Request for Information for USAID Southern Africa to Strengthen Sustainable Skills for a Just Transition Activity Design

Background
USAID/Southern Africa is seeking to co-design an activity that responds to the Government of South Africa (GoSA)’s JET Investment Plan on skills but intends to broaden this focus to include strengthening the TVET college skills development system and institutional capacity to enable diversification of employment opportunities and the ability for youth and coal workers displaced by the transition to clean energy, to adapt to a changing skills and qualification ecosystem as and when they see fit while driving their careers forward.

Grant Details
The Sustainable Skills for a Just Transition (SS4JT) activity aims to support innovative specialized programs for green occupations in non-energy sectors and related entrepreneurial capabilities at TVETs in Mpumalanga that can broaden the economic diversification goals of the province while ensuring job creation and quality of life in affected energy transition communities is raised. The activity seeks to support interventions aligned to three main objectives: 1) developing or enhancing accredited innovative and exemplary green/sustainable skills courses through private sector engagement in Mpumalanga TVET college(s), 2) providing students and graduates with accredited sound industry knowledge, practical experience working in industry, and work-based learning opportunities required to complete their qualifications, and 3) increasing the capacity of youth and graduates to meaningfully participate in the formal economy by unlocking employment opportunities through local/community/business partnerships in identified green sector(s) while also ensuring better gender parity in historically male-dominated fields. The grant also focuses on supporting foundational solutions that are focused on building a strong institutional capacity base with the private sector, unlocking the TVET graduate learning-to-earning pipeline, and providing considered support for marginalized populations.

Eligibility Requirements
Responses are requested from interested parties capable of performing the type of work described. The response should include organization information and previous experience working in this subject area and working with relevant stakeholders on the ground. USAID/Southern Africa is interested in receiving responses from all types of organizations including local entities, non-U.S. organizations, U.S. organizations (other than small business), U.S. small businesses, U.S. organizations that have received less than $25 million of USAID funding in the past five years, and other types of organizations.

Grant Value
The total value of the grant is not specified.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic location(s) where the grant will be performed is Mpumalanga.