72066323RFI00001 - Grand Challenge.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Grand Challenge: Partnering with Private Sector for Health in Ethiopia

RFI NUMBER: 72066323RFI00001

ISSUANCE DATE: December 15, 2022

RESPONSE DUE DATE: January 31, 2023

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), represented by USAID/Ethiopia, seeks information to help improve this planned “Grand Challenge: Partnering with Private

Sector for Health in Ethiopia” notice/opportunity. The RFI generally:

● Seeks comments and recommendations on the draft Grand Challenge;

● Assess interest and capacity of potential local and locally registered private sector organizations in submitting applications in response to the Grand

Challenge; and

● Explores potential barriers in partnering with the private sector through this Grand

Challenge.

This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation, or ultimately award a contract or assistance agreement on the basis of this RFI, or to pay for any information voluntarily submitted as a result of this request. USAID is not obligated to procure any of the services described herein, nor in no way be committed to utilize submitted information or issue a solicitation as a result of this request. The issuance of this request will not restrict the

Government's ultimate approach, if any.

Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. It should be noted that responding to or providing comments on this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement (if any).

USAID posts its competitive business opportunities on SAM.gov or www.grants.gov. It is the potential offeror's/applicant's responsibility to monitor these sites for announcements of new opportunities.

You will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response. Hard copy responses are not required and are discouraged.

http://beta.sam.gov/ http://beta.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

Comments should be concise and specific to the question. Responding to each question is not required. Please give consideration and respond to the following questions or sub-questions in maximum 300 words or less per response.

Responses to this RFI should be submitted to USAID via email to mendris@usaid.gov with a copy to caddis@usaid.gov with the subject line “RFI # 72066323RFI00001-Grand

Challenge”, no later than the date and time stated above.

Questions:

1. Is the Grand Challenge clear and specific enough? It is intended to support any private sector generated solutions that would improve health demand of services, introduce new technology or innovation to improve how health services are or can be delivered in Ethiopia, and finally support any ideas or solutions on how current business delivery services or support services for health (i.e. lab, etc) can be improved with a new private sector generated solution. Is that clear in the language?

2. If you are a local or locally registered private sector organization (for profit and not for profit) and interested in this potential funding opportunity (Grand Challenge), please provide concise and specific responses to the following questions.

a. What is the name of your organization and where is its headquarters located?

b. In which regions have you ever operated?

c. What is your organization's mission?

d. In what area(s) do you consider your organization to be an expert in?

e. Has your organization ever tried to partner with USAID or another donor? If so, please provide a short description of the program and challenges proved to be barriers or limitations during performance and how they were mitigated?

f. How many beneficiaries/clients did you reach in the last year?

g. How many full-time staff members and/or volunteers does your organization currently have?

h. How is your organization funded? Did your organization generate any revenue in the past year?

i. Please list current and previous donors from which you have received funding from and how much they have contributed, when, and for what purposes.

3. If you are a local or locally registered private sector organization (for profit and not-for-profit) and not interested in this potential future funding opportunity (Grand Challenge), please provide concise and specific responses to the following questions.

a. Why would you not consider bidding on this opportunity?

b. What could be improved in this Grand Challenge to better attract private sector actors to bid on this Grand Challenge opportunity?

4. We are looking to support innovation and solutions through this Grand Challenge that can be scaled and absorbed by the health system in Ethiopia. Is the private sector (including enabling environments) developed sufficiently enough to scale solutions? What might be the barriers to scale? How can other donors support/address barriers to scale?

//Signed (Original Signature on File)//

Alula Abera

Contracting/Agreement Officer

Draft Grand Challenge: Partnering with the Private Sector for Health in Ethiopia

Introduction

This is a funding opportunity that seeks Concept Notes on game changing solutions and innovations to advance reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) programming and results in Ethiopia through catalytic private sector partnerships and solutions. USAID defines innovation as the pursuit of novel business or organizational models, operational or production processes (public or private), or product or service that leads to substantial improvements in addressing development challenges. The Grand Challenge for Development model reflects an understanding that there is seldom just one way to solve complex development problems. In this regard, this Grand Challenge is designed to attract a diverse range of market-driven approaches to accelerate the design and deployment of solutions to improve RMNCH outcomes. Target beneficiaries for solutions can include businesses, service providers (public and private), entrepreneurs or youth/women of reproductive age and their partners, pregnant and lactating women and their partners and/or children under five directly.

The specific needs of all of the above beneficiaries vary widely. For these reasons, this Grand

Challenge is designed to support a wide range of activities that build on Applicants' individual strengths and the particular market environments in which they operate/plan to operate. This Grand

Challenge is intended to support innovative and scalable solutions and solutions that can be absorbed into the existing Ethiopia health system.

In that respect, generally we are seeking solutions that align to the 10 types of innovations adapted by USAID1 from Doblin2 :

OFFERING

1. Product Performance: How you design your core offerings (form and function)

2. Product System: How you link and/or provide a platform for multiple products and or services

3. Service: How you provide value to customers and consumers beyond and around your products

DELIVERY 4. Channel: How you get your offerings to market (public or private)

5. Brand: How you communicate your offerings

6. Customer Engagement: How your end users feel when they interact with your company and its offerings

1 Innovation Realized: Expanding the path to Health Impact:

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/USAID-Innovation-Realized-Guide_web508.pdf

2 https://doblin.com/dist/images/uploads/Doblin_TenTypesBrochure_Web.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/USAID-Innovation-Realized-Guide_web508.pdf https://doblin.com/dist/images/uploads/Doblin_TenTypesBrochure_Web.pdf

FINANCE 7. Business model: How product or services are bought and sold

8. Network: How you join forces with others for mutual benefit

PROCESS

9. Enabling Process: How you support organization’s core workers and processes

10. Core Process: How you create and add value

I. THE OPPORTUNITY

In 2015, countries focused on 17 critical goals to ensure a “better world with no one left behind” by 2030 adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 3 represents health and focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages. It includes ambitious goals to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, ensure universal access to reproductive health care services, and achieve universal health coverage and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

Since 2000, Ethiopia has reduced maternal and child mortality by half, but a maternal mortality rate of 412 per 100,000 live births and child mortality rate of 67 per 1,000 are still too high.

Impressive progress has been made, with half of women now giving birth in a facility, reducing the risk of death due to complications during delivery. However, ensuring timely arrival and service quality at facilities remains a challenge. These conditions are exacerbated as the health system struggles to both meet the demand for routine quality healthcare and the frequent need to respond to drought, conflict, or disease outbreaks, including COVID-19. Chronic and acute malnutrition also continue to threaten the lives of young children and make them more vulnerable to other illnesses.

USAID/Ethiopia supports an annual health sector portfolio of approximately $180 million that addresses maternal and child health, reproductive health/family planning, infectious diseases

(HIV/AIDS, TB, Global Health Security and malaria), and health systems strengthening. The majority of USAID’s health activities to date have focused on improving primary health care services in rural areas, and USAID will continue and expand these investments in partnership with the Ministry of Health, focusing on the well-being of women, children, and families across the country by expanding access to quality health services, with a focus on reaching underserved communities.

National-level RMNCH outcomes are not on track to meet the SDG targets. While continuing to invest in public sector service delivery, USAID recognizes the importance of supporting investments in the private sector – where an estimated 20 percent of the population receives maternal care – to ultimately end preventable maternal and child deaths. Expanding the USAID health portfolio into the private sector provides an opportunity to demonstrate successes to the

MOH, align with USAID’s localization vision, and enable the Mission to catalyze bold, innovative, market-driven ideas.

USAID/Ethiopia therefore invites organizations and companies to partner with USAID/Ethiopia, as described below, to improve RMNCH outcomes by:

1. Testing new technologies or solutions to improve operational efficiencies of health service providers, systems, networks, institutions or stakeholders;

2. Adapting existing non-health sector solutions (i.e. agriculture) to be tested in the health sector to benefit health workforce, service providers, entrepreneurs and or ultimately women and their partners and children;

3. Significantly expand access to safe, affordable and quality RMNCH services in Ethiopia through differentiated service delivery models;

4. Increase demand for quality RMNCAH services; and

5. Introduce solutions that address barrier to uptake of RMNCAH services i.e. logistics, transportation, out-of-pocket payments

USAID/Ethiopia understands that impacting RMNCH outcomes takes times, therefore, this Grand

Challenge opportunity would like to find and fund solutions that will eventually impact RMNCH outcomes, thought acknowledgement in the short term we are influencing solutions, processes and product that can impact RMNCH outcomes in the longer term.

Of particular interest are opportunities that complement USAID’s strategic focus on science, technology and innovative partnerships, universal health coverage, ending preventable maternal and child deaths (including family planning and nutrition), and support the Agency’s Mission to end extreme poverty in partnership with the private sector.

USAID engagement with the private sector

USAID recognizes that achieving sustainable solutions to global challenges requires collaboration across the public, private and philanthropic sectors. By engaging with the private sector in particular, USAID works to build dynamic, mutually beneficial partnerships with companies to foster sustainable growth and improve business outcomes in developing countries. USAID works as a co-investor, convener, facilitator and risk mitigator, offering support to companies that in turn share their resources, assets and expertise. We believe the strongest partnerships are rooted in deeply shared interests, and our process for engagement starts with understanding each other’s objectives, interests and capabilities, and open dialogue to zero in on the highest potential opportunities to advance shared goals.

It is expected that proposals/application received through this solicitation will respond to one, two or all three of the following areas of need:

1. Health Demand Generation;

2. Technology and Innovation;

3. Health Business Model Development.

USAID anticipates that individual awards between $750,000 and $1,000,000 will be available for the following activities:

1. Health Demand Generation. USAID supports efforts to design affordable, scalable approaches to increase clients' demand for quality health services. USAID financial support may be used for designing and piloting innovative demand generating activities, social marketing, and change management strategies to overcome the risk aversion associated with applying new technologies to long-standing health practices.

2. Technology and Innovation. USAID support is available for development and/or adaptation of affordable technologies or solutions focused on improving reproductive, maternal or child health outcomes or business operations of those who support the intended beneficiary group. This support may be for new technologies that are still in the incubation/demonstration stage, and/or existing technologies that are yet to be modified to respond to the demands of a specific target market i.e. applying an agriculture solution to the health sector. Successful Applicants will need to clearly articulate the nature of the technology, its strengths and weaknesses over current/alternative practices, as well as opportunities and barriers to its commercial deployment within the identified target markets.

3. Business Model Development. It is not only weak demand and technology constraints that hinder RMNCH outcomes. USAID is also looking for innovative/operational/ business solutions that make quality health care or associated technologies affordable and accessible to clients, health entrepreneurs or other businesses to drive operational efficiency to improve the quality of health services provided, productivity and profitability. USAID support may be used to develop and test, for example, new service delivery options;

payment arrangements; financing; marketing techniques for service businesses that would improve their financial sustainability. USAID could provide incentives to develop new partnerships not traditionally aligned to test or adapt new business models and or sustainability of proposed innovations.

With the above parameters, there are two levels of funding that can be considered:

1. Best Ideas: up to $750,000 for well established organizations that would like to introduce, test and then adapt an existing solution to the problems or parameters above.

2. Sustainable Change: Up to $1,000,000 to scale existing or rapidly adaptable solutions with more established organizations/entrepreneurs.

Illustrative health challenges that could be funded under this Grand Challenge include, but are not limited to:

● A network of private health clinics seeking financing in order to scale their services;

● A small, medium enterprise seeking to scale existing and innovative health products/services into a new market or population segment;

● Tailored health sector loan products developed;

● A distributor seeking to grow its distribution routes and points in order to reach a rural community in need of goods and/or services; and

● An innovator seeking technical assistance to improve its profitability and growth trajectory plan.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Generally we are looking for Concept Notes that clearly demonstrate the following attributes:

● Scalable solutions in the Ethiopian context and within the Ethiopian health system;

● Innovation, including creativity of the given approach and clear differentiation from existing approaches;

● Low-cost and ability to be scaled rapidly with clear frameworks for rigorous monitoring and cost-effective analyses;

● Ability to increase the adoption of proven innovations in such a way that systems (around the problem) can sustain the desired results with minimal external inputs;

● Strong likelihood of achieving a change in the performance of the health system, service provider, quality of care of RMNCH services, clients’ lives;

● Solutions that can be deployed and have an impact in the near-term (6-12 months of initial investment); and

● Approaches that simplify and encourage harmonization and interoperability of systems, reducing burdensome procedures.

WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR:

● Proven approaches that are already in wide-scale use;

● Solutions that are less efficacious than and/or in conflict with current technologies or approaches;

● Basic research (research directed towards fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications towards processes or products in mind);

● Laboratory-intensive research.

Grand Challenge Vision

This call will provide up to $750,000 to $1 million to respond to an idea/organization's submission for demonstration of results for 12-18 months. If USAID sees success, it can decide after this initial investment that it will continue and fund additional work (1-3 years additional).

However, an initial investment does not guarantee nor commit future investment by USAID.

II. Overall Purpose and Specific Rights Reserved for the Government under this Grand

Challenge

A. This Grand Challenge is a competitive approach to consider proposals/applications that harness scientific research and innovation to improve health system performance result or improved results/impact in the lives of service provider, health actors or clients receiving value/benefit, allowing USAID to:

1. Reach out to potential partners with recognized expertise in relevant areas, and

2. Co-create, co-invest, and collaborate with partners.

B. Multiple awards are anticipated.

The amount of resources made available under this Grand Challenge will depend on the concepts received and the availability of funds.

C. This Grand Challenge reserves specific rights for USAID Ethiopia, in addition to rights described elsewhere in this document or by law or regulation, including:

1. The right to select for negotiation and award all, some, one, or none of the proposals/applications received in response to this solicitation.

2. The right to make awards without discussions, or to conduct discussions and/or negotiations, whichever is determined to be in USAID Ethiopia’s interest.

3. The right to accept proposals/applications in their entirety or to select only portions of proposals/applications for award or co-investment.

4. The right to select for award an instrument type that is appropriate to the specific development context, partner relationship, and concept selected for award. Instruments types include but are not limited to contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, Global

Development Alliance agreements, or Development Innovation Agreements. In addition, the USAID Ethiopia may craft a new instrument type to meet the needs of a specific relationship.

5. The right to co-create projects with one or more submitters under this Grand Challenge, when it is in the best interest of USAID Ethiopia.

6. The right to request any additional, necessary documentation upon initial review. Such additional information may include, but is not limited to, a further detailed proposal/application, budget, and representations and certifications.

7. The right to fund or co-invest in proposals/applications in phases, with options for continued work at the end of one or more of the phases.

8. The right to remove proposers from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions, and cost/price within a reasonable time, the proposer fails to timely provide requested additional information.

III. Opportunity Information

Problem and Challenge Statements

Amidst stagnant RMNCH outcomes, USAID Ethiopia sees a clear and urgent need for innovative ideas around improving the delivery, demand, operational efficiencies of businesses, entrepreneurs or other institutions that would improve health care services to end preventable maternal and child deaths.

PROBLEM

USAID Ethiopia supports an annual health sector portfolio of approximately $180 million which addresses maternal and child health, reproductive health/family planning, infectious diseases

(HIV/AIDS, TB, Global Health Security and malaria), and health systems strengthening. The majority of USAID Ethiopia’s health activities to date have focused on improving primary health care services in rural areas. USAID Ethiopia will continue and expand these investments in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH); however, to impact national-level public health outcomes related to RMNCH, USAID Ethiopia recognizes the importance of supporting investments in the private sector both in service delivery where an estimated 20 percent of the population receives maternal care and other non-service delivery areas that support operational or business efficiencies, improve quality of care, demand for services/solutions or other solutions to ultimately end preventable maternal and child deaths.

Expanding the USAID Ethiopia health portfolio into the private sector (including for-profit and faith-based/non-profit) aligns with USAID’s localization vision and enables the Mission to catalyze bold, innovative, market-driven ideas.

