RFI_72018224RFI00002-amendment 1.pdf

Document Type: Request for Information (RFI) Reference Number: 72018224RFI00002 – amendment one Issuance Date: June 28, 2024 Closing time: July 12, 2024, 4:00 PM, Tirana time (CST) Subject: Collecting information on Albanian organizations with experience in participatory research and/or capacity strengthening

I. OVERVIEW

The USAID Local Works program in Albania envisions a potential upcoming program to promote economic development and job creation through the agritourism sector in Lezhë.

This program will begin by identifying stakeholder needs and priorities through a region wide listening tour (attached) in Lezhë. Existing networks, private sector entities, non-profit and other organizations will be harnessed to inform and lead this process. Individuals respected in the stakeholder and scientific community will also play a key role in convening and ensuring buy-in from wider groups.

This Request for Information seeks to identify Albanian organizations with previous experience in participatory research and in facilitating training for local organizations, especially in the agriculture and tourism sector.

PURPOSE

This Request for Information (RFI) seeks information on the availability, interest, and diverse capacities of Albanian organizations to support local organizations in Lezhë to conduct a listening tour within the framework of the Local Works activity in Albania.

USAID Albania envisions that the organization may assess local/Lezhë organizations’ capacities to design and conduct a listening tour for identifying stakeholder needs and priorities within the agribusiness sector in Lezhë. USAID envisions that the organization will co-design and co-implement the listening tour through a partnership approach that strengthens local/Lezhë organizations’ research capacities.

As such, USAID/Albania is especially interested in:

● Albanian organizations with previous experience in research and capacity strengthening that have not received more than a total of USD $5 million in the last five years directly (as the prime) from USAID.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://linclocal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/LSP_Listening_ProgramDesign_Final.pdf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1714138825009738&usg=AOvVaw07cxI1e5in9BbTp1JowhXx https://linclocal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/LSP_Listening_ProgramDesign_Final.pdf https://www.google.com/url?q=https://linclocal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/LSP_Listening_ProgramDesign_Final.pdf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1714138825009738&usg=AOvVaw07cxI1e5in9BbTp1JowhXx

● Albanian organizations with previous experience working with grassroots organizations at the local level on issues such as tourism, agriculture or economic development.

II. EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

USAID/Albania welcomes expressions of interest from individuals, organizations, or firms that possess ANY of the capabilities and expertise listed below:

1. Experience related to capacity strengthening of local organizations (technical and administrative):

a. Identifying technical and management needs of local organizations through self-evaluation processes.

b. Designing targeted training programs aimed at increasing research capacities of local organizations.

c. Implementing training programs or conducting coaching, mentoring, or other capacity strengthening activities at the local level for grassroots organizations.

d. Providing guidance and support to local organizations conducting research and assessment at the local level on tourism, agriculture and economic development

e. Serving in a mentorship role for local organizations including, but not limited to, recruiting embedded researchers, supporting or backstopping embedded researchers, and providing quality assurance for developmental research products;

2. Experience in conducting participatory research (both qualitative and quantitative), data collection and analysis:

a. Working with organizations to develop and prioritize learning questions;

b. Designing research and data collection tours, mobilizing and managing research teams;

c. Conducting desk reviews and literature reviews;

d. Conducting focus group discussions, key informant interviews, or other relevant qualitative data collection approaches;

e. Conducting qualitative or quantitative data analysis.

Individuals and organizations DO NOT need to have all the capabilities and experience listed above to respond. The above are illustrative capabilities and experience that USAID may consider relevant to its planned activity.

III. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Please send submissions in Albanian and/or English by email to Tea Kaceli at tkaceli@usaid.gov and Urime Abdyli at uabdyli@usaid.gov by July 12, 2024 at 4:00 PM Tirana time (CEST) . Please include the following on the email subject line: Subject: Local Works RFI – [Name of Organization or Individual].

USAID/Albania values input from our potential partners, and we thank you for your interest and assistance in developing potential future programs.

Please respond to the following as relevant. Questions with an asterisk (*) are required:

1. *Official full name of organization according to the government registration:

2. *Name and title of point of contact:

3. *Email address of point of contact:

4. *What best describes your organization?

a. Non-governmental organization/civil society organization

b. Academic institution or research institution

c. Private sector organization

d. Other [please describe]

5. *Has your organization received more than a total of USD $5M (five million) in funding directly from USAID (i.e. as a prime recipient and not as a sub-award recipient) in the past five fiscal years?

a. Yes, we have received more than USD $5M in funding directly from USAID in the past five years.

b. No, we have not received more than USD $5M in funding directly from USAID in the past five years.

8. *Has your organization ever received funding from the US Government (USG) (either as a Prime awardee or sub-awardee)? (Select all that apply).

a. Yes, we have received funding from the USG before as a Prime awardee;

b. Yes, we have received funding from the USG before as a sub-awardee;

c. No, we have not received any funding from the USG before.

9. *In what language does your organization regularly operate? Select all that apply:

a. Albanian

b. English

c. Other (please specify)

10. *What are the primary sources of funding for your organization? (Select all that apply).

a. The Government of the Republic of Albania

b. International organizations/donors (for example: USAID, GiZ, the World Bank, Embassies, international foundations, international NGOs, etc.)

c. The private sector, including local and international companies

d. Through provision of commercial services/goods

e. Other (please describe)

11. *Please describe your organization's past experience in Albania in capacity building and participatory research (see Section II “Expressions of Interest”). Please also describe your experience working with local municipalities, local communities and/or local organizations such as agriculture, tourism or economic associations, organizations or universities (i.e., entities not based in Tirana). Please specify which region(s) of Albania.

Maximum 2 pages.

Disclaimer Notice:

This is NOT a solicitation. This is NOT a funding opportunity. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes—it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) /Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) or a promise to issue an RFP/NOFO in the future.

USAID may release a full solicitation or funding opportunity at a later date through the U.S.

Government portal at https://beta.sam.gov/ or www.grants.gov. Interest will be treated as information only. Responses to this RFI are not official proposals and in no way will be deemed to form any binding agreement with the U.S. Government and will not be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue a solicitation or funding opportunity or pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. Organizations responding to this request are solely responsible for bearing all expenses associated with the preparation and submission of the responses to the RFI. It is the respondent’s responsibility to monitor www.fbo.gov or www.grants.gov for the release of any further information. Note that responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement or funding opportunity. All responses to this request should be submitted to tkaceli@usaid.gov and uabdyli@usaid.gov.

http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:tkaceli@usaid.gov mailto:tkaceli@usaid.gov mailto:uabdyli@usaid.gov