1. NOFO (English) - Energy Talent Development - West Africa (LOCAL) ETD-WA (12092024).pdf

December 09, 2024

Issue Date: December 09, 2024 Deadline for Registration for Conference: January 03, 2025 Virtual Interested Parties Conference: January 07, 2025 Deadline for Questions: January 08, 2025 Concept Paper Closing Date: January 24, 2025 Concept Paper Closing Time: 6:00 P.M. West Africa Time (WAT Time Zone)

Application Due Date and Time: To be determined

Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number: 72067424R00011 Program Title: Energy Talent Development - West Africa (ETD-WA) Activity

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 98.001

Greetings:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking concept papers for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the ‘Energy Talent Development – West Africa’ (ETD-WA) activity. Eligibility for this award is restricted to local entities as defined in NOFO Section B. This is a two phase review process:

Phase 1: Applicants Submit Concept Paper and it is evaluated by USAID

Phase 2: USAID will invite successful organizations to submit an application. This application will be evaluated by USAID.

USAID intends to make an award to the applicant(s) who best meets the objectives of this funding opportunity based on the merit review criteria described in this NOFO, subject to a risk assessment.

Eligible parties interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of program sought, application submission requirements and selection process.

To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this NOFO and meet eligibility standards in Section B of this NOFO. This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, and may be amended. It is the responsibility of the applicant to regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this notice of funding opportunity and to ensure that the NOFO has been received from the internet in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion process. If you have difficulty http://www.grants.gov/

RFA No. 72067424R00011 Energy Talent Development - West Africa registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the NOFO, please contact the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1- 800-518-4726 or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance.

English is the official language of all award documents. In the event of inconsistency between any terms of this NOFO and any translation into another language, the English language version will control.

Unless an exception in 2 CFR 25.110 applies, applicants must comply with 2 CFR 25 requirements to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and register in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), as applicable. The registration process may take weeks to complete. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to begin SAM registration early in the application process using the Registering to Work with USAID: Main Step-by-Step Guide available on the following website:

https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid/how-work-u said-registering-to-work-usaid.

Prior to award, the Agreement Officer (AO) will conduct a risk assessment. The AO will also have flexibility depending on the result of the risk assessment to change from Cooperative Agreement to Fixed Amount Award (FAA) and/or Firm Fixed Amount Award with Renewal Option (Renewal Award).

Please send any questions to the point(s) of contact identified in Section A.4. The deadline for questions is shown above. Responses to questions received prior to the deadline will be furnished to all potential applicants through an amendment to this notice posted on www.grants.gov.

Issuance of this notice of funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission of comments/suggestions or an application. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, Nancy Kleinhans Agreement Officer mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.usaid.gov/partner-with-us/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid/registering-workwork-usaid-main-step-by-step-guide https://www.usaid.gov/partner-with-us/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid/registering-workwork-usaid-main-step-by-step-guide https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid/how-work-u https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid/how-work-u

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section A – Basic Information

Section B – Eligibility

Section C – Program Description

Section D – Application Content and Format

Section E – Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Section F – Application Review Information

Section G – Award Notices

Section H – Post-Award Requirements and Administration

Section I – Other Information

This NOFO contains the following attachments:

Attachment 1: Standard Provisions (English/French) Attachment 2: Cost Application Summary Budget Template (English/French) Attachment 3: SF-425, Federal Financial Report (English only ) Attachment 4: Request for Categorical Exclusion (English/French) Attachment 5: Power Africa Results Framework (English/French) Attachment 6: Power Africa Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan (English/French) Attachment 7: Gender Analysis (English/French) Attachment 8: Concept Paper Form

SECTION A: BASIC INFORMATION

1. Executive Summary

The Power Africa “‘Energy Talent Development - West Africa’ (ETD-WA)” activity (thereafter “the Activity”) will work with local institutions to encourage West Africa’s transition to a more sustainable low-carbon energy system. This activity will coordinate with “Empower West Africa” (EWA), Power Africa’s flagship contract in West Africa aimed at closing the energy poverty gap within the region by increasing the availability of and access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern electricity services in the region. As a complement to the broad scope of EWA, the Activity will focus specifically on building capacity of local institutions and individuals through training, workshops, or other capacity-building interventions to advance the goals of EWA.

2. Estimate of Funds Available and Number of Awards Contemplated

USAID intends to award one (1) award with renewal periods pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide $8,000,000 in total USAID funding over a five (5) year period.

This may include a cooperative agreement or grant that is a fixed amount award. The final award type determination is at the discretion of the Agreement Officer (AO).

