NOFO No. 7200AA23RFA00006.pdf

Issue Date: March 21, 2023 Deadline for Question: March 28, 2023 by 5:00PM Eastern Standard Time Closing Date: April 20, 2023 Closing Time: 5:00PM Eastern Standard Time

Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: 7200AA23RFA00006

Program Title: John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 98.009

Ladies/Gentlemen:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for cooperative agreements from qualified entities to implement the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program. Eligibility for these awards are restricted to applicants who are classified as: a US Private Voluntary Organization (PVO); a U.S. nonprofit agricultural organization; a US agricultural cooperative; a private U.S. agribusiness or agriculturally -related business or consulting firm; private organization (including grassroots organizations with an established and demonstrated capacity to carry out such a bilateral exchange program), private corporation; or a college, university or foundation maintained by a college or university.

USAID intends to make awards to the applicants who best meet 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.g. 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 Matthew Case, Agreement Officer, mcase@usaid.gov. 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 NOFO 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, Sara Bame-Kum

Agreement Officer mailto:mcase@usaid.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section A – Program Description 5

Section B – Federal Award Information 14

Section C – Eligibility Information 18

Section D – Application and Submission Information 20

Section E – Application Review Information 39

Section F – Federal Award Administration Information 43

Section G – Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 49

Section H - Other Information 50

Annex 1 - Budget Format 51

Annex 2 - Standard Provisions 52

Annex 3 - Acronym List 55

Annex 4 - Summary Table of USAID Mission Interest 57

Annex 5 - Initial Environmental Examination 66

Annex 6 – Gender Analysis 67

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SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

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.

John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program

General Description The primary goal of F2F is to generate sustainable, broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector. A secondary goal is to increase the American public’s understanding of international development issues and programs and international understanding of the U.S.

and U.S. development programs. F2F objectives are to: 1) increase agricultural sector productivity and profitability; 2) improve conservation and sustainable use of environmental and natural resources; 3) expand sector access to financial services; and 4) strengthen agricultural sector institutions. F2F activities are varied and conform to local country needs and strategic objectives. Activities are inclusive and fully demand-driven, responding to requests and needs of local hosts. F2F country project areas align with or support USAID Mission Strategies and objectives or those of other USG programs.

Farmer-to-Farmer Program Approach

Through F2F, USAID facilitates delivery of a broad range of U.S. agricultural expertise, using U.S. volunteers who work with farmers, cooperatives, agribusinesses, and other actors in the agriculture sector in developing countries. F2F provides highly-qualified voluntary technical assistance to respond to the needs of hosts in target countries to address agricultural sector constraints and opportunities. Key factors responsible for program success include: demand-driven by local host needs with an emphasis on inclusiveness; people-to-people diplomacy that creates trust and good will; strong technical expertise of volunteers and country staff;

alignment with broader local strategies of USG country objectives and activities; and flexibility to respond effectively to emerging opportunities and needs. F2F has been an effective, low cost program that blends its two goals—providing technical services to enhance sustainable economic development and opportunities for people-to-people level exchanges.

F2F program design and activities reflect extensive analysis and experience over the long history of the program. F2F has successfully adapted to evolving needs of host countries, changes in the global agricultural economy, technological innovation, changes in USG international development strategies, global events, and lessons learned from regular program evaluations and special studies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, F2F was able to adapt using paired remote assignments to continue to provide technical support as well as build local capacity including the skills of the in-country paired volunteer linked with the U.S. remote volunteer.

F2F implementing partners (IPs) are separately responsible for carrying out their individual projects, but voluntarily collaborate in a community of practice (CoP) that supports program outreach and sharing of good practice in agricultural volunteer programs. The CoP collaboration typically involves an outreach committee, an M&E committee, annual IP meetings, regional meetings, webinars, and other activities.

F2F Theory of Change The F2F Theory of Change (ToC) recognizes the tiered nature of the overall program—with Country Project-specific strategies and individual, sequential host interventions. The ToC is reflected in the logframe—aligning volunteer and associated support services to provide hosts with training, technical recommendations, and specific deliverables that lead to adoption of innovations, which result in enhanced productivity, profitability, and sustainability improvements in the agricultural sector.

