NOFO CSO with Amendment 1 Incorporated.pdf

Issue Date: August 17, 2022

Deadline for Questions: August 25, 2022

Closing Date for Phase 1: September 15, 2022

Closing Time for Phase 1: 16:30 pm Frankfurt time

Subject: NOFO Number: 72066422RFA00001

Program Title: Tunisia Civil Society Activity

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 98.001

Ladies/Gentlemen:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the Tunisia Civil Society Activity.

Eligibility for this award is not restricted.

This funding opportunity is authorized under the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, as amended. The resulting award will be subject to 2 CFR 200 – Uniform Administrative

Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, and USAID’s supplement, 2 CFR 700, as well as the additional requirements found in Section F.

USAID intends to make an award to the applicant(s) who best meets the objectives of this funding opportunity based on the merit review criteria described in this NOFO subject to a risk assessment. Eligible parties interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this

NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of program sought, application submission requirements and selection process.

To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this NOFO and meet eligibility standards in Section C of this NOFO. This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, and may be amended. It is the responsibility of the applicant to regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this notice of funding opportunity and to ensure that the NOFO has been received from the internet in its entirety.

USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion process.

If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the NOFO, please contact the

Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance.

http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov

USAID may not award to an applicant unless the applicant has complied with all applicable

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) requirements detailed in

Section D.6.f. The registration process may take many weeks to complete. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to begin registration early in the process.

Please send any questions to the point(s) of contact identified in Section D. The deadline for questions is shown above. Responses to questions received prior to the deadline will be furnished to all potential applicants through an amendment to this notice posted to www.grants.gov.

Issuance of this notice of funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission of comments/suggestions or an application. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, David Arnett

Agreement Officer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section A – Program Description

Section B – Federal Award Information

Section C – Eligibility Information

Section D – Application and Submission Information

Section E – Application Review Information

Section F – Federal Award Administration Information

Section G – Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Section H – Other Information

SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

I. Program Goal and Objectives

The overall goal of the Civil Society Activity (“The Activity”) is to empower Tunisian citizens to act and advocate for specific issues and effect change at the local, regional, and national level in advancing Tunisia’s development and to build the legitimacy and sustainability of the civil society sector. Interventions will be focused on five to ten thematic areas decided through a participatory approach, over the course of the award, that reflect local priorities, political will, and strong potential to make tangible improvements in the daily lives of citizens. This activity has three main objectives:

1. Increase the engagement and agency of citizens to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.

2. Strengthen the institutional capacity of civil society organizations to promote positive change on citizen and constituent priorities (based on the organizational mission).

3. Promote effective partnerships (intra- inter- and multi-sectoral) at local, regional and national levels (e.g., government, civil society, citizens, private sector) to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.

II. Background and Development Challenge:

Country Context:

Since the Tunisian Revolution in 2011, civil society has gained increased political space to become established, implement activities, and advocate for reforms. The number of Civil Society

Organizations (CSOs) post-2011 doubled with an actual ratio of 1.9 CSOs for 1,000 inhabitants1.

Of the twenty-four thousand registered CSOs per the latest IFEDA statistics, only six thousand

CSOs at most are active. CSOs are over-represented in Tunis while the rest of the country continues to lack appropriate representation. The CSO landscape transformation involved a diversification of activist profiles, including youth and women, from urban and rural areas. CSOs are becoming more representative of the economic and social diversity of Tunisia, although the sector still remains predominantly urban and elite-driven.

Problem Statement:

During the post-2011 period, CSOs have played a crucial role in Tunisia’s post-revolution efforts to transition to a more participatory democracy and include citizens in decision-making. Civil society has played an important role as watchdogs, calling for government accountability, monitoring policy, and supporting civic education. However, CSOs are not always constituency-based, they often are incentivized to respond to donor priorities, and their leadership can be hierarchical and personality-driven. CSOs have not entirely succeeded in embracing democratic values, mobilizing citizens and the private sector effectively, or advocating for change at local, 1 TADAEEM NGO priority Identification Report regional, or national levels. CSOs are also not always flexible or adaptive to address specific community needs. Tunisia’s 2021-2023 Open Government Partnership action plan2 has identified several ways to increase public participation in government and for the government to embrace governance based on transparency and accountability.

