FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA (FGS)

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND HIGHER EDUCATION (MoECHE)

Call for EOIs for Grant Agent(s) to manage the GPE Grant(s)

1. Introduction

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is a partnership and fund dedicated to transforming education. GPE brings together developing countries, donors, international organizations, civil society, teacher organizations, the private sector and private foundations in pursuit of GPE’s vision: “a quality education for every child”.

GPE’s goal is to accelerate access, learning outcomes and gender equality through equitable, inclusive and resilient education systems fit for the 21st century. As a fund, GPE mobilizes and delivers funding to countries most in need of education support.

Somalia is a GPE partner country is eligible different grants: The System Transformation Grant, the Multiplier, and the Girls Education Accelerator. The grants are based on a partnership compact endorsed by the Education Sector Committee as well as the Education Donor Group and approved by the GPE’s Board in June 2023.

In line with the Guidance on division of indicative allocations for program implementation grants in federal states (and per BOD/2013/05-08), the Federal Government of Somalia grants are as following:

• The 20% top-up amount of $12.152 million can be paid out once the mid-term review of Somalia’s partnership compact has confirmed the achievement of the two triggers related to Volume, Equity, and Efficiency of Domestic Public Expenditure on Education, namely: Trigger 1: Financial framework to strengthen administrative and financial management across Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MOECHE) and federal member states Ministries of Education (FMS MoEs) approved; MOECHE and FMS MoEs relevant staff trained on its implementation ($6,076,000); and Trigger 2: At least 90% of the 2,600 newly recruited teachers are retained

on payroll and paid out of the Federal Ministry’s budget by December 2024 ($6,076,000).

In this regard, the Federal Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MOECHE) is launching a Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) for a Grant Agent(s) for the above mentioned grants in the Federal Government of Somalia including Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug, South West, Hirshabelle and Banadir Regional Administration. All GPE funds for which the Federal Government of Somalia is eligible will be utilized in such a way that supports the implementation of the priority reform (“enhance equitable access to quality and inclusive education in rural and urban areas by addressing supply and demand barriers”) specified in Somalia’s Partnership Compact, which itself contributes to the wider priorities of the government’s Education Sector Strategic Plan 2022-2026.

Therefore, the purpose of this Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) is to identify one or more eligible Grant Agent(s) for a prospective partnership with MOECHE and the FMS’s. With the leadership of MoECHE, the selected Grant Agent(s) will be responsible for; (1) developing a full program proposal based on the partnership Compact, within three months of Grant Agent selection, (2) fiduciary management and administration of the funds, (3) supporting the MoECHE and FMS to implement all activities in the agreed program document.

For effective use of GPE grants, Development Partners in collaboration with MoECHE play the following critical roles:

• Coordination, a role played by a Coordinating Agency (CA): The CA is a partner appointed at country level to support the government with education development partner coordination. Currently, the EU is playing this role.
• Management of GPE funds, a role played by a Grant Agent (GA): The GA is a partner approved to receive funds directly from GPE. The GA ensures that GPE grants are appropriately managed and fully aligned with the broader education sector developments and add value to the country-level processes and results. This role is currently vacant for the System Transformation Grant, Girls Education Accelerator, System Capacity Grant and Multiplier fund.

The MoECHE in collaboration with EU (the CA), hereby invites interested Education Development Partners (DPs) to submit an expression of interest to become Grant Agent(s). The potential Grant Agent(s) should justify single or any combination of the four below grants:

• The System Transformation Grant

• The Girls Education Accelerator
• System Capacity Grant
• The Multiplier

The process of selecting the Grant Agent(s) will be transparent and inclusive providing opportunities to all qualified partners to apply.

Somalia assessment grid

1. Selection criteria

MOECHE in collaboration with the Coordinating Agency has identified the following criteria for selecting the grant agent for the System Transformation Grant.

1. Experience and approach to implementing a program in line with the priorities defined in the Partnership Compact (3 pages maximum)

Applicants will detail and demonstrate:

• Current and previous experience and results in delivering relevant programs in Somalia, with close reference to the outcomes detailed in the Compact Theory of Change.