Inputs: Volunteer technical assistance with additional local staff support ...leading to…

Outputs:

Volunteer recommendations, training, and deliverables for the host with local staff facilitation and follow up …leading to…

Outcomes:

Adoption of recommendations and host change in behavior, management practices and technologies (innovation) with broader dissemination of recommendations and experience …leading to…

Impacts:

Productivity & income increases Improved social, human, & environmental capital

At the Country F2F Project level, IPs identify specific objectives and key constraints or opportunities to be targeted by volunteer assistance. This country level analysis defines the strategy, which may vary widely by Country F2F Project. These collectively contribute to the broader program level ToC. Discrete strategies exist also at the host level, where host objectives vary and needs for volunteer assistance are defined by the unique host constraints or opportunities. Volunteer activities all contribute to achieving the objectives established for the hosts, relevant Country F2F Project, and overall F2F Program as well as often contribute to the success of other USG programming. The secondary objective of F2F is to increase public understanding of development issues, and international understanding of the U.S. is achieved as a by-product of the successful collaboration by volunteers and hosts in their development activities.

F2F Program Structure

The FY24-28 F2F Program will consist of a suite of core Leader with Associates (LWA)

Cooperative Agreements plus a separate support project. The LWA core programs are run by IPs who propose the exact countries and project areas where they plan to work. The support project will provide program-wide technical support services for agricultural volunteer programs and finance smaller, specialized F2F volunteer projects that bring in new implementing organizations, test new approaches, and tap new sources of volunteers.

F2F Leader Award Structure and Program Implementation

F2F Programs will vary depending on country and sector needs and conditions. Successful implementation of an F2F volunteer program requires institutional capacity and management systems to undertake a range of activities to deliver effective volunteer technical assistance efficiently to host organizations. While other functions and activities may also be required, an implementer must have systems to carry out the functions as described below.

Country Selection

F2F Programs are global in scope, but with core activities in a limited number of countries.

These core countries can be within a given geographic region, which may allow the IP to leverage synergies in developing coordinated country programs in the region, or they can be in multiple regions and/or thematic in nature.

Core country selection criteria may vary and may include factors such as: country needs and opportunities, the applicant’s experience and/or contacts in a country, relevance of the country to USG interests and objectives, ability to provide rewarding and productive volunteer assignments in the country, alignment with USAID Mission objectives, cost-effectiveness, ability to recruit volunteers for assignments in the country, and/or other factors. Typically, it is desirable for F2F programs to work in countries with good enabling environments so that the ideas of the volunteers can have wide impact, unencumbered by price distortions, corruption and red tape, but it is recognized that many countries have limitations in this regard and that substantial development impacts and rewarding volunteer assignments are also possible in other country situations.

Country eligibility is defined in the U.S. Farm Bill. When possible, F2F Programs should target countries and activities that are supportive of broader USG initiatives and priorities, including the Global Food Security Strategy, building resilience, environmental and climate change, gender considerations, youth in development, global security, trade development, and others.

As per the U.S. Farm Bill, approximately two-thirds of the funding will be allocated to programs in the first four listed regions. Applications may cover multiple regional programs or larger thematic programs in a given region. Regional program categories are listed below:

1. East Africa

2. Southern Africa

3. West Africa

4. Caribbean Basin

5. Other – may include Country F2F Programs in core countries in: a) Middle East &

North Africa; b) Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia; c) Latin America; d) Asia; or e) countries across multiple regions.

F2F Programs typically have between 3-6 core countries, depending on the budget. Discussions about country selection may occur during co-creation with apparently successful applicants.

All core countries must receive USAID Mission concurrence.

F2F Eligible Countries and Geographical Program Regions

Region Countries

Caribbean Basin Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago

Sub-saharan Africa Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and

Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Other Middle East: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, West Bank and Gaza

Asia / South Asia: Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, Palau, Papua New

Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam

Latin America: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru

Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia: Albania, Armenia Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Country F2F Staff: While volunteer technical assistance is a key input, impact is heavily dependent on country field staff, including the Country F2F Director. Qualified local staff with appropriate technical, managerial, and human relations skills empower and catalyze work of the F2F volunteers. Country F2F staff provide critical support and are substantially involved in identifying constraints and opportunities, identifying appropriate hosts, planning and facilitating volunteer assignments, networking within the defined sub-sectors, and following up with hosts to monitor innovations and facilitate their up-take and dissemination.