While Tunisian civil society organizations have flourished significantly since 2011, covering a wide range of activities funded by various donors, the influx of funds has contributed to the distortion of civil society efforts. Donors have noted that the sector has become weakened by the abandonment of smaller organizations for the larger, more well-funded organizations. The COVID crisis exacerbated the challenges and CSOs continue to shift their priorities to respond to immediate needs in the absence of government intervention. The 2020 Civil Society Organization Sustainability

Index (CSOSI) highlighted that the political instability and the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the country in 2020 have both impacted the sustainability of CSOs in Tunisia.3

Various CSOs lack the technical expertise, reporting skills, or legal knowledge to fully engage in the development and implementation of successful strategic plans. Government bureaucracy at every level creates hurdles to their work. Financial management remains a weakness in the CSO sector, and only a few CSOs have effective financial management systems. CSOs, particularly those in the interior regions of the country and along border areas, face significant financial obstacles and lack required technical skills, both of which disrupt their activities and their ability to operate effectively. The Center for Training, Studies and Documentation on Associations (IFEDA), serves as a center of resources and expertise but lacks the necessary tools and resources to provide long-term and expansive capacity building to CSOs.

Another set of challenges that was emphasized by CSOs during USAID consultations was the lack of coordination and resource disparity between “center” and “periphery” CSOs. Organizations based in Tunis or in other regional capitals are closer to policy and decision-making and are often better resourced, although Tunis-based CSOs also reported that sustainable financing remains a challenge for them. There is a lack of connection or network between CSOs in urban and peri-urban areas with those active in more rural areas. Tunis-based CSOs recognized that they were not effective at reaching out to smaller, nascent organizations in the outer reaches of the country. City-based CSOs identified the need to cross-pollinate with local groups and actors through peer exchanges and learning. While most national organizations comprehend what advocacy is and have engaged in several advocacy campaigns, CSOs in the regions have not fully embraced advocacy strategies for change at a local or community level.

The political uncertainty of the post July-25, 2021 period, including the dissolution of the parliament, left CSOs without legislative counterparts, and increased their reluctance to speak out for fear of reprisal. While the current legal and regulatory environment for CSOs to operate is considered to be permissive, many experts are worried that changes to decree/laws will limit CSOs ability to operate effectively. The draft leaked version as it currently stands would likely limit association and international funding, forcing some CSOs to cease operations.

Purpose and Relationship to the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and

2 opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Tunisia_Action-Plan_2021-2023_EN.pdf 3 Tunisia 2020 CSOSI Report, https://www.fhi360.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/csosi-mena-

2020-report.pdf

USG Policy and Other Donors:

The CSO strengthening activity seeks to empower Tunisian citizens to act/advocate for positive changes at the local, regional and national level in advancing Tunisia development and to build the legitimacy and sustainability of the civil society sector.

The proposed activity aligns with the new draft CDCS Goal, “Foundations for a resilient, prosperous, and democratic Tunisia developed” and proposed Development Objective DO2:

“Social contract between citizens and government strengthened”. It will contribute directly towards the proposed Intermediate Result IR. 2.2 “Local communities empowered” This program will coordinate with other USAID programming in the CDCS, including the Political Transitions Project

(PTP) and the Ma3an Activity.

This effort will also contribute to the USAID Draft Local Capacity Development Policy4, which is still in development, by shifting more leadership, ownership, decision-making, and implementation to the local people and institutions who possess the capability, connectedness, and credibility to drive change in their own communities.

USAID is aware of the large interest from donors in the CSO space since 2011 and hopes to avoid similar types of past interventions such as deciding project themes without input from local citizens and groups, not enough money focused on local capacity development, too much generic capacity building support, and focused disproportionately on Tunis-based civil society, which have often not yielded lasting results.

Other Donor-funded programs:

While many donors and donor-funded projects have worked with and through civil society, the below mentioned program focuses explicitly on civil society strengthening. USAID encourages close collaboration between the Civil Society activity and any relevant other programs.

Strengthening Emerging Civil Society Organizations in Tunisia - ROSE (European Union) 2021-

2026: The ROSE project is implemented by the consortium of Oxfam, Avocats Sans Frontières

(ASF), the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), and Jamaity, with the objective to support emerging civil society and strengthen its role as an influential agent of change.

