FY21 RFA72ASHA21RFA00001 - Response to questions CLEARED.pdf

ASHA FY21 RFA (72ASHA21RFA00001)

Questions and Answers

Posted 04/07/2020

Organization Public Comment/Question ASHA Response

1 Q1: Does the RFA use subaward and subrecipient interchangeably?

A subaward is provided to a subrecipient.

Q2: Because an OSI is required as part of the application process and therefore considered to be approved at the time of award, must the OSI submit all information noted in the “Approval of Subawards” section of the Business (Cost) Application Requirements below during the Phase 2 process?

During the Phase 2 application process, the USO must provide the name and DUNS # for each subrecipient and confirm that it has performed the required checks for each subrecipient, including the OSI.

2 Q1: Is qualification for an ASHA award dependent on having a US university partner?

No. ASHA requires a U.S. not-for-profit non-governmental entity (e.g. “NGOs,” foundations, and similar) to be the Applicant, but it is not limited to universities.

3 Q1: Can the OSI be located in [COUNTRY 1] but the services will be provided in both [COUNTRY 2] and [COUNTRY 3]?

The OSI must be registered in the country where the services will be provided.

4 Q1: In reviewing the preparation time allotted to organizations, from the RFA announcement dates to the first phase due dates over the prior 3 years, ASHA has generally provided from 8 to 11 weeks for preparation and submission.

This year, a little more than 6 weeks has been provided.

Especially due to adjustments and situations that are still ongoing within our new world of COVID, would ASHA consider an extension in the date of submission of the Phase 1 application for the FY21 RFA?

ASHA has revised the Phase 1 Application due date to April 23, 2021, by 4 pm EST.

Organization Public Comment/Question ASHA Response

5 Q1: Under Eligibility Information (Section C.1.), the RFA states that “OSIs must be founded or sponsored by U.S.

citizens.”

● Could you please describe the definition of “sponsored by U.S. citizens”?

● Does the OSI have to be completely (100%) sponsored by U.S. citizens?

Sponsored means a continuing relationship that MUST include significant financial support from the USO; and may also include technical support, joint ventures, exchange programs, volunteer placement programs, faculty exchanges, fundraising or other arrangements and may include in-kind contributions. Partnerships and mutual collaborations alone are insufficient. Further, USOs must have a continuing and successful supportive formal relationship with OSIs that has lasted at least two years prior to the date of application.

The OSI does not have to be sponsored 100% by U.S. citizens, but it should meet the guidelines stated above.

Q2: Under Eligibility Information (Section C.1.), the RFA states 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. 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 recipient government owns a majority interest in the organization.”

● Are public universities in a foreign country considered foreign governments/agencies of local, regional, or national government?

● Are individuals who are employed by public universities in a foreign country and who serve on a Board of Directors considered government employees or appointees?

Public universities in a foreign country are considered government entities as they are funded by the government and inherently “owned” by the government; therefore, they are ineligible.

Individuals who are employed by a public university are considered government employees.

6 Q1: In general, is the funding of American-made farm Please note that this solicitation supports schools, equipment for the purposes above within the acceptable scope of this RFA? Or is it not allowable for some reason?

hospitals, libraries and centers of excellence. Any farm equipment will be reviewed within the context of this requirement.

In accordance with ADS 312.3.3, agricultural equipment is a restricted item that is not allowed in an ASHA award unless explicitly approved by the Agreement Officer (AO) in writing prior to procurement. Applicants must present a compelling justification for such a restricted item. If the proposed program is recommended for award, the AO will review the requested restricted items and determine whether to provide approval.

7 Q1: We read that a minimum of 30% of the available $27 million will be allocated to the Middle East, and no applicant could receive more than $2 million. In 2016, we attended the ASHA conference and recall the meeting coordinator mentioning a suggested ceiling for first time applicants, which was not mentioned in the RFA, similarly to this year. Our recollection is around $250,000, however, could you remind us if this is still the case?

There is no additional ceiling for first-time applicants. It is recommended that first time applicants consider a “commodity” only award for their first time. All applicants can apply for up to $2 million in funding.