Sector Analysis and Planning: Initial sector analysis and planning are critical to guide implementation of F2F, and will need to be updated intermittently. There is a need for a balanced assessment of the agricultural sector and potential sub-sectors in selecting and designing country projects. IPs should take a pragmatic approach to analysis and rely on existing sector and sub-sector analyses completed by other institutions (donors, governments, partners, etc.) and synthesize this for sector planning and Country Project Design.

Country F2F Projects: Country F2F Projects address constraints within: a) a specific commodity or value chain; b) a specific support sector; or c) a specific agro-ecological zone, geographic area, or beneficiary population. Country F2F Projects focus on volunteer assistance, have clearly defined objectives, are supported by adequate analysis of sector constraints and opportunities, and link to impacts. F2F Programs can be flexible to adjust activities based on experience and changing conditions. Most Country F2F Projects are five-year activities, although some may be shorter. New Country F2F Projects can be initiated during the course of the five-year program.

Selecting Country Partners: Many IPs collaborate with country partners such as an institution, project, or program to plan and implement a Country F2F Project(s). Partners may be public or private agencies, including trade associations, NGOs, commercial firms, projects, government departments and programs (e.g., Peace Corps) or educational institutions. Partners with in-country capabilities may assist in implementation of F2F; may be involved in providing goods and/or services to agricultural producers or agribusinesses; and/or may connect F2F to their clients as potential hosts for volunteers. Volunteers may work with partners to strengthen the partner’s own capacity to provide goods and services to their clients (in which case the partner is also the host). Generally, good partners will help to spread the specific knowledge or skills that volunteers bring more widely to benefit the sector. Working with local Country

Partner organizations aligns with USAID’s objectives for local capacity building and enhancing the sustainability of these local systems.

Selecting Hosts: A host is a local organization or individual that requests and receives direct assistance from one or more F2F volunteers. Hosts may be the ultimate beneficiaries that F2F is designed to assist, but may also be intermediaries (service providers, agribusinesses, etc.)

whose improved operations benefit the target populations. The ability of hosts to absorb, utilize, and disseminate information provided by volunteers is a critical consideration in determining the potential impact of a volunteer’s assignment. Hosts’ contributions of lodging, transportation, meeting space, or other logistical support, when possible, can help reduce the costs to the program for fielding volunteers and these hosts may also assist the program in assessments of the impact of the volunteers’ efforts. The impacts of a volunteer program are directly related to what hosts do as a result of the information and training provided by volunteers. Ideally, IPs work with each host to put together a plan to accomplish the objectives that they established. Hosts should have clear objectives that form the basis for a development plan and/or volunteer assignment scope of work and for measuring success and impact of the volunteer support.

Development of Assignment Scopes of Work (SOWs): Each volunteer assignment requires a SOW. The SOW describes services required by the host(s) and identifies the skills and experience volunteers need for the assignment. SOWs may also include background on the Country F2F Project strategy and plan. The SOW identifies results anticipated from the assignment and may also identify complementary inputs expected of the host and other partners.

Ideally, there is a high degree of participation by hosts in preparation of SOWs. SOWs document the understandings reached among the parties involved, namely the host, any partners, and the F2F IP. The clearer the SOW, the easier it is to recruit for the volunteer assignment, guide the volunteer once on the job, and assess the assignment’s success. The process of approving a SOW also clarifies the roles of the IP, the volunteer(s), any partners, and the hosts in making the assignment a success.

● Volunteer Assignments: F2F volunteers are skilled professionals with expertise relevant to agricultural sector host needs, as defined in the volunteer SOWs. Most are mid- or senior career individuals with extensive professional experience and they come from a very wide range of professional and thematic backgrounds. Assignments are generally two to four weeks in duration, although this varies and longer assignments are acceptable. SOWs generally call for volunteer services to: a) provide training, b) provide recommendations to hosts, and/or c) complete specific deliverables (e.g., business plan, marketing plan, training materials, demonstration, equipment set up or renovation, etc.).

Assignments should maximize efficiency of volunteer time spent with hosts and on assignment-related tasks. Planning for assignments—while emphasizing accomplishment of SOW requirements for the host(s)—should also allow flexibility for cultural exchange and experiences to enhance understanding of country conditions and development context.

