FY 2023 IFRP DRAFT Transport RFA.pdf

Issuance Date: TBD Deadline for Questions: TBD (10 Days From Final RFA’s Posting) Closing Date: TBD Closing Time: 11:59 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) CFDA Number: 98.008 RFA Number: 720BHA23RFA00002 (DRAFT – FOR COMMENT ONLY)

Subject: Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) 2023 Request for

Applications (RFA) - Global Transportation, Delivery, and Distribution of Shelf-Stable Food Commodities.

Title: BHA Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Title II: International Food Relief

Partnership (IFRP), Shelf-Stable Food Commodity Transportation, Delivery, and Distribution

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is seeking applications for funding to support the rapid transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf-stable, prepackaged commodities to be distributed under the International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP) program. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Description for a complete description.

Private voluntary organizations or cooperatives, including U.S. and non-U.S. nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) may apply. Organizations designated by USAID as public international organizations are also eligible to apply.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of BHA, nor does it commit BHA to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense. This includes the completion of all required documents for USAID awards.

BHA cannot make final awards until funds have been fully appropriated, apportioned, allocated, and committed. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award.

For the purposes of this program, the RFA consists of this cover letter and the following:

● SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

● SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

● SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

● SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

● SECTION V – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

RFA Number: 720BHA23RFA00002 International Food Relief Partnership FY 2023 RFA – DRAFT FOR COMMENT

ONLY

● SECTION VI – FEDERAL AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

● SECTION VII – FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

● SECTION VIII – OTHER INFORMATION

To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all required information in its application, including the requirements found in any attachments to this www.grants.gov opportunity. Any future amendments to this RFA can be downloaded from www.grants.gov. This information may also be posted on the BHA website. It is the responsibility of the applicant to use the most up-to-date versions of all the documents related to this RFA.

BHA may not award to an applicant unless the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifiers and System for Award Management (SAM) requirements detailed in Section III. The registration process may take many weeks to complete. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to begin registration early in the process.

Applicants may submit up to three separate grant applications, with no more than one application per country. Applicants may propose use of one or two commodities in any given application.

All questions regarding this RFA must be submitted in writing by TBD (10 days from the final RFA’s posting) to BHA, attention Benjamin C. Vogler, IFRP Program Manager, at IFRP@usaid.gov.

BHA may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept applications for reasons other than cost, or (c) accept more than one application (see Section V - Application Review Information). BHA intends to award predominantly fixed amount awards, but reserves the right to award any other form of assistance agreement. BHA may waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

BHA may make an award on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions.

Therefore, each initial application must contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.

In the event of any inconsistency between this RFA and the referenced documents in the RFA, the RFA shall take precedence, except statutes and regulations. Any inconsistencies in the RFA documents or in the text of the RFA will be resolved at the discretion of the Agreement Officer

(AO).

Thank you for your interest in BHA’s programs.

Sincerely, /s/

Matthew Nims Agreement Officer http://www.grants.gov/

SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. General Description

USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is seeking grant applications from eligible organizations for the transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf-stable food commodities produced by U.S. non-profit organizations under the International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP) program. Any and all IFRP activities would entail the transfer of commodities to implementing organizations and then the transfer of these commodities by the implementing organizations to the designated recipients for any allowable purpose specified by the Food for Peace Act, as referenced in Section I – General Description, 2) Authorizing Legislation.

Countries that the U.S. Government designates as “Prohibited Sources'' are not eligible for funding under this RFA. Prohibited sources are countries to which assistance is prohibited by the annual appropriations acts of Congress or other statutes, or those subject to other executive branch restrictions, such as applicable sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury, against targeted foreign countries, terrorists organizations, international narcotics traffickers and those engaged with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other threats to national security. USAID maintains a list of prohibited sources in ADS Chapter 310. As of this RFA's posting date, there are currently no prohibited source countries nor are there additional restrictions on eligible countries under this RFA.

There will be only one IFRP transport, delivery, and distribution grant review cycle during Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, and the three commodities available for distribution are: Harvest Lentil Pro, Enov’ Nutributter, which is a Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement-Small Quantity (LNS-SQ), and Enov’ Mum, which is a Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement for Pregnant Lactating Women (LNS- PLW). Please see the detailed chart below regarding commodity specifications and details, and please note that applicants are responsible for organizing their transportation logistics beginning from receipt/loading of the commodity(ies) at the producers’ facility(ies) to unloading at the distribution site(s) in-country.

