ABE_LEARN_RFP_(SOL-OAA-12-000068).pdf

Date Issued: March 15, 2013 Questions Due: March 29, 2013 - Noon EST

Closing Date: April 15, 2013 - Noon EST

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) Number SOL-OAA-12-000068 Assistance to Basic Education Learn to Read Now (ABE LEARN)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking proposals to provide services that support ABE LEARN. USAID anticipates awarding approximately 6 Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts, including approximately 2 reserved for small businesses resulting from this solicitation.

USAID anticipates the maximum ordering limitation of the contracts resulting from this RFP will be $500,000,000 over the 5-year ordering period. The maximum aggregate dollar value of task orders awarded to all Contractors cannot exceed this contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees, nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees. There is no guarantee on the number of task orders that the successful Contractors will receive or the amount of money beyond the minimum order guarantee set forth in the RFP.

Task orders issued under this IDIQ contract may be either Firm Fixed-Price or Cost-Plus-Fixed- Fee awards.

Small Business Threshold: Task orders with a total estimated cost of $1,300,000 or less will be set-aside for small businesses unless the Task Order Contracting Officer determines that one of the fair opportunity exceptions applies. Small business IDIQ contract holders will still be able to compete for task orders above this threshold.

These awards will replace the prior IDIQ contracts in this sector under Assistance to Basic Education/Basic Education (ABE-BE):

American Institutes for Research (EDH-I-00-05-00027-00) Creative Associates International, Inc. (EDH-I-00-05-00029-00) Education Development Center, Inc. (EDH-I-00-05-00031-00) Juarez & Associates (EDH-I-00-05-00033-00) The Mitchell Group (EDH-I-00-05-00035-00)

All questions related to this RFP must be submitted to ABE2012@usaid.gov no later than Noon EST, March 29, 2013. Unless otherwise notified by an amendment to the RFP, no questions will be accepted after this date.

This RFP in no way obligates USAID to award a contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

This RFP can be viewed and downloaded from the Internet at www.fedbizopps.gov. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

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

Sincerely, /s/

Kevin Sampson Contracting Officer

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 6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

SEALED BID (IFB)

X 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 handcarried, in the depository located in until local time _______________________ (Hour) (Date)

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

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 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

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 (120 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 CODE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print) 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)

1 N/A 170

SOL-OAA-12-000068 March 15, 2013

U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Acquisition and Assistance

M/OAA/E3, SA-44

1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington DC 20523

See L.6

See Section L.6 and L.7 12 Noon EST April 15, 2013

Michele Maximilien

ABE2012@usaid.gov

X 1

X 2-13

X 14-32

X 33-41

X 42

X 43-58

X 59-62

X 63-78

X 79-93

X 94

X 95-114

X 115-136

X 138-143

$.00

Kevin Sampson

Contracting Officer

Solicitation No. SOL-OAA-12-000068

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PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to support USAID missions, bureaus, and other operating units in implementing the strategic objectives of Goal One of the USAID Education Strategy 2011-2015:

Improved reading skills for 100 million children in primary grades by 2015. This contract will provide services that fall within the statement of work specified in Section C for the Assistance to Basic Education Learn to Read Now (ABE LEARN) project. USAID Task Order Contracting Officers (TOCOs) will request the work through the issuance of Task Orders during the ordering period as specified in Section F of the contract.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract. The Government will issue task orders that are either Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) (term or completion), or any Firm Fixed-Priced (FFP) type. The Contractor must perform the services set forth in task orders at prices consistent with section B of this contract.

B.3 MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING

This is a multiple award Contract with an overall ceiling price of $500,000,000. The maximum aggregate dollar value of Task Orders awarded to all Contractors cannot exceed the Contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees.

B.4 MINIMUM ORDER GUARANTEE

The basic Contract includes an initial obligation of funds in the amount of $25,000 to cover the minimum order guarantee. USAID is required to order and the Contractor is required to furnish the minimum order amount of services. Following this initial obligation, individual Task Orders will obligate funds to cover the work required under such Task Orders.

B.5 INDIRECT COST RATES

(Only applicable to CPFF task orders)

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases for prime Contractors and their major Subcontractors (“major Subcontractors” are those Subcontractors expected to perform at least 20% of the technical effort).