● Paired-Remote Volunteer Assignments: During the COVID-19 pandemic, F2F pivoted and employed a “Paired Remote U.S. Volunteer” model where hosts receive remote technical assistance from a U.S. volunteer paired with hands-on support from a local specialist. This allowed F2F to continue providing critical technical assistance and leverage U.S. and local expertise. There were also additional benefits such as allowing volunteers with limitations (i.e., physical disabilities, inability to travel for other reasons, etc.) to participate. Therefore, although in-person assignments are the core of F2F, IPs can propose specific ways they could use a limited number of paired remote assignments, up to 10% of assignments. More guidance on paired-remote assignments will be provided upon program start-up and implementation.

● Flexible F2F Assignments: Flexible assignments are any F2F volunteer assignments programmed outside of a Country F2F Project. They may be in any F2F-eligible country, within or outside of the geographic region for the core country F2F program.

Flexible assignments: respond to targets of opportunity for substantial developmental impact, carry out exploratory activities in new areas or sectors, and respond to unforeseen needs and opportunities of USAID Mission program and partners. Up to 10% of volunteer assignments under the core LWA awards may be used for flexible assignments. Flexible assignments are approved in Annual Work Plans or in specific approvals by the USAID AOR. If a Flexible Assignment is planned in a country in which another IP has an on-going Country Program, IPs are asked to reach out and inform them as a courtesy before sending volunteers.

Volunteer Recruitment: Successful F2F recruitment may require an extensive database of potential volunteers and/or develop linkages with U.S. farm, professional, cooperative, agribusiness, university, and trade groups to assist in identifying and recruiting volunteers. IPs should consider options for recruiting from new or non-traditional sources of volunteers and seek a gender balance among recruited volunteers to maximize the pool of volunteer resources available and to maximize the potential for public education and outreach. Volunteers should be U.S. citizens and permanent residents; non-U.S. volunteers cannot be used unless prior approval is obtained from the USAID AOR and will only be approved for unique situations. IPs must ensure and confirm in Semi-Annual and Annual Reports that the recruitment process includes screening with at least two reference checks on all potential first time F2F volunteers, reference checks on repeat F2F volunteers with regard to prior F2F assignments, and screening against the

Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List maintained by the U.S. Treasury or United Nations Security designation lists. The IP must also immediately inform the USAID AOR of any negative F2F volunteer performance or behavior and provide information on such performance or behavior experiences to other F2F IPs when contacted for reference checks on potential volunteers.

Volunteer Orientation: Volunteer orientation includes information about travel, health and security issues, other logistics and support, the country, and the organizations and individuals with whom the volunteer will work, as well as the specific tasks of the assignment. The orientation process begins as part of volunteer recruitment and extends through the initial days after the volunteer’s arrival in the host country. The more informed volunteers are about what they are getting themselves into, the better equipped they will be to make their assignment successful, both for the host as well as for themselves.

Volunteer Logistics and Support: Logistics and support services greatly impact the effectiveness of volunteers. Logistical support includes transport, housing, interpretation/ translation, compensation arrangements, and other services. Technical support includes information, links to local technology programs, teaching aids, and equipment. Volunteers that are appropriately supported will have more time to focus on their assignments and will develop a better understanding of the host’s operating environment and constraints. Technical support can help volunteers adapt their technical knowledge and skills to local conditions and develop appropriate linkages to local technical support institutions. Such support is particularly important given the relatively short duration of many volunteer assignments. IPs shall provide adequate medical and evacuation insurance, vaccination and health briefings, in-country security, and other support to ensure safety and wellbeing of volunteers.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL): F2F requires a monitoring and evaluation system adequate to inform program management decisions and report routinely on inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes. The system includes indicators, procedures, and reporting systems used in tracking program performance and impact. Since the IP’s F2F program will involve diverse activities in different country projects with differing objectives, hosts, strategies, and timeframes, the system must be able to capture adequate detail on individual activities to reflect program and host performance and progress. It should be adaptable to different program and country situations, capable of generating a range of routine and special reports and of making data accessible to multiple users.

Each IP will develop a MEL plan to measure performance of activities, outputs, outcomes and expected impacts. Successful implementation will rely on both quantitative and qualitative approaches embedded in the MEL plan that meet program goals and objectives. MEL plans will use standard F2F indicators as well as custom indicators and will follow requirements for gendered MEL, collecting appropriate gender-sensitive indicators and sex- and youth-disaggregated data, when possible. The MEL plan will be developed and submitted as part of the Year One Work Plan.

F2F has standard indicators that will be refined during co-creation/beginning of implementation.

