USAID UGANDA HEARTS RFI-SSN72061725RFI0001.pdf

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI/SSN) ONLY. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the United States Government (USG). All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary, and the USG will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the USG.

Request for Information (RFI/SSN) / Sources Sought Notice (SSN) Reference Number: 72061725RFI0001

Issuance Date: December 5, 2024.

Response Due Date and Time: January 3, 2024, 9:00am EAT/Kampala, UG time

Response Email Address: uganda.oaa@usaid.gov

SUBJECT: USAID/Uganda RFI/SSN - Healthy Ecosystems and Resilient Thriving Societies (HEARTS)

Action Requested:

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to Uganda is seeking interest and feedback from potential local and international sources that could potentially provide services for a new USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity entitled “Healthy Ecosystems and Resilient Thriving Societies (HEARTS)”.

USAID/Uganda seeks this feedback, outlined in Attachment 1, in order to gain a better and more complete understanding of the pool and composition of organizations:

1. Responses to inquiries

2. Information on the availability, interest, and diverse capacities of biodiversity conservation-focused entities.

Respondents are encouraged to review the questions and respond to only those that are relevant to their experience and capabilities.

HEARTS Preliminary Purpose, Objectives, and Country Context:

mailto:uganda.oaa@usaid.gov

● The preliminary purpose is to enhance biodiversity conservation in key priority areas while improving the prosperity and well-being of communities, for long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

● The preliminary objectives are to:

1. Consolidate and upscale viable conservation enterprises

2. Enhance coordination, policy and institutional capacity and partnerships

3. Promote sustainable practices in agriculture, wildlife, and forestry to balance human needs with the preservation of ecosystems,

4. Build appreciation of the value of biodiversity among stakeholders

● About 85% of the Ugandan population are directly dependent on biodiversity for income, food, biomass fuel & pasture. However, there are various threats to the country’s biodiversity, including habitat loss leading to loss of species and ecosystems, increasing wildlife crime, retaliatory killings, poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Other challenges to biodiversity conservation include human-wildlife conflicts, gaps in wildlife and forest policies, limited private sector engagement and sustainability and scalability of green enterprises. Despite this, Uganda has made notable progress in protecting priority landscapes and improving livelihoods of people living adjacent to protected areas. HEARTS will seek to accelerate the progress made and ensure scalability, sustainability and impact.

Submission Instructions

Submissions must use the response template (Attachment 1). They must be in English, submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format, and must not exceed the character limits specified for each response, using the table margins provided, single-spaced Calibri font size 12.

Responses will be held confidential unless otherwise specified, but respondents are advised to refrain from sending proprietary information. USAID/Uganda reserves the right, but is not obligated to incorporate any, some, or none of the comments received into any subsequent RFPs/NOFOs.

Responses to this RFI/SSN must be submitted by email no later than January 3, 2024, 9:00am EAT/Kampala UG time, to uganda.oaa@usaid.gov with the email subject line mailto:uganda.oaa@usaid.gov and file name: “RFI/SSN # 72061725RFI0001 [Organization or Individual]”.

Responses received after this deadline may not be read or considered.

USAID/Uganda currently anticipates holding a related industry day the second to last week or last week of January, 2025. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

If USAID/Uganda receives multiple submissions from an individual/organization, we will only review one submission at random, regardless of the order received. Phone calls or hard copy delivery will not be accepted. You may receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response.

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

Sincerely, Andreea Surdu

Contracting and Agreement Officer

USAID Uganda

ATTACHMENT 1: Activity - Healthy Ecosystems and Resilient Thriving Societies

(HEARTS)

S/N Question and Instructions Answer 1 What is the name of the organization?

Include the full name and acronym, if applicable. (MAXIMUM 50 CHARACTERS)

2 What is the type of organization? Choose one answer option.

A. Non-governmental, not for profit B. Governmental C. Social enterprise D. Civil society organization E. Private, for-profit business F. Academia G. Other (specify)

3 What is the organization’s current registration status? Choose one answer option.

A. Ugandan (local) B. East African (regional) C. Global/international

4 What year was the organization founded?

Write the year as YYYY (Numerical only)

5 How many employees does the organization currently have? Write the total number (Numerical only)

6 Where is the organization’s headquarters located? Include the City/Town, District/State, and Country. (MAXIMUM 200

CHARACTERS)

7 What is the primary location of operations of the organization? Choose one answer option.

A. Within one region of Uganda B. Within multiple regions of Uganda C. Nationally in Uganda D. In Uganda and other East African countries E. Global

8 What is your experience with Biodiversity conservation overall? Do you have experience in working with local entities (Government, NGOs, private sector, communities)? (MAXIMUM 500

CHARACTERS)

9 Please select the technical area(s) you have supported in biodiversity conservation. Select all that apply.

A. Private sector engagement in conservation enterprises B. Collaborative conservation approaches

C. Governance, policy and legislation D. Institutional capacity development E. Protected area management and law enforcement F. Public-private concession arrangements G. Species and landscape conservation and recovery H. Other (Briefly specify in 6 words or less _____________

10 For the technical areas you selected above (Q10), briefly describe the support you provided and highlight any innovation you may have introduced for each area, if applicable. (MAXIMUM 1000

CHARACTERS)

11 Describe your past experience working with USAID in biodiversity conservation

(MAXIMUM 200 CHARACTERS)

12 Please list up to five awards supporting biodiversity conservation that this organization managed in the past 10 years.

Please list the funding amount, whether you were the prime or a sub-awardee, and from which donor, including but not limited to USAID, other US government sources, other international donors, organizations, or private foundations. Provide responses in bullet form

13 Describe your past experience developing situation models, results chains and Theory of Change using the open standards for the practice of conservation (MAXIMUM 500

CHARACTERS)

14 Is there anything not covered above that you think we should know about your organization?. (MAXIMUM 200

CHARACTERS)