AAFAF seeks to promote education in business, tech
The executive director of the Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority (AAFAF) Omar J. Marrero announced the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for grant administrator services for a fund created to provide education in business and technical skills, or the 21st Century Technical and Business Education Fund.
The grant administrator will be tasked with developing a plan for 21st century skills for the entire workforce in Puerto Rico.
The plan will identify the specific skills and the technical and business areas on which the grant program will focus. Scholarships will be made available for educational programs certified by the grant administrator.
“With this fund and the grant program, the government recognizes the importance of investing in educational development in the areas of business and technology to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico are able to compete and thrive in the global economy,” Marrero said.
First, the grant administrator must establish a skills assessment that will create the supporting infrastructure for the scholarship program and put in place a consistent monitoring and evaluation process.
Furthermore, the plan will allow universities and public and private education providers to develop and open new programs in anticipation of increased student enrollment. Given the importance of online learning, the plan should also encourage programs to be offered in multiple formats: online, on campus, or a hybrid format, Marrero said.
The Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Certified Fiscal Plan allocates $50 million to provide education in business and technical skills through a grant program that will allow the residents of Puerto Rico to benefit from better access to education.
The RFP describes the procurement process in detail. The deadline to submit proposals is May 17, 2021. The RFP is available at the AAFAF’s website.
