Question and Answer Final.pdf

Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Program Statement (APS) No.

72051921APS00001

The purpose of this amendment is to: A) provide answers to the questions submitted by interested parties in regards to this APS; and B) update information on the webinar on “how to work with USAID”.

A. The following are the Questions and Answers to the CDCS APS El

Salvador Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Annual

Program Statement (APS):

1. Pregunta: Consultamos de la actual publicación sobre oportunidad de apoyo para entidades en El Salvador, en el cual nuestra interrogante es si es posible aplicar con programa en educación nutricional para comunidades, ya que no conocemos qué tipo de postulaciones reciben ya que somos primera vez en solicitud.

Respuesta: USAID/El Salvador estará publicando “adendas” en nuestro sitio web Grants.gov donde se solicitarán propuestas para proyectos específicos, por lo que recomendamos estar pendiente de dichas publicaciones para evaluar si su proyecto puede participar en dichas adendas.

2. Pregunta: ... Quisiera exponer el proyecto “Potencial Seguro” que trata de desarrollar de forma comercial, industrial y de seguridad la zona norte de

Santa Ana, El Salvador. He visto el programa Grant.gov al cual quisiera aplicar mi proyecto, espero su respuesta para saber si mi proyecto puede ser elegible o no.

Respuesta: USAID/El Salvador estará publicando “adendas” en nuestro sitio web Grants.gov donde se solicitarán propuestas para proyectos específicos, por lo que recomendamos estar pendiente de dichas publicaciones para evaluar si su proyecto puede participar en dichas adendas.

3. Question: …. being a small but highly populated Neotropical Coffee

Republic, a home for around 6.5 million people spread in only 21,041 sq. km.

area, a national CGIS can be beneficial for the expedited development of El

Salvador. Would you consider a proposal for providing CGIS for this Country

Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Project?

Answer: USAID/El Salvador will be posting “addenda” in Grants.gov where specific projects will be advertised requiring the submission of concept papers. Please be on the lookout for these addenda in order to determine if your project can respond to these addenda.

4. Pregunta:...Me dirijo a usted con la finalidad de solicitar la elegibilidad de nuestra entidad como partner local o mediante el mecanismo de "Direct

Awards to Partners to Leverage Private/Non-U.S. Government Funding" del

Programa “El Salvador Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS)

Annual Program Statement (APS)”

Respuesta: Cada adenda incluirá los criterios de elegibilidad para las organizaciones que deseen participar en los proyectos que estaremos publicando próximamente. Para mayor información sobre las posibles modalidades de elegibilidad, por favor ver la Sección C.2 del APS.

5. Question: ...I have read the catalogue and have a question regarding eligibility. I would like to know more about it, specifically if my organization has never received USAID funds for project implementation. We have received funding from the US embassy for that purpose, though. Please clarify that to me.

Answer: Please refer to Section C.2. for eligibility information as well as forthcoming addenda that may include specific eligibility information. Please note that USAID does not require organizations to have or give preference to organizations based on “prior USAID experience”. The final selection of an awardee will be based on the “Merit Review Criteria” identified in the forthcoming addenda.

6. Questions: In reference to Section 2, Potential Addendum 3, “Workforce

Development and Job Placement,” does the phrase “private sector engagement to improve the enabling environment for employment” refer to job-creation activities?

Answer: Additional information on private sector engagement for workforce development and job placement will be provided in the forthcoming addenda.

6.a In reference to Section 2, Potential Addendum 3 “Workforce

Development and Job Placement,” is this the same potential workforce development activity that was referred to by USAID/El Salvador in the July

FY2020 Business Forecast Questions and Responses, released on July 17, 2020? Does USAID anticipate additional Workforce Development activities beyond the potential Addendum 3?

Answer: In FY 2021, USAID is not anticipating additional Workforce

Development activities beyond the potential Addendum 3.

6.b Does USAID anticipate that all four forms for NPI engagement, detailed on pp 24-25 will be equally available and considered for applicants, or would the potential Addendum specify a preference for one or more of the four forms for engagement under the NPI? If the latter, is there any information that USAID can share about which form of NPI engagement may be preferred for which potential Addendum?

