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ETHIOPIA
Issuance Date: February 8, 2012
Deadline for Submission of Questions: Closing Date for Application Submission:
February 22, 2012, 17:00 Local Time March 23, 2012
Closing Time: 17:00 Local Time
Subject: Request for Applications (RFA) Number RFA-663-12-000003, Reading for Ethiopia's Achievement Developed (READ) Technical Assistance Project The United States Agency for International Development (US AID) is seeking applications for an Assistance Agreement to provide funding in support of a program entitled "Reading for Ethiopia's Achievement Developed (READ) Technical Assistance Project" in Ethiopia. The main objective of this program is to support the Ethiopian Ministry of Education's (MOE's) efforts in developing a nationwide reading and writing program that will reach the vast majority of Ethiopian primary students. This project has a heavy focus on providing technical expertise in international best practices of teaching reading and writing; expertise that is to be applied to a variety of Ethiopian languages in order to develop syllabi, curricula and materials for both students and teachers. This project will provide direction, support, technical leadership and administrative support to the MOE at both national and local levels. The
authority for the RFA is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.
The Recipient will be responsible for ensuring achievement of the program objectives as described in the Program Description. Please refer to the Program Description in Section I for a complete statement of goals and expected results.
Pursuant to 22 CFR 226.81, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.
However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (22 CFR 226, OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organization, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for-profit organizations), may be paid under the assistance agreement.
Applicants under consideration for an award that have never received funding from US AID will be subject to a pre-award audit to determine fiscal responsibility, ensure adequacy of financial controls and establish an indirect cost rate.
Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to provide approximately $45,000,000 in total USAID funding to be allocated over a five year period. Applicants are encouraged to propose a cost share contribution under this program. USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the application(s) submitted in response to this RFA.
This RF A consists of this cover letter and the following: Funding Opportunity Description Award Information
Eligibility Information
Application and Submission Information Application Review Information A ward and Administration Information Agency Contacts Other Information Standard Provisions Section I Section II Section III Section IV Section V Section VI Section VII Section VIII AnnexA
AnnexB Certifications, Assurances and Other Statements of Applicants u.s. Agency for International Development
US Embassy Addis Ababa, Entoto Street P. O. Box 1014
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel.: 00251-11-1306001 Fax: 00251-11-1242438 Website: www.usaidethiopia.org
USA Address:
2030 Addis Ababa Place Washington, DC 20521-2030
Award(s) will be made to the responsible applicant whose application offers the best value to the U.S. Government. Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and
submission of an application. In addition, final award of any resultant cooperative agreement(s) cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated and committed through internal USAID
procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. Should circumstances prevent USAID from making an award, all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.
For the purposes of this RFA, the term "Grant" is synonymous with "Cooperative Agreement"; "Grantee" is synonymous with "Recipient"; and "Grant Officer" is synonymous with "Agreement Officer".
This RFA and any future amendments to it can be downloaded from www.grants.gov. Select "Find Grant Opportunities" then click on "Browse by Agency", and select the "U.S. Agency for International
Development" and search for the RFA. In the event of an inconsistency between the documents comprising this RFA, it shall be resolved at the discretion of the Agreement Officer.
Any clarification questions concerning this RFA should be submitted via email to Mr. Abdissa
Woldeyohannes, Acquisition and Assistance Management Specialist at Awoldeyohannes@usaid.gov and Mr. Alan Garceau, Agreement Officer at Agarceau@usaid.gov by the date and time listed at the top of this cover letter.
An Applicant must submit its application in two separate parts: (a) technical, and (b) cost or business application. Applications must be emailed to only caddis@usaid.gov. Email notification for submission without attachment shall be sent to Awoldeyohannes@usaid.gov and Agarceau@usaid.gov. Telegraphic or fax applications are not authorized for this RF A and will not be accepted.
An Applicant must submit its application by the closing date and time listed at the top of this cover letter. Applications must be directly responsive to the terms and conditions of this RFA. To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all required information in its application, including all the requirements found in any attachments to this RF A.
Contracting/Agreement Officer Office of Acquisitions & Assistance USAIDlEthiopia
Office Phone: 251-11-130-6002, Ext. 6023
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SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION/FUNDING OPPORTUNITY 4
ACRONYMS 4
1. PURPOSE 5
2. BACKGROUND 5
3. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE READ PROJECT 8
4. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 9
4.1 PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVE 9
4.2 RESULTS FRAMEWORK, EXPECTED RESULTS, ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIVITIES AND 11
INDICATORS 11
4.2.1 EXPECTED RESULTS 11
4.2.2 ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIVITIES 11
4.3. ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS TO MEASURE RESULTS 13
4.3.1. OUTCOME INDICATORS FOR WHICH THE RECIPIENT WILL CONTRIBUTE 13
4.3.2. ILLUSTRATIVE INTERMEDIATE RESULT INDICATORS FOR WHICH THE RECIPIENT WILL
CONTRIBUTE 13
4.3.3. ILLUSTRATIVE OUTPUT INDICATORS FOR WHICH THE RECIPIENT SHALL BE
ACCOUNTABLE 14
5. IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS, TARGET BENEFICIARIES AND GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS 14
5.1. IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS 14
5.2. TARGET BENEFICIARIES 15
5.3. GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS 15
6. LINKS TO RELEVANT USAID AND NON-USAID PROJECTS 15
7. PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY 16
8. GENDER, DISABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 17
9. DESIGNATION OF POSITIONS AND KEY PERSONNEL 18
9.1. KEY PERSONNEL 18
9.2. HEAD OFFICE AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATION 18
9.3. HEADQUARTERS’ SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT 19
10. PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN (PMP) 19
SECTION II – AWARD INFORMATION 21
SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 22
SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 23
SECTION V – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 33
SECTION VI – AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 38
SECTION VII – AGENCY CONTACTS 40
SECTION VIII – OTHER INFORMATION 41
ANNEX A – STANDARD PROVISIONS 42
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SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION/FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ACRONYMS
AOR Agreement Officer‘s Representative
AO Agreement Officer
BE Basic Education
BEO Bureau Environmental Officer
BES Basic Education Services
BIP Branding Implementation Plan
CCN Cooperating Country National
CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
COP Chief of Party
CST Contractor Salary Threshold
CTE College of Teacher Education
DEC Development Experience Clearinghouse
DQA Data Quality Assessment
EFA Education for All
EGRA Early Grade Reading Assessment
EMMP Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan
ENLA Ethiopian National Learning Assessment
ESDP Education Sector Development Program
ETP Education and Training Policy
FAA Foreign Assistance Act
FACTS Foreign Assistance Coordination and Tracking System
FSN Foreign Service National
ESR Environmental Status Report
GEQIP General Education Quality Improvement Program
GOE Government of Ethiopia
IEE Initial Environmental Examination
IFESH International Foundation for Education and Self-Help
IQPEP Improving Quality Primary Education Program
IR Intermediate Result
LOE Level of Effort
MLC Minimum Learning Competency
MOE Ministry of Education
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest
OP Operational Plan
PPR Performance Plan & Report
PTA Parent-Teacher Association
READ Reading for Ethiopia‘s Achievement Developed
RSEB Regional State Education Bureau
SCC School Cluster Center
SES Senior Executive Service
SOW Statement of Work
STTA Short Term Technical Assistance
TCN Third Country National
TELL Teaching English for Life Learning
TWG Technical Working Group
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USG United States Government
VSO Voluntary Service Overseas
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READING FOR ETHIOPIA’S ACHIEVEMENT DEVELOPED (READ) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Program Description is to obtain technical assistance and services proposals from qualified institutions for implementation of “Reading for Ethiopia‘s Achievement Developed (READ) Technical Assistance project‖ in Ethiopia.