Q2: Our understanding is that salaries, travel costs, technical assistance, and administrative overhead, are considered as operating costs and will not be funded under ASHA - is this also applicable to the project auditor, environmental risk consultant, and construction labor?

Environmental Risk Consultant: A&E fees can include additional costs for construction oversight, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, environment and climate risk management services.

Construction Labor: ASHA will fund all costs associated with new construction and hiring a construction company.

Project Auditor: ASHA funds can be used to support reasonable costs of USOs and OSIs related to the expenses of federally required audits as identified in 2 CFR 700, ADS 591, and the award. ASHA will require program specific audits for all ASHA funded awards that are not required to perform a Single Audit. ASHA funds may not be used to fund annual institutional audits required by a country's laws.

All costs:

Please note that for all eligible costs (including project auditor, environmental risk consultant, and construction labor) ASHA covers costs after the award is made and prior approvals have been met.

ASHA will not cover the cost for work done during the solicitation stage.

Q3: The [COUNTRY] context is volatile and the fluctuating costs of goods is of concern. If we consider construction related items under the application, and the 2022 spending calendar, the plans may need to be slightly adjusted at the time of the implementation due to the cost of goods. Would this be considered a red flag as stipulated in section 3.4 of the RFA? We have a trusted construction engineer who would help draft the plans and relevant budgets, which he has successfully done in the past however would like to check on this.

Cost adjustments are common and do not automatically halt construction. However, no additional funding will be provided for cost adjustments. The Recipient will be expected to revise their budget and reallocate funds to accommodate such changes.

Q4: The RFA mentions it would "make awards in calendar year 2022" as funds become available, this should be considered as January 1, 2022 for planning and spending purposes? Similarly, would the awards to applicants be announced? Is there a long period of contract negotiation between ASHA and partners?

ASHA intends to make awards resulting from the FY21 RFA by September 30, 2022.

Applicants will be notified if they are successful or unsuccessful.

Award negotiation will occur between the issuance of Issues Letters and the awards, however long that takes.

8 Q1: Does the grant include overhead like salary and fees for engineers, architects, M&E personnel etc...?

ASHA can fund costs related to A&E (e.g.

construction oversight, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, environment and climate risk management services), but ASHA generally does not fund other overhead costs like salaries.

Q2: Is the funding available for healthcare clinics? ASHA can fund healthcare clinics if they are “institutions where medical education and research occur in addition to medical treatment.”

Q3: Will this funding include both commodities and construction fees?

An award can include funds for both commodities and construction.

9 Q1: Sub-awardee vs. Subrecipient. P. 10 – last bullet. The OSI is referred to as the “applicant’s sub-awardee.” P. 22 provides budget breakdown instructions for “subawards” and then immediately specifies that subawards are for subrecipients. Based on our review of 2 CFR 300, etc. it appears that OSI’s meet the definition of being a subrecipient.

For purposes of this grant program, is an OSI considered a sub-recipient who will be receiving a sub-award and thus subject to the rules on p. 23, “Approval of Subawards”?

Yes, the OSI is a subrecipient and is subject to the requirements under “Approval of Subawards.”

Q2: Audited Financial Statements. P. 11 – 4th bullet. Audited financial statements must be provided from 2019 or later. The Annex – Phase I Technical Application Template says 2018 or later. Which is correct?

The audited financial statements submitted with the application must be from your organization’s fiscal year 2019 or later. Annex I has been updated.

10 Q1: Is it possible to include the cost of acquiring land for a new site as part of an application? The deed would not be

USAID/ASHA does not fund acquisition of land.

Per p.12 of the RFA (SECTION C: Eligibility available at the time of submission. Information, 1. Eligible Applications: Instructions), “the USO or OSI must submit an official copy of a title, lease or similar official documentation to prove the rights over the land, recognized within the country where implementation will take place. This documentation must be submitted with the Phase 2 Technical Application.”

11 Q1: When do you plan to notify applicants of the status of the FY20 application round? Our decisions for this year’s application depend on knowing the status of last year’s application.

