> ![](media/image1.png){width="3.6305555555555555in" height="1.4in"}
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> **U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT**
>
> **ANNOUNCEMENT**
>
> **CALL FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE ALLIANCE PROPOSALS RELATED TO**
>
> **USAID/Vietnam Education Program**
>
> **UNDER EXISTING ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT**
>
> **APS NO: M/OAA/GRO/EGAS-09-108**

This program is authorized in accordance with Part 1 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 as amended.

USAID/Vietnam is making a special call for the submission of concept
papers related to the USG development Assistance Objective (AO)
Investing in People, with a focus on higher education and work force
skills development. Under USAID's proven approach to strategic
public-private partnerships for achieving mutually shared interests, and
leveraging individual partner\'s strengths and resources, USAID/Vietnam
intends to launch in early FY2010, a medium-to long-term initiative in
higher and skills-based education. As envisioned, the specific objective
of this initiative is to:

Improve the quality and relevance of Vietnam\'s education, to the extent
practicable, for disadvantaged youth.\
\
Under this objective, several sub-objectives can be specified:

1)  Enhance the capacity of Vietnam\'s higher education institution(s)
    to establish public-private partnerships for high quality,
    accredited courses in key technical skill areas (Engineering and
    Technology focus) that meet international standards.

2)  Increase the capacity of Vietnamese higher education institution(s)
    to promote high degrees of academic independence, flexibility, and
    autonomy. Highest standards of quality in faculty and students will
    need to be ensured.

3)  Increase the capacity of Vietnamese students in soft skills
    necessary to perform well on almost any job. These skills have been
    identified by employers as critical for workforce competitiveness in
    the 21^st^ century (such as communication, teamwork, critical
    thinking, problem-solving, English language skills, verbal and
    communicative skills, and computer literacy including using the
    internet effectively for research and information).

4)  Help Vietnam meet its needs for cluster-based workforce skills
    development, in particular for disadvantaged youth (e.g. minority
    youth in the Central Highlands, or students of low income
    backgrounds), to respond to the needs of American companies working
    in Vietnam.

In order to be invited to the proposal submission stage of the alliance
screening process, interested organizations should ensure that the
concept papers demonstrate:

> a\) how the organizations will leverage USG resources on at least a
> 1:1 basis;
>
> b\) how the proposed alliance will carry out priority development
> activities that are within the shared interests of the alliance
> partners; and
>
> c\) how the proposed activities will respond to Vietnam's national
> socio-economic development agenda.

Expressions of interest can be submitted at any time up to April 15^th^,
2009 and will be reviewed on a first come/first served basis.

# Background

Since 2001, USAID has built more than 680 public-private alliances
worldwide with over 1,700 individual partners to contribute more than
\$9 billion of combined public-private resources. USAID is firmly
committed to forging public-private alliances to leverage additional
resources outside of official development assistance to maximize the
impact and quality of USAID's activities.

Sweeping Government of Vietnam (GVN) economic reforms and trade
liberalization over the last two decades, and a recently-launched
extensive public administration reform program, have spurred record
levels of foreign direct investment, sustained robust economic growth,
and created employment for 1.3 -- 1.5 million entrants to the labor
market annually.

According to the World Bank, two decades of rapid economic growth have
resulted in dramatic changes in Vietnam's economic and social
development and more than halved its poverty rate. Vietnam is poised to
enter the ranks of middle-income countries. Further, reinforcing the
capacity of an independent technocracy, allowing more openness in
relation to corruption, or strengthening the rights of citizens may hold
the key for Vietnam to sustain its success and become an industrial
country within a generation.[^1]

However, an inadequate education system in Vietnam is emerging as a
major constraint to Vietnam's unprecedented growth, and many challenges
remain with respect to training a competitive workforce to adequately
participate in a robust economy. To fully meet its obligations and
commitments under the Bilateral Trade Agreement with the U.S. and the
WTO, and integrate fully into the global economy, it is now well
accepted that Vietnam is not well prepared with a skilled workforce, and
that the country will have to significantly enlarge its pool of trained
mid- to upper-level management and technologically skilled graduates in
the near to medium future. Many U.S. Companies operating in Vietnam are
concerned about the growing difficulty experienced in hiring qualified
Vietnamese staff at all levels.