Recipients should develop technical and financial descriptions for a five-year project that begins on or about May 2012 and ends no later than June 2017. This project will provide an innovative approach to supporting the Ethiopian Ministry of Education‘s (MOE‘s) efforts in developing a nationwide reading and writing program that will reach the vast majority of Ethiopian primary students. This project has a heavy focus on providing technical expertise in international best practices of teaching reading and writing; expertise that is to be applied to a variety of Ethiopian languages in order to develop syllabi, curricula and materials for both students and teachers. This project will provide direction, support, technical leadership and administrative support to the MOE at both national and local levels.
The READ Technical Assistance project will be led by USAID and performed in direct collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE), Regional State Education Bureaus (RSEBs), Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs), and Universities. The goal is to revise grades One through Eight syllabi and the corresponding Minimum Learning Competencies (MLCs) and to develop reading and writing curriculum and training materials for eight Ethiopian languages (Affan Oromo, Somali, Amharic, Tigrinya, Sidama, and two additional languages to be identified by the MOE and USAID) and English. The curricular materials will be designed to be appropriate for primary classrooms (Grades One through Eight), teacher training and the practice of effective methodologies and strategies of language teaching that are focused on helping students learn to read and write.
The development of these new materials will reflect a shift to a reading and writing curriculum and a move away from a traditional language curriculum – a shift that the MOE has initiated in response to recent studies and assessments. The MOE will provide appropriate experts in language development, curriculum and materials development and teacher training that will produce the materials needed with the support of READ‘s international reading experts to ensure that materials are focused on reading and writing. The Ethiopian MOE has initiated this revision process and is ready to begin the project with strong support from USAID‘s READ program.
The READ Technical Assistance project will also i) provide technical expertise, guidance, coordination, and capacity building for the CTEs, Universities, RSEBs and the MOE to develop a reading faculty at the public CTEs and improve the pre- and in-service teacher training and capacity at the CTEs related to language-specific, evidence-based, quality reading and writing instruction; ii) identify gaps and find means of availing reading and writing technology support and teaching aids in schools and CTEs; and iii) provide technical input to USAID, the education community including other donors, district education offices, and RSEBs about community-based campaigns and co-curricular activities on reading and writing.
The total estimated budget to execute this project for five years, through an assistance agreement, will not be more than USD $45,000,000. The major partner to the recipient will be the MOE and the relationship between the two shall be facilitated by USAID leadership and the USAID Agreement Officer‘s Technical Representative (AOTR). Ultimately the recipient will contribute to a nationwide effort to improve learning outcomes in Ethiopia. The end goal is literacy for 15 million children. The READ project will provide necessary inputs to improving the reading and writing skills of children, which will lead them to literacy.
2. BACKGROUND
In 1994, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) introduced a new Education and Training Policy (ETP), which among other aspects, declared the use of mother tongue in primary education. The ETP states that English will be the medium of instruction for secondary and higher education and will be taught as a subject beginning from grade one. After the new ETP, a number of policy and strategy changes were made governing the planning, management and delivery of education services, including decentralization.
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The Ethiopian decentralization policy gave important decision-making power to the communities, and today Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) play a part in managing schools. Further, decentralization has brought educational access to nearly all children. Ethiopia is on the verge of fulfilling its pledge for Education for All (EFA). In 2009-10, student enrollment at the primary level reached 93.4%.
Currently, the MOE has developed a five-year (2011-2015) Education Sector Development Program IV (ESDP IV) that emphasizes producing democratic, efficient and effective, knowledge-based, inspired and innovative citizens who can contribute to the realization of the long term vision of making Ethiopia a Middle Income Country. One of the ESDP‘s important priorities is improving and ensuring the quality and efficiency of education at all levels. To realize this, the MOE has developed the General Education Quality Improvement Program (GEQIP). GEQIP‘s impact on improving student achievement, in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes, will be verified through regular monitoring and evaluation schemes and through the Ethiopian National Learning Assessments (ENLAs) which are conducted every three years throughout the country. Recently, the MOE conducted Ethiopia‘s fourth ENLA for grade Four and grade Eight students. USAID will also support the Ministry of Education to undertake an early grade reading assessment (EGRA) in English in 2011. The lessons learned from the ENLAs and EGRAs (EGRA in both mother tongue and English) will be used as inputs to further enrich GEQIP, increase achievements in education excellence, and improve access to quality education for all. This program will work in
coordination with GEQIP and support improvement to the quality of education in Ethiopia. Components of GEQIP will also support READ.
Although enrollment and completion rates are important, learning outcomes in early grade education in the country have not yet met the expectations of the GOE. The MOE has established MLCs across the curriculum. According to these competencies, by the end of grade one, students are expected to read at a ―fluent‖ rate (although this is not defined in terms of words per minute) and are expected to be ―readers.‖ However, an EGRA conducted in 2010 shows that most students are not ―readers‖ well past grade one. The READ Technical Assistance project will analyze these education standards and curricular documents to provide input, technical expertise and revisions.
The READ Technical Assistance project will contribute to the ESDP IV which is part of Ethiopia‘s overall Growth and Transformation Plan 2011 to 2015. The key intervention of this program is to improve
children‘s reading and writing achievements in primary grades nationwide – skills that will lead to literacy. The intervention will directly support the Development Objective for the USAID/Ethiopia Country
Development Cooperation Strategy addressing education: Improved Learning Outcomes and the USAID/Ethiopia Education Strategy Intermediate Result 1: Increased achievement in basic education, particularly in reading. The program will also support USAID‘s global Education Strategy Objective 1: Improved reading skills for 100 million children in primary grades by 2015.
As Ethiopia has more than 20 languages being used as mediums of instruction, the eight languages that will be targeted by this project are those that cover approximately 90% of the population in the country. The reading and writing curriculum and training materials that will be developed in the eight main local languages will serve as a model to be replicated by the MOE for the remaining local languages with technical assistance from this project.
