Prosperity Fund Brazil: Call for proposals - Study on ELT
FCO seeks a supplier for an impact study aimed to analyse the correlation between English Language Teaching (ELT) and social and economic development in Brazil.
Introduction and context
In 2015, the UK government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review announced a £1.3 billion cross-government Prosperity Fund (PF) to run over five years (2016/17 to 2020/21). Its primary purpose is to promote the economic reform and development needed for growth in partner countries, in accordance with Official Development Assistance (ODA) rules, the International Development Act (2002) and the Gender Equality Act (2014). It will contribute towards meeting the new Sustainable Development Goals.
Within the framework of the Global Skills for Prosperity programme, the UK will provide support to nine-middle income countries to tackle skills deficits which are holding back sustainable and inclusive growth and poverty reduction. The programme will facilitate an investment of up to £75 million to improve the quality, relevance, equity and cost effectiveness of higher education (HE), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and secondary education, principally through providing technical assistance which draws on UK expertise. With UK’s sectoral best practice, we believe there is an opportunity to foster Brazil’s economic growth and social development by providing support to curriculum development and teachers training on ELT, within the framework of the national curriculum reform (BNCC) and the teaching of English becoming compulsory between the ages of 12 to 17.
In preparation for the launch of this programme and aimed to build the rationale of our interventions, the FCO is commissioning an impact study to analyse and understand the potential social and economic impact of ELT on poverty relief, economic growth, gender inclusion and skills gaps in the context of Brazil.
Objective
The Prosperity Fund Programme Team in the British Consulate in Brazil wishes to secure the services of experts to deliver a social and economic impact study, with clear evidences on whether there is a correlation between ELT and poverty relief or not. The conclusion of this study will help build the rationale between the purposes of Prosperity Fund and the proposed interventions on ELT in Brazil.
The contracted supplier will analyse the mechanisms through which interventions in ELT can foster economic growth and social mobility. The social and economic impact to be demonstrated may comprise the following angles of analysis – but not limited to:
a) Sectorial analysis of English as an enabler of economic growth, productivity and greater employment rates. For instance, in tourism
b) English as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship
c) English as a key skill for insertion on labour market, notably in the access to greater employment options and qualified, better paid jobs
d) English as a tool to reskill workers in the age of automation
e) English as an enabler to greater contact with and access to different countries and cultures – internationalization
f) English as a skill that impacts on greater overall performance at school
g) English as an instrument to develop soft skills, such as communication
h) English as a facilitator to greater access to TVET and Higher Education
i) English as a booster for greater academic and research exchange
j) English as a promoter of gender equality
k) Understanding of any real or perceived barriers to ELT supporting social and economic impact
We encourage the inclusion of other angles of analysis with the aim of building an evidence-based conclusion on the real economic and social impact of ELT.
Methodology
Interested parties shall submit a study proposal including the methodology to be used on the conclusion of hypothesis, the evidence-based metrics and variables to be analysed and the stakeholders and sources to be consulted. The methodology should be accompanied by a detailed budget with the costs of proposed activities and the CVs of the team members that will work on the study.
The methodology may include: quantitative and qualitative analysis, desk and field research, stakeholder consultations and interviews in Brazil and abroad, reports with policy recommendations, economic researches previously done in other countries, best practices and case studies from countries that adopted English as the second compulsory language at school, among others.
Outputs / deliverables
We expect the study to be delivered by a small team with complementary skills and competences. The work should run over 2 months – approximately 9 weeks, with about 1/3 of the total period dedicated to desk research, 1/3 interviewing stakeholders, and the final third of time dedicated to gathering additional information and report writing. There will be two deliverables:
- A halfway review on the progression of the study and partial findings by October 1, 2018.
- One full report by November 5, 2018. The report shall be delivered in English.
Skills and competences
The expert(s) need to demonstrate:
- expertise in the Brazilian education sector
- previous experience working with economic impact studies
- knowledge of key stakeholders, sources and references related to the study
- ability to apply a cross cutting analysis on education, economy, gender and social sciences
Budget
The maximum budget for the service covered under these terms of reference will be no more than £20,000.
The supplier will propose the overall budget for this work, which must be inclusive of all applicable taxes, overheads and travel costs for any field visits, if applicable. Bidders are expected to show value for money and not reach the budget ceiling if costs can be lower. Payments will be made in two installments: 50% upon reception of half way report, and the remaining 50% following completion and reception of full report. Payments will be made after any updates have been incorporated and signed-off by the British Consulate.
Submission of proposals
Should you wish to submit a proposal, please send along:
- Full proposal based on the terms of this document;
- Curriculum of the technical team who will undertake the service delivery;
- Financial proposal including all charges and fees as per above mentioned instructions. The financial proposal should also include the related costs to support the total amount charged, such as number of team members working on the study, number of days and day rates, as well as travel expenses, if needed.
Proposals need to be submitted by email to adriana.balducci@fco.gov.uk, by August 21, 2018 at the latest.