Vacancies and Announcements
CALL FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE ALLIANCE PROPOSALS UNDER THE CURRENT FY2008 USAID GLOBAL ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT
APS No: M/OAA/GRO/EGAS – 08 - 108
Issuance Date: May 8, 2008
Closing Date: April 30, 2009
CFDA #: 98.011
The United States Government, as represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Armenia, invites applications from U.S. or Non-U.S. organizations, non-profit or for profit entities to form Development Alliances to carry out activities in support of the USAID/Armenia’s development objectives as described in this Annual Program Statement (APS).
USAID/Armenia is strongly committed to building alliance partnerships that mobilize resources, expertise, creative approaches, and technologies that address development issues in Armenia. This call for proposals falls under the current USAID Global Annual Program Statement on Public-Private Alliances (APS No: M/OAA/GRO/EGAS – 08 – 108)* and adds the following minimum requirements as well additional criteria regarding partner profiles and proposal characteristics.
The number of awards under this APS is subject to the availability of funds. USAID/Armenia reserves the right to make multiple awards or no awards at all through this APS. USAID/Armenia reserves the right to close this APS at any point up to the closing date of April 30, 2009. Awards are one-time only and are not renewable. USAID/Armenia reserves the right, in consultation with applicants, to reduce, revise or increase budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and availability of funds. Awards made will be subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements and substantial involvement by USAID/Armenia as applicable. Final authority for awards resides with the USAID/Armenia Mission Agreement Officer. USAID/Armenia requires a minimum total private or public partner investment per alliance activity of at least $200,000 from non-US Government partners. USAID/Armenia’s minimum resource contribution per alliance activity will be $100,000. USAID/Armenia’s resource contribution per alliance activity will be capped at $300,000.
While any type of organization is eligible for the award, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments (grants and cooperative agreements). As such, no fee or profit will be paid to the grant or cooperative agreement recipient. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards, may be paid under the assistance instruments. Applicants that are selected for funding, who are first time recipients of USAID funds, may have to undergo pre-award financial and management reviews.
Proposals may be submitted by any time up to April 30, 2009 and they will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning as early as June 30, 2008. Accordingly, it is possible that funding may be exhausted before the April 30, 2009 final deadline for receipt of proposals. Submissions will be considered at any time up to 6:00 p.m. Yerevan time on the Closing Date.
Proposals from all entities satisfying the conditions of the Global GDA Annual Program Statement are welcome and will be evaluated competitively. Under the GDA business model, USAID/Armenia particularly encourages and seeks relationships and resources beyond traditional norms. Submissions by new partners and those that do not rely on grants as their primary source of revenue are particularly encouraged.
Successful applications must provide at least a 1:1 resource matching to focus on priority development activities within the USAID/Armenia’s Strategy. In-kind resources such as services, property, volunteer time, equipment, and supplies are also valuable contributions. Alliance applications must clearly specify what each party is contributing and indicate the level and kind of support.
This program is authorized in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Awards shall be made in accordance with 22 CFR 226, OMB Circulars A-21 (for universities) or A-122 (for non-profit organizations), ADS-303, and USAID Standard Provisions for U.S. organizations. For Non U.S. Governmental Organizations, the ADS -303 Standard Provisions for Non-U.S., Non-Governmental Recipients will apply.
Applicants can find copies of these documents by referring to USAID Homepage at the following links:
http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/cfr.html#22;
http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/omb.html; and
http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/303maa.pdf
Any questions or comments concerning this APS should be submitted in writing to Armen Yeghiazarian, Acquisition & Assistance Officer, USAID/Armenia at ayeghiazarian@usaid.gov .
