Request for Proposals No. LIT-DC-RFP-0004-2026

Education Development Center, Inc.

(Hereafter referred to as “EDC”)

Request for Proposals for the Procurement of

Disability Inclusion Partner

Date of Issuance:

DATE March 17, 2026

Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is an international nonprofit organization that develops, delivers, and evaluates innovative programs to address some of the world’s most urgent challenges. Our work includes research, training, educational materials, and strategy, with activities ranging from seed projects to large-scale initiatives. EDC enjoys a worldwide reputation for its excellence in program and fiscal management and for the impact of its work.

Mastercard Foundation’s Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative aims to transform secondary education across Africa by strengthening secondary-level teaching and learning so that young people have the 21^st-century skills and competencies needed for employment, lifelong learning, and adult life. Working through a multi-partner implementation model, LIT is a holistic approach to enhancing teaching and learning, focusing on the following key programmatic pillars: 1) Teacher Recruitment, 2) Teacher Training, 3) Education Leadership and Management, and 4) Teacher Motivation.

This program aims to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning in secondary education in Liberia. Each program component under the respective LIT pillars will be implemented with a strong focus on inclusion and gender equity, addressing the unique needs of marginalized young women, youth with disabilities, and refugee students in underserved communities, and will be implemented through a strong partnership approach with the Ministry of Education, Education Development Center (EDC), and various local partners.

EDC’s work on the Leaders in Teaching project is funded by the Mastercard Foundation (the Foundation); organizations submitting proposals in response to this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) have no relationship with the Foundation under the terms of this RFP or any resultant contract. All communications regarding this RFP must be directed to the EDC.

1. Purpose and Eligibility

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this RFP is to invite prospective disability Offerors/Disabled Peoples Orgs to submit a proposal to provide services regarding LIT’s disability inclusion activities in Liberia, focusing on integration across all LIT work including inclusive education practices for learners with disabilities, accessibility, and systemic reforms, ensuring that girls, rural learners, and marginalized communities, youth with disabilities benefit equitably from education reforms in secondary schools and Rural Teachers’ Training Institutions.

1.2 Eligibility

This procurement is open to disability offerors from organizations of persons with disabilities that are legally registered in Liberia.

2. General Information

2.1 Original RFP Document

EDC shall retain the RFP, and all related terms and conditions, exhibits, and other attachments in original form in an archival copy. Any modification of these, in the Offeror’s submission or subsequent contract, is grounds for immediate disqualification.

2.2 RFP Provisions

1. All information provided by EDC in this RFP is offered in good faith. EDC makes no certification that any item is without error. EDC is not responsible or liable for any use of the information or for any claims asserted therefrom.

2. This RFP does not under any circumstances commit EDC to pay any costs incurred by the Offeror in the submission of a proposal. This is the Offeror’s responsibility.
3. All materials submitted in response to this RFP shall become the property of EDC upon delivery to EDC.
4. Additional documentation may be required prior to selection.

2.3 Schedule of Events

The following schedule applies to this RFP but may change in accordance with EDC’s needs or unforeseen circumstances. Changes in this timeline will be announced as formal modifications to the RFP.

2.4 Inspection and Acceptance

Under any contract awarded in response to this RFP, EDC may inspect and test the deliverables to determine whether such deliverables conform to the terms of the contract and its attachments. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by EDC, EDC shall have a right to inspect deliverables for conformity before payment or acceptance of such deliverables, in accordance with Section 2-513(1) of the UCC. Payment for deliverables made before inspection for conformity shall not constitute an acceptance of such deliverables or impair EDC’s right to inspect such deliverables or any of EDC’s remedies, in accordance with Section 2-512(2) of the UCC. Deliverables rejected or supplies in excess of quantities ordered may be returned to the selected Offeror at the selected Offeror’s expense.

3. Proposal Submission and Selection

3.1 Offeror’s Understanding of the RFP

In responding to this RFP, the Offeror fully understands the RFP in its entirety and in detail, including making any inquiries to EDC as necessary to gain such understanding. Clarification of questions must be submitted by potential Offerors—in writing—by the date and time listed in Section 2.3, Step No. 1. Responses will be published in writing. EDC reserves the right to disqualify at its sole discretion any Offeror who submits a proposal that is not responsive, or that demonstrates less than such understanding. This extends to cancellation of the contract if a contract has been made. Such disqualification and/or cancellation shall be at no fault, cost, or liability whatsoever to EDC.

3.2 Communication

Verbal communication shall not be effective. In no case shall verbal communication govern over written communications.

Offerors who are unable to access the link to the RFP document and the templates should reach out to the EDC/LIT Contracts team at: LITinfo@edc.org

Offerors’ inquiries, questions, and requests for clarification related to this RFP are to be directed in writing in English before the date and time listed in Section 2.3, Step No. 1 to:

Education Development Center, Inc.