Answer: The forthcoming addenda will identify the eligibility of potential applicants depending on the nature of the activity. USAID strongly encourages local and locally established organizations to submit concept papers. USAID will also favorably evaluate international applicants that form alliances with local partners to the greatest extent possible, including management plans that identify a local partner(s) responsible for an objective(s) of the activity. Capacity assessments and the strengthening of https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usaid.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fdocuments%2F1868%2FUSAID_July_FY_2020_Business_Forecast_QA_doc_-_7.17.2020.pdf&data=04%7C01%7Ckathleen.merkel%40crs.org%7C7deaf33103b947622ab608d90e82c2a0%7Cb80c308cd08d4b07915c11a92d9cc6bd%7C0%7C0%7C637556777038569287%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=1Con4VdXfiouO2x6w%2FXZPgUMPy7LBMjYRIxlGtkjpmM%3D&reserved=0 https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usaid.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fdocuments%2F1868%2FUSAID_July_FY_2020_Business_Forecast_QA_doc_-_7.17.2020.pdf&data=04%7C01%7Ckathleen.merkel%40crs.org%7C7deaf33103b947622ab608d90e82c2a0%7Cb80c308cd08d4b07915c11a92d9cc6bd%7C0%7C0%7C637556777038569287%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=1Con4VdXfiouO2x6w%2FXZPgUMPy7LBMjYRIxlGtkjpmM%3D&reserved=0 local organizations should be a component of a proposed activity, when necessary.

7. Question: On p. 7, USAID/El Salvador mentions that future addenda may include regional activities. If this is the case, would these addenda cover activities in El Salvador AND potential other countries?

Answer: At present there are no anticipated regional activities, but they could be considered in the future.

8. Question: How soon does USAID/El Salvador anticipate issuing addenda under the APS – specifically, Workforce Development and Job Placement and Basic Education Retention and Psychosocial Support?

Answer: We intend to issue the Workforce Development Addendum within the next week. The later project is in the design phase.

9. Question: Should the Offeror choose to use Modality 3A for NPI, can

USAID clarify whether it expects the Prime to reduce their percentage of funding over the life of award and fully transition by Year 4, or for the possible follow-on project?

Answer: Applicants need to define the NPI modality that best fits its proposed activity and business arrangements for its implementation.

10. Question: Should the Offeror choose to use Modality 3A for NPI, does

USAID expect the Prime to transition to one local organization or possibly multiple throughout the life of award?

Answer: Applicants need to define the NPI modality that best fits its proposed activity and business arrangements for its implementation.

11. Question: Could USAID please clarify whether all interested organizations are restricted to submitting only one Concept Note as the

Prime Applicant (page 23) per Addendum, or if there is a limit of one Concept

Note per Prime Applicant for the APS overall.

Answer: Please note that the CDCS APS will not accept concept notes.

Concept notes will be accepted in the forthcoming addenda, and unless it is stated otherwise in each addendum, only one concept note is allowed by a prime applicant per addendum.

12. Question: Could USAID please clarify for the potential Workforce

Development and Job Placement Addendum the preferred balance of technical assistance, training, and capacity building to local partners to address the four integrated objectives so the local partners can provide quality services to beneficiaries, as compared to providing primarily administrative and compliance oversight to local partners?

Answer: USAID will work through local actors and systems to strengthen local capacity to address objectives. Further details will be provided in the

Addendum, which USAID/El Salvador is finalizing.

13. Question: Page 23 states that “To be eligible for evaluation, the applicants must be legally registered entities under applicable law and eligible under the relevant laws to receive funding from a foreign source.”

Could USAID please clarify whether Implementing Partners are eligible for evaluation if they are legally registered entities in the country in which their headquarters are registered or if they must also be legally registered in El

Salvador?

Answer: International organizations must be registered in its country of legal origin. However, please note that international organizations must also have a legal status to operate in El Salvador.

14. Question: Could USAID please provide a map of the Urban Areas (page

15) at a greater resolution so that all the names on the map are visible?

Answer: In addition to the map below we are incorporating a list of the municipalities for each of the three urban hubs.

1. Urban Hub: Western (18 municipalities):

Ahuachapán: Ahuachapán, San Francisco Menéndez

Santa Ana: San Antonio Pajonal, Santiago de la Frontera, Texistepeque, Candelaria de la Frontera, El Porvenir, Chalchuapa, San Sebastián Salitrillo, El Congo, Coatepeque, Santa Ana

Sonsonate: Armenia, Caluco, Izalco, San Julián

Chalatenango: Nueva Concepción

La Libertad: San Pablo Tacachico

2. Urban Hub: Central (27 municipalities):

La Libertad: San Matías, San Juan Opico, Quezaltepeque, Colón, Antiguo Cuscatlán, Comasagua, Santa Tecla, Zaragoza, San José

Villanueva, Huizúcar, Nuevo Cuscatlán, La Libertad

San Salvador: Nejapa, Apopa, Tonacatepeque, Cuscatancingo, Ayutuxtepeque, Delgado, