Anti-Corruption RFI Zimbabwe.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

RFI Number: RFI-613-22-000002

Subject: “Zero Tolerance Towards Corruption” Issuance Date: February 4, 2022 Response Date: February 25, 2022; 8:00 AM Harare, Zimbabwe, Local Time

This USAID/Zimbabwe Request for Information (RFI) is issued for the purpose of providing industry and stakeholders an opportunity to comment on and suggest areas related to a potential new activity on anti-corruption in Zimbabwe. As appropriate, USAID/Zimbabwe will incorporate responses to this RFI into the development of future activity designs that may lead to a formal solicitation or announcement; however, USAID/Zimbabwe is not obligated to do so.

This RFI is published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and FAR 15.201(e). This information will be used to help make planning decisions and influence activity design to improve future development outcomes.

This is an RFI, not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO), and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation or ultimately award an agreement on the basis of this RFI, nor to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request, nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of any comments.

Any funding proposals submitted in response to this request will not be acknowledged or considered. Responses to this notice must be received no later than the due date and time stated above. All information provided will become the property of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will not be returned, and will not be released publically. USAID reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for USAID’s own purposes. Proprietary information must not be sent.

Background On July 11, 2020, the Government of Zimbabwe adopted its National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2020-2024, and President Mnangagwa has stated that “Corruption remains the major source of some of the problems we face as a country and its retarding impact on national development cannot be overemphasized. In individual cases of corruption, every case must be investigated and punished in accordance with the dictates of our laws. There should be no sacred cows. My

RFI-613-22-000002

government will have zero tolerance towards corruption and this has already begun.” USAID1 desires to support the president’s efforts to stem corruption in Zimbabwe, and through this RFI solicits input from the public on particular areas of opportunity and emphasis.

In Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index, Zimbabwe ranks 157th out of 180 countries, and Zimbabwe’s challenges with corruption are well-documented, with widely2 reported scandals in the health, education, agriculture, construction, banking, and natural resources sectors, among others. The economic and social cost of this corruption is significant, with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) recently reporting that the country loses at least US$1.2 billion annually in illicit financial flows (IFFs) alone. Further, a Newsday investigation in December 2021 found that Zimbabwe could be losing at least US$5 billion annually through the export of raw tobacco. This is in addition to the great sums lost to bribery, illegal land deals, and other forms of grand and petty corruption. With the billions lost annually, the government could expedite its own development and advance its 2030 vision.

Submission Instructions Interested parties are invited to submit a response to this RFI in the form of the attached template (ATTACHMENT 1) no later than February 26, 2022; 8:00 AM Harare, Zimbabwe, Local Time. All responses under this RFI must be submitted to harareprocure@usaid.gov.

The issuance of this request will not restrict the U.S. Government’s ultimate approach, if any.

Respondents are advised that USAID is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information, answer questions or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Any information submitted in response to this notice is voluntary. Not responding to this request does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, Zeb Simpson Contracting and Agreement Officer

2 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index, Transparency International (https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/zimbabwe)

1 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-idUSKBN1EE25P

J. Zeb Simpson Digitally signed by J. Zeb Simpson Date: 2022.02.04 09:27:00 +02'00'

Appendix 1: Request for Information (RFI) Response Template USAID/Zimbabwe

Name:

Title:

Organization:

Telephone:

Email:

USAID/Zimbabwe is interested in responses to the following specific questions. (Respondents are encouraged to review the questions and include responses to the most relevant questions in their submissions. Respondents do not need to respond to all the questions listed below.):

1. On what themes, issues, or topics should USAID focus its anti-corruption investments to best deliver tangible results?

2. How can USAID best support civil society, engaged citizens, and other non-governmental actors to meaningfully contribute to Zimbabwe’s fight against corruption?

3. What political and/or economic reforms could best deliver anti-corruption results?

4. How would you evaluate existing eGovernance systems in Zimbabwe in their ability to prevent corruption? What is lacking?

5. How can digitalization help prevent corruption?

6. In what geographic areas should USAID be working in terms of anti-corruption programming? Should we only consider urban areas or rural areas? What about activities that link urban and rural areas? Please provide examples of challenges and opportunities.

7. What is most needed to strengthen public trust in Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption bodies?

What can USAID do to contribute?

8. Who are the key institutional and individual players (both state and non-state) who can effectively advance the effort to fight corruption? How would you engage them?

9. What role can inter-institutional coordination between state actors with mandates to promote transparency and fight corruption play in reducing corruption in the current environment?

10. What media programs or behavior change communication messages would be the most effective in reaching everyday Zimbabweans on the impact of grand corruption on their lives?

11. How can participatory budget initiatives at the local level be used to allow citizens to monitor how resources are being utilized in their respective constituencies?

12. How can the private sector be best engaged in Zimbabwe’s fight against corruption?

13. What methods can assist anti-corruption efforts within the informal economy space?

14. How can citizens without access to the internet be involved in reporting corruption?

15. What are best practices in engaging youth in the fight against corruption?

16. What regional or international actors or bodies have a role to play in engaging in Zimbabwe’s fight against corruption, and what is their role?

17. What other topics or themes not listed above should USAID address or consider while developing its anti-corruption programs?

18. What set of indicators would best measure the results and impact of an anti-corruption activity?