Minimum Requirements
Proposals must:
Correspond to the strategic priorities of USAID/Armenia as defined in the Focus Areas section below
Clearly establish how the interests and objectives of each party to the proposed alliance converge;
Present an operational plan that, if successfully implemented, will produce clearly defined, measurable and attributable developmental results;
Represent a total private or public partner investment of at least $200,000 from non-US Government partners;
This solicitation is also intended to encourage the use of USAID’s new model for cooperation with its corporate partners in development called “Global Frameworks”. Global Frameworks is the collaboration with a corporate partner in specific sectors and/or on specific activities. This model recognizes that a relationship between USAID and another resource partner may not be best supported by conventional assistance instruments, particularly when dealing with non-traditional partners (e.g., a private organization offering resources at a leveraged ration in excess of one-to-one, whose principal business purpose is other than foreign development assistance, and who has not routinely received federal funding under traditional grants and cooperative agreements). Under this new GDA partnership model a Collaboration Agreement can be entered into between USAID and the resource partner.
For further specifics regarding the Collaboration Agreement, refer to the USAID Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directive (AAPD 04-16) dated December 2004 http://www.usaid.gov/business/business_opportunities/cib/pdf/aapd04_16.pdf
Focus areas
USAID programs foster sustainable development in Armenia through increased national competitiveness, higher quality public and private services and a more empowered civil society.
USAID/Armenia will accept public-private alliance concept papers in the following focus areas.
1- Governing Justly and Democratically
Increased civic participation and access to information
Civic participation through advocacy, think tanks, watchdogs
Alternative media
Enhanced political participation
Election law and financing
Political parties and culture
Improved governance and rule of law
Local Government service provision
Working with parliament and the judiciary
Improved control of corruption
Mobilizing civil society against corruption
Anti-corruption strategy and systems
2- Investing in People
Increased use of health care services, with a focus on primary health care
Improved quality of health care services
Improved health system finance and efficiency
Improved health behaviors, including preventive and care-seeking behavior
Improved social protection systems
Sustainable and affordable social insurance system developed (particularly public and private pensions)
Improved provision of adequate and targeted social benefits
Improved quality of social services to vulnerable populations
3- Economic Growth
Enhanced private sector capacity
Management and marketing capacity of businesses
Trade capacity of businesses
Workforce development
Increased access of businesses to financing
Banking and credit organizations
Financial infrastructure
Policy and systems related to credit and lending
Improved policy and systems to foster competitiveness
Tax administration
Business enabling environment
Public services and environment, particularly telecommunications and water
4- Cross-Cutting Initiative in Education and Environment:
Initiatives in education or environmental protection supporting any of the above focus areas in Governing Justly and Democratically, Investing in People and Economic Growth through:
- Education: Workforce development; vocation education; higher education; secondary education
- Environment: Environmental mitigation/remediation; water, air and ground pollution; solid waste management
Expected Alliance Partner Profiles
Proposals from all entities satisfying the conditions of the above-mentioned Global Annual Program Statement are welcome and will be evaluated competitively. However, USAID/Armenia particularly encourages submissions by:
Non-traditional partners or consortia that contain non-traditional partners. Non-traditional partners are defined, for the purposes of this Announcement, as entities that have not previously received grants for work in Armenia from international organizations and, in particular, from USAID/Armenia, and entities that do not rely on grants as their primary source of revenue.
Armenian organizations, including non-profit and non-governmental organizations and businesses.
Armenian diaspora organizations and businesses, including both Armenia-American resource partners and resource partners from Armenian diaspora communities outside the US.
International or US-based corporate entities that have or are planning to make investments in Armenia.
Evaluation of Concept Papers/Full Applications
Concept Paper/Full Application review will focus on two sets of Evaluation Criteria:
(A) The 2008 Global Annual Program Statement Evaluation Criteria and
(B) USAID/Armenia Mission Specific Evaluation Criteria. The 2008 Global Annual Program Statement Evaluation Criteria and USAID/Armenia Mission Specific Evaluation Criteria are of equal importance.
A. The 2008 Global Annual Program Statement Evaluation Criteria
The factors to be considered include the following:
Primary Criteria (in descending order of priority):
1. Fit within USAID/Armenia’s strategic objectives: Does the proposed activity align with USAID mission or operating unit’s strategic plan and time frame?