Commodity: Harvest Lentil Pro #

Enov’ Nutributter Enov’ Mum

Producer:

Breedlove Foods, Inc. Edesia Edesia

Website:

breedlove.org https://www.edesianutri tion.org/ https://www.edesianutrit ion.org/ https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/310mac http://breedlove.org/ https://www.edesianutrition.org/ https://www.edesianutrition.org/ https://www.edesianutrition.org/

Location: 1818 North Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Lubbock, TX 79403

550 Romano Vineyard Way North Kingstown, RI 02852

550 Romano Vineyard Way North Kingstown, RI 02852

Commodity Use & Primary Intended Population:

General population supplement for vulnerable groups (e.g., maternal/child health, school feeding, hospital patients, orphans, clinics, emergency feeding, food for work, etc.)

Pre-school aged children, primary & secondary school children to adults & elderly.

As a supplement to age-appropriate complementary foods for children 6-24 months of age to promote healthy growth and prevent micronutrient deficiencies in contexts where nutrition and child health indicators are poor. Preventive (LNS) supplement (This product is not for treatment and is not therapeutic/curative) for children at risk of malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and poor diet.

As a supplement to complementary foods for pregnant and lactating women to reach recommended nutrient intake with the aim of having a positive effect on maternal status, birth outcomes, and postnatal growth. Preventive (LNS) supplement (This product is not for treatment and is not therapeutic/curative) for women for the duration of pregnancy and lactation.

Maximum Request Per Application:

150.08 MTs – Up to

eight 40’ containers, which is equivalent to approximately 150.08 metric tons (MTs), or precisely 10,720 cases (boxes).

Each case contains 14 (1kg) bags.

69.12 MTs – Up to four

40’ containers, which is equivalent to 69.12 MTs

17.28 MT/40’ Container

10.8 MT/20’ Container

17.28 MTs – Up to one

40’ container, which is equivalent to 17.28 MTs

17.28 MT/40’ Container

10.8 MT/20’ Container

Servings in Maximum Level:

7,504,000 – 20g servings. Each 1kg bag contains 50 soup servings.

3,456,000 – 20g servings (enough to supplement approximately 19,200 children for a six-month period).

864,000 – 20g servings (enough to supplement approximately 2,367 women for a 12-month period).

Suggested Servings Per Day:

One 20g serving rehydrates to one cup, 1-3 per day, determined by program goals.

One 20g sachet/day/child

One 20g sachet/day/woman

Contact information:

Michelle Logan michellelogan@breedl ove.org

(806) 741.0404 ext.

Cassidee Jones cjones@edesianutrition.

org

(401) 272-5521 ext. 1243

Cassidee Jones cjones@edesianutrition.o rg

(401) 272-5521 ext. 1243

Please note: contact information has been provided for each commodity should applicants require further information on commodity use and logistics requirements.

Applicants may request HLP, Nutributter, or a combination of both. Applicants proposing two commodities via one application may request any combination of commodities so that the maximum tonnage amount proportionally does not exceed 100 percent, as long as the commodities are requested in amounts that fill a full container as listed below.

For example, if an applicant requests 25 percent of the maximum amount of one commodity per the above chart, it may propose up to 75 percent of the maximum amount of a different commodity, or if an applicant requests 50 percent maximum for one commodity it may propose up to 50 percent of the maximum amount of a different commodity. Suggested container amounts are provided in the table below:

HLP Nutributter

Eight 40' containers Zero containers

Six 40' containers One 40' container

Four 40' containers Two 40' containers

Two 40' containers Three 40' containers mailto:cjones@edesianutrition.org mailto:cjones@edesianutrition.org mailto:cjones@edesianutrition.org mailto:cjones@edesianutrition.org

Zero 40' containers Four 40' containers

One 20' container Three 40' containers and one 20' container

Seven 40' containers One 20' container

Additionally, applicants may request either one 20 foot or one 40 foot container of Enov’Mum.

This would be supplemental to any HLP, Nutributter, or a combination of those two commodities as requested.

BHA requires applicants not requesting the maximum commodity tonnage level of HLP or Nutributter to request the following lower tonnage levels based on the carrying capacity per 20’ or 40’ containers. Otherwise, there is no minimum tonnage level that must be requested.

Apparently successful applicants who propose tonnage amounts that do not meet the containerized tonnage amounts listed below will be requested to revise their application.

Please note that applicants cannot combine commodities from two separate producers in one carrying container. Further, containers must be sealed at the producer’s location when loaded and applicants must use food grade containers.

● Harvest Lentil Pro

○ 150.08 MTs=eight 40’ containers

○ 131.32 MTs=seven 40’ containers

○ 112.56 MTs=six 40’ containers

○ 93.80 MTs=five 40’ containers

○ 75.04 MTs=four 40’ containers

○ 56.28 MTs=three 40’ containers

○ 37.52 MTs=two 40’ containers

○ 18.76 MTs=one 40’ container

○ 11.34 MTs=one 20’ container

Note: 40’ containers = 1,340 handloaded cases, 20’ containers = 810 handloaded cases

● Enov’ Nutributter

○ 69.12 MTs=four 40’ containers

○ 51.84 MTs=three 40’ containers

○ 34.56 MTs=two 40’ containers

○ 17.28 MTs=one 40’ container

○ 10.8 MTs= one 20’ container

● Enov’ Mum

○ 17.28 MTs=one 40’ container

○ 10.8 MTs= one 20’ container

Applicants must request funds in two separated categories: transport, storage, and handling of commodities, and all other costs.