Awards resulting from the FY 2020 RFA will be made by September 30, 2021. Unfortunately, we cannot provide any other status updates.

12 Q1: [US UNIVERSITY] may be interested in applying for this program for its longtime programs in [COUNTRY]. It’s unclear to me, however, whether the university is eligible. It is a public university, which I think disqualifies it. We do have a separate 501(c)(3) private foundation. I would like to know whether that organization might qualify.

The ASHA RFA is open to any U.S. not-for-profit non-governmental entity (including US public colleges and universities) to apply as the USO on behalf of an OSI that is not owned or has majority control by a host government.

13 Q1: We are writing to inquire if this call would fund a community hospital construction in [COUNTRY]?

We cannot provide feedback on proposed projects.

ASHA provides assistance to overseas schools, libraries, hospital centers, and centers of excellence to highlight American ideas and practices, to provide concrete illustrations of the generosity of the American people, to further U.S.

Government public diplomacy, and to catalyze collaboration between U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries.

Hospital centers are institutions where medical education and research occur in addition to medical treatment (RFA pg 5 footnote). Please refer to the RFA for more information.

14 Q1: We are a 501c3 charity and are looking into applying for a grant. Is it mandatory to provide an independently audited financial statement for the charity and one for the recipient school in [COUNTRY] where the funds would be utilized?

Those would be such prohibitive costs that we could not take advantage of USAID. Do you waive this requirement for smaller entities?

USOs and OSIs must submit independently audited financial statements performed by an accredited independent audit firm for a recent operating year from 2019 or later. There are no exceptions for smaller entities.

15 Q1: [ORGANIZATION] was previously awarded an ASHA grant but was unable to deploy the grant due to issues with securing co-financing from the World Bank; however, we have since managed to secure this financing. Is [ORGANIZATION] still eligible to apply for this year’s ASHA grant?

Please see Section C of the RFA for eligibility information.

Q2: [ORGANIZATION] is based in [COUNTRY], but has students enrolled from 18 countries across Asia. How will a regional vs. a national project be viewed by the ASHA application committee?

Please see RFA page 29 regarding the audience and ripple effect of a project’s communication strategy. Regional impact would have a wider ripple effect than country impact.

Q3: Although [ORGANIZATION] is not located in the Middle East, we have students who are from Yemen, Palestine, and Syria. Thus, our university has connections to the Middle East, even if it is not located in the Middle East. Are we able to apply for the 30% of funding set aside for institutions in the Middle East?

ASHA will allocate no less than 30% of its FY21 funding to Applicants whose work is primarily focused on the Middle East.

For purposes of this RFA, the Middle East includes the following countries and territories: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank & Gaza, and Yemen.

16 Q1: Is the US $2 million the maximum per year, and what is the maximum funding if my grant is 2-4 years?

The maximum amount for an individual award is $2,000,000 for the entire period of the award.

Q2: Is a 501C3 headed by a US Permanent Resident eligible or must the head be a US Citizen?

Eligibility for this RFA is restricted to any U.S.

not-for-profit non-governmental entity. There is no criterion regarding the head of the U.S.-based organization.

17 Q1: I was wondering if you could let us know examples of previous ASHA grant recipients in [COUNTRY], if not an exhaustive list. We have done searches on the Internet but could not find any information.

USAspending.gov has information on U.S.

government awards. You can do a keyword search for “ASHA” and look at the “Grants” tab.

Q2: We were wondering whether there had not been many successful ASHA cases in [COUNTRY], and wanted to know why. This information would help us better prepare for our application.

We cannot comment on the success of previous projects.

USAspending.gov has information on U.S.

government awards. You can do a keyword search for “ASHA” by your “COUNTRY” and look at the “Grants” tab.

18 Q1: For a school, can the "Teaching English as a Second Language" be the only subject in which English is used as the medium of instruction?

Per Section C: Eligibility Information, “For applications involving ‘schools’: The OSI must provide English language instruction or use English as the language of instruction in at least one course...”