3. Start Date and Period of Performance for Federal Awards

The anticipated period of performance is five (5) years. The estimated start date will be on or about March 1, 2025.

4. Agency Point of Contact

General Inbox: pretoriaapplications@usaid.gov

Nancy Kleinhans Agreement Officer, Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA) E-mail: nkleinhans@usaid.gov

Annesh Jeebodh Agreement Specialist, Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA) Email: ajeedboh@usaid.gov

5. Acquisition and Assistance Ombudsman

The A&A Ombudsman helps ensure equitable treatment of all parties who participate in USAID’s acquisition and assistance process. The A&A Ombudsman serves as a resource for all organizations who are doing or wish to do business with USAID. Please visit this page for additional information:

mailto:pretoriaapplications@usaid.gov mailto:nkleinhans@usaid.gov mailto:ajeedboh@usaid.gov https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/acquisition-assistance-ombudsman

The A&A Ombudsman may be contacted via: Ombudsman@usaid.gov

6. Authorized Geographic Code

The geographic code for the procurement of commodities and services under this program is 935 defined as any area or country including the recipient country but excluding any country that is a prohibited source. Except as may be specifically approved in advance by the Agreement Officer, all commodities and services that will be reimbursed by USAID under this award must be from the authorized geographic code specified in this NOFO and must meet the source and nationality requirements set forth in 22 CFR 228.

7. Selection of Instrument

The principal purpose of the relationship with the Recipient and under the subject program is to transfer funds to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation of the Energy Talent Development-West Africa Activity which is authorized by Federal statute. The successful Recipient will be responsible for ensuring the achievement of the program objectives and the efficient and effective administration of the award through the application of sound management practices. The Recipient will assume responsibility for administering Federal funds in a manner consistent with underlying agreements, program objectives, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award.

[END OF SECTION A]

https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/acquisition-assistance-ombudsman

SECTION B ELIGIBILITY

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligibility for this NOFO is restricted. Eligibility for this award is restricted to local entities in the following countries:

Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Organizations registered in and primarily based in Nigeria are not eligible to submit applications.

USAID anticipates a separate opportunity will be released to invite Nigerian organizations to implement locally led Power Africa activities.

USAID defines a “local entity” as an individual, a corporation, a nonprofit organization, or another body of persons that:

(1) is legally organized under the laws of;

(2) has as its principal place of business or operations in; and

(3) is

(A) majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of; and

(B) managed by a governing body the majority of who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of a country receiving assistance.

For purposes of this definition, ‘majority owned’ and ‘managed by’ include, without limitation, beneficiary interests and the power, either directly or indirectly, whether exercised or exercisable, to control the election, appointment, or tenure of the organization's managers or a majority of the organization's governing body by any means.

USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID. Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for federal financial assistance on the same basis as any other organization and are subject to the protections and requirements of Federal law.

Interested and eligible applicant organizations may submit no more than one concept paper and one application under this NOFO.

2. Cost Sharing

USAID has established a required minimum recipient cost share of 10% for the award. Such funds may be provided directly by the recipient; other multilateral, bilateral, and foundation donors; host governments; and local organizations, communities and private businesses that contribute financially and in-kind to implementation of activities at the country level. This may include contribution of staff level of effort, office space or other facilities or equipment which may be used for the program, provided by the recipient. For guidance on cost sharing in federal financial assistance see 2 CFR

200.306. Applicants may refer to Section D, Application Content and Format, regarding requirements for the submission of letters or other documentation to verify commitments to meet cost-sharing requirements.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This funding opportunity is authorized under the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, as amended.

The resulting award will be subject to 2 CFR 200 – Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, and USAID’s supplement, 2 CFR 700, as well as the additional requirements found in Section H.

1. Problem Statement

Of the roughly 500 million people1 living in West Africa2, an estimated 220 million are living without access to electricity3. Despite the endemic power shortages that impede socio-economic development in West Africa,4 electricity demand is projected to triple by 2040. Given the abundance of solar, hydro, and wind resources available in the region, West Africa is well-positioned to meet the growing demand for energy through clean energy development.

West Africa’s power system will need to expand and modernize to meet this growing demand.

Energy sector institutions throughout the West Africa region and their workforce will likewise need to grow and acquire the necessary skills for an expanding and evolving sector.

Responses to a request for information released by Power Africa made it evident that abundant capacity exists within local West African concerns and institutions to provide the needed capacity building to meet the needs of the sector, both with regards to the institutions that govern as well as the companies that are governed by them.