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Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

TBD TBD 2/ 2/ 2/

TBD TBD 3/ 3/ 3/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

Source:

2/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

Source:

3/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

Source:

NOTE: Subcontractor indirect cost rates may be included in Task Order proposals, and are subject to approval of the TOCO in accordance with FAR 52.244-2, Subcontracts.

B.6 CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES

(Only applicable to CPFF task orders)

(a) Reimbursement for indirect costs shall be at the lower of the negotiated final or predetermined rates, or the following ceiling rates:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

TBD TBD 2/ 2/ 2/

TBD TBD 3/ 3/ 3/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

2/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

3/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

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Period:

(b) 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.

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

(d) The Contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer and the Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Contract Audit and Support (CAS).

B.7 CEILINGS ON FIXED FEE - CPFF TASK ORDERS

(a) For each task order issued under this contract, the TOCO and Contractor agree to negotiate a set dollar amount for fixed fee. In negotiating the fixed dollar amount for fee, the TOCO must consider the policies and factors for establishing fee in FAR 15.404-4 as well as any applicable USAID policy on establishing a fixed fee amount. In no event, however, may the amount of fixed fee in any individual task order exceed _____ percent (Contractor proposes ceiling percentage) of the task order’s estimated cost, excluding fee. The fee ceiling applies to the prime Contractor and any Subcontractors.

NOTE 1: The ceiling on fixed fee does not apply to Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Task Orders. This fee shall not be applied to sub-grant costs.

(b) The Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee for each Task Order must be negotiated in accordance with the terms of this Contract.

(c) Grants under Contracts. For any grants under contract activities awarded under a task order, the TOCO must determine if a Letter of Credit (LOC) is necessary. However, since issuance of an LOC cannot be accomplished prior to award, all Contractors shall propose a ceiling percentage fee if issued an LOC and a separate ceiling fee percentage if not issued an LOC.

Only the appropriate fee will be included in the contract upon award as follows:

_____ percent (Contractor proposes ceiling percentage) of the amount for grants under contract awarded under the task order, excluding fee if issued a letter of credit.

_____ percent (Contractor proposes ceiling percentage) of the amount for grants under contract awarded under the task order, excluding fee if NOT issued a letter of credit.

NOTE 2: The fixed fee ceiling percentage identified in B.7(a) cannot be applied against Grants under Contract in accordance with 22 CFR 226.81.

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B.8 LABOR

(Only applicable to CPFF task orders)

Compensation of personnel under this Contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007 Personnel Compensation (July 2007), the full text of which is in Section H3.

(a) Central management costs: The Contracting Officer has determined the government will not authorize central management costs under the IDIQ contract. Contractors shall not bill USAID directly for central management costs (e.g., responding to task order proposal requests, central reporting, central meetings with the basic IDIQ contract Contracting Officer’s Representative) under this IDIQ contract or under task orders.

(b) The work day and work week policies and method of accounting for paid absences including holidays for the Contractor and major Subcontractors is set forth in Attachment J___. (The Contracting Officer will fill in the Attachment number at the time of award and incorporate the information from the Contractor’s proposal into Section J of the Contract).

B.9 OTHER DIRECT COSTS (MATERIALS) (CPFF ONLY)

(a) In additional to direct labor, other direct costs necessary for the performance of the work under task orders, such as travel and transportation, lodging and subsistence expenses, and allowances may be authorized by the task order.

(b) The Contracting Officer determines which other direct costs are allowable, allocable, and fair and reasonable in accordance with the applicable federal cost principles (i.e., FAR 31.2 and AIDAR 731.2 for commercial (for profit) organizations or FAR 31.3 and AIDAR 731.3 for educational institutions, or FAR 31.7 and AIDAR 731.7 for other not-for-profit organizations).

For those other direct costs the TOCO authorizes, the Contractors are allowed to recover applicable indirect costs on these costs, if doing so is part of the Contractor's usual accounting procedures, consistent with the applicable cost principles, and are included in the Contractor's Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

B.10 TASK ORDER LIMITATIONS

NOTE: Task orders issued under this IDIQ contract may be either Firm Fixed-Price or Cost- Plus-Fixed-Fee awards.