Q2: If a OSI hospital is the primary financial support for a community college that it runs for vocational training in non-medical fields, and affiliated to a local university, and the grant application is for construction and commodities for the community college, should the applicant apply as a hospital or school?

The OSI type (school, hospital) should be associated with the actual project. If you are proposing construction to the school, the OSI type is a school.

19 Q1: ASHA indicates in the FY21 RFA Public Comments & Responses that recipients cannot enter into a contract until ASHA concurs on the A&E firm, which can only be done

Recipients cannot enter into a contract using ASHA funds until ASHA concurs on the A&E firm regardless if they were approved for a prior ASHA post-award. If an A&E firm is contracted as part of an FY20 award with ASHA concurrence, can the recipient request FY21 funding for work to be performed by the same A&E firm without another concurrence?

award.

Recipients can utilize an A&E firm for preparing preliminary drawings during the application stage;

however, ASHA will not cover the cost for work done during the solicitation stage.

20 Q1: Florida International University (FIU) is a public university of the State of Florida and is an instrumentality of the State.

Kindly confirm if we are eligible to submit an application in response to this RFA.

The ASHA RFA is open to any U.S. not-for-profit non-governmental entity to apply as the USO on behalf of an OSI.

21 Q1: Is there a particular application I need to fill out for phase 1? If so, could you please email it to me?

Documents for the RFA can be found in the “Related Documents” tab of the posting on grants.gov.

Q2: We are planning to build a diabetic clinic in Guinea. Is there a minimum or maximum amount of dollars we would qualify for or should request?

The maximum amount for an individual award is $2,000,000, and there is no minimum award amount.

Q3: If we are approved, when should we expect to receive the funding?

ASHA plans to make awards for the FY21 RFA by September 30, 2022.

Q4: If we have some small funds available, is it ok to start building the clinic while we await final approval from USAID?

or we must wait until we get approval before starting the building process?

No construction or purchase of equipment can start until all the pre-approvals, especially the environmental and construction drawings (construction only), are approved/cleared, which is done post-award.

Q5: We currently work/partner with another NGO in Guinea.

However, if we are in the process of getting our own NGO approved in Guinea as a second location, will we be able to switch to our own NGO in Guinea either while our application is being processed or when it is approved?

Please ensure that your OSI is registered in the country of implementation before the application is submitted.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=329783

Q6: If we need assistance with either completing the application or the application process, do you provide assistance or resources?

ASHA cannot provide assistance with the application process; however, USAID has training modules on “How to Work with USAID” that may provide some guidance.

22 Q1: When the RFA asks for a SAM.GOV SCREENSHOT (“Copy and paste a screenshot of the Applicant's current SAM account on this page”), what screenshot are you looking for?

Your SAM.gov screenshot should include the following information:

- Entity Name

- Unique Entity Identifier/DUNS

- Status

- Expiration Date

- Has Active Exclusion

- Debt Subject to Offset

- Address

23 Q1: What kind of technical documents does USAID ASHA need in order to put the solar panels on the roof or terrace? Is an engineering evaluation of the structure including the new weight with the panels and electric cabling adaptation and connection with the present system enough or does ASHA need more documentation?

Please provide an engineering evaluation of the structure to adequately support and operate the Solar System. In addition, before installation of solar panels, the recipient needs to send ASHA a solar power assessment and the manufacturer’s technical specifications for installation, use, and operation of the overall solar power system at a given site. ASHA will do a quick review of submitted information before the recipient proceeds with installation of the solar panels.

When solar power is an integral part of the construction work, the A&E service provider will include the plans and specifications as an integral part of Final Construction Documents.

Q2: Is the Commodities Justification Table (pg. 33 of NOFO) embedded in Phase 2 Commodities Approach and therefore part of the page count for that section of the application or is it

The Commodities Justification Table is part of the Commodities Approach and included in the page count for that section.

https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid a separate attachment/annex?

Note this table must be a summary highlight of the detailed budget showing only the higher unit cost commodities and grouping smaller unit cost commodities by a similar theme i.e. location of the commodity or type of commodities. This should not be a detailed list of all commodities.

