FY24 RFA 7201P124R00001 - Public Comment Responses 07.15.2024.pdf

American Schools and Hospitals Abroad Initiative Solicitation No.: 7201P124R00001

ASHA FY24 RFA (7201P124R00001)

Public Comments and Responses

Posted 07/15/2024

Organization Public Comment ASHA Response

Application Process

1 I am trying to access the Phase 1 Application form via the link provided (https://forms.gle/Sx4Mzde1nGLpBqbLA) and the link takes me to a page that reads:

"The form ASHA FY24 RFA: Annex 1 - Phase 1 Technical Application is no longer accepting responses. Try contacting the owner of the form if you think this is a mistake."

Is this correct? The RFA was just released on March 8th, so I wanted to check in to make sure there wasn't an earlier deadline this year that we missed entirely.

The Google Form is not accepting applications at this time as the draft FY24 RFA is posted for Public Comment. Once the official RFA is posted, ASHA will begin accepting Phase 1 application submissions.

If you'd like to see the information requested in the Google Form, please review the "Google Form Guidance" under "Folder: Other Supporting Documents - Changes and Responses" in the Related Documents tab.

4 The zipped folder of documents seems to only include the annexes, but not the actual draft RFA document.

The RFA is the first file in the “Full Announcement” folder. Please try downloading just the RFA document. Or try downloading the folder of documents using another web browser.

5 While there were references to various "sections" in the draft, I was unable to locate them.

The sections are listed in the Table of Contents.

6 Am I correct that ANNEX 1 - PHASE 1 App for FY24 RFA.docx contains only up to 3 pages of Public Diplomacy Response?

It does not include:

- If the proposal is for Construction and/or Commodity

- Budget for the project

- Amount of USD funding requested.

Yes, Annex 1 is three pages for the response to the Public Diplomacy criterion. The other information is included in the Google Form.

Please refer to the “Google Form Application Submission Guidance” to see all of the information that is requested in the Google Form.

7 Page 33: Phase 1 Successful Applicants: In order to receive a minimum rating of satisfactory, an application must provide adequate detail to support Phase 1 merit review Criterion One and meet the Minimum Public Diplomacy requirements, which are that chosen ABPs must be communicated as American/shared with America to the target audience, and must suggest actions, with the intent of ensuring that

Noted.

FY24 RFA Public Comments and Responses 1

Organization Public Comment ASHA Response

ABPs are understood as American/shared with America by the target audience.

“Shared with Americans” to be consistent with the previous text

Page 41: For projects that include construction, successful Applicants will be required to submit a project implementation plan (see Section B.3.1 for specifications) within sixty (60) days after the award start date for AOR approval. A pre-performance meeting could be scheduled with the AOR and Key Personnel within forty-five (45) days after award state date to finalize the Project Implementation Plan, including timeline and milestones.

“start”

We will make this correction.

USO/OSI

3 Will ASHA Education Construction/Renovation grants support faith-based/Christian schools?

ASHA does not discriminate. ASHA awards can support any organization that meets the eligibility criteria in Section C of the RFA.

5 I am the only entity representing (USO) side of this grant. The OSI is a community library, which has received land from the government and bank support for construction. It operates under a community board reliant on donations. Given this context, I seek to understand if our collaboration qualifies for application.

Applicants must be a U.S. organization (USO) working with a partner overseas institution (OSI). ASHA will not accept applications from individuals, for-profit organizations, or foreign entities. OSIs must be founded or sponsored by U.S. citizens. A USO must have a continuing and successful supportive formal relationship with its partner OSI of at least two years.

Please see Section C of the RFA for more information on applicant eligibility.

Collaboration with the local community library board members began at the end of 2023, and our interactions, primarily online, focused on enhancing the library's functionality. Spanning less than two years, does this go against the two-year collaboration requirement?

Overseas institutions (OSIs) must be founded or sponsored by U.S.

citizens. A U.S. organization (USO) must have a continuing and successful supportive formal relationship with its partner OSI of at least two years.

“Sponsored” means a continuing relationship that MUST include significant financial support from the USO; and may include technical support, joint ventures, exchange programs, volunteer placement programs, faculty exchanges, fundraising, and in-kind contributions.

Partnerships and mutual collaborations alone are insufficient.

