Foreign economic-aid-related services

Description

The aim of the Business of Education in Africa Report is to improve educational outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It will do this by publishing a major analytical report that will (i) enhance our understanding of the role of the private sector in SSA's education systems; (ii) highlight the opportunities available to companies and investors interested in education in Africa, thereby further mobilizing their resources into that sector; and (iii) encourage development finance institutions, governments, and other key players to better support the private sector to improve access to quality education and, ultimately, to improve educational outcomes in SSA. This effort will specifically look at this topic through the lens of the private sector — education companies, financiers, entrepreneurs, and employers — to bring a fresh perspective to this topic by asking: What are the financially attractive investment opportunities in the sector that will also contribute positively to education systems and outcomes? What are the barriers to making such investments? How can such barriers be surmounted? We believe that this perspective will help mobilize new and additional resources into education in SSA and also provide helpful insights to policymakers, regulators, and other key stakeholders as they consider how best to engage this sector. This concept builds on The Business of Health in Africa1 and Education for Employment1 reports published by the International Finance Corporation (‘IFC’), with partners, in 2007 and 2011 respectively. The report will be produced in two phases: ? Phase I (funded by DFID and Yellowwoods with technical support from CDC) with stand-alone outputs will be produced largely by desk research and analytics, but may also include some on-the-ground work, and will be published in around April, 2016, i.e.: in time to be a useful input into the deliberations of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (the ‘Education Commission’), which is due to report in September 2016 to its co-conveners and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. This waiver request form is for the procurement of Phase I of the report. ? Phase II of the report will build on the phase one outputs (funding is expected to be provided by USAID, ELMA Foundation and Omidyar) will be produced largely as the result of on-the-ground site visits, interviews and other information-gathering, and will contain more textured information about investable business opportunities and business models. The idea of developing A Business of Education in Africa report was initiated by Caerus Capital Partners, who have approached DFID, CIFF, USAID, ELMA and other donors for funding. There is strong support for developing this product from a number of donors, who are likely to provide funding next financial year. However, only DFID is strongly concerned to ensure that aspects of this report are produced within a timeframe that allows for input of the findings into the Education Commission which is due to report in September 2016. As a result, DFID has agreed with Caerus to split the project into two phases, with the intention that, subject to securing this single source waiver, DFID funds Phase I of the report, and Caerus seeks funding from other partners (CIFF, ELMA, USAID, Omidyar Network) for Phase II. DFID is able to mobilise funding more quickly than other donors for this type of research, partly through the availability of funds through the General Evidence Products programme.