7200AA18APS00003_ADDENDUM_USAID Mapping for Resilience.pdf

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ANNOUNCEMENT

CALL FOR CONCEPT NOTES

USAID Mapping for Resilience –

Community Solutions Through Student-Led Open Mapping Initiatives

UNDER EXISTING

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, and PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL

PROGRAM STATEMENT

APS No.: 7200AA18APS00003

PLEASE NOTE: This is an Addendum to an existing announcement. All interested organizations should carefully review both this Addendum AND the full announcement, which can be found here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=301213. Important information contained in the full worldwide announcement is not repeated in this specific Addendum.

This program is authorized in accordance with Part 1 of the Foreign Assistance act of

1961, as amended.

Through this Addendum to the FY 2018 Science, Technology, Innovation and

Partnership (STIP) Annual Program Statement (APS) No. 7200AA18APS00003 (the

STIP APS), USAID/LAB/CDD is making a special call for the submission of Concept

Notes focused on creating open mapping and geographic data for use by local communities and USAID programs.

This Addendum will support the next iteration of the YouthMappers program.

YouthMappers engages students from more than 100 university chapters around the world to create geospatial data on behalf of USAID and the broader development and humanitarian assistance community. The YouthMappers program aligns with the USAID

GeoCenter’s objective of creating geospatial data in support of Agency mapping and analysis needs. Open geospatial data has proven invaluable in supporting disaster assistance response and long-term development programming at USAID. The

YouthMappers program also supports the Agency goal of engaging youth through education, training, and leadership opportunities.

The specific objectives of this Addendum are to:

1) Enhance development outcomes by creating foundation geospatial data in unmapped places, and making it available for design and implementation of

USAID’s programs.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=301213

2) Improve the quality and completeness of the open mapping platform

OpenStreetMap (OSM) used by the YouthMappers program and many other organizations using the OSM platform to drive economic development, improve communities, and government accountability.

3) Improve workforce capacity by engaging directly with the youth in universities to build mapping skills in support of projects that address local development challenges.

USAID may allocate up to $5,500,000 in 2018 with an anticipated Agreement duration of up to 5 years to support this work. Ideally, the portfolio will include partners in academia and the private technology sector to ensure that the above objectives are met.

Unless otherwise stated herein, all terms and conditions of the STIP APS FY 2018 apply

(https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=301213).

I. Background

The primary challenge this program addresses is a lack of geographic foundation data in the countries where USAID works. USAID projects are frequently implemented in places where there is no available map at a scale that is useful for development planning and project implementation. To better understand where USAID is already working, and to properly target the places where USAID should be working due to need, we must have basic geographic information.

A secondary problem this program addresses is the dearth of economic and higher education opportunities. Many countries where USAID operates are experiencing high growth in the youth demographic along with high levels of youth unemployment. The program’s emphasis on map technology training and its sponsorship of students through fellowships, research, and leadership opportunities provides direct professional development and economic opportunity for students entering the workforce.

II. Solicitation

USAID is seeking Concept Notes to address the challenge of creating new geographic data in unmapped parts of the world where USAID works. The Addendum requests concepts that work within the existing YouthMappers consortium consisting of hundreds of universities and thousands of students creating quality geographic data in the

OpenStreetMap web-based mapping platform.

Concepts should engage university students globally to create new data supporting development programs, strengthen local economic conditions, and make governments more accountable to the needs of their citizens. Additional preference is for the program to introduce skills and provide opportunity for students, as the next generation of workers, to address community issues through mapping and open geographic data initiatives. Attention will be focused on activities that most enable student leaders to guide mapping and data creation projects that spur economic conditions, increase local population resiliency, and help civil society institutions respond to local needs.

Illustrative activities include:

Building upon and managing key components of the YouthMappers Program:

● Maintain a network of university chapters around the world contributing open geographic data to the OpenStreetMap platform;

● Direct student mapping activities to support filling gaps in USAID data needs;

● Organize and provide opportunities for youth leaders through competitive selection processes for fellowships, research grants, professional development workshops, etc.

