APS Addendum - NPI_CPRP.pdf

Procurement Sensitive

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

OFFICE OF ACQUISITION and ASSISTANCE

ADDENDUM

CALL FOR PARTNERSHIP CONCEPT PAPERS

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS ADVANCE CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION (GPACT)

UNDER EXISTING

NEW PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE (NPI): CONFLICT-PREVENTION AND

RECOVERY PROGRAM ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT (CPRP)

Annual Program Statement No.: 7200AA19APS00012

Addendum 7200AA19APSADN4

PLEASE NOTE: This is an Addendum to an existing announcement. All interested organizations should carefully review both this addendum AND the full announcement, which can be found here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315424 Important information contained in the full worldwide announcement is not repeated in this specific Addendum.

All interested organizations with global reach and experience should carefully review both this Addendum AND Annual Program Statement APS No.7200AA19APS00012 is the core of this specific Addendum, and important information contained in the APS announcement is not repeated in this Addendum.

This program is authorized in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Through this Addendum to the New Partnership Initiative: Conflict-Prevention and Recovery Program (NPI/CPRP) Annual Program Statement (APS), No. 7200AA19APS00012 (the NPI/CPRP APS), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is making a special call for the submission of Concept Papers that focus on multi-country partnerships with organizations to harness the transformative power of innovation by working with local communities in hard-to-access regions.

USAID seeks partners who can mobilize communities, tap into existing productive efforts at the grassroots level, scale programing on the ground rapidly, address drivers of unproductive social behavior, and draw out the entrepreneurial spirit and strengths of civil society and the private https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315424%20 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315424%20 sector. These activities should catalyze sustained, positive change for people who are living in societies that are emerging from, or are at risk of, conflict, with particular emphasis on women, children, and youth. At the community level, USAID seeks to strengthen families, which are the core building block of all societies. Implementing partners must carry out all activities by recognizing, in the first instance, the universal dignity of the human person.

USAID prioritizes concepts that enable it to work with new and underused development actors as described below and in the NPI/CPRP APS, and with organizations that are able to mentor such new and underutilized partners, based on the belief that a more diverse partner base for the Agency for International Development will expand the available ideas, capabilities, and networks to address shared development challenges. Any proposed intervention or activity must link directly to the achievement of USAID/NPI and U.S. Global Development Lab (Lab) programmatic objectives as broadly outlined herein.

Although this Addendum cannot fund construction activities according to the detailed guidance in Section VII, USAID may fund the purchase of supplies and materials to be given as in-kind grants or directly to beneficiaries.

Subject to the availability of funds, USAID may allocate up to $50 million over the next Fiscal Year to fund a portfolio of multi-country programs. The proposed period of performance can be three to five years. USAID will place priority on supporting the most promising approaches to the objective described herein.

All terms and conditions of this Addendum and the NPI/CPRP APS apply https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315424.

I. OVERVIEW OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

The Lab seeks applications that align with its vision of the Agency as an institution that innovates with partners to solve global development problems. The overarching goal of this Addendum is to use partner organizations’ deep understanding of the social and economic dynamics within communities to mobilize them to prevent and mitigate the drivers of conflict.

Concept papers should outline briefly how interested organizations plan to conceptualize, test, assess, and apply innovative solutions to conflict. In this addendum the Lab intends to: 1) engage partners that can address the drivers of conflict by harnessing existing or producing breakthrough development innovations; and, 2) accelerate the transformation of development to people anywhere with good ideas, but particularly in hard-to-access regions, especially those that are emerging from, or are at risk of, conflict, by promoting new and/or deepening existing partnerships, bringing data and evidence to bear, and harnessing technological advances or local knowledge.

Background: Violent conflict generally manifests itself in fragile states characterized by dysfunctional state-society relationships or artificial boundaries that did not take into account similar communities on both sides of a shared border. Most fragile states and some border regions that straddle several countries tend to lag behind in development, drive most global humanitarian needs, are prone to economic distress, and both incubate and export a range of threats to societies. These threats include tensions between ethnic groups, economic stress, erosion of human-rights protections, communal conflict, poor governance and mismanagement, terrorism, population displacement, and infectious disease.

