ASHA FY23 RFA 720DD123RFA00001 - Q&A.pdf

ASHA FY23 RFA (720DD123RFA00001)

Questions & Answers Posted 11/27/2023

Organization Question Answer

1 We have an active grant with ASHA. Can we apply for a new grant from ASHA under the current solicitation?

You may apply to the current ASHA solicitation regardless of whether you have another active award.

2 We are just undertaking a project to build a teaching and learning center on [OSI’s] campus.

My question is if we are still able to apply for this grant if construction has already started? It just started this past month and we would be able to stop construction if this is the case.

Unfortunately, we can not provide advice on how you should proceed with your current construction project.

However, USAID/ASHA funds cannot be used on construction/renovation activities that have not received approval from the USAID engineering team before the start of construction.

3 On page 14 (Section C, Part 1 - Eligibility Information), the RFA states that to be eligible as a hospital center, "The OSI must provide medical education and/or conduct medical research, and model American best practices and values."

We have recently constructed a new hospital that has among its core missions the transmission of advanced technical skills and knowledge to medical professionals in the OSI country of operation. The hospital features a simulation center and is fortunate to have close collaboration with US-based medical practitioners, but training and education are not connected to any institution of higher education, and so these activities are not linked to the granting of any formal degrees. Would activities of this nature fall under the definition of "medical education" as contained in the previous eligibility criteria?

Yes, the simulation center training is considered “medical education.”

4 [Applicant] has two legal entities – one registered in the US and one registered in [non-US Country]. The active SAM registration we have uses the [non-US Country] entity. Can we apply to the

US organizations (USOs) must be actively registered and have no active exclusions or delinquent federal debt in the USG’s System for Award Management (SAM). USOs must continue

Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

720DD123RFA00002 2 Posted 11/27/2023

Organization Question Answer

RFA? to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times while an application is under consideration.

Overseas institutions (OSIs) are not required to register in SAM nor have an active registration in SAM; however, they must have a Unique Entity Identifier issued by SAM.

In cases where the USO and the OSI are the “same entity,” the Applicant must provide proof with the Phase 2 Technical Application (not Phase 1) that it is registered as a legal entity in the U.S. and that it is authorized to operate in the foreign country.

5 Are these only construction, renovation, or commodity purchase grants?

Yes, ASHA funds must only be used to finance the procurement of durable commodities and/or construction/renovation activities.

I noticed there is an audit requirement for the OSI. Isn’t that a Western construct? We are working in lower-resource countries.

Audit submissions allow ASHA to evaluate the financial risk of the organization. Please submit an institutional financial statement with your Phase 2 application. The expert on the team will assess whether the financial statement is sufficient for the financial risk assessment.

6 Are we eligible to apply for the RFA? Please refer to SECTION C: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION in the RFA to view eligibility criteria.

7 When answering the question in relation to public democracy.

Where could I find more information about the U.S. American values, ideas and/or best practices (ABPs)? Is this a particular set of objectives or are you referring to the areas of impact that the RFA is seeking to address?

Please refer to SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION, 1.

Funding Priorities and Programmatic Focus for more information on ASHA’s Public Diplomacy Program Mandate.

There is no definitive list of ABPs. ABPs may include, but are not limited to, the following: inclusion, tolerance, diversity, democratic participation, gender equality, meritocracy, technologies, pedagogies, approaches, resilient construction, Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

720DD123RFA00002 3 Posted 11/27/2023 various risk reductions, sustainable energy, and environmental resilience. Applicants need to make a determination of the ABPs chosen that will align with their program and provide the best opportunity for creating mutual understanding.

Please see the ASHA Public Diplomacy presentation for more information on Public Diplomacy.

When answering the question to public democracy, the purpose is to extend the objectives and impact of the project? (Including beneficiaries and short-long and term results that we seek to accomplish)

Applicants must clearly show how their project will promote a better understanding of the U.S. in the OSI country and how it will increase mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of their OSI country.

8 I have been trying to access the google form for the phase 1 submission, and I am getting the error message below:

You can't respond to ASHA FY23 RFA: Annex 1 - Phase 1 Technical Application because you don't have permission to share documents with the form owner. Contact your domain administrator if you think this is a mistake.

