BAA_Libya_DTU_2015_Addendum_01.docx

BAA-Libya-DTU-2015 Amendment 01 Addendum 01

A Libyan Led Solution Libya Development Challenge

In this Addendum, USAID/Libya is seeking expressions of interest from prospective partners to collaborate with USAID and other partners to develop, test, implement, and/or evaluate programmatic approaches for accelerating Libya’s use of its own resources to solve priority citizen concerns and contribute to Libya’s immediate stability and democratic future. This support, given at the national, sub-national, municipal and community levels, would result in solutions introduced and implemented by Libyans creating stronger institutions capable of addressing ongoing issues and needs.

DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

Under Col. Muammar Qadhafi‘s 42-year long dictatorship, representative institutions in Libya were systematically repressed at all levels. Not only did no system of local governance accountable to citizens – elected or otherwise – exist, but Qadhafi’s strategy for maintaining power relied on intentionally generating conflict between local groups which, in turn, gave him the opportunity to buy the loyalty of one side and serve as his surrogate oppressor. By seeding mistrust between different Libyan ethnic groups, tribes, neighboring cities, and individuals, he undermined the accumulation of social capital.

Libya, under Qaddafi, endured frequent reshuffling of its subnational government structures. The numbers of subnational units varied from revision to revision, as did their roles. These schemes were implemented within a context of a frail central government with authority focused within a limited number of the most senior officials, particularly for ministries engaged in public service provision. All told, the institutional base to manage and oversee government services at both the national and subnational level is weak.

Despite being deprived of the foundation necessary for resilient democracy to take root immediately after the deposition of Qadhafi, Libyans have demonstrated clear capabilities for self-governance. Libya’s first elections of any kind in four decades – even preceding the first post-revolution national election in July 2012 – were spontaneously organized local council elections. Under the Local Government Law enacted by the General National Congress (Law #59), Libya is now organized into 100 municipalities. Most municipalities have elected councils in place to govern, and, given the current fragmented nature of the national-level government, have by default become the most legitimate and most entrepreneurial governmental presence in the day-to-day lives of many Libyans. This is consistent with deep resentment many Libyan developed for the overly centralized control the Qadhafi regime wielded from Tripoli.

Nevertheless, every community in Libya is under assault. Violence or the threat of violence is a daily reality in the lives of Libyans so long as state authorities lack control over the legitimate use of force. Whether from armed militias, criminal elements, or hostile individuals, security fears restrict citizen mobility, strangle the business operating environment, damage community infrastructure, restrict the delivery of essential services, disrupt daily life, and cause problems exhausting limited community resources and straining the social bonds between Libyans on which the country’s future relies.

Municipal councils complained of the absence of promised financial transfers from the central government long before conflict, divided national government, and diminished oil production effectively hobbled the public financial management system. From shortages of staple foods on store shelves to daily electricity outages to unchecked reckless driving on city streets, life in Libya is taxing.

A model of assistance to Libya based on the false critical assumption that Libya’s national and sub-national government and municipalities will be passive recipients of international assistance would deeply discount the strengths of Libyan society. It would also discount the available human, financial, and natural resources in place and the progress Libyans have made with little or no outside assistance at the local level since the establishment of a democratic system after the ouster of Qadhafi in October 2011. USAID seeks to help enable the country to more responsibly utilize in own human, financial, and natural resources for the benefit of all it citizens. USAID’s efforts will emphasize, to the fullest extent possible, work taking place inside Libya and being conducted with the buy-in and leadership of Libyans.

In this regard, USAID is seeking expressions of interest from prospective partners who are capable of developing new and innovative approaches to engage Libyans, resulting in Libyan-led solutions capable of addressing national and/or community issues and needs in inclusive, effective, and sustainable ways. These needs could include, but are not limited to, improving citizen security, essential basic services such as health and education, basic governance functions, community reconciliation and local justice, maintenance of a reliable water and electricity infrastructure, expansion of meaningful jobs and economic opportunities, and the reintegration of armed actors.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Public, private, for-profit, and non-profit organizations, as well as institutions of higher education, public international organizations, non-governmental organizations, U.S. and non-U.S. government organizations, and international donor organizations are generally eligible under the Libya BAA. USAID encourages expressions of interest from Libyan organizations and from new partners.