Conflict-prevention is part of Pillar IV of the United States National Security Strategy. USAID is a leading voice on conflict-prevention in the U.S. Government (USG) and international peacebuilding community. Heretofore, the tools and approaches the Lab champions have only tangentially addressed conflict in fragile states. Through targeted, evidence-based, strategic investments with like-minded and experienced partners with global reach that can work with and mentor local organizations, USAID believes that investments in preventing, and recovering from, conflict provides a cost-effective means to slow, contain, and eventually roll back the spread of the drivers of instability a 16:1 return as the United Nations–World Bank “Pathways to Peace” report established. While USAID has a strong track record of engaging the private sector through a range of development and humanitarian-assistance interventions, the Agency has not tapped fully the private sector’s role in preventing conflict. By using agile funding mechanisms to build partnerships, USAID can support civil society, communities, women, youth, and families and work together with the private sector in fragile regions/countries to roll out and scale existing or new approaches to preventing and mitigating conflict.

Preventing conflict in fragile states is essential in the Journey to Self-Reliance. Conflict-prevention encompasses efforts to disrupt pathways to the outbreak, escalation, or reoccurrence of violent conflict, which requires not merely an understanding of the conflict dynamics in the country or conflict-prone area, but also an adaptive programming that mobilizes local communities and private enterprise; brings about changes in behavior; and employs, monitors, and evaluates fragile regions. At the same time, preventing and mitigating conflict means not only addressing the forces underpinning conflict dynamics, but also building resiliencies into community, social, economic, and political life. It is also critical to identify stressors that drive conflict.

Environments vulnerable to conflict often face unique constraints such as weak or undermined institutions, increasingly frayed social fabric, and/or the presence of spoilers who seek to exacerbate grievances or pre-existing cleavages in society. In those contexts, efforts aimed at prevention, conflict—resolution, peace-building, or addressing grievances are best understood and led by organizations with trust and credibility in the host communities.

To source new ideas and a diverse set of partners in this effort, USAID invites eligible organizations to submit concept papers for collaboration with us to achieve our shared development objectives.

Objectives: The Lab works worldwide, multi-sectorally, and across disciplines, but in this Addendum seeks partners with which it can collaboratively identify new approaches to accelerate change that can prevent or reduce the likelihood of conflict. The Lab is most interested in multi-country concepts that mobilize local communities and the private sector, work with local partners and existing networks as well as across international borders, elicit positive societal change, are evidence-based and cost-effective, and show promise of applicability and potential to scale across diverse geographies. Pathways for partnering can involve working with the private and public sectors, but particularly with local communities and organizations, which can increase capacity for, and commitment to, self-reliance.

USAID seeks applications that demonstrate approaches to fulfill these objectives. Applicants must propose concepts to prevent and mitigate conflict that are community-focused, scalable, innovative, and address the drivers of conflict through social and behavioral change in the following ways, but not limited to the following four themes:

1. New Approaches and Partnerships in-line with USAID’s NPI modalities:

● Producing a multiplier effect through private-sector engagement and development assistance, including the use of sustainable, market-based approaches where possible;

● Furnishing and empowering new and underused development partners to amplify the impact of American tax dollars;

● Pinpointing development solutions that will be community-, country-, and partner-driven for maximum long-term effect;

● Crafting incentives for magnifying and diversifying the role and empowerment of local communities, civil society, the private sector, and partners to achieve socio-economic development across borders and regions;

● Ensuring that programs are local, multi-sectoral, and cross-border;

● Building new types of partnerships, particularly at the local level, with a range of stakeholders, including the private sector, faith-based organizations, women, youth, family, and community groups;

● Promoting the development of solutions through human-centered design, by incorporating the perspectives and problem-solving of the affected communities;

● Implementing social- and behavioral-change programs that respect the local culture, valued messages and messengers, and appropriate communication patterns; and

● Constructing innovative ways to approach the prevention and mitigation of conflict, including by focusing beyond “front line” concerns to underlying challenges such as https://www.usaid.gov/GlobalDevLab early-childhood education on dispute-resolution and safety in schools, access to energy, and natural-resource management.

2. Inclusion, Social Cohesion, Dispute Resolution, Access to Resources:

● Promoting leadership and diversity in leadership, including but not limited to, the following:

○ Reducing discrimination and chronic marginalization;

○ Empowering women and youth, as well as families and communities; and

○ Promoting the fairer allocation of social resources and power.

● Strengthening social cohesion, including but not limited to, the following:

○ Building respect and trust between groups and individuals;

○ Supporting family stability and self-care;

○ Advancing interfaith and interethnic dialogue; and

○ Reducing the deleterious influence of external actors.

● Encouraging more equitable access to state and non-state resources, including but not limited to, the following:

○ Promoting the transparent and equitable allocation of resources, including natural resources and energy, especially to traditionally neglected areas;

○ Reducing corruption;

○ Supporting capable and effective private-sector and non-state actors; and

○ Facilitating private-sector engagement to improve business-enabling environments and reduce barriers to trade and investment.