Each applicant must request costs for transport, storage, and handling of commodities in accordance with the maximum cost per container provided in the “Transport Costs” table below for the proposed region.

All other costs for personnel, fringe benefits, local travel, direct costs, and indirect costs must be requested in accordance with the maximum cost per container as listed in the “Other Costs” table below. Programming costs vary by product because of the program actions necessary to ensure appropriate usage of the specified product. This funding includes support for costs directly associated with the programming, staff movement, management, and monitoring of IFRP commodities. Funding will not be considered for vehicle purchase, project materials, or office equipment.

Maximum Transport Costs per Container

Region 40 Foot 20 Foot

Central America & Caribbean $6,097 $3,686

West Africa $6,463 $3,907

South East Africa $5,853 $3,538

South East Africa- Madagascar $10,243 $6,192

Red Sea $4,878 $2,948

Red Sea- Yemen $9,633 $5,823

South East Asia $4,085 $2,469

Central Asia $9,633 $5,823

Other contact IFRP@usaid.gov

Maximum Other Costs Per Commodity

HLP Nutributter Mum

One 40' container $16,884 $51,840 $51,840

Two 40' containers $33,768 $103,680

Three 40' containers $50,652 $155,520

Four 40' containers $67,536 $207,360

Five 40' containers $84,420

Six 40' containers $101,304

Seven 40' containers $118,188

Eight 40' containers $135,072

One 20' container $10,206 $32,400 $32,400

Maximum $135,072 $207,360 $51,840

1. (a) Commodity Descriptions and Their Appropriate Uses

Applicants must request to use the available commodities in accordance with their purpose as described below. Applications that do not request appropriate use of at least one of the below commodities will not be considered. Applications proposing the use of LNS products for a curative or therapeutic purpose will not be considered.

Harvest Lentil Pro (Product Code # 404 – Unflavored):

The Harvest Lentil Pro (Product Code # 404 – Unflavored) soup mix is a dry/dehydrated blend composed of lentils, rice, soy, potatoes, onions, carrots, and salt that has a broad utility across ages. It is fortified with vitamins, minerals, and vegetable protein, including dietary fiber, iron, vitamin B complex, vitamin C and potassium, but is not limited to these micro-nutrient fortifications. The product has a shelf-life of up to 24 months. The suggested serving size is 20g of dry/dehydrated mix. After reconstitution, the serving provides a full cup serving of soup. A non-GMO version is also available upon request, with approval from the IFRP Program Manager.

The product offers essentially a complementary/supplemental nutritional intake of minerals and vitamins needed for a balanced diet and is primarily intended for institutional feeding venues, i.e. as a supplement to main meals to patients, school children, orphans, adults, the elderly at hospitals, schools, clinics, orphanages, civic centers, internally displaced person (IDP) and refugee camps, and other similar locales with sufficient potable water for preparation. The product can also be distributed as a take-home ration (to multi-children/single-mother households) provided that preparation training and ration intake information are available. In most cases, preparation is very consistent with local cooking and food preparation practices, permitting the product to be a base for local ingredients and seasoning. Cooking requires bringing the mix to a boil and simmering for 20-30 minutes to rehydrate the blend for ready consumption.

IMPORTANT: The Harvest Lentil Pro product is for “general population” feeding per the above, and is intended and appropriately used as a supplement to primary meals and dietary needs to alleviate hunger and address micro-nutrient and/or vitamin deficiencies among targeted populations. Once prepared, the product can be distributed/provided as a supplement for added nourishment to a wide-range of ‘at-risk’ and/or food insecure program participants.

For additional information about this product, its overall ingredients/specifications and appropriate use, please refer to Breedlove Food’s website. Potential applicants may also contact Ms. Michelle Logan of Breedlove Foods at the following email address:

michellelogan@breedlove.org.

Enov’ Nutributter

Enov’ Nutributter is a small quantity, ready-to-use, lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS-SQ) intended to complement the diet of children 6-24 months of age whose diets are nutritionally sub-optimal and/or insufficient. The product was formulated for children at risk of nutritional deficiencies to help meet their nutrient needs. Enov’ Nutributter is a dietary supplement of one

(1) packet/sachet per day, to provide 20 grams of essential nutrients. Enov’ Nutributter has a shelf life of 24 months when stored up to 30 degrees centigrade (86 degrees fahrenheit).

