DJIBOUTI MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION ACTIVITY | 72060325RFI00001

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72060325RFI00001

USAID/Djibouti has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for an anticipated initiative called the Djibouti Middle School Education Activity. This is not a grant or contract solicitation yet. It is a market research and consultation step meant to gather practical ideas, lessons learned, and implementer capability information to help USAID shape the final program design for upper primary and middle school education in Djibouti, particularly for students in grades 5 through 9. USAID emphasizes that the concept may change during the design and approval process, and that responses are voluntary and used only to inform planning.

The activity is being framed around a set of well-documented challenges in Djibouti at the transition into and through middle school. While enrollment has expanded, retention is weak, with a major drop-off around grades 6 and 7 and an overall pattern where many students who enter middle school do not reach the final year. Learning outcomes are also a concern: even students who pass the Grade 5 exam may not have strong enough foundational skills to succeed in later grades. USAID also highlights that the current curriculum and learning environment do not consistently develop the soft skills often associated with 21st-century readiness (like communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving). These issues are compounded by poverty and uneven access to quality schooling, and they fall especially hard on girls and marginalized populations. Gender-related barriers, including harmful social norms and gender-based violence, are explicitly named, along with limited inclusive education options for children with disabilities.

Based on Attachment 1, USAID is considering a program that focuses on both academic and whole-child supports for adolescents. The main proposed directions include strengthening foundational skills in reading, math, and English (explicitly building on gains from the prior USAID/Djibouti Early Grade Reading Activity, DEGRA), introducing soft skills in ways that are usable inside ordinary public classrooms, and introducing STEM content with a particular emphasis on information technology skills. Another central component is the integration of psychosocial support to improve student well-being and resilience, especially for vulnerable learners, with the expectation that stronger well-being supports can contribute to better attendance and retention. Cross-cutting throughout the concept is a push for gender equality and inclusion, aiming to ensure that girls and marginalized groups can access and benefit from improved education services. The geographic focus mentioned is Djibouti City, and the overall purpose is to help adolescents gain foundational and soft skills that improve learning and well-being outcomes and support their future participation in society and the workforce.

USAID is using the RFI to ask the public and prospective implementers for concrete, experience-based input on what works. The questions in Section 1 ask respondents to share best practices for introducing soft skills at the middle school level; key considerations for rolling out STEM and measuring whether students are actually gaining STEM competencies; and proven models for integrating psychosocial support into public education in ways that improve retention. USAID also asks whether the proposed objectives match the stated challenges, what approaches can strengthen inclusive education and localization (including whether the emphasis should be on community-level reinforcement or capacity building within the Ministry of Education), and what strategies can raise retention and improve foundational learning for middle school-aged students. Respondents are also invited to provide any other design or implementation considerations after reviewing Attachment 1, which signals USAID is open to adjustments in sequencing, target groups, delivery models, partnerships, and realistic measurement strategies.

Section 2 focuses on organizational capacity and past performance, and it places a five-page limit on responses. USAID is looking for implementers with real experience in middle school programming and the core technical areas implied by the concept: curriculum development, teacher training, student assessment, and English language teaching using a communicative approach. They also want evidence of experience integrating social-emotional skills into teaching practice and examples of projects that improved learning outcomes while also building soft skills. Beyond technical delivery, USAID is screening for operational readiness: familiarity with USAID education policies and procedures, the ability to build and sustain partnerships with the Ministry of Education and schools, and a credible monitoring and evaluation approach. Financial management is also explicitly assessed, including prior management of USAID awards, internal controls and systems, and the ability to produce accurate and timely financial reports.

From an administrative standpoint, the RFI is identified as 72060325RFI00001. It was released on November 6, 2024, and responses were due November 21, 2024 by 5:30 pm Eastern Time. Submissions were to be emailed to Merjan Endris (mendris@usaid.gov) with a copy to Deborah Rakowski (drakowski@usaid.gov), using the specified subject line referencing the RFI number and activity title. USAID notes that respondents will receive only an electronic confirmation of receipt and should not expect individualized feedback.

Finally, the disclaimer is clear and important: this is strictly an information-gathering notice, not a request for proposals or applications, and USAID will not accept or review funding applications at this stage. Responding does not create any competitive advantage for a future procurement, does not obligate the U.S. Government to issue a solicitation, and does not commit the government to pay any costs associated with preparing a response. The future award instrument (contract vs. assistance) has not been decided, even though the listing metadata references a procurement contract category. In short, this opportunity is best understood as USAID/Djibouti signaling an upcoming education activity and inviting implementers and sector stakeholders to shape it with practical recommendations and evidence from comparable contexts.

• The Ethiopia USAID-Addis Ababa in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DJIBOUTI MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION ACTIVITY" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-21. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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