3. Monitoring and Evaluation

● Identifying ways to measure the ability of programs to prevent or mitigate violent conflict (i.e., impact), including “peace dividends”; and

● Creating efficient ways to generate periodic analysis and monitoring to enable programs to adapt and be responsive to changing conflict dynamics.

4. Early-Warning Capacity (Note: Not operational security/real time warning):

● Building dynamic, web-based tools that can provide accurate early warning of violent conflict (preferably, the warning period would be five years out and two years out) on a periodic basis; and

● Delivering web-based tools that can help diagnose the dynamics (fragility and conflict) that are creating the “early warning” to facilitate response.

II. ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS

Section III A (4) of the Global NPI/CPRP APS details what organizations are eligible to apply for awards under this Addendum. In addition to any requirements listed in the NPI/CPRP APS, this Addendum further requires the following:

Pursuant to 2 CFR 25.110, to apply under this APS and Addendum, the organization must:

1. Be registered in the U.S. Government’s SAM system (http://www.sam.gov) before submitting its application;

2. Provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and

3. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding Department or Agency.

Type of Partnership Eligibility Requirements

Leverage Partner Award

Direct awards to partners to leverage private/non-USAID funding. NPI also seeks to support partnerships with organizations that can leverage their own private (non-USG) funding, in recognition of the important dual role that many established partners have as both implementers and fundraisers. Organizations of all types (non-profit, private sector, host government, etc.) can apply.

Awardees must propose a minimum of 50 percent of total USAID award value in additional leveraged funds, which cannot include in-kind contributions but can include non-federal grants and external awards.

Established partners may apply for a Leverage Partner Award, but all members of any consortium proposed in a Concept Note to respond to this Addendum and all sub-recipients of assistance must qualify as new or underutilized partners as defined in the Global

NPI/CPRP APS.

http://www.sam.gov/

III. AWARD TYPES

USAID has a number of assistance award types to choose from when providing funds to successful Applicants. The type of award and terms and conditions included therein is based on recipient organization type, program factors, and other due-diligence matters (including responsibility determinations). Awards under this Addendum can be any of the following, as described below:

Award Type:

Generally used when:

Characterized by: More information:

Fixed- Amount

Award

(FAA)

Milestones can be defined;

Adequate pricing information is available;

Recipient has limited financial and management capacity.

Must be a grant, not a cooperative agreement.

Advantages for both USAID and the recipient (when used appropriately).

Milestones with fixed amounts assigned to each. Focus is on outputs and results, limits risk for both parties. Grantee is paid when USAID concurs the milestone is completed.

Minimizes administrative burden on USAID and the grantee because payment is not cost-reimbursement.

Assists in building institutional capacity of new grantees.

https://www.usaid.gov /ads/policy/300/303saj

Cooperative Agreement

Recipient has adequate financial and management capacity to operate on a cost-reimbursement basis with the

USG

Recipient is free to pursue its sponsored program with USAID AOR involved in defined technical areas (referred to as “substantial involvement”). Such involvement may include: approval of annual work plans, approval of key personnel, authority to halt a construction project, joint collaboration and participation (defined in the award and specific to the project) https://www.usaid.gov /ads/policy/300/303

Agreement/ Grant with Continuing Application

Recipient has adequate financial and management capacity to operate on a cost-reimbursement basis with the USG, and USAID will engage in multiple years/expanded

Characteristics are same as above but the “continuing application” feature of this award means that implementers will “re-apply” for continuation of the program through an oral presentation of the annual report of previous years’ results and work plan for the next year. This type of award allows USAID to easily extend and expand the program because this feature is built-in.

It also allows USAID to end programs that do not meet the potential or have the impact described during the Concept Paper and original Award phase.

https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303saj https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303saj https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303 program based on success of initial year efforts and program.

Agreement/ Grant with

Adaptive Modules

Recipient has adequate financial and management capacity to operate on a cost-reimbursement basis with the USG, and USAID will engage in multiple years/expanded program based on success of initial year efforts and program.

A grant using a modular construct consists of a series of blocks of work—modules. Each module stands alone and produces some result—these results may be administrative or technical, they may be deliverables or simply indicators that the intervention is on the right track. The important point is that the module can be defined by when it starts and when it stops. It can be time-based (six months long) or event-based (when the materials are ready).

Each module is unique—the type of result, method of measure, and time- or event-based depends on the needs of that specific module.

At the conclusion of each module is a decision point. The data, assessment, stakeholders, and decision maker arrive at that decision point to determine the direction of the subsequent module. During the implementation of the module, there is a parallel assessment, learning, and design of the subsequent module going on. Module 2 is designed based on what was learned in Module 1.

