Opportunity Information: Apply for RFI 674 15 000005
Apply for RFI 674 15 000005
- The South Africa USAID Pretoria in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Practical Education Research For Optimal Reading and Management (PERFORM)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 14, 2015 and posted on Jul 14, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 10, 2015 Close August 10, 2015 at 1000am South Africa time. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $13,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $13,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
Practical Education Research For Optimal Reading and Management (PERFORM) is a USAID/South Africa opportunity released as a Request for Information (RFI), meaning it is not a formal solicitation for proposals or bids but a market-research step to gather input from interested organizations. The core objective behind the broader USAID/SA education program is to improve reading skills among primary grade learners in South Africa, with a particular emphasis on strengthening the day-to-day instructional support that happens inside the official education system rather than relying on outside coaching models.
The program concept focuses on improving early grade literacy by building the capacity of two key groups within the education system: curriculum advisors and school principals. Instead of bringing in external trainers, coaches, or mentors to drive teacher change, the approach centers on empowering these existing system actors to better support language and literacy teachers. In practice, this implies developing principals and curriculum advisors so they can provide consistent instructional guidance, oversight, and problem-solving support that is aligned with the language curriculum and directly connected to classroom realities. The intention is to create a more sustainable support structure by embedding responsibility and expertise within the education system itself.
A second major pillar of PERFORM is the provision of an innovative Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) package for teachers. The LTSM package is positioned as a practical tool to help teachers deliver the language curriculum more effectively in ways that translate into stronger literacy outcomes for learners. The program envisions that teachers will not only receive materials but also be supported in their actual use of those materials through the routine supervisory and advisory channels of principals and curriculum advisors. This highlights a practical, implementation-oriented theory of change: better tools in teachers hands plus stronger, system-led instructional support should lead to improved classroom practice and ultimately better reading performance among young learners.
In terms of administrative details, the opportunity was issued by USAID Pretoria under Funding Opportunity Number RFI 674 15 000005 and titled Practical Education Research For Optimal Reading and Management (PERFORM). It falls under the Education activity category, with the opportunity category and instrument type both listed as "Other," consistent with it being an RFI rather than a standard grant competition. The posting date and creation date were July 14, 2015, and responses were due by August 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. South Africa time. The archive date was September 9, 2015.
The notice indicates an expected single award (Expected Awards: 1) and references an estimated total funding level of up to $13,000,000, with an award ceiling of $13,000,000 and an award floor of $0. While these figures give a sense of the potential scale, it is important in an RFI context that such amounts are often preliminary planning figures rather than a binding commitment, since the purpose is to inform a future procurement or assistance design. Cost sharing or matching was not required, and eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could respond, subject to any additional clarifications that might appear in the full announcement text.
For access issues or questions related to the announcement, the listed point of contact was Paul Vacik, Contract Specialist, reachable by phone at 0027124522177 or by email at applications4@usaid.gov.
PERFORM (USAID/South Africa) RFI - Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is PERFORM?
PERFORM stands for Practical Education Research For Optimal Reading and Management. It is a USAID/South Africa education initiative concept focused on improving reading skills among primary grade learners in South Africa.
2) Is this a grant competition or a request for proposals?
No. This notice is a Request for Information (RFI). An RFI is used for market research to gather input from interested organizations. It is not a formal solicitation for proposals or bids.
3) What is the main goal of the broader education program behind PERFORM?
The core objective is to improve reading skills among primary grade learners in South Africa, with a particular emphasis on strengthening the day-to-day instructional support that happens within the official education system.
4) What approach does PERFORM emphasize for improving literacy?
The concept emphasizes strengthening support inside the existing education system rather than relying on outside coaching models. The intent is to embed instructional support responsibility and expertise within the system for longer-term sustainability.
5) Who are the key system actors PERFORM aims to strengthen?
PERFORM focuses on building the capacity of two groups within the education system: curriculum advisors and school principals.
6) Does the concept rely on external coaches, trainers, or mentors?
No. The program concept explicitly shifts away from external trainers, coaches, or mentors driving teacher change. Instead, it centers on empowering principals and curriculum advisors to support language and literacy teachers.
7) What kind of support are principals and curriculum advisors expected to provide?
The concept envisions principals and curriculum advisors providing consistent instructional guidance, oversight, and problem-solving support aligned with the language curriculum and grounded in classroom realities.
8) What is the second major pillar of the PERFORM concept?
A second major pillar is providing an innovative Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) package for teachers.
9) What are LTSM, and what are they intended to do?
LTSM refers to Learning and Teaching Support Materials. In this concept, the LTSM package is intended to be a practical tool to help teachers deliver the language curriculum more effectively in ways that lead to stronger literacy outcomes for learners.
10) Will teachers only receive materials, or will there be support for using them?
The concept highlights that teachers would not only receive materials but would also be supported in using those materials through routine supervisory and advisory channels, specifically principals and curriculum advisors.
11) What is the theory of change described in the notice?
The notice presents an implementation-oriented theory of change: better tools in teachers' hands (LTSM) plus stronger, system-led instructional support (via principals and curriculum advisors) should improve classroom practice and ultimately improve reading performance among young learners.
12) Who issued this RFI?
The RFI was issued by USAID Pretoria (USAID/South Africa).
13) What is the funding opportunity number and title?
The funding opportunity number is RFI 674 15 000005, and the title is Practical Education Research For Optimal Reading and Management (PERFORM).
14) What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
It falls under the Education activity category.
15) What are the listed opportunity category and instrument type?
Both the opportunity category and instrument type are listed as "Other," which is consistent with the notice being an RFI rather than a standard grant competition.
16) When was the notice posted and created?
The posting date and the creation date were both July 14, 2015.
17) What was the deadline for responses?
Responses were due by August 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. South Africa time.
18) When was the notice archived?
The archive date was September 9, 2015.
19) How many awards were expected?
The notice indicates an expected single award (Expected Awards: 1).
20) What funding amount is referenced, and how should it be interpreted for an RFI?
The notice references an estimated total funding level of up to $13,000,000, with an award ceiling of $13,000,000 and an award floor of $0. Because this is an RFI, these figures are often preliminary planning amounts rather than a binding commitment, since the purpose is to inform a future procurement or assistance design.
21) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice states that cost sharing or matching was not required.
22) Who was eligible to respond to the RFI?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could respond, subject to any additional clarifications that might appear in the full announcement text.
23) Who is the point of contact for questions or access issues?
The listed point of contact is Paul Vacik, Contract Specialist.
24) How can the point of contact be reached?
By phone at 0027124522177 or by email at applications4@usaid.gov.
25) Does this RFI itself commit USAID to make an award?
The notice is described as an RFI used to gather input and inform future design, and it is not a formal solicitation for proposals or bids. The funding figures are described as planning figures in an RFI context rather than a binding commitment.
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