NATIONAL YOUTH AWARENESS FORUM-SIERRA LEONE
346E BAIBUREH ROAD, CALABA TOWN, FREETOWN
Website: www.nyafsl1.org
Terms of Reference for Consulting Services
Development, Printing and Delivery of Social Emotional Learning integrated Maths & Language Curriculum Materials for Upper and Lower Levels Primary schools.
Issuance Date: 9 June 2022
Deadline for expression of interest: 22 June 2022; 12:00 GMT
1. Background:
National Youth Awareness Forum (NYAF) is a National Non-Governmental Organisation operating in Sierra Leone since 2001. As an organisation, we believe that the quality of the education system does not exceed the quality of the teachers that deliver the content. For this reason, building teachers’ capacity for quality classroom instruction and students’ learning outcomes are what define our work.
National Youth Awareness Forum Sierra Leone (http://www.nyafsl1.org) in collaboration with Kizazi( https://www.kizazi.org/), is seeking national and international qualified organisations or enterprises to manage the development, printing & delivery of curricular materials to support ~20,770 students in Sixty-Seven (67) lower and upper primary schools (Class 1 to 6) through Social Emotional Learning integrated Maths & Language Curriculum.
| Materials for Language | Materials for Mathematics | |
| Teachers | Teacher guides (with lesson plans, assessments & guidance for home engagement activities) Concept Explanation Flipcharts (to build teacher content pedagogical competence) | |
| Learners | Levelled Reading Materials Expression Kits (read aloud books + plans) Community based learning flipcharts for home learning | Practice Materials across topics Numeracy Kits (manipulatives & materials) Community based learning flipcharts for home learning |
The development is towards meeting the outcomes of the three-year Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC) project (https://tinyurl.com/SLEIC) which will be implemented in Bonthe District, Moyamba District, and Pujehun District.
2. The objectives
- Develop students’ knowledge and skills in English, Mathematics & Social Emotional Learning
- Support teacher planning & preparation for high quality classroom instruction to meet decided learning outcomes
- Ensure high quality materials are available for all students and teachers in Bonthe district, Moyamba district and Pujehun district.
3. Description and Scope of Assignment
Lot 1: English (Use the details specified to guide development)
| Scope of Design Work : Class 1-6 English Workbooks for children (One per class per student – reusable across 3 years) Class 1-6 English Teacher guides (One per class per teacher – reusable across 3 years) Class 1-6 Home Learning Flipcharts for English (4 per school – reusable) Class 1-6 Teacher Concept Calendars for English (1 per school – reusable) A set of 30 read aloud books per school (5 per class) with aligned teacher plans usable across grades Training of NYAF & Kizazi Program Team on usage of curricular materials Training resources to conduct workshops with teachers Input into data & monitor student results Minimum Development Specifications: For student books & teacher guidesNo. of pages – upto 200 (Teacher Guides upto 300)Book Page Paper Quality – 75GSM – Normal Paper – Black & White – A4Binding Type – Wiro BindingCover Pages (front & back) – ColourCover Page Type – 170GSM – Matte PaperFor Concept Cards & FlipchartsNo. of pages – 30- 40Book Page Paper Quality – 130 GSM – Normal Paper – Colour – A3Binding Type – SpiralCover Page (front & back) – ColourCover Page Type – 170GSM – Matte Paper |
Lot 2: Mathematics (Use the details specified to guide development)
| Scope of Design Work Class 1-3 Maths Workbooks for children (One per class per student per year) Class 1-3 Maths Teacher guides (One per class per teacher – reusable across 3 years) Class 4-6 Maths Remedial Workbooks for children (One common workbook across Class 4-6 per student – year 1 only) Class 4-6 Maths Remedial teacher guides (One common guide across Class 4-6 per teacher – reusable across 3 years) Class 4-6 Maths Teacher Guides (one per class per teacher) Class 1-6 Home Learning Flip Charts for Maths (4 per school – reusable) Class 1-6 Teacher Concept Calendars for Maths (1 per school – reusable) Training of NYAF & Kizazi Program Team on usage of curricular materials Training resources to conduct workshops with teachers Input into data & monitoring towards student results Minimum Development Specifications: For student books & teacher guidesNo. of pages – upto 200 (Teacher Guides upto 300)Book Page Paper Quality – 75GSM – Normal Paper – Black & White – A4Binding Type – Wiro BindingCover Pages (front & back) – ColourCover Page Type – 170GSM – Matte PaperFor Concept Cards & FlipchartsNo. of pages – 30- 40Book Page Paper Quality – 130 GSM – Normal Paper – Colour – A3Binding Type – SpiralCover Page (front & back) – ColourCover Page Type – 170GSM – Matte Paper |