Grant Recipient has adequate financial and management capacity to operate on a cost-reimbursement basis with the USG, and USAID will not be “substantially involved” in selected programmatic elements.

https://www.usaid.go v/ads/policy/300/303

Leader with Associates

USAID will initially engage with a “leader” partner through a prime award with language that allows a Mission or other office to make one of more separate awards to the leader award recipient without using restricted eligibility.

A Leader with Associates (LWA) award involves the issuance of a leader award that covers a specified worldwide activity. The leader award includes language that allows a Mission or other office to make one or more separate awards, called associate awards, to the leader award recipient without using restricted eligibility. The associate award must be within the terms and scope of the program description of the leader award and support a distinct local or regional activity.

A leader award must be made with a program description and a budget with sufficient funds to carry out the program description in the leader award. Associate awards are then made without using fair opportunity procedures.

https://www.usaid.go v/sites/default/files/do cuments/1868/303.pdf

IV. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TARGETED SECTOR/DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVE

To reinforce USAID’s global approach to new engagements, the applicant must have global reach and be able to engage in multiple sectors, multiple countries, and across borders. The applicant must be flexible and bring socially innovative strategies that elicit change and are replicable and sustainable. When designing programs, the applicant must have experience with and be alert to cultural sensitivities and ethno-religious realities. Approaches to the prevention and mitigation of conflict must include private-sector engagement as broadly outlined in the Agency’s Private-Sector Engagement Policy: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/private-sector-engagement

To meet the approach and objective that USAID is interested in addressing, applicants must embrace the following ideas and principles for a global partnership:

● The applicant must recognize that one size does not fit all when it comes to engagement in hard-to-reach and diverse communities in countries and regions across the world. The applicant must be able to work in multiple geographic areas, and be innovative and adaptive. Besides technical capacity, the applicant must demonstrate how it will secure buy-in from and mobilize local communities, harness private-sector resources and expertise where appropriate, engage both local and regional governments, and have experience in addressing socio-economic, religious, and ethnic sensitivities in conflict zones:

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/private-sector-engagement https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/private-sector-engagement

○ The applicant must work through and in coordination with local and locally established partners, including private-sector and faith-based organizations.

● Regional and/or cross-border activities must buttress the self-reliance trajectory of a country/region, be scalable, and detail expected approaches to strengthen communities in multiple and difficult-to-access regions of the world. Activities must be consistent with USAID’s principles of self-reliance and new approaches to partnership:

○ Leveraging private development assistance and private-sector resources or investment to respond to shared USAID priorities;

○ Equipping and empowering new and underused development partners to maximize the impact of American tax dollars;

○ Identifying development solutions that will be country- and partner-driven for maximum long-term impact; and

○ Creating incentives for expanding and diversifying the role and empowerment of civil society and the private sector to achieve socio-economic development.

● Activities must improve the economic and social drivers of friction within the targeted communities, as well as address unproductive social behavior and draw out the entrepreneurial spirit and strengths of civil society, with an emphasis on women, youth, and families.

● Activities must strengthen the ability of local societies to find their own solutions to immediate and long-term development issues predicated on working to protect and promote freedoms in the areas of assembly, organization, entrepreneurship, natural-resource stewardship, family cohesion, and the free exchange of ideas, services, and goods in an open democratic society. Work must be directed toward local empowerment in the first instance.

● Applicants must bear in mind that innovative programs must aim to improve the quality of life of families and communities with an end toward preventing and mitigating conflict. In this connection, while using technology, if any, and innovation to design better programs (that are scalable) and outcomes directed toward conflict-prevention and improving livelihoods and societal and family cohesion, activities must take into account (when carrying out programs) the fundamental human rights of varied and different communities to build interfaith dialogue and bridge differences that can lead to conflict.

● The use of technology is a means to an end. In this connection, USAID sees the private sector, especially locally, as an essential partner in the development process. Any cross-border engagement and partnerships with local organizations must be able to show a track record of engagement and respond to immediate and longer-term developmental issues. Initiatives should focus on approaches that increase a community’s access to energy or financial resources through, for example, the development and application of digital links to sources of finance, services, and systems. The objective is to find solutions to old or emergent conflict situations in remote areas of the world.

● Activities must address cultural and societal impediments to dialogue; toward this end, activities must work on early-child development, as well as on the cultural, economic, and educational inclusion of young adults and women. Religious and spiritual leaders must not be ignored.

● Activities must build community self-reliance, promote enterprise-led development and tolerance, and be scalable, multi-sectoral, and able to manage cross-border connectivity issues. In all programming efforts, USAID places priority on working with local communities, small enterprises, and families (based on locally viable and scalable approaches) and partnership with new and underused local organizations.

