Republic of the Philippines

Offlce of the President

COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION
REGIONAL OFFICE XI
Loyola St., Obrero, Davao City
Nos.: +63 (82) 295-3418 .295-7696,282-4448.321-7418 Email: [email protected]

MEMORANDUM FROM THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR

No. 89,s.2022

For PRESIDENTS/HEADS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION

INSTITUTIONS

Subject CALI FOR APPLICATIONS TO THE GRANTS FOR YOUTH WORK AND
CONTINUING EDUCATION READINESS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR
DepEd ALS COMPLETERS.

Dqte JULY 01 ,2022

ln occordonce with the pertinent provisions of RA 7722 otierwise known os the

Higher Educotion Act of 1994, this Xl hereby endorses the obove-underioking
orgonized by the USAID Opporlunily 2.0 Projecl - Educotion Development Center.

The USAID Opportunily 2.0 Progrom of the Educotion Developmeni Center is

extending the submisslon of gronl opplicolions to the Gronts for Youth Work ond
Continuing Educotion Reodiness Troining Progrom for DepEd ALS Complelers.

The coll ls open to oll Philippine-bosed service providers (including higher

educotion instituiions, colleges, ond universities) who work in our l5 covered sites with
o proven trock record of implementing youth development progroms. The ottoched
document provides o summory of the gront inclusions, evoluotion criterio, ond how io
opply.A comptete set of the groni opplicotion guidelines. templotes, ond forms con
be downlooded from here: https://go.edc.orglO2GronlsApplicotions. Eligible cities
include Dovoo Hub: Cogoyon De Oro City, Cotoboto Ciiy, Dovoo Cily, Generol
Sontos. This Office further encouroges the HEls to toke the opportunity os Troining
providers for thls Continuing Educotion Progrom.

Attoched ore the informotion ond Guidelines for Applicotion from the
proponeni for your reference.

For further inquiries, you moy contoct t Gronts Teom of [email protected].

CASQUEJO, Ph.D., CESO III

Dlrector lV

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 USAID Opportunity 2.0
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing Education
Training for Out-of-School Youth

Application Guidelines
Request for Application (RFA)
RFA # 2021 – 006

29 June 2022
Disclaimer
USAID Opportunity 2.0 reserves the right to change or modify the terms, conditions and other information contained in
this publication at any time or as we see fit without prior notice. Because information is constantly subject to change, we
are unable to guarantee its accuracy and completeness at the time of reading as well as accept any liability whatsoever for
the use of information.
 Education Development Center (EDC) is an international non-profit 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.

Being implemented in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA), local government units (LGU) and the private sector in the
Philippines, Opportunity 2.0 program aims to provide quality education, skills, and employment
opportunities to Filipino out-of-school youth from 15 to 24 years old in 15 cities across the country.
EDC’s work on the Opportunity 2.0 program is funded by the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID); organizations/institutions submitting applications in response to this Request for
Application (“RFA”) have no relationship with USAID under the terms of this RFA or any resultant
grant. All communications regarding this RFA must be directed to EDC.

I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Despite the Philippine government’s investment in second-chance education and technical skills training
to provide pathways for youth marginalized from the formal education system, many out-of-school youth
(OSY) graduates emerge from government programs without any direct application of their skills nor
any experience of actual work environments or actual enrolment in further education or training,
presenting a significant obstacle to obtaining employment, earning sufficient income as a self-employed
entrepreneur, or obtaining certifications and degrees as proof of further education and training.
Additionally, most, if not all, workforce development systems at the regional level lack localized
mechanisms for the sustained communication and leadership required to align employer demand, youth
aspirations, and workforce development initiatives.

Furthermore, in recent local labor market surveys, various industries stated that there is a mismatch of
skills among young and new employees to the requirements of the job they are employed to do. USAID
Opportunity 2.0 seeks to lessen these gaps between the youth and the demands of the industry by
introducing: a) unique work-based curricula that will enable OSY to be better prepared for expectations and
tasks outside of the classroom; and (b) unique further education and training orientation materials that will
prepare OSY to pursue applications and enrolment in formal higher-level education programs.

USAID Opportunity 2.0 will also help educational and training institutions develop their capacities in
connecting with industry leaders to introduce or expand work-based learning and internship programs,
promoting relevant, in-demand skills training opportunities for OSY job seekers. Better coordination between
industry and education institutions combined with improved academic and technical training is needed
to help such youth to fulfill the demands of the labor market.

II. GRANT AWARD INFORMATION

This is a full and open competition for local training service providers that are legally registered to operate
in the Philippines and have significant experience in providing capacity building and development programs
for the youth, particularly out-of-school youth. Eligible organizations include NGOs/Non-profit
organizations, private technical vocational institutions (TVI), higher education institutions (HEI),
and other youth-serving organizations. The selected institution(s) will receive funding from EDC in the
form of a Fixed Amount Award grant with payment upon receipt of milestones/deliverables.

EDC may award one or more grants resulting from this RFA to the Applicant(s) whose application(s)
conforming to this RFA offers the greatest value. EDC may also (a) reject any or all applications, (b)
accept other than the lowest cost application, or (c) accept more than one application.

Applications must be submitted no later than the date and time listed in Section IV, Step No. 4. A
complete timeline is included in Section IV, Application Information.
 A. Grant Programmatic and Geographic Focus
This USAID Opportunity 2.0 (O2) Grant will support the delivery of EDC Work Ready Now
(WRN) Training Curriculum to address student skills gaps in jobs and workplaces. By enhancing
the capacity of educational institutions to deliver work-readiness and entrepreneurial training, as well
as further education advising and counselling, we will ensure that the youth are taught relevant skills
that are in demand and needed to effectively carry out relevant and in-demand jobs as well as run their
own businesses or transition to further education and higher-level training pathways.