IMPORTANT: The Enov’ Nutributter product is NOT a therapeutic food product, and is therefore NOT intended for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Nor is Enov’ Nutributter intended for treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Enov’ Nutributter is also NOT a breast milk replacement.

All grant applicants must understand that Enov’ Nutributter (LNS-SQ) is to be used as a dietary/nutritional supplement (preventive) for infants and very young children (6-24 months).

Applications that propose this product for therapeutic use or for treatment of severe acute and/or moderate acute malnutrition will not be considered for overall grant funding.

For additional information about this product, its overall ingredients/specifications and appropriate use, please refer to Edesia's website. Potential applicants may also contact Ms.

Casidee Jones of Edesia at the following email address: cjones@edesianutrition.org, (401) 272- 5521 ext. 1243.

Enov’ Mum:

Enov’ Mum is a small quantity, ready-to-use, lipid based nutrient supplement (LNS-SQ PLW) https://www.breedlove.org/ mailto:michellelogan@breedlove.org intended to complement the diet of pregnant and lactating women. The product was formulated to aid women not receiving a nutritionally adequate diet due to food insecurity, or those whose daily diet may be providing enough energy but is lacking in dietary diversity. The product also has a positive effect on maternal nutritional status, birth outcomes, and postnatal growth.

Enov’ Mum, is provided as one (1) packet/sachet per day, to provide 20g of essential nutrients and complements a regular diet. Enov’ Mum has a shelf-life of 24 months, especially when stored up to 30 degrees centigrade (86 degrees fahrenheit)

IMPORTANT: The Enov’ Mum product is NOT a therapeutic food product, and is therefore NOT intended for treatment of acute malnutrition).

All grant applicants must understand that Enov’ Mum is to be used as a dietary/nutritional supplement for pregnant and lactating women. Applications that propose this product for “therapeutic” use or for “treatment” of acute malnutrition will not be considered for overall grant funding.

For additional information about this product, its overall ingredients/specifications and appropriate use, please refer to Edesia's website. Potential applicants may also contact Ms.

Cassidee Jones of Edesia at the following email address: cjones@edesianutrition.org, (401) 272- 5521 ext. 1243.

2. Authorizing Legislation

This funding opportunity is authorized under the Food for Peace Act Section 201 (7 U.S.C. § 1726b), as amended. The Food for Peace Act authorizes the USAID Administrator to award grants to private voluntary organizations and international organizations for the rapid transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf-stable prepackaged foods requested by eligible organizations to needy individuals in foreign countries.

More information on the program can be found here: https://www.usaid.gov/humanitarian-assistance/international-food-relief-partnership

3. Project Eligibility Requirements

To ensure the best opportunity, the proposed grant goals, objectives, and activities, along with the receipt/loading, rapid transportation, and delivery of the commodity in-country, must be achievable within 24 months of the initial date of the award.

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Estimate of Funds Available https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Food%20For%20Peace%20Act.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/humanitarian-assistance/international-food-relief-partnership

Subject to the availability of commodities and funds, under this RFA, BHA plans to enter into grant award(s) up to the maximum values outlined in Section I (Program Description) under the Transport Costs and Other Costs table.

2. Anticipated Start Date and Performance Period

The anticipated award date is on or about September 29, 2023, with a performance period of 24 months for each award.

3. Assistance Awards

Per 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 700, USAID does not award profit under assistance instruments.

However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the agreement activity and which are in accordance with applicable cost standards, may be paid under the agreement.

SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

To be considered for a Title II-funded award, applicants must meet one of the following minimum eligibility requirements:

● A private voluntary organization (PVO).

o A PVO is a U.S. private voluntary organization, international private voluntary organization or a local private voluntary organization.

o A PVO includes U.S. and non-U.S. nonprofit, non-governmental organizations

(NGOs) (1) as defined in Section 402 of the Food for Peace Act; and (2) in accordance with ADS 303.

● An organization designated by USAID as a Public International Organization (PIO), in accordance with USAID ADS 308.

2. New Partners

USAID encourages applications from potential new partners.

BHA welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID (new partners) and local organizations. Awards to new partners may be significantly delayed if BHA must undertake necessary pre-award surveys of these organizations in order to determine whether the prospective recipient has the necessary experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills in order to achieve the objectives of the program, or whether specific conditions will have to be imposed (see Section IV of this RFA).

https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/308

Organizations without prior experience managing USAID funding should take this into account and plan their implementation dates and activities accordingly.

3. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is not required.

4. Limit on Number of Applications

Applicants may submit up to three separate grant applications, with no more than one application per country.

5. Minimal Qualification Requirements

The Agreement Officer (AO) uses the Fixed Amount Award Entity Eligibility Checklist to assess the applicant’s capacity and capabilities for accomplishing the milestones. If the assessment identifies weaknesses or deficiencies in the organization that call into question the ability of the organization to complete the proposed activity, the technical office and the AO, as part of the risk assessment required in ADS 303.3.25, must document the weaknesses and deficiencies and describe the mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of failure to the organization and the Agency. Mitigation measures may include, but are not limited to the following: capacity building technical assistance, including but not limited to financial management and procurement functions; or, increased monitoring visits to confirm adequate progress on milestones.