Attention: EDC/LIT Contract Team

E-mail: LITinfo@edc.org

3.3 Proposal Submission

Proposals must be provided on the Offeror’s letterhead or stationery and must be delivered via email to:

Education Development Center, Inc.

Attention: EDC/LIT Contract Team

E-mail: LITinfo@edc.org

The technical proposal and cost proposal must be sent in separate emails. Proposals must have the subject line of “Proposal” in response to RFP No. LIT-DC-RFP-0004-2026 and must include the number of emails (for example, Email 1 of 2, Email 2 of 2, etc.) in the subject line. The Proposal itself must include all documents required by the RFP in Word, Excel, or PDF, and those documents must be attached to the email message(s); all attachments must be clearly labeled and must be numbered sequentially in order for EDC to review the Proposal. If the Proposal is sent in more than one email message, the Offeror must send all of the email messages with the Proposal submission on the same day and time as the sending of the emails as closely as practicable.

It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that the proposal is delivered to EDC by the deadline date listed in Section 2.3, Step No. 3.

3.4 Complete Proposals

EDC will determine which proposals include the components required by the RFP and are considered to be a complete proposal. Please note that although EDC will determine certain proposals to be complete, this determination does not signify that an award will be made to one or any of the Offerors with complete proposals.

3.5 Minimum Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

3.5.1 Minimum Requirements

Offerors must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Article of Incorporation
• Must be legally registered with the Government of Liberia (GOL), including providing a Letter of Accreditation, existing Tax Identification Number, etc.
• Must be compliant with GOL law, including providing a copy of the current tax compliance certificate & payment of Staff Social
• Experience working with the MOE with current sectoral clearance
• Experience working and ensuring that girls, rural learners, and marginalized communities benefit equitably from education reforms in secondary schools and Rural Teachers’ Training Institutions.
• Demonstrated capacity to deliver disability inclusion, focusing on inclusive education practices for learners with disabilities, accessibility, and systemic reforms. Experience in private sector engagement and partnership for the employment of youth with disabilities
• An active board of directors (Provide full names of all members of the board and the most recent meeting minutes).
• Must have a legal Bank Account in operation (Provide correct Bank Account details)

Offerors that do not meet the minimum requirements listed above will not be considered eligible; therefore, proposals from these organizations will not be further evaluated. Proposals from organizations that meet the minimum requirements will be evaluated based on the following criteria listed below.

3.5.2 Evaluation Criteria

The purpose of this RFP is to identify those organizations that have the interest, capability, and financial strength to supply the services identified in Section 4. EDC will evaluate proposals in accordance with this section and intends to award a contract to the responsible Offeror whose proposal represents the best value to EDC. “Best value” is defined as the offer that results in the most advantageous solution for EDC, in consideration of technical, cost, and other factors.

The submitted technical information will be scored by a technical evaluation committee using the technical criteria shown below.

Technical Evaluation Criteria:

Cost proposals will be evaluated, but will not be assigned a rating. The evaluation of cost will include a determination of cost realism, completeness, and reasonableness. Cost realism is defined as the Offeror’s ability to project costs that are realistic for the work to be performed; reflect a clear understanding of the requirements; and are consistent with the Offeror’s technical capacity.

Technical and cost will be evaluated relative to each other, as described herein. Technical is significantly more important than cost.

3.5.3 Competitive Range

EDC may establish a Competitive Range composed of only the most highly rated proposals. In certain circumstances, EDC may determine that the number of most highly rated proposals that might otherwise be included in the Competitive Range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted. Should that be the case, EDC may then limit proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. EDC may exclude a proposal if it is so deficient as to essentially require a new technical proposal. EDC may exclude a proposal so unreasonably priced, in relation to more competitive offers, as to appear that there will be little or no chance of becoming competitive. EDC may exclude an offer requiring extensive discussions, a complete re-write, or major revisions, such as to allow an Offeror unfair advantage over those more competitive offers.

3.6 Selection

EDC is not obliged to award a contract based on the lowest proposed cost, or to the Offeror with the highest technical evaluation of merit. Although for this procurement, Technical Proposal merits are considered significantly more important than cost/price relative to deciding who might best perform the work, cost factors must also be considered. Therefore, after the final evaluation of proposals, EDC intends to issue the contract to the Offeror whose proposal offers the best value to EDC, considering both technical and cost factors. Further, EDC may award a higher-priced Offeror if a determination is made that the higher technical evaluation of that Offeror merits the additional cost/price.

EDC may award one or more contracts resulting from this RFP to the Offeror(s) whose proposal(s) conform to this RFP and offer(s) the best value. EDC may also (a) reject any or all proposals, (b) accept other than the lowest proposal, or (c) accept more than one proposal. Contracts may be issued for some or all of the deliverables.

