Opportunity Information: Apply for 72060821NOI00001
USAID/Morocco issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) announcing that it is considering a future funding opportunity for an education program tentatively titled "Bridge to Middle School." This NOI is strictly an advance heads-up to potential applicants and is not itself a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). USAID also anticipates releasing a Request for Information (RFI) for the same effort, and interested organizations are advised to keep monitoring grants.gov for any formal NOFO announcement. Importantly, the notice makes clear that USAID is not obligated to release an RFI or NOFO, reimburse any proposal or preparation costs, or make an award based on this NOI.
The planned activity is designed to support USAID Morocco's Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), specifically Intermediate Result 4 focused on sustainably improving learning outcomes and skills. The concept builds on the progress of the USAID-supported National Reading Program, which has already driven significant changes in how early-grade Arabic reading is taught. The "Bridge" program is meant to extend and deepen those gains by addressing the transition from upper primary into middle school, where learning gaps often widen and where instruction in literacy and other core subjects becomes more demanding.
Programmatically, the activity would operate in a targeted set of pilot schools, estimated at roughly 50 to 110 schools across 3 to 4 selected regions in Morocco. Working in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Education, the program would have two main thrusts. First, it would help analyze and remediate key learning and instructional challenges in the upper primary grades, with Arabic literacy explicitly included and with the possibility of also addressing mathematics and science. Second, it would support reforms in middle school instruction, strengthening literacy in both Arabic and English and, to the extent feasible, improving teaching and learning in STEM-related areas such as math, sciences, and technology. A core expectation is that the evidence and lessons generated through these pilots would feed into national-level policy dialogue and help enable future scale-up of reforms beyond the pilot sites.
From a funding and award structure perspective, the opportunity is described as a discretionary assistance award, expected to be implemented through a Cooperative Agreement, with an estimated total budget range of $20 million to $25 million over five years. The listing indicates an award ceiling of $25,000,000 and anticipates a single award. The anticipated start date cited in the NOI is the second quarter of U.S. Government fiscal year 2022. A notable budgeting detail is that approximately $5 million to $6 million is provisionally set aside specifically for middle school English language programming, signaling that English instruction at the lower secondary level is a major priority area within the overall activity design.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is broadly open to many types of entities (subject to any further details that would later appear in a formal NOFO). At the same time, USAID/Morocco explicitly encourages applicants to incorporate Moroccan expertise and to build partnerships with local institutions for implementation whenever possible, suggesting a strong preference for approaches that are locally grounded and that strengthen Moroccan capacity and ownership.
For communication, the notice provides points of contact for questions or comments: Zachary Clarke (zclarke@usaid.gov) and Salya Yacoubi (syacoubi@usaid.gov). The NOI also requests that organizations acknowledge receipt of the letter by signing and returning a copy to Zachary Clarke, with a copy to usaidmoroccocontracts@usaid.gov. The opportunity is listed under CFDA/Assistance Listing 98.001, with the original posting dated May 18, 2021 and an original closing date of June 29, 2021 for purposes of the notice.Apply for 72060821NOI00001
- The Agency for International Development, Morocco USAID-Rabat in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice Of Intent - Bridge to Middle School Activity, Morocco" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 18, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 29, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Bridge to Middle School (USAID/Morocco) - FAQs
1) What is this announcement (NOI) and what does it mean for applicants?
This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) from USAID/Morocco saying it is considering a future funding opportunity for an education program tentatively titled "Bridge to Middle School." It is an advance notice only and is not a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), meaning it is not the formal solicitation to apply for funding.
2) Is this NOI the same thing as a NOFO?
No. The NOI is not a NOFO. The NOI is meant as an early heads-up to potential applicants. A NOFO would be the official announcement that contains application instructions, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements.
3) Will USAID definitely release an RFI or a NOFO for this program?
No. The notice states that USAID is not obligated to release a Request for Information (RFI) or a NOFO, and it is not obligated to make an award based on this NOI.
4) What is a Request for Information (RFI) in this context?
USAID anticipates releasing an RFI for the same effort. Based on the notice, the RFI would be a way for USAID to gather input from interested organizations before (and if) it issues a formal NOFO.
5) Where should organizations monitor for any formal funding announcement?
Interested organizations are advised to keep monitoring grants.gov for any formal NOFO announcement related to this effort.
6) What is the tentative name of the planned program?
The education program is tentatively titled "Bridge to Middle School."
7) What is the overall purpose of the planned activity?
The planned activity is designed to support USAID Morocco's Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), specifically Intermediate Result 4 focused on sustainably improving learning outcomes and skills.
8) How does this concept relate to USAID's National Reading Program in Morocco?
The concept builds on progress from the USAID-supported National Reading Program, which has driven significant changes in how early-grade Arabic reading is taught. The Bridge program is intended to extend and deepen those gains by focusing on the transition from upper primary into middle school, where learning gaps often widen and instruction becomes more demanding.
9) What education levels does the activity focus on?
The activity is designed to address challenges in upper primary grades and to support reforms in middle school instruction, with a specific emphasis on improving the transition between those levels.
10) How many schools and regions are expected to be involved?
The activity would operate in a targeted set of pilot schools, estimated at roughly 50 to 110 schools across 3 to 4 selected regions in Morocco.
11) Is this a nationwide rollout or a pilot?
It is described as operating in a targeted set of pilot schools. A core expectation is that evidence and lessons from these pilots would feed into national-level policy dialogue and help enable future scale-up beyond the pilot sites.
12) Who is USAID expected to work with in Morocco?
The program is expected to be implemented in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Education.
13) What are the two main program thrusts described in the notice?
First, the activity would help analyze and remediate key learning and instructional challenges in the upper primary grades (with Arabic literacy explicitly included, and with the possibility of addressing mathematics and science). Second, it would support reforms in middle school instruction, strengthening literacy in both Arabic and English and, to the extent feasible, improving teaching and learning in STEM-related areas such as math, sciences, and technology.
14) Is Arabic literacy included?
Yes. Arabic literacy is explicitly included as part of the upper primary focus, and literacy strengthening in Arabic is also part of the middle school reforms.
15) Is English language instruction included?
Yes. The middle school component includes strengthening literacy in English, and the budget details signal that middle school English language programming is a major priority area.
16) Will the program include mathematics and science?
The notice states that in upper primary the activity may also address mathematics and science (in addition to Arabic literacy). In middle school, it notes improvements in STEM-related areas such as math, sciences, and technology would be pursued to the extent feasible.
17) What does "to the extent feasible" imply for STEM components?
Based on the wording in the notice, STEM-related improvements (math, sciences, technology) are desired but may depend on practical considerations and final program design.
18) What is expected to happen with lessons learned from the pilot schools?
The notice expects that evidence and lessons generated through the pilots would feed into national-level policy dialogue and help enable future scale-up of reforms beyond the pilot sites.
19) What type of award is anticipated?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary assistance award and is expected to be implemented through a Cooperative Agreement.
20) What is the estimated budget and project period?
The estimated total budget range is $20 million to $25 million over five years.
21) What is the award ceiling and how many awards are anticipated?
The listing indicates an award ceiling of $25,000,000 and anticipates a single award.
22) Is any funding specifically set aside for a particular component?
Yes. Approximately $5 million to $6 million is provisionally set aside specifically for middle school English language programming.
23) What does the set-aside suggest about program priorities?
The provisional allocation of about $5 million to $6 million for middle school English indicates that English instruction at the lower secondary level is a major priority area within the overall activity design.
24) When was the activity expected to start, according to the NOI?
The anticipated start date cited in the NOI is the second quarter of U.S. Government fiscal year 2022.
25) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is broadly open to many types of entities, subject to any further details that would later appear in a formal NOFO.
26) Does USAID/Morocco express any preferences about partnerships or staffing?
Yes. USAID/Morocco explicitly encourages applicants to incorporate Moroccan expertise and to build partnerships with local institutions for implementation whenever possible. This points to a strong preference for locally grounded approaches that strengthen Moroccan capacity and ownership.
27) Are proposal or preparation costs reimbursable at this stage?
No. The notice makes clear that USAID is not obligated to reimburse any proposal or preparation costs related to this NOI.
28) Does this NOI guarantee that an award will be made?
No. The notice states that USAID is not obligated to make an award based on this NOI.
29) Who can be contacted for questions or comments about the notice?
The notice provides points of contact: Zachary Clarke (zclarke@usaid.gov) and Salya Yacoubi (syacoubi@usaid.gov).
30) Is there any requested action from organizations receiving the NOI?
Yes. The NOI requests that organizations acknowledge receipt of the letter by signing and returning a copy to Zachary Clarke, with a copy to usaidmoroccocontracts@usaid.gov.
31) What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA/Assistance Listing 98.001.
32) What are the posting and closing dates mentioned in the notice?
The original posting date is May 18, 2021, and the original closing date is June 29, 2021 for purposes of the notice.
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