TERMS OF REFERENCE
INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT
STEM Education Consulting for Public Schools STEM Americas – PADF
Remote
1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION:
The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) is committed to strengthening STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in Latin America. Our goal is to improve employability and workforce development through innovative STEM methodologies. This consultancy seeks to develop a STEAM curriculum for public secondary school students (ages 12-18), focused on developing employability skills.
2. OBJECTIVE:
The overall goal of the consultancy is to design a comprehensive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum of approximately 20-25 modules that will prepare students for the current and future job market. This curriculum should include guidelines for teachers, practical activities, thematic modules, experiment ideas, discussion questions, and sample assessments. The curriculum should be designed exclusively by the consultant and for PADF. The curriculum should be designed and completed within a maximum time of 3 months or 90 days.
This consultancy responds directly to the following activity of the STEM Americas program: Development of curriculum and educational materials for the implementation of STEAM in secondary education.
3. CONSULTANT RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop a STEAM curriculum tailored to the needs of high school students (ages 12-18) in Latin America.
- Create 20-25 or more STEAM modules, incorporating practical and theoretical skills, with an emphasis on employability.
- Create and incorporate detailed lesson plans that incorporate general STEAM methodologies for employability, applicable to the Latin American context and community needs, as well as provide specific activities for PADF’s STEM Americas subprograms (STEM for Oceans, STEM for Aerospace, STEM for Health, STEM for Sustainability, STEM for Agriculture, etc.).
- Incorporate “quick tips” guidance for potential activities and lesson plans for STEM Americas sub-brands, so that the curriculum is versatile to add topic-specific STEAM-related activities.
- Provide guidelines and supporting teaching materials for teachers to implement the curriculum effectively in their classrooms (whether during school or extracurricular hours and for students from different backgrounds and for students with disabilities). The curriculum should be created not to train teachers, but to provide them with guidance on how to implement these lesson plans in their classrooms.
- Develop hands-on activities, experiments, and sample assessments that align with curriculum objectives, as well as share best practices for teachers to measure and monitor indicators in their classrooms.
- Collaborate with the STEM Americas team to ensure that the curriculum meets local and international educational standards.
- Present to the PADF team the methodological approach of the curriculum, as well as its structure, development and implementation.
The consultant will not be responsible for the graphic design of the curriculum, but if any activity requires visual instruments, he/she will be required to design them (e.g. tables, graphs, infographics, etc.).
4. PLACE(S) OF ASSIGNMENT
Remote work, with possible online workshops and training.
5. CANDIDATE PROFILE:
The ideal candidate must have the following:
- Bachelor’s degree in Education, Science, Engineering, or a related field. Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
- At least 5 years of experience in curriculum development or teaching in the STEAM area.
- Specialized knowledge in STEAM teaching methodologies and in the educational context of Latin America.
- Fluency in Spanish. Knowledge of English and Portuguese will be valued.
In addition to the above qualities, the successful candidate must demonstrate:
- Previous experience in international educational projects or in multicultural environments.
- Capacity for innovation and adaptation to diverse educational contexts.
- Effective communication skills and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
6. CONTRACTUAL MECHANISM: Fixed price
Estimated rate for the completed deliverable(s). Provide a detailed list of each product, its cost, and price justification. (All applicable taxes, fees, and other costs must be included in the price proposal.)
The curriculum proposal for this consultancy may not exceed USD$15,000.
Please include the following information regarding your rate with your request:
- Estimated rate for the completed deliverable(s). Provide a detailed list of each product, its cost, and price justification.
DELIVERABLES TABLE
- Completion date: October 15, 2024
- Deliverable: Curriculum Framework and Methodology
- Description: A comprehensive framework outlining the objectives, methodologies and structure of the curriculum. It should detail the subject areas, module outlines and integration of STEAM methodologies, with a focus on employability skills for students aged 12-18 in Latin America.
- Monto (USD): TBD
- Completion date: November 15, 2024
- Deliverable 1: Module 1-5: Draft of the curricular modules
- Deliverable 2: Module 6-10: Draft of the curricular modules
- Description 1: Development of the first set of 5 curriculum modules. Each module should include detailed lesson plans, hands-on activities, thematic content, experiments, discussion questions, and sample assessments, aligned with curriculum objectives and local educational standards.
- Description 2: Development of the second set of 5 curricular modules, with similar content and structure to the first set, incorporating feedback from the STEM Americas team if necessary
- Monto (USD): TBD
- Completion date: December 15, 2024
- Deliverable 1: Module 11-15: Draft of the curricular modules
- Deliverable 2: Module 16-20: Final Curricular Modules
- Description 1: Development of the third set of 5 curricular modules, continuing the approach described in the first two sets, ensuring comprehensive coverage of STEAM topics and alignment with employability skills for secondary school students.
- Description 2: Development of the final set of 5 curricular modules, with a focus on refining and integrating feedback from previous deliverables. This set should ensure that the curriculum is cohesive, comprehensive, and adaptable to the Latin American context.
- Monto (USD): TBD
- Completion date: January 15, 2025
- Deliverable: Final review and adjustments
- Description: A final review of the entire curriculum, incorporating any final adjustments or revisions based on feedback from PADF and local educators. This product includes ensuring that all modules are aligned and that teaching materials and assessment tools are effective and practical.
- Monto (USD): TBD
Total: USD $15,000
The consultant must provide a pricing model for each deliverable listed in the table above under: USD$ 15,000
7. PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS TO INCLUDE:
- Please attach your curriculum vitae (CV) to demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the terms of reference.
- Please include descriptions or a sample of previous similar projects or assignments and at least three client references.
- A cover letter explaining a work schedule based on the deliverables table above.
8. DURATION OF THE CONTRACT:
Estimated contract start date: October 1, 2024. The contract will last approximately 3 months or 90 days.
9. PARTICIPATION DATA:
- Applications must be received no later than September 15, 2024. All application materials should be submitted to kcarter@padf.org with a copy to mstjohn@padf.org, following the guidelines outlined in these Terms of Reference.
- Offer validity: 30 days from the submission deadline.
- Amendments: At any time prior to the deadline for submission of proposals, PADF may, for any reason, modify the Terms of Reference document by means of an amendment to be posted on the PADF website and/or communicated by email.
- Clarifications: Questions may be sent to kcarter@padf.org with a copy to mstjohn@padf.org. The subject line of the email should contain the number and title of the terms of reference.
10. TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Award Outcome
These Terms of Reference (TOR) do not obligate PADF to execute a contract, nor do they commit PADF to pay any costs incurred in preparing or submitting the proposals. In addition, PADF reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is deemed to be in the best interest of PADF. PADF, at its sole discretion, will select the winning proposal and is not obligated to share the results of the individual evaluation.
Confidentiality
All proprietary information provided by the bidder will be treated as confidential and will not be shared with potential or existing applicants during the bidding process. This includes but is not limited to price quotations, cost proposals, and technical proposals. The results of the PADF evaluation are confidential.
How to apply
Applications must be received no later than September 15, 2024. All application materials should be submitted to kcarter@padf.org with a copy to mstjohn@padf.org, following the guidelines outlined in these Terms of Reference.
The tender can also be found here: Procurement Opportunities – PADF