EDC may award a contract without discussions with the offerors. As such, Offerors are strongly encouraged to submit their best proposals with their original submissions. EDC reserves the right to site visits and/or to conduct discussions, which may result in revisions to proposals, with one or more than one or all Offeror(s) if EDC determines, at its sole discretion, that discussions are necessary. Discussions may include oral presentations provided by the Offeror.

4. Technical Specifications & Requirements

4.1 Statement of Work and Specifications

All of the requirements listed in Section 4.1 must be met.

4.1.1 Statement of Work

Background
A central priority of LIT is Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI), ensuring that girls, youth with disabilities, rural learners, and marginalized learners and communities benefit equitably from participation in secondary schools and Rural Teacher Training Institutions.

To achieve this, a specialized Disability Inclusion partner will be subcontracted to provide services to the LIT consortium to ensure disability inclusion principles, activities and other considerations are fully integrated across LIT work, including that: the education system has processes and decision making that is more inclusive; the instructional materials, teaching practices and school environment are accessible to learners with disabilities; school leaders have the capacity to support and integrate inclusive principles; and communities are engaged through community advocacy. EDC anticipates partnership and collaboration between the Disability Inclusion and Gender Equity partners for joint planning, learning and adapting good practices.

Objective:

• Mainstream Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles into teacher training, school leadership, and curriculum development.
• Strengthen inclusive education practices across Liberia’s secondary schools.
• Build educator and administrator capacity to address barriers faced by traditionally marginalized learners.
• Promote community-level advocacy for equitable access to quality education.
• Ensure project learning about how to support a more inclusive system through lessons learned and reporting.

Scope of Work

The scope of work will be conducted through collaborative work with EDC, 8+ LIT partners, Ministry of Education counterparts, and other key stakeholders.

Policy and System Strengthening

• Support the Ministry of Education and LIT partners in developing equitable and inclusive education decision-making processes and policies.
• Participate in discussions with LIT’s Technical Working Group (TWG) and its subcommittees, including providing technical support to relevant TWG subcommittees in planning and decision-making processes, and supporting the integration of youth, especially youth with disabilities, into education policy development.
• Provide technical input to ensure the integration of Disability Inclusive practices into national teacher training frameworks.
• Strengthen coordination among stakeholders to promote inclusive and equitable education outcomes
• Work with LIT’s National Technical Working Group (TWG) and counties’ TWGs to build capacity and ownership of disability approaches.

Teacher and School Leadership Capacity Building

• Support the development and delivery of training modules on disability inclusion and inclusive classroom practices, including.
  • Developing practical recommendations for embedding disability principles into teacher training modules, lesson plans, and classroom practices.
  • Conducting reviews of existing teacher training curricula to identify disability inclusive gaps.
• Support (peer) mentorship programs for school leaders to promote safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environments and adapt good practices through learning and knowledge-sharing. Activities that could include providing content for virtual coaching and mentorship groups via WhatsApp and facilitating discussions with partners on how to enhance mentorship networks with school leaders at the district level.
• Conduct focused discussions and cascade meeting outcomes for disability inclusion and engage with the National TWG during their regular meetings to provide targeted technical input on disability inclusion.
• Ensure youth perspectives—particularly youth with disabilities, with a focus on young women with disabilities—are reflected in education policy discussions
• Support coordination among stakeholders to strengthen ownership and alignment toward inclusive and equitable education outcomes.
• Community Engagement and Advocacy

• Conduct awareness campaigns in select communities targeting parents, communities, and local leaders to reduce barriers to youth with disabilities and increase inclusion efforts of youth with disabilities, through collaboration with LIT partners.
• Identify and strengthen community-based structures for engagement, and improved access to information, assets, and resources through facilitated activities, and coaching (WRN Clubs) for inclusion of youth with disabilities.

• Project Learning: Disability Inclusion
• Capture key lessons learned and best practices specifically around disability inclusion for replication.
• Facilitate learning sessions amongst partners focusing on disability inclusion practices and opportunities for collaborations.
• Submit concise quarterly reports with practical recommendations for improvement

Duration

The subcontract will run for 14 months, including preparation and reporting periods, with potential extensions based on performance and project needs for a new cycle.

• Roles and Responsibilities

• Sub-contractor/LIT Project: Provide technical guidance and integration of disability inclusion outputs into broader program activities.

• Reporting and Coordination

• Monthly coordination meetings with the LIT (Deputy Country Director (DCD) and GESI Specialist.
• Participation in learning workshops.

• Payment and Budget Terms

• Payments will be based on advances and reconciliation issued every quarter.
• Detailed budget to be agreed upon during contract negotiation.

4.1.3 Delivery Location

The selected Offeror(s) must deliver the deliverables to Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) at LITinfo@edc.org

4.1.4 Warranty

All Offerors must provide a document containing a proposed or applicable warranty for each deliverable for their proposal to be reviewed. In addition to any other express or implied warranties, Offerors must expressly warrant that:

• all deliverables delivered under any contract resulting from this RFP will be merchantable, new, suitable for the uses intended, of the grade and quality specified, free from all defects in design, material and workmanship, conform to all samples, drawings, descriptions and specifications furnished, and be free of liens and encumbrances and that the use, distribution or resale of deliverables by EDC will not infringe any third party’s patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or any other proprietary, intellectual property or other right held by any third party.
• None of the deliverables delivered under any contract resulting from this RFP will be counterfeited.