Q3: If a proposal is for installation of solar panels on the roof of a building, does the proposal need to address how it will incorporate the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act into the Construction/Renovation approach given that no project beneficiaries, nor the general public, will access the panels as part of the services offered by the OSI?

No, ADA is not applicable to solar panels in this case.

Q4: A religiously affiliated OSI is a university-level Teacher Training Institute that places its education majors into two satellite campuses (high schools) as interim teachers to complete their studies. Although each of the high schools is independent of each other and the OSI, they are run by the same congregations. An MOU exists between these campuses and the OSI that both formally and legally permits teacher training practicums in their schools, allowing professors from the OSI to observe classes, the sharing of physical and educational resources, and, among other collaborative activities, using the OSI’s human resources to strengthen staff capacities at the two satellite campuses. If the OSI is applying to ASHA for educationally-related commodities, can some of these commodities be designated for use at the satellite campuses?

Since this is a public diplomacy program, there must be the ability to implement such a program at the high schools. There must be a legal relationship between the OSI and the schools.

Therefore the MOU must be legally binding in order for this to qualify.

24 Q1: Are items such as computer software, licenses, and hardware all considered commodities?

Yes, computer software, licenses, and hardware are commodities.

Q2: Can ASHA please advise whether any limitations exist regarding a portion of requested funds being directed to support student scholarships given the cost prohibitive access to higher education in the host country?

ASHA funds must only be used to finance: (a) the procurement of durable commodities (equipment, furnishings, and other non-expendable items) and/or (b) construction/renovation. ASHA funds cannot be used to provide student scholarships.

25 Q1: Section 4, page 16 of the RFA states: “Technical Applications and Business (Cost) Applications for Phase 2 must submit documents separately and clearly labeled according to the layout in Annex 5.” Do you want the Phase 2 Technical Application and Business Applications to be submitted in separate emails OR what does separately refer to?

All documents submitted during the Phase 2 application period should be submitted as individual files unless otherwise noted per Annex 5.

You may submit these files in separate emails or a single email.

Q2: Phase 2, Annex 2b – Do we need to leave in the instruction detail under Management Approach which precedes the indicator table in Annex 2b?

No, you do not need to include the instructions in the Management Approach.

Q3: Can we pdf Annex 2b before emailing (searchable pdf) or does it need to be submitted in word format?

Annex 2b can be submitted in a searchable PDF format.

Q4: Budget: Where do we reflect cash and in-kind contributions from the recipient (i.e. matching funds, Section C.2). The only column provided in the detailed budget and budget summary is for leveraged funds. Should we add a column on our own?

Any contributions from the recipient should be considered leveraged funds in the summary budget/detailed budget.

Q5: Budget: Should the matching funds be shown in non-federal share, on the SF424 documents?

Cost share is included in the SF-424; however, leveraged funds are not. Applicants can choose to include either cost share or leveraged funds in their application.

Please note that cost share is not required for ASHA awards. Cost share funds included in the award will be auditable as determined under 2

CFR § 200.306.

Q6: Annex 3 – when I type in Annex 3, Question 1 the text seems to duplicate in Question 2. When deleted from Question 2 it also deletes from 1. I also cannot see all of the text although a little + sign appears. How do I resolve this?

This has been corrected in the revised version.

Q7: Is it possible that a current ASHA grantee does not yet have a Certificate of Compliance?

It is possible that current recipients of ASHA awards do not have a Certificate of Compliance.

However, we encourage all recipients to self-certify and submit the form as directed in the guidance.

Given the language in the systems certification, the intentions and the business acumen of a potential recipient of a USAID assistance award who refuses to certify would have to be considered suspect. This is because, by refusing to certify, the potential recipient may be saying that they do not intend to comply with USAID's requirements.

26 Q1: In the Illustrative Examples of Adjectival Rating (page 29), one factor impacting the rating is the size of the audience or ripple effect – (e.g. medium, medium to large, large). Could you describe how those sizes are being defined/evaluated?

