Guinea Local Works Program_RFI-675-21-04 Guinea Local Works Program.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Request For Information (RFI) No. RFI-675-21-04 Guinea Local Works Program

Date of Issue: Friday, October 22, 2021

Closing Date & Time Monday, November 29, 2021 at 9:00 AM (GMT)

Posting Websites https://www.grants.gov https://beta.sam.gov https://www.usaid.gov/guinea

Dear Interested Parties/Respondents:

This is a Request for Information (“RFI”) issued by the U.S. Agency for International

Development (USAID) Guinea, Economic Growth Office for conducting market research in response to the questions provided in Attachment B. This request for information is issued solely for the purpose of conducting market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 and ADS

300.

This is not a solicitation or call for proposals. Any proposals or applications submitted in response to this request will not be considered. USAID will not pay for information submitted nor will it reimburse costs incurred by individuals or entities that elect to respond to this RFI.

This notice seeks information regarding the Guinea Local Works Program (“GLWP”). The purpose of GLWP is to develop and test flexible solutions to overcome operational challenges for advancing locally-owned development which align with Guinea’s County Development

Cooperation Strategy to local and underutilized partners. The specific focus of GLWP is on youth entrepreneurship in rural areas of Faranah Region.

USAID is seeking feedback from potential local entities that are currently working to promote youth livelihoods in the Faranah Region. This activity will focus on local engagement, cooperation, and empowering youth entrepreneurs. Local entities are defined as any entity that:

(1) Is legally organized under the laws of Guinea

(2) Has its principal place of business or operation in Guinea

(3) Is majority-owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of

Guinea

(4) Is managed by a governing body the majority of whom are citizens or lawful permanent residents of Guinea

Responses to this notice must be received via email to Albert P. Asante, Regional Contracting and Agreement Officer to aasante@usaid.gov with a copy to conakryoaa@usaid.gov by the date and time specified above. The subject line must read "RFI Guinea Local Works Program."

Submissions can be in either English or French by using the provided worksheet. Responses https://www.grants.gov/ https://beta.sam.gov/ mailto:conakryoaa@usaid.gov should include a point of contact, telephone number and email address, and response to

Attachment B.

This RFI does not commit the U.S. Government to issue a solicitation. If a solicitation is given, it will be announced on Grants.gov or SAM.gov and usaid.gov/guinea in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your interest in USAID/Guinea programs.

Sincerely, Albert P. Asante

Regional Contracting and Agreement Officer

Attachments

A – Summary Proposed Activity

B – Response requirements https://www.grants.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home

ATTACHMENT A

SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY

Purpose

The USAID/Guinea is gathering information to identify local entities currently working to serve communities in the Faranah region on issues of rural youth entrepreneurship and gathering a broad range of ideas or suggestions from local actors related to the problem of youth unemployment in the Faranah region.

The Local Works Program will be designed to advance locally-owned development and enhance the Agency’s ability to empower local actors and youth to take the lead in addressing development challenges (https://www.usaid.gov/localworks). It aims to improve livelihoods for youth in

Guinea, particularly in the Faranah region of the country, through local engagement, cooperation, and empowering youth entrepreneurs.

Background

Out of the Guinean population of thirteen million (13,000,000), about 75% are below 35 years old (Ref: Guinea National census, 2014). This large youth population faces unemployment and other challenges. USAID/Guinea's recently concluded agriculture program through the Feed the

Future (FtF) initiative piloted a youth entrepreneurship program called AVENIR (In French, Apprentissage en Vulgarisation Entrepreneurial et Innovation Rural). The AVENIR program aimed to help build the capacity of youth and empower them to become innovative entrepreneurs as a contribution to solving the youth unemployment crisis in the country. Therefore

USAID/Guinea intends to continue working with the youth population of Guinea through its

Local Works (LW) program to help tackle youth unemployment through the promotion of entrepreneurship.

Program parameters

Some initial parameters have been defined by USAID. The program will include the following:

● Focus on the region of Faranah (Prefectures of Faranah, Dabola, Dinguiraye, and

Kissidougou), particularly its rural areas.

● Support entrepreneurship in any economic sector but will highly encourage entrepreneurship focusing on food security.

● Involve both local government and local civil society in the promotion of youth entrepreneurship.

● Highly encourage women’s participation.

● Establish a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) to help advise on activity design and implementation in order to incorporate the needs of youth and be a youth-driven process.

● Aim to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in the stakeholders involved in design, implementation, and management of the activity. In the specific context of Faranah, this means that both beneficiaries and those administering the activity should be broadly https://www.usaid.gov/local-faith-and-transformative-partnerships/local-works representative of the ethnic and gender diversity existing in each Prefecture. Through this activity, USAID wishes to foster a sense of shared group identity that crosses ethnic and gender lines.

ATTACHMENT B

RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

USAID/Guinea seeks written responses in either French or English to the following questions and information, using the provided worksheet. Please note that responses to all questions is not a requirement.

A. Contact Information

● Organization name and address

● Organization points of contact (include names, telephone numbers, and email address)

B. Areas of expertise and presence in the Faranah Region

● Describe how your organization uses innovative approaches to support community-led development. In other words, how does your organization incorporate local interests or priorities into its activities? How does your organization create opportunities for local people to take the lead on their development activities?

● Describe your organization’s experience working in the Faranah Region. Would you please describe what programs are being implemented, where are the offices located in the Faranah Region, and how staff interact with the local community?

● Describe your experience managing portfolios of small grant programs.

● Describe your experience overseeing the implementation of youth rural entrepreneurship programs. Specifically, how has your organization worked to strengthen local organizations, associations, and youth groups.

● Describe your experience building the capacity of local organizations, associations, and youth groups to execute development programs effectively.

● Describe your experience facilitating local organizations, associations, and youth groups to access funding opportunities from international and domestic sources.

● Describe your current partnerships with government, private sector, donor organizations, and local/community networks to respond to development challenges or issues facing youth.

C. Ideas for promoting youth entrepreneurship in the Faranah region

● What are the most effective ways to support youth employment and entrepreneurship, particularly in rural areas?

● How could this program actively include and support women entrepreneurs?

● How could the program foster a sense of shared group identity that crosses ethnic and gender lines?

● What would you recommend that USAID include in this type of program to reflect best and support the needs of young people?