The warranties set forth shall not be waived by reason of the acceptance of deliverables or payment therefore by EDC.

4.2 Travel

4.2.1 Travel

All Offerors must provide a table of proposed travel in order for their proposal to be considered. If the selected Offeror will not need to travel, please state this in the proposal.

5. Proposal Requirements

Proposals must be submitted in English.

5.1. Technical Proposal Requirements

All proposals in response to this RFP must include the following:

• Demonstrate alignment with EDC’s priorities for strengthening equitable and inclusive decision-making processes, teacher training frameworks, and education policy development.
• Include all relevant technical information, methodologies, and tools that will be applied to ensure quality, sustainability, and measurable impact
• Highlight how the proposed approach integrates Disability Inclusion principles into education systems and practices.
• An organizational capacity statement outlining the Offeror’s institutional capability in relevant project activities and the Offeror’s financial and administrative capability and experience.
• A list of qualified professional and technical personnel proposed under the Offeror’s proposal, including details of their relevant experience and relevant assignments in the past two years.
• Any additional supporting documents that demonstrate relevant technical expertise.

5.2 Price Proposal Requirements

All Offerors must submit a cost breakdown to complete the work described in this RFP. In response to this RFP, EDC anticipates issuing an advance-and-reconciliation contract. The price proposal must be in US dollars. All Offerors must provide a price guarantee that the proposal price remains valid for 120 days.

5.2.1 Total Price Summary

Offerors must provide a price summary as displayed below, as well as budget notes describing how the price was calculated. The total estimated amount for the contract in response to this RFP ranges between $25,000 – $30,000 subject to the availability of funds. Revealing the range of EDC’s cost estimate for the contract does not mean that Offerors should necessarily strive to meet the maximum amount. The price summary must be submitted in Microsoft Excel format and show all formulas.

Offerors must provide a price summary as displayed below, as well as budget notes describing how the price was calculated. The total estimated amount for the contract in response to this RFP must not exceed [Maximum Amount], subject to the availability of funds. Revealing EDC’s cost estimate for the contract does not mean that Offerors should necessarily strive to meet the maximum amount. The price summary must be submitted in Microsoft Excel format and show all formulas.

The price summary, detailed budget, and all discussion of costs, including the budget notes, must be organized consistently with the cost categories specified below. If there is no proposed cost in a particular category, include 0 for that category.

5.2.2 Detailed Budget & Budget Narrative

The detailed budget must be submitted in Microsoft Excel format and show:

• Each cost within a budget category (e.g., within the direct labor category, there must be a separate line in the budget for each staff position; within the equipment category, there must be a line for each type of equipment, etc.);
• For each line item, the estimated cost per unit, the unit type (e.g., per month, per trip, per person, etc.), the number of units, and the total cost (i.e., the estimated cost per unit multiplied by the number of units);
• all formulas and
• budget notes for each budget line.

The budget notes must include information about how the amounts for each estimated cost were determined.

The following definitions of types of costs should be utilized in preparing the cost proposal.

Salary and Wages: Direct salary and wages should be proposed in accordance with the Offeror’s personnel policies. For example, costs of long-term and short-term personnel should be broken down by person-years, months, days, or hours.

Fringe Benefits: If fringe benefits are provided as part of an organization’s indirect cost rate structure, a copy of the organization’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement must be included in the cost proposal. If fringe benefits rates are not included in the organization’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, a detailed cost breakdown by benefit types must be provided.

Consultants: This category is for services rendered by persons who are members of a particular profession or possess a special skill and who are not officers or employees of the Offeror. Costs of consultants should be broken down by person-years, months, days, or hours.

Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem: This category is for costs for transportation, lodging, meals, and incidental expenses. Costs must be broken down by the number of trips, domestic cost per trip, per diem, and other related travel costs.

Equipment and Supplies: This category is for supplies and equipment. Costs must be broken down by type and units.

Program Activities – This category should be for discrete program activities, including program-related procurement of services or goods.

Training: For all types of training, costs should be broken down by types of training, participants, and types of costs (e.g., transportation, materials, facilities, etc.).

6. Contract Type and Payment

One or more Avance and Reconciliation contracts may be awarded in response to this RFP.

EDC reserves the right to require the Offeror to provide a performance security or a bank guarantee.

7. Organizational Information and Offeror Certification

In order for their proposal to be considered, the Offeror must complete and submit the Organizational Information and Certification Form, which is included as Annex A to this RFP, and submit all the attachments required by the form.