● Activities must in the first instance focus on hard-to-reach areas and communities in Africa and Asia.

V. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE LAB

Within the context of this Addendum, below are the partnering goals and approaches specific to the Lab, which applicants can use as additional guidance to direct the focus of their concept:

Innovation: Partnering to increase the adoption of high-impact development solutions and the effective use of innovation models by:

● Sourcing, testing, and scaling the most-promising development solutions, building on area experience and connections;

● Producing high-impact solutions at the community and regional level; and

● Advancing innovation modeling and design practices within the development arena.

Technology: Partnering to incentivize the adoption and use of technologies that are scalable and critical to an inclusive economy and to leverage resources, health outcomes, services, and data produced by these technologies is encouraged, but not essential. Digital technology, for example, has to be responsive to human needs and inclusive by:

● Increasing the secure and interoperable use of the internet and mobile-enabled services;

● Improving access to and usage of digital financial services, including for women and marginalized populations;

● Increasing the use of data for strategic planning and adaptive programming;

● Improving access to health care and improved diagnostics.

VI. EXPECTED RESULTS

The overarching goal of this Addendum is to use partner organizations’ deep understanding of the social and economic dynamics within communities to mobilize them to prevent and mitigate the drivers of conflict.

Key expected results toward achievement of this goal may include the following:

● More-effective mobilization of change factors at the local level, programmatic scalability, and the engagement of local actors who work to mitigate conflict;

● Disrupted pathways to violent conflict by reducing situation-specific identified drivers of conflict;

● Expanded engagement for women, youth, and marginalized groups in decision-making, particularly in areas of tension;

● Improved perceptions of fairness and justice across communities in relation to economic and social development;

● Increased social inclusivity, particularly of religious and ethnic minorities, and reduced discriminatory practices and/or chronic marginalization;

● Implemented dispute-resolution mechanisms that are functioning and accessible to all communities;

● More-equitable access to credit and resources;

● Services delivered in an accountable, equitable, and transparent manner;

● More efficient and equitable use of energy and scarce natural resources;

● Enhanced community cohesion to result in improved interethnic, interreligious, and intercommunal relationships;

● Early-warning tools developed to detect and diagnose potential conflict and instability;

● Electoral process accessible to all communities; and

● Enhanced learning opportunities for children.

Any expected results for activities working on a specific set of conflict dynamics (i.e., within a region, country, or community) should be tailored to that set of conflict dynamics.

VII. RESTRICTIONS IN FUNDING

While USAID seeks to work with partner organizations on a broad range of activities, there are several types of activities the Agency cannot fund under this opportunity:

A. Construction. USAID cannot directly fund construction activities under this mechanism.

“Construction” in this context means: construction, alteration, or repair (including dredging and excavation) of buildings, structures, or other real property, and includes, without limitation, improvements, renovation, alteration, and refurbishment. The term includes, without limitation, roads, power plants, buildings, bridges, water-treatment facilities, and vertical structures. “Improvements, renovation, alteration and refurbishment” includes any betterment or change to an existing property to allow its continued or more-efficient use within its designed purpose (renovation), or for the use of a different purpose or function (alteration). Improvements also include improvements to, or the upgrading of, primary mechanical, electrical, or other building systems.

“Improvements, renovation, alteration and refurbishment” does NOT include non-structural, cosmetic work, including painting, floor covering, wall coverings, replacement of windows that does not include changing the size of the window opening, replacement of plumbing or conduits that does not affect structural elements, and non-load bearing walls or fixtures (e.g. ., shelves, signs, lighting, etc.). All of these types of activities do not qualify as construction, and USAID may fund them under the award.

Although USAID cannot fund construction activities, the Agency can finance the purchase of supplies and materials to be given as in-kind grants or directly to beneficiaries.

B. Government Services. Funds under this opportunity cannot subsidize the service-delivery functions of any government. Advocacy activities or activities that include a component for government advocacy are allowed.

C. Real Property. USAID cannot fund the purchase of any real property under this mechanism. “Real property” means land, including land improvements, structures, and appurtenances thereto, but that the adjacent material is new or excludes movable machinery and equipment.

VIII. INFORMATION ON APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. AGENCY POINT OF CONTACT

Questions and Answers: Questions regarding the substance and objectives of this Addendum should be directed to:

Roderick “Rod” Watson U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Acquisition & Assistance 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, SA-44 Washington DC 20523 Email: rwatson@usaid.gov

B. APPLICATION PROCESS

PHASE 1: SUBMISSION OF CONCEPT PAPERS

A Concept Paper is a short document, not to exceed five (5) pages, in which the Applicant provides an overview of its idea. USAID has provided a template in Paragraph C below.