III. Objectives/Results and Theory of Change

A. Description of Results and their Relationship to the Objectives

Throughout the activity, Tunisian citizens will be empowered to act and advocate for positive change on specific issues of public interest at the local, regional, and national level to advance

Tunisia’s development. In addition, CSOs will be better equipped to build their legitimacy and sustainability to promote positive change on citizen and constituent priorities through strengthened institutional capacity. All the following objectives will work together and towards specific salient themes decided through a collaborative approach and themes that reflect citizen realities and needs in order to achieve real impact. USAID seeks to address the funding and financial sustainability issues facing CSOs, provide tailored capacity building to cover any skill gaps that CSOs may need, 4 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/LCD_Policy_-_FORMATTED_508_01-11.pdf support CSOs to carry out advocacy campaigns, and decentralize resources in order to ensure greater access for CSOs outside of Tunis and in the periphery. The recipient will increase effective partnerships (intra- inter- and multi-sectoral) at local, regional, and national levels (e.g., government, civil society, citizens, private sector) to advance shared development objectives. It will also increase the ability of civil society organizations to represent their constituents’ priorities and encourage the creation of more effective cross-sectoral partnerships in order to implement activities that drive active citizen participation.

The recipient will promote citizen participation and ensure interventions are demand driven, and address issues/themes important to citizens. The activity will help partner CSOs become more inclusive by encouraging the participation of vulnerable and marginalized groups (including persons with disabilities, women in rural areas, youth in underprivileged communities, Black communities, LGBTQI+, ethnic and religious minorities and others) into civic activities and democratic processes. Also, the engagement of youth is paramount, as they were critical to past change efforts.

Expected Activity Level Results:

● Citizen’s perception of their ability to make changes to local problems improved.

● Capacity of civil society to represent Tunisian priorities at the local, regional and national level enhanced.

● Effective intra-sectoral partnership among local, regional and national level civil society organizations is promoted.

● Long term sustainability of CSOs and the impact of their initiatives enhanced.

Objective 1: Increase the engagement and agency of citizens to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.

The recipient will increase the ability of civic actors to identify and provide viable solutions to local problems. Citizens will gain an understanding of how they can improve their local communities through locally driven approaches to identifying, addressing, and sustaining citizen initiatives. The recipient will build community assets and trust in civil society that can contribute to Tunisia’s overall democratic development.

Expected Results

a. Citizen feedback mechanisms developed at national and local levels.

b. Citizen-driven civic initiatives empowered and increased.

c. Effective local and national level civic issue-based advocacy campaigns implemented.

Objective 2: Strengthen the institutional capacity of civil society organizations to promote positive change on citizen/constituent priorities (based on their own organizational mission).

The recipient will improve CSOs’ ability to mobilize citizens and deepen relationships with constituencies. This activity will help CSOs ensure citizen buy-in by better identifying citizen priorities and solutions to their issues. The recipient will help CSOs better promote their activities, in addition to enhancing public knowledge of what citizen engagement is. All of these activities will increase the trust and legitimacy of CSOs among citizens.

Expected Results:

a. Civil society capacity to mobilize citizens and constituency building improved.

b. CSO capacity to advocate for policy change improved.

c. CSO communication strategies and public image enhanced.

d. Funding sources for CSOs are diversified.

Objective 3: Promote effective partnerships (intra- inter- and multi-sectoral) at local, regional and national levels (e.g., government, civil society, citizens, private sector) to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.

The recipient will link organizations based in Tunis or in other regional capitals with peripheral groups and actors, and link private actors (civil society, private sector, citizens) with government actors to work on shared priorities.

Expected Results

a. Thematic issues are defined and addressed by CSOs on a regular basis with inputs from local stakeholders.

b. Engagement between CSOs, private sector and the Government are strengthened.

c. Linkages across CSOs, especially those increasing center-periphery connections are strengthened.

B. Development Hypothesis

IF there is increased engagement and agency of citizens, AND capacity of civil society is strengthened, AND there are more effective cross-sectoral partnership among local, regional and national level civil society, government and private sector entities around shared development issues, THEN Tunisians will be able to advocate for specific issues and effect change at the local, regional and national level, AND the legitimacy and sustainability of the CSO sector will be enhanced.

C. Assumptions

USAID developed this Activity based on the following set of assumptions:

● The Civil Society enabling environment remains open and permissive.

● Stakeholders are open to collaborate with each other.

● CSOs are willing and able to accept donor funding from USG.

● Citizens will be willing to remain informed and willing to engage in creating positive change.

● The security and public health situations in Tunisia remain stable.

● The type of assistance provided is flexible and action-oriented.

IV. Activity Parameters

Inclusive Development/ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) principles:

Implementing partners must strive to incorporate the following principles into the design and measurement of activities:

- Gender Inclusion: The 2020 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy affirms

USAID's vision of a prosperous and peaceful world in which women, girls, men, and boys enjoy equal economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights and are equally empowered to secure better lives for themselves, their families, their communities, and their countries.

