REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA)

For IREX

Issuance Date:           October 5th, 2022 

Closing Date:             October 21st, 2022

Closing Time: 5:00pm EAT

Subject: Request for Application (RFA) Number 01

Kenya Play Project

Reference: Issued Under an International Research and Exchange Board (IREX)

This Request for Application outlines the information required by the applicant for the development and submission of a proposal for consideration.  The potential applicant is expected to review, understand, and conform with specifications contained in this RFA.  Failure to do so will be at the applicant’s own risk.

All reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the sub-grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards may be charged under the sub-grant.

This RFA is being issued and consists of this cover letter, Schedule A, and Annexes.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of Kenya Play (KPLAY) /IREX nor does it commit KPLAY/ IREX to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. The application is submitted at the risk of the applicant.  All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

Thank you for your interest in KPLAY and IREX activities.

Sincerely,

Alexis Field

Program Officer KPLAY/IREX

SCHEDULE A

 SECTION I: FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION:

a.      Kenya KPLAY (KPLAY) is funded by the LEGO Foundation and implemented by IREX. KPLAY is a holistic, gender-responsive approach to scaling Learning Through Play with Technology (LTPT) in coastal Kenya Kwale and Kilifi Counties. The project is working to integrate playful learning with technology in the implementation of the competency-based curriculum (CBC) to improve learning outcomes and empower learners with 21st Century skills.  KPLAY is also working to build the capacity of primary school teachers and education officials, particularly Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) to facilitate workshops and offer teacher support in integrating technology in learning, through regular coaching. This project is building the basic digital literacy skills of the teachers and CSOs as well as introducing them to creative coding using Scratch.

IREX invites interested local organizations to submit a proposal to partner with IREX in implementing KPLAY activities. Please see program description and Scope of Work description in Section IV.

b.      Program Purpose:  KPLAY promotes learning through play with technology through hybrid teacher-training and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Play Labs.

SECTION II: AWARD INFORMATION:

1. The expected duration of IREX’s support or the period of performance is November 1, 2022 – December 31, 2024. IREX expects to award one subaward between $80,000-$99,000 USD. KPLAY/IREX reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.

SECTION III: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:

1. The applicant / application must meet the following requirements

• Be officially registered and working in compliance with all applicable civil and fiscal regulations, including, but not limited to pertinent local laws and status.
• Be officially registered as a legal entity and working in compliance with all applicable local laws.
• Ability to implement the program activities as detailed in Section IV Program Description and Scope of Work in order to meet the projects objectives and principles
• Contain expected outcomes and results consistent with and linked to the projects objectives
• Applicant is not a debarred organization

1. Types of Sub-Awardees Eligible:

• Non-US Nongovernment Organizations (Non-US NGOs)
• Community Based Organization (CBOs)
• Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
• Professional Associations
• Universities

Cost share is not required.

Section IV. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF WORK

1. Program Description and Purpose

Project objectives:

The aim of the KPLAY project is to:

1. Develop PlayLabs in KPLAY’s area of work in Kilifi and Kwale County. KPLAY will work with teachers and county education officials to identify initial materials and methods for inclusion in an adaptable PlayLab model. PlayLabs are customized school-based spaces for playful interactions and creativity, containing context-appropriate lo-fi and high-tech LTPT resources that speak to girls and boys.
2. Conduct educator professional development in Kwale and Kilifi County for primary school educators. KPLAY will work with Community Service Officers (CSOs) and local government education offices to introduce teachers to LTPT by engaging in play with students and play experts, then creating and testing PlayLabs and methods in workshops held at times that allow teachers to attend, and that do not take teachers out of class.
3. Carryout coaching. Coaching will involve master facilitators who will lead teacher training and training of trainers in their areas of leadership. This will be done periodically in a systematic cycle to reinforce the values and benefits of LTPT. Trained coaches and Professional Learning Communities will provide ongoing teacher support with the skills gained from coaching.
4. Sustainability of learning through play with technology and supporting the implementation of the competency-based curriculum (CBC). This will be done through coaching, school visit and observations and offering of support in the KPLAY PlayLabs that will ensure the soft skills are implemented successfully.

Target population:

The KPLAY Project will be implemented with teachers in grades 3–6 (grade levels aligned with the CBC’s ICT focus) to build awareness of and skills in LTPT and apply it effectively in the classroom across Kilifi and Kwale Counties.

KPLAY will build the capacity of 1400 teachers to experience learning through play and technology and will assist 600 school leaders, 200 teacher leaders, and 30 system-embedded coaches to support these teachers. Local partners will work with communities to support LTPT at home and in school. These efforts will equip at least 90,000 skills measured by Kenyan exams, and the creative, learning-to-learn, and collaborative skills the CBC has introduced.

Project Outcomes:

The KPLAY approach is embedded within national and county educational systems to equip teachers as LTPT experts and champions, and to create a Kenyan-owned LTPT scaling model for coastal Kenya. KPLAY works with educators to design curriculum-linked, age- and context-appropriate approaches, methods, and materials that scales Learning Through Play with Technology in our Kenyan classrooms.

Our team works with education officials to create sustainability strategies in years 1 and 2. By year 3, the Kenyan-built and led strategy will be finalized and be in operation, laying the groundwork to continue LTPT after project completion.

Key Components and Activities:

The project activities are implemented through the following components:

Component 1: Teacher Professional Development

In four years, KPLAY will reach teachers in 50% of the schools in Kilifi and Kwale Counties. KPLAY has piloted its approach in 11 diverse schools, then scale to reach 100 strategically selected schools per year in years 2–4. Every year, KPLAY will gather data on materials, methods, and approaches, and on introducing LTPT to teachers, school leaders, and others, to iterate and refine the project. It will take note of school contexts (rural vs. urban, level of tech, language group, religion), to understand their effect on LTPT uptake. KPLAY will emphasize impacts on student learning to support