RFI_No._72052719RFI00003_-_Venezuela_Migration_Project.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Date: January 16, 2019 Subject: Request for Information No. 72052719RFI00003 Title: USAID South America Regional Initiative for Venezuelan Refugees and

Migrants - Brazil, Ecuador and Peru

The United States Government (USG), represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Peru, is seeking information, opinions, and recommendations on approaches for the possible implementation of a multi-country, multi-sectoral activity to address critical and unaddressed needs arising from the Venezuela regional crisis, as described below.

Activity Purpose The purpose of this possible activity is to help facilitate the integration of Venezuelan migrants into their host countries (Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil) through a mix of support for (1) initiatives that promote formal labor market participation and economic integration; (2) focused assistance to selected national and subnational government institutions; and (3) targeted, demand-driven policy changes and procedural reforms to facilitate the socio-economic integration of Venezuelans host countries. The budget for this activity, if implemented, will range between $11,000,000 and $36,000,000. The geographic areas of intervention will be Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. The potential period of performance will be for three years.

Background According to the United Nations (UN), as of November 2018 there were approximately three million Venezuelan citizens sheltering outside of Venezuela and the number is steadily rising. As the situation in Venezuela continues to deteriorate, it is unlikely that the exodus will diminish in the foreseeable future. As of October 2018, there were up to 1.1 million Venezuelans in Colombia1, the country with the greatest number of migrants. The three countries that make up the proposed South American Regional Initiative for Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants (the Activity) have collectively received nearly one million migrants to date: since 2016, Peru has received over 600,000 Venezuelans, and 1,500-2,000 people continue to arrive each day;

250,000 Venezuelans are now residing in Ecuador; and, there are 100,000 in Brazil.

The USG, primarily through the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) and the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), has provided nearly $100 million in humanitarian assistance for Venezuelans in the region to address immediate, short-term challenges including shelter, health, and food security. However, with the exception of Colombia, USAID has limited or no programs to address the emergent mid- to long-term challenges associated with integrating Venezuelan migrants into their host countries. The

1 The number of Venezuelans in Colombia required an immediate response to this crisis and both the GOC and the USG responded quickly over the last year. The needs continue to mount, but due to the relative maturity of this response compared to other countries in the region, Colombia is not a part of this concept.

RFI No. 72052719RFI00003 Venezuela Migrants and Refugees

ANNEX 1 - ACTIVITY CONCEPT

Technical Area 1: Labor Force Integration and Job Creation

Illustrative indicators:

● Number of full-time equivalent jobs created

● Number of migrants obtaining jobs in the formal sector that correspond to their professional qualifications

The Activity will support the adoption of policies and the implementation of programs that will enable Venezuelan migrants to become economically independent and contribute to the host countries’ economies. The Activity will achieve this objective by helping Venezuelan migrants integrate into the formal sector and into jobs that correspond to their background and experience.

Higher rates of formality will contribute to higher tax revenue and reduce migrants’ vulnerability to labor exploitation. The professional qualifications of many Venezuelan migrants (e.g., in Peru, upwards of 70 percent of the initial wave of migrants are skilled professionals) also represents an opportunity for countries in the region to at least partially address the skills gap in their labor markets.

Peru, Ecuador and Brazil have adopted different approaches to labor integration. The Activity will therefore help tailor responses that are appropriate to the target populations and the goals of the host country. There are numerous, proven strategies for integrating migrants into the formal labor force. Illustrative activities include:

● Streamlining processes for recognition of foreign diplomas/professional credentials.

● Creation and/or strengthening of job referral agencies.

● Systems that match migrants’ skills with employers’ demand for skilled labor, with a special focus on cities with the greatest numbers of refugees.

● Exchanges for governments, private sector, civil society (both nationally and intra-regionally) for stakeholders to hear from subject matter experts on effective approaches to integrating immigrants into the formal labor force.

Despite Venezuelans’ relatively high levels of labor preparation, many, if not most, migrants will still be forced to turn to the informal sector to earn a living. Labor informality is high throughout the region, particularly in Peru, where labor informality exceeds 70 percent. Therefore, the Activity will also implement activities that support Venezuelans who are not destined to join the formal sector, at least initially. The following illustrative activities could support both formal and informal employment:

● Entrepreneurship training and small grants to Venezuelans to set up small (micro) businesses.

● Business development services for entrepreneurs – more established businesses with growth potential will receive tailored support, such as facilitating access to capital, employee workforce training, marketing, quality standards training, and connection to markets.

● Support to microfinance institutions for financial inclusion projects.

● Agreements with private sector partners to support Venezuelan entrepreneurs.