A recent Tunisia gender analysis (February 2022) showed that women are numerically well represented in elected and appointed governance institutions including leadership roles within CSO and as such, they can play a pivotal role in advancing gender priorities.

However, Tunisia still has a long way to go to achieve gender parity in practice as cultural biases hinder the implementation of laws and regulations. The Recipient must systematically consider gender aspects and implications of specific interventions and seek opportunities to promote women participation in targeted interventions. To that end, data collected for monitoring and evaluation purposes must be gender disaggregated and other monitoring and evaluation tools, including surveys, must include questions to elicit information enabling differentiation of impact based on gender.

- Inclusive Development: Inclusion is one of USAID’s core values. USAID promotes a nondiscriminatory and inclusive approach to development that ensures that all people – including those who face discrimination and thus may have limited access to a country’s benefits, legal protections, or social participation (including, but not limited to LGBTQI+ people, persons with disabilities, religious/ethnic minorities, black communities, women and girls in rural areas, youth in underprivileged communities) – are fully included and can participate in and benefit from development processes and activities. The legal framework in Tunisia remains an impediment to the effective participation of LGBTQI+ individuals in public life as they are subject to high levels of state-sponsored persecution, with active arrests and imprisonment occurring under Article 230. Though their rights are guaranteed by law, persons with disabilities, women, youth, religious and ethnic minorities and Black communities still face challenges accessing government services and being treated on an equitable basis with others in society.

- Youth Engagement Policy: USAID’s Youth Policy outlines a conceptual approach to youth in development and provides guiding principles and operational practices in support of

USAID’s efforts to mainstream youth in development, carry out more effective programs, and elevate youth participation. If youth and women continue to feel disassociated from the democratic government, and are unable to secure gainful employment and/or receive a living wage, then they will continue to lose confidence in Tunisia’s budding democracy.

Implementation Approach: The following principles listed in alphabetical order must be considered in design and implementation.

- Climate Risk: A climate risk assessment will be done as part of the Initial Environmental

Examination before the award has been finalized. The activities implemented under this program will incorporate the current USAID climate mitigation and adaptation strategies where relevant and appropriate. The Recipient will submit a new climate risk assessment specific to this activity for USAID review and approval before major programmatic implementation begins.

https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00ZB5C.pdf

- Digital: Given the increasing challenge globally to fundamental freedoms online, the recipient will need to equip civil society and media actors with the knowledge, tools and resources to anticipate digital threats, tackle disinformation and protect the public against digital manipulation.

- Flexible approach: It is critical that the Recipient maintain a flexible and adaptable work planning and monitoring system to account for and adjust implementation to unanticipated changes. Per ADS 303.3.18, the AOR may approve revisions to the implementation plan to adjust for changes determined as a result of Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA).

- Local Engagement and Sustainability – Local engagement, participation, leadership, and country ownership are fundamental to the long-term sustainability of development outcomes and are core operating principles of this activity. As such, local partners and organizations are expected to be at the forefront of the Activity and the recipient must work closely and collaborate with local partners on all phases of activity design, implementation, and evaluation. For further guidance on the vision please see the Draft Local Capacity

Development Policy5.

- Networking of actors and efforts: The activity will work to increase trust, coordination, collaboration, and cooperation between CSOs and civic groups, media, and the government;

between the private and public sectors; and between donors to maximize and synergize efforts. The activity will aim to increase partnerships based on common development issues, but partnerships do not necessarily need to create permanent networks.

- Private Sector: Integrating Private Sector Engagement (PSE) throughout the Program Cycle better positions USAID and partners to identify market-based approaches, mobilize private-sector investment and expertise, and make more-catalytic use of USAID’s resources. At the same time, it enables USAID and partners to adapt continuously to new evidence, opportunities, or circumstances. USAID envisions vast opportunities to engage with the private sector within this activity.

- Target Beneficiaries - The Activity does not have a primary target, but emphasis should be placed on reaching organizations that are based outside of Tunis and/or that which have limited capacity. Civil Society Networks and pre-2011 organizations must also be considered for this program.

- Thematic Interventions: Interventions will be focused on specific thematic areas decided through a participatory approach that reflect local priorities, political will, and strong potential to make tangible improvements in the daily lives of citizens.

- Thinking and Working Politically: The Recipient will continuously explore the local context, to adapt programming according to realities on the ground and opportunities and barriers that emerge.

- Subgrants: The recipient will consider a significant set aside for small grants every year for local partners that could range from microgrants to core funding based on specific criteria to be developed jointly with USAID at the Workplan stage. The recipient should provide grants around themes or objectives. This will enable local sustainability, and shift more leadership, ownership, decision making, and implementation to the local institutions.

Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA): USAID’s CLA approach ensures that

USAID/Tunisia’s CDCS works as a living strategy, providing guidance and reference points not only for implementation, but also for learning and course correction as needed. Partners should

5 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/LCD_Policy_-_FORMATTED_508_01-11.pdf apply USAID’s approach to CLA to this Activity. In alignment with ADS 201.3.7, partners should integrate approaches to CLA that include:

● Collaborating, where relevant. Collaboration activities may include joint work planning, regular partner meetings that facilitate knowledge sharing, and working groups organized along geographic or technical lines.

● Involving USAID/Tunisia and other stakeholders in learning activities, such as portfolio reviews or stocktaking efforts, as appropriate.

● Using the knowledge and learning gained from implementation, opportunities to reflect on performance, monitoring data, evaluations, knowledge about the context, and other sources to adjust interventions and approaches as needed. These practices will drive decision-making and activity adjustments in an intentional way that responds to new information and changes in context.

Opportunity Response Mechanism (ORM): The recipient must set aside at least $3,000,000 funds in an Opportunity Response mechanism, which may be used to respond to unanticipated needs and shocks produced by changing circumstances that are not included or envisioned in the

Activity’s implementation plan. The ORM will be subject to available funding and identified opportunities and/or challenges. Both the Recipient and USAID may initiate an activity request under the ORM in the implementation stage.

All ORM requests must be submitted for Agreement Officer’s approval and will be supported by the Recipient’s separate budget and an activity description for the ORM activity(ies). All requests to utilize the ORM must contribute to attainment of objectives under the resulting Agreement. All activities under the ORM will be subject to substantial involvement provisions of the resulting

Agreement and will require amendments to, included but not limited to, the Recipient’s approved

Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP) and annual Implementation Plan(s).

If the ORM, or a portion of the ORM, is not utilized prior to the final year of the resulting Civil

Society Activity Agreement, the AOR or the Recipient may request that the ORM be realigned into the standard program funding partially or in full, subject to funding availability and with the final approval authority of the Agreement Officer. Not all of the ORM must be used at one time and multiple interventions can be considered. Overall, subject to funding and identified opportunities and/or challenges, it is possible that by the end of the resulting Civil Society

Activity Agreement, the ORM set-aside: (1) will be utilized in full, (2) will be utilized in part, or

(3) will not be utilized at all.

Programming Approach - Refine And Implement/Inception Phase

New challenges or new opportunities arise regularly in Tunisia, and may arise between the design and launch of this activity. Typically, an implementation strategy and anticipated results established at the application stage will likely differ from the time of award. Implementers however may be constrained to carry out what was initially envisioned. In response to this tension, USAID will apply the new Refine and Implement (R&I) approach --similar to a “design and build” approach -- to this activity. This will enable the implementing partner(s) to carry out an initial five-month inception/refinement phase that should include political economy analyses and other sector or issue specific research and assessment components as well as the extremely important deep dives into communities, to identify community leaders, women-led, youth-led or youth-focused, and marginalized community leaders, groups, and/or focused organizations with whom to partner. As USAID requires more localization in all its awards, we recognize that the necessary relationships to truly localize and co-design activities in partnership with local communities, groups, leaders, and CSOs, takes time. This inception phase is that time. Recipients will account for this five-month inception/refinement phase within their year 1 work plan.

This funding opportunity is authorized under the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, as amended. The resulting award will be subject to 2 CFR 200 – Uniform Administrative

Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, and USAID’s supplement, 2 CFR 700, as well as the additional requirements found in Section F.

[END OF SECTION A]

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SECTION B: FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Estimate of Funds Available and Number of Awards Contemplated

USAID intends to award one cooperative agreement pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide up to $25,000,000 in total USAID funding over the period of performance. This figure is inclusive of the $3,000,000 Opportunity Response Mechanism (ORM).

2. Expected Performance Indicators, Targets, Baseline Data, and Data Collection

The Recipient will employ a comprehensive and effective approach to monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), including evaluating the outcomes of program activities, documenting changes and achievements reasonably attributable to the program, learning and adapting from continual analysis and evaluation of data, and applying learning within the period of performance to increase the achievement of sustainable results. The Recipient will be required to work closely with USAID’s Monitoring and Evaluation Contractor and cooperate on data collection and verification.