It is necessary to note possible factors that might affect the implementation of the READ Technical Assistance project. Community awareness on learning outcomes and the capacity to support education remains low; capacity at all levels of the education system is low; staff turnover is endemic throughout the education system; teachers are undertrained and overburdened; school sessions are normally shifted meaning that students spend less than 4.5 hours per day in the classroom and; overall education
infrastructure is below minimum standards. It is, therefore, critical to identify and implement innovative approaches to increase reading and writing learning outcomes for primary education students. Background on Ethiopia and USAID programs in Ethiopia is available at ―Ethiopia‖ in USAID‘s Development
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USAID/Ethiopia’s New Approach to Education Development
Previously, the main challenges of the Ethiopian education system were low access, high gender and regional disparity in enrollment, high dropout and repetition rates, low quality and low capacity of the education system. USAID/Ethiopia has been supporting the Ethiopian education system to address all these challenges with a focus on equity and quality of education. The results of the three learning assessments and the 2010 EGRA have shown that children are not learning the required skills and hence are not achieving the MOE‘s MLC in all subjects.
The MOE took a leadership role in developing, administering, and disseminating the results of the 2010 EGRA. The MOE and Regional State Education Bureaus (RSEBs) are taking swift action on the findings and recommendations of EGRA and READ technical assistance will bring the necessary support to the MOE to develop materials and approaches to reading that are necessary for the Ethiopia. The MOE and RSEBs are ready to make policy reforms to improve reading fluency in early grades and thereby learning achievements in all grades.
USAID/Ethiopia and other donors and stakeholders have been working with the MOE and RSEBs on mapping out the necessary steps to improve early grade reading in the short term and learning outcomes in the medium term. This endeavor will require policy reform and coordination of a variety of stakeholders. USAID will continue to engage in the reform process with the MOE and READ will provide relevant information to USAID and the MOE as the process unfolds. The recipient implementing READ will be responsible for providing technical assistance to the MOE in order for the MOE to realize policy reforms in which they have set into motion. The MOE will remain in the forefront of undertaking policy reforms and working with all stakeholders, including READ implementers, to realize these efforts. USAID will continue to lead this process.
Based on the findings of EGRA and negotiations with MOE and RSEBs, USAID/Ethiopia‘s programs will focus entirely on those elements of the teaching and learning process that directly bring improved learning outcomes for students. The USAID/Ethiopia education program will measure and determine all success on the basis of improved learning outcomes at the student level. The READ Project is designed in line with this objective and will contribute to the overall USAID/Ethiopia goal. READ‘s success will ultimately depend on the inputs and efforts of a variety of actors in the education development sector in Ethiopia.
Overall READ Program
With Millennium Development Goal #2, Achieve universal primary education, nearly being met, USAID/Ethiopia is focusing on quality of curriculum and instruction and evidence-based early grade reading and writing improvement. Improving the quality of curriculum and instruction in primary schools has a remarkably large impact on student reading in a relatively limited amount of time.
The Education Office of USAID/Ethiopia has developed a five-year, $100 million reading and writing program, ―READ‖, composed of four separate projects: Technical Assistance, Institutional Improvement, Community Outreach and Impact Evaluation. The READ Technical Assistance Program will have four components: curriculum improvement and evaluation, pedagogical techniques, appropriate technology and teaching aids, and technical assistance support to MOE and RSEBs. This solicitation is for the first project, READ Technical Assistance, which will work in coordination with the other projects that are part of this interconnected program, in particular providing support for the READ Institutional Improvement project. The Impact Evaluation project will conduct a baseline, mid-term and final evaluationsof the complete READ program to determine the impact of the program intervention. The 2010 EGRA will serve as part of the baseline for the mid-term and final evaluations. The Impact Evaluation project will be a separate solicitation in the future.
The READ Institutional Improvement project is expected to be a four-year project, starting about one year after the READ Technical Assistance project, once the reading curriculum and training materials are developed, consisting of direct grants from USAID/Ethiopia to the MOE and RSEBs to develop a reading faculty at each public CTE and improve the teacher training, pre-service training and capacity at CTEs related to language-specific, evidence-based, quality reading and writing instruction. This project will be managed by USAID/Ethiopia. The READ Institutional Improvement project interventions will include the
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following activities led by the RSEBs and MOE:Development of a reading faculty at each CTE;
Development of targeted, evidence-based reading and writing pre-service teacher training programs;
Institutionalization of pre-service instruction on reading and writing using improved curricula; Training of all primary school (grades One through Four) language teachers (for the target eight languages) in teaching reading and writing (starting the beginning of year 2);
Teacher and school supervisor trainings and monitoring of the use of reading and writing assessment tools;
Support for the development of language teaching technology and aids and resource centers; and Teacher and support personnel trainings on the development of low-cost technology and
supplemental instructional language materials.
The READ Community Outreach project will also be a four year project, which will start one year after the READ Technical Assistance project. It will develop and roll-out community-based campaigns on reading and writing. There is expected to be a separate solicitation for the READ Community Outreach project in the future.
3. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE READ PROJECT
Although the GoE‘s capacity building efforts and USAID‘s work over the past ten years have helped teachers to rethink the way they teach, the vast majority of instructors employ traditional methodologies of teaching. These methodologies are based on rote learning as opposed to inclusive, participatory
methodologies that have been proven effective at achieving desired learning outcomes throughout the world. The three ENLAs conducted in the last ten years have shown low academic achievement for children in grade Four and grade Eight. The mean scores for grade Four children were 47.9% and 48.5% in the baseline ENLA conducted in 2000 and the second ENLA conducted in 2004 respectively. In the third ENLA conducted in 2007, however, the mean score for grade 4 children went down to 40.9%. It is clear that while enrollment is rising, learning outcomes for students in Ethiopian primary schools, as measured by the ENLA‘s, are decreasing.
Looking at the reading comprehension scores of Ethiopian students, the grade Four reading mean score in 2007 was 43.9%, which was much lower than the previous two national learning assessments‘ results, i.e. 64.3% in 2000 and 64.5% in 2004. In addition, in 2007, only 14.6% of the grade Four children surveyed were proficient in reading comprehension; over 51.7% of the children achieved below the basic level in reading comprehension, and 33.7% only demonstrated basic knowledge in reading comprehension. In the ENLA in 2004, the mean score for grade four English language was 38.7%, and 41.1% for grade eight. Further, the mean scores for English language in the ENLA in 2007 declined to 36.5% and 38.4% for grade Four and grade Eight, respectively.
However, the 2007 grade Eight ENLA showed a positive impact on achievement when children were taught in the same language that they speak at home. Children who took the tests in certain mother tongue languages (e.g. Tigrinya and Affan Oromo) performed better than those who took the tests in English. In Biology, for example, there was a mean difference of 13 percentage points between those who took the test in Tigrinya and those who took the test in English.