(a) Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Task Orders. When issuing CPFF task orders, the TOCO shall state in the Task Order the total estimated cost plus fixed fee, which is the total amount of the Task Order and the maximum amount the Contractor will be paid without the advance written approval of the Contracting Officer to perform the services, reports, or other deliverables in the Task Order. This maximum amount represents the negotiated mix of the prime Contractors and Subcontractors' professional labor categories and salaries, an estimated number of workdays, other direct costs, indirect costs, and fixed fee.

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(b) Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Task Orders. When issuing FFP Task Orders, TOCOs shall state in the Task Order the firm-fixed-price, which represents the total amount of the Task Order and the maximum price the Contractor will be paid to perform the services, reports, or other deliverables in the Task Order.

(c) Minimum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this Contract in a Task Order in the amount of less than $25,000, the Contractor is not obligated to accept an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this Contract.

However, if the Contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by USAID in an amount of less than $25,000 and is awarded a Task Order to do so, the Contractor is required to provide said services and reports/deliverables in accordance with the Contract's terms and conditions.

(d) Maximum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this Contract in a Task Order amount of more than $20,000,000, the Contractor is not obligated to bid on an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this Contract. However, if the Contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by USAID in excess of $20,000,000 and awarded a Task Order to do so, the Contractor is required to provide said services and reports/deliverables in accordance with the Contracts terms and conditions.

(e) Notwithstanding the above, if issuance of a Task Order to, and acceptance of a Task Order by, the Contractor would: (1) result in the Contractor (or its personnel or its Subcontractors or their personnel) having an organizational conflict of interest for which restrictions would be placed on the Contractor's (or its personnel’s or its Subcontractors’ or their personnel’s) future activities; or (2) violate the provisions of the Procurement Integrity legislation, i.e., Section 27 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 423), as amended by Section 814 of Pub. L. 101-189 the Contractor, after written notification to the cognizant Contracting Officer, is not obligated to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this Contract, and USAID may acquire the supplies or services from another source.

B.11 COST REIMBURSABLE

(Only applicable to CPFF task orders)

The U.S. dollar costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable, and allowable costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, and FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment, OMB Circular A-21, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions and OMB Circular A-122, Cost Principles for Non-profit organizations.

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B.1 2 LABOR CATEGORIES – UNBURDENED CEILING DAILY RATES

(Only applicable to CPFF task orders)

(a) The task order must include labor rates that are equal to or lower than the Ceiling Daily Rates (CDRs) set forth below.

Each Ceiling Daily Rate (CDR) for personnel listed below is “unburdened” and must only include salary costs or consulting rates of the individual providing services. The CDR for personnel must not include additional costs including but not limited to: payroll costs (fringe benefits, FICA, etc.), indirect costs applicable to labor, or profit/fee.

The CDRs set forth below are fixed for the term of the IDIQ contract award and are for an eight hour day, and apply to all Subcontractors. If a new Subcontractor is proposed for a specific task order on other than a fixed-price basis, the CDRs set forth below will apply, and the subcontract is subject to consent by the TOCO.

Actual salaries for all personnel will be negotiated under task orders and final approval is provided by the TOCO. The ceiling rates presented below do not constitute approval of final salary rates above the Contractor Salary Threshold (CST) (see ADS 302.3.6.10.). All TOCOs must comply with the approval requirements in ADS 302.

(b) The single unburdened ceiling daily rate for each labor category in the table below represents the mid-level and senior-level rate in each labor category. Two unburdened ceiling daily rates for each labor category are included in the contract to provide more flexibility under task orders.

If junior-level personnel are required under task orders, they must be proposed at rates below the mid-level unburdened ceiling daily rate.

[NOTE 1: The Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates apply to any CPFF task order(s) that are awarded under this contract.]

[NOTE 2: The Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates apply to prime Contractor, Subcontractor, TCNs, CCNs, and consultant salaries. For consultants that typically bill using a loaded rate, Contractors must propose any charges above the CDR separately and note in the budget narrative.]

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Category Labor Category CDR Mid CDR Senior

Project Manager Project Coordinator Project Associate Administrative Support Budget Financial Analyst Capacity Development Specialist Communications Specialist Education Specialist Grants Management Specialist Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Professional Development Training Specialist Research Specialist

(c) Definition of labor categories:

1001. Project Manager - Responsible for task order project development from inception to deployment. Plans, organizes, and supervises the overall activities under a task order.