The EDC WRN Training shall be delivered by organizations or institutions that have the experience,
expertise and resources in implementing DepEd ALS, Technical-Vocational Education Training (TVET)
or other capacity-building programs for OSY between 15 and 24 years old across the country, preferably
within the following areas covered by the program and its adjacent environs: Angeles City, Cagayan
de Oro City, Cebu City, Cotabato City, Davao City, General Santos City, Iligan City, Iloilo
City, Isabela City, Legazpi City, Pasig City, Quezon City, Tagbilaran City, Valenzuela City
and Zamboanga City.

B. EDC WRN Training Curriculum

The EDC WRN Training Curriculum consists of the following programs:

1. Life Skills Training (DepEd ALS Life Skills and WRN Modules on 21st Century Skills)
This program aims to build transferrable skills through the TESDA’s Technical Vocational
Education Programs and DepEd ALS Life Skills Curriculum

2. Pathways Orientation for the Youth (POY)

This is a 4-hour orientation with the youth that aims to guide the youth through a series of
activities that will help them articulate their goals and identify ways to achieve them.

3. Higher-Level Education Readiness Orientation (HERO)

This is a set of simple, accessible, self-paced orientation materials to help and guide the youth
transition to further education and training for Senior High School, College and Upskilling and
Multi-skilling

4. WRN Workplace – Work-Based Learning (WBL)

Through this program, the youth is exposed to real workplace, enabled to build relationships
with employers, and guided to make informed choices.

5. WRN Biz – Be Your Own Boss (BYOB)

This is an entrepreneurship training for youth who are interested to start their own business.

6. Peer Coaching
This is a group process facilitated by trained peer coaches (other youth).

C. Training Participants
Grantees must train out-of-school youth (OSY) within the age range of 15 – 24 years old and
who are not enrolled or studying in formal schools for at least six (6) months before the start of
the training. The OSY should also have any of the following profiles:

1. DepEd ALS completers (from 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022) that have taken
at least 6 modules (for SY 2020-2021) and 7 modules (for SY2021-2022 onwards) of the Life
Skills program (not necessarily passers of Portfolio Assessment)

2. TVET NC I, II, III or IV program completers (not necessarily NC passers)

3. Non-ALS or non-TVET Youth who are within the age range requirement and are not
enrolled in formal school for at least 6 months before the start of the training program.
 D. Grant Activities and Training Delivery
Grantee is required to conduct the following activities under this grant:

1. Undergo Training of Trainers (TOT) and Orientation on EDC WRN Curriculum and
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). Grantee Project Team composed of the
Project/Program Manager, Lead Instructors/Facilitators (at least two), and M&E staff must
participate and complete the Training on WRN delivery to be conducted by EDC Training
Team. Certification of Completion for this training should be attained prior to the start of
the training for the OSY.

2. Recruitment and Selection of OSY Learners/Trainees. Grantee must implement a

recruitment plan that will select, identify, assess and orient out-of-school youth for USAID
Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training Program.

3. Delivery of EDC WRN Training Programs to OSY*. Grantee shall conduct all WRN
Training Programs for OSY within the duration of the grant.

4. Transitioning OSY Learners/Trainers after training completion. Grantee shall facilitate

the transition of youth to employment, self-employment or further education/higher-level
training after they complete the WRN programs.

* For information on training flow and requirements, see Annex A - USAID Opportunity 2.0 Grants
Program Technical Guidance for Training Service Providers

E. Grant Value and Duration

The grant is intended to co-fund the delivery of the WRN training and transitioning programs to OSY
for 6 - 12 months. Additional support will be provided to the grantee in the form of access to- and use
of- course modules materials previously developed by EDC, and technical and administrative assistance
for organizational development, development and delivery of courses; and building a pool of trainers.

The grant budget shall depend on the programs to be implemented and the number of OSY to be
trained. The total grant amount may be up to Php 2 million. The costs should be related to the
WRN Training delivery, and include, but not limited to: personnel costs, transportation of project staff,
transportation and meals for training participants (for Face-to-Face modality) or load allowance for training
participants (for online modality), training materials and supplies, and post-training activities for transitioning of
youth. Costs for implementing or related to TVET skills training are not covered by the grant.

The grantee should target to train at least (minimum of) 100 OSY for this grant.

F. Opportunities and Benefits for Grantees

USAID Opportunity 2.0 grantees will have opportunities to build their name recognition and capacity
as a leading educational institution in the country. Some of these benefits include:
• Recognition as a partner institution on a United States Government-funded program;
• Improved skills of instructors/facilitators and program managers due to training and
mentorship support from relevant experts;
• Increased quality of the institution’s students who will have an advanced set of skills upon
graduation which will match the job requirements of the private sector;
• Access to Opportunity 2.0 network which will provide access to collaborative opportunities
with other educational institutions as well as with government and private sector partners.
• If requested as part of the grant application, funding for implementation of additional small-
scale trainings, purchasing software or hardware etc. to improve the teaching and learning of
relevant technical programs integrated with the USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and
Continuing Education Training Programs;
• Increased linkages with other basic education, training institutions, higher education institutions,
and industry leaders in the region where the organization/institution is located;
• Increased visibility and status of the institution through media promotion by USAID, national
 and local government agencies, etc.;
• Opportunities for providing leadership in the region and recognition as a model institution.

III. IMPLEMENTATION WORKPLAN

As part of the application, the Applicant must submit an implementation workplan and timeline for a
minimum of six months up to a maximum of 12 months. Each Applicant must show number
of weeks and beginning and ending dates of the proposed activities. Please refer to the sample
Implementation Workplan in Annex E for an example of the level of detail required for the workplan
and timeline.

IV. APPLICATION INFORMATION

All costs for the preparation and submission of an application are at the Applicant's expense. Application
preparation costs are not reimbursable.

Questions about the RFA must be submitted in writing to [email protected].