Please try again using this link: Phase 1 Technical Application

9 When would we know if we made it to the next step to submit Phase 2? Rough time would be super helpful.

Applicants will be informed of the status of their Phase 1 applications after the Merit Review Committee reviews all applications. Unfortunately, ASHA cannot predict when that will be.

How long do applicants have to complete Phase 2 once notified? Applicants who are invited to submit a Phase 2 application will have no less than 30 calendar days from the date of the Agreement Officer’s invitation to submit.

10 Page 5 of the RFA states: "USAID may make awards for projects in any country other than the United States, provided that USAID activities in that country are not otherwise restricted by statute, regulation, or Agency policy.”

Currently, USAID doesn’t have any restrictions on funding projects in Haiti; however this can change during the RFA process based on various situations that are beyond our control. Of note, as well: All ASHA awards are subject to Mission concurrence from the in-country USAID Mission

Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XChXzQgcwXv7roalf2uhDmaGhrFU6rDq/view https://forms.gle/AKkaKQ6JndxP52Qi8

720DD123RFA00002 4 Posted 11/27/2023

Are there any current restrictions on funding projects in Haiti, regardless of project merit?

before an ASHA award is made.

Regarding projects with significant leveraged funds, should the applicant USO explain only what will be accomplished with ASHA provided-funds, or what will be accomplished with both ASHA-provided and leveraged funds?

For example, the applicant USO will be requesting construction funds to house a medical training program. But on part of the same campus site, a partner OSI is planning to make use of space to construct a clinic, as soon as the infrastructure is in place (water, sewer, security, etc.). The clinic building on the campus will be constructed solely from the funds of the partner OSI and will be independently managed by the partner OSI, but, in addition to its primary function as a patient treatment center, the clinic will also be used as a clinical training site for students of the applicant OSI. Should the grant applicant include reference to the partner OSI, and to the activities of the clinic in the description of the project?

While cost share or leveraged funds are not required, they demonstrate support for the project by other donors and the viability of the project. It is advisable to describe the entire project (both USAID/ASHA-funded and leverage funded activities) and the entire anticipated timeline for completion.

It is required to share the entire project that is structurally connected to the existing construction funded by ASHA. For example, if the clinic shares a structural walkway that connects it to the medical training building, then you must share the construction drawings of both buildings. However, if the clinic is completely separate from the medical training unit, then you would not need to provide construction drawings for that space.

11 For the Phase 1 Google Form Submission, can a representative from the OSI submit the google form on behalf of the USO? To clarify, the USO-relevant email address will be noted as the primary email address on the form; however, the email address/Google account used to submit the form itself will belong to the OSI.

Anyone who is authorized to represent the USO and/or OSI may submit the Google Form application.

Can you provide a fillable, offline template of the Google Form for the Phase 1 submission, that includes the 'Applicant Info' and 'Eligibility Info'?

All applicants are required to submit the Google Form Application. If your organization is unable to submit the Google Form, please email ASHAapplications@usaid.gov for a fillable PDF form and instructions on submission.

12 On Page 12, it says "One USO Applicant may submit an application that requests funds to benefit multiple organizational

A USO can work with an OSI with multiple organizational units, e.g., a school with multiple campuses in-country, a

Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

mailto:ASHAapplications@usaid.gov

720DD123RFA00002 5 Posted 11/27/2023 units within a single OSI." Then a few lines below, it says "One USO cannot submit multiple applications for the same OSI." Can you please clarify?

hospital chain with multiple locations in-country.

If the USO’s project will support multiple units of the OSI, please provide information on those units in the application.

However, a USO may not submit multiple applications for projects with the same OSI. Each OSI may be included in only one application.

Following along from Question 1, how would this answer change if the USO and OSI are the same organization? In our case, we are the same organization, and we would like to apply for funds for two different projects. Is this possible?

Each OSI may be included in only one application; therefore, it is not possible for a USO and OSI who are the same entity to submit applications for multiple projects in the same country.

If we want to submit multiple applications, how will we know that both of them are read? I read that if one USO submits multiple applications (e.g. if we found a mistake in our application and uploaded another application with the mistake corrected), only the most recent application will be read.