Lot 3: Printing and last mile delivery of learning materials
| Minimum Printing Quality Specifications: For student books & teacher guidesNo. of pages – upto 200 (Teacher Guides upto 300)Book Page Paper Quality – 75GSM – Normal Paper – Black & White – A4Binding Type – Wiro BindingCover Pages (front & back) – ColourCover Page Type – 170GSM – Matte PaperFor Concept Cards & FlipchartsNo. of pages – 30- 40Book Page Paper Quality – 130 GSM – Normal Paper – Colour – A3Binding Type – SpiralCover Page (front & back) – ColourCover Page Type – 170GSM – Matte Paper Packaging & delivery should ensure minimal damage & ease of further transportation including bundling into school level packs. |
Applicants can choose to apply for more than individual lots to provide a comprehensive solution. All curricular materials should be aligned to the vision put forth in our proposal for SLEIC and as laid out in the methodology below.
4. Methodology for development of Curriculum Materials
Our approach to literacy & numeracy is informed by our fundamental priority of developing the whole child – socially, physically, emotionally, cognitively and spiritually. Our belief in this approach is further strengthened by the current Sierra Leonean context where challenges of gender based violence, abuse & teenage pregnancies are prevalent. Given teachers themselves may have trauma caused by their lived experiences of the civil war, Ebola, COVID-19 & other challenges, our approach will be focused on healing, without which learning will be a challenge. To facilitate healing we will create explicit opportunities across literacy & numeracy lessons to integrate music, movement, sharing & reflection, not just on the subject matter but also on teachers’ & learners’ socio-emotional states. We are therefore seeking providers to develop the curriculum materials with this overarching philosophy, more specifically for each Lot we are seeking the following approaches to be followed respectively –
Language & Literacy
The Language & Literacy Framework & Materials should be aligned to the 5 Ts – Teaching, Text, Time, Test, and Tongue as put down in RTI’s Approach to Early Class Literacy Instruction. The curriculum should align to the Global Proficiency Framework for reading & also Class appropriate writing & speaking/listening skills. They should also cover the Sierra Leone state prescribed outcomes, though suggestions can be made to revise the sequence of outcomes covered each year. Given children come from various languages in the context of Sierra Leone, we will need to create space for mother tongue to use to support children’s acquisition of English through strategies such as translanguaging & codeswitching across various local languages though there might not be explicit instruction in Krio/Temne/Limba etc.
| Literacy (Build competence in developmentally appropriate Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing) | |
| Principle | Components |
| Teaching | Explicit & systematic instruction in the ‘Big 5’ (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) Holistic language experiences in speaking, listening, reading & writing using everyday situations (including communicating through song/art) Diverse opportunities for practice & feedback |
| Text | Print rich environment Developmentally appropriate texts based on an explicit scope & sequence Gender equitable, inclusive & contextual materials that allow children to make connections to their life |
| Time | Sufficient time for all components of literacy Pacing conducive to all students |
| Test | Assessment of prior knowledge Embedded formative assessments for learning Modification of instructional goals and methods based on where children are |
| Tongue | Focus on oral language & expression in early Class Use of mother tongue as a scaffold throughout all Class |
Mathematics
In Mathematics, pedagogy should be aimed at developing the five attributes associated with the concept of proficiency (Adding It Up -National Research Council, 2001, p. 116)
- Conceptual understanding (comprehension of mathematical concepts, operations, and relations),
- Procedural fluency (skills in carrying out procedures flexibly, fluently, and appropriately),
- Strategic competence (ability to formulate, represent, and solve mathematical problems),
- Adaptive reasoning (capacity for logical thought, reflection, explanation, and justification), and
- Productive disposition (habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, and worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one’s own efficacy).
