracy skills at a functional level in over 750,000 students in Grades K-5 in selected government schools of the Sindh province’s targeted 7 districts (all Talukas) and 5 selected towns of Karachi.

Over 100,000 out of school children (ages 3 to 16 years) will be enrolled in non-formal and literacy programs in all Talukas of the target 7 districts and selected 5 towns of Karachi. This intervention will lead to the transitioning of at least 150,000 to government schools.

Parents or caregivers of these 100,000 out of school children engaged in literacy programs in the target areas.

Up to 25,000 government teachers demonstrating improved competencies in effective reading and mathematics instructions in all Talukas of the 7 districts of Sindh and 5 towns of Karachi.

500 government district officers/supervisors, teachers, principals/head teachers, Sindh Teacher Education Development Authority staff, faculty of Provincial Institute of Teacher Education (PITE) and Bureau of Curriculum (BoC) trained in developing, implementing and monitoring on an annual basis the Early Grade Reading Assessments and Early Grade Mathematics Assessments and Continuous Professional Development teacher and administrator manuals and guides.

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The primary beneficiaries of SRP are rural and urban male and female children ages 3 to 16 and/ or Katchi to Class V, parents, district government officials and community leaders. Also children, both boys and girls, who are of school going age but are out of school within the geographical areas that will be served by the program.

SRP will be implemented in line with the Pakistan Enhanced Partnership Act of 2009 (See http://transition.usaid.gov/pk/about/klb.html) and the “USAID Forward” policy agenda (See http://forward.usaid.gov/). SRP will invoke a strong emphasis on systems and sustainability that moves beyond one-off trainings and provision of supplementary materials to a much broader platform that is institutionalized and evidence driven.

Sindh Basic Education Program

On September 21, 2011, USAID signed an Activity Agreement with the Government of Sindh (GOS) to implement the Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP) which is one of several donor interventions that supports the Government’s broader Sindh Education Reform Program (SERP) agenda. As mentioned above, SBEP is focused on increasing and sustaining student enrolment in primary, middle and secondary schools in seven target districts as well as in the city of Karachi. SBEP is comprised of the following components: (1) construction of schools in the areas affected by 2010 floods; (2) support to GOS policy reforms to merge, consolidate and upgrade schools through construction of schools; (3) improvement in early grade reading in primary schools; (4) community mobilization, with a focus on increasing girls enrolment and improving the nutritional status of children; (5) technical assistance to the Education & Literacy Department, Government of Sindh and (6) A/E support for school construction.

As a component of SBEP, SRP will form the cornerstone of quality improvements to SBEP intervention government schools and neighboring government schools. Studies have shown that learning outcomes have a direct correlation to a country’s economic growth. Key to learning is the ability to read. A ten percent increase in the number of students achieving basic literacy translates into a 0.3 percentage point increase in the annual growth rate for that country. Other research has shown that early grade reading and numeracy competencies are critical for continued retention and success in future grades.

Unfortunately, more than 70% of children in Pakistan in primary school cannot read at grade level.

Implementing a key goal of the new worldwide USAID Education Strategy, the program will improve reading and numeracy skills among students in early grades. The activity will be directly implemented by USAID in consultation and collaboration with Government of Sindh Sindh institutions. The activity is envisioned to maximize participation of parents, caregivers and the larger community in improving the quality of education in public schools.1 Below is a framework to illustrate the flow of current SBEP activities into which SRP will be integrated.

1 Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP), PC-1, page 10.

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Sindh Basic Education Program Work Flow

C.1.1 LINKS WITH U. S. FOREIGN POLICY GOALS AND USAID STRATEGY

The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 recognizes investment in the Pakistani people as an essential component of the overall USG strategy in Pakistan. In particular, providing support to women and children is critical to a peaceful and prosperous future for the country. USAID, specifically its education programs, has a key role to play in these efforts.

In line with the current USG approach, the Agency is innovating to improve service delivery and strengthen governance capacity at provincial and local levels across sectors, including education.

USAID seeks to increase its support for Pakistani development initiatives undertaken by government agencies, private institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and public-private partnerships.