Applicants may submit a Concept Paper in response to an active Addendum to the NPI/CPRP APS at any time.

• Organizations interested in being considered for funding through this Addendum during Fiscal Year 2019 (which ends September 30th, 2019), must submit concept papers no later than July 31, 2019 when submissions will be closed.

• USAID will acknowledge receipt of the submission of Concept Papers within four (4) business days.

• USAID will review Concept Papers upon receipt to ensure compliance with submission criteria. Acceptable submissions will then be evaluated against the merit-review criteria detailed in the NPI/CPRP APS and this Addendum.

• Each Addendum to the NPI/CPRP APS will provide a time-table for reviewing Concept Papers against merit review.

USAID will provide individual results to each applicant within ten (10) work days following the consensus of the Selection Committee or Technical Evaluation Committee. USAID will notify potential applicants of significant changes in the review-process timeline through a written mailto:rwatson@usaid.gov amendment to this Addendum. USAID, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to review Concept Papers out of cycle.

USAID anticipates two (2) possible results from the Concept Paper merit-review process:

● Conditional Acceptance—Invited for Co-Creation: The Concept Paper generally meets the objectives of the Addendum and receives strong ratings against the merit-review criteria in the NPI/CPRP APS and this Addendum. Additional clarity is needed. USAID invites the Applicant to engage in Co-Creation to address the weaknesses identified. If the applicant concludes the Co-Creation process successfully, USAID will follow with a request for the submission of a full application.

● Rejection: Concept Paper does not meet the objectives of the Addendum and receives inadequate ratings against the merit-review criteria in the NPI/CPRP APS and this Addendum. The USAID/U.S. Global Development Lab rejects the Concept Paper.

PHASE 2: CO-CREATION

Applicants whose Concept Papers USAID invites for Co-Creation will engage with the Agency to work through areas of weakness, respond to questions, and clarify aspects of the concept that are not clear. The Co-Creation process builds on a Concept Paper that has strength and potential;

it is not intended to supplant Applicants’ initiative or build new concepts from the ground up.

During this phase, Applicants will work with USAID technical teams to address issues such as impact indicators and the evaluation of their application. USAID conceives of a product of the Co-Creation process that is a strong draft project description for the full application phase, as well as quantitative and/or qualitative indicators or performance milestones.

If an Applicant does not succeed at the Co-Creation phase, the process ends for that Applicant.

PHASE 3: FULL APPLICATION

If Applicants successfully complete Co-Creation, USAID will request a full application based on the consensus reached during Phase 2. At this point, USAID will issue a Request for Application (RFA) to the Applicant. The RFA will provide complete instructions for the submission of a full application. The full application will detail, and expand upon, the concept developed through Co-Creation. The full application also requires the Applicant to complete specific U.S.

Government forms and to provide some additional information that USAID will need to move forward with an appropriate implementing instrument.

There are reasons why an Applicant could be unsuccessful at the full application phase. For example:

● The detailed program does not satisfy the criteria and definitions provided in the Concept Paper;

● A partner that is bringing additional, non-Federal, funds to the proposal drops out, or does not materialize, and the Applicant no longer meets the partner-eligibility criteria in Section II; or

● USAID has other concerns after conducting due diligence or pre-award surveys.

USAID reserves the right to make no award under this Addendum at any stage of the process.

C. CONTENT OF CONCEPT PAPERS

Applicants should submit only the information and materials requested and in the format specified below.

● Concept Papers MUST be written in the English language and submitted electronically via email in Word 2000 or Word 2003 text-accessible or Adobe PDF.

● Concept Papers shall not exceed five (5) pages, using one-inch page margins with 12-point font.

● Clarity and specificity are important, as is ensuring that the narrative in the Concept Paper addresses the points outlined in this Addendum used to review the Concept Paper.

● During the merit-review process, USAID may reject for funding those Concept Papers that are vague or merely restate language found in this Addendum.

● USAID will not accept Concept Papers that are more than five (5) pages in length.

● Applicants must follow the format below.