6. Qualification Factors

To qualify for (an) award(s) resulting from this RFA, the applicant must:

(a) Have a satisfactory history of performance, including a satisfactory record of meeting expected performance goals and managing and executing programs or activities under U.S. Government (USG)-funded awards (e.g., timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements, conformance to the terms and conditions of the awards) if it is a prior Recipient of USG awards;

(b) Have a Unique Entity Identifier and be registered in the USG’s System for Award Management (SAM) and not have any active exclusions in the SAM (http://www.sam.gov);

(c) Be financially stable and have adequate financial resources (or the ability to obtain such resources) as required during the performance of the award;

(d) Have the necessary management systems and ability to meet required management http://www.sam.gov/ standards, including having the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of 2 CFR 170, if the applicant is proposing to work with sub-awardees;

(e) Have the ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on recipients of USG assistance;

(f) Have the ability to meet the award terms and conditions considering all existing prospective Recipient commitments, both non-governmental and governmental;

(g) Not be indebted to the USG;

(h) Not appear on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons List maintained by the U.S. Treasury for the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC);

(i) Not appear on the United Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List (https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/un-sc-consolidated-list); and

(j) Be otherwise qualified to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

7. Pre-Award Survey/Risk Assessment

If the applicant has not received funding from USAID or substantial funding from another U.S.

Government agency within the past five years, a pre-award survey is required in accordance with the policy requirements in ADS 303.3.9.1. A pre-award survey examines the applicant’s systems to determine whether the applicant has the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills in order to achieve the objectives of the program and manage USAID funding. An applicant must receive a successful pre-award survey in order to be considered for direct funding from USAID.

In order to determine whether an applicant qualifies for an award, the AO must assess the risks posed by applicants in accordance with the following:

• For U.S. and Non-U.S. NGOs: 2 CFR 200.205 and ADS 303.3.9

A positive risk determination means that the prospective non-Federal entity possesses or has the ability to obtain the necessary management competence to plan and carry out the assistance program, and that the prospective non-Federal entity will practice mutually agreed-upon methods of accountability for funds and other assets provided by USAID.

Depending on the result of this risk determination the AO may: (a) make the award; (b) not make the award; or (c) make the award with specific conditions.

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDNList/Pages/default.aspx https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/un-sc-consolidated-list

8. Sources of Information

In assessing applicant risk vis-à-vis the qualification factors, the AO will utilize:

● Information available through any Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-designated repositories of USG-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, as appropriate;

● Information available in the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s “Do Not Pay” system;

● Information available in SAM;

● Integrity and performance information available through the Federal Awardee

Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS);

● Information available in the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets

Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons List;

● Information available in the United Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List;

● Reports and findings from audits, including Single Audit information available through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (https://harvester.census.gov/facweb/);

● Information obtained from evaluations and assessments of prior work;

● Information received from references provided in the application (see Section IV.B of this RFA), and references other than those provided in the application;

● The applicable statutory and regulatory certifications (see Section IV.2B - Content and

Form of Application Submission of this RFA);

● If requested, copies of: (a) audited financial statements for the last three years; (b) projected budget, cash flow, and organization charts; and (c) copies of applicable policies and procedures (e.g., accounting, procurement, property management, travel, and personnel);

● Formal pre-award surveys (if applicable); and

● Other information that the AO may reasonably request.

9. Results of Risk Assessment

As a result of the aforementioned risk assessment, the AO may do one of the following:

a. Make an Award

If a positive risk determination is made, the AO would ordinarily be expected to make an award (assuming that mutual agreement can be reached on award terms and conditions and/or any other matter). A positive risk determination means that the applicant possesses or has the ability to obtain the necessary management competence to plan and carry out the assistance program and that the applicant will practice mutually agreed-upon methods of accountability for funds and other assets provided by USAID.

b. Not Make an Award http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/un-sc-consolidated-list https://harvester.census.gov/facweb

(1) If a positive determination cannot be made, the AO would ordinarily not make an award. If a positive risk determination cannot be made, it means that the applicant does not meet one or more of the qualification factors listed in Section III.6, and that specific conditions (see Section III.9(c) - Make an Award with Specific Conditions below) cannot appropriately mitigate the effects of the applicant’s risk.

(2) In accordance with 2 CFR 200.212, if the AO determines that an applicant is not qualified for an award because the applicant does not have a satisfactory record of: (a) executing programs or activities under USG grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts (see Section III.6(a) above); and/or (b) integrity and business ethics (see Section III.6(c) - Qualification Factors above), USAID must report that determination to the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (if it is the only basis for the AO’s determination and if the award would have exceeded the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000, but revised from time to time).