To build these attributes, key pedagogies will include the following principles (source National Mathematics Advisory Panel, WWC Principles, RTI’s 5Ts)
| Mathematics (Build Conceptual understanding Procedural fluency, Strategic competence, Adaptive reasoning and Productive disposition across all topics) | |
| Principle | Components |
| Teaching | Explicit instruction using developmental progressions (in number and operations, geometry, patterns, measurement, and data analysis) Diverse opportunities for practice & feedback |
| Time | Sufficient time for all components of mathematics Pacing conducive to all students Embedding maths in classroom routines and activities Integrating mathematical ideas throughout the curriculum |
| Test | Assessment of prior knowledge Embedded formative assessments for learning Modification of instructional goals and methods based on where children are |
| Talk | Encouraging children to recognize and talk about maths in everyday situations (including play) Modelling how to explain and justify thinking & creating opportunities for children to do the same Creating a maths-rich environment using maths vocabulary Use of mother tongue as a scaffold throughout all Classes |
| CCPA | Teaching to build a deep conceptual understanding Moving from informal/concrete representations and language to formal representations, language & vocabulary |
All materials will be developed in English with some teacher text in Krio as needed. This deck gives a detailed view of how we’ve envisioned the materials : https://tinyurl.com/SLEICmaterials.
The details will need to be aligned on & designed through consultations with Kizazi & NYAF.
Along with development of the curriculum materials, we are also seeking the providers to deliver training and implementation support in the form of –
- Training NYAF and Kizazi staff on the use of the developed materials. The training can be online or in-person.
- Development of training resources to enable NYAF and Kizazi staff to conduct workshops with teacher coaches and teachers and train them on the curriculum materials.
We look forward to receiving proposals with multiple modes of training resources including written training manuals, picture cards, and demo videos on CDs or memory sticks.
6. Key Skills, Technical Background and Experience Required
Applicants should demonstrate the following general and specific qualifications:
- Proven leadership and/or track record in a lot of interest
- Developers’ expertise related to the SLEIC priority areas described in this TOR
- Fluency in oral and written communication in English, which will be the primary language of communication. The ability to work and deliver in other Sierra Leonean languages is a strong asset.
7. Project Timelines and Deliverables
The image below describes the timeline as laid out by the SLEIC project
Based on this, schools are slated to start in September 2022. Given the short time available between now & school start dates, the curricular material is expected to reach schools at the start of the second term of year 1 i.e end of December 2022. Here are the timelines for the development & delivery of materials as we see them. We are open to negotiation on the details provided partners can make a clear case for how we can achieve learning outcomes over a three year program.