In light of this situation, one of USAID/Vietnam's top priorities is
continued support for reform in governance and support for institutional
strengthening and human resource development. The GOV sees the clear
link between its goals of economic growth and prosperity and achieving a
business climate conducive to global competitiveness, and understands
that a well trained workforce is essential for sustained growth.

Over the past five years, USAID has provided technical expertise to many
GOV agencies involved in economic and social reform. USAID assistance
has contributed measurably to Vietnam\'s adoption of modern economic
practices that create private sector opportunities and reduce poverty,
expand investment flows and reduce barriers to financial intermediation.
A more encompassing development assistance program that includes
specific areas within higher education would enhance Vietnam's ability
to sustain broad and robust economic growth and competitiveness in a
global economy.

Currently, the USG funds a Vietnam Fulbright Program and, in
collaboration with the Vietnam Education Foundation, sponsors scores of
promising Vietnamese students to study in the U.S. every year, thus
exposing them to American society and thinking, and creating goodwill
toward the United States. A joint U.S.-Vietnam Education Task Force
meeting was held in Hanoi in September, 2008. The meeting generated many
ideas on how to increase the number of Vietnamese students in the U.S.;
deepen and expand cooperation between American and Vietnamese
universities; and promote educational programs designed to help
Vietnamese students acquire the skills needed in Vietnam\'s modernizing
economy.[^2] Participants noted that since signing the BTA and WTO
Agreements, Vietnam has had one of Asia's fastest growing economies.
Participants also agreed that to sustain such growth:

-   An increasing supply of skilled labor and educated managers will be
    vital.

-   A distinction should be made between training programs that improve
    the skills of existing human capital and educational programs that
    will develop the human capital (i.e. managers and skilled workers)
    needed a decade from now. Private companies must develop both types
    of programs.

**Solicitation**

USAID/Vietnam seeks to forge far-reaching alliances for improving and
implementing a robust and dynamic education program that promotes
innovation and market-oriented skills. The goal is to build a cadre of
middle level technically skilled professionals to satisfy the growing
demand by business and industry - including the service and
manufacturing sectors in Vietnam. In addition, we also envision that
this alliance will help make governance in the higher education system
or institution more autonomous and transparent and become a powerful
voice in shaping future higher education reforms in Vietnam's
development agenda.

To this end, USAID/Vietnam envisions that alliance proposals will
embrace a demand-driven approach, and leverage private funding to
develop industry and business-specific skills relevant to the country\'s
rapid integration into the global economy and commitment to improved
governance. The proposed concept will also need to be manageable and
affordable within existing resources of money and time (see page 5).

Illustrative activities include:

-   Certified and accredited training programs for Vietnamese youth in
    fields of study relevant and adaptable to industry over time, as
    well as programs including but not limited to foreign languages
    (especially English), communication, design, management, engineering
    and technology.

-   Innovative solutions for teaching and learning, including
    possibilities for distance learning, and other multi-media
    approaches for enhancing the skills of faculty and students.

-   A system or process for establishing and maintaining quality
    standards that are accredited nationally and regionally.

-   An innovative and aggressive sustainability strategy to recover
    costs that utilizes multiple solutions for resource development such
    as resource partnerships with government, local financial
    institutions, education foundations, and the private sector. Every
    effort should be made to maintain an equitable fee-structure,
    including subsidies and incentives for disadvantaged students.

-   Sponsorships from private companies to obtain scholarships, hands-on
    experience, knowledge and training of future employees through
    exchange visits on a continuing basis. Such programs will help the
    firms\' productivity, the individuals' career growth, and will
    foster global competitiveness.

-   A management and governance structure that will maintain
    responsiveness to market needs over time, incorporate active
    industry participation and oversight, and achieve financial
    sustainability.

**Evaluation Criteria**

> Alliances will be evaluated based on the general criteria set forth in
> the APS. In addition the following criteria will apply:

-   Demonstrated familiarity of the proposal with the GOV's Education
    Development Strategic Plan 2008-2020, and relevant GOV and
    donor-initiated basic, secondary and higher education reform
    strategies that identify steps for making Vietnam's education system
    more responsive to the national industrialization, modernization and
    sustainable development needs and priorities.