Responsible for task order contract management, configuration management, technical work, scheduling, and managing costs associated under the task order. Ensures that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of the task order requirements, including cost, schedule and quality parameters. Interfaces with clients, conferring with USAID management on strategic issues to maximize impact and scale, minimize costs, and maximize efficiency and sustainability in achieving task order requirements. Manages and controls funds and other resources for the task order and associated sub-contracts and grants under contract as required. Prepares status reports, budget information and other documentation as needed. Responsible for project development from inception to deployment.

1002. Project Coordinator - Responsible for maintaining project work plans, Gantt charts and financial databases, gathering data from project participants, and preparing management and customer reports for review and approval by the Project Manager. Provides data management, logistics, data publication, and assessment support to projects as needed, in collaboration with applicable contract personnel.

1003. Project Associate - Interfaces with the client project management on a daily basis. In coordination with the Project Manager and other team leaders, is responsible for the design, development and technical execution of small scale projects. Provides direction and guidance to team members, delegates tasks, and reviews work products for completeness and adherence to customer requirements. Prepares team's status reports.

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1004. Administrative Support - Provides secretarial, logistical and operations support to contractor teams. Conducts research and obtains documents to inform technical assistance, briefings and reports. Coordinates logistics for travel, study tours, training and other events. Provides administrative support to business and management personnel working closely with the Project Director and other project staff. This includes project administration, program management support, producing all project related correspondence, maintaining web sites and databases, scheduling meetings and reservations, and maintaining document libraries.

1005. Budget Financial Analyst - Provides the full range of financial analysis services, including analysis, advice and/or implementation assistance on financial management systems (including transparency and accountability in financial systems), audit offices, and other subjects related to finance that don't clearly fall under other named subject specialists. Works collaboratively with various teams to ensure all financial aspects are adequately covered. Prepares the financial analysis section of project design documents and assists in preparing detailed budgets. Conducts assessments of financial and contracting capability of the Subcontractors, implementing partners or other entities.

Manages and performs quality assurance reviews upon resolution of any assessment findings. Develops and uses a data base to record and share results of assessments, analysis of cost effectiveness, and financial sustainability initiatives. Travels to project sites to examine accounts for accuracy and to revalidate adequacy of the recipients’ internal controls including for grants under contract, reporting systems and compliance with USAID and host country requirements. Recommends internal control and cost effective improvements. Coordinates recipient financial audits and closing of open financial audit recommendations.

1006. Capacity Development Specialist - Provides leadership, management, and technical assistance for capacity development of non-governmental and governmental organizations focused on education quality improvement. Engages directly with host country organizations on their capacity development needs with the overall aim of improving equitable and conflict sensitive education service delivery to host country populations. Provides analysis, advice, and/or implementation assistance on design, implementation and evaluation of information systems, with an emphasis on computerized systems of information management. Advises on hardware and software configurations, purchases, maintenance and personnel training requirements. Advises on uses and options related to internet connectivity and e-government initiatives. Possible tasks include: strengthening of peer-learning systems, organizational structures and processes, organizational assessments, strategic planning, public policy and enabling environments, financial and procurement systems, governance structures and accountability, human resources, advocacy and service delivery, citizen and government engagement, among others.

1007. Communications Specialist - Provides writing and editorial expertise to design and develop documentation, publications, briefings and presentations targeting policy makers, education system administrators and staff, school directors and teachers, parents and communities and other stakeholders. Provides support for both content development and

Page | 10 graphical presentation. Applies the principles of visual design to effectively display information to both internal and external audiences through press releases, memorandums as well as social marketing materials. Provides analysis, advice and/or implementation assistance on public awareness campaigns, public relations, information dissemination, advocacy campaigns, media outreach skills. Uses software tools and design concepts for the creation of high quality deliverables including web designs and content. May contribute videography and editing of multi-media products. Supports speech-writing and event management.

1008. Education Specialist - Provides leadership, management, and technical assistance for education program design, delivery and management of education services to improve reading. Specialties within this labor category may include:

Early Grade Reading Program Design. Provides guidance to program staff on essential components of reading programs including curriculum design, lesson planning, instructional approach, teacher professional development, materials development and distribution, classroom-level assessment and large scale assessment to develop highly effective activities in these areas and to integrate them for maximum effectiveness at the program level.