- July 2022 – August 2022 (2 months)
- The Providers align with NYAF and Kizazi on curricular outcomes, final list & formats of all student/teacher materials (including input into materials & training structures for term 1)
- The Providers provide input into baseline assessments
- The Providers begin development of the required curricular materials
- For Lot 1 (English)
- C1-6 English Workbooks for children (One per student – reusable across 3 years)
- C1-6 English Teacher guides (One per teacher – reusable across 3 years)
- C1-6 Home Learning Flipcharts for English (4 per Class per school – reusable)
- C1-6 Teacher Concept Calendars for English (1 per subject per school – reusable)
- A set of 15-20 read aloud books per school with aligned teacher plans usable across Classes
- For Lot 2 (Maths)
- C1-3 Maths Workbooks for children (One per student per year)
- C1-3 Maths Teacher guides (One per teacher – reusable across 3 years)
- C4-6 Maths Remedial Workbooks for children (One per student – year 1 only)
- C4-6 Maths Remedial teacher guides (One per G4-6 teachers – reusable across 3 years)
- C1-6 Home Learning Flip Charts for Maths (4 per Class per school – reusable)
- C1-6 Teacher Concept Calendars for Maths (1 per subject per school – reusable)
- For Lot 1 (English)
- Sept 2022 – Dec 2022 (3 months)
- The Providers close all development & printing of materials (C4-6 Maths Teacher Guides & any other pending materials) [by Sept 2022]
- The Providers deliver all one-time and Year 1 materials to National Youth Awareness Forum Sierra Leone
- The Providers Train NYAF or Kizazi staff on the use of the developed materials. The training can be online or in-person.
- The Providers develop training resources to enable NYAF and Kizazi staff to conduct workshops with teacher coaches and teachers and train them on the curriculum materials.
- The Providers review Term 2 teacher training materials that NYAF & Kizazi will develop to train teacher coaches and teachers
- Review of data & teacher/student feedback
- Jan 2023 – Sept 2025 (19 months)
- Development and last mile delivery of C4-6 Maths Teacher guides (One per teacher – reusable across 3 years) [To be closed by 30 June 2023]
- Printing & delivery of maths Year 2 and Year 3 Grade 1-3 Math Workbooks latest by 30 June’23 and 30 June’24 respectively.
- Review of ongoing teacher training materials developed by NYAF/Kizazi
- Review of ongoing data & teacher/student feedback based on the program
8. Due Diligence Requirements
The bidder needs to provide the following documents as proof of authenticity :
- Business registration certificates
- A valid tax clearance certificate as of 31st May 2022
Quotations will be rejected for the following reasons:
- Bidders who will fail to provide all documents mentioned in number (8) above will be disqualified at this stage and not eligible for the technical assessment.
- Incomplete in any administrative, technical or financial aspects
- Proposal received after closing date
The bidder must verify that they fulfil the following:
- Labour conditions: Freedom of Association, no force or compulsory, no child labour, discrimination, standards for working conditions.
- Human Rights: No Harassment, Harsh or Inhumane Treatment, no manufacture or sale of mines.
- Environment: Compliance with regulations, manage chemical and hazardous materials; waste and air emissions, Minimise Waste, Maximise Recycling.
- Ethical conduct: No corruption, conflict of interest declaration, no gift and hospitality, post employment restrictions.
9. Reporting Structure
The curriculum development consultant will report jointly to NYAF & Kizazi. NYAF & Kizazi will liaise with the selected consultant(s) on an ongoing basis to track performance and discuss progress on the task assigned and work through any issues faced.
10. Intellectual property
All intellectual property and other proprietary rights shall be in the public domain. However, this clause excludes any inputs and/or materials that have been developed prior to the programme, a list of which will need to be provided in advance.
11. Evaluation Process and methods
In making the final decision, we will consider both technical and financial proposals. The Evaluation Team will first review the technical proposal of the offer followed by the review of the financial proposal of the technically compliant vendors. The proposals will be evaluated against the following two elements:
i.) Technical Proposal
The technical proposal should clearly articulate how the provider proposes to address information in the Description and Scope of Work and Methodology sections described above. No price information should be contained in the technical proposal. The technical proposal should be no more than 6000 words (up to 10 pages) excluding annexures and should be organised according to the following contents:
- Title page clearly indicating the name of the bidding entity and contact person for the proposal including identification of the lot (s) for which proposal is being submitted.
- Institutional profile and geographical coverage, description of proposer’s relevant experience in the line of work, including similar or relevant projects undertaken in the past, for the lot bidding for, and list of previous contracts carried out in related fields of work. Include samples and references of work and outcomes including any data related to cost-effectiveness and efficiency and quality assurance mechanisms. Please provide contact details of key references.