(a) In such cases, USAID will notify the applicant that the determination was made and reported to the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM, and include with the notification an explanation of the basis for the determination. The information will be kept in the system for a period of five years from the date of the determination, and will then be archived. The applicant may go to the awardee integrity and performance portal accessible through SAM and comment on any information the system contains about the applicant itself. If USAID enters information into the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM about a determination that an applicant is not qualified for an award and subsequently learns that any of that information is erroneous, USAID will correct the information in the system within three business days. In addition, if USAID subsequently obtains an update to that information, USAID may amend the information in the system to incorporate the update in a timely way.

(b) In accordance with 2 CFR 200.211, all information posted in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM will be publicly available after a waiting period of 14 calendar days, except for information that is withdrawn by USAID during the 14-calendar day waiting period. However, USAID will not publish any information in the non-public segment of designated integrity and performance system that is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C 552), or controlled unclassified information pursuant to Executive Order 13556. If the applicant asserts within seven calendar days that some or all of the information made publicly available is covered by a disclosure exemption under the Freedom of Information Act, USAID will remove the posting within seven calendar days of receiving the assertion. Prior to reposting the releasable information, USAID must resolve the issue in accordance with USAID’s Freedom of Information Act procedures.

c. Make an Award with Specific Conditions

If the risk assessment of a potential recipient identifies high risks, an award may still be made if the applicant can correct its deficiencies within a reasonable period of time, and if the award includes specific conditions that can appropriately mitigate the effects of the applicant’s risk.

Such specific conditions are described in 2 CFR 200.207 and ADS 303.3.9.2 or the other applicable regulations and policies cited above. These specific conditions may include items such as:

● Requiring payments as reimbursements rather than advance payments;

● Withholding authority to proceed to the next phase until receipt of evidence of acceptable performance within a given period of performance;

● Requiring additional, more detailed financial reports;

● Requiring additional project monitoring and reporting;

● Requiring the applicant to obtain technical or management assistance; and/or

● Establishing additional prior approvals.

SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Point of Contact

Benjamin C. Vogler IFRP Program Manager U.S. Agency for International Development Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20523 Email: IFRP@usaid.gov

This RFA and any future amendments can be downloaded from http://www.grants.gov. If you have difficulty registering or accessing the RFA, please contact the grants.gov helpdesk at support@grants.gov for technical assistance.

All application inquiries must be submitted to BHA, attention Benjamin C. Vogler, IFRP Program Manager, at IFRP@usaid.gov. Note that emails including all attachments must not exceed 10 megabytes (MB). Please therefore use multiple emails or zip files if needed. The Apparently Successful Applicant(s) will be invited to upload their final application documents to the BHA Application and Award Management Portal (AAMP).

2. Content and Form of Application Submission and DEIA Compliance

Applicants are expected to review, understand, and comply with all aspects of this RFA. Failure to do so will be at the applicant's risk. Each applicant must furnish the information required by this RFA.

Agency DEIA Compliance Assurances for Applicants: Applicants are encouraged by USAID to describe in their technical applications, their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) mailto:IFRP@usaid.gov http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:IFRP@usaid.gov goals and approaches for staffing and management, including how they will endeavor to meet as best as possible, their approach towards enhancing DEIA in technical programming. This can include for example how they will screen, prioritize, and shape investments and partnerships, and a strategy to work with local partners to enhance the DEIA to the best of their efforts.

In this regard, USAID further encourages all applicants to consider sharing any/all policies, procedures, and/or management planning strategies (as available) which may show evidence of a clear approach for ensuring diversity practices of the applicant organization and synergies with the Agency DEIA goals and objectives identified above.

Content and Form of Application: BHA requests that applicants submit application documents to IFRP@usaid.gov. All documents must be completed in accordance with the format detailed in this RFA and adhere to the following:

● Written in English and in 12-point Calibri font;

● Text in tables or charts may be 10-point Calibri font;

● Narratives must be prepared in Microsoft Word or compatible equivalent with print areas set to 8.5 x 11 inch, letter-sized paper and one-inch margins, left justification and a footer on each page including page numbers, date of submission, and applicant name;

● Spreadsheets must be prepared in Microsoft Excel or compatible equivalent, with print areas set to 8.5 x 11 inch, letter-sized paper;

● Official (signed) documents, memoranda, and certifications may be submitted as Adobe PDF files or compatible equivalent; and

● Faxed and hard copy applications are not acceptable.

To facilitate the competitive review of the applications, applications must conform to the format prescribed below.

The application must be specific, complete, and presented concisely. Technical applications shall demonstrate the applicant's capabilities and expertise with respect to achieving the goals of the proposed program, and the requirements can be found in Section V – Application Review Information, 1) Merit Review Criteria.