-   Cognizance of USAID/ Vietnam's assistance programs which underscore
    the inextricable linkage between sustainable economic growth, good
    governance, and strong and well-developed institutions that can
    serve as catalysts for improving the effectiveness of environmental
    policies, legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks.

-   Demonstrated familiarity with the GOV's Five-Year Socio-Economic
    Development Plan, 2006 -- 2010, and national strategies for
    education reform.

-   Sound understanding of GOV's complex and constraining environment
    for achieving some of the objectives of this program, specifically
    autonomous governance and academic freedom for higher education
    institutions.

-   Ability to implement the proposed initiative in a manageable and
    affordable way within existing resources of money and time.

-   Concrete plans to ensure job placements for over 60% of graduating
    students.

-   Ability to propose higher leverage, including possibility of
    leveraging multiple corporate, private, and higher education
    partners for a 3-5 year program.

-   Demonstrated long-term interest in the sustainability of the program
    beyond the performance period.

Preference will be given to concepts describing alliances that include
private sector partners with long-term commitment to the region and a
recognized business interest in the proposed concept. In the concept
paper, reviewers will consider the extent to which the proposal
addresses these objectives. If USAID requests a full proposal,
applicants will be given additional, specific evaluation criteria that
speak to the subject matter of the concept at the time.

USAID assumes a total budget of \$1m per year. From this amount, USAID
would like to make up to three awards for programs lasting a minimum of
three years subject to final USAID approval and availability of funding.
As stated in APS NO: M/OAA/GRO/EGAS -- 09 -- 108, USAID/Vietnam expects
to receive alliance proposals that leverage resources at a minimum of
1:1.

Proposed alliances should be consistent with USAID legal and policy
restrictions including those set forth in USAID\'s Automated Directives
System (ADS) and in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

For information regarding guidelines and procedures to submit a concept
paper, please refer to the 2009 annual Program Statement posted by the
USAID\'s Office of Development Partners, Global Development Alliance.
The APS can be found at the following website:
[www.usaid.gov.gda](http://www.usaid.gov.gda/)

USAID Vietnam will be responsible for the proposal review process and
management of the awards. Applicants are required to submit short
concept papers to USAID Vietnam through email at <hhandler@usaid.gov>.
Applicants will receive instructions on whether or not to proceed with a
full proposal. Proposals for consideration should be submitted by April
15, 2009 in order to be considered.

Before submitting a concept paper we encourage applicants to speak with
key staff involved in the USAID Vietnam Program. These staff can discuss
with you the extent to which your idea is appropriate and aligned with
USAID\'s goals. The contact person is Mr. Howard R. Handler, General
Development Officer, and he will connect you with others, as
appropriate, for your questions. His address is:

USAID

General Development Office

Tung Shing Square

15/F, 2 Ngo Quyen Street

Hanoi, Vietnam

Clearances: Vietnam Annual Program Statement -- call for concept papers
for Investing in People/Education.

Drafted: 2/06/09

GDO/Vietnam: HHandler \_(on file)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
date\_\_2/6/09\_\_\_\_\_

RDMA/ROP: PWilson \_(on file)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
date\_\_2/6/09\_\_\_\_\_

RDMA/REA: SAgarwal-Harding\_(on file)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ date\_\_
2/6/09\_\_\_\_\_\_

OD: FDonovan \_(on file)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ date\_\_2/6/09\_\_\_\_\_\_

PAS: JWarren \_(on file)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ date\_\_2/6/09\_\_\_\_\_\_

[^1]: Making Difficult Choices: Vietnam in Transition. **T**he
    Commission on Growth and Development, supported by contributions
    from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID),
    the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International
    Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the U.K. Department of
    International Development (DFID), the William and Flora Hewlett
    Foundation, and the World Bank Group. 2008.

[^2]: American Support for Education in Vietnam: A Brainstorming
    Conference for American Stakeholders

    Convened and hosted by Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, Sofitel
    Plaza, Hanoi, Vietnam, January 24-25, 2008; followed by a U.S. -
    Vietnam Education Task Force Meeting September 21-22, 2008.