2. Activity Focus

Power Africa’s results framework clearly articulates Power Africa’s goal of Advancing sub-Saharan African development through universal access to clean energy. The results framework presents three Development Objectives outlining the programmatic areas in which Power Africa intends to provide assistance. These include Ending Energy Poverty, Accelerating a Carbon-Free Future, and Bolstering Competitive Private Sector Investment and Innovation in the Energy Sector.

3. Program Goals, Approach and Objectives

Goals:

Power Africa is entering into a five-year effort to advance West Africa’s power sector development through the Empower West Africa contract awarded in June 2024. The Energy Talent Development-

1 https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL 2 Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

3https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2023/01/31/accelerating-access-to-renewable-energy-in-west-africa#:~:text=West%20Africa%20has%20one%20of,costs%20in%20Sub%2DSaharan%20Africa 4 https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/23/15933 https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2023/01/31/accelerating-access-to-renewable-energy-in-west-africa#:%7E:text=West%20Africa%20has%20one%20of,costs%20in%20Sub%2DSaharan%20Africa https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2023/01/31/accelerating-access-to-renewable-energy-in-west-africa#:%7E:text=West%20Africa%20has%20one%20of,costs%20in%20Sub%2DSaharan%20Africa

West Africa activity complements Empower West Africa, by building the capacity of local individuals, companies and institutions advancing West Africa’s energy sector development. The knowledge, skills, and abilities built through this award will help to establish the foundation on which the West African energy sector can expand the supply of and access to affordable and reliable electricity services in West Africa.

Approach:

The Activity will fill broad capacity gaps that hinder growth of the energy sector across West Africa.

The Activity will build the capacity of energy stakeholders (including developers, electrification agencies, industry associations, cooperatives, savings and credit groups, and other enterprises, institutions, decision-makers, and consumers) through training, workshops, mentorship opportunities, on-the-job learning opportunities, business development services, business matchmaking, participation in conferences, certifications, etc. Capacity building support may not include project-targeted support, for example transaction advisory services, design, feasibility studies, etc.

In line with USAID policies on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, and in order to support West African energy sectors to overcome historical disadvantages that have hindered equitable participation in this sector, the Activity will pay special attention to building the knowledge, skills, abilities of women, youth, and other underrepresented populations, including but not limited to female business and advocacy group leaders.

Strengthening the role of women in Africa’s energy sector has been a longstanding priority for Power Africa. Power Africa has supported technical and professional skills training and apprenticeship programs for women, it has worked with public- and private-sector entities in the sector to adopt policies promoting women’s employment, and it has promoted the adoption of gender lens investing principles among energy sector investors. Power Africa has supported some youth and broader social inclusion activities in recent years.

A gender analysis (see Attachment 7) was completed, and key findings were incorporated into the design as appropriate. The gender analysis identified three main gender gaps prevalent within the energy sector: 1) differences in men’s and women’s access to and use of electricity; 2) differences in men’s and women’s participation in the energy sector; and 3) the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and girls as a consequence of unsustainable energy sector policies and investments.

The Activity should address the most prevalent and adverse capacity gaps facing West Africa’s energy sector, as well as evolving capacity gaps that emerge throughout the life of the Program. The Activity may identify capacity building interventions via expert advice, capacity assessments, emerging opportunities, and recommendations from the Empower West Africa activity.

Coordination with Other USAID Implementers:

https://sam.gov/opp/39886e4999994b768d83471ebd06fb6c/view

The Activity must coordinate closely with the Empower West Africa contract, particularly in the work planning stage, to help identify highest impact interventions that support a whole-of-Power Africa approach to advancing West Africa’s power sector development and to avoid duplication of effort across Power Africa, the West Africa region, and other donor interventions.

Objectives:

In line with a whole-of-Power Africa approach, the Activity should identify capacity building needs that would advance the following objectives also outlined in the Empower West Africa Activity:

- Optimizing utility performance to increase access;

- Off-grid generation and connections increased;

- Transition to clean energy development and deployment accelerated;

- Private sector investment and innovation in the energy sector enhanced for domestic and regional infrastructure.

The Activity is not expected to contribute directly to the targets laid out in the EWA statement of work, but will complement Power Africa’s efforts toward reducing energy poverty by providing the technical capacity building support necessary to catalyze Power Africa’s results in West Africa. As relevant, the activity should coordinate with other efforts being undertaken by Power Africa to achieve these goals, including the Health Electrification and Telecommunications Alliance, The Cleantech Energy Network, support to the Africa Development Bank and African Legal Support Facility, Power Africa’s inter-Agency and Development Partner efforts, and others.

4. Indicative Results

The following table offers illustrative indicators aimed at capturing the results of interventions aimed at advancing Power Africa’s Development Objectives under this activity.

