Attachment J-9 RCE.pdf

SOP 1, Template 2: Request for Categorical Exclusion (RCE)

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) USAID/Serbia

Request for Categorical Exclusion (RCE) roe:ra rotect Activity Data: P m/P . I

Activity/Project Name: Media Innovation Activitv Governing Justly and Democratically

Assistance Objective: CDCS AO 1: "Resiliency of Democratic Actors Increased"

Program Area: Independent Media and Free Flow of Information DR.5 Country(ies) and/or Operating Unit: Serbia Originating Office: USATD/Serbia/ODEG Date: l/4/2021

PAD Level RCE: Yes□ No181 DCN of Original RCE/IEE:

RCE/IEE Amendment: Yes□ No181

DCN of Amendment(s):

Suoolemental RCE: Yes□ No181

If Yes, Purpose of Amendment:

DC (s) of Related EA/IEE/RCE/ER(s):

Implementation Start/End: LOP: 9/1/2021-9/1/2026

Funding Amount: LOP Amount: $14,000,000

Contract/ Award Number (if known):

Recommended Determination: Categorical Exclusion

Additional Elements:

Government to Government: □

1. Project and Activity Description.

Local Procurement: □ Donor Co-Funded: D

1.1 Purpose and Scope of RCE: The overall goal of the Media Innovation activity is to improve the economic sustainability and business development of Serbian digital media, infonnation, and communications sector stakeholders. The activity will increase Beneficiaries' managerial, technological, business, and financial skills in order to: develop their business, products and services;

expand in existing markets or enter new markets; become more competitive for private financing;

improve their ability to attract and employ financial resources; utilize potential of next generation networks (5G); and apply cutting-edge technological and cybersecurity solutions. The overall expected result ofUSAID assistance will be the Beneficiaries' increased commercial orientation, financial sustainability, and higher level of technological skills.

DCN: 2021-SER-001

1.2 Project Overview:

Through Media Innovation activity. USAID/Serbia intends to address identified gaps and opportunities in 21st century media, infonnation, and communication sector development in Serbia with an emphasis on self-reliance and long-tenn sustainability. The activities will work with a wide range of business, financial, IT sector, media, startup community, and other stakeholders to ensure that those stakeholders who support public access to accurate and relevant infonnation increase their audiences, reach, and financial sustainability to increase resilience to political and economic pressures. This will be done through supporting stakeholders to incorporate better business practices, have better access to finance, and ability to utilize new technologies and new generation networks.

USAID/Serbia impact data shows that a focus on the market and audience can grow independent media's influence and self-reliance. The activities will address technological challenges and current financial market and media monetization opportunities and risks.

2. Project Description and Climate Risk Screening Media Innovation activity is expected to achieve the following results:

Objcctj ve I: Development and implementation of a business and technological development, and investment readiness pro�am.

Improvement of the capacity of Beneficiaries to fonnulate and implement strategies to accelerate growth and revenues, access and implement cutting - edge technologies, and increase investment readiness. Illustrative activities include:

• improving firm-level production processes, financial and management practices;

• strengthening services and client relations;

• broadening product, client, and customer ranges;

• accessing to and applying advanced technological solutions for product development and business growth;

• focusing on market- based. and customer- driven business solutions. etc.

Objective 2: improve Beneficiary access to finance.

Improvement of Beneficiary financial and investment track record, increasing their attractiveness for commercial financial and investment institutions. Illustrative activities include:

• transaction advisory services;

• facilitating access to commercial financial products/ attracting equity investment;

• risk mitigation.

An activity-level climate risk assessment is not required because the CDCS did not identify any moderate or high risks for the Media Innovation activity under Development Objective I Resiliency of Democratic Actors Increased and Intermediate Results: 1.1 Select Government Institutions Increasingly Act in Public Interest and 1.2 Informed Citizen Participation Increased. This dctennination was documented in the approved CDCS Climate Risk Assessment document.

3. Justification for Categorical Exclusion Determination The activities under the Media Innovation Activity will not have an effect on the natural or physical environment and are among the classes of activities listed in 22 CFR 2 I 6.2( c)(2). Therefore, under §216.2( c )(I), neither an IEE nor an EA will be required for these activities. Instead, a categorical exclusion threshold determination is recommended for the following identified activities under 22 CFR 216.2( c )(2):

• Activities anticipated under both above presented objectives fall under §216.2( c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.).

4. Limitations of the Categorical Exclusion Determination:

This categorical exclusion does not cover classes of actions normally having a significant effect on the environment under §216.2(d):

1. Programs of river basin development;

ii. Irrigation and water management;

111. Agricultural land leveling;

iv. Drainage projects;

v. Large scale agricultural mechanization;

v1. Resettlement projects;

vii. New land development;

viii. Penetration road building and road improvement;

1x. Powerplants;

x. Industrial plants; and

xi. Potable water and sewerage projects In addition, this categorical exclusion does not cover activities that:

• Support project preparation, project feasibility studies, engineering design for activities listed in §216.2(d)(l);

• Affect endangered species;

• Provide support to extractive industries (e.g. mining and quarrying);

• Promote timber harvesting;

• Lead to construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or renovation work;

• Support agro-processing or industrial enterprises;

• Provide support for regulatory permitting;

• Lead to privatization of industrial facilities or infrastructure with heavily polluted property;

• Assist the procurement (including payment in kind, donations, guarantees of credit) or use

(including handling, transport, fuel for transport, storage, mixing, loading, application, clean-up of spray equipment, and disposal) of pesticides or activities involving procurement, transport, use, storage, or disposal of toxic materials--pesticides cover all insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, etc. covered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; and/or

• Procure or use genetically modified organisms.

Any of these actions would require a Europe and Eurasia Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) approved amendment to the categorical exclusion.

5. Mandatory Inclusion of Environmental Compliance Requirements in Solicitations, Awards, Budgets, and Work Plans

• Appropriate environmental compliance language, including limitations defined in Section 4, shall be incorporated into solicitations and awards for categorical exclusions.

• The implementing partner shall ensure annual work plans do not prescribe activities that are defined as limitations in Section 4.

6. Revisions Under §2l6.3(a)(9), if new information becomes available that indicates that activities covered by the categorical exclusion might be considered major and their effect significant, or if additional activities are proposed that might be considered major and their effect significant, this categorical exclusion determination will be reviewed and. if necessary. revised by the Mission Environmental Officer (MEO) with concurrence by the BEO. It is the responsibility of the USAID Contract Officer's Representative (COR)/Agreement Officer's Representative (AOR) to keep the \,fEO and BEO informed of any new information or changes in the activity that might require revision of this determination.

Ivan Vukojevic Digitally signed by Ivan Vukojevic Date: 2021.03.05 16:23:25 +01'00'

Marko Pjevic Digitally signed by Marko Pjevic Date: 2021.03.09 11:43:40 +01'00'

POOJAN BHASKER

TRIPATHI (affiliate)

Digitally signed by POOJAN BHASKER TRIPATHI (affiliate) Date: 2021.03.09 13:41:26 -05'00'