Applications must be submitted electronically to [email protected] no later than the date and
time listed in Section IV, Step No. 4. Applications submitted after the due date and incomplete
applications will not be considered for the next phase of the application process. It is the responsibility
of the applicant to ensure that e-mail submissions are complete and received by the due date and time.

Timeline for the RFA Process:

Step
No. Item Date and Time

1 Deadline for registering for the Grant Information Sessions

for Prospective Applicants. Prospective applicants may
choose to attend the session in-person or online.
Registration for the information sessions is on these links:
1. In-person/Face-to-Face (Pasig City, Metro 5:00 PM, July 4, 2022
Manila): https://go.edc.org/F2FTDGrantsInfoSession (In-person)

2. Online Session: 11:59 PM, July 7,

https://go.edc.org/OnlineTDGrantsInfoSession 2022 (Online)

9:00 – 11:30 AM
2 Grant Information Session for Prospective Applicants (In- Tuesday, July 5, 2022
person/Face-to-Face)
2:00 – 4:00 PM
3 Grant Information Session for Prospective Applicants Monday, July 11,
(Online) 2022

4 Deadline for submission of applications 11:59 PM Friday,

August 12, 2022

V. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

Applications for this grant must follow the guidelines below. Applications must be in English.
Applications must be digital and in one or more of the following formats: Word, PDF, or Excel.
Applications must include all the following information:
A. Application Cover Sheet
The Applicant must include the RFA Number that appears on the first page of this RFA, the legal name
of Applicant’s organization, the name and contact information of the person at the Applicant’s
organization who will receive routine correspondence regarding the contents and status of the
program), and the name and contact information of the Applicant’s Authorized Representative (the
person who is legally responsible for receiving grant funds should such an award be made to the
Applicant’s organization).

B. Description of the Proposed Approach

The Applicant must complete the Application Form provided in Annex D in full and must include the
Applicant’s proposed approach and methodology for implementing the USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work
Readiness and Continuing Education Training Program in the selected priority areas/cities. The
approach must include strategies for recruitment of learners/trainees, and the modality to train these
learners. The technical approach should also cite strategies for post-training activities to support the
transition of training completers to wage employment, self-employment, or further education/training.
Applicants may only propose grant activities occurring in their respective area of coverage.

C. Organizational Capacity
The Applicant must complete the relevant sections in the Application Form in Annex D and include
all supporting documentation requested in Annex I.

D. Key Personnel Forms

Applicants must use the Forms included in Annexes F and G for each proposed individual for the key
personnel positions of Lead Instructor and Program Manager and must include the following in addition
to the completed form:
• Resume/CV for each individual proposed;
• A letter of commitment from the President/Dean/Head of Administration for each individual
proposed.

E. Timeline/Implementation Workplan
The Applicant must use the template provided in Annex E and submit a 6- to 12-month
timeline/implementation plan for all activities the Applicant proposes to undertake under the grant.

F. Budget (no page limit)

Please refer to the budget template provided in Annex H. Applicants may use this template or submit
something similar that provides the same information. The grant will only fund costs related to the
delivery of the USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training
Programs.

The budget must be in local currency (Philippine Peso) and must include the following:
• A breakdown of all costs associated with proposed activities. Proposed costs must be
strictly related to the proposed grant. Each expense must have the following breakdown: cost
per unit, number of units, total amount. Examples:
(1) cost per unit could be cost of a training manual, number of units would be
number of manuals projected to be used, total amount would be cost per unit
times number of units;
(2) cost per unit could be hourly/daily rate of trainer/instructor; number of units would
be number of hours/days (units) of training that will be delivered; total amount would
be cost per unit times number of units.
Please refer to the budget template for further guidance.

• Indirect costs will not be covered under the resultant grant. However, administrative costs
that are directly related to this grant may be proposed. These costs must be detailed as noted
above.

The maximum available funding for one year is Php 2 million per grant. Revealing the
maximum available funding does not mean that Applicants should necessarily strive to meet the
maximum amount.
While for-profit firms may apply, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments
such as the grant(s) issued as a result of this RFA.

G. Budget Narrative
This document must include a description of what each budget line item is and will be used for and
the basis of the estimated unit cost. The budget narrative must state assumptions and all information
that will show exactly how an amount was arrived at. Failure to provide sufficient detail here may
disqualify or delay consideration of the application.

All the costs budgeted must be reasonable, allocable to the project, and allowable (no profit or fee,
interest expense, fines, penalties, or entertainment expenses will be covered). USAID Opportunity 2.0 will
only fund direct costs that are clearly related to project activities. Budgeting for contingency cost is
not allowed as every cost item should be associated with an activity.

All sums indicated in the budget must include associated taxes. Budget for payment of taxes should be
built into the cost per item; no separate allocation for taxes will be made.

Unallowable costs
The following costs are not eligible for support by USAID Opportunity 2.0 grants program:

• Cost related to fund-raising events

• Advertising except for employee recruitment, acquiring scarce items for contract
performance, and disposing of scrap materials acquired for contract performance.
• Costs of promotional items and memorabilia, including awards, tokens, gifts and souvenirs
• Alcoholic beverages
• Costs of amusement, social activities, and ceremonials
• Membership in any country club or social or dining club
• Contributions and donations
• Fines and penalties
• Interest and other financial costs
• Legal proceedings
• Lobbying and political activity costs

H. Annexes (no page limit)

Applications must include the following annexes:
a) A recent institutional financial report that illustrates the operating budget of the organization(s).
b) Proof of organization’s registration in the Philippines.
c) Demonstrated ability for the organization to legally operate in the Philippines.
d) A list of the Applicant’s key individuals including:
(i) 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);
(ii) the principal officer and deputy principal officer of the organization (e.g.,
executive director, deputy director, president, vice president);
(iii) the program manager(s) for the proposed grant;
(iv) any other person who will have significant responsibilities for administration of the
US Government-financed activities or resources under the proposed delivery of
the grant.
e) Information regarding any current litigation in which the Applicant, or any of the entities in
the collaboration, are involved, regardless of jurisdiction where the litigation resides.
f) A completed copy of Organizational, Procurement, and Communications Products
Information Form attached in Annex I.
g) A completed and signed copy of the certifications attached in Annex I.
h) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number. See Annex I.
VI. SELECTION AND RATING CRITERIA
EDC reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. To the extent that they are
necessary, negotiations may be conducted with the Applicant(s) whose application has a reasonable
chance of being selected for award.

A. Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
• Be legally registered to operate in the Philippines and/or be officially recognized by a
government agency;
• Organizations or Institutions with proven experience in conducting DepEd ALS, TVET or
other training programs for Out of School Youth or youth in general in the target areas/sites
for this grant.
• Have adequate infrastructure, including steady uninterrupted electricity and internet access.
• Have the ability to provide two instructors/facilitators and one program manager who will
be able to participate in the implementation of the USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness
and Continuing Education Training Programs;
• Submit a letter of commitment from leadership (President or Head of Department) as
outlined in the Application Form in Annex D.
• Submit all required documents listed in the RFA Checklist in Annex J.

Applicant organizations which are colleges or universities must submit a letter from the dean/head of faculty
nominating two (2) lead instructors/facilitators and one (1) program manager.

Applicants that do not meet the minimum requirements listed above will not be considered eligible
for potential funding and, therefore, applications from these organizations will not be further evaluated.
Applications from organizations that meet the minimum requirements will be evaluated based on the
following criteria listed below in Section B.

Not eligible for this grant

Grant support under this award may not be extended to the following:
• An individual
• A government entity (except higher education institutions)
• Political parties, groupings, or institutions or their subsidiaries and affiliates
• Organizations that advocate, promote, or espouse anti-democratic policies or illegal activities
• Faith-based organizations whose objectives are for discriminatory and religious purposes, and
whose main objective of the grant is of a religious nature.
• Any person or entity who appears on any of the following lists:
o System for Award Management (SAM) Excluded Parties List
o The US Treasury’s OFAC List
o The United Nations (UN) list; and
o The US State Department Terrorism List

B. Selection Process
All applications submitted within the set deadline will undergo a screening process set below:

1. Applications are subjected to an initial screening by checking and verifying the eligibility requirement
as well as ensuring completeness of the required documentation. Applications that are submitted
late and incomplete will not be considered for further review.

2. Applications that passed the initial screening will undergo an impartial review and evaluation using the
set of criteria describe on this guideline. The review will be done by the Opportunity 2.0 Grants
Selection Committee.

3. The Grants Selection Committee will come up with shortlisted highest rated applications.

4. USAID Opportunity 2.0 will notify shortlisted applicants by email.

C. Technical Application Evaluation Criteria
The criteria presented below have been tailored to the requirements of this RFA and will guide the
selection process. The relative importance of each criterion is indicated by approximate weight in
points. A total of 100 points is possible. Applicants should note that these criteria serve to identify the
significance of elements which Applicants should address in their technical applications, and establish
the standards against which all technical applications will be evaluated.

Technical Criteria Maximum

Description
Category Points

Technical The extent of the Applicant’s experience in providing

Experience in trainings and capacity building programs for youth, outlining 20
training the scale and depth of the program.
programs for
the youth

Use of Innovative The extent of the Applicant’s use of innovative pedagogical

20
Pedagogy and approaches to teaching and learning as well as capabilities in
Technology using technology in classroom instruction at the present time.

The extent of the Applicant’s experience and willingness to

Partnership
identify, develop and manage partnerships with government 20
Building
agencies, private businesses, and other organizations.
The extent of the Applicant’s support from senior
Management management within the institution to take part in USAID 20
Opportunity 2.0.

The qualifications of the proposed lead

Key Personnel 20
instructors/facilitators and program manager.

D. Cost Application Evaluation Criteria

The cost applications for all acceptable technical applications will be reviewed. Cost applications will
not be assigned a rating. The evaluation of cost applications will include a determination of cost realism,
completeness, and reasonableness. Cost realism is defined as the Applicant’s ability to project costs
which are realistic for the work to be performed; reflect a clear understanding of the requirements;
and are consistent with the Applicant’s technical capacity.

E. AWARDING OF GRANT AND OTHER TERMS/CONDITIONS

• Pre-Award Assessment and Negotiations

After the evaluation, selected potential grantees shall undergo pre-award assessment and
negotiations process before the grant is issued.

• Execution of Grant Agreement

The selected applicant shall receive the grant agreement for signature within one month from
the time that the negotiation process has been completed. UEI must be obtained by the
grantee before a grant agreement is issued.

• Reporting and Deliverables

The grantee is expected to work in close coordination and in full partnership with the USAID
 Opportunity 2.0 team throughout the entire grant implementation process. The grantee shall
keep USAID Opportunity 2.0 appraised of progress and challenges, and any suggested
adjustments to the work plan. In addition, the grantee shall submit the following deliverables
to USAID Opportunity 2.0 throughout the duration of the grant:
o Any required reports as may be indicated in the issued grant agreement;
o Summaries and lists of participant attendance for any trainings or meetings conducted;
o Final report summarizing grantee’s activities, any notable successes or challenges faced
during implementation, any recommendations for possible follow-on grants of a similar
nature or intent.
o Participation in EDC-led Learning Events to present outcomes resulted from
implementing programs and activities through the USAID Opportunity 2.0 grants
program

NOTE: As part of the negotiations with the selected Applicants, USAID Opportunity 2.0 and the grantee will clearly
define the set of milestones and milestone deliverables which will form an integral part of the issued grant.