In 2009, a study done by DeStefano and Elaheebocus in Wolliso area of Oromiya regional state showed that there is a consistent lack of instruction in reading and writing at the early grade level, little student exposure to text in the classroom and a lack of opportunity for students to spend time reading both inside and outside the classroom.
A year later in 2010, USAID conducted an EGRA in six local languages, covering eight regions of the country, in collaboration with USAID‘s Improving the Quality of Primary Education Program (IQPEP), Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and the MOE. The EGRA is considered to be the foremost international comprehensive assessment by experts in reading. The Ethiopian assessment shows shocking results in oral
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reading fluency and reading comprehension, indicating that students are both slow readers and do not comprehend what they read. It also finds that in Oromiya, Somali, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Sidama only one in six children had any reading materials to learn from. The assessment results also find that providing books to children and encouraging families and communities to have books at home improves reading skills for students in Ethiopia.
The primary concern related to the EGRA results is that a significant percentage of children in grade Two read zero words correctly. The results show Sidama zone with the most zero-word readers, at 69.2%, and Harar region and Addis Ababa with the least zero-word readers at 17.9% and 10.1% respectively. In some regions more than half of the children in grade Two did not understand at all the story that they were asked to read. The findings show that even though the purpose of mother tongue instruction is to ensure that children understand what they read, the children‘s inability to decode the words means that they were unable to understand the text. The gap between the reading comprehension and listening comprehension scores is consistently large, and shows that the problems identified by the EGRA are specific to the teaching of reading and having a lack of access to materials to read.
The EGRA results also show that in grade Three, a significant number of children remained nonreaders in their mother tongue: 54.0% in Sidama, 21.4% in Somali, 20.6% in Oromiya, and 17.0% in Amhara. In each of the eight regions, at least 80% of children, and in the case of Sidama, 100%, were not reading at the expected oral reading fluency rate.
Among the critical factors that have contributed to low reading fluency as well as reading comprehension of Ethiopian children is the lack of reading materials at home or tied to lesson plans at school, lack of an established time for reading in the schools, and lack of families‘ support to their children with reading and homework. Further, the lack of language media technologies and teaching aids coupled with the teacher-centered teaching methodology in most schools has negatively affected all subjects in general and language subjects in particular. Teachers focus mainly on correcting the grammar of students; and the pedagogy encourages memorization rather than the nurturing of students‘ writing, reading, listening, speaking and decoding skills.
4. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
4.1 PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVE
GOAL: Improve reading and writing skills of children in grades One through Eight in their mother tongue and English as measured by improvements in learning outcomes.
The initial focus of the project will be grades One through Four. The project will continue with grades Five through Eight in years Two through Five of the program.
OBJECTIVE: Institute, with the MOE, curricular materials with effective methodologies and strategies for learning to read and write in the majority of Ethiopian languages. Materials will be appropriate for primary classroom level reading and writing instruction and teacher training. Support stated elements of the reading and writing initiatives of the MOE with USAID.
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READ Technical Assistance Results Framework
Goal: Improve reading and writing skills of children in grades 1 to 8 in their mother tongue and English as measured by improvements in student learning outcomes.
Objective: Institute, with the MOE, curricular materials with effective methodologies and strategies for learning to read and write that are appropriate for primary classroom level reading instruction and teacher training.
IR 1: Reading and writing materials appropriate for primary classrooms and pre and in-service teacher training developed.
IR2: Language specific teaching and learning methodologies and strategies that focus on helping students learn to read and write
effectively are applied.
IR 3: Language teaching and learning supported by appropriate
technology and teaching aids.
IR 4: Technical Assistance support to RSEBs &MOE for the READ
Institutional Improvement.
Illustrative Activities: Review current language learning materials to see gaps in the reading curriculum: content, pedagogy and assessment areas;
Develop reading and writing curriculum and textbooks for grades 1-8 with MOE and RSEBs; Develop learning materials to enrich existing materials with emphasis on early grade reading proficiency and comprehension; Build capacity of teachers to teach using improved materials and utilize reading assessment tools; Follow-up use of learning materials and tools in classroom.
Illustrative Activities: Assess current teaching methods, learning culture, initial reading level of students, and practice; Identify new teaching-learning methods and practices;
Train master trainers and teacher trainers;
Follow-up use of the new methodologies/strategies; Utilize innovative
approaches to support the RSEBs to institute a systemic change to improve reading and writing teacher training and support systems.
Illustrative Activities: In collaboration with MOE and RSEB officials, develop and share innovative models, resources, and tools for reading curriculum development for grades 1-8; Support the facilitation of teacher training by RSEBs; Provide support related to best practices and innovative approaches in developing and rolling out reading faculty in specific CTEs (grades 1-8); and
Illustrative Activities: Assess teaching and learning technology resources in the schools; Identify gaps and find means of availing modest level of
technology support and teaching aids that improve early primary grade level reading and writing skills;
Help organize existing language resource centers;
Build the capacity of education officials to assess learning technology needs and determine appropriate options for addressing the need.
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4.2 RESULTS FRAMEWORK, EXPECTED RESULTS, ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIVITIES AND INDICATORS
4.2.1 EXPECTED RESULTS
The results of this project will be measured in terms of student outcomes using several methods. It is expected that the following data will be utilized to determine success of the project: reading achievement among the target audience, national exam achievement, literacy rate increase among the target population, comparison of EGRA and the ENLA as baselines with subsequent mid-term and final assessments in reading. Results measurement will also include the provision of curriculum and training in literacy for teachers, teacher trainers, and the quality of reading instruction delivered.
In order to contribute to USAID/Ethiopia‘s Education Development Objective, Improved Learning Outcomes, and USAID/Ethiopia‘s Education Intermediate Result 1, Increased Achievement in Basic Education, Particularly in Reading, the READ Technical Assistance project will focus on one result: Improved achievement of children in primary grade level reading and writing.
Intermediate results (IRs) from this project that will contribute to attaining this result as depicted in the chart below are:
Reading and writing materials appropriate for primary classrooms(grades One through Eight with the main focus on grades One through Four)and pre-and in-service teacher training developed; EGRA developed and instituted by READ Technical Assistance project (estimated in year Two) Language specific teaching and learning methodologies and strategies that focus on helping students learn to read and write effectively are applied;
Language teaching and learning supported by appropriate technology and teaching aids; and Technical Assistance support to RSEBs and MOE for the READ Institutional Improvement Project.
4.2.2 ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIVITIES
The achievement of the project objective and the four expected intermediate results will depend on the recipient‘s innovativeness, suggested activities and strategies. There is an urgent need to develop quality reading and writing materials for millions of Ethiopian students, therefore the recipient must be ready to initiate a large program working simultaneously on a variety of activities, especially in the first year. Those related milestones and targets that will be achieved over the project period shall be refined when the recipient is in place. The activities listed below are illustrative and not exhaustive. While this project‘s overall activities are the same throughout the regions of Ethiopia, given regional differences and
preferences, this project is expected to have different specific activities and approaches across the regions, so that the project will have a slightly different appearance in different regions.
i) Illustrative Activities for IR 1–Reading and writing materials appropriate for primary
classrooms and pre-and in-service teacher training developed.