Success will include improved RMNCAH service use, better care uptake, reduced mortality in health facilities.

CHALLENGE

Develop new practical and cost-effective solutions to (1) help health care workers provide better care (2) transform business operations for more sustainable health business models or operational/ancillary services and/or (3) accelerate our ability to support women, children and families access better care and health services, whether in a health facility or not.

Background

In July 2018, the Global Financing Facility conducted a private sector assessment in Ethiopia to identify challenges as well as opportunities to improve quality and efficiencies in the private sector https://www.globalfinancingfacility.org/sites/gff_new/files/documents/Ethiopia-health-private-sector-assessment.pdf and increase access to private services.

The broad challenges identified included:

● Quality of care/confidence in providers, services, management/operational limits in private facilities;

● Competition among providers and fragmented service for comprehensive care including pharmacies;

● Very low patient ability to pay for healthcare services and existing ability to pay

“untapped”;

● Limited access to care in harder to reach areas;

● Inefficiencies in supply chain and or logistics leading to stock-outs, shortages;

● Fragmented access to diagnostics and imaging facilities;

● Fragmented access to quality drugs, supplies and equipment at reasonable cost for the private sector;

● Limited flow of information between public and private sectors, weakening the Ministry of Health’s ability to make comprehensive data-driven policy and guidance and limiting access to mentorship, oversight and knowledge transfer from the public to private system and visa versa;

● No system of accreditation or network of providers to facilitate knowledge exchange, referrals or to check quality or joint advocacy;

● Limited access to insurance schemes for the poor and limited information on insurance for providers on payments/etc. which creates a disincentive for them to use insurance systems.

General Criteria for Consideration

A. Submissions are not evaluated against other submissions, but solely against the evaluation criteria from the Grand Challenge.

B. Decisions regarding USAID Ethiopia’s pursuit of a particular project, technology or relationship are based on the available evidence, data, and resulting analysis. USAID Ethiopia seeks solutions that have a significant impact (i.e. breakthroughs, not incremental improvements), and can achieve that impact at scale.

C. The reputations of an organization, its past performance, the managerial and technical ability of the person or team of people engaged in the endeavor are always significant considerations in assessing the potential and the risks associated with each award.

D. For the purposes of this Grand Challenge, USAID/Ethiopia seeks Grand Challenge partners that possess a number of the following experiences:

○ Connecting disparate communities and or actors;

○ Connecting with experts in nontraditional and diverse sectors;

○ Implementing adaptive and/or iterative programming;

○ Managing for results; and

○ catalyzing new ideas effectively.

E. Criteria to be applied to all Concept Notes:

1. Idea/Approach: Soundness of your idea/approach, including appropriate evidence, to fostering systems that address the challenges and harness opportunities to improve results as outlined throughout this Grand Challenge.

2. Partnership Expectations and Value: Strengths of your group as a partner, including your ability to provide a financial, in-kind, or leveraged match at various stages of the process.

3. Scale Plan: Ability to clearly detail how you will be able to scale your approach/solution within Ethiopia and within the existing health/local structures in Ethiopia after the initial investment.

4. Metrics for Success: Strength of your concept note in clearly detailing your metrics that will demonstrate success within 12-18 months. Clear indicators and targets should be established to define success.

IV. Award Process

A. The amount of resources made available under this Grand Challenge will depend on the concepts received and the availability of funds. The award process under this Grand Challenge has the following steps:

Stage 1. Concept Note: Please submit a Concept Paper in accordance with Section VII. Concept

Notes must indicate the development idea which will work towards discovering potential solutions to the Problem and Challenge Statement(s), by increasing knowledge and understanding of potential solutions, exploiting improvements in current systems, structures, technology, materials, processes, methods, devices, or techniques, advancing the state of the art, or using scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, testing, or evaluation of a potential new network structure, product or service (or of an improvement in an existing product or service). Additionally, the Concept Note should outline a concrete programmatic plan, focus areas, goals, timelines, etc.