Annex A—Organizational Information and Certification Form

The Offeror must ensure that this form is duly completed and correctly executed by an authorized officer of the Offeror’s company.

A1. Organizational Information

Full legal name of the Offeror’s company:

Year the Offeror’s company was established:

Contact information regarding the proposal:

• Individual’s full name and title:
• Full office address:
• Telephone number:
• Fax number:
• Email address:

Offeror’s Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Code [1]:

The Offeror certifies, by checking the applicable box(es), that:

The Offeror is a non-U.S. entity, and it operates as:

a corporation organized under the laws of (country name),

an individual,

a partnership,

a nongovernmental nonprofit organization,

a nongovernmental educational institution,

a governmental organization,

an international organization, or

a joint venture.

A2. References

Please list the names, email addresses, phone numbers, and contact people at three organizations to which the Offeror has provided services of a similar or larger size and scope during the last 36 months, whom EDC can call on as references, and a description of the services provided to each organization. It is recommended that the Offeror alert the contacts that their names have been submitted and that they are authorized to provide performance information if requested by EDC.

Reference #1:

Organization Name:

Contact Person:

Email Address:

Telephone Number:

Type of Services Provided:

Value of the Services Provided:

Month and Year During Which Services were Provided:

Reference #2:

Organization Name:

Contact Person:

Email Address:

Telephone Number:

Type of Services Provided:

Value of the Services Provided:

Month and Year During Which Services were Provided:

Reference #3:

Organization Name:

Contact Person:

Email Address:

Telephone Number:

Type of Services Provided:

Value of the Services Provided:

Month and Year During Which Services were Provided:

A3. Incorporation, Registration, and Litigation

The following documents must be included in your proposal.

Documentation showing the Offeror’s current legal incorporation in the country in which it is incorporated:

Attached

A copy of the Offeror’s current accreditation and active registration in Liberia, demonstrating that the organization can legally operate in Liberia.

Attached

A document showing the Offeror’s most recent tax clearance from the Liberian Revenue Authority.

Attached

A document showing the Offeror’s board members.

Attached

Information regarding any current lawsuits, legal proceedings, court cases, or other litigation in which the Offeror, or any of the entities in the collaboration, is involved, regardless of the jurisdiction where the litigation resides.

Attached

The Offeror certifies that it is not currently involved in any lawsuits, legal proceedings, court cases, or other litigation.

A4. Key Individuals

The names and titles of the Offerors’ key individuals are:

(a) the principal officers of the organization’s governing body (e.g., chairman, vice chairman, treasurer, and secretary of the board of directors or board of trustees):

(b) the principal officer and deputy principal officer of the organization (e.g., executive director, deputy director, president, vice president):

(c) the program manager(s) for the proposed contract:

(d) any other person who will have significant responsibilities for the administration of the US Government-financed activities or resources under the proposed delivery of the services:

A5. Awareness and Agreement to the Content of this RFP

By signing this form, the Offeror attests its awareness and agreement to the content of this RFP and all accompanying calendar schedules and terms and provisions contained herein, including but not limited to the payment terms in Section 6.

A6. Compliance With Applicable Laws and Regulations

By signing this form, the Offeror agrees to comply with all applicable U.S. and Liberian federal laws and regulations. Offeror hereby certifies that it is not delinquent on any taxes. The Offeror will cooperate with EDC in its efforts to comply with all laws, regulations, and any award terms and conditions imposed by EDC by the sponsor(s) of this project.

A7. Debarment and Suspension

The Offeror further certifies that their firm (check one):

IS

IS NOT

currently debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment by any United States federal entity. The undersigned agrees to notify EDC of any change in this status, should one occur, until such time an award has been made under this procurement action.

A8. Proposal Validity

This proposal is submitted in response to an RFP issued by EDC. The undersigned is a duly authorized officer and hereby certifies that:

(Offeror Name)

agrees to be bound by the content of this Technical and Cost Proposal and agrees to comply with the terms, conditions, and provisions of the referenced RFP. The proposal shall remain in effect for a period of 120 calendar days as of the Due Date of the RFP.

A9. Authorized Negotiators

Person[s] authorized to negotiate on behalf of this firm for purposes of this RFP are:

A10. Signature

Signature of Authorized Officer:

Attachment C – Professional Services Agreement General Terms and Conditions

[Terms and Conditions are subject to change at the time of contracting]

1. Professional Services (“Provider”) agrees to perform services as set forth in the Scope of Work, attached hereto (“Services”), and EDC agrees to pay Provider upon satisfactory completion and acceptance of the work in accordance with the terms of this agreement (“Agreement”).

2. Provider will submit invoices to the EDC Project Director within thirty (30) days of completion of Services. EDC will not process an invoice that is not supported by a fully executed Agreement. It will take EDC at least thirty (30) days to process invoices once they have been approved by the Project Director.