Analyze current reading teaching-learning materials (grades One through Eight) to identify gaps in the reading and writing curriculum (content, pedagogy and assessment areas);
Review the Ethiopian reading and writing minimum learning competencies and syllabi for grades One through Eight and provide technical expertise to lead the revisions (year One);
In collaboration with the MOE develop new and culturally appropriate reading and writing curricula (grades One through Eight; year 1), textbooks (grades One through Four in year One; and grades Five through Eight year Two); and teacher resource books (grades One through Four in year One; and grades Five through Eight year Two) in
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target eight languages and teacher training materials in target languages and
English1(grades One through Four; year One);
Build the capacity of relevant MOE and RSEB staff to develop appropriate new and culturally appropriate reading and writing curricula, teacher resource books, and training materials in the remaining non-targeted languages used as a medium of instruction for grades One through Eight (years Two and Three);
Provide technical assistance to improve pre-service and in-service reading and writing teaching and instruction; and
Develop student reading and writing assessment tools, which will be used by used by teachers regularly.
ii) Illustrative Activities for IR 2– Language specific teaching and learning methodologies and
strategies that focus on helping students learn to read and write effectively are applied. Assess current language teaching methods, initial reading and writing level of students, learning culture, and practice for grades One through Eight through review of relevant documents and classroom observation;
Identify innovative student-centered reading and writing teaching-learning methods and practices and effectively incorporate them in new curricula;
Train master trainers and teacher trainers (beginning of year Two);
Utilize innovative approaches to support the RSEBs to institute a systemic change to improve reading and writing teacher training and support systems; and
Suggest innovative and best practices to USAID, WEOs, and RSEBs on the development and roll-out of community-based campaigns and co-curricular activities to improve reading and writing.
iii) Illustrative Activities for IR 3 – Language teaching and learning supported by appropriate technology and teaching aids.
Assess reading teaching and learning technology resources and teaching aids in the primary schools and CTEs (grades One through Four);
Identify gaps and find means of availing modest level of reading learning technology support and teaching aids in the School Cluster Centers (SCCs) and CTEs for grades One through Four;
Develop Global Development Alliances and Public Private Partnerships as relevant with traditional and nontraditional partners;
Help organize existing reading and writing resource centers in schools for teachers and for grades One through Four; and
Build the capacity of education officials to assess learning technology needs and determine appropriate options for addressing the needs.
iv) Illustrative Activities for IR 4 - Technical Assistance support to RSEBs and MOE for the READ Institutional Improvement. The recipient shall support USAID/Ethiopia‘s direct grants to the MOE and RSEBs with technical and administrative assistance for quality
implementation of the READ Institutional Improvement project.
In collaboration with MOE and RSEB officials, develop and share innovative models, resources, and tools for reading curriculum development for grades One through Eight; Support the facilitation of teacher training by RSEBs;
Provide support related to best practices and innovative approaches in developing and rolling out reading faculty in specific CTEs (grades One through Eight); and
Provide mentoring and support for developing and actualizing a specific, individualized vision for systemically addressing reading and writing teacher training needs at individual CTEs for primary level education to RSEBs (and as designated, directly with specified CTEs), particularly addressing the critical components of a quality reading and writing program that uses evidence-based and innovative approaches specific to the target local languages (years One and Two).
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English language curriculum and textbooks will be revised and developed according to the schedule of the MOE and continued dialogue on the subject.
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Although a bulk of the activities will be completed in the first three years of the project, years Four and Five of the READ Technical Assistance project will undertake follow on activities including revisions to materials based on learning throughout the project, conducting EGRA studies and other nontraditional reading and writing assessments, and providing technical support to MOE, RSEBs and CTEs.
4.3. ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS TO MEASURE RESULTS
USAID is committed to measuring the learning outcomes of students as its highest level impact. The USAID/Ethiopia education portfolio is focusing entirely on the elements of the teaching and learning process that directly yield improved learning outcomes for students. The education program will no longer measure success based on number and quality of inputs provided to the education system. All measures of impact and success will be directly related to achievement and outcomes at the student level. Some of these outcomes will not be directly attributable solely to USAID‘s efforts but will be a result of intense coordination between the MOE and other donors and stakeholders. In terms of early grade reading USAID‘s programs will serve as a catalyst to bring improved student level outcomes to fifteen million children.
Below is a list of indicators; however, a final list of indicators and measurable learning outcomes shall be reflected in the recipient‘s five-year plan. The recipient shall focus on those indicators that show real impact rather than lower-level indicators and shall include relevant standard learning outcome indicators. The outcome and intermediate result indicators require the efforts of various stakeholders. Therefore, the READ Technical Assistance project will not be accountable to the achievements of these indicators; it will only contribute to the achievement of these indicators. The READ Technical Assistance project will be mainly responsible for the achievement of the output indicators.
4.3.1. OUTCOME INDICATORS FOR WHICH THE RECIPIENT WILL CONTRIBUTE
Number of grade One through Four students with improved scores on reading and writing assessments(in medium of instruction);
Percentage of students in grades Two and Three who are proficient in reading (in medium of instruction);
Percentage of children in grades Two and Three who have proficiency in reading comprehension;
Mean scores of standardized learning achievement test in grade Four and grade Eight; Student achievement in English language learning in grades Two, Four, Six and Eight; and Proportion of students reading English with fluency and comprehension after two years of English language instruction.
4.3.2. ILLUSTRATIVE INTERMEDIATE RESULT INDICATORS FOR WHICH THE RECIPIENT WILL CONTRIBUTE
Number of schools with teacher reading and writing resource books for every grade One through Eight teacher and reading and writing texts for every grade One through Eight student;
Percent of teachers observed using reading and writing materials provided by the project; Percent of teachers observed using interactive and communicative methodologies in the classroom;
Percent of teachers who use formative continuous assessment methods using sound tools. Percentage of teachers using technologies to support reading and writing learning in their classrooms; and
Percent of education officials capable of assessing reading learning technology needs and determine appropriate options for addressing the needs built.
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4.3.3. ILLUSTRATIVE OUTPUT INDICATORS FOR WHICH THE RECIPIENT SHALL BE ACCOUNTABLE
Number of syllabi and MLCs revised;
Number of reading and writing materials for teachers developed; Number of textbooks developed;
Number of teacher training manuals developed;
Number of formative continuous assessment tools developed; Number of teacher trainers trained;
Number of teacher educators trained; Number of teachers trained;
Number of administrators and officials trained;
Two nationwide EGRA‘s administered (years Two and Five)
Number and type of technologies to support new reading and writing texts and learning materials provided to Colleges of teacher education (CTEs), schools and cluster resource centers; and
Percentage of regions with RSEB-led and managed quality, institutionalized reading and writing teacher training in-service program.
5. IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS, TARGET BENEFICIARIES AND GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
5.1. IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS
The MOE, with USAID, will be the major partner and the lead in implementing the READ program. The MOE and RSEBs staff will be working with READ Technical Assistance project in revising the syllabi and MLCs, developing textbooks and teacher training manuals. MOE will also coordinate with other donors the development and printing of supplementary reading materials, and printing of textbooks developed through the support of the READ Technical Assistance project.
Within the READ program, it is expected that RSEBs and the MOE will implement the Institutional Improvement project. The READ Technical Assistance project shall directly support and coordinate with the Institutional Improvement project, ensuring that a sustainable and effective reading and writing program is in place. The READ Technical Assistance project shall coordinate closely with the planned READ Community Outreach project to ensure synergies and achievement of the overarching program goal. In addition, the READ Technical Assistance project will need to coordinate with the READ evaluation implementers to ensure reliable and timely data. Moreover, the READ Technical Assistance project shall coordinate with the USAID-funded IQPEP project which focuses on overall quality education and has developed reading modules for teacher training. Through the USAID/Ethiopia office, this project will also coordinate with the multi-donor pooled fund GEQIP which also addresses quality education and will be working in conjunction with this project.
Similarly, the READ Technical Assistance project‘s results require close collaboration and coordination with the various partners including USAID, SCCs, WEOs, CTEs, RSEBs, and the MOE. By involving key stakeholders in this process, mutual understanding of all aspects of the project will develop, which will lead to better collaboration and results, and enhanced prospects for sustainability. The READ Technical Assistance project shall work to ensure the use of resources available in the SCCs and CTEs by teachers in the school cluster groups (satellite schools), help roll out early grade reading and writing teaching aids and methodologies, and promote use of reading and writing materials developed for both teachers and students. Currently, the Ethiopian education system benefits from volunteers from many different countries. The volunteers from Peace Corps‘ Improving Teaching English Language in Ethiopia program (funded by USAID), the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) support (funded by USAID), and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) cover different subject areas, working primarily with the CTEs and universities. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Philippines, and China provide
volunteers in the technical and vocational areas, while the Korea International Cooperation Agency focuses on technical faculties of the universities and secondary schools.
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The USAID-funded U.S. Peace Corps program focuses on improving English language teaching in Ethiopia. Peace Corps Volunteers are being placed in selected CTEs and primary schools and will teach English language in primary schools and work with their counterparts in the CTEs to increase availability and use of teaching resources, help roll out new teaching aids and methodologies, promote supplemental reading materials for both teachers and students, and promote an English speaking and reading
environment. Support of and collaboration with the Peace Corps will be coordinated with the READ Technical Assistance project through the Language Departments (English Language Improvement Centers) of the CTEs and the MOE‘s English Language Teaching Improvement Program.
In order to maximize the potential for project sustainability, USAID strongly encourages the recipient to incorporate participation of Ethiopian NGOs and/or Ethiopian civil society organizations in its plan to achieve the project results.
USAID strongly encourages recipients to submit innovative approaches to the READ technical assistance program. However, keep in mind that the core of the program has been pre-negotiated with the MOE and therefore innovations should fall within the existing structure of the program. If the recipient suggests alternate methods to achieve the same outcomes they must be realistic, cost effective, sustainable and achievable within the advised time period to be considered valuable. 5.2. TARGET BENEFICIARIES
The READ Technical Assistance project will benefit Ethiopian students (projected 15 million), teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum development officers, school directors, school cluster coordinators/supervisors, woreda, regional and national education officers, and the MOE. By the end of the project, it is expected that all students in all CTEs and primary schools across Ethiopia will receive improved reading and writing instruction.
Selection of beneficiaries for training should be based on a strategic approach to the overall project, including collaboration with the MOE and RSEB‘s. USAID/Ethiopia has supported training of thousands of individuals annually. Lessons learned from the past show that careful selection of training recipients is necessary to facilitate implementation of the project and sustainability of the capacity building efforts. More importantly, building the capacity of Ethiopian Institutions to provide training in a sustainable fashion is the end goal. The recipient will propose a Human and Institutional Training and Capacity plan (with a strong and measurable focus on women) per school, CTE, university, woreda, RSEB, and MOE to feed into the Performance and Monitoring Plan.
5.3. GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
The project will have national impact. Regions that use one of the following eight languages, Affan Oromo, Aff Somali, Amharic, Tigrinya, Sidama, and three other identified local languages as their medium of instruction for primary education will be targeted. The MOE will be supported in scaling up and
expanding the intervention to additional languages for long-term language teaching-learning improvement throughout Ethiopia. The project is expected to reach 15 million children in all schools and all regions of Ethiopia.
6. LINKS TO RELEVANT USAID AND NON-USAID PROJECTS
The recipient shall, at each design and implementation phase, assess applicable community and external resources available to beneficiaries and facilitate linkages to wrap additional services that would help to improve reading fluency in early grades. In addition to working closely with the other project components of the READ program, the READ Technical Assistance project will need to coordinate their activities with other existing programs. The Peace Corps‘ Improving Teaching English Language in Ethiopia program, IFESH, and VSO provide volunteers to CTEs and schools. USAID‘s Teaching English for Life Learning (TELL) and IQPEP provide continuous capacity building at the primary schools and CTEs. USAID/IQPEP has already developed four early grade reading training modules for use in schools and is in the process of printing. To be effective, it is important that the new project is well coordinated with all these resources.
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The recipient shall assure that all research or data collection under the READ Technical Assistance project are coordinated with USAID BES partners and/or other Ethiopian or Mission entities. In this regard, the recipient will utilize existing resources of collaborating partners; including libraries, documentation centers, and field personnel, to the extent practical in the collection of selected datasets, as opposed to generating parallel data and/or hiring separate staff.
USAID encourages broad Private Voluntary Organization/NGO and private sector networking and
collaboration in all activity undertakings. The recipient will participate in periodic seminars and conferences to share and disseminate experiences among key actors in the public and private sectors.
7. PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY
In development work, an NGO should not act as beneficiary-donor intermediary. It must build the capacity of the targeted beneficiary and stimulate them to identify problems and devise local solutions. This is the essence of sustainability.
A one off training or workshop on sustainability does not ensure sustainability. Furthermore, uncertainty over government commitment and lack of explicit plan for transferring responsibility put education projects‘ sustainability/initiatives at risk. Other aspects that affect sustainability are:
If there is no official agreement among stakeholders (in the case of this Project, the Recipient, CTEs, RSEBs and woredas) or plan to maintain the results of the project interventions/initiatives; Frequent staff turnover at regional, woreda, and CTEs levels result in interruption of project activities and decelerate the momentum generated;
Transfer of core personnel (deans of CTEs, teachers, woreda education officers, curriculum experts, RSEBs heads, etc.) affect maintaining the skills and knowledge acquired through the project;
If training materials are not made available for future reference; and
If orientation for new staff on the overall project principles, objective, practices/process and understanding that foster sustainability do not exist (if new staffs assume responsibility without catch-up training on project activities).