There is no definition for the size of the audience (medium, medium-large, large) as this is dependent on the population in your project area.

The aim of this is to consider more than a small group of direct beneficiaries, and to expand and think about the entire institution, indirect beneficiaries, and the community at large.

Q2: Similarly, the Rating examples mention possible target audiences of “marginalized groups” and “hard-to-reach populations.” Could you please elaborate on how you are defining these?

Marginalized populations are groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political, and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions.

Hard-to-reach are groups that are hard to access for various reasons, including but not limited to, cultural or physical limitations (e.g. cultural limitations on gender activities, remote villages).

Q3: Finally, after our application is reviewed, is ASHA able to share with us the adjective rating of our Phase I proposals?

(i.e. Exceptional, very good, satisfactory, marginal, unsatisfactory). Are we able to get this information for past proposals as well?

ASHA can only share a final debrief letter highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal.

27 Q1: About the land lease/ownership: Does the OSI have to already have the land lease or ownership deed in hand when the project starts? If yes, is there a certain number of years that the OSI has to have had this land in possession? If no, is purchase of land something that project funds can be used for? Would a letter of commitment to purchase land should the proposal be successful be acceptable?

Per p.12 of the RFA (Section C: Eligibility Information, 1. Eligible Applications: Instructions), “the USO or OSI must submit an official copy of a title, lease or similar official documentation to prove the rights over the land, recognized within the country where implementation will take place. This documentation must be submitted with the Phase 2 Technical Application.”

There is no minimum number of years that the organization has already had rights to the land.

However, “the official documentation must demonstrate a legal right to the land (to build, renovate, retrofit according to current building codes) ideally for a period of at least 20 years from the date of the application... While applications involving a legal right to the land of 20 years (or more) will be given a greater preference, USAID is willing to consider applications that include a title, lease or similar official documentation covering a shorter period of time, but such applications will be given a lower preference.”

USAID/ASHA does not fund acquisition of land.

A letter of commitment to purchase land should the proposal be successful is not acceptable.

Q2: About the level of attention given by possible hospitals, are there certain types of medical centers that USAID ASHA is looking to fund over others? We mainly provide primary care, non-emergency services, but if there is a preference for a specific type of care, we’d appreciate the clarification.

There is no preference as to the type of medical center.

28 Q1: Since you are very specific on the format, do you know when we copy it from the word document and paste it to the Annex template that there will not be any changes in the formatting such as margins and so forth and therefore resulting in our application being rejected? Or do we send it as an attachment instead to keep the formatting intact?

Please use all the templates as requested and ensure that the format aligns with the requirements in the RFA.

Q2: For the independent financial auditing, is it due with the phase 1 application or with the phase 2 application? Also is it a must? What are you exactly looking for in the financial auditing?

The independently audited financial statements performed by an accredited independent audit firm for a recent operating year from 2019 or later are required with the Phase 2 application submission.

See Annex 6, bullet points M1 and M2 for the complete requirements concerning these audits.

29 Q1: Prior to the announcement of this grant opportunity, our OSI partner [OSI, COUNTRY] had already selected an A&E firm following their standard procurement process (public tender, three quotes, etc.). Since this RFA specifies that ASHA would need to approve the A&E firm, can that be done by reviewing the selected firm or would the OSI need to

You can submit the proposed A&E firm for ASHA review and approval.

repeat the tender process? And if they have to repeat the tender process, can the costs of that be included in the proposal’s budget?

Q2: The original tender to select the A&E firm did not specify that the design and construction had to be compliant with USG standards (such as ADA-compliance). Can the cost of revising the design to ensure compliance be included in the proposal’s budget?

Per p. 22 of the RFA, “A&E fees are eligible so long as these fees are reasonable and directly related to the project. This item could include additional costs for construction oversight (ASHA’s preference is that the applicant uses the same A&E firm that completed the design), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, environment and climate risk management services.”

Q3: Is it usual practice for the USO to also engage an A&E firm or construction manager to monitor the project (in addition to the one engaged by the OSI)? If so, can the cost of this be included in the proposal’s budget?