Development Objective

Intermediate Result Illustrative Indicators

Ending Energy Poverty

1.3 Business and employment

opportunities increased, particularly for women, by improved access to energy.

1.3.1 Number of employed women

benefiting from on-the-job, technical, or professional development training as a result of Power Africa assistance.

Bolstering Competitive Private Sector Investment and Innovation in the Energy Sector

3.2 Enabling environment

strengthened for clean energy investment.

3.2.3 Number of people trained in technical

energy fields with USG assistance.

3.2.5. Number of Institutions with

improved capacity to address Clean Energy Issues as supported by USG assistance (EG.

12-2).

https://sam.gov/opp/39886e4999994b768d83471ebd06fb6c/view

Targets and data collection methods for the program will be established upon award in accordance with the Power Africa MEL plan.

5. Guiding Principles

Inclusiveness and Localization - Power Africa is committed to advancing USAID’s localization goals.

USAID defines localization as the set of internal reforms, actions, and behavior changes that the Agency is undertaking to ensure that USAID’s work puts local actors in the lead, strengthens local systems, and is responsive to local communities. USAID is committed to shifting funding and decision-making power to the people, organizations, and institutions that are driving change in their own countries and communities because experience shows that local leadership over development is important for equity, effectiveness, and sustainability.

Capacity Building - Achieving universal access to electricity requires local capacity to maintain and continue the progress made after Power Africa projects end. This means there must be local expertise for policy making and regulation, for managing utilities, and for the private sector to develop, implement, and operate successful, profitable projects. Without an effective, appropriate institution in charge of each of the key components, even the best designed technical system will fail.

Just Energy Transition - The transformation to a clean energy economy requires support for a just, equitable and inclusive transition process for workers and affected communities so that all are protected against the risks and benefit from the opportunities presented by this transition. By embracing the opportunities to increase renewable energy generation and create quality jobs, it can help drive sustainable economic growth for a resilient and net zero economy.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning - Collaborating, Learning and Adapting will be key to the success of this activity, given its broad and cross-cutting approach. Adaptive management refers to adjusting an intervention’s tactics based on iterative learning, thereby customizing the intervention. As such, establishing implementation decision points and milestones will be necessary during the life of the activity. While the Recipient may need to test an array of approaches, to ensure results, it will need to learn from its experiments and quickly hone in on those that are getting results, drop those that are not, and adapt approaches where indicated. Such an approach will also require a flexible monitoring system, across intervention components, private sector and public sector actors, and development partners.

This activity will rely on data and evidence to inform its decisions and direct its interventions. The project will aim for data-driven decision-making and use a multidisciplinary approach to improve regulatory quality and governance. The Recipient is expected to set up a data analytics system to support project activities, identify milestones and achieve outcomes. This system should define data-gathering techniques, analytical methodologies, predictive modeling and technology applications that will be utilized in this activity. Data quality, consistency, accuracy and completeness should be ensured. Data disaggregation by gender should be followed. Once data is analyzed, the system should also allow the visualization of results using infographics. Refer to

Section H for additional information regarding the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan and data collection.

Digital Technology - The responsible inclusion and consideration of accessible digital technology aligns with the goals of USAID’s Digital Strategy. Building on decades of USAID leadership in digital development, the Digital Strategy outlines USAID’s deliberate and holistic commitment to improve development and humanitarian assistance outcomes through the responsible, ethical, and equitable use of digital technology and by fostering open, accessible, inclusive and secure digital ecosystems. The Recipient will collect activity location data (e.g. GIS) and transmit it to USAID on a quarterly basis.

Climate Change - In April 2022, USAID launched its ‘Climate Strategy 2022-2030’ with the objective of helping the Agency chart a course through this decade which “will be decisive for the future of this planet.” Several elements of the Climate Strategy are germane to this Award. For example, Intermediate result 1.1 describes USAID’s ambition to sponsor greenhouse gas mitigation measures “that drastically reduce new greenhouse gas emissions, including short-lived climate pollutants like methane.” The Climate Policy describes the “extremely limited conditions” under which support for oil and gas projects would be considered, and notes that “US government guidance limits those circumstances to ones in which there are no viable alternatives to meet priority national security, development, or humanitarian objectives, and when support for gas does not delay the transition to renewable energy or otherwise inhibit the achievement of net-zero global emissions by 2050 and the country’s decarbonization pathway and/or goals.” Climate Change Strategy goals for gender equality and inclusive development, equitable access to finance, and a just and equitable transition to net zero.