An organization may submit up to three applications in response to this RFA, with no more than one application for any one country.

The application must be specific, complete, and presented concisely. Applications that do not meet the requirements of this RFA will not be considered for award. The application shall be divided into the following sections, with the maximum number of pages given per section as follows:

A. Application Narrative (3 pages maximum)

1. Cover Page (1 page maximum) mailto:IFRP@usaid.gov

2. Executive Summary (2 pages maximum) B. Technical Narrative (10 pages maximum)

1. Organizational Capabilities

2. Situation Analysis

3. Program Objectives/Strategy

4. Implementation Plan

C. Budget (No page limit)

1. Detailed Budget (no page limit)

2. Summary Budget (no page limit)

3. Budget Narrative (no page limit)

D. Annexes (no page limit)

1. Risk Assessment and Management Plan to prevent the misuse or diversion of

U.S. Government resources.

The above bullets correspond to the sections of the RFA, as described below, and constitute the general application format.

A. Application Narrative (3 pages maximum)

The Application Narrative must include the following:

Cover Page (1 page maximum)

● The name of the organization submitting the application;

● Name and title of the organization’s representative who has signatory authority and authority to submit the application;

● Program name;

● Request for Applications (RFA) number;

● Proposed sub-awardees are to be listed separately, including a brief narrative describing the unique capacities/skills being brought to the program by each;

● Contact information for the person submitting the application: individual’s name

(both typed and his/her signature), title or position within the organization/institution, address, and telephone and email address. Applicants are to acknowledge whether the contact person is the person with authority to contract for the applicant, and if not, that person should also be listed; and

● The date of registration in SAM.

Executive Summary (2 pages maximum)

● Summarize the key elements of the application:

○ The applicant’s capabilities;

○ The nature of the food security and nutritional situation in the proposed country;

○ The proposed program for the population targeted;

https://www.usaid.gov/bha-guidelines/annex-d

○ The type and amount of commodity(ies) requested; and

○ The funding requested.

● Must be concise and accurate.

IMPORTANT: See appropriate purpose and use of the available LNS supplemental commodities per the above information in Section I - Program Description and;

The LNS Evidence and Guidance Brief can be found here: ~>

● LNS Evidence and Programming Brief

B. Technical Narrative (10 pages maximum)

The Technical Narrative must include the following:

Organizational Capabilities

● Applicants must provide evidence of their technical and managerial resources and expertise (or their ability to obtain such) to meet the program objectives.

Information in this section must include a brief description of all the organization’s history/expertise in the proposed country of operation not limited to U.S.

Government (USG) funding, any previous experience with the distribution of food aid commodities, current programming initiatives, and coordination relationships with government, International NGOs, local NGOs, and/or UN actors in the country proposed for the program.

● If the applicant is proposing to make one or more sub-awards, all of the information above must also be provided for the proposed sub-awardee(s).

● No information is required on key personnel.

Situation Analysis

The Situation Analysis must include the following:

● A concise description of the food security and/or nutrition situation in the proposed areas of operation and among the proposed program participants.

● An explanation of why the proposed locations have been selected and why the proposed product is appropriate for the location and situation of the proposed population.

● The caseload of total program participants for each commodity, including the potential overlap if proposing two commodities, with appropriate justification for caseload size given population size and coverage of other actors/services in the proposed geographic area.

● A detailed description of the proposed program participants, specifically focusing on the applicant’s rationale for targeting the proposed group, including an explanation of the criteria used to select program participants.

https://www.usaid.gov/document/lns-evidence-and-programming-brief

● Relevant statistics and/or assessment data helping to further explain the need for the proposed program and the programmatic approach.

● Details of all existing programming provided by the applicant and/or other actors in the proposed geographic location serving the proposed population, an explanation of gaps in that programming, and a detailed plan for how coordination among actors will be undertaken.

● A detailed description of how IFRP commodities will complement/add value to other programmatic activities undertaken by the applicant in the proposed geographic area, if applicable.

● An explanation of why the commodity(ies) requested is/are appropriate for the proposed target population.

Program Objectives/Strategy

● Applicants must provide the proposed program’s overall goals and objectives.

● Applicants applying for use of two commodities must provide justification for participant number estimates for each planned commodity, based on demographic statistics for the implementation location.

● Applicants must discuss how an IFRP grant would contribute to addressing the problem of food and/or nutrition insecurity among the targeted population and how the IFRP activities enhance, or are integrated into, any ongoing programs that they or other actors implement.