The Activity will be careful to optimize the participation of both local residents and the migrant population to ensure that these efforts do not contribute to local resentment towards migrants, and to promote incoming migrants as a net positive for the entire community.

Technical Area 2: Targeted Assistance to National and Local Governments

Illustrative Indicators:

● Change in resources provided to prioritized municipal governments

● Change in targeted municipal governments’ capacity index

● Level of citizen/resident satisfaction with government services

The Activity will provide targeted support to priority national and sub-national government entities so that they can effectively respond to the additional demands associated with Venezuelan migration during a period of significant change. In some neighborhoods, populations have doubled in the span of less than a year. The majority of migrants are congregating in specific low-income neighborhoods or districts of a handful of cities in the region that already had strained capacity, thereby exacerbating the vulnerability of both migrants and host communities. The Activity will help municipal and regional officials acquire the resources and capacity necessary to provide undiminished public services (health, education, water/waste management, safety, etc.) for the entire local population, not just newcomers. Where necessary, the Activity could provide technical assistance to complementary national level government entities in order to facilitate improved local government capacity. Some examples include:

● Needs assessments to ascertain gaps and set priorities for municipal government support activities.

● Technical assistance, informed by priorities identified through needs assessments. This could include activities such as training for local officials in planning, budget formulation and execution, and project oversight.

● Systematic data collection and analyses on the incoming population (population characteristics, skill/education profile, etc.) to inform projected adjustments in services, infrastructure and public investment.

● Strengthening coordination mechanisms between local and national authorities, as well as NGOs providing services and support.

Technical Area 3: Policy Reforms and/or Administrative Changes to Promote Socio- Economic Integration of Migrants2

Illustrative Indicators:

● Number of prioritized reforms and changes adopted as a result of USG assistance.

2 To be coordinated with State Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration -- lead supporter for UNHCR, IOM and leading multilateral organizations.

● Percent of Venezuelans accessing accurate information on assimilation or “regularlization” processes.

Most Venezuelan migrants are likely to remain outside of Venezuela for years to come. As such, many humanitarian organizations, as well as officials from the governments of Peru, Ecuador and Brazil, see targeted procedural, administrative and/or policy changes as critical to enable host countries to meet the needs of and integrate refugees and migrants. There are numerous reforms to be considered, some of which are politically sensitive given the implications they have for the host countries’ budgets and systems (e.g., access to health care). The Activity could assist host countries to address certain reforms, perhaps working through or supplementing the work of international organizations such as UNHCR, IOM, and WHO. This support could also apply to cross-border issues that require coordination across governments to close gaps and improve efficiencies in systems and investments that span multiple countries. Examples of activities under this technical area include:

● Evaluating and modifying documentation requirements for migrants.

● Support for reforms that expand access to public health care and education for refugees and migrants.

● Support to central intragovernmental coordinating units to direct migration response and integration process across government agencies.

● Support the efforts of host government authorities and international organizations to obtain required documents and certifications from Venezuelan authorities.

● Harmonizing government immunization efforts (so Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru do not vaccinate the same people repeatedly).

To complement the efforts outlined above, the Activity could provide targeted technical assistance to policymakers to make informed decisions in developing appropriate policies and regulations. Examples of targeted technical activities that could be supported directly:

● Cost-benefit analyses of possible policy options, such as providing preventive health care services to migrants.

● Support for contracting consultants on a needs-basis with relevant specialties for ministries or agencies (e.g. lawyers, economists, public policy experts).

Two other initiatives the Activity may support under this technical area relate to information gathering and dissemination:

● Data collection/Registry: A prerequisite for reform efforts is reliable and detailed information regarding Venezuelan migrants to formulate proper policy responses and for budgeting purposes. In many cases, there is limited data available to identify migrants in most vulnerable situations and subsequently target and adapt assistance or services. The need for systems that capture demographic data and needs, migration flows, humanitarian assistance needs, and services provided is a common theme from across the region. More accurate and reliable data could be used to measure how Venezuelan migration is impacting service delivery, and thereby inform overall response efforts. International organizations are already supporting such data collection efforts to some degree. The Activity could help fill any identified gaps.

● Dissemination: Migrants need reliable and accessible information on many issues such migratory or refugee status, access to public services, work permits, enrolling children in school, etc. The Activity will support government and NGOs efforts to disseminate this information. Note that some support, such as those related to registration and the legal status and protection of migrants or refugees, is already provided in part by organizations such as UNHCR or IOM, which receive support from the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).

[END OF ANNEX 1]

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes. (Oct 1997)

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(b) Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.