[END OF SECTION C]

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USAID_Digital_Strategy.pdf.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USAID-Climate-Strategy-2022-2030.pdf

SECTION D: APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORMAT

1. General Content and Form of Concept Paper and Application

Phase 1: Preparation of Concept Paper Form:

Each applicant must complete the Concept Paper Form (Attachment 8) and submit it with documentation that supports eligibility of the organization (Refer to Section B. of this document).

The concept paper form will provide brief information about the applicant's proposed activity.

Applicants must not change the format of the form. The Concept Paper Form must not exceed 5 pages and must be submitted in English by the closing date and time indicated on the cover letter of this solicitation. If the concept paper exceeds 5 pages, only the pages up to the limit will be reviewed, and pages exceeding the limit will not be considered.

Any Concept Paper not adhering to the format in Attachment 8 will not be evaluated. Any additional information or reference material pages not requested by the NOFO may be removed prior to evaluation and may adversely affect an applicant’s evaluation/review.

Phase 2: Preparation of Application:

Only upon request from the Agreement Officer will the applicant develop an application following the below instructions.

Applications must be submitted in two separate parts: the Technical Application and the Business (Cost) Application. This subsection addresses general content requirements applying to the full application. Please see below, for information on the content specific to the Technical and Business (Cost) applications. The Technical application must address technical aspects only while the Business (Cost) Application must present the costs, and address risk and other related issues.

Both the Technical and Business (Cost) Applications must include a cover page containing the following information:

● Name of the organization(s) submitting the application;

● Identification and signature of the primary contact person (by name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone number and email address) and the identification of the alternate contact person (by name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone number and email address);

● Program name

● Notice of Funding Opportunity number

● Name of any proposed sub-recipients or partnerships (identify if any of the organizations are local organizations, per USAID’s definition of ‘local entity’ under ADS 303.

Any erasures or other changes to the application must be initialed by the person signing the application. Applications signed by an agent on behalf of the applicant must be accompanied by evidence of that agent’s authority, unless that evidence has been previously furnished to the issuing office.

Applicants may choose to submit a cover letter in addition to the cover pages, but it will serve only as a transmittal letter to the Agreement Officer. The cover letter will not be reviewed as part of the merit review criteria.

Applications must comply with the following:

● USAID will not review any pages in excess of the page limits noted in the subsequent sections.

Please ensure that applications comply with the page limitations.

● Applications must be written in English.

● Use standard 8 ½” x 11”, or “A4” single sided, single-spaced, 12 point Calibri font, 1” margins, left justification and headers and/or footers on each page including consecutive page numbers, date of submission, and applicant’s name.

● 10-point font can be used for graphs and charts.

● Submitted via Microsoft Word or PDF formats, except budget files which must be submitted in

Microsoft Excel.

● The estimated start date identified in Section A of this NOFO must be used in the cost application.

● The technical application must be a searchable and editable Word or PDF format as appropriate.

● The Cost Application must include an Excel spreadsheet with all cells unlocked and no hidden formulas or sheets. A PDF version of the Excel spreadsheet may be submitted in addition to the Excel version at the applicant’s discretion, however, the official cost application submission is the unlocked Excel version.

Applicants should retain a copy of the application and all enclosures for their records.

2. Technical Application Sections and Annexes

The Technical Application includes the following:

1. Cover Page (maximum of 1 page)

2. Executive Summary (maximum of 1 page)

3. Technical Approach (maximum of 10 pages)

4. Institutional Capacity and Management Capabilities (maximum of 10 pages)

5. Staffing and Management Plan (maximum of 10 pages)

Annexes (Not included in the above page limits):

1. Annex 1: Staffing Chart (2 pages maximum)

2. Annex 2: Key Personnel Resumes (3 pages maximum for each resume)

3. Annex 3: Key Personnel Availability (1 page maximum per key personnel candidate)

Dividers or blank pages between sections do not count against the page limits described above. No annexes other than the ones described above will be evaluated.

3. Technical Application Format

The technical application should be specific, complete, and presented concisely. The application must demonstrate the applicant's capabilities and expertise with respect to achieving the goals of this program. The application should take into account the requirements of the program and merit review criteria found in this NOFO.

a) Cover Page (See Section D.1 above for requirements)

b) Table of Contents (Include major sections and page numbering to easily cross-reference and identify merit review criteria.)

c) Executive Summary (1 page)

The Executive Summary must provide a high-level overview of key elements of the Technical Application.

d) Technical Approach (maximum of 10 pages)

The Technical Approach describes how the Applicant intends to carry out the Program Description (Section C). It should be concise, specific, and complete, and demonstrate a clear understanding of the work to be undertaken and the responsibilities of all parties involved. Applicants must demonstrate how gender and social inclusion issues are suitably integrated into various components of EWA. Information in this section should include (but is not limited to) the following:

● Clearly describe how the Activity will achieve the goals and intermediate results outlined in the

Program Description.