● Applicants must provide a monitoring and evaluation plan outlining how progress against objectives and overall program impact will be tracked. The key aspects of the monitoring and evaluation plan include:

o Life of award (LOA) targets for the number of individual beneficiaries at the award level.

o List of required if applicable (RiA) indicators to be used for the activity, and their LOA targets. Applicants will find these RiA indicators in the Nutrition Sector section of the BHA Emergency Indicator Handbook. BHA encourages, but does not require, applicants to develop their list of indicators in Excel format.

o Data collection system: Applicants must explain the system/methods they will use for data collection; and o Beneficiary accountability: Applicants must provide a plan to collect beneficiary feedback on the quality of food items and the distribution process, and the plan to address any complaints.

● Applicants must include a monitoring and BHA aligned reporting schedule, as well as any plans for internal or external program evaluations.

● For additional M&E Guidance, IFRP partners are encouraged to refer to BHA’s Monitoring Guidance for IFRP Awards. This guidance is designed to provide general insight on best monitoring practices and methods to track activity progress.

https://www.usaid.gov/bha-guidelines/annex-b-handbook https://www.usaid.gov/document/bha-monitoring-guidance-international-food-relief-partnership-activities commodities per the above information.

Implementation Plan

The Implementation Plan must include details on the following:

● Coordination of activities/actions with other relevant nutrition and/or food security actors in the same geographic area.

o Applicants must describe in sufficient detail their overall knowledge and awareness of other food security and/or nutrition activities being implemented in the proposed country/region(s) by either:

▪ Any host country government activities and

▪ Any/all other organizations, such as the World Food Program

(WFP), and/or any other PIOs, PVOs, and NGOs operating in the region/country.

● Complementary activities, such as rehabilitation of infrastructure, provision of medical supplies and other health and community services, including vaccination campaigns, nutrition messaging, screening and referral for acute malnutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) actions, and home-based food production and security activities.

o Applicants must include a description of any complementary activities (if any/as applicable) that will be provided using IFRP funding.

● Detailed description of how distributions will be scheduled, organized and implemented for the life of the program, including justification and reasonableness of distribution frequency to meet the intended goals of the program.

o A description of the proposed timeline for the program, including:

▪ Estimates of shipping times and total distribution timelines;

▪ Receipt/loading at producer facility, containerized transport to in-country warehousing, and ultimate distribution to program participants;

▪ An understanding of host country restrictions on importing food commodities containing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs);

o A delivery and distribution schedule and a list of proposed distribution sites;

o A description of the total ration servings planned per program participant;

● A description of how participants will be identified, selected, and enrolled and graduated from the program (as necessary for LNS commodities with specific age ranges for usage);

● A description and examples of educational messages that will be provided with commodity distributions;

● A solid waste management plan, including details on the management of commodity-related packaging waste such as individual commodity wrapping/containers/boxes/bags/sachets.

● An energy efficiency plan including energy use efficiency in preparation of the IFRP commodity, if applicable.

Applicants must notify USAID in advance of activities that may negatively impact or harm the environment, in accordance with USAID environmental compliance procedures (22 CFR 216).

All necessary policies and procedures for ensuring environmental impact assessment and climate risk management may be found within the IFRP Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) found at this link:

https://ecd.usaid.gov/document.php?doc_id=54982. The IEE can also be found on the USAID/BHA website.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose environmentally friendly approaches for transport of the commodity.

In order to avoid potential interference with and/or duplication of other programs in the same country/region(s), applicants must demonstrate that they have coordinated with the host country government(s) and/or the USAID Mission, BHA-funded activities, and other donors operating in-country.

C. Budget

The following sections describe the documentation that applicants for Assistance awards must submit to BHA. While there is no page limit for the budget, applicants are encouraged to be as concise as possible while still providing the necessary detail to address the items outlined below. Applicants must request funds in accordance with the information in Section I - Program Description, clearly distinguishing between funds for transport, storage, and handling and costs for all other purposes.

Summary and Detailed Budget

● Budget must be submitted using Microsoft Excel or compatible equivalent

● Detailed budget must contain sufficient information to allow USAID to determine that the costs represent a realistic, appropriate, and efficient use of funding and are allowable in accordance with the cost principles in 2 CFR 200 Subpart E

● Each line item in the detailed budget whenever applicable should contain the following details: Quantity, Unit of Measure (such as days, trips, or months), Unit Amount/Rate, Total Amount.

● Applicants must include the following line items in the Summary Budget:

o Cost of headquarters and field personnel;

▪ Detailed budget must include position title, salary rate, and level of effort, for each position.

o Fringe benefits for headquarters and field personnel, if applicable https://ecd.usaid.gov/document.php?doc_id=54982

▪ If the applicant has a fringe benefit rate approved by an agency of the U.S. Government, the applicant must use such rate and provide evidence of its approval.

▪ If an applicant does not have a fringe benefit rate approved, the applicant must propose a rate and explain how the applicant determined the rate.

o Cost of transport, storage, and handling;

▪ Detailed budget must provide details on the number of containers and transportation rate per container.

▪ Detailed budget must provide…