Non-Formal Education Centers Establishment and Operationalization in 6 Sindh Districts

The School Education & Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, through the Directorate of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, is inviting bids for the establishment and operationalization of 1,420 non-formal education (NFE) centers across six districts of Sindh: Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Jamshoro, Jacobabad, and Kashmore. This public-private partnership project aims to provide accelerated learning programme (ALP) education to 42,600 out-of-school children aged 9 to 16 years. The total contract duration is 30 months, comprising implementation periods of 24 months with each enrolled student receiving a monthly subsidy of 1,500 Pakistani rupees. The project is structured under Phase 1, building on earlier phases that have already enrolled 56,400 out-of-school children across six districts using standardized accelerated teaching methodologies.

Eligible bidders include registered NGOs, CBOs, consortiums, firms, trusts, and charitable organizations meeting the criteria outlined in the Request for Proposal (RFP) document. Each bidder may submit proposals for one or more districts, but any single bidder will be awarded maximum two districts. Existing implementing partners already operating 60 or more NFE centers in the Phase 1 districts are ineligible for Phase 2; however, partners managing fewer than 60 centers may apply but are capped at a total maximum allocation of 60 centers across all phases combined. Bid security equivalent to 1% of the bid price must be submitted as a pay order, demand draft, or bank guarantee from a scheduled Pakistani bank, valid for 28 days beyond the bid validity period.

Bid documents are available for download from the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) ePADS portal at https://portal.sindh.eprocure.gov.pk from August 3 to August 24, 2026. A non-refundable tender fee of 10,000 rupees per district must accompany each bid. The bid submission deadline is August 24, 2026, at 3:00 PM via the ePADS portal only; no submissions by email or courier will be accepted. Bid opening will occur on the same date at 2:30 PM at the fourth floor, PNSC Building, M.T. Khan Road, Lalazaar, Karachi, in the presence of bidders or their representatives. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for August 10, 2026, at 2:00 PM at the same venue. All bids remain valid for 90 days from submission. Queries and further information are available from the Directorate of Literacy & Non-Formal Education, PNSC Building, Karachi, telephone +92-21-99211299 or +92-21-99217771, or email infesindh@gmail.com.

This is a large-scale, multi-district project to operate 1,420 non-formal education centers serving 42,600 out-of-school children over 30 months. The contract is recurring across two geographic phases. Implementation partners must secure premises, hire and manage trained educators, track student enrollment and achievement under ALP curriculum, and maintain operational standards across dispersed rural districts. Scale spans Sindh's least developed regions (Tharparkar, Umerkot). Existing Phase 1 operators face significant restrictions on Phase 2 allocation, limiting expansion for incumbent providers.

Who can bid: NGOs, CBOs, consortiums, firms, trusts, and charitable organizations registered with relevant Pakistani authorities. Typically requires SECP registration, valid NTN, and demonstrated experience in education or community development. No single bidder may hold more than 2 districts; operators of 60+ Phase 1 centers are barred; smaller operators capped at 60 total.