The full set of indicators may include targets for increased net annual income by hosts, increased gross value of sales, increase in area under improved management, and others that will cut across all F2F activities globally, as well as country-specific custom indicators.

Outreach Activities: F2F requires systems to encourage and maximize outreach activities carried out by returned volunteers and also to do U.S. and in-country outreach about the program. U.S. outreach encompasses the full set of activities designed to inform both the general public and interested parties of the character and accomplishments of F2F. Outreach has three principal benefits: 1) educating the public on global development issues and market opportunities; 2) involving the public in international development; and 3) recruiting new volunteers. Outreach activities at the country level have benefits that include: a) identifying new potential hosts; b) promoting dissemination of the findings and innovations introduced by volunteers; c) and informing the public of US development activities. Consultations with USAID Mission staff are important to ensure awareness of particular issues and policies relating to such outreach.

Coordination with USAID Missions: F2F requires that country activities are coordinated with USAID Mission programs to the extent possible. The overall process for coordination and interaction with country USAID Missions is as follows:

1. As input into solicitations for F2F, USAID Missions had the opportunity to indicate interests or priorities for F2F volunteer activities in their country.

2. Application evaluation criteria for program strategies include consideration of alignment with country USG objectives and programs.

3. Following award, USAID Missions are informed and awardees are requested to consult further with USAID Missions on country project activity planning. USAID Mission “no -objection” is required for the IPs’s proposed Country F2F Director.

4. F2F AOR submits Country F2F Project Descriptions to relevant USAID Missions to obtain "no-objection" and any comments prior to approving implementation plans.

5. IPs inform Missions of volunteer assignments and arrange for briefing/debriefing visits with USAID staff, as appropriate.

6. F2F IPs typically participate in regular USAID Mission meetings with implementing partners in the agricultural sector.

F2F Learning and Community of Practice: F2F has an active and useful F2F IP Community of Practice (CoP) in which all organizations collaborate to share lessons learned and promote volunteerism. The CoP collaborates in an annual Implementing Partners Meeting to review F2F Program progress, issues, good practice, and M&E systems. The CoP also collaborates on regional and thematic workshops and events and IPs should plan to participate in these as appropriate. The F2F CoP also collaborates in an M&E Committee, an Outreach Committee, and other special projects.

Associate Awards and Buy-ins: F2F is designed as an LWA to allow USAID missions or office to add on activities if desired via Buy-ins and/or Associate Awards. These are not guaranteed under an LWA but Buy-ins and Associate Awards may provide for: a) additional volunteer services in a core F2F country or other country; b) complementary support for Country

F2F Project sub-sectors (additional technical assistance, grants, training, equipment and facilities, and/or other inputs) that can improve F2F outreach and impact; or c) volunteer services and complementary support for agricultural projects addressing specific development objectives in an F2F core country or other country. Buy-ins or Associate Awards may expand

F2F activities into additional countries within or outside of the given region.

Gender Considerations: F2F will improve on gender equity for target populations by embedding considerations of gender issues and impacts. By providing women with equal access to technical assistance, knowledge, and innovations in settings where household livelihoods are predominantly agriculture-based, F2Fwill advance gender equity.

F2F conforms to USAID policy requirements (ADS 205) that gender issues be considered across the program cycle, including during activity planning, implementation, and MEL. F2F IPs will be required to provide systematic consideration of gender issues and impacts in their F2F programs and report on sex-disaggregated data for volunteers and persons directly assisted. The FY 2024-FY 2028 F2F Program will continue to emphasize (i) gender targeted host selection, both for women lead organizations and for those that can positively affect gender- equity in participation and benefits; (ii) gender responsive technical assistance; and (iii) materials specific to women volunteer recruitment. While none of these are entirely new, all warrant additional emphasis. Individual-level indicators will be gender and youth disaggregated and capture inclusion in other ways as well.

Environmental Considerations: All F2F Programs should ensure systematic consideration of the implications of activities on environmental and natural resources and should seek to mitigate any adverse impacts. F2F conforms to all USAID policies and guidelines related to climate and environment, as well as adheres to applicable host country environmental laws and policies. An updated Global F2F FY24-28 Initial Environmental Examination will be shared prior to implementation, as well as a Programmatic Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan (PERSUAP).

Reference Documents

● Additional information on the F2F Program may be found at: www.farmer-to-farmer.org.

