School Transition Educational Packages STEP | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): School Transition Educational Packages (STEP) - USAID Egypt

What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled School Transition Educational Packages (STEP).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA 268 13 000004.

Which agency is offering this opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by USAID Egypt (USAID Cairo).

What type of funding instrument is this: grant or cooperative agreement?

This is a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant.

What does it mean that this opportunity is a cooperative agreement?

Based on how cooperative agreements typically work, it generally means USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation, such as collaborating on work planning, reviewing and approving key deliverables, participating in monitoring and evaluation, and coordinating with other USAID-supported efforts.

What sector or program area does STEP fall under?

The activity category is listed as Education.

What is CFDA 98.001 and why does it matter?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 98.001, which covers USAID foreign assistance programs overseas. This indicates the activity is part of the U.S. Government's international development and assistance portfolio rather than domestic U.S. education funding.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on January 16, 2013.

When was the opportunity created in the system?

The opportunity was created in the system on February 4, 2013.

What was the application deadline?

The original and final closing date was February 25, 2013.

How long was the submission window?

Based on the posted date (January 16, 2013) and the final closing date (February 25, 2013), applicants had a relatively short submission window.

How many awards did USAID expect to make?

USAID anticipated making 2 awards under this solicitation.

What is the estimated total funding available under this opportunity?

The estimated total program funding level was $2,500,000.

What is the expected award size (minimum and maximum)?

Individual awards were expected to range from a floor of $400,000 to a ceiling of $1,250,000.

What does the award range suggest about the size of proposed projects?

The stated floor and ceiling suggest proposals were expected to be mid-sized projects: large enough to justify several hundred thousand dollars in activity scope, but not so large that they exceeded the per-award cap.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. The opportunity requires cost sharing or matching.

What does cost sharing or matching mean for applicants?

Cost sharing/matching means selected recipients would be expected to contribute non-federal resources (cash and/or allowable in-kind support) toward the total cost of the activity. The specific percentage, allowable forms, and documentation standards would typically be described in the full announcement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity as long as they meet any conditions or clarifications that would have been included in the full solicitation (often under an "Additional Information on Eligibility" section).

What kinds of organizations might be able to apply under "unrestricted" eligibility?

Based on the description of unrestricted eligibility, it typically allows a broad mix of applicants such as nonprofits, NGOs, universities, private firms, and potentially local organizations, depending on any further requirements stated in the full solicitation.

Is this a U.S. domestic education grant?

No. Because it is a USAID opportunity under CFDA 98.001 and administered by USAID Cairo, it is part of overseas foreign assistance, not domestic U.S. education funding.

What is the general purpose of the STEP activity?

While the summary does not provide full technical details, the title and framing indicate the activity is intended to help learners transition successfully from one level of schooling to another by developing and delivering "school transition educational packages."

What might "school transition educational packages" include?

The summary suggests these packages could include items like learning materials, remedial or bridge content, orientation resources for students and families, and tools or guidance for teachers and schools to support students during transition periods. The exact content would normally be defined in the full solicitation.

Which transitions in schooling are likely relevant?

The summary implies the activity could address transition points such as primary to preparatory, preparatory to secondary, or other key schooling transitions, depending on what USAID Cairo specified in the full announcement.

Is this opportunity connected to work in Egypt specifically?

Yes. The opportunity is administered by USAID Egypt (USAID Cairo), and applicants would generally be expected to demonstrate capacity to operate in the Egypt context and manage donor-funded programming there.

What kinds of compliance or management capacity are applicants generally expected to have?

Because this is a USAID overseas assistance opportunity, applicants would generally be expected to have the capacity to comply with USAID administrative, financial, and reporting requirements, and to manage implementation with USAID involvement consistent with a cooperative agreement.

Who is the point of contact for this opportunity?

The point of contact listed is Nehal Elkahtib, Acquisition Specialist.

How can the point of contact be reached by phone?

The phone number provided is 002 02 25226923.

Is an email address provided for questions?

The contact line references a contracts specialist email address, but the email itself is not included in the provided information.