In an attempt to ensure the continuation of the initiatives of the READ Technical Assistance project beyond its life, the Recipient together with the SCCs, CTEs, WEOs, RSEBs, and MOE shall employ the following and other similar mechanisms:
Develop an effective organization and management in-service structure/system;
Plan activities at a regional level such that RSEBs can have control over their own development; At the woreda level, foster sustainability through the design and implementation of policy that integrates the principles and practices of the Project into everyday woreda work plans; WEOs and RSEBs to allocate adequate recurring budgets to support and sustain in-service activities at the SCCs –for training, supervision, equipment maintenance, etc.;
Establish a system of accountability through supervision and evaluation;
Establish an incentive system such as recognition and certificates or points that will have implications for promotions or position upgrading and scholarships;
Strengthen the capacity of WEOs, CTEs, RSEBs, and MOE staff to actively participate in
developing new curriculum materials - conducting needs assessment, training, carrying out follow up support; and
Assign capable and responsible personnel (coordinators, supervisors, school directors) for organizing trainings and analyzing curricular materials; etc.
The recipient shall work with stakeholders to identify and document best practices of the project to provide for sustainability and to scale up a primary grade level reading and writing program. The recipient shall also provide technical assistance and build the capacity of the Ethiopian MOE and RSEBs to develop similar curricular materials appropriate for primary classroom instruction and teacher training that are focused on helping students learn to read and write.
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8. GENDER, DISABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
USAID/Ethiopia has a priority to target underserved groups, including and people with disabilities. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, a person with disability is defined as someone who has ―long term physical mental and intellectual or sensory
impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society in an equal basis with others.‖
Every effort will be made to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities in this project.
Furthermore, the recipient/applicant shall include a disability inclusion plan specifically delineating how the project will address barriers for people with disabilities relevant to the project and ensure equal access and disability inclusive development practices. The applicant should illustrate how the project will include people with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities, in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation phases. The recipient/applicant must ensure people with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities, will participate in and benefit from activities. The recipient/applicant should show evidence of linkages to local Disabled People‘s Organizations (organizations managed and led by people with disabilities) and local community structures illustrating how they will work in partnership with them.
USAID/Ethiopia‘s Basic Education Services (BES) Office has a priority to target underserved groups, including women and girls and people with disabilities and supports the GoE in reducing gender inequality and disparity levels between men and women. The BES Office will apply a gender analysis in reviewing the recipient‘s proposal, designing baselines and impact assessments, and tracking indicators. It will also work to minimize unintended consequences, including an increase of burden on people with disabilities, female teachers, and education experts at the different levels of the education system. USAID will work with the recipient to consider gender issues as well as to ensure maximum female teachers and education experts are targeted for trainings during the work plan preparation. Finally, all materials will be developed with specific attention to gender, including specific analysis and attention to the ways in which girls and women are portrayed in the materials in order to promote positive and healthy gender roles.
USAID/Ethiopia will also work with the recipient to ensure that all curricula, materials and training are promoting teaching techniques known to be inclusive for all students, including those with disabilities. This includes provisions for student and teacher materials development in both braille and sign language. Every effort will be made to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities in this project.
Furthermore, the recipient shall include a disability inclusion plan specifically delineating how the project will address barriers for people with disabilities relevant to the project and ensure equal access and disability inclusive development practices.
Additionally, this project complies with USAID‘s environmental regulations, found at 22 CFR, Part 216. It falls under the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) for USAID/Ethiopia, BES Office (663-SO 14.3, August 26, 2004).
Categorical Exclusions from environmental examination are recommended for the following activities covered by the following citations in Reg. 216, by subparagraph of 22 CFR 216.2(c) (2):
(i) Activities involving education, training, technical assistance or training programs;
(ii) Activities involving controlled experimentation exclusively for the purpose of research and
field evaluation and carefully monitored;
(iii) Activities involving analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings;
(iv) Activities involving document and information transfers;
(v) Studies, projects or programs intended to develop the capacity of recipient countries and
organizations to engage in development planning.
Based on the project activities and pursuant to 22 CFR 216.2(c) (2) (i, ii, iii, v, and xiv), the READ
Technical Assistance project is Categorically Excluded from environmental review. If additional
activities not described in this document are added to this project, an amended environmental examination will be required.
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9. DESIGNATION OF POSITIONS AND KEY PERSONNEL
The recipient shall have limited technical staff; they shall have a strong capacity to implement, monitor, evaluate and develop teacher resource books, primary grade level reading and writing teaching and learning materials, and student reading and writing assessment tools.
Existing staff and resources of the Ethiopian Government and its partners will be drawn upon through partnerships to implement a linkage approach, and creative ways will be identified to reach those local languages not presently covered by this READ Technical Assistance project.
The recipient will work with the MOE and RSEB‘s to create teams composed of international and local
language experts for each of the target eight languages that will be working directly with and among the
MOE and RSEBs staff.
Based on: (a) an understanding of the issues/problems and the challenges and opportunities and activities described herein; and (b) the recipient‘s proposed activities, milestones, and targets to be accomplished over the life-of-the-READ Technical Assistance project, USAID/Ethiopia strongly encourages the
employment of host country nationals, in particular women, who can bring appropriate technical expertise, language and cultural experience to these key personnel.
The recipient is advised that appropriate gender balance of proposed professional personnel and
commitment to maintaining 50% women and 10% disabled personnel throughout the life of plan is highly desired. Further, the recipient should include a discussion of proposed headquarters‘ supervision.
The recipient is advised to strongly support diversity in the workforce, equal employment opportunity and appropriate gender balance, and highly encourages qualified female professionals and hiring professional of physical challenged personnel throughout the life of the project.
9.1. KEY PERSONNEL
Approval of specified key personnel: Only those positions which are considered to be essential to the successful implementation of the Grant shall be designated as key personnel. USAID‘s policy limits this to a reasonable number of positions, generally no more than five positions or five percent of recipient
employees working under the Grant, whichever is greater. Before assignment of key personnel, his/her bio data shall be communicated to USAID and approval will be made in writing by the USAID Agreement Officer. Further, no diversion or replacement of key personnel will be made by the recipient without prior written consent of the USAID Agreement Officer.