Teacher Professional Development for Early Grade Reading. Leads analysis of the factors in developing countries that affect teacher preparation and professional development to produce highly effective programs, with success measured by impact on student learning outcomes. Supports development of programs for teachers and teacher candidates with widely varying levels of literacy and content knowledge and for systems with widely varying capacity to support teachers outside of training.

Contributes to the design and implementation of effective teacher professional development program including teacher preparation, induction and in-service programs, and supportive supervision focused on primary grade reading.

Curriculum Design/Materials Development for Early Grade Reading. Provides support for design of effective curriculum, lesson planning, instructional approaches and materials (textbooks and supplementary books and materials for reading in the primary grades in developing countries). Assists in the design of materials for varied language settings, including those using more than one language in the primary grades, either at the country level (multilingual countries) or the school level (bilingual, multilingual, transitional bilingual, etc.) Assists Ministry of Education personnel in the analysis and appraisal of curriculum reform efforts and materials development and production. Supports other specialists on the team to ensure coherent program design.

School and Classroom Management. Contributes knowledge of effective school research findings and practices that are applicable to developing country contexts.

Engages with education systems to focus on optimal use of available resources with specific attention to school and classroom management practices including quality assurance, supportive supervision, and coaching leading to improvement in learning outcomes at the primary school level.

Information and Communication Management. Provides assistance for leadership and management of decentralized school systems, primary schools and non-formal

Page | 11 schools about such topics as instructional leadership, personnel issues, managing support services and budgets, and building parent and community relationships.

Contributes to efforts to stimulate community-generated opportunities to learn curriculum outside of the classroom and community engagement and communication around expectations for learning, based on data for community decision-making and action, use of school report cards, communications for school accountability, etc. in a developing country context.

1009. Grants Management Specialist - Provides grant oversight and capacity building support for grants issued under USAID task orders. This includes supporting the Project Manager in review of grant awards for responsibility, determination, cost realism, regulatory compliance and risk analysis and mitigation. Responsible for grantee compliance for the duration of the program. Provides regular updates on grantee compliance, risks and challenges that may arise and offers solutions accordingly. Maintains and manages records of grant agreements including paper and electronic files, an inventory of all agreements, and a schedule of dates and deadlines relevant to those agreements.

1010. Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist - Develops, assesses and evaluates baseline studies. Develops education-related management information systems, logical frameworks, performance monitoring plans, and performance and impact evaluations related to improvement of reading at the primary grade level. Provides data to ensure effective program implementation, including project baseline, midline, and endline assessment of student learning in order to ensure that programs are on track to meet their student learning goals. Builds capacity of teachers and coaches to conduct and use classroom-level assessment. Contributes knowledge of a range of approaches to performance monitoring, impact evaluation, and research in areas including design, instrument development, sampling design, data collection, data analysis and dissemination. Employs a range of methods, including using large quantitative data sets as well as qualitative data. Assists with the use of data to ensure quality of program implementation at all levels and improve student learning outcomes. Supports the program’s work with teachers and teacher support personnel to develop a classroom assessment program, enabling teachers to use classroom-level data to improve instruction and target students for remediation if needed. Coordinates with any external evaluations, sharing baselines, midlines, and endlines to minimize data collection redundancy.

1011. Professional Development Training Specialist - Provides analysis, advice and/or implementation assistance on training strategies, delivery of training, organizational training capacity, and management of training activities and evaluation of same in a development context. Applies experience in instructional design theory, research and practice to the process of developing and implementing instructional strategies. Develops, assesses, and evaluates instructional materials and professional development related to education in conflict and crisis affected environments, including developing content, facilitating trainings, webinars, and distance-learning. Provides generic and customized training and professional development to meet needs related to educational leadership in formal and informal environments, targeted at improving teaching and learning. Serves in an advisory role, consulting with upper levels of management and governments in order

Page | 12 to assist them in the development and oversight of appropriate policy and training strategies to strengthen education systems.