If an applicant needs to correct a mistake in their application, they may make the correction using the link in the confirmation email they receive after submitting an application.

If an applicant would like to submit an application for two (2) different projects, please submit a Google Form for each project. This would be a total of two (2) applications.

Let's say we get to Phase 2 of the application, and submit a formal budget with the full list of commodities to be purchased.

Then we conduct a needs assessment and find that the actual amount needed is somewhat less than we had anticipated. Is it alright if we spend a bit less than what we had anticipated under the grant? How much less would be acceptable (is there a threshold percentage)?

It is acceptable for recipients to expend fewer funds than requested. However, if you have excess funds, ASHA encourages you to reallocate them to your project to ensure public diplomacy objectives are met.

13 Is there a preference of endnotes vs. footnotes? If footnotes are allowed, what font should be used?

Footnotes in Calibri font.

14 Could you please clarify the guidelines for attaching video links and other files (such as photos, PDFs, PPTs, etc.) or adding

Allowable formats to upload files for the Phase 1 application:

● Optional sketch/drawing: Document, Presentation, Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

720DD123RFA00002 6 Posted 11/27/2023 content in annexes? Additionally, if applicable, is there a limit to the file size?

Drawing, PDF, Image

● SAM.gov screenshot: Document, Presentation, PDF, Image

● Response to Phase 1 Merit Review Criteria: Document, PDF

Please refer to the ASHA Google Form Application Submission Guidance document under the Related Documents tab on grants.gov for information on file size limits.

How does USAID define sustainability within the context of this grant opportunity? Are you considering aspects like financial sustainability, as well as energy and water independence, wastewater management, and recycling?

If you are referring to “Sustainability and OSI Strengthening” under “Phase 2 Merit Review Criterion – Management Approach,” sustainability is defined by the OSI’s ability to continue operations.

Could you provide information on the deadline for Phase 2 submission?

Applicants who are invited to submit a Phase 2 application will have no less than 30 calendar days from the date of the Agreement Officer’s invitation to submit. Unfortunately, ASHA cannot predict when that will be.

Our Overseas Institution (OSI) is a not-for-profit medical facility that has been legally authorized to provide pediatric and adult neurorehabilitation services for more than ten years. However, its formal registration as an NGO is less than ten years old. Could you please clarify to which category—general pool or MENA pool—this organization qualifies?

The Applicant must be a not-for-profit non-governmental organization (NGO) including U.S. public colleges and universities (e.g. “NGOs,” foundations, and similar). The Applicant is the US Organization (USO).

The decision to apply for the general pool or the MENA Set-Aside is up to the Applicant. If the Applicant meets the requirements to apply for the MENA Set-Aside, they are welcome to apply to either pool.

The OSI operates as an outpatient Neurotherapy clinic with a focus on the American model for neurorehabilitation, including medical, clinical, research, educational, and administrative aspects of its operations. Should this institution be categorized as a Hospital or a Center of Excellence within the application?

The Applicant is responsible for determining in which category their OSI belongs.

The OSI has eight years of experience and a relationship with Yes, any applicant can apply for an award in the general

Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/345438

720DD123RFA00002 7 Posted 11/27/2023

USO. While they are in the MENA region, can they still apply for the general funding pool?

funding pool.

Could you provide details on how the award money is distributed? Is it provided in a lump sum or segments over a specified period?

Award recipients will receive their funds by Letter of Credit (LOC), advance payments, or cost-reimbursement.

Please note that no funds will be released until required project approvals are received.

15 Would letters of support be accepted with either Phase 1 or 2 of the application? If so, should they be presented as Attachments?

Letters of support are not required with applications.

Applications will only be evaluated based on the merit review criteria listed in Section E: Application Review Information, 2.

Merit Review Criteria of the RFA.

The RFA includes the option to upload a photo or sketch related to the project in Phase 1 (page 19, #4). Could USAID please provide guidance on the type(s) of photos preferred - e.g., architectural drawings of planned construction, a picture of the current project site, and/or an organizational photo?

The optional photo or sketch can be anything the Applicant thinks will help explain their project.