● Explain how the mechanism will build capacity of local actors in the Energy Sector

● Indicate specifically how the applicant proposes to work with the other partners to contribute to the overall capacity-building gap objectives of the Empower West Africa program.

● Integrate the Agency priorities and principles, including gender, youth, do no harm, and inclusive development, etc. as outlined in Section C - Program Description, to effectively contribute to the expected results and outcomes of the program.

● Describe where activity implementation will take place. This can be in one or more of the countries identified in Section B.

e) Institutional Capacity and Management Capabilities (maximum of 10 pages)

The applicant should highlight their Institutional Capacity and Management Capabilities with a focus on expertise in building capacity of local institutions and individuals through training, workshops, or other capacity-building interventions to advance the goals of EWA, specifically aimed at closing the energy poverty gap within the region.

f) Staffing and Management Plan (maximum of 10 pages)

The Staffing and Management Plan should describe how activity personnel will contribute towards achieving the objectives and results described in the Program Description. The proposed plan must describe and justify the composition and organizational structure of the activity team. It must also describe how the technical expertise and experience of all staff members is conducive to achieving expected results of the activity. The Applicant must clearly define the role of each key personnel and the minimum qualifications for each position. The key personnel should include:

(1) Chief of Party (COP) / Activity Director

(2) Technical Delivery Lead

(3) Finance Director

(4) Monitoring & Evaluation & Learning/Communications Specialist

(5) The applicant may choose to propose a 5th key personnel position (it is not required)

Annexes for Key Personnel and Staffing Approach (not included in the 10 page limit for the Staffing and Management Plan:

1. Staffing Chart (2 pages maximum) - The Applicant will provide a Staffing Chart to depict how lines of authority will be structured and managed within the Applicant’s own organization with the Chief of Party at the head and other supporting staff below the COP. The applicant is encouraged to maximize use of local experts in both key and non-key positions and seek meaningful gender balance and diversity in its overall staffing.

2. Resumes (3 pages maximum for each resume) - Resumes must include education and experience of proposed key personnel candidates.

3. Key Personnel Availability (1 page per key personnel candidate, not to exceed 5 pages) - The Award to the applicant includes a key personnel clause, and the quality of key personnel proposed will be an evaluation factor. The Applicant must include as part of its proposal a statement signed by all individuals proposed as key personnel, confirming their present intention to serve in the stated position and their present availability to serve for the duration of the proposed Award.

4. Business (Cost) Application Format

The Business (Cost) Application must be submitted separately from the Technical Application. While no page limit exists for the full cost application, applicants are encouraged to be as concise as possible while still providing the necessary details. Budget costs figures should be expressed in U.S.

dollars.

Prior to award, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation deemed necessary for the Agreement Officer to assess the applicant’s risk in accordance with 2 CFR 200.206. Applicants should not submit any additional information with their initial application.

The applicant must sign and submit the following forms from the Standard Form (SF) 424 series.

Standard Forms and their accompanying instructions can be accessed electronically at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family (use the “Grants.gov” forms). This includes the submission of the:

● Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

● Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

Applicants should carefully review the official Grants.gov instructions for completing each Standard Form. Failure to accurately complete these forms could result in the rejection of the application.

(a) Required Certifications and Assurances

Upon request by the AO, the applicant must complete the following documents and submit a signed copy:

“Certifications, Assurances, Representations, and Other Statements of the Recipient” ADS 303mav (https://www.usaid.gov/about-us/agency-policy/series-300/references-chapter/303mav)

“Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)” found at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family (use the “Grants.gov” form)

(b) Budget and Budget Narrative

The Budget must be submitted as one unprotected Excel file with visible formulas and references and must be broken out by project year, including itemization of the federal and non-federal (cost share) amount. Files must not contain any hidden or otherwise inaccessible cells. Budgets with hidden cells lengthen the cost analysis time required to make an award, and may result in a rejection of the cost application. The Budget Narrative must contain sufficient detail to allow USAID to understand the proposed costs. The applicant must ensure the budgeted costs address any additional requirements identified in Section D, such as Branding and Marking. The Budget Narrative must be thorough, including sources for costs to support USAID’s determination that the proposed costs are fair and reasonable.