1. If this is a Time at Fixed Unit Rates Agreement, the Provider will maintain accurate records of time worked. Provider will make such records available to EDC or its representatives upon reasonable request. Invoices will include the dates of Services and a description of the Services provided during the period covered by the invoice, in addition to the rates, units, and item descriptions for other EDC-authorized expenses. Invoices should be submitted to EDC on the invoice template, attached hereto as Attachment C. Alternatively, Provider’s invoice format may be accepted as long as it includes all of the information and documentation required in Attachment C.

1. If this is a Fixed Price Agreement, the Provider will submit invoices that include the Agreement number, dates of Services, a description of the Services provided during the period covered by the invoice, the scheduled payments, including a description of milestones and deliverables, and item descriptions for other authorized expenses on the invoice. Invoices should be submitted to EDC on the invoice template, attached hereto as Attachment C. Alternatively, Provider’s invoice format may be accepted as long as it includes all of the information and documentation required in Attachment C.

1. Additional EDC pre-approved costs will be paid in accordance with Section 3 of the cover page. All EDC pre-approved costs must be itemized. Travel costs must also be itemized, and the names of all travelers, dates, and the purpose of all trips must be included on the invoice. Travel costs will be reimbursed in accordance with EDC The Provider will maintain accurate records of authorized expenses submitted for reimbursement. The Provider will make such records available to EDC or its representatives upon reasonable request. EDC will not be responsible for costs not specifically approved in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

1. The Provider will submit invoices for allowable costs no later than 30 days after the end of each month. Invoices that do not conform to Invoice Section 2 may not be paid.
2. Provider certifies that EDC will not be billed for Services paid by other entities or by EDC under any other agreement.
3. Payments to contractors for a calendar year will be reported as per IRS regulations; accordingly, EDC will issue a 1099 that will include all fees and expense reimbursements. Contractors are responsible for maintaining copies of expense documentation for their allowable tax deductions.
4. Provider’s relationship to EDC is that of an independent contractor. Provider certifies that he/she will not present or allege or claim to third persons in any manner whatsoever that he/she is employed by EDC. Provider further certifies that Provider makes his or her services available to the public through an independently established trade, occupation, profession, or business and is licensed as required by applicable law or is part of a separate, legally incorporated business, and that EDC is not Provider’s sole client for this type of service. Provider shall determine the method, details, and means of performing the Services. EDC may not control, direct, or otherwise supervise Provider’s assistants or employees in the performance of the Services. Provider will not use EDC facilities to perform the Services, and Provider is free to make business decisions that affect Provider’s profit or loss. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to create a partnership, agency, employer, employee, or joint venture relationship. Provider will be responsible for all taxes arising from compensation and other amounts paid under this Agreement and shall be responsible for all payroll taxes and fringe benefits of Provider’s employees. Neither federal, nor state, nor local income tax, nor payroll tax of any kind, shall be withheld or paid by EDC on behalf of Provider or Provider’s employees. Provider and Provider’s employees will not be eligible for, and shall not participate in, any employee pension, health, welfare, or other fringe benefit plan of EDC. No workers’ compensation insurance shall be obtained by EDC covering Provider or Provider’s employees. If the work is to be performed in the U.S., Provider certifies that Provider is authorized to work in the U.S. under U.S. Law.
5. Provider hereby agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold EDC harmless from and against all costs (including reasonable expenses and attorneys’ fees) incurred by or imposed on EDC in connection with any alleged claims, actions, suits, or judgments related to a breach of Provider’s warranties and representations under the Agreement. Provider shall perform the Services for EDC at Provider’s own risk and accordingly, hereby releases EDC and its officers, directors, trustees, employees, agents, respective heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns, from any and all claims and liability arising from Provider’s fulfillment of the obligations related to this Agreement.

Provider hereby acknowledges and agrees that travel poses inherent dangers, including but not limited to criminal or terrorist acts and exposure to endemic diseases. Provider acknowledges and agrees that EDC has made no representation concerning Provider’s safety while on travel for EDC. Provider assumes all responsibility for understanding the inherent risks and any injury or damage that might result.