- The profile should also include a description of established partnerships, if any, that are being proposed for potential implementation of contracted services (for example printing). This text should provide enough information to judge whether the proposer has the skills and personnel profiles required to carry out the category of work and should include a statement of capabilities and capacity. In the case of proposals submitted as partnerships or subcontracts, proposals should clearly indicate the lead institution that will serve as the contracting entity.
- Understanding of the scope of and proposed broad approaches, methodologies and/or courses of action for which the proposer is applying. This includes the work plan with timelines. This text should provide enough information to judge vision and foresight to lead on new or pioneering solutions to respond to SLEIC’s needs. Innovative, Out-of-the-box ideas are welcome.
- Work Plan including activities and timelines across the three years of the project
- CVs/resumes of lead resource persons and institutional organograms as well as CVs/resumes of lead resource persons in any partner institutions should be submitted as Annexure.
- Suitability of the transfer of knowledge program (training)
- Include any other arrangements or clarifications the proposer would like to make that are not expressed elsewhere, in support of their proposal.
The number of points to be given under each of the technical evaluation criteria are:
Points
- Specific experience of the consultants related to the assignment 15
- Adequacy of the proposed work plan and methodology 20
- Qualifications and competence of the key staff for the Assignment 20
- Quality assurance mechanisms for project management and control 15
Total Points: 70
ii) Financial Proposal
The Financial Proposal should be broken down for each deliverable of the proposed work. Please make sure to have separate line items in the price proposal for the following:
12. Development of curriculum materials-
- Development of the materials (separate price cost for each material listed in the description of the assignment)
- Training of the NYAF and Kizazi staff (including assumptions about the number of days, hours, mode of training, etc)
13. Printing of learning materials-
Printing of the materials (separate price line for each material) including assumptions made about the number of pages, paper size, quality etc.
Other considerations:
- Unit rates for key staff should be clearly identified within the proposal
- The currency of this proposal shall be in Sierra Leone Leone (SLL)
- The exchange rate shall be the Bank of Sierra Leone exchange rate at the date of opening the bids
- All quoted prices/rates must be inclusive of all taxes and bank charges. It is the responsibility of the consultant to pay all taxes and bank charges relating to the payment of agreed contract price.
The total number of points allocated for the financial evaluation is 30 points. A full score will be given to the bidder quoting for the lowest price in their financial proposal that is opened and compared to the other technically compliant bidders who passed the technical evaluation.
Score for price A = (30*Price of lowest priced proposal)/Price of proposal A
Final recommendation
The contract will be awarded to the best service provider which has the highest cumulative score (technical + financial) out of 100.
12. Payment Schedule
| Payments | % to be paid | Deliverables/ Progression of works |
| Payment 1 | 15 | Upon submission of an inception report by the developer and upon signing of contract by the printer. |
| Payment 2 | 30 | When the consultant completes 60% of contracted service as validated by the NYAF Programme team. |
| Payment 3 | 55 | When the consultant delivers the materials and is certified by the NYAF programme team. |
13. Proposal Submission
- All proposals shall be in English and delivered to the address below on or before 22 June 2022, at 13:00 GMT OR by email to nyafsleicprocurement@nyafsl.com
Address:
345E Baibureh Road, Calaba town,
Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
- Late submissions will be rejected.
- Bids will be publicly opened on 22 June 2022 at 13:00 GMT in the presence of the bidders or designated representatives who choose to attend at the above mentioned address.
- In case of any questions during the proposal design process, please drop an email to. nyafsl@yahoo.co.uk, cc:laxmi.nair@kizazi.org , rhoda.odigboh@kizazi.org, georgeabufoday@gmail.com, mjmans@nyafsl.com, victor@nyafsl.com. Please do not send the proposals on these emails. It will automatically disqualify your proposal. These emails are only for enquiries.