The Excel Budget must include the following worksheets or tabs, and contents, at a minimum:

● Summary Budget, inclusive of all program costs (federal and non-federal), broken out by major budget category and by year for activities implemented by the applicant and any potential sub-applicants for the entire period of the program. See Attachment 2 for Cost Application Summary Budget Template

● Detailed Budget, including a breakdown by year, sufficient to allow the Agency to determine that the costs represent a realistic and efficient use of funding to implement the applicant’s https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.usaid.gov/about-us/agency-policy/series-300/references-chapter/303mav https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family program and are allowable in accordance with the cost principles found in 2 CFR 200 Subpart E.

● Detailed Budgets for each sub-recipient, for all federal funding and cost share, broken out by budget category and by year, for the entire implementation period of the project.

The Detailed Budget must contain the following budget categories and information, at a minimum:

1) Salaries and Allowances – Must be proposed consistent with 2 CFR 200.430 Compensation -

Personal Services. The applicant’s budget must include position title, salary rate, level of effort, and salary escalation factors for each position. Allowances, when proposed, must be broken down by specific type and by position. Applicants must explain all assumptions in the Budget Narrative. The Budget Narrative must demonstrate that the proposed compensation is reasonable for the services rendered and consistent with what is paid for similar work in other activities of the applicant. Applicants must provide their established written policies on personnel compensation. If the applicant’s written policies do not address a specific element of compensation that is being proposed, the Budget Narrative must describe the rationale used and support market research.

2) Fringe Benefits – (if applicable) If the applicant has a fringe benefit rate approved by an agency of the U.S. Government, the applicant must use such rate and provide evidence of its approval.

If an applicant does not have a fringe benefit rate approved, the applicant must propose a rate and explain how the applicant determined the rate. In this case, the Budget Narrative must include a detailed breakdown comprised of all items of fringe benefits (e.g., superannuation, gratuity, etc.) and the costs of each, expressed in U.S. dollars and as a percentage of salaries.

3) Travel and Transportation – Provide details to explain the purpose of the trips, the number of trips, the origin and destination, the number of individuals traveling, and the duration of the trips. Per Diem and associated travel costs must be based on the applicant’s normal travel policies. When appropriate please provide supporting documentation as an attachment, such as company travel policy, and explain assumptions in the Budget Narrative.

4) Procurement or Rental of Goods (Equipment & Supplies), Services, and Real Property – Must include information on estimated types of equipment, models, supplies and the cost per unit and quantity. The Budget Narrative must include the purpose of the equipment and supplies and the basis for the estimates. The Budget Narrative must support the necessity of any rental costs and reasonableness in light of such factors as: rental costs of comparable property, if any;

market conditions in the area; alternatives available; and the type, life expectancy, condition, and value of the property leased.

5) Subawards – Specify the budget for the portion of the program to be passed through to any subrecipients. See 2 CFR 200 for assistance in determining whether the sub-tier entity is a subrecipient or contractor. The subrecipient budgets must align with the same requirements as the applicant’s budget, including those related to fringe and indirect costs.

6) Construction – It is not authorized under this Award.

7) Other Direct Costs – This may include other costs not elsewhere specified, such as report preparation costs, passports and visas fees, medical exams and inoculations, as well as any other miscellaneous costs which directly benefit the program proposed by the applicant. The applicant should indicate the subject, venue and duration of any proposed conferences and seminars, and their relationship to the objectives of the program, along with estimates of costs.

Otherwise, the narrative should be minimal.

8) Indirect Costs – Applicants must indicate whether they are proposing indirect costs or will charge all costs directly. In order to better understand indirect costs please see Subpart E of 2 CFR 200. The application must identify which approach they are requesting and provide the applicable supporting information. Below are the most commonly used Indirect Cost Rate methods:

Method 1 - Direct Charge Only Eligibility: Any applicant that does not have or intend to propose a NICRA (see Method 2) or use a de minimis rate on U.S. Federal awards (Method 3).

Initial Application Requirements: All costs must be reflected under the “Other” cost category. See the instructions above on how to reflect allocated “administrative/indirect” costs in the Budget and what supporting information must be provided as part of the Budget Narrative.

Method 2 - Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) Eligibility: Any applicant with a NICRA issued by a USG Agency must use that NICRA Initial Application Requirements: If the applicant has a current NICRA, submit your approved NICRA and the associated disclosed practices. If your NICRA was issued by an Agency other than USAID, provide the contact information for the approving Agency. Additionally, at the Agency’s discretion, a provisional rate may be set forth in the award subject to audit and finalization. See USAID’s Indirect Cost Rate Guide for Non Profit Organizations for further guidance.