Stage 2. Review by Selection Committee/Technical Evaluation Committee . All final Concept

Notes will be reviewed by the Grand Challenge Ethiopia Selection Committee/Technical

Evaluation Committee, composed of experts from USAID, partners, and/or outside parties. The

Selection Committee/Technical Evaluation Committee will review Concept Notes and recommend which applicant(s) should be considered Apparent Successful Partner(s). Using its technical expertise, the Selection Committee/Technical Evaluation Committee will suggest revisions/additions to the project, and potential partner(s) and resources. NOTE: Not all potential partner(s) may move forward to Stage 3.

Stage 3. Oral Presentations. For All Concept Notes that are approved by the Selection

Committee/Technical Evaluation Committee, submitting organizations will be invited to present their Concept Note to the Selection Committee/Technical Evaluation Committee in-person or via hybrid or virtual option meeting.

Stage 4. Contracting/Agreement Officer Determination. The Contracting/Agreement officer will review the Selection Committee/Technical Evaluation Committee recommendations and consider other information, such as resource availability, preliminary partner responsibility assessment, and

Agency priorities, will make a determination that the respondent is an Apparently Successful

Partner(s). The Contracting/Agreement Officer may also make or narrow down the anticipated instrument type to facilitate activity design.

Stage 5. Request for Additional Information. USAID Ethiopia will work with ASPs identified by the Peer and Scientific Review Board, and co-design the activity and assist the partner to provide additional information with respect to the proposer’s technical approach, capacity, management and organization, past performance, and budget, as well as representations and certifications, as needed.

Stage 6. Additional Partners/Resources. During the activity and co-design, both the Apparently

Successful Partner and USAID Ethiopia will identify additional partners and resources, and whether additional mechanisms are necessary to implement the project.

Stage 7. Final Review and Negotiation. The USAID Ethiopia Contracting/Agreement Officer will engage in final review, negotiation, and determinations of instrument type, responsibility, cost reasonableness, etc., and will craft an award instrument with the Apparently Successful Partner(s).

If the Apparently Successful Applicant(s) and USAID Ethiopia cannot arrive at a mutually agreeable arrangement, the Contracting/Agreement Officer will cancel the project at no cost to the

U.S. Government.

Stage 8. Award. Where USAID Ethiopia determines that the award of an instrument is appropriate, the USAID Ethiopia Contracting/Agreement Officer will award the instrument. All funding will not be provided at once, rather, awards will be developed with clear milestones tied to distribution of the total funding level. USAID Ethiopia is not obliged to issue a financial instrument or award as a result of this Grand Challenge.

V. Award Information

A. Number of awards could vary and may not mirror the number of Concept Notes submitted.

B. Awards under this Grand Challenge will be made to Apparently Successful Partners on the basis of their ability to further USAID Ethiopia’s the goals outlined in this Grand Challenge.

USAID Ethiopia is seeking new applications of science, innovations, and partnerships that provide the best value to the U.S. Government and have the potential to substantially contribute to these goals.

C. Proposals identified for negotiation may result in a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, Global Development Alliance agreement, Development Innovation Agreement, or alternative agreement type, depending upon the nature of the work proposed, the required degree of

Government involvement, and other factors. The Government Contracting/Agreement Officer will determine award instrument type and negotiate instrument terms and conditions with selectees.

USAID Ethiopia may select the award instruments it deems appropriate.

D. Eligibility Information. Public, private, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations, as well as institutions of higher education, public international organizations, non-governmental organizations, U.S. and non-U.S. governmental organizations, multilateral and international donor organizations are eligible under this Grand Challenge. All organizations must be determined to be responsive to the Grand Challenge and sufficiently responsible to perform or participate in the final award type.

E. Standard Clauses and Provisions of Award. The standard clauses or provisions for awards are generally prescribed by law and regulation and will vary considerably by award type. Information regarding clauses and provisions will be offered to the proposer when the award type is identified.

F. Organizations are encouraged to consider providing reasonable cost sharing, leverage, or other exchange of resource arrangements, and are encouraged to suggest creative approaches to resourcing projects.