The Recipient will be responsible for developing and implementing an Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP) aligned with expected outcomes of this program. In designing the AMELP, the Recipient is expected to (1) allocate sufficient human and financial resources within the program budget necessary for its successful implementation, (2) provide a clear description of methods to monitor and measure results, collect data and apply analysis and learning, and (3) ensure direct attribution of changes measured, as feasible. The AMELP is expected to facilitate flexibility in activity implementation to allow for course corrections and duplication of successful approaches.

3. Start Date and Period of Performance for Federal Awards

The anticipated period of performance is five years. The estimated start date will be January 6, 2023.

4. Substantial Involvement

USAID will be substantially involved during performance of this Agreement as set forth below.

4.1 Approval of Recipient’s Implementation Plans

The Agreement Officer has delegated the authority to approve implementation plans to the

AOR. Accordingly, the AOR will review and approve the Annual Implementation Plan, including planned interventions for the current year and any subsequent years including revisions thereto.

Approval of Risk Analysis and Mitigation Plan at the Workplan level: USAID recognizes that shifts in the local context can have implications for the achievements of results.

Significant shifts may trigger adaption of the approach and indicators to better reflect the context. The Recipient, in close collaboration with USAID, shall undertake risk analyses not only to measure progress, but to test whether or not the assumptions continue to hold, providing USAID and the implementer with information to make key management decisions regarding the project. Additionally, the implementer shall refine, monitor, and report on risks as part of the Annual Progress Report. USAID will commission at least one external evaluation, either at mid-term or at the end of the project.

4.2 Approval of the Specified Key Personnel.

USAID designated the following positions as key personnel. All changes thereto must be submitted for the approval by the Agreement Officer (AO). Any replacement Key

Personnel must meet or exceed the requirements finalized at the time of award.

Title: Name:

4.3 Approval of all sub-awards:

The recipient must obtain AO’s prior approval of substantive provisions of proposed subawards (see definitions in 2 CFR 200). These would be provisions that go beyond existing policies on Federal review of recipient procurement standards and sole source procurement.

2 CFR 200.308 requires the Recipient to obtain USAID’s prior approval by the AOR for the subaward, transfer or contracting out of any work under the agreement. Subawards included in the final revised application and budget are considered approved unless otherwise noted at the time of award.

4.4 Agency and Recipient Collaboration or Joint Participation:

USAID has determined that the Recipient’s successful accomplishment of the program objectives would benefit from USAID’s technical knowledge, and has authorized the joint participation of USAID and the Recipient in the following ways:

(1) Approval of recipient’s monitoring and evaluation plans: USAID’s involvement in monitoring progress toward the achievement of program objectives during the performance of the project, including written guidelines for the content of annual reports and final evaluations through AOR’s approval of AMELP. During the initial project planning period, the awardee will work closely with USAID to establish major milestones, program monitoring indicators, as well as baseline data and performance targets which will demonstrate successful achievement of the results addressed in the Program Description.

(2) Communication with GOT Officials: The AOR must be present in all meetings with specified government officials, namely Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, and

Directors at respective ministries. All communication with the above specified

GOT officials must be made by the Chief of Party and coordinated in advance with the USAID AOR. Exceptions may be granted but must be in writing and made prior to any meeting/communication.

(3) Selection of thematic issues to be addressed throughout the life of the activity. As the activity progresses, USAID and the recipient will decide jointly on the thematic issues that will be addressed and when. In the case of ongoing thematic issues, USAID and the recipient will determine when and if they will be retired.

5. Authorized Geographic Code

The geographic code for the procurement of commodities and services under this program is

937. the United States, the cooperating country/recipient country, and developing countries other than advanced developing countries, and excluding prohibited sources. The list of countries designated as prohibited sources is found at http://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/310mac.

6. Nature of the Relationship between USAID and the Recipient

The principal purpose of the relationship with the Recipient and under the subject program is to transfer funds to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation of the Tunisia Civil

Society Activity which is authorized by Federal statute. The successful Recipient will be responsible for ensuring the achievement of the program objectives and the efficient and effective administration of the award through the application of sound management practices. The

Recipient will assume responsibility for administering Federal funds in a manner consistent with underlying agreements, program objectives, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award.

7. Selection of Instrument

The overall goal of the Civil Society Activity is to empower Tunisian citizens to act and advocate for specific issues and effect change at the local, regional, and national level in advancing Tunisia’s development and to build the legitimacy and sustainability of the civil society sector. Interventions will be focused on five to ten thematic areas decided through a participatory approach, over the course of the award, that reflect local priorities, political will, and strong potential to make tangible improvements in the daily lives of citizens. This activity has three main objectives:

1. Increase the engagement and agency of citizens to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.

2. Strengthen the institutional capacity of civil society organizations to promote positive change on citizen and constituent priorities (based on the organizational mission).

http://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/310mac

3. Promote effective partnerships (intra- inter- and multi-sectoral) at local, regional and national levels (e.g., government, civil society, citizens, private sector) to act and advocate for specific issues of public interest.