For the purposes of this Addendum, USAID seeks co-creation partners which either 1) have operational experience working inside Libya during some period of time after February 2011, or 2) if they have not operated inside Libya within this period, can make a compelling case that they can bring unique talents or resources to this co-creation process based on the experiences of their key personnel and/or extensive institutional experience working in equally challenging country contexts.

Interested organizations should submit an expression of interest that identifies your organization’s willingness to collaborate with USAID/Libya, broadly describes your organization’s relevant talents and resources, and highlights your group’s value to this partnership.

Expressions of interest must specifically:

· contain a header identifying that your expression of interest is a response to Addendum 01 “A Libyan Led Solution” of USAID/Libya Broad Agency Announcement (BAA‐Libya‐DTU‐2015).

· provide the name of your organization, contact information, and an individual point of contact

· succinctly summarize your organization’s operational experience in regards to Libya prior to and after February 2011, including a statement on your current status

· succinctly summarize your organization’s relevant operational experience in challenging country contexts other than Libya

· name relevant Libyan organizations which your organization has some form of partnership or working relationship with or could readily engage as a partner

· identify localities where your organization and its partners have operational experience

· document results you have achieved in Libya or similar contexts which may be illustrative of the types of results your organization aspires to see achieved on a larger scale in Libya

· succinctly articulate your organization’s best response to each of the criteria defined below under “Review of Submission”

Expressions of interest must be written in English, submitted electronically in a common file format (.doc, .docx, .pdf, or .txt), and formatted to print on standard sized paper (8.5”x11” or A4). Expressions of interest must not exceed 1500 words maximum (approximately 2-3 pages).

Please do not submit detailed analysis, specific program designs, budget requirements, elaborate graphics, or results frameworks as your expression of interest. Your expression of interest should focus on your organization’s capabilities, talents, and resources.

Expressions of interest should be free of any intellectual property that you wish to protect, as the expressions of interest may be shared with USAID partners as part of the selection process. However, once submitters have been invited to engage in further discussions, submitters may work with USAID to identify proprietary information that requires protection.

REVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS

USAID/Libya will review and select expressions of interest submitted in accordance with the guidelines and criteria set forth in this Addendum.

Expressions of interest will initially be reviewed in terms of the following criteria:

· Pragmatism in Approach: How can your organization contribute fresh, informed, and realistic thinking towards producing a sustainable Libyan-led effort to address priority citizen concerns resulting from Libya’s transition from autocracy to democracy? How do you adapt efforts to compensate for the non-permissive environment which has emerged in Libya? How does your organization generate data or evidence to prove development impact and synthesize lessons learned from your own experiences and those of others?

· Strength to Partnership: What unique perspectives and capabilities does your organization bring as a potential partner? What is your ability to provide human, intellectual, and financial (including in-kind) resources at various stages of the process and as well as your ability to harness the comparative advantages of other parties?

· Commitment to Inclusivity: Has your organization demonstrated a commitment to inclusive approaches that not only benefit but will involve Libyans across distinctions of gender, ethnicity, tribe, age, language, physical ability, and other identifications? What is your ability to bring together disparate stakeholder groups to constructively engage in problem-solving and/or collective action?

· Diversity of Perspectives and Capabilities: USAID seeks to bring together a diverse set of co-creators in collaboration in order to enable broader thinking and innovation. The selection of individual co-creators will be with the goal of achieving this diversity.

USAID/Libya will invite organizations selected based on the merits of their expressions of interest to join the co-creation process where they will collaborate with each other, with USAID, and potentially with other partners to develop programmatic approaches. The form of the co-creation process will be determined later with the intent of enabling the greatest level of interaction practical among selected co-creation partners, including Libya-based partners. Co-creation may include workshops involving all selected partners, virtual collaboration on-line, or a series of smaller consultations with sets of selected co-creation partners.

The co-creation process may result in one or more concept papers, approximately 5-10 pages each, identifying focus areas, goals, and anticipated results and outlining programmatic implementation plans and timelines. The concept paper(s) will also include criteria for identifying outcomes and evaluation success.

The Peer and Scientific Review Board will review each concept paper. Approved concept papers will be further refined through the co-design process and potentially funded as a pilot or for testing.

USAID is not obligated to issue a financial instrument or award as a result of this Addendum.

RESPONSE DATE

Please submit your expression of interest to Libya_BAA@usaid.gov no later than 11:59 pm EST, November 10, 2015. Submissions received after this date cannot be guaranteed consideration.

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