Prior to diverting any of the time of the a) CoP, b) two Deputy CoPs or c) Financial and Human Resources Manager to other duties, the recipient will notify the USAID Agreement Officer and the AOR reasonably well in advance, and will submit a justification and explanation, including proposed substitutions, in sufficient detail to permit evaluation of the impact on the Contract (including budget implications). The recipient will indicate a staffing structure that includes other full-time or regular part-time project positions in specific priority technical areas that are clearly defined (by the recipient) and accepted by
USAID within the Contract. USAID anticipated that the recipient will hire senior reading and writing
experts for each targeted language that will work with local experts in each of the target regions.
Within one month upon contract signature, those designated as Chief of Party (CoP), Deputy Chiefs of Party, Senior Reading Experts, Financial and Human Resources Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and other staff of the Project must be hired and available to commence work in Ethiopia.
9.2. HEAD OFFICE AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATION
The recipient shall register with the Government of Ethiopia and establish an office in Addis Ababa equal to the requirements needed to provide necessary support for management and technical assistance activities under the Grant. It will operate under the general supervision of the CoP.
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The recipient should plan to provide all administrative and management support necessary to the
functioning of the READ Technical Assistance project and for the selected languages of intervention as it is phased in. This includes support to visiting recipient staff, implementation of financial and accounting systems for local commodity procurement, arranging for and supporting local training and events, provision of all travel and support for long- and short-term personnel, etc.
In addition to the long-term technical positions necessary to the achievement of Grant outputs, the recipient is expected to propose adequate technical and support staff for the central office. Further, the recipient is encouraged to maintain a low budget and minimal administrative costs, and to define in detail its proposed arrangements and staffing.
The recipient may at its option establish some mode of permanent representation as necessary in regions and zones (woredas) of interventions. The recipient is encouraged to consider "least-cost" possible means of achieving such representation, i.e., obtaining office space from the relevant RSEBs, WEOs, or CTEs.
9.3. HEADQUARTERS’ SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT
Given provisions for designation of a fully authorized CoP, and provision for project-funded full-time staff at the local office, any direct level of effort attributable to headquarters activities is expected to be focused primarily on that required for sourcing information and technical expertise to support the field team.
10. PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN (PMP)
The recipient shall describe and specify the project goal, intermediate results, and outputs. The PMP should specify each indicator (with explicit definition and justification, data collection and verification method, data sources, frequency of data collection, and indication of data quality limitations and proposal of data), and targets. To ensure reliability and accuracy of progress towards expected results and that monitoring and evaluation systems are as cost-effective as possible, the recipient is encouraged to cross reference results and indicators of the READ Technical Assistance project with results and indicators of host government and other USAID/Ethiopia education programs. Further, the recipient shall establish the necessary project baseline data as per the agreed upon indicators at the commencement of the project. The recipient must demonstrate methods and approaches to capture data for project beneficiaries and people targeted for outreach, disaggregated by sex and type of disability and geographic operation area (region/district).
The READ Technical Assistance Contract shall contribute to the achievement of the USAID/Ethiopia Education Development Objective. Therefore, the recipient is expected to coordinate with the overall READ Program on impact assessments, evaluation, and learning.
The PMP should allow USAID to gauge the recipient‘s performance and understand any unforeseen changes in strategy to achieve intended results. Standard indicators from various agency frameworks, such as the USAID Basic Education Program results framework, the Foreign Assistance Coordination and
Tracking System (FACTS), will be incorporated into the PMP to show the contribution made by READ
Technical Assistance Project. Indictors should be sex disaggregated where appropriate, and recipients
should propose amendments to the proposed illustrative indicators provided under the above READ
Technical Assistance Project Results Framework and Indicators section (see C.4.2).
The PMP shall also indicate the various evaluations planned to be undertaken with their purpose, illustrative research question, and schedules the major M&E undertakings. Wherever possible and appropriate, these shall be presented in tabular and/or graphical forms that portray progress over time, presentable to an executive audience an immediate sense of progress or the lack thereof. The PMP will be a living document and will be updated based on changing context and program assumptions. The PMP should be linked to the various projects coming up during life of the project. Thus, all projects under READ program will have their own PMP logically connected and contributing to the bigger program. A draft PMP must be submitted with the technical proposals; the draft PMP will be finalized after project start-up and submitted for USAID‘s approval. Any subsequent changes in the PMP will require concurrence from USAID.
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Within three months of the Contract signing, the recipient shall submit a comprehensive Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), directly related to the results and standardized performance indicators of the READ Technical Assistance project, to the designated USAID/Ethiopia COR for approval.
USAID, using an external evaluator, will undertake evaluations at the beginning of the program and at the end of the third and fifth years to assess the overall implementation of the full READ program. The evaluation that will be conducted at the end of the third year will inform the project and contribute to improved methods of implementation during the fourth and fifth years of the project. Similarly, the evaluation that will be conducted at the end of the fifth year will determine the level of impact of the entire READ program, including the READ Technical Assistance project.
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SECTION II – AWARD INFORMATION
1) Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to provide approximately $45,000,000 in total
funding for this program and expects to make one award as a result of this RFA. However, USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.
Funding for accepted application(s) shall be provided on an incremental basis subject to the availability of funds and successful performance. USAID reserves the right to change the funding amounts, cycle, and terms of the grant agreement as a result of availability of funding and US Government requirements. Should such changes occur, recipients will be appropriately notified.
2) The anticipated period of the award is for five years beginning in approximately June 2012 through
June 2017.
3) USAID anticipates that the award will be a Cooperative Agreement. In accordance with ADS
303.3.11, Cooperative Agreements permit the ―substantial involvement‖ of USAID in certain aspects of the supported program. Specifically, USAID substantial involvement will include:
a) Approval of the Recipient’s Implementation Plans b) Approval of Specified Key Personnel
c) Agency and Recipient Collaboration or Joint Participation - Approval of the recipient‘s monitoring and evaluation plans.
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SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
1) USAID policy encourages competition in the award of Grants and Cooperative Agreements. In
response to this RFA, any U.S. or non-U.S. organization, non-profit, or for-profit entity is eligible to apply.
2) USAID encourages applications from potential new partners.
3) Applicants are encouraged to propose a cost share contribution under this program. Type of costs
acceptable for cost share are consistent with 22 CFR 226, including overhead and/or indirect costs.
4) There are no additional minimum qualifications other than those described herein.
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SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
(1) Applications and modifications thereof shall be submitted either via:
a) ELECTRONICALLY – Option 1. Package in email(s) with attachments shall be sent only to
the following: caddis@usaid.gov. Email notification for submission without attachment shall
be sent to Awoldeyohannes@usaid.gov and Agarceau@usaid.gov. The attachments shall be in
software compatible with MS Word and MS Excel or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Please note that Excel worksheet shall allow calculations to be displayed on formula bar. Do not send right protected or locked excel worksheets that doesn‘t allow formula on formula bar. If you send your application by multiple emails, please indicate in the subject line of the email whether the email relates to the technical or cost proposal, and the desired sequence of multiple emails (if more than one is sent) and of attachments (e.g. ―no. 1 of 4‖, etc.). For example, if