• Current and previous experience in managing multi-donor funds at comparable scale

• How they will work with FGS and FMS to implement and deliver the outcomes of the Compact.

• How they will support the government to monitor and measure progress against Compact outcomes.

• How they will enable the FGS and FMS to support the delivery of Compact outcomes

• How the program demonstrates commitment to use the country systems to sustainably deliver education services.

• (If applicant wishes to also apply for the role of GA for the Girls Education Accelerator and GPE Multiplier Grant, must detail capacity for this role also).

1. Capacity and resources to support the FGS and FMS to implement a program in line with the priorities defined in the Partnership Compact (2 pages)

Applicants will detail and demonstrate:

• How they will structure and resource their support for the FGS and FMS to deliver the outcomes of the Compact, including the day-to-day management of the project.

• What relevant technical expertise will be required to deliver the Compact and demonstrate how the applicant has the technical resources within Somalia and/or will procure these?

• Propose contracting/sub-contracting arrangements, and whether the applicant plans to form a consortium to support FGS and FMS to deliver the program.

• Which resources/actions will they take should activities not start or progress as expected?
• What comparative advantage/experience does the applicant bring in providing support to MoECHE in the establishment of long-term sustainable mechanisms including a pooled national education fund?
• (If applicant wishes to also apply for the role of GA for Girls Education Accelerator and GPE Multiplier Grant, must detail capacity for this role also, and in the case of the Multiplier, must demonstrate ability to raise co-financing).

1. Capacity to develop a program within three months of selection (2 pages maximum)

Applicants will provide a development timeline for the application package, demonstrating the steps they will take to prepare the full application package within the three-month deadline. The application package will comprise:

Grant application form

Program document and budget prepared for the grant Any other supporting documents

The program document must include (a) program objectives, (b) proposed components and key interventions (c) key results and indicators, and (d) an overview of implementation arrangements. To note that the program document must be developed through close collaboration and consultation with MOECHE and the local education group. The applicant will develop the application package in line with the publicly available guidance provided by the GPE Secretariat. (If applicant wishes to also apply for the role of GA for the Girls Education Accelerator and GPE Multiplier Grants, must include/consider these grants within the development timeline for the application package.)

1. Value for Money (maximum 1 page)

Applicants will detail the administrative costs for the delivery of the program and demonstrate how these costs represent good value for money, as defined by the principles of economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity. This section must cover costs relating to the program implementation units, or other costs to be borne by the agent to comply with implementation, reporting and verification arrangements. Applicants will also detail how they will contribute to localization of services and sustainability through their budget approach, and how they will maximize funds directly received to beneficiaries.

1. How the applicant will structure and resource the program to deliver according to MOECHE’s preferred funding modality (2 page)

Applicants will describe how they will deliver according to the MOECHE’s preferred funding modality:

• What measures will the Grant Agent(s) propose to accelerate the transition to a service delivery where support is channeled through country systems? In such a context, how do they propose to improve efficiency and accountability in the education sector?
• What comparative advantage do they have in providing support to an education sector where most financial resources are channeled through country systems?
• What role can they play in supporting the government to sub-contract local partners and how

the government would be involved in the process and management of such contracts?

• How will they improve efficiency and accountability through supporting the setup of sustainable participatory governance systems and decentralization processes; mainstreaming gender-transformative approaches in human resources management and capacity building in education officials?

• Demonstrate alignment with the government’s reporting systems?

Interested organizations who wish to participate in this Call for Expressions of Interest are requested to email their submission to [email protected] with the subject line "Expression of Interest for GPE Grant Agent in Federal Government of Somalia". Please copy [email protected] and [email protected]. Please also submit a hard copy to the office of the Director General at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education.

The deadline for submitting the expression of interest is on 23th of August, 2023.

1. Further Process

After the submission of expression of interest, the selection committee will meet to review submissions. Upon review, the committee will submit its recommendation to the MOECHE to make its decision on the grant agent. This will then be followed by endorsement of the Education Sector Committee and the Education Donor Group.