Background:

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, governance, and post-crisis stabilization. Based in Chevy Chase, MD (metro DC area) Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Creative is soliciting offers for technical expertise in accordance with the Scope of Work below and Creative’s Renewable Consultant Agreement Terms and Conditions available here. Creative intends to award one or more Renewable Consultant Agreement(s) (RCA(s)) under which work may be negotiated and awarded as fixed price or level of effort performance-based activities. Creative reserves the right to make multiple awards or no award as a result of this solicitation.

Summary:

The five-year USAID-funded Bar ama Baro (“Teach or Learn” in Somali – BAB) program is a comprehensive primary education program designed to support the government of Somalia in providing quality non-formal education services to marginalized children across the country. Through working at both the national and local level, BAB systematically and strategically assists government and community actors in designing and delivering comprehensive non-formal education services to children most in need of accelerated education assistance. Specifically, the BAB project aims to increase student enrollment in accelerated basic education centers (ABE), improve student safety, monitor improvements in literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills, and improve the Federal Government of Somalia’s capacity to standardize and regulate the accelerated education space.

BAB seeks a consultant to support the evaluation of the effectiveness of the project and assess the impact on the learning outcomes of ABE students, BAB will apply cohort-based pre- and post-test approach. For this purpose, BAB will conduct effectiveness survey at the beginning and at the end of each cohort. The effectiveness survey includes:

• Early grade reading assessment (EGRA) of ABE level 1 learners.
• Early grade mathematics assessment (EGMA) of ABE level 1 learners.
• Social emotional learning assessment (SELA) of ABE level 1 learners.
• Student background questionnaire for ABE level 1 learners.
• Teacher questionnaire for ABE level 1 teachers.
• Head teacher questionnaire for ABE level 1 centers/schools.

Pre-test data for each cohort is collected at the start of the academic calendar year in August and post-test data is collected at the end of the academic year in May. The consultant is required to support the BAB team to conduct the post-test for cohort 2. The consultant is also required to support the BAB team conduct the second round of Fidelity of Implementation.

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       1. Effectiveness Survey (Post-test):

• Review and revise/update the effectiveness survey overall plan (including data collection timeline, data cleaning, data analysis and reporting).
• Review and revise/update existing data collection tools.
• Oversee the training for data collectors.
• Oversee data collection and data quality assurance control.
• Propose the effectiveness survey report outline and finalize in consultation with BAB team.

2. Working closely with the Senior Education Advisor and MERL team, the consultant will oversee and lead the Fidelity of Implementation (FOI) exercise:

• Review and update the FOI data collection tools.
• Oversee training of FOI data collectors.
• Oversee data collection, data cleaning and data analysis and reporting.

3. Other similar tasks to be mutually agreed between Creative and the Consultant.

Results and/or Deliverables:

Consultant may be responsible for:

Other Matters

At least 30 days of the LOE will be in-country in Somalia.

An overarching Renewable Consultant Agreement will be issued based on the capabilities and qualifications listed below as well as those listed in the individual’s submitted CV.

General Capabilities

Required Qualifications

Education: 

• A Master’s Degree in education, research methods, psychometrics, or another relevant social science.

 Skills and Experience: 

• At least ten (10) years of experience in designing and leading research and evaluations in education, preferably in conflict contexts.
• At least three (3) years of extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection including early grade reading assessment and early grade mathematic assessment.
• Strong writing and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated experience working in complex environments, working across different cultures, and delivering impacts within agreed timelines
• Must be able to use tangerine software and kobo toolbox.

Language:  

• Professional level of oral and written fluency in English. 

Other:

• Ability to travel to Somalia for short trip is essential.