● Final reports from past F2F projects can be found at: https://dec.usaid.gov.

● February 2022 Midterm Performance Evaluation

● The F2F Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Report

● A previously developed “Managing International Volunteer Programs: A Farmer-to-

Farmer Program Manual of Good Practices” is dated but it has good background information:

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http://www.farmer-to-farmer.org/ https://dec.usaid.gov/ https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00Z8M7.pdf https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00Z6BR.pdf https://farmer-to-farmer.org/file/447/USAID670_F2F%20Manual%20of%20Good%20Practices_2016.pdf https://farmer-to-farmer.org/file/447/USAID670_F2F%20Manual%20of%20Good%20Practices_2016.pdf

SECTION B: FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Estimate of Funds Available and Number of Awards Contemplated

USAID intends to award between seven (7) and nine (9) Leader with Associate (LWA) Cooperative Agreement(s) pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide $65 million (LWA ceiling) in total USAID funding over a five (5) year period.

Leader Award budget: The Recipient shall plan to implement a five-year Leader Award program. Applicants may propose programs in the range of $5 to $9 million. USAID estimates that there will be awards of various sizes made and may ask for adjustments up or down to proposed activities during the co-creation phase. USAID expects to provide core funding for each Recipient F2F Program with an initial obligation in FY23 and the remaining funding in approximately equal tranches over four years (FY24-FY28). This is a projection for planning purposes only. Any and all funding for F2F is subject to the availability of funding to USAID for this purpose. Leader awards will also include an additional $1.0 million ceiling for potential Buy-ins. Although, Buy-ins are not guaranteed.

Associate Awards: Leader and Associate Awards are separately obligated instruments.

Associate Awards will be subject to the needs, priorities, and funding available to USAID Missions and offices. Associate Awards are not guaranteed under an LWA. Based on previous experience with F2F LWA programs, there may be considerable interest from USAID Missions reflected in Requests for Associate Award Applications for a variety of types of volunteer technical assistance-based agricultural and rural development projects. Recipients should be prepared to respond appropriately to such requests from Missions or USAID/Washington, if any materialize. Associate Awards must be for activities that fall under the Leader Award and must include substantial use of volunteer technical assistance. Associate Awards may run for up to five years from date of award and may extend beyond the period for the Leader Award.

The details of each Associate Award will be determined at the point when they are designed .

The Mission or Office that funds them will be responsible for the procurement of the award and will oversee activities.

LWA Funding Ceilings

Each F2F LWA Cooperative Agreement will carry two funding ceiling restrictions:

1. Total of Leader Award: The ceiling for a Leader Award will be from $5 million to $9 million. Within each Leader Award, a $1.0 million ceiling for Buy-ins will be added to this amount (making the TEC between $6 - $10 million). Buy-ins will be dependent on

Mission or office interest and funding availability. This additional $1.0 million from potential Buy-ins is not guaranteed as part of receiving a Leader Award.

2. Total of Associate Awards: The ceiling for all related Associate Awards under a given LWA will be up to four times the level of ceiling for the Leader Award. Therefore, each

LWA will have a specific ceiling defined in the Leader Award document. Associate Awards for any Critical Priority Country, post-conflict, or humanitarian assistance Associate Awards are outside of this ceiling.

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

Program performance and impact indicators provide the basis for the management information system. Initial monitoring systems for F2F programs focused mainly on simple, relevant input indicators of numbers of volunteer assignments and budget expenditures. With greater emphasis on achieving results, F2F programs have adopted more comprehensive systems to track and report on indicator changes along the cause and effect pathway of the project’s development hypothesis—from inputs and activities to outputs, outcomes (results) and impacts. The Recipient shall report against: a) Standardized F2F Program Indicators and b) Country F2F Project-specific custom performance and impact indicators, as appropriate.

A selection of Standard F2F Performance and Impact indicators are listed in the table below.

These are subject to review and may be revised and finalized in consultation with USAID and other F2F Implementing Partners.