Per p. 22 of the RFA, “A&E fees are eligible so long as these fees are reasonable and directly related to the project. This item could include additional costs for construction oversight (ASHA’s preference is that the applicant uses the same A&E firm that completed the design), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, environment and climate risk management services.”

Q4: Can the USO build into the proposal budget the costs of managing and monitoring the project? If so, would that be done through an indirect cost recovery rate? Can we include the OSI Project Manager’s salary in the proposal budget?

ASHA does not fund indirect costs. ASHA does not fund salaries.

Q5: ASHA provided us with a very useful guidebook for the construction of incinerators in low resource settings for our current project. Are there similar guidebooks for wastewater and solid waste management?

Sector Environmental Guidelines for these topics can be found here:

● Water Supply and Sanitation

● Solid Waste https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1860/Water_SEG_2017.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1860/SectorEnvironmentalGuidelines_SolidWaste_2018.pdf

30 Q1: On page 13 it states: "For construction and other capital assistance projects estimated to cost in excess of $1 million, additional requirements may be requested of Recipients."

Can you clarify if the $1 million refers to what is being requested by the Recipient from ASHA or if it refers to the overall total cost of the project including funds from sources other than ASHA? For example, if we are building a multi-building complex but are only seeking funding for one building from ASHA would the $1 million threshold apply to just that building, or the entirety of the complex being built?

The $1million refers to the capital assistance portion of the project. This requirement is extremely rare and will not be required if notified by

ASHA.

Q2: Additionally, can USAID provide a list of additional requirements that could be requested of the Recipient other than certification by USAID in accordance with section 611(e) of the FAA?

Please see the response above.

31 Q1: For USO that applied multiple times and never passed the phase 1 or received the grant. Is there any way to get guidance to prepare a winning proposal?

ASHA cannot provide assistance with the application process. For the Phase 1 application, we encourage applicants to focus on the public diplomacy links to/outcomes for your proposed program.

Q2: Is there any room that will allow applicants that apply multiple times and never received an award to receive a small incentive grant?

No, ASHA cannot provide funds outside of the competitive process.

Q3: Is there any program within USAID/ASHA for new partners to secure a small grant or assistance to kick off with?

There are no small grant assistance programs in ASHA. However applicants can visit other parts of USAID to apply for smaller sized grants. Please visit USAID’s New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) website. NPI and the Partnerships Incubator work with USAID headquarters and missions to identify and engage new and local partners, provide training and capacity-building assistance, and https://www.usaid.gov/npi develop tools and resources for potential and existing partners.

Q4: After the decisions on the RFA 2021 Phase 1 application, could the ASHA team be open to discuss the debriefs?

ASHA does not offer oral debriefs.

32 Q1: Does ASHA select a thematic area or global sector (e.g.

gender equity) for applications to focus on each year? If so, what is the theme for this year’s ASHA RFA?

ASHA does not select a thematic area nor a global sector focus.

Q2: Within a USO and OSI application for a construction project, does ASHA require a third party contractor?

The USO and/or OSI must enter into a contract with a construction firm that is separate from the A&E firm.

Q3: In a Phase 2 submission of a construction project, would there be added value or additional merit to having a U.S.

licensed engineer stamp the conceptual drawings vs a local, in-country stamp?

Per section 1.5.2 of the Award, “Architecture and Engineering (A&E) services shall be provided by any legal entity licensed and permitted by law to practice the professions of architecture-engineering, in the country and locality in which the services are being provided.

The A&E firm must demonstrate the ability to integrate Climate Risk Management and Award-Initial Environmental Examination IEE (A-IEE) requirements into the design, construction and operational phases, as well as, Accessibility for the Disabled standards as reference in the Standard Provision “Standards for Accessibility for the Disabled in USAID Assistance Awards Involving Construction.”

Q4: In a Phase 2 submission of a construction project, is the square footage area of a proposed building needed in the budget narrative and/or in the conceptual drawings?