1012. Research Specialist - Applies experience in the area of research, synthesis and knowledge management related to early grade reading improvement to investigate promising approaches to early grade reading, explore related issues and document ‘what works’ effectively and cost-efficiently in pilots and at scale. Supports quantitative and qualitative research, synthesis, dissemination and use of new knowledge within a project or organization, such as conducting special analytical tasks and reports, including gender and other analyses. Develops or directs the development of innovative and creative technical solutions to research problems, questions, and issues, using or extending state-of-the-art methods and technology. Supports capacity building with teachers, supervisors, and quality assurance officers for investigative and applied research activities to ensure results. Directs development of timely research reports and disseminates results to diverse audiences in order to build knowledge for the program/project, country and wider field.

Minimum Qualifications

In order to perform the statement of work set forth in Section C, the Contractor must provide personnel that meet the minimum education and experience requirements set forth below. For all positions listed in Section B.11, the minimum qualifications for mid-level and senior personnel are as follows and correspond to the Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates.

Level Academic

Degree* Plus Approximate Years of Relevant** Work Experience

Including Years of Experience in Int'l Development

Relevant Regional Experience

Relevant Language Fluency

Mid Ph.D.

JD/ABD

MS/MA/MB

BS/BA

Less than Bachelor's

As specified in Task Order

As specified in Task Order

As specified in Task Order

Senior Ph.D.

JD/ABD

MS/MA/MB

A BS/BA

Less than Bachelor's

As specified in Task Order

As specified in Task Order

As specified in Task Order

*Highest degree obtained shall be related to work being performed.

**Relevant Work Experience is required for the levels indicated.

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Locally Hired National Personnel or Other Non-U.S. Expatriates

All locally hired national personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates must be paid in accordance with AIDAR 722.170(a): Third Country Nationals (TCNs) and Cooperating Country Nationals (CCNs) who are working in the United States or are legal residents of the United States at the time they are hired for a task order, must be extended benefits and subject to restrictions on the same basis as U.S. citizens who work in the United States. The U.S. CDRs will be applied to TCNs and CCNs conforming to this regulatory provision.

Salaries for individual locally-hired personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates under this contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007, Personnel Compensations (July 2007) and shall be based upon a combination of factors including prevailing in-country salaries for the professional category being negotiated and consideration of the individual's education, work experience and recent relevant salary history.

[END OF SECTION B]

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SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 OVERVIEW

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance and services to improve student reading in the primary grades, particularly grades 1-3.1 The Contractor may be required to provide support for improving teacher effectiveness; strengthening student assessment at different levels of the education system and for different purposes, increasing the quality, availability and use of reading materials; and strengthening classroom and school management, among other reading-related activities. The Contractor may also be required to improve instruction through strengthening host country education systems and other delivery mechanisms to improve instructional approaches, train and support teachers and provide other services required to improve student reading, such as monitoring and evaluation and applied research, as described below. This contract, which will also be referred to as Assistance to Basic Education Learn to Read Now (ABE LEARN) builds on the services provided by two predecessor contracts, Assistance to Basic Education (ABE) and ABE-Link which expired in September

2010.2 The support provided in this contract will be in alignment with the most recent and appropriate standard Foreign Assistance Indicators found on the State Department website.

Under ABE LEARN, the Contractor will provide access to technical expertise and implementation support to reach Mission and Bureau objectives, in support of Goal One of USAID’s Education Strategy 2011-2015: Improved reading skills for 100 million children in primary grades by 2015.3 The focus of Goal One – which is to improve education quality as measured by student learning outcomes during the primary grades - is an explicit policy choice made in response to evidence demonstrating that years of investment by governments, USAID, and other donors has not succeeded in producing an acceptable level of student learning outcomes.4 The Strategy notes that “effective reading is a necessary precondition for skill development in all other areas and, as such, is the primary target by which [USAID] will hold [itself] accountable for results in basic education.”5

Thus, the goal of ABE LEARN is to assist Missions and Bureaus, in collaboration with governments, civil society, the private sector and other donors, to produce significant and reliably measured improvements in student reading outcomes for the largest possible number of children attending primary school.

1 As defined by host country governments, primary or basic education may include grades 1-8.

2 From FY 2006 through FY 2010, those two contracts attracted 52 Mission buy-ins totaling $217 million.

3 USAID Education Strategy: 2011-2015 (February 2011), available at http://transition.usaid.gov/our_work/education_and_universities/documents/USAID_ED_Strategy_feb2011.pdf (last site visit February 26, 2013).