Method 3 - De minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC) Eligibility: Any applicant that does not have a current NICRA Initial application requirements: Applicants may determine the appropriate rate up to the 15 percent limit. The de minimis rate does not require documentation to justify its use and may be used indefinitely. Organizations electing to use the de minimis rate must ensure the same rate (up to 15 percent) is used for all Federal awards until and unless the organization chooses to apply for a NICRA. The applicant must describe in the Budget Narrative which cost elements it will charge directly vs. indirectly and reflect this in the budget. Costs must be consistently charged as either direct or indirect costs and may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. See 2 CFR 200 for further information

Method 4 - Indirect Costs Charged As A Fixed Amount Eligibility: Non U.S. non-profit organizations without a NICRA may request, but approval is at the discretion of the AO Initial Application Requirements: Provide the proposed fixed amount and a worksheet that includes https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/OCC_A_Guidefor_NonProfit_Indirect_CostRate_Oct31_16_Version1.01.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/OCC_A_Guidefor_NonProfit_Indirect_CostRate_Oct31_16_Version1.01.pdf the following:

● Total costs incurred by the organization for the previous fiscal year and estimates for the current year.

● Indirect costs (common costs that benefit the day-to-day operations of the organization, including categories such as salaries and expenses of executive officers, personnel administration, and accounting, or that benefit and are identifiable to more than one program or activity, such as depreciation, rental costs, operations and maintenance of facilities, and telephone expenses) for the previous fiscal year and estimates for the current year

● Proposed method for prorating the indirect costs equitably and consistently across all programs and activities of using a base that measures the benefits of that particular cost to each program or activity to which the cost applies.

If the applicant does not have an approved NICRA and does not elect to utilize the 15% de minimis rate, the Agreement Officer will provide further instructions and may request additional supporting information, including financial statements and audits, should the application still be under consideration after the merit review. USAID is under no obligation to approve the applicant’s requested method.

9) Cost Sharing

If a cost share requirement is specified in Section B.2 the applicant must include in the Budget and Budget Narrative: 1) an estimate of the amount of cost-sharing, the type of resources committed (e.g., funds, in-kind, etc.), 3) the sources of cost share contributions (e.g., third party contributions from non-Federal entity, applicant organization funds, direct procurement, etc.), and 4) the basis of calculation (e.g., detailed explanation of costs). To complete the SF-424A, components of cost share should be broken down into the same major cost categories described above. Applicants must also submit third-party information such as references, letters of support, or letters of commitment to contribute to cost sharing.

(c) Prior Approvals in accordance with 2 CFR 200.407

Cost principles specifically require Agency written prior approval for certain items of cost. For these items, simply including the item in the detailed budget does not satisfy the requirement for Agency prior approval. To request that such an item be approved in an award, the applicant must include an explicit request for its approval in the Budget Narrative. Note that any such approval is at the Agreement Officer’s discretion and such approval may not be granted at the time of award. See 2 CFR 200.407 for information regarding which cost elements require prior written approval.

(d) Approval of Subaward Activities

The applicant must submit information for all subawards that it wishes to have approved at the time of award. For each proposed subaward the applicant must provide the following:

● Name of prospective subrecipient organization

● Subrecipient organization’s UEI, unless exempted under 2 CFR 25.110 (see Section E – Submission Requirements and Deadline for more information).

● Confirmation that the subrecipient does not have active exclusions in the System for Award Management (www.SAM.gov)

● Confirmation that the subrecipient does not appear on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons list (https://sanctionslist.ofac.treas.gov/Home/SdnList)

● Confirmation that the subrecipient is not listed in the United Nations Security Council Consolidated list (https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/un-sc-consolidated-list)

● Confirmation that the applicant has completed a risk assessment of the subrecipient, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.332(c); including any negative findings as a result of the risk assessment and the applicant’s plan for mitigation.

(e) History of Performance

The applicant must provide information regarding its recent history of performance for all its cost-reimbursement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements involving similar or related programs, not to exceed three years as follows:

• Name of the Awarding Organization;

• Award Number;

• Activity Title;

• A brief description of the activity;

• Period of Performance;

• Award Amount;

• Reports and findings from any audits performed in the last three years and

• Name of at least two (2) updated professional contacts who most directly observed the work at the organization for which the service was performed with complete current contact information including telephone number, and e-mail address for each proposed individual.

If the applicant encountered problems on any of the referenced Awards, it may provide a short explanation and the corrective action taken. The applicant should not provide general information on its performance. USAID reserves the right to obtain relevant information concerning an applicant’s history of performance from any sources and may consider such information in its review of the applicant’s risk.