D. SUGGESTED TEMPLATE

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS ADVANCE CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION (GPACT)

CONCEPT PAPER

Application Overview – (please complete the following questions below):

1. Proposed Activity Name/Title: _____________________________________________

2. Proposed Period of Performance (i.e., start date and end date) : ___________________

3. Total Program Amount (in USDs): __________________________________________

4. Total Amount of Funding Requested from USAID:____________________________

5. Applicant Organization Name:_____________________________________________

6. Applicant Contact Person (name, phone, email):_______________________________

7. Full Address for Applicant Organization:____________________________________

8. Type of Organization (e.g., U.S., non-U.S., multilateral, private, for-profit, non-profit, date of incorporation, etc.): _________________________________________________

9. DUNS Number:________________

B. Concept Introduction (approximately ½ page): Identify the problem you will address and briefly describe your approach for tackling this problem. Describe why there is a need for your concept, how it differs from alternatives, and any relevant partner-specific considerations for the problem or solution. Explain how the program advances the Journey to Self-Reliance of the country or countries.

C. Beneficiaries (approximately ½ page): Describe the types of benefits your work will produce and the types and range of people who will benefit from this work. Was the concept designed with beneficiary input? Has it been, or can it be, adapted to reach women and men, indigenous people, ethnic and/or religious minorities, and youth? How can the concept be scaled up to reach more people? Other geographic regions?

D. Geographic Location (approximately ½ page): In what location(s) (e.g., country(s), province, city, region, etc.) are you proposing to operate? What are the biggest challenges and opportunities? Please provide a brief description of previous work experience in the geographic location (s).

E. Intervention approach (approximately one [1] page): Building on the introduction, describe how this intervention will produce the desired impact in the focus area(s) identified. Briefly describe critical barrier(s) or problem(s) related to your focus area(s) that your concept addresses. Be sure to include information to describe why the approach is creative or innovative, how it is potentially scalable, and evidence to support it as a tested solution or as an intervention likely to have a significant development impact, and how it will be sustained.

Include discussion of the resiliency of this idea to conflict, the potential for this idea to create and/or resolve conflicts, and how the idea and partners can adapt to these circumstances.

F. Intervention Results (approximately one [1] page): As specifically as possible, describe the anticipated results and/or impact of your activity. What are the key, quantifiable metrics related to your project’s performance or expected performance? What is the scale needed to achieve results sufficient to address the problem? What are the baselines you will measure before the project begins?

G. (If Applicable) Roles of Partners (approximately ½ page): Describe and define the role of other entities in the partnership. This must include a description of the leveraged funding, if necessary, or sub-partners if submitting a mentorship program proposal. Describe how the partnership meets the criteria for outline in Section I.B of the NPI/CPRP APS. If your organization is not proposing any partners, this section can be empty.

H. Capacity of the Applicant(s) (approximately ½ page: Describe your organization’s technical, financial, and managerial capacity to carry out the proposed work and that of any consortium partners. Have you previously done similar work, or worked in the same location(s)?

Signature of individual with authority to obligate your organization

IX. MERIT REVIEW CRITERIA

Proposed partnerships will be evaluated based on the merit review criteria set forth in the NPI/CPRP APS in Section V: Application Review Information, as well as the following Merit Review Criteria:

Merit Review Element Definition

Extent that innovation is incorporated into the proposal.

The extent to which untapped opportunities or untested approaches or tools are employed within the proposed Concept Note.

(Scale of 1–5; 1 represents none/minimal innovation, 5 represents significant deployment of innovation.)

Extent that the proposal demonstrates a sound technical approach to one or more of the four themes identified in Section I (Overview of Funding Opportunity) and the context of the identified geographic coverage.

The extent to which the proposed Concept Note demonstrates that the applicant possesses in-depth knowledge and substantive expertise with respect to the theme and context identified.

(Scale of 1–5; 1 represents none/minimal knowledge and/or expertise, 5 represents significant evidence of in-depth knowledge and substantive expertise.)

Extent to which the proposal identifies cost-effective pathways to scale the innovative prevention and mitigation of conflict across geographic or sectoral boundaries.

The extent to which the proposed Concept Note demonstrates that the applicant has a viable plan for achieving cost-effective scale.

(Scale of 1–5; 1 represents none/minimal likelihood that desired scale will be achieved in a cost-effective manner, 5 represents significant potential demonstrated to scale cost-effectively across geographic or sectoral boundaries.)

Extent to which the applicant demonstrates that it is able to work with new and underused development actors, especially local and locally established ones, including faith-based organizations.

The extent to which the proposed Concept Note demonstrates that the applicant proposes to use new and underused development actors, including faith-based organizations with which it has pre-existing operational relationships.

(Scale of 1–5; 1 represents none/minimal intent to partner with new and underused development actors, including faith-based organizations and/or no pre-existing operational relationships, 5 represents well-developed plan for partnering and evidence of pre-existing relationships.)

Existing activities that either meet the Addendum’s objectives, or are similar to the Addendum’s objectives.