Table 5: Standard Performance and Impact Indicators in Use in the F2F Program

Inputs Outputs Outcomes Impacts

Number of vol.

assignments:

• Male

• Female

• Total Volunteer demographics:

• Sex/gender

• State of residence

• Job/occupation category

• Prior F2F service Number of volunteer days completed

Value of host contributions (U.S.$)

Type of volunteer assistance:

• Technology transfer

• Organizational development

• Business/Enterprise development

• Financial services

• Environmental conservation

• Administrative Type of value chain activity:

• Support services

• On farm production

• Processing and handling

Hosts assisted:

• Cooperatives and associations

• Individual private farmers

• Other private enterprises

• Non-profit, public interest NGOs

• Public and private education institutions

• Rural financial institutions

• Public sector technical agencies

Host demographics

• Country

• Country Project Persons directly assisted:

• Male

• Female

• Total

Number of volunteer recommendations made

Number of public outreach activities

Volunteer recommendations adopted

Value of resources mobilized by host

Value of resources leveraged by grantee/ volunteers in the U.S.

Economic:

• Annual net income (U.S.$)

• Value of gross annual sales (U.S.$)

• Area under improved management (ha) Organizational capacity:

• tbd Financial services:

• Value of rural/ agricultural loans (U.S.$)

• Number of rural/ agricultural loans

Environmental:

• tbd Number of beneficiaries

• Members/owners

• Employees

• Clients & suppliers

• Marketing

USAID will convene an IP workshop on reporting and program monitoring for Recipients funded under this NOFO soon after award of the LWA Cooperative Agreements. Successful applicants should plan to participate in an F2F Implementers’ Meeting with country F2F Program Directors and selected home office staff to review and finalize indicator definitions in the early part of

FY24. A Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manual with complete information will be developed by the F2F USAID HQ team and finalized after the implementers meeting and shared at that time.

Standardized F2F Program Indicators should be generally relevant to Country F2F Projects, but it is likely that other indicators, particular to the activities and objectives of the specific Country F2F Project, will be needed to assess performance and impact. USAID country Missions may provide input to such country- specific indicators to assist with their needs for reporting on development impacts in the country. Such indicators should be identified in the Country F2F Project Descriptions to track and report on implementation progress and program impacts.

3. Start Date and Period of Performance for Federal Awards

The anticipated period of performance is five (5) years. The estimated start date will be October 1, 2023.

4. Substantial Involvement

The intended purpose of the Agreement Officer Representative (AOR) involvement during the Leader Award is to assist the Recipient in achieving the supported objectives. The Agreement

Officer has delegated the Substantial Involvement approvals listed below to the AOR. Such approval delegation does not extend to approvals for changes to the Program Description or the approved budget. Any changes to the Program Description or the approved budget shall only be approved by the Agreement Officer, after first being reviewed by the AOR.

USAID will be substantially involved in the LWA Cooperative Agreements as follows:

● Approval of the Recipient’s Annual and LOP Work Plans and Country F2F Projects, and any updates or revisions to these documents;

● Approval of Key Personnel - F2F Program Director and F2F Country Directors;

● Approval of F2F volunteer assignments outside of normal program parameters;

● Approval of the Recipient’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan; and

● Concurrence in Requests for Associate Award applications and Buy-ins.

Specific substantial involvement provisions for Associate Awards may be identified fo r each award. These provisions may include: a) approval of the Recipient’s implementation plans; b) approval of specified Key Personnel; and c) USAID and Recipient collaboration or joint participation. The Mission or other office/bureau commissioning activities through an Associate Award will propose terms for substantial involvement, and ideally should be consistent with the

Leader Award.

5. Authorized Geographic Code

The geographic code for the procurement of commodities and services under this program is 937.

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 John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program which is authorized by Federal statute. The successful Recipients 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 Recipients 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. Key Personnel

Key personnel for the Recipient’s F2F Program shall include: the Recipient’s F2F Program Director and the F2F Country Director for each core country. The total number of Key Personnel, will therefore depend on the number of core countries proposed by the Recipient. In their application, recipients shall propose Key Personnel for at least half of their proposed core countries, as USAID realizes that some staff may not be hired until the applicant is successful and therefore these can be submitted later. Please note that all country Key Personnel will need to be approved after the award of the LWA Cooperative Agreement and before startup of country activities.

The Recipient’s F2F Program Director: shall have overall responsibility for implementation of the Recipient’s F2F Program and shall be the principal point of contact for USAID for issues in F2F planning and implementation. The F2F Program Director will be responsible for country program design and coordination, Country F2F Project approvals, planning and use of flexible assignment volunteers, Work Plan development, project reporting, overall program monitoring and evaluation, and coordination and representation of the Program with USAID and other stakeholders. The F2F Program Director minimum qualifications include: a university degree in a subject relevant to international development or related field (technical agriculture, business administration, agricultural development, economics, rural sociology, etc.); at least eight years’ experience in international development; and experience with agriculture and rural development.

