Human Capital Development Project

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A1. Background The U.S. Mission to Australia announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to develop and implement a study and messaging campaign on human capital development efforts in the East Asian and Pacific (EAP) region, pending the availability of funding . Please carefully follow all instructions below. Human capital development includes any efforts that provide people in the Indo-Pacific, particularly young people, with the skills and resources to participate in the global economy and create conditions for self-reliance. Human capital development underpins the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy by responding to regional needs while promoting a positive image of the United States. Human capital development is a stated priority by many countries and subregions – from the Mekong to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the Pacific Islands – and it is a tangible product which resonates strongly with foreign publics in East Asia and the Pacific.  The Department of State takes an “All of America” approach to human capital development, which includes efforts not only by the U.S. government (USG), but also by U.S. businesses, U.S. NGOs, U.S. philanthropic organizations, and U.S. academic institutions. A.2 Program Goals The Department of State is focused on advancing the Indo-Pacific Strategy and is committed to advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by promoting free, fair, and reciprocal trade, open investment environments, good governance, and freedom of the seas. The strategy focuses on three pillars; economics, governance, and security as well as strengthening the multilateral, bilateral, and people-to-people ties between the United States and the other Indo-Pacific countries. Human capital development is a cross-cutting component that underpins this entire strategy. Providing quantitative data and qualitative impact stories on “All of America” human capital development in Southeast Asia and the Pacific will help the Department of State identify gaps and open the door further to increased foreign partnership and networks with U.S. organizations. Leveraging this data and designing strategic content for a messaging campaign to foreign publics in Southeast Asia and the Pacific will increase foreign publics’ knowledge of U.S. contributions and positive influence and increase favorable opinion towards the United States in the EAP region. Measuring foreign publics’ knowledge of U.S. human capital development efforts in Southeast Asia and the Pacific and opinion of the United States will determine the messaging campaign’s success and identify areas for improvement in public messaging. A3. Expected Results: ·        Increased understanding of the “All of America” human capital development efforts among target audiences in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. ·        Creation of strategic messaging campaign materials (social media graphics, videos, narratives) that can be localized by U.S. embassies and consulates. ·        Increased knowledge of U.S. human capital development efforts and a more favorable opinion of the United States by foreign publics in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. ·        Expansion of America-led human capital engagement as publics become more aware of opportunities for engagement. A4. Main Activities Activity 1 . Conduct a research study and compile the findings The project will start with a research study to collect quantitative data and qualitative stories on “All of America” U.S. human capital development efforts in eight to ten countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam). The project should take place across a sample of countries representative of the breadth of the region and include both more- and less-developed countries, countries that are both larger and smaller by population, as well as both mainland and maritime countries. The proposal narrative should explain how and why the countries were selected. The “All of America” approach includes human capital development efforts by the U.S. government (USG), U.S. businesses, U.S. NGOs, U.S. philanthropic organizations, and U.S. academic institutions. The findings will be compiled into a searchable database and a narrative report with visuals that highlight the positive impact of “All of America” human capital development efforts. Activity 2 . Create strategic messaging campaign content Working with the U.S. Mission to Australia, in collaboration with the Department of State and U.S. embassies in the region, the Recipient will leverage the findings from the research study to create a suite of social media graphics, videos, and narratives, in the official languages of the countries surveyed, that clearly highlight compelling examples of high-impact “All of America” human capital development efforts in the selected Southeast Asian and Pacific countries. The Recipient will draft a three-month campaign plan that details how U.S. embassies and consulates in the selected countries can strategically use the campaign content and provide localized examples for each country. Activity 3. Messaging campaign evaluation The Recipient will conduct surveys of foreign publics in the selected countries before and after the messaging campaign to measure the campaign’s effectiveness. The surveys will focus on foreign publics’ knowledge of U.S. human capital development efforts in their country and their opinion of the United States as compared to that of other countries. The Recipient will compile survey results and methodology into a report. A5. Performance Indicators The project should monitor and report on performance indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and time-bound. Establish, where possible, performance baseline data and expected performance targets for each expected result, and include details on what sources of data will be used to document performance, how the indicators will be measured, frequency of measurement, and units of measure. Where possible, indicators should also allow for sex disaggregation. Possible suggestions for indicators and targets for the project are provided below. A6. Substantial Involvement A cooperative agreement (CA) differs from a grant (GR) in the area of the substantial involvement of key persons from the funding organization. For this cooperative agreement (CA), it is anticipated that the U.S. Mission to Australia will be substantially involved in the following areas at a minimum : Approval of a work plan and selected countries. Approval of the structure and format of the research study database and report. Approval of the strategic messaging campaign content and plan. Approval of the pre and post-campaign surveys. Approval of the selected demographics for the pre and post-campaign surveys. Approval of the structure and format of the survey results report.

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