The extent to which the proposed Concept Note can show work that has already been done in the area, demonstrate the applicant’s expertise through existing activities, and/or prior successes, including the extent to which the organization can demonstrate a history of access to the community to be served and effective communication, trust and service.

(Scale of 1–5; 1 represents none/minimal expertise, examples of prior work, or success, 5 represents significant expertise, examples of prior work, or success.)

Proposed programs should be consistent with USAID legal and policy restrictions, including those set forth in USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS) and in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

X. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND REVIEW PROCESS

The Lab’s Contracting Office (CO) will be responsible for the review process and management of any awards issued under this addendum. Applicants are required to follow the Application and Submission Information instructions set forth in Section VIII and submit Concept Papers by following the Suggested Template in Section VIII-D. Information provided in the Concept Paper should address the objectives and criteria presented above.

Prospective applicants can direct questions regarding the Addendum to the NPI/CPRP APS to MailBox or POC. For inquiries, please use the email subject line, “GPACT NPI/CPRP APS Consultation.”

Applicants should become familiar with the Lab’s strategy and priorities and consult with the Mission prior to submitting a concept paper. The Mission can discuss the extent to which a proposed idea is appropriate and aligns with USG goals in its country or region.

Applicants should submit completed Concept Papers (including any Supporting Information) to, based on the below timeline:

All Concept Papers received: Will be reviewed by a USAID Selection Committee that will convene o/a:

After the issuance of this Addendum and before July 31, 2019

July 30, 2019 - August 26, 2019 (merit Review Period)

NOTE:

When submitting Concept Papers, please use the email subject line, “GPACT NPI/CPRP APS Concept Paper Submission.” USAID will confirm receipt of Concept Papers within four (4) working days.

USAID will review concept papers on a rolling basis. Applicants under the NPI/CPRP APS will receive an initial response from USAID within ten (10) business days.

After USAID reviews a Concept Paper, the Agency will inform the applicant whether further development discussions are warranted, and, subsequent to those discussions, whether it will request a full application. Applicants must submit Concept Papers by the deadline for the Agency to consider them.

If USAID identifies opportunities to strengthen or fund a Concept Note or application by connecting it with other USAID mechanisms, other potential funders, and/or external partners, USAID may make that Concept Note or application available, internally or externally, for appropriate consideration.

XI. QUESTIONS AND FURTHER ASSISTANCE

Questions regarding the substance and objectives of this Addendum should be directed to

Roderick “Rod” Watson U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Acquisition & Assistance 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, SA-44 Washington DC 20523 Email: rwatson@usaid.gov

For additional information regarding guidelines and procedures to submit a concept paper, please refer to the NPI/CPRP APS, which can be found at the following website:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315424.

XII. DEFINITIONS FOR THE GPACT NPI/CPRP

Key definitions related to the GPACT NPI/CPRP are the following:

Locally Established Partner: A U.S. or international organization that works through locally led operations and programming models and generates significant private development assistance to strengthen capacity and commitment for self-reliance in partner countries. The definition will continue to develop through research and piloting.

Leverage: Significant resources mobilized from non-U.S. Government sources. USAID seeks the mobilization of resources of other actors on a 1:2 or greater basis (i.e., 50 percent of the proposed value of the award). Leveraged resources may not include in-kind contributions but may include grants/awards from non-U.S. Government organizations and other donor governments.

mailto:rwatson@usaid.gov

Attachment 3: Website and Links to Useful Resources

● Journey to Self-Reliance: ○ https://www.usaid.gov/selfreliance ○ https://selfreliance.usaid.gov/

● New Partnerships Initiative website ○ https://www.usaid.gov/npi

● National Security Strategy https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS- Final-12-18- 2017-0905.pdf

● Foreign Assistance Realignment ○ https://www.foreignassistance.gov/ https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/WEB_PF_Full_Report_ FINAL_10Apr2019.pdf

● Collaborating, Learning and Adapting ○ https://usaidlearninglab.org/qrg/understanding-cla-0

● Doing Business with USAID ○ https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/how-to-work-with-usaid

● How to Apply for a DUNS Number (International Organizations) ○ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-dunsnumber.html https://selfreliance.usaid.gov/ https://www.usaid.gov/npi https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-%202017-0905.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-%202017-0905.pdf https://www.foreignassistance.gov/ https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/WEB_PF_Full_Report_%20FINAL_10Apr2019.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/WEB_PF_Full_Report_%20FINAL_10Apr2019.pdf https://usaidlearninglab.org/qrg/understanding-cla-0 https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/how-to-work-with-usaid https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-dunsnumber.html