16 We did the Google form, but not sure how to prepare for the Public Diplomacy response -- and Past Project Impact statement

Can you please advise?

Please insert your Public Diplomacy response and, if applicable, your Past Project Impact statement into a document. Each response has a page limit of three (3) pages.

Upload the file within the Google Form.

17 OSI's UEI * OSI's Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued by SAM.gov Registration in SAM is not required for non-US sub-recipients;

however, each sub-recipient must have a UEI. If the OSI is still in the process of receiving a UEI, please note it here.

First it says that UEI's are not required for non-US sub-recipients, but then it says EACH sub-recipient must have one.

Should that be EACH NON-US sub-recipient?

Registration in SAM is only required for entities directly applying for awards, i.e., USOs.

Subrecipients (organizations that receive subawards) are not required to register in SAM. However, all subrecipients – US and non-US – are required to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier.

To obtain a UEI, follow the instructions at this link:

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

720DD123RFA00002 8 Posted 11/27/2023

You will need to set up a SAM.gov account but you will not need to register your entity in SAM.

18 The Google submission form is new, and while I started to go through it, one has to complete all of the questions on each page before you can go on to the next page. It would have been helpful for USAID to have included a list of the questions that will be asked on the Google form in a separate document.

Please refer to the ASHA Google Form Application Submission Guidance document under the Related Documents tab on grants.gov for information on the questions being requested.

Note that the Google Form requires the same information that has been requested in the PDF forms of past RFAs.

Font and font size: on page 18 of the RFA the instructions say to use an 11 point Calibri font, while on Annex 1, the instructions say to use a 12 point Times New Roman font. Could you please clarify which font and size to use?

Please use size 11 Calibri font. However, since Annex 1 says 12-point Times New Roman, applicants will not be penalized for using that font.

19 The RFA mentions that the USO must be registered in SAM and have a UEI, and the OSI must have a UEI but need not be registered in SAM. The Google form asks for the OSI’s UEI to be listed during Phase 1 of application, but can an application still be made if the OSI is seeking (and has not yet received) a UEI at the time of application?

As long as the OSI has a UEI before the awards are made, the USO can apply to the RFA.

Please note in the field asking for the OSI UEI that the OSI is in the process of obtaining a UEI.

20 Could a single USO apply for two awards for a total request of $4,000,000? It is not explicitly stated in the RFA and the earlier edition of the RFA stated that a single USO could only request up to $2,000,000.

Yes, a USO can apply for two awards, and each award can be a maximum of $2,000,000 each, for a total of $4,000,000.

For commodity-only projects, if the commodities are for a new school building that is currently under construction, are there eligibility requirements related to the state of construction? I.e., can the phase 1 and phase 2 proposals be submitted before construction is complete?

The construction project should be completed or near completion before the Applicant receives an award to procure commodities for the building being constructed.

In the eligibility section it is written that “OSIs must NOT be under the control or management of a foreign government or any of its agencies, including local, regional, or national government.

Unfortunately, it appears that the private college is under the control or management of the public university as the public university makes decisions for the private college.

Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/345438

720DD123RFA00002 9 Posted 11/27/2023

Control or management in this context indicates that a majority of the members of the Board of Directors are government employees or appointees or that the foreign government owns a majority interest in the organization”. Would this definition of control extend to a private college that is an official affiliate of a public university, in which the public university makes decisions regarding academic matters such as student welfare, teacher's welfare, and the syllabus to be followed? In this scenario, the hypothetical OSI has its own board of directors, but academic matters are governed by the board of directors of the affiliated public university.

21 Our proposal consists of a project for energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that affect climate change; considering among its activities the acquisition and installation of solar-powered battery chargers for electric vehicles in the organization's facilities, to be used by staff and external public. Are these types of goods/equipment considered eligible under cost category "D. Durable Commodities"?

If the items require installation (e.g., being structurally connected to an existing building) or may require evaluation of the existing construction and its ability to support new total loads (such as electrical, dead loads, snow loads, winds, seismic stressors), the project is considered construction not commodities. An example of this would be solar panels being permanently affixed to a building.

Please note that this document is not binding. Issuance of this document does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs without approval from the Agreement Officer.