It is the policy of the Agency to help countries meet their own local needs by providing Federal financial assistance to development actors who merit federal support or assistance by reason of their mission, programs, and activities in a Program Area for which the Agency has funding.

Through the provision of the activities described in this Program Area, Federal financial assistance under a cooperative agreement for this Activity, the Agency intends to support development actors who will help achieve sector outcomes by carrying out their mission, programs, and activities in a manner that advances sustainable development in the Program Area and serves the Agency’s public purpose of supporting development actors who advance the achievement of USG development objectives in the Program Area..

The principal purpose of the Assistance instrument and the grantor-grantee relationship it will create between the Agency and the recipient is to transfer Federal financial assistance to the recipient - to carry out in the designated Program Area - a public purpose of support or stimulation, as authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and other applicable authorities as provided in annual appropriations legislation.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted. US and non-US organizations may participate under this NOFO. All applicants must be able to legally work in Tunisia. This includes having obtained any necessary registrations and permits to operate in Tunisia.

USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID.

Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for federal financial assistance on the same basis as any other organization and are subject to the protections and requirements of Federal law.

Each legal entity is limited to one application under this NOFO as the prime Applicant. There is no limitation on being included as a potential sub-awardee across multiple applications. The use of exclusive teaming arrangements is discouraged.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is suggested (that is, voluntary) but not required. Cost sharing funds may be provided directly by the recipient; other multilateral, bilateral, and foundation donors; host governments; and local organizations, communities and private businesses that contribute financially and in-kind to implementation of activities at the country level. This may include contribution of staff level of effort, office space or other facilities or equipment which may be used for the program, provided by the recipient. For guidance on cost sharing in grants and cooperative agreements see 2 CFR 200.306.

Applicants will not be graded favorable or unfavorably as a result of the cost share or leverage provided for in the applicant’s program. The Application will be graded purely on merit review in

Section E of this NOFO.

3. Risk Assessment:

In accordance with 2 CFR 200.206 USAID is required to evaluate risk posed by the applicant prior to awarding a federal grant. Risk assessment will be conducted in accordance with ADS

303.3.9. The Apparently Successful Applicant will be requested to submit additional evidence they deem necessary for the AO to make a positive risk assessment determination. The information submitted should substantiate that the applicant:

i. Has adequate financial resources or the ability to obtain such resources, as required during the performance of the award.

ii. Has the ability to meet the award terms and conditions, considering all existing prospective recipient commitments, both non governmental and governmental.

iii. Has a satisfactory record of performance. Generally, relevant unsatisfactory performance in the past is enough to justify a finding of non-responsibility, unless there is clear evidence of subsequent satisfactory performance or the applicant has taken adequate corrective measures to assure that it will be able to perform its functions satisfactorily.

iv. Has a satisfactory record of business integrity.

v. Is otherwise qualified to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

[END OF SECTION C]

SECTION D: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Agency Point of Contact

Name: David Arnett

Title: Regional Agreement Officer

Email: tunisiasolicitations@usaid.gov

2. Questions and Answers

Questions regarding this NOFO should be submitted to tunisiasolicitations@usaid.gov no later than the date and time indicated on the cover letter, as amended. Any information given to a prospective applicant concerning this NOFO will be furnished promptly to all other prospective applicants as an amendment to this NOFO, if that information is necessary in submitting applications or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to any other prospective applicant.

3. General Content and Form of Application

It is recommended that Applicants review the full requirements in this Section before submitting a concept paper under this NOFO to ensure that you can meet all of the requirements listed therein.

Reviewing these requirements will help you prepare for what must be done to increase the likelihood that your concept paper/application is successful. Applicants are expected to review, understand, and comply with all aspects of the NOFO.

There are two (2) phases to the application under this NOFO:

Phase I – Concept Paper

A concept paper is a short document where the Applicant provides an overview of how you would respond to the NOFO problem description. During Phase One (1), the Selection

Committee (SC) will review and evaluate the concept papers. The concept paper should be specific, complete and presented concisely. The concept paper must demonstrate a strong understanding of the context, the objectives set forth in the PD, and give USAID a high level of certainty that the applicant’s program will be a catalyst for transforming the CSO landscape in

Tunisia. The Applicant should take into account the concept paper’s submission requirements and evaluation criteria found in this NOFO. Applicants should only submit the information and materials specified. Phase I concept papers will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis. Those receiving a “pass” rating will be invited to participate in Phase II.