Yes, this should be in both the budget narrative and the construction conceptual drawings.

Q5: If an application includes cost share or leveraged funds, would there be added value or additional merit given to the applicant?

Applications will be evaluated against the criteria listed in Section E: Application Review Information.

While no added value will be given to applications offering leverage or cost share, it could bring into question if the entire project is underfunded based on the scope of the project. Underfunded projects have a risk of not being completed and the committee could remove the candidate from consideration for this reason.

Q6: In a past year’s Phase I submission notice of decline, the selection committee requested a ‘Metrics and Evaluation plan’ to be included within the project description. Is this needed for a FY21 Phase I submission? If so, what does the Metrics and Evaluation plan entail?

Phase 1 application submissions should follow the format listed in Section D. Application and Submission Information, 5. Technical Application Format.

Phase 1 applications will be evaluated using the criteria listed in Section E. Application Review Information, 2. Merit Review Criteria, a) Phase 1 Merit Review Criterion 1.

Please note that a “Monitoring and Evaluation Approach” is required in Phase 2, and the full “Monitoring and Evaluation Approach” will be required if the applicant is invited to submit a Phase 2 application.

33 Q1: Does [ORGANIZATION] meet the eligibility criteria to apply as a U.S Organization (USO) in partnership with [ORGANIZATION] as the Overseas Institution (OSI)?

We cannot provide feedback on proposed applicants. Please see Section C: Eligibility Information of the RFA to see eligibility requirements.

34 Q1: Can funds be used for resources to strengthen technology infrastructure as we move away from paper

Yes.

records toward EMR? Network Infrastructure, Tablets, etc.

Q2: Guidelines state OSIs must be founded or sponsored by US citizens. Do partnerships (NIH, USAID, private education institutions) qualify as ‘sponsored by US citizens’?

“Sponsored” means a continuing relationship that MUST include significant financial support from the USO; and may also include technical support, joint ventures, exchange programs, volunteer placement programs, faculty exchanges, fundraising or other arrangements and may include in-kind contributions. Partnerships and mutual collaborations alone are insufficient. Further, USOs must have a continuing and successful supportive formal relationship with OSIs that has lasted at least two years prior to the date of application.

35 Q1: In Annex 6 Mandatory As Applicable, the instructions for document M7 say that the applicant must submit “an Environmental Capability statement that is no more than two pages long.” The template for Annex 3 Phase 2 Environmental for FY21 is three pages long. Is that an editing error?

Yes, this has been corrected.

Organization Legend

Number Organization Name

Organization 1 NCB Incorporated

Organization 2 Rocky Mountain Adventist Healthcare Foundation

Organization 3 Alternative Paths Training School & Programs

Organization 4 Hughes Schools

Organization 5 University of North Texas

Organization 6 Partners in Agriculture

Organization 7 Village Health Works

Organization 8 A Child For All (ACFA) Inc.

Organization 9 NCB Incorporated

Organization 10 Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Organization 11 AMERICARES

Organization 12 Oregon State University Foundation

Organization 13 Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy - Uganda

Organization 14 Bwindi Community Program

Organization 15 Asian University for Women (AUW)

Organization 16 Joshua Kyallo

Organization 17 Joseph Ukpo Hospitals and Research Institutes, Nigeria

Organization 18 Vellore Christian Medical College Foundation

Organization 19 Central European University

Organization 20 Florida International University (FIU)

Organization 21 Mamadou Diallo (TREAT DIABETES SAVE A LIMB), Guinea

Organization 22 Bethlehem University

Organization 23 Peter Stemp

Organization 24 Elise McDonald

Organization 25 Esther Botnick

Organization 26 EARTH University Foundation

Organization 27 Pro Mujer

Organization 28 Mamadou Diallo

Organization 29 The American Himalayan Foundation

Organization 30 Taylor Napier-Earle

Organization 31 Gedeon Dansou

Organization 32 Partners In Health

Organization 33 United World College Costa Rica

Organization 34 Texas Children's Hospital

Organization 35 Catholic Medical Mission Board, Inc. (CMMB)