Creating open geospatial data in places where it is lacking:

● Global virtual volunteer engagement activities;

● Mapathons and field mapping campaigns;

● New technology products and processes that enable massive volunteer contributions.

Investing in local young people as the future geospatial workforce:

● Provide training to students and student leaders to create detailed local maps for use by their community;

● Increase the number of YouthMappers training and capacity building activities;

● Support internships for students to gain deeper skills and experience with private and public sectors;

● Support first-time job placement and establish an alumni network;

● Stimulate and reward entrepreneurial activity and innovative secondary usage data applications.

Building capacity of USAID mission staff, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) implementing partners, and host governments to use open geospatial data:

● Work collaboratively with the USAID GeoCenter to identify USAID project needs for new geospatial data;

● Provide orientation on use of open mapping tools and produce easy-to-use guides;

● Document and disseminate impact of utilization of open geospatial data from the program.

III. Eligibility

Eligibility for this Addendum is restricted to partnerships between one or more higher education institutions (HEI) with the lead being a U.S. HEI. Through this Addendum to the FY2018-FY2019 Science, Technology, Innovation, and Partnership (STIP) Annual

Program Statement (APS) No. 7200AA18APS00003, the U.S. Agency for International

Development’s Global Development Lab (USAID/LAB) seeks to capitalize on the expertise, ingenuity, and passion of the HEI community to advance the network of

YouthMapper chapters to benefit international development through open geospatial data. For purposes of the STIP APS, higher education institutions are defined as follows, consistent with guidance provided by USAID/E3/Education: “A tertiary education institution is an organization that provides educational opportunities that build on secondary education, providing learning activities in specialized fields...Tertiary education includes what is commonly understood as academic education but also includes advanced vocational or professional education. This may include public or private universities, colleges, research institutes, training institutes [including teacher training institutes], etc.”

IV. Evaluation Criteria

Proposed Concept Notes and Full Applications will be evaluated based on the general criteria set forth in the STIP APS in the “Concept Note Evaluation Criteria and

Considerations” section. In addition, the USAID GeoCenter expects to receive Concept

Notes that:

● Demonstrate a capacity to manage and grow the existing YouthMappers program;

● Demonstrate an ability to work with a diversity of partners across government, NGOs, academic institutions, and the private sector to integrate open mapping and geographic data into development programs; and

● Demonstrate an understanding and capacity to meet the objectives of this APS

Addendum.

If USAID requests a Full Application, applicants may be given additional, specific evaluation criteria that address the subject matter of the concept.

V. Application Instructions and Review Process

The USAID GeoCenter will be responsible for the review process of Concept Notes and

Full Applications and management of any awards issued under this Addendum.

Applicants are required to follow the Concept Note instructions set forth in the STIP APS and submit Concept Notes using the Concept Note Template (Appendix 1). Information provided in Section II.B of the Concept Note Template should address the objectives and criteria presented above.

The completed Concept Note Template (including the Concept Note and required

Supporting Information) should be sent to the USAID GeoCenter via Michael Crino

(mcrino@usaid.gov).

Concept notes are due by 5 p.m. on June 22, 2018 in order to be considered. Concept

Notes will be reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants will receive a response regarding their submission by July 6, 2018.

mailto:mcrino@usaid.gov

After review by the USAID GeoCenter, applicants will receive instructions from

USAID’s Center for Development Research on whether to proceed with submitting a Full

Application.

VI. Questions and Further Assistance

Questions regarding the substance and objectives of this Addendum should be directed to

Michael Crino at mcrino@usaid.gov no later than 11 a.m. on June 15, 2018.

Questions regarding the substance and terms of the FY 2018 STIP APS should be directed to LABCDR_Feedback@usaid.gov.

[END OF USAID MAPPING FOR RESILIENCE ADDENDUM TO APS

7200AA18APS00003]

mailto:mcrino@usaid.gov mailto:LABCDR_Feedback@usaid.gov