2. Feasibility (technical, economic, financial, and social)
a. Does the program have well-defined and achievable objectives?
b. Does the program have the potential to yield significant development results?
c. Does the alliance offer enhanced sustainability and/or local involvement?
3. Value of Leveraged Resources and/or Cost-Share
a. Above one-to-one leveraging or cost-share (of cash or quantifiable, project-specific in-kind resources)
b. Demonstrated resource partner commitment: Is there evidence of commitment by a lead partner? Of commitment by other partners? Is there a demonstrated commitment to meet leveraged resource responsibilities?
4. Innovation
5. Cost effectiveness and cost realism
Additional criteria that will be considered are (in descending order of priority):
6. Enhanced sustainability as a function of the alliance
7. Partner Characteristics
a. Does the alliance bring new actors to the table?
b. Do the potential alliance partners meet ethical standards?
c. Do they have proven track records in their particular area of expertise?
d. Do they have experience working in partnership with others?
8. Demonstration effect/scalability
9. Readiness for implementation
10. Development impact on men and women, disaggregated by gender
11. Past performance
12. Integration of vulnerable groups (women, children, people with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, elderly, ethic minorities, etc) as appropriate and relevant.
B. USAID/Armenia Mission Specific Evaluation Criteria
Concept Papers/Full Applications will be evaluated against the following factors of equal importance.
The proposal includes a clear and credible sustainability plan that will ensure its continuing impact beyond the timeframe of the USAID contribution.
The resource partner (e.g., the entity or consortium providing the non-USAID financial contribution for the proposed project) is different from the implementing partner (the entity that would receive the grant to implement the project).
The proposing entities represent a consortium of partners, preferably including local non-governmental, private, and if appropriate, government entities.
Based on results of evaluation of full applications, USAID/Armenia will select applications, if any, that it intends to fund, and will proceed to negotiate an award with each successful applicant subject to availability of funding. At this time, USAID/Armenia will also inform applicants if additional information is required or if a decision has been reached not to fund a full application. Following favorable negotiations with applicants selected for funding, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be executed between USAID and alliance partners that clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each alliance partner.
In addition, successful proposals will be reviewed in accordance with the environmental procedures outlined in 22 CFR 216 to ensure that environmental soundness and compliance factors and values are integrated into the USAID award decision process.
USAID/Armenia Administration of Awards
A two-stage application process will be utilized. The first stage consists of concept paper submission and review. If the concept paper is sufficiently responsive to this APS and selected for further consideration, the applicants will be invited by USAID/Armenia to develop a full project application. The concept paper and full application formats are described in the Global APS. Please note, that an invitation to submit a full application does not constitute an award; USAID/Armenia may choose to not fund full applications even after they have been requested.
All interested applicants under this APS must submit concept papers to:
Acquisition & Assistance Office
USAID/Armenia
1 American Avenue
Yerevan, Armenia
YEREVANGDAAPS@usaid.gov (electronically)
USAID/Armenia will instruct applicants where to send their full applications if invited to do so.
USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.
In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the Paperwork Reduction Act, an original and two copies of any concept paper and full application will be required. Concept papers and full applications must be submitted in English. Concept papers and full applications must be submitted in MS Word format.
Resources
For further information regarding guidelines and procedures for submitting concept papers and/or fully developed proposals, please refer to the 2008 Annual Program Statement (APS) posted by the USAID Office of Development Partners. Information about this APS and the history and objectives of the public-private alliance business model can be found at the following website: www.usaid.gov/gda/.
In addition, the website has “Tools for Alliance Builders” (http://www.usaid.gov/gda/tab.html) which contains in-depth information to assist in the due diligence process, as well as mechanisms for and approaches to alliance formation.
Information about USAID/Armenia’s strategy and programs is available online at: http://www.usaid.am/.