F. LIST OF ANNEXES

A. USAID Opportunity 2.0 Grants Program Technical Guidance and Scope of Work for training
service providers
B. Required Skills and Experiences and Roles and Responsibilities – Lead Instructor
C. Required Skills and Experiences and Roles and Responsibilities –Program Manager
D. Application Form
E. Implementation Workplan
F. Nomination Form – Lead Instructor
G. Nomination Form –Program Manager
H. Budget Template
I. Organizational Information Form
J. RFA Submission Checklist

All application forms and templates can be downloaded from this link:
https://tinyurl.com/4thTDGrantsApplication

Should you have any inquiries about the grants program, you may contact the USAID Opportunity 2.0
Grants Team at e-mail: [email protected].

For more information on USAID Opportunity 2.0, visit our website: https://opportunity.org.ph/
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Second-Chance Opportunities for Out-of-School Youth

ATTENTION:
CALL FOR GRANT LOCAL TRAINING
APPLICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDERS

Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing Education

Training for Out-of-School Youth
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for Out-of-School Youth

Why this grant?

To boost local institutions so

that they can support more
Filipino out-of-school youth
of all genders, aged 15-24.

Philippine-based training service

providers can propose training
program(s) for out-of-school youth,
while integrating USAID Opportunity
2.0's work and business readiness
content into the proposal.
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for Out-of-School Youth

Who can apply?

ALS and/or TVET service Eligible organizations

providers, tech-voc schools, located in:
private firms, faith-based Angeles City Iloilo City
organizations, and NGOs. Legazpi City Cagayan de
Quezon City Oro City
Organizations or Institutions with Pasig City Davao City
proven experience in conducting Valenzuela City General
DepEd ALS, TVET or other training Cebu City Santos City
programs for out-of-school youth Tagbilaran City Cotabato
or youth in general in the target Zamboanga City
areas/sites. City Iligan City
Isabela City
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for Out-of-School Youth

Programmatic Themes
EDC Work Ready Now! (WRN) Curriculum

Proposed activities should integrate EDC's

Work Ready Now! (WRN) curriculum into the Life Skills Training (ALS Life
proponent's existing ALS and/or TVET Skills and WRN Modules on
programs or other relevant training services 21st Century Skills)
offered to the youth in the target areas.
Pathways Orientation
Proponents must collaborate with for Youth (POY)
institutional leaders and trainers to allow for
wider adaptation of best practices in other
institutions. Higher Education and Training
Readiness Orientation (HERO)
Collaboration with the private sector and
other organizations must also be included to
easily facilitate youth to jobs and track their Work-Based Learning (WBL)
progress.

Building and activating linkages, and providing

mentoring and coaching services for OSY self- Be Your Own Boss (BYOB)
employment, and/or continuing further
education and higher-level training
opportunities must also be included. Peer Coaching
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for Out-of-School Youth

Value & Inclusions

Each grant award will fund

programs and activities for up
to Php2 million for a period of
6-12 months that targets at
least 100 out-of-school youth.

Training service providers

should initiate grant
activities for OSYs in any
of the 15 covered cities by
November 2022.
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for Out-of-School Youth

Requirements

Organizational
Grant Application
Information and Key
Cover Letter
Personnel Forms

Completed Grant
Application Form and Budget with
Description of the budget narrative
Proposed Approach

Implementation
Workplan
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for Out-of-School Youth

Evaluation Criteria
Technical Experience in
20%
providing training and 20%
development programs Key Personnel
for the youth
20% 20%

20% 20%
Management Use of Innovative
20% 20% and Technology
Pedagogy

20%

Partnership Building
20%
 USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0 PROGRAM
Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for Out-of-School Youth

How to Apply
Applications should be written in English and saved in one or more of the
following formats: Word, PDF, or Excel.

Applications must be emailed to

[email protected] no later than DEADLINE
12 August 2022
11:59 p.m., August 12, 2022.

Grant Download the complete and detailed guidelines along

Application with the application forms and templates here:
Guidelines https://go.edc.org/O2GrantsApplications

July 5, 2022 (In-Person) July 11, 2022 (Online)

Info Session for Pasig City, 9AM-12PM RingCentral, 2-4PM
Prospective Limited slots. Register here: Limited slots. Register here:
Applicants https://go.edc.org/F2FTDGra https://go.edc.org/OnlineTDG
ntsInfoSession rantsInfoSession
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USAID OPPORTUNITY 2.0

Second Chance Opportunities
for Out-of-School Youth

opportunity.org.ph

@USAIDOpportunity2.0

@opportunity2_0

USAID Opportunity 2.0

[email protected]
 Annex A
USAID Opportunity 2.0 Grants Program
Technical Guidance and Scope of Work

Implemented in partnership with the Department of Education Alternative Learning System (DepEd ALS),
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and local government units (LGU), USAID’s
Opportunity 2.0 is a five-year $37.5 million program designed to strengthen national and local capability to provide
out-of-school youth (OSY) with quality education and learning experiences, inspire life-long-learning, and lead to
an improved education, livelihood, or employment opportunities.

The three main components to support this overall goal are: 1) Strengthening the capacity of local and national
systems for second chance education 2) Strengthening the capacity of work-readiness and technical – vocational
education and training (TVET) systems and 3) Improve the enabling environment for positive youth
development (PYD). These components are further reinforced by crosscutting activities which engage both
universities and the private sector.

I. TECHNICAL GUIDANCE

A. General Guidelines

The following guidelines are applicable to project implementation in the 15 sites identified by USAID Opportunity
2.0 across the Philippines: Legazpi City, Angeles City, Quezon City, Valenzuela City, Pasig City, Cebu
City, Isabela City, Tagbilaran City, Zamboanga City, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City,
General Santos City, Iligan City and Cotabato City.

The USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training Program is
implemented preferably by technical and vocational training institutions, higher education institutions or non-
governmental organizations (NGO) with proven experience in conducting ALS or TVET programs or other
training programs for Out of School Youth or youth in general in the target areas/sites for this grant. The grantee
institutions/organizations should integrate the EDC Work Ready Now (WRN) Curriculum into its regular
programs as part of the institutions/organizations’ program offerings for youth.

B. USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training Program

Through the Grants for Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training Program, Grantees shall deliver all
training programs under the EDC Work Ready Now (WRN) Curriculum to guide the youth in three different
pathways in their Journey to Self-Reliance:
USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training Program Flow

The USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work and Continuing Education Readiness Training Program must be completed
within the approved grant period. All learners must undergo and complete all components of the training
program.

C. Program Beneficiaries:

The target beneficiaries are out-of-school youth (OSY) ages 15-24 years old from the 15 Opportunity 2.0 sites
with the following demographics:
❑ Gender: Male, Female
❑ Social and health situation: OSY who are single parents, teen-age mothers, PWDs, IPs, youth in conflict
with the law are eligible to participate in the Opportunity 2.0 program
❑ Work Situation: Unemployed, employed or self-employed OSY may participate in the program
❑ A resident of an Opportunity 2.0 program site or from its environs, i.e. OSY who may not be from the site but are
employed or studying in the program sites
❑ Education Attainment (any one of the following):
o May have dropped out of Junior High School or Senior High School;
o May be a Junior High School graduate but have not enrolled to the next higher level (Senior High
School) in the 6 months before the start of the WRN program;
o May be a Senior High School graduate but have not enrolled to the next higher level (Tertiary
level) in the 6 months before the start of the WRN program;
o May have started a college course but have no college degree (associate, certificate, diploma or
bachelor’s) or have dropped out of college;
o May be an ALS Learner or Completer;
 o May be a TVET course completer but should not be an NC V course completer in TESDA

The institution/organization should employ process for screening, placing and orienting youth including people
with disabilities (PWDs) in appropriate training courses. The process should include a strategy to ensure
gender-balance or equal participation of male and female youth.

D. Delivery of EDC WRN Curriculum Options for OSY Learning Groups

Grantee shall deliver the EDC WRN Curriculum with different options for each OSY Learning Group (in the
preferred training sequence or flow), in consideration of the OSY’s interests and career goals:

*Each cohort/class/batch/group of learners should be homogenous, e.g. all ALS completers in one cohort. Mixing
of different OSY Learning Groups in one batch is not allowed.

1. For DepEd ALS Completers (attended and completed ALS Program modules and at least 7 modules
of the ALS Life Skills Program)
a. Option 1
i. Pathways Orientation for the Youth (POY)
ii. Higher-level Education Readiness Orientation (HERO)
iii. Work-Based Learning (WBL)
iv. Peer Coaching
b. Option 2
i. POY
ii. HERO
iii. Be Your Own Boss (BYOB)
iv. Peer Coaching
c. Option 3
i. POY
ii. HERO
iii. BYOB
iv. WBL
v. Peer Coaching

2. For TVET Completers (completed a TVET skills program and with or without NC qualifications)
a. Option 1
i. 21st Century Skills (21CS)
ii. Pathways Orientation for the Youth (POY)
iii. Higher-level Education Readiness Orientation (HERO)
iv. Work-Based Learning (WBL)
v. Peer Coaching
b. Option 2
i. 21st Century Skills (21CS)
ii. POY
iii. HERO
iv. Be Your Own Boss (BYOB)
v. Peer Coaching
c. Option 3
i. 21st Century Skills (21CS)
 ii. POY
iii. HERO
iv. BYOB
v. WBL
vi. Peer Coaching

3. Non-ALS and Non-TVET Completers

a. Option 1
i. ALS Life Skills
ii. Pathways Orientation for the Youth (POY)
iii. Higher-level Education Readiness Orientation (HERO)
iv. Work-Based Learning (WBL)
v. Peer Coaching
b. Option 2
i. ALS Life Skills
ii. POY
iii. HERO
iv. Be Your Own Boss (BYOB)
v. Peer Coaching
c. Option 3
i. ALS Life Skills
ii. POY
iii. HERO
iv. BYOB
v. WBL
vi. Peer Coaching

4. New TVET Trainees (if the Grantee will also deliver TVET Skills Training)
a. Option 1
i. 21st Century Skills (21CS)
ii. TVET Skills Training (not funded by the USAID grant)
iii. Pathways Orientation for the Youth (POY)
iv. Higher-level Education Readiness Orientation (HERO)
v. Work-Based Learning (WBL)
vi. Peer Coaching
b. Option 2
i. 21st Century Skills (21CS)
ii. TVET Skills Training (not funded by the USAID grant)
iii. POY
iv. HERO
v. Be Your Own Boss (BYOB)
vi. Peer Coaching
c. Option 3
i. 21st Century Skills (21CS)
ii. TVET Skills Training (not funded by the USAID grant)
iii. POY
iv. HERO
v. BYOB
 vi. WBL
vii. Peer Coaching

Accompaniment Activities (Peer Coaching and Post-Training Transitions). Grantees will provide
accompaniment activities with at least 80% of target youth enrolled who successfully complete the training
modules activities. Completion of training shall be supported with results of portfolio, performance criteria
checklists and end-of-module assessments and documentation of participation in transition to further education
or employment activities.

E. Duration of Delivering EDC WRN Training

Module Minimum Hours / Max Hours / Days Total Pages

Days (Youth Handbook)
ALS Life Skills 77.75 hrs / 10 days 108.13 hrs / 14 days 491
x 8 hours per day x 8 hours per day
TESDA WRN 21CS 54.5 hrs / 7 days 82.5 hrs / 11 days 672
NC I x 8 hours per day x 8 hours per day
TESDA WRN 21CS 43.55 hrs / 6 days 64.9 hrs / 9 days 680
NC II x 8 hours per day x 8 hours per day
Be Your Own Boss 20 hrs / 10 days 40 hrs / 10 days 106
not consecutive* not consecutive*
Work-Based 20 hrs / 10 days 40 hrs / 10 days 79
Learning not consecutive* not consecutive*
Pathways 4 hrs / 1 day 8 hrs / 2 days 19
Orientation for the x 4 hours per day
Youth
Higher-level 12 hrs for synch 15 hrs for synch 98
Education discussion (3 days x 4 discussion (5 days x 3
Readiness hrs per day) hrs per day)
Orientation for with asynch work with asynch work
Senior High School
Higher-level 12 hrs for synch 15 hrs for synch 115
Education discussion (3 days x 4 discussion (5 days x 3
Readiness hrs per day) hrs per day)
Orientation for with asynch work with asynch work
Upskilling and
Multiskilling (TVET)
Higher-level 12 hrs for synch 15 hrs for synch 100
Education discussion (3 days x 4 discussion (5 days x 3
Readiness hrs per day) hrs per day)
Orientation for with asynch work with asynch work
College
Training for Peer 15 hrs / 5 days 20 hrs / 5 days 69
Coaches x 3 hrs per day x 4 hrs per day
Peer Coaching 3 months 6 months
1-2 hours weekly mtg 1-2 hours weekly mtg
*Not Consecutive means training days should have at least 1 day in-between the training days

F. Intermediation Services

Opportunity 2.0 will work with service providers to ensure that youth are connected to opportunities in the
local labor market, for both youth with wage employment and youth with self-employment goals. In order to
embed these programs into the structures and systems of the government (DTI, DOLE, TESDA and LGU
office), Opportunity 2.0 supports subgrantees to provide services to youth which will be integrated into local
structures. These services include:

1. The service provider will work in close coordination with the Youth Development Alliance
(YDA), EDC’s Private Sector Officers (PSO) and Youth Development Coordinators to share
the labor market information collected by the project with the youth. This information will
be funneled to the peer coaches.
2. The Grantee shall leverage government programs such as DTI and DOLE to ensure that each
peer coaching group receives five hours of supplemental support, in the following areas
(determined by each group’s needs):
• Supporting interview preparation
• Linking youth with employment opportunities
• Current job market needs (for employment track)
• Supply chain opportunities (for self-employment track)
• Access to finance for small business start-up
3. These activities shall be conducted for clusters of Opportunity 2.0 priority barangays within
the target area.

For sites where there is increased or available interest in the pursuance of further education or training,
Opportunity 2.0 will also work with Grantees to link youth with available scholarship opportunities (provided
either by public or private partners) so that they may be able to equitably access higher-level education.
Opportunity 2.0 will collaborate with Grantees to link them with both DepEd SHS, TESDA, CHED and
academic institutions to align implemented activities with opportunities available from said agencies. This is to
ensure that participating youth interested in further education and training are well-informed about these said
opportunities. Should the participating youth be successful in having been enrolled to higher-level institutions,
Grantees are expected to include these monitored enrolments in their reports to EDC.

II. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

Pre-Training Preparations
Opportunity 2.0 will train the Grantees on the content and delivery of the USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work
Readiness and Continuing Education Training Programs. The 108-hour preparatory training for the Grantees will
consist of the following:

Training Topics Total Hours Expected Attendee

O2 Pathways for Partners 2 hours All staff that will work on the Grant
Facilitator’s Training 6 hours Lead Trainer, Program Manager
Work Readiness Modules on 21st Century Skills 28 hours Lead Trainer, Program Manager
Pathways Orientation for the Youth 4 hours Lead Trainer, Program Manager
Work-Based Learning 12 hours Lead Training, Program Manager
 Be Your Own Boss 12 hours Lead Training, Program Manager
Monitoring and Evaluation Training 16 hours Program Manager, MEL Officer
Action Planning 8 hours All staff that will work on the Grant
Higher Education Readiness Orientation Training 12 hours Lead Trainer, Program Manager
Peer Coaching Management and Implementation 8 hours Lead Trainer, Program Manager

Post Training Assistance

The Implementation Plan should be able to demonstrate clear pathways to employment, self-employment, and
continuing education or technical skills training such as but not limited to scholarships programs.

A bridging plan, or mechanism(s) for linking USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training for OSY to local market for employment or entrepreneurship opportunities should be
clearly identified in the implementation plan. This bridging plan may include, among others:
➢ expanded TOR of Program Manager or any senior staff as appropriate officially designated to be in charge
of implementing post-training activities;
➢ a list of potential partner institutions for scholarships and other mechanisms for providing continuing
education or technical skills training
➢ list of potential business groups and establishments that are targeted to participate in the conduct of work
immersions and other WBL activities including job fairs;
➢ documented commitment of related government and private agencies and others that can endorse or
accommodate OSY graduates.

In addition, Grantee should be able to facilitate livelihood coaching/employment facilitation support activities and
linking to further education and training in coordination with local YDA and Opportunity 2.0 private sector
coordinators and officers for all training program completers (80% of enrollees) from each project site. Grantee
should meet the corresponding percentages of USAID Opportunity 2.0 completers targeted for post-training
assistance:

Percentage of Percentage of Percentage of

Program Enrolled youth Completers Completers
completing the transitioning to transitioning to further
program employment or self- education and training
employment

EDC WRN Curriculum 80% 40% - 70% 20% - 50%

The Grantee is encouraged to tap from other sources to be able to provide tools and necessary documents to
youth completers for employment purposes.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation activities should include plans for collecting data on participant enrollment, completion,
as well as the commitment to engage in other USAID Opportunity 2.0 project-wide M&E activities during
implementation. EDC will orient the Grantees on their roles in the administration of the baseline and endline
survey of various USAID Opportunity 2.0 monitoring and evaluation tools such as USAID’s Workforce Outcomes
Reporting Questionnaire (WORQ), Pre and Post survey on Soft Skills and Self-Efficacy assessment. Ideally, the
Baseline Survey administration (WORQ, Soft Skills, and Self-Efficacy) should be completed before the start of the
training or at least during the first week of the training, and the Endline survey at the end of the WBL and BYOB
trainings (Soft Skills and Self-Efficacy) and 4 to 6 months after the end of the WBL and BYOB trainings (WORQ).
The Grantees shall provide the Opportunity 2.0 M&E team the training schedule in advance and shall promptly
report any schedule changes.