Phase II – Full Application

Applicants who received a rating of “pass” from Phase I, will be invited to submit a full technical and cost application. Part of the Phase II submission will be an oral presentation as described below.

mailto:tunisiasolicitations@usaid.gov

USAID will review the full technical and cost application. After the Phase II reviews are concluded and discussions held, the Agreement Officer will notify the apparently successful applicant in writing. At this time the successful applicant will be asked to submit additional documents including Branding and Marking Plan, Program Description (PD) that is in line with its technical application, and other documents as identified by the AO. The final PD will be included in the award as SECTION B - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION.

4. Preparation of Applications:

Concept Papers and Full Applications must comply with the following:

● USAID will not review any pages in excess of the page limits noted in this NOFO. Please ensure that applications comply with the page limitations.

● Written in English.

● Use standard 8 ½” x 11”, single sided, single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, 1” margins, left justification and headers and/or footers on each page including consecutive page numbers, date of submission, and applicant’s name.

● 10 point font can be used for graphs and charts. Tables however, must comply with the 12 point Times New Roman requirement.

● Submitted via Microsoft Word or PDF formats, except budget files which must be submitted in Microsoft Excel.

● The estimated start date identified in Section B of this NOFO must be used in the cost application.

● The technical application must be a searchable and editable Word or PDF format as appropriate.

● The Cost Schedule must include an Excel spreadsheet with all cells unlocked and no hidden formulas or sheets. A PDF version of the Excel spreadsheet may be submitted in addition to the Excel version at the applicant’s discretion, however, the official cost application submission is the unlocked Excel version.

Applicants must review, understand, and comply with all aspects of this NOFO. Failure to do so may be considered as being non-responsive and may be evaluated accordingly. Applicants should retain a copy of the application and all enclosures for their records.

5. Application Submission Procedures

Applications in response to this NOFO must be submitted no later than the closing date and time indicated on the cover letter. Late applications may be considered at the discretion of the

Agreement Officer. Applicants must retain proof of timely delivery in the form of system generated documentation of delivery receipt date and time/confirmation from the receiving office.

Applications must be submitted by email to tunisiasolicitations@usaid.gov. Email submissions must include the NOFO number and applicant’s name in the subject line heading. In addition, for an application sent by multiple emails, the subject line must also indicate whether the email relates to the technical or cost application, and the desired sequence of the emails and their attachments (e.g. "No. 1 of 4", etc.). For example, if your cost application is being sent in two emails, the first email should have a subject line that states: "[NOFO number], [organization name], Cost Application, Part 1 of 2".

USAID’s preference is that the technical application and the cost application (Phase 2) each be submitted as consolidated email attachments, e.g. that you consolidate the various parts of a technical application into a single document before sending it. If this is not possible, please provide instructions on how to collate the attachments. USAID will not be responsible for errors in compiling electronic applications if no instructions are provided or are unclear.

After submitting an application electronically, applicants should immediately check their own email to confirm that the attachments were indeed sent. If an applicant discovers an error in transmission, please send the material again and note in the subject line of the email or indicate in the file name if submitted via grants.gov that it is a "corrected" submission. Do not send the same email more than once unless there has been a change, and if so, please note that it is a "corrected" email.

Applicants are reminded that e-mail is NOT instantaneous, and in some cases delays of several hours occur from transmission to receipt. Therefore, applicants are requested to send the application in sufficient time ahead of the deadline. For this NOFO, the initial point of entry to the government infrastructure is the USAID mail server.

There may be a problem with the receipt of *.zip files due to anti-virus software. Therefore, applicants are discouraged from sending files in this format as USAID/Tunisia{insert

Mission/Office} cannot guarantee their acceptance by the internet server. File size must not exceed 25 MB {insert max file size}.

PHASE I - CONCEPT PAPER

For Phase I, Applicants must submit a Concept Paper not to exceed 10 pages that addresses the following:

● Describe the process, analyses, and criteria for selecting and validating the initial thematic issue, and how these will be applied over the life of the project.

● Using a hypothetical example of improving transportation security for women agricultural workers, please summarize how you would address the three objectives set forth in the PD.

The Applicant should take into account the requirements of the activity and evaluation criteria found in this NOFO. The Phase I Application must not reference cost data.

The Concept Paper must have one cover page which does not count against the 10-page limit.