Budget

3 We understand from the draft RFA that leases on the land for All projects that include construction or renovation must submit proof of

FY24 RFA Public Comments and Responses 2 construction/renovation need to be provided in writing during the technical proposal phase 2. Does the ASHA program allow for the purchase of land?

land ownership or a lease.

ASHA does not fund the purchase of land. ASHA funds must only be used to finance: the procurement of durable commodities and/or construction/renovation activities, plus costs for associated audits, branding/marking materials, and Public Diplomacy Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) activities.

5 I have questions about the types of expenses eligible for funding. The guidelines heavily mention construction and renovation, yet our primary expenses involve:

OSI-related

- Training and supporting in-library activities and Read-aloud program guided by library volunteers.

- Stipends for local volunteers involved in literacy programs and workshops expenses utilizing new technology and training in delivering structured, explicit, and sequential reading intervention sessions.

- Devices: Internet access, tablets provide resources such as e-books, educational apps, and interactive learning platforms, Braille Refresh Keyboards to ensure individuals with visual impairment have equal access to information and learning opportunities, Projectors and Storybook/Document Readers to support group learning sessions and interactive storytelling.

USO-related

- Travel for USO member(s) (only as necessary), stipends for workshops trainers on direct reading instruction and effective use of technology, teaching release, required by policy institutional fees, etc

ASHA funds must only be used to finance:

- durable commodities

- construction/renovation activities, Architecture & Engineering (A&E) services

- branding and marking costs

- public diplomacy Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) costs

- Program-Specific Audit or proportional Single Audit costs

Procurement of commodities may include such items as library materials, specialized medical and research technology, and education equipment and furnishings. Costs for shipping, installation, training, and warranties are allowable if they are embedded in the cost of the item.

For purposes of this RFA, construction/renovation activities also include the construction of a permanent structure, permanent system, structural improvement, structural installation of equipment, or the renovation or rehabilitation of existing permanent structures or systems in accordance with ADS 303maw.

ASHA cannot fund salaries, stipends, fees, travel costs, research costs, technical assistance, consultants, administrative overhead, training costs, profit, vehicle purchase, vehicle rental, etc.

Please see Section D.5. for more information on funding restrictions.

7 Page 10: To complement USAID/ASHA's investment, applicants may leverage funding from other sources to fund either commodities and/or construction/renovations.

The costs incurred by the sub-recipient OSI from its own operational

Yes; funds from sources other than ASHA can be considered leverage funding. Therefore, any funds raised to support the OSI’s operational costs, specific to this project, can be used as leveraged funds.

FY24 RFA Public Comments and Responses 3 budget can also be considered leveraged costs, correct?

Page 27: Costs for shipping, installation, training, and warranties are allowable if they are embedded in the cost of the item. These costs are not allowable if they are charged separately from the commodity.

The practice has shown that it is not often feasible to estimate the costs for shipping, installation, training, and warranties for each item in the phase of budget planning. That would be possible in actual reporting of the costs.

Noted. If shipping, installation, training, or warranty costs are anticipated, an estimated amount can be embedded in the commodity line items. It is best to make an estimate in the budget as funds cannot be added after the award is made.

Page 28: See 2 CFR 200.40737 for information regarding which cost elements require prior written approval.

When is “Prior”? In the course of application preparation or after receiving the award?

“Prior written approval” refers to approval from the Agreement Officer before changes are made to costs listed in 2 CFR 200.407.

8 On page 13, we request your consideration of the following comment:

Under Section C: Eligibility Information, will USAID consider clarifying the definition of "medical education?" For example, does "medical education" refer exclusively to the education and training of individuals to become healthcare professionals, or does USAID view this term more broadly, so that other activities such as training community health workers (CHWs), training caregivers to properly care for newly diagnosed patients in their households, or raising awareness of specific conditions would qualify as medical education?

The term “medical education” should be viewed broadly to include the education and training of individuals to become healthcare professionals as well as training community health workers (CHWs), training caregivers to properly care for newly diagnosed patients in their households, or raising awareness of specific conditions.

Country of Implementation

2 Can other countries apply? Applicants must be a U.S. organization (USO) working with a partner overseas institution (OSI). ASHA will not accept applications from individuals, for-profit organizations, or foreign entities.

Please see Section C of the RFA for more information on applicant eligibility.

FY24 RFA Public Comments and Responses 4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.407