Issuance Date: June 24, 2008
                                                                    Closing Date: August 13, 2008
                                                                    Closing Time: 4:00 pm local Cambodia time

Subject: Request for Applications USAID-Cambodia-442-08-008-RFA

Title: Health Systems Strengthening

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications (proposals for funding) from U.S. or non-U.S. nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), public international organizations (PIO or IO), or other qualified organizations to implement a program to improve the Health Systems Strengthening in Cambodia. The authority for the RFA is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

The chosen recipient will be responsible for ensuring achievement of the program objectives that support Health Systems Strengthening activities in Cambodia. Please refer to the Program Description (RFA section C) for a complete statement of goals and expected results.

Pursuant to 22 CFR 226.81, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (22 CFR 226, plus OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organizations, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 31 for for-profit organizations), may be paid under the award.

Subject to the availability of funds, USAID/Cambodia plans to provide approximately $36 million in total USAID funding for this activity to be allocated over a five year period, with the possibility of extensions. The estimated amount for year 1 is $3.9 million. USAID/Cambodia reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Although it is anticipated that an award of one cooperative agreement will be made under this RFA, USAID at its discretion may make awards to more than one organization.

For the purposes of this program, this RFA is being issued and consists of this cover letter and the following:

  1. Section A - Application Format;
  2. Section B - Selection Criteria;
  3. Section C - Program Description;
  4. Section D - Certifications, Assurances, and Other Statements of Applicant/Recipient; and
  5. Section E - Standard Provisions and Other Requirements
  6. Section F – Annexes and Appendices

To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all required information in its application, including the requirements found in any attachments to this www.Grants.gov opportunity. Applicants must submit the full application package by one of the methods indicated in Section A of this RFA.

For the purposes of this RFA, the term "Grant" is synonymous with "Cooperative Agreement"; "Grantee" is synonymous with "Recipient"; and "Grant Officer" is synonymous with "Agreement Officer".

Any questions concerning this RFA should be submitted in writing to Mealea S. Prak and Thomas Stephens, via email to sprak@usaid.gov and tstephens@usaid.gov, respectively, or via fax at (855-23) 430-468 (email is preferred). If you decide to submit an application, it must be received by the closing date and time indicated at the top of this cover letter at the place designated below for receipt of applications.

The federal grant process is now web-enabled. As of December 19, 2005, grant and cooperative agreement Request for Application (RFA) and Annual Program Statement (APS) announcements, modifications to the announcements, and the corresponding application packages must be posted via Grants.gov on the World Wide Web (www) to allow for electronic submission of applications. Applicants may upload applications to www.grants.gov, however, hard copy submissions are still required by USAID/Cambodia. This RFA and any future amendments can be downloaded from this website www.grants.gov. It is the responsibility of the recipient of the application document to ensure that it has been received from www.grants.gov in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with electronic submissions.

Faxed proposals are not acceptable. Applicants may also submit their applications by e-mail attachment formatted in Microsoft Word or PDF file (up to 2MB limit per email). Important: please see Section A.1.g of the RFA for detailed instructions regarding submission of applications via email. Applications and modifications thereof shall be submitted with the name and address of the applicant and the RFA number (referenced above) inscribed thereon, via email, to sprak@usaid.gov and tstephens@usaid.gov.

Applicants shall confirm with Agreement Specialist Mealea S. Prak that their electronic submissions were successfully received by the required due date. In addition to the submission of applications via email or www.grants.gov, an original and five (5) hard copies of the technical applications, and an original and five (5) hard copies of the cost proposals, shall be sent to:

By Courier:
Mealea S. Prak
Agreement Specialist
USAID Cambodia, American Embassy
#1, Street 96 Khan Daun Penh
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

By Mail:
Office of Procurement
USAID Cambodia
APO AP 96546

Hard copies of submissions must arrive by the due date, regardless of whether or not the electronic submissions were successfully received by the due date. It is recommended that applicants use courier service instead of international mail for the hard copies. Applications will be accepted for consideration as long as they arrive in Phnom Penh by the time stipulated. See RFA Section A.1.b regarding late applications.

Applicants are requested to submit the technical and cost portions of their applications in separate volumes so that they may be reviewed separately. Award will be made to that responsible applicant(s) whose application(s) best meets the requirements of this RFA and the selection criteria contained herein.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of USAID, nor does it commit USAID to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Further, USAID reserves the right to reject any or all applications received. In addition, final award of any resultant cooperative agreement(s) cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal USAID procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant, and all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

In the event of any inconsistency between the sections comprising this RFA, it shall be resolved by the following order of precedence:

   (a) Section B - Selection Criteria;
   (b) Section A - Grant Application Format;
   (c) Section C - The Program Description; and
   (d) This Cover Letter.

Applicants should take into account the expected delivery time required by the proposal transmission method they choose, and are responsible to ensure that proposals are received at USAID in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (and not at another location) by the due date and time specified above.

Applicants should retain for their records one copy of all enclosures which accompany their application.

Thank you for your interest in USAID/Cambodia activities.

Sincerely,

Thomas Stephens
Regional Agreement Officer
USAID Regional Development Mission/Asia
Bangkok, Thailand