4 2011 USAID Education Strategy Implementation Guidance, (Revised April 2012), available at http://transition.usaid.gov/our_work/education_and_universities/pdfs/2012/ED_implementation_guidance_2011.pdf (last site visit February 26, 2013).

5 USAID Education Strategy, 2011-2015 (February 2011).

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C.2 BACKGROUND

In the past decade, there have been significant increases in primary enrollment worldwide, particularly in low income countries.6 However, children in these countries are completing primary school at only 67 percent of the rate of high‐income countries. While access to education is a critical precondition, what matters most thereafter is the quality of education. The Education For All Global Monitoring Report, 2005, noted in its introduction with regards to quality that “how well pupils are taught and how much they learn, can have a crucial impact on how long they stay in school and how regularly they attend. Furthermore, whether parents send their children to school at all is likely to depend on judgments they make about the quality of teaching and learning provided – upon whether attending school is worth the time and cost for their children and for themselves. The instrumental roles of schooling – helping individuals achieve their own economic and social and cultural objectives and helping society to be better protected, better served by its leaders and more equitable in important ways– will be strengthened if education is of higher quality. Schooling helps children develop creatively and emotionally and acquire the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes necessary for responsible, active and productive citizenship.”7

Recent studies have shown that learning levels are alarmingly low in many countries. In Mali, Pakistan and Peru, for example, more than 70 percent of children in the primary grades could not read at grade level.8 Ninety-four percent of Malian children being schooled in French could not read a single word of connected text in French at the end of grade 2 and results were only slightly better for children reading in their first language. The leading international assessment, Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), indicates that the average student in low-income countries performs at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 5th percentile.

Early grade reading competency is critical for continued retention and success in future grades.9 Though children’s futures are not solely dependent on reading, reading is a critical and necessary precondition for skill development and, as such, will be a primary target by which USAID holds itself accountable for results in basic education.

Children who do not develop reading skills during the primary grades are on a lifetime trajectory of limited educational progress and therefore limited economic opportunities. Studies have shown that the learning levels of a country’s population are correlated with economic growth. A

6 For example, enrollments in sub-Saharan Africa increased by 51 percent between 1999 and 2007 and the net enrollment rate in South and West Asia (SWA) had reached 84 percent by 2007. USAID Education Strategy (citing United Nations Development Group, 2010). Thematic Paper on MDG 2 Achieve Universal Primary Education.

7 UNESCO.

8 USAID Education Strategy: 2011-2015 (February 2011) (citing Das, J., P., Pandey, and T. Zajonc (2006).

Learning Levels and Haps in Pakistan. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 4067. The World Bank, Washington, DC; EQUIP 2 (2008). Opportunity to Learn: A high impact for improving educational outcomes in developing countries. USAID, Washington, DC).

9 USAID Education Strategy: 2011-2015 (February 2011) (citing Patrinos, H.A. and Velez, E. (2009), “Costs and benefits of bilingual education in Guatemala: A partial analysis.” International Journal of Educational Development. 29(6): 594:598.

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10 percent increase in the share of student reaching basic literacy translates into 0.3 percentage point high annual growth rate for that country.10

C.2.1 Education Strategy 2011-2015

In late 2010, USAID developed a new agency-wide education strategy to ensure that USAID’s global education investments would be informed by recent Presidential policy guidance;

grounded in the most current evidence-based analysis of educational effectiveness; and aimed at maximizing the impact and sustainability of development results. The 2011-2015 Education Strategy was created to reflect these core principles. While it offers flexibility around country-led and locally-relevant priorities, the strategy focuses and concentrates USAID resources on the core challenge of literacy as a primary goal.

The USAID Education Strategy 2011-2015 includes three goals. This award supports Goal One:

improved reading skills for 100 million children in primary grades by 2015.11 The key indicators of performance towards this goal will be (a) the change in the proportion of students in the primary grades who, after two years of school, demonstrate sufficient reading fluency and comprehension to “read to learn” and (b) the proportion of students who, by the end of the primary cycle, are able to read and demonstrate understanding, as defined by the national curriculum, standards or as agreed-upon by national experts.