5. Provider is advised to carry general comprehensive liability insurance in an amount consistent with industry standards.
6. All data, documentation, specifications, models, computer programs and code, and other technical and business information furnished or disclosed to Provider by EDC is the property of EDC and shall be treated as EDC’s confidential information (collectively, “Confidential Information”). Unless such Confidential Information was previously known to Provider free of any obligation to keep it confidential, or is subsequently made public by EDC, Provider will use reasonable safeguards, including, if applicable, commercially reasonable data security measures, that are appropriate for securing and protecting the type and amount of Confidential Information at issue. Provider will use the Confidential Information only for the purposes of performing the Services. Provider will immediately notify EDC of any unauthorized disclosure or use of Confidential Information and will take all actions (i) that it would take itself with regard to its own Confidential Information under such circumstances and (ii) that EDC may reasonably request, to prevent any further unauthorized disclosure or use. At the end of the performance period, all copies will be returned to EDC or destroyed, as requested by EDC.
7. Provider and EDC agree that all written material, software programs, code, and documentation, and intangible or tangible inventions arising out of the performance of this Agreement, shall belong to EDC (collectively, the “Deliverables”). Provider agrees that the Deliverables are specially commissioned and works made-for-hire, and that EDC is deemed the author for copyright purposes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to the extent that ownership in the Deliverables or any part thereof does not vest in EDC as a work made for hire, Provider hereby irrevocably and exclusively assigns and transfers in whole to EDC all of its right, title, and interest in and to the Deliverables. Provider hereby waives any rights to the Deliverables afforded by the U.S. Visual Artists Rights Act, and all so-called “moral rights” to the Deliverables afforded under the law of any country. Provider will, at EDC’s request, execute documents required to vest ownership in all right, title, and interest in and to the Deliverables in EDC. Provider will acquire all rights as necessary to provide EDC with the rights agreed to be conveyed and will appoint EDC as attorney-in-fact to execute required documents. Provider will treat Deliverables as EDC Confidential Information. Providers will not incorporate any works in the preparation of Deliverables unless such works and their owners (including the owners of any intellectual property rights embodied therein) are identified in advance and in writing to EDC. If such works consist of or incorporate any materials owned by third parties, the Provider warrants that he/she has the authority to grant to EDC unrestricted rights and licenses, free of any claim of rights by any other person or entity.
8. EDC may terminate the Agreement for any reason with fourteen (14) days’ prior written notice. EDC will not be liable for any payments accruing after notice of termination without EDC’s approval.
9. If Section 7 or the Scope of Work of this Agreement identifies any individual(s) as Key Personnel, then no substitution for such individual(s) may be made unless agreed to by EDC in writing. In the event Provider anticipates that any Key Personnel may become unavailable or have reduced availability to perform hereunder, Provider will give EDC reasonable notice of the same and justification in writing, sufficient to permit EDC to assess the impact of their unavailability or reduced availability. Any substitutions for Key Personnel proposed by Provider shall be, in skills and experience, equal to or superior to the departing Key Personnel.
10. Provider Representations and Warranties. In addition to representations and warranties contained in Section 6, Provider hereby agrees to perform the Services in accordance with industry standards and that the work product will be delivered to EDC with no restrictions or obligations that would impair EDC’s rights under this Agreement. All work products containing software that is delivered pursuant to this Agreement will conform to written specifications and will be free of “bugs”, viruses, or similar defects that would render the work product unfit for its intended use.
11. Delivery. Timely delivery of the Services is essential to this Agreement. In the event Provider knows or has reason to know of a delay or possible delay, Provider will immediately provide written notice thereof, including all relevant information, to EDC. Receipt of such notice by EDC will not constitute a waiver by EDC of the delivery schedule, or any of EDC’s rights or remedies under this Agreement. In the event of nonconformance or rejection of delivery, Provider will have fifteen (15) business days to modify the work product to meet all written specifications (the “Cure Period”). In the event Provider is unable to deliver work in conformance with the written specifications and be accepted by EDC within the Cure Period, EDC may terminate this Agreement, withhold payment, or receive a full refund of all payments made to Provider pursuant to this Agreement.
12. Force Majeure. The Parties to this Agreement will be excused from any performance required hereunder if such performance is rendered impossible or impracticable due to any catastrophes or other major events beyond their reasonable control, including without limitation, war, riot and insurrection; laws, proclamations, edicts, ordinances or regulations; epidemics; states of emergency; government shutdowns, strikes, lockouts or other serious labor disputes; and floods, fires, earthquakes, explosions or other natural disasters. A party affected by force majeure will take all reasonable measures to remove such party’s inability to fulfill its obligations hereunder with a minimum of delay. The affected party will notify the other party of the event as soon as possible, provide evidence of its nature and cause, and similarly notify the restoration of normal conditions as soon as possible. When such events have abated, the Parties’ respective obligations hereunder will resume; provided, however, that EDC may terminate this Agreement, at its option, if Provider is rendered unable to perform its obligations hereunder by an event or events of force majeure for more than a total of one hundred and twenty days (120) within any twelve-month period during the Term.
13. The failure of EDC to enforce any right under this Agreement is not a waiver of that right.
14. Provider may not transfer or subcontract any part of this Agreement to another party without EDC’s prior written consent.
15. Provider agrees not to use the prime sponsor or EDC’s name or make reference to any prime sponsor or EDC employees in publications, news releases, advertising, speeches, technical papers, photographs, sales promotions, or publicity purposes of any form related to this work or data developed hereunder, unless Provider has received express written approval from EDC prior to such use.
16. This is the entire agreement with respect to its subject matter, and there are no other agreements, either written or oral. It may be modified only by written amendment, executed by authorized representatives of both parties.
17. The laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, U.S.A shall govern the interpretation of this Agreement and transactions or disputes under it.
18. Sections 3, 4, 6, 7, 15, and 17 will survive termination of this Agreement.
19. Provider agrees to comply with all applicable laws and funder regulations, including:
20. Mastercard Foundation general terms and conditions, found here: statics.teams.cdn.office.net/evergreen-assets/safelinks/2/atp-safelinks.html
21. Mastercard Foundation requires that all funds, goods, equipment, services, etc., purchased with the Foundation funds must be for charitable purposes.

