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Creative wins READ IDIQ contract for East Africa

The U.S. Agency for International Development has awarded Creative Associates International the READ indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) funding mechanism contract, which will provide technical assistance and services that will lead to increased access to high-quality basic education as identified by host governments in East Africa. 

“The READ IDIQ builds on Creative’s role as a key implementation partner in the education sector in East Africa, where we can build off of our current programming successes in Ethiopia and Somalia,” says Leland Kruvant, President & CEO of Creative. “We look forward to applying our blend of technical expertise, holistic approach to education and dedication to locally led solutions in future task orders.” 

Cory Heyman, Creative’s Vice President and Senior Director of Education for Development Division, says Creative’s experience is deepened by an outstanding consortium of international and country-specific partners who can address the holistic needs of children, families, schools and communities to expand the habit and culture of reading throughout the region. 

USAID outlined in its original solicitation that future task orders would focus on “reading outcomes in the primary grades. Basic education may include activities for learners in grades 1-8, pre-primary levels, and alternative or accelerated education programs in public or non-state schools.” 

Creative is leading a consortium of 12 prestigious organizations with extensive technical and geographic experience. The team includes: Able Child Africa (disability and inclusion); American Institutes for Research (standards, assessment & language transition); Blue Tree Group (book design/supply chain); Cambridge Education (education governance & accountability); Equal Access International (digital education strategies); Forum for African Women Educationalists (gender and education); Management Systems International(monitoring & evaluation and data management systems); O’Brien Associates International (private sector engagement); Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (psychosocial support and social-emotional learning); Save the Children (early childhood education, school health, youth empowerment, water sanitation and hygiene and refugee support; World Learning (numeracy curricula and multi-modal training), and the University of Oregon (national reading frameworks and pre-service training). In addition, Creative has identified local education, gender and social inclusion, community engagement, technology and university partners in all IDIQ countries. 

Creative is one of seven organizations selected for the funding mechanism, formally known as the USAID/Kenya and East Africa: Reading for East Africa’s Development (READ) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract. With a ceiling of $300 million, future task orders will focus on education efforts in the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Somalia. 

Creative’s current work in Somalia and Ethiopia are demonstrating successful outcomes for students and educators, particularly as communities face ongoing pressures as a result of drought, conflict, migration and a lack of resources.  

The USAID-funded Bar ama Baro program in Somalia works with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education to provide accelerated basic education to over 100,000 out-of-school children and youth. The READ II Education Recovery Activity, which is also funded by USAID, pivoted from a literacy project to an education in emergencies project to meet the new needs of children and youth impacted by conflict. 

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