USAID Opportunity 2.0 has an online Management Information System (MIS), M&E Insight that will be used by
all Grantees. EDC will train the Grantee’s M&E and MIS staff on the use of the MIS. To ensure timeliness of
reporting, the grantees are required to encode the following data outputs to the MIS on the given timeframe:
a. Registration/enrollment form - within 5 days from the 1st day of the training
b. Attendance Record (Number of Hours/Days/Modules) – within 3 days after the training

In order to reach the target youth, it is ideal to recruit and train at least 25 learners per program. Youth registered
in the MIS but have no attendance records and/or are outside of the 15-24 age range when trainings have been
conducted are excluded from the actual reach count.

In addition, the Grantee must also submit data of USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing
Education Training completers who will transition to further education or training, employment or self-
employment.

Participation in YDA Activities

The YDA is a multi-stakeholder network typically composed of the mayor, vice mayor, chairman of the education
committee, TESDA, DOLE, DepEd, private sector, youth representatives and a non-governmental or civil society
representative. The YDA, organized in 15 project sites, provides overall direction for youth programming and
service delivery. The Grantee may be invited to attend regular YDA meetings, share progress of implementation
status, and actively participate and support all YDA-led activities.

The grantee should encourage participation of Work Readiness Training enrollees and completers in youth
engagement activities as may be organized by YDAs or Opportunity 2.0.

III. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE GRANTEE

A. Sequence/Scope of Service Delivery: (1) Identifying, selecting, enrolling, and orienting the youth on EDC
WRN Training and /Accompaniment Services package from youth who completed or are enrolled in USAID
Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training Program; (2) organizing enrolled youth
on the first day of the training for the baseline survey that will be administered by the Grantee in
coordination with Opportunity 2.0’s M&E officers;
B. Program Completion Rate: Delivery of EDC WRN Training and Accompaniment Services package;
supervising and supporting facilitators and trainers for quality delivery; target enrollment, completion and
certification as described in the Target section below;
C. Participant-Level Outcomes, and Quality of interventions: The Grantee is expected to deliver training
services that are well-targeted, relevant, of sufficient quality and regularly documented, monitored and
evaluated to ensure that targeted youth benefit from their participation in the program and result in qualitative
and quantitative improvements in their life and livelihood outcomes as defined and measured by agreed
performance indicators.
 • Youth with new or better employment. To contribute to this indicator, the Grantee shall ensure
enrolled learners participate in the administration of USAID’s WORQ. For higher impact, at least
40% - 70% of its completers are provided with employment facilitation services such as employment
referrals to employers and access to available livelihood/business support programs, resulting to at
least 40% - 70% of completers are employed or self-employed.

• Youth who transition to further education or training. To contribute to this indicator, the
Grantee shall ensure enrolled learners participate in HERO. For higher impact, at least 20% of HERO
participating learners should be enrolled in education or training programs within six months of the
end of the entire program in which they participated.

D. Sustainability and Local Ownership: The Grantee shall facilitate the completers’ requirements for availing
livelihood/business support programs as may be required by agencies like DOLE, DTI, DOST, DA and LGUs
such as group registration, business permits, licenses and other documents as may be needed in setting up an
individual or group business ventures. At the community level, the Grantee will facilitate development and
activation of community-driven mechanisms (e.g. consultations with community leaders and stakeholders
within barangays) to support successful post-program transition to further education/training and/or livelihood
opportunities for program completers.

E. Standards and Guiding Principles: Ensure all activities are fully consistent with: a) national and local laws
to include IATF Covid-19 Guidelines and Protocols; b) TESDA and DepEd-ALS policies and standards (to
include guidelines on delivery modes under Covid-19 situations) and/or other regulating entities such as Food
and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture, or others; c) agreed EDC/USAID requirements relevant
to management of the grant and implementation of grant technical activities; d) CRC and Child Protection
guidelines where participants are under the age of 18 years or members of an identified vulnerable class (i.e.,
youth with disabilities); and e) standards of conduct and practices that are consistent with Opportunity 2.0’s
desire to promote lawful, peaceful, safe, responsible, transparent, equitable and pro-social activities that
contribute to peace, security and stability.

IV. PROGRAM TARGETS

1. The project shall be implemented within the Opportunity 2.0 project sites and shall cover the activities
described under Section 1.B USAID Opportunity 2.0 Work Readiness and Continuing Education Training
Programs.
2. Other targets/conditions in the implementation of the grant:

• The Grantee may propose changes in the number of iterations of classes offered or change courses in
response to learners’ interest and market demand in the interest of improving the benefit to Opportunity
2.0 learners with advance written approval of the EDC Chief of Party.
• Learners are considered enrolled if they have attended at least three days of classes. The Grantee is
encouraged to recruit more learners within the first week or as early as possible to maintain the target
number of qualified enrollees per learning group.
• The Grantee shall ensure the following is achieved within the implementation period:

a. At least 80% of target number of youth enrolled complete the ALS Life Skills or 21st Century Skills
training sessions (for Non-ALS/TVET Completers and TVET Completers)
b. At least 80% of target number of youth enrolled complete the technical skills training program
(for New TVET Trainees)
c. At least 40% - 70% of completers have gotten employment or started own businesses
d. At least 20% - 50% of completers have enrolled in higher-level education or training