The Provider is obligated to understand the rules and regulations that govern this Agreement. Provider will cooperate with EDC in its efforts to comply with all laws, regulations, and any award terms and conditions imposed on EDC by the sponsor(s) of this project.

Proposal Format:

Section 1 – Proposal Cover Sheet

Name of applying organization:

Location and telephone number of the office of the applying organization:

Name and contact information of the President or the Owner, or the Executive Director:

Name and email address, contact information for routine correspondence regarding the proposal:

Name and contact information for the Treasurer or other Authorized Representative who is the person legally responsible for receiving contract funds should such an award be made:

List of Board of Directors:

Section 2 – Organization History and Capacity (1 page maximum). Provide a narrative description of the organization’s mission, history, capacity, and main activities: Describe the organization’s history and capacity in youth development, livelihood support, particular industries, management, and finances; and other relevant topics as deemed relevant by the applicant.

Section 3 – Proposed Activity Description/program components and expected results (5 pages maximum). To ensure your proposal includes all requested information, refer to the details in LIT-AE-RFA-0002-2026.

Technical Approach

1. Youth recruitment approach. Explain how many youths will directly benefit from your contract. Applicants must describe their recruitment process; districts and sectors of interventions, and describe how the youth they intend to serve will meet the eligibility criteria (age, gender/sex, levels of education, current social and economic situation, etc.); applicants must describe their social inclusion approach for youth with disabilities.

1. Approach to Training Youth. Applicants must describe the training approach—how the applicant would use the training package to train youth; how the applicant will select trainers and training facilities; and how quality assurance will be conducted.

1. Facilities and resources: Applicants must describe whether or not they have their own facilities for delivering training to youth, and if not, how they propose to deliver training and support services.

1. Locations: Describe which county(s) you plan to serve. The applicant must state whether or not they have an established presence, operations, and an office serving the locations being proposed.

1. Approach to work experience/training placement: Describe how, and with whom (either specific partners or types of industry/sector), you plan to place all trainees in a work/training experience (see SOW within this RFP for more details). Work experience can take place either as an internship or as part of a paid job. Applicants will be encouraged to provide as much detail as possible regarding the existence or pursuit of collaborative relationships with potential work/training experience providers. Applicants must also describe in general or specific terms the duration and skills emphasized through the experience.

1. Youth transition support approach. Describe how you provide post-training support, how you support youth to reach their goals/make a living, and the inclusive measures taken.

Section 5 – Sustainability Plan (1 page maximum). Describe if and how you propose to continue this sort of work after funding from EDC/LIT ends. Are there any plans to expand to other districts or more beneficiaries?

Section 6 – Management and Staffing Plan (1 page maximum). Explain who will manage the project and staffing/positions involved in the project, and provide a short description of assigned responsibilities.

Section 7 – Project Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (2 page maximum). Describe your staffing, mechanisms, and procedures for monitoring and reporting activities to ensure that they occur as planned and that they remain directed towards the program objectives. Also describe experience administering quantitative surveys and learning assessments, and conducting qualitative research.

Section 8 – Budget and Budget Narrative

See the separate templates provided as Annex C

Section 9 – References

Please complete the following reference form, and please provide references for where your organization has provided similar activities.

Reference #1:

Organization Name: ______________________________________________________________

Contact Person: _________________________________________________________________

Email Address: __________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: ______________________________________________________________

Type of activities or services

provided: ____________________________________________________

Value of activities or services

Provided: ____________________________________________________

Month/s and years during which activities or services were

Provided: ____________________________

Reference #2:

Organization Name: ______________________________________________________________

Contact Person: _________________________________________________________________

Email Address: __________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: ______________________________________________________________

Type of activities or services

Provided: _____________________________________________________

Value of activities or services

Provided: ____________________________________________________

Month/s and years during which activities or services were

Provided: ____________________________

Reference #3:

Organization Name: __________________________________________

Contact Person: _______________________________________________

Email Address: _______________________________________________

Telephone Number: ___________________________________________

Type of activities or services Provided: _____________________________

Value of activities and services Provided: __________________________

Month/s and years during which activities or services

Provided: _

Budget Format

[1].Offerors that currently have a UEI Code are requested to provide this information. Offerors who are not registered may do so at https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei. There is no charge for this registration. A UEI Code is not required for submission of a quotation but may be required before a contract is issued. Whether or not an Offeror currently has a UEI code will not affect the evaluation of the Offeror’s quotation