VI. Information Protection

USAID Ethiopia’s goal is to facilitate the research and development that will lead to innovative, and potentially commercially viable, solutions. Understanding the sensitive nature of submitters’ information, USAID Ethiopia will work with organizations to protect intellectual property.

Concept Notes should be free of any intellectual property that submitter wishes to protect, as the

Concept Notes will be shared with USAID Ethiopia’s partners as part of the selection process.

However, once submitters have been invited to engage in further discussions, submitters will work with USAID Ethiopia to identify proprietary information that requires protection.

Therefore, organizations making submissions under this Grand Challenge grant to USAID

Ethiopia a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to use, disclose, reproduce, and prepare derivative works, and to have or permit others to do so to any information contained in the Concept

Notes submitted under the Grand Challenge. If USAID Ethiopia engages with the organization regarding its submission, the parties can negotiate further intellectual property protection for the organization’s intellectual property.

Organizations must ensure that any submissions under this Grand Challenge are free of any third party proprietary data rights that would impact the license granted to USAID herein.

VII. Instructions for Concept Note Submission: Two Phase Approach

Instructions for Concept Note Submission: USAID/Ethiopia welcomes Concept Notes outlining ideas and solutions that can address the problem statement and or challenges outlined above.

NOTE: All and any costs to prepare and/or submit the Concept Note will not be reimbursed by

USAID/Ethiopia. Organizations that do not follow these guidelines/instructions will be disqualified from consideration.

The USAID New Partnerships Initiative3 (NPI) and the Agency’s Commitment to Localization4 aim to diversify USAID’s partner base by creating avenues for new, underutilized partners to work with USAID. Through these two initiatives, the Agency promotes local leadership, seeks bold and innovative approaches to fostering self-reliance, and identifies new sources of funding to sustain partnership and scale impact. As such, focus on local capacity development (structured and with milestones documenting progress), knowledge, ownership (through co-financing agreements), and sustainability (cost-effective and beyond development partner funding) is encouraged for this

Concept Note.

Applicants can submit Concept Notes as an individual organization/company, partners (non-financial relationships) and or consortium that incorporates local and/or international organizations for differing perspectives and/or comparative advantages in talent, expertise, and experience.

Eligibility: All legally registered organizations, local and/or international, for-profit or not-for-profit.

Concept Note Outline:

● Format:

○ Maximum 10 pages (pdf or docx), excluding Header, Summary Budget and optional graphic(s)

3 USAID New Partnerships Initiative. February 9, 2022.

4 https://www.workwithusaid.org/blog/usaid-s-commitment-to-advancing-localization https://www.usaid.gov/npi https://www.workwithusaid.org/blog/usaid-s-commitment-to-advancing-localization

○ Times New Roman 12-point font, 1 inch page margins, and page numbers

○ English language

○ Includes a Header with the following information:

■ Respondent Name/Group and Contact Information

■ Response Title

● Content:

1. Overall Scientific and Technical Merit: Ideas and/or approaches to support improved RMNCH outcomes, including brief identification and summary of supporting evidence.

Note: Not all areas above need to be submitted in a Concept Note. The Concept Note can address all or any number of the above four areas, but must address solutions to improve expressed challenges/objectives.

2. Partnership Expectations/Value: Your organization’s and/or consortium’s unique perspectives and capabilities to respond to the challenges outlined in this Grand

Challenge and any ability to provide a financial, in-kind, or leveraged match at various stages of the process.

3. Scale Plan: Your organization’s and/or consortium’s unique perspectives ability to clearly detail how your organization(s)/company/companies will be able to scale your approach/solution within Ethiopia and within the existing health/local structures in Ethiopia after the initial investment.

4. Metrics to Define Success: Your organization’s and/or consortium’s ability to clearly detail metrics (performance and cost) and approaches to measure and monitor these metrics within 12-18 months and beyond (for scale). Clear indicators and targets should be established to define success.

5. Summary Budget:

a. Table listing major cost categories and a total budget cost

b. A brief explanation (300 words or less) of budget line items and structure, as applicable. NOTE: Budget details are not a requirement at this time.