The USAID education portfolio in Pakistan is aligned with the national policy objectives of the GOP and Provincial priorities of Sindh. USAID is responding across the country to basic education needs of children with activities ranging from policy development support and infrastructure improvements to teacher training, scholarships, and literacy programs. These are consistent with the goals of the GoP to widen access and increase quality.

In 2010, USAID embarked on an ambitious reform agenda known as USAID Forward. USAID Forward is an effort to make the Agency more effective by changing the way we partner with others, embracing a spirit of innovation and strengthening the results of our work, saving money and reducing the need for U.S. assistance over time. SRP will support this agenda through innovative and sustainable solutions.

In 2011, USAID instituted a new Global Education Strategy2 which emphasizes early grade reading (EGR) while recognizing the importance of coordinating EGR with a country-led strategy.

USAID/Pakistan will contribute to the global targets of the Education Strategy under Goal I: Improved Reading for 100 Million Children in Primary Grades by 2015. The purpose of this goal is to produce

2 USAID Education Strategy: Implementation Guidance, Revised April 2011. See also USAID Technical Notes, http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDACT681.pdf

School Mapping (iMMAP)

A/E School Design and Site Selection

(Halcrow/GoS and SBEP Steering

Committee)

SBEP PC-1 Approval (GoS)

Construction

(PMIU)

SCHOOL

SINDH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION PROGRAM

Sindh Reading Program

Sindh Reading Program (SRP) Page 16 of 172 meaningful, measurable improvement in student reading outcomes for the largest possible number of children.

C.1.2 LINKAGES WITH THE RESULTS FRAMEWORK

USAID/Pakistan’s education development objective (DO) of “Improved Opportunities for Learning and Work” supports U.S. foreign assistance goals as stated above. The development hypothesis implicit in SRP correlates directly with USAID/Pakistan’s results framework that improved quality in education will be reached (1) by improving policies, laws, and guidelines for teachers and educational administrators and (2) by improving reading instruction for children in primary grades.

DO4: IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND WORK

IR 4.2: IMPROVED QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Ultimately, these performance indicators will help the program achieve the overarching goal of SBEP of “Increased and Sustained Student Enrollment in Primary, Middle and Secondary Schools in targeted geographical locations in Sindh”.

C.2 BACKGROUND - THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

Sindh is the second largest province of Pakistan in terms of both population and economic output. It is the most urbanized province with 42% of the population living in Karachi, the economic hub of Pakistan. Sindh contributes almost 50% of the national economy with the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP), largely due to the city of Karachi (http://www.pwdsindh.gov.pk/).

Despite impressive economic progress, Sindh’s education indicators are low. Two thirds of women and one third of people above the age of ten in Sindh are illiterate. Approximately thirty percent of school-aged children – approximately four million children aged 5 through 12 – are not in school. Female participation in education remains a key challenge in Sindh. There is a large gap between the enrollment rates of boys and girls, though both are low.

IR 4.2.1

Improved policies, laws, and guidelines for teachers and educational administrators

IR 4.2.2

Improved reading instruction for children in primary grades

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Snapshot of Access and Quality of Education in Sindh Access to Education

4 million out of school children

(approximately 2.5 million girls) 5,229 (11%) closed schools (out of

47,557) 8280 (17%) shelter-less schools 24% out of school children (6-10 years) 61.2% out of school children (3-5 years) Libraries in only 830 (1.7%) schools

Source: SEMIS 2011-2012, ASER 2012

Quality of Education

15.7% children of Class 3 in rural Sindh can read a story

19.4% children of Class 5 in rural Sindh can read a sentence

46.3% children of Class 1 in rural Sindh cannot do simple Arithmetic

37.8% children of Class 3 in rural Sindh can recognize numbers up to 100

Source: ASER 2012

C.2.1 ACCESS AND QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN SINDH

Like other parts of the country, the provision of educational services in the public sector in Sindh is limited due to lack of resources, low prioritization and marginal political commitment, and weak school organization and management. Shortage of well-functioning schools, poor infrastructure of existing schools, and the absence of meaningful community involvement have resulted in low levels of school participation, high drop-out rates, inadequate student learning outcomes, and the growth of private schools that are often unregulated. The lack of girl-friendly facilities, such as separate latrines, boundary walls, and female teachers are key barriers to female participation in formal schooling.

The performance of the education sector with regard to learning outcomes in the province is very dismal. As per the recently released report by the South Asian Forum for Education Development (SAFED) in rural Sindh, 67% of those who do attend school cannot read sentences in Urdu or Sindhi, 66.5% cannot read sentences in English, and 73% cannot do simple two-digit subtraction sums (The report was based on assessment conducted in six districts of the province).

GoS has recently undertaken several critical initiatives to improve the quality of learning in classrooms.

Under the World Bank/European Union funded Sindh Education Reform Program, GoS is currently aiming to address access and quality issues. SERP addresses issues such as: provision of missing facilities; stipends for girls; provision of text books; teacher training and teacher improvement; and revitalization of schools councils.

In Sindh, the challenge for USAID is to support key policy reforms that improve the education system and learning environment overall. In order to effectively assist the GoS through technical support to promote education reforms, USAID will focus on optimizing provincial and district government roles to ensure that both levels capitalize on their comparative advantages and are able to deliver on their commitments.

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Pakistan’s National Education Policy (NEP) 20093 has recognized that the increase in enrollment cannot be sustained in the absence of quality education. The policy has also established GOP’s aim to broaden the base of the education sector with emphasis on improving the quality of education through better prepared teachers, improved curriculum, effective text books and better learning environment in schools.

NEP has also recommended the need for developing a comprehensive language policy for school education.

In 2007, Pakistan developed the National Curriculum for Literacy4. The curriculum includes: basic literacy and numeracy, functional literacy and income generating skills. The curriculum established that the “acquisition of Literacy and Numeracy Skills is the first step towards independent and lifelong learning.” In this context, literacy and numeracy skills are defined as follows:

The ability to read, write and calculate simple symbols, digits, words, sentences, texts, with understanding at normal speed, and tackle everyday life problems related to citizenship, gender sensitivity, health, ethics and technical know-how to improve life and ultimately the society.

While the National Curriculum is geared to young and adult learners, the rationale for a clear focus on literacy, as well as the necessary pedagogical infrastructure and tool development, is applicable to child neo-literates.

SRP will contribute to the GOP’s goals to improve reading and numeracy skills among early grade students in seven districts in the Northern Sindh and five selected towns of Karachi through improved teacher competencies, improved early grade reading and math’s assessment, improved student access to supplementary reading material, and enhanced participation of parents and care-givers in support of promoting reading and numeracy among school children.

C.2.2 KARACHI – ACCESS AND QUALITY

Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan and is the capital of the Sindh province. It has a population of over 18 million (KEDC Fact Sheet) with 4 million school age children and accounts for 11% of Pakistan’s total population. Karachi enjoys a significant position in the nations’ socio-economic setting. It is the important hub of trade and commerce. It generates 42% of value added in large-scale manufacturing and 25% of the revenues of the Federal Government and has per capita income of US$1,483 compared to $921 for the rest of the country and contributes 20% of the country’s GDP. Karachi consists of 18 towns, six Cantonment Boards and other Federal agencies.

Karachi’s population is growing at 4.5% per year due to the continuous migration of people in search of a better life from towns and villages across Pakistan. Karachi is historically a city of immigrants, an area where people go to try to obtain a better life. Recent immigration trends have included Pashtun migrations from the FATA and KP, immigrants from southern Punjab and those from rural Sindh who became homeless after the 2010 floods.

In Karachi, the inequalities among the different ethnic groups in the city and the inefficiencies of governance with an extremely complex network of political and administrative layers have yielded over

3 National Education Policy 2009, Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 4 National Curriculum for Literacy 2007, Curriculum Wing, Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad

Sindh Reading Program (SRP) Page 19 of 172 time a shift in confidence from government provision of schooling to the private sector. In Karachi, over 70% of all enrollments in primary grades are in private schools. And while the literacy rate above the age of 10 is 79% for Karachi as compared with the rest of Sindh at 59% and the primary completion rate in Karachi is 72%, the public sector has not played a significant role in delivering these gains.

The Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM 2010-11) features data on enrolment in all types of schools including the private and government sectors that corroborate this assumption. The calculation of the number of children enrolled in government primary schools divided by the number of children of primary school age for Karachi is only 28%. Here an interesting fact is observed that apart from Islamabad, which has a wide array of Government schools and colleges, the general trend in all other big cities including Karachi is the preferences of private educational facilities over those provided by the government.

The lack of basic infrastructure that exists in the public sector and the multiple and parallel systems of education in the city, i.e. public schools, municipal schools, private schools and madrassas coupled with unregulated quality across all school systems prove to be an impediment for preparing individuals for the workforce. Scarcity of resources and the provision of adequate facilities and training are restraining the proper growth of educational system which could lead to a more productive society.

In Karachi, there are over 3,700 government schools for 4 million children (SEMIS 2010-2011).

According to ASER (2011) only 42.9% children of class 3 in government schools and 61.2% children in private schools can read at least a sentence in Urdu / Sindhi. Similarly only 34.8% children of class 5 in government schools and 62.9% children in private schools can at least do division. The report also reveals that only 58.3% government schools and 66.7% private schools in Karachi have useable water and have very limited playground space.

Karachi has benefitted from a robust private sector of education service delivery but unfortunately, the quality of education is uneven and unregulated. Also the lack of clear lines of governance between city municipal administration and provincial administration have rendered over 3,700 city government schools without proper supervision.

The public sector is eager to improve the functioning and utilization of existing schools, improving the quality of education, increasing enrolment, improving access to education and expanding the primary education system through innovative strategies..

C.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT

In the past decade, significant achievements have been made in increasing primary school enrollment worldwide, but children in low-income countries are completing primary school at 67 percent5 of the rate of high-income countries, with studies showing very little actual learning occurring in the classroom. In Mali, Pakistan, and Peru, reading assessments have indicated that at least 70 percent of primary school children are unable to read at their grade level.6 7 Children who do not attain reading

5 Calculations of the ratio of low-income to high-income country average primary completion rates from World Bank EdStats Query database. Country classification based on World Bank country and lending groups (World Bank, 2010).

6 J. Das, P. Pandey, and T. Zajonc, Learning Levels and Gaps in Pakistan. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 4067. The World Bank, (2006).

Sindh Reading Program (SRP) Page 20 of 172 skills at the primary level are on a lifetime trajectory of limited educational progress and therefore limited economic and developmental opportunity. The leading international assessment, Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), indicates that low-income countries that participated are performing at the bottom 5th percentile in the world. Research suggests that these astoundingly low learning levels are impeding economic growth, as a 10 percent increase in the share of students reaching basic literacy has been demonstrated to translate into a 0.3 percentage point higher annual growth rate for the country.8

Goal 1 of USAID’s Global Education Strategy – improved reading skills for 100 million children in primary grades by 2015 - builds upon a long experience in primary education and more recent leadership in supporting interventions to improve school quality, as measured through learning outcomes. It recognizes that learning takes place at all levels, but adopts a particular focus on primary grade reading improvement as the foundation for future learning. Though it is clear that children‘s future economic potential is dependent not just on reading instruction, effective reading is a critical and necessary pre-condition for skill development in all other areas and, as such, will be a primary target by which we hold ourselves accountable for results in basic education.9

Early Grade Teaching and Learning in Sindh

There are over 43,00010 government primary schools (class I to class V) in the Sindh Province with a majority being small with fewer than three classrooms and average enrollments of 30-60 students. There are over 99,000 government primary grade teachers assigned to these schools that have had very little or no preparation for teaching at the primary levels other than a nine month certificate training conducted by 30 Government Elementary Colleges of Education or other institutions situated across the province.

In-service training has been ad-hoc and largely donor funded. The Sindh Government has instituted the Sindh Teacher Education Development Authority (STEDA) in Karachi which is classified as the apex teacher education authority that coordinates all teacher education standards and policy in the province.

In addition, the Bureau of Curriculum (BOC) in Jamshoro and the Provincial Institute of Teacher Education (PITE) in Nawabshah have provided specialized training programs in early grade learning along with administrative responsibilities for the GECEs and academic responsibility for the GCEs.

STEDA is currently working on a policy for continual professional development which would include an annual cycle and offering of teacher education programs in a range of subjects and pedagogical techniques. This program is still under preparation. The Sindh Education Sector Plan calls for support to primary schools in the following ways:

1. To increase enrollments in the existing Primary/ Elementary Schools

2. To expand the provision of Primary/ Elementary education, especially for females (in rural areas)

3. To increase overall system efficiency

4. To develop and implement effective school supervision system by 2015

5. To strengthen the school as an institution

6. To conduct research on the issues of delivery services of the primary education

7 USAID, EQUIP 2, Opportunity to Learn: A High Impact for Improving Educational Outcomes in Developing Countries, (2008).

8 Erik Hanushek, and L. Woessmann, National Bureau of Economic Research, Do Better Schools Lead To More Growth?: Cognitive Skills, Economic Outcomes, and Causation, NBER Working Paper 14633, (2009).

9 2011 Education Strategy, Technical Notes, Revised April 2012. http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pdact681.pdf

Sindh Reading Program (SRP) Page 21 of 172

As stated above, the quality of education in Sindh is trailing other provinces. The findings of the ASER (2012) report portray an alarming visual of the education system. The data on numeracy and literacy skills of children, for instance, indicate that although there are variations from government to private schools, various grade levels and girls and boys, most children’s scores are poor. Sindh ranks lowest among all the provinces in terms of school enrollment, English reading and subtraction skills of grade 5 students. Performance in Sindh is only better in Urdu reading skills. Some of the statistics presented below are illustrative of the lack of quality teaching and learning in the Province.

Urdu/Sindhi Reading Skills: 40.5% of grade 5 students can read a simple story written in Urdu or Sindhi, against the national average of 47%. Under this tool Sindh stands above KP – 31.5% - and

FATA – 34%.

English Reading Skills: Sindh has the lowest percentage of students who can read English. Only 20% of grade 5 students can read a simple English sentence, against the national average of 40.6%. All other provinces fare better as compared to Sindh including 33% in FATA and 35% in Balochistan, Division/Subtraction Skills: Only 23% of grade 5 students can do simple subtraction of three digits, against the national average of 37%.

Over the past decade, Sindh has experienced a variety of early childhood programs. From 2002 to 2011, the Aga Khan Development Network implemented the Releasing Confidence and Creativity (RCC):

Building Sound Foundations for Early Learning project which was an early childhood program with the objective to expand access to pre-school and the early grades and to improve school quality. The program was initially funded by USAID (2002-06). Through a consortium of development partners it worked with communities to find space (usually in schools) for preschool classes where these did not exist; hired pre-school teachers, mobilized communities to contribute to their salaries, provided training and ongoing support for both pre-school and Grade 1 and 2 teachers and brought in materials. A warm, child-centered, activity-based approach to learning was encouraged. The program also worked with families around their children’s education and development, built stakeholder capacity and commitment, and engaged in policy dialogue. Development partners included Sindh Education Foundation (SEF), Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS) and Teachers’ Resource Centre (TRC) the program worked with target communities in Sindh and Balochistan to ensure a supportive teaching and learning environment in the early grades as well as to provide literacy programs for parents (See USAID final evaluation of the initial portion of RCC http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDACK938.pdf) and a recent AKDN study of RCC in http://www.akdn.org/publications/2013_Learning%20about%20Learning.pdf)

Other agencies have funded and implemented early childhood education programs and literacy programs in Sindh but have not been able to sustain the efforts in the absence of a provincial policy. However, the Education and Literacy Department is currently developing a new policy that will address the needs of learning at this critical stage.

10 SEMIS Annual School Census, 2011-12

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In addition, the USAID-funded Teacher Education Program that has recently been implemented by the Education Development Centre (EDC) and Columbia University’s Teachers’ College provides specific pre-service support to all Teacher Training Colleges in Pakistan. SRP will need to ensure coordination with TEP to promote linkages between pre-service training and in-service efforts under SRP and more generally, support in-service training by bridging existing pedagogy with student-centered practices newly developed for the Sindh context.

Whatever the successes and lessons learned of past interventions, the time has come for development partners to support the GoS in developing (if necessary) and using practical, scalable, low cost and institutionally sustainable teaching and learning methods and systems to help improve early grade literacy and numeracy. The task is not impossible and should not be done in isolation. SRP is a GoS coordinated program and will seek to work through the GoS systems to implement tried and tested programs that will significantly help to improve the education indicators mentioned above.

C.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

C.4.1 SCOPE

The Contractor shall provide the GoS with technical assistance, training and related resources necessary to improve effective reading and mathematics instruction, reading and mathematics delivery systems and increased participation of parents and caregivers and out of school children in the target SBEP geographical areas.

As stated in Section C.1, SBEP has six major subcomponents. The Contractor will need to understand the mechanics of the parent SBEP program in order to mobilize the SRP sub-component in the least amount of time and to support maximum synergy with other SBEP components. SRP is at the core of quality improvement in USAID’s broader Sindh Basic Education Program.

Progress of SBEP SBEP Sub-Components Progress 1 Construction of schools in the areas affected by 2010 floods Activity Agreement signed with GoS PC-1 for Parent SBEP approved by ECNEC Sub-PC-1 approved for construction of first batch of 6 schools.

Construction firm awarded contract to begin construction.

2 Support to GOS policy reforms to merge, consolidate and upgrade schools through construction of schools

School mapping exercise completed in all Districts

Recommendations for school consolidation, up-gradation, and merging presented to steering committee with approval of the first 40 schools granted.

3 Improvement in early grade reading in primary schools

Activity to be initiated under this procurement.

4 Community mobilization, with a focus on increasing girls enrolment and improving the nutritional status

USAID is currently initiating this program through the Sindh Community Mobilization Program (CMP).

Sindh Reading Program (SRP) Page 23 of 172 of children 5 Technical assistance to the

Education & Literacy Department, Government of Sindh

GoS has appointed an SBEP Program Director PMIU office has been established in Karachi and mass recruitment is underway for staffing Karachi, Larkana and Sukkur Offices.

USAID is supporting PMIU capacity building of PMIU (7 consultants have been hired to advise on core PMIU mobilization activities)

6 Architectural and Engineering support to support school construction

Contractor is in place; has conducted market surveys, developed designs and pre-qualification documentation and is vetting recommended school sites for viability of construction.

C.4.2 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND PROJECT COMPONENTS

In order to achieve results, the Contractor shall propose a mix of short- and long- term technical assistance, training, materials, equipment, and other forms of assistance to improve early grade reading in government primary schools. USAID invites innovation and is not prescribing the approach, mix of activities and means the Contractor must use to achieve the program objectives and results. The targets and results listed in this section, while required, are not exhaustive and the Contractor may propose additional results illustrating how they will strengthen reaching overall objectives.

The components of SRP are outlined below; each of these components is necessary to support the overall improvement of accountability and access to quality education.

1) Improve teacher competencies for effective early grade reading and math’s instructions.

2) Improve early grade reading and mathematics assessment practice.

3) Improve student access to supplementary reading and mathematics material

4) Enhance participation of parents and caregivers in support of early grade literacy and early grade numeracy for out of school children.

SRP will also aim to increase early grade reading and student/teacher access to supplementary reading and mathematics material through libraries, ICT and other innovative techniques.

COMPONENT 1: Improve teacher competencies for effective early grade reading and mathematcis instructions

IN-SERVICE PROGRAMS

The Contractor shall support the Sindh Teacher Education Development Authority…