The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has secured a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to finance the Primary Education Support Project (PESP), which will support the development and implementation of activities aimed at improving the delivery of primary level education in Jamaica. Part of the loan proceeds is to fund payments for the procurement of the services of a consulting firm to:

• Develop the Ministry=s capacity to lead, support, evaluate and coordinate the use of the instructional technologies in Jamaica primary schools
• Carry out a series of carefully monitored and evaluated demonstration/pilot activities in 15 schools of three types: small multi-grader rural schools, inner-city schools and larger rural schools

Interested bidders from the IDB=s member countries may obtain further information from and inspect the bidding documents at the address below.

A complete set of bidding documents, in English, may be purchased by interested bidders from 1 June until 15 July 2002 on the submission of a written application to the Project Manager, PESP, at the same address, Monday through Friday, from 0900 hours to 1600 hours, and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of US$ 100 or J$ 4,500 per package by a banker=s check or demand draft in favor of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture. Payments in any other form will not be accepted. The documents will be sent by DHL or electronic mail to bidders outside Jamaica, but the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture will not be responsible for any delays in delivery.

All bids must be accompanied by the required security in the currency of each bid, or its equivalent in Jamaican dollars or US dollars, and be delivered at the address below by 1400 hours on 16 July 2002. They will be opened on the same day at 1410 hours, in the presence of the bidders= representatives who choose to attend, at the same address.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture

Attn: Project Manager, PESP

2 National Heroes Circle. Bldg. 1, 5th Floor, Room 500

Kingston 4, Jamaica

Tel: (1-876) 922-1400 through 1409, 922-1971. Fax: (1-876) 967-4066

E-mail: pcu@cwjamaica.com