The F2F Country Directors for each core country: shall be responsible for coordination of all F2F activities within a country, including: identifying, designing, and implementing Country F2F Projects; identifying potential partners and hosts; developing volunteer scopes of work;

facilitating volunteer assignments; providing pre- and post-assignment assistance to hosts;

updating sector and sub-sector analyses; ensuring sound systems for monitoring, evaluation, and learning; and coordinating work with other stakeholders. The F2F Country Directors’ minimum qualifications include: a university degree (preferably in agriculture or a related and relevant field); at least eight years professional experience relevant to the Recipient’s F2F Country

Program; fluency in language(s) of the host country and in English; experience in agricultural production, marketing and/or development; and ability to network effectively with country agricultural sector stakeholders.

Note: Key Personnel need not be assigned full-time to the Recipient F2F Program, as program needs may not require full time assignment. The Recipient shall justify its proposed level-of-effort from each Key Personnel position and obtain USAID AOR approval for time allocation of any position not assigned full-time to the Recipient F2F Program.

SECTION C: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The F2F Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreements will be fully competed among eligible organizations. To be eligible for a F2F Cooperative Agreement(s) under this NOFO, principal applicants must meet the below applicable eligibility requirements. Any proposed deviation to the eligibility requirements will not be accepted.

Eligible applicants must be either: a US Private Voluntary Organization (PVO); a U.S. nonprofit agricultural organization; a US agricultural cooperative; a private U.S. agribusiness or agriculturally-related business or consulting firm; private organization (including grassroots organizations with an established and demonstrated capacity to carry out such a bilateral exchange program), private corporation; or a college, university or foundation maintained by a college or university. Moreover, applicants must have within the past five (5) years a minimum of two (2) years’ experience in planning, managing, monitoring, and reporting on international agricultural development programs. For profit businesses must waive profits and/or fees to be eligible to submit a Concept Note. USAID strongly encourages applications from new US partners.

Pursuant to 22 CFR 226.81, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.

However, all reasonable, allowable and allocable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the Agreement program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2 CFR 200), OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organization, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for for-profit organizations), may be paid under the agreement.

Final award of any resultant Cooperative Agreement(s) cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal USAID procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. The Agreement Officer is the only individual who may legally commit the Government to the expenditure of public funds. No costs chargeable to the proposed Agreement may be incurred before receipt of either a fully executed Agreement or a specific, written authorization from the Agreement Officer.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

There is no mandatory cost share requirement for the Leader with Associates Cooperative

Agreement. If an applicant decides to include cost share to demonstrate its commitment to the program, the cost share contributions cannot be federally funded. For guidance on cost sharing in grants and cooperative agreements see 2 CFR 200.306. Future Associate Awards under this Leader Award may require cost share.

3. Leverage

The F2F program by its nature leverages additional resources from various sources for implementing host projects. Typically, this includes: the value of volunteer services provided;

host contributions to costs of volunteer logistics and support such as meeting space, training, resources, meals, etc.; funds mobilized by hosts as a result of volunteer assistance and/or to implement volunteer recommendations (loans or grant); and additional assistance provided by or mobilized by volunteers or the Recipient to assist hosts. The Recipient shall be responsible for monitoring and reporting on resources leveraged by the Recipient’s F2F Program through a selection of indicators that will be shared with successful applicants.

SECTION D: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Agency and Alternate Points of Contact

Name: Sara Bame-Kum Title: Agreement Officer

Email: sbamekum@usaid.gov Phone Number: 202-717-3015

Name: Matthew Case

Title: Agreement Officer Email: mcase@usaid.gov Phone Number: 202-916-2753

2. Questions and Answers

Questions regarding this NOFO should be submitted via email to Matthew Case 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

The method of distribution of USAID assistance information is via the Internet. This NOFO contains all necessary information, web links, and materials to submit a complete, full application.

Any additional information regarding this NOFO will be furnished through an amendment(s) and will be communicated through Grants.gov. This NOFO and any future amendments can be downloaded from http://www.grants.gov.

The competition conducted under this NOFO will be completed in two phases:

● Phase I: Concept…