Your Concept Note, if accepted, will result in your participation in an oral presentation to meet

USAID staff and other stakeholders in-person and present your Concept Note in full. Further guidance will be provided on the content of PowerPoint Presentations that will guide Phase 2 oral presentations.

Phase 2: Oral Presentations

Phase 2 applicants/offerors will be requested to submit a slide deck [1 slide per page, pdf and

PowerPointformat] PowerPoint presentation slides. Further details will be provided to successful applicants/offerors.

The applicants/offerors should anticipate being available for oral presentations within 7-10 days after submission of the slide deck. USAID Ethiopia anticipates hosting in-person (hybrid with virtual) or virtual oral presentations, and will communicate the date, time, and other details as appropriate.

Applicants/offerors must follow the instructions provided under this section for preparation of the content of their PowerPoint slides.

Applicants/offerors are required to furnish up to three key staff to present their submitted slide deck. Up to three individuals from each organization/company will be allowed to present. Other members of the team may be present for the presentation as observers only.

USAID Ethiopia will have the submitted slide decks pre-loaded and ready for each

Applicant/offerors to present. No materials (printed or other) will be allowed to supplement the presentation during the presentation session.

Presentation is required in the following format:

[90 mins] Factor 1 - Overall Scientific and Technical Merit

Factor 2- Partnership Expectations and Value

Factor 3-Scale Plan

Factor 4-Metrics to Define Success

Factor 5- Summary Budget

Factor 6-Management Framework

[15 mins] Break

[20 mins] Clarification and Questions and Answers

Total time allocated for presentation, break, and clarification questions and answers will last no longer than 115 minutes. Total presentation time will last no longer than 90 minutes. USAID

Ethiopia has not limited the number of slides to be presented. However, the limiting factor is the time allotted. No presenter will be allowed to exceed the time limitation.

The audience of the presentation will include USAID staff as well as other key stakeholders. The

Agreement Officer/Contracting Officer or Designee will moderate the presentation and ensure time is adhered to for each Applicant.

Oral presentations may take place virtually using a digital video conference (DVC) platform or at the USAID/Ethiopia office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia or another location. Specific details will be issued in a follow-up communication after submission, and review of all slide decks. In the cover letter, Applicants should indicate the physical location(s) from which participants will be calling in for their oral presentation to support the planning of the DVCs or whether their preference is to present at the USAID/Ethiopia office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The oral presentations and slide deck will serve as the Applicant’s application to the Government and will be evaluated. Thus, the Applicant must demonstrate the capabilities and experience of their organization, capabilities, and experience of the proposed key personnel, clearly articulate the technical and management approaches of the Applicant, and address the merit review criteria in Section E.

Additionally, during the presentation Applicants should:

A. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the problems and challenges where the

Applicant proposes a technical approach and results to be achieved, organizational capabilities and the related business processes that will support reduction of preventable maternal and child deaths.

B. Demonstrate their capability to engineer and deliver on the proposed solutions and results.

Instruction for Content of PowerPoint Presentation:

The basic purpose of the PowerPoint Slides and the in-person or virtual presentation session is to provide the information necessary to allow USAID/Ethiopia to evaluate the applicant/offerors fairly and completely under each of the merit review criteria specified in this Grand Challenge.

Accordingly, the PowerPoint Slides will contain the following major sections:

1. Technical Approach

2. Partnership Expectations and Values

3. Scale Plan

4. Metrics to Define Success

5. Summary Budget

6. Management Framework

7. Institutional Capacity and Relevant Experience

VIII. Review of Submissions

The following criteria will be applied to all Concept Notes:

A. Idea/Approach: USAID will focus on how the applicant/offerors contribute fresh, informed and realistic thinking, and how the applicant/offerors uses supporting evidence and analysis to clearly demonstrate how the proposed idea will support improved RMNCAH outcomes in

Ethiopia.

B. Partnership Expectations and Values: Strengths of your organization as a partner, including your ability to make unique contributions to this critical development challenge, and manage provided resources and anticipated results.

C. Impact and goals of the program and scalability: Indicate broad and discrete goals of the concept and how they relate to the problem statement, challenges, results to be supported and the feasibility for scale.