Goal One of the Education Strategy 2011-2015 builds upon USAID’s long experience in primary education and the Agency’s more recent leadership in supporting interventions to improve school quality, as measured by learning outcomes. It recognizes that learning takes place at all levels of education, but adopts a particular focus on primary grade reading improvement as the foundation of future learning. Although early childhood interventions have a long history of demonstrable results, USAID believes the most strategic impact it can make in basic education is to address reading in the primary grades as an essential prerequisite for future learning and development.12 For more information on USAID’s current and past programming with regards to reading see the Ed Data II website at: https://www.eddataglobal.org/.

The USAID Education Strategy 2011-2015 focuses on primary grade reading improvements as a measurable key component of quality education.13 The Strategy prioritizes investments in programs that are evidence-based, have potential to go to scale, and are sustainable. The Strategy also expects that programmatic approaches will respond to the local context, build

10 USAID Education Strategy: 2011-2015 (February 2011) (citing Hanushek, E. and L. Woessmann (2009). Do Better Schools Lead to More Growth? Cognitive Skills, Economic Outcomes and Causation. NBER Working Paper 14633, National Bureau of Economic Research).

11 Goal Two and Three are “Improved ability of tertiary and workforce development programs to generate workforce skills relevant to a country’s development goals, and “Increased equitable access to education in crisis and conflict environments for 15 million learners by 2015.” USAID Education Strategy: 2011-2015 (February 2011) A separate contract mechanism is being designed to support Goal Three. .

12 USAID Education Strategy: 2011-2015 (February 2011) 13 Per the USAID Education Strategy, Missions may choose to invest in system reform programs that have associated benefits in math (or other skills learning), but should not be supporting such programs as stand-alone goals (p. 10).

Page | 17 awareness and demand, include civil society participation, and maximize host country ownership.

Missions should leverage USAID funds to support the largest number of learners in the most effective way possible, in collaboration with governments, other donors, the private sector and United States Government agencies. An example would be where USAID and other donors, jointly with host country government, design and support an evidence-based, affordable intervention with a prior agreement to scale-up the intervention if it proves effective.

The USAID Education Strategy promotes gender equality and USAID education programs will take measures to increase gender parity and improve gender equity at all levels of education, with gender-sensitive interventions tailored to the specific gender issues present in a country’s educational system.14 USAID will consider goal-specific gender issues in both the design and implementation of education interventions.

The Strategy emphasizes the inclusion in school of marginalized groups, with focus on removing barriers to the inclusion of learners with physical, mental or social/psychological disabilities, including physical barriers to reaching education venues, pedagogical barriers, and social exclusion because of race/ethnicity, poverty, geography or other factors.

C.3 SCOPE OF WORK

The Bureau of Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3), Office of Education’s (ED) overall focus is to build human capacity through education and training. The Contractor will directly support the strategic objective of the USAID Education Strategy Goal One: Improved reading skills for 100 million children in primary grades by 2015.15 This contract is intended to be a mechanism by which USAID Missions and Bureaus will achieve programmatic objectives that will contribute to the Agency’s achievement of Goal One. The directly attributable number of students that will demonstrate reading gains is the total number of students reached by USAID (or USAID jointly with other donors and host governments) programming. Indirect beneficiaries include learners where the host country and other donors intend to take a USAID-funded pilot, intervention, or program to scale.

While the Contractor may be asked to assist on one or another component to improve reading outcomes, USAID programming will pull together various elements working with partners, to achieve this goal, namely improved reading skills of children reached by USAID programming.

USAID expects greater attention to more high quality performance and rigorous evaluations and more engagement with academic and research communities. To be fully responsive to USAID’s role as a leader in developing effective approaches for the improvement of reading at the primary level, the Contractor will be expected to carry out monitoring, evaluation and applied research, as well as analysis and dissemination of findings, both directly to USAID and in yet-to-be-defined collaborative exchanges and spaces. USAID is currently preparing new policy papers on

14 Per the U.S. Global Development Policy, the U.S will make investment the U.S. will make “investments that benefit women and girls.” However, sometimes boys may be the disadvantaged ones.

15 USAID Education Strategy: 2011-2015 (February 2011)

Page | 18 scientific integrity and research. Any research activities conducted under this contract will be required to meet the standards included in these policies once issued. The Contractor will be required to make programs, technical experts, evaluation results and other products publicly available.

In support of the USAID Education Strategy 2011-2015 and working within the strategic framework of USAID Missions and Bureaus, the objectives of this contract are to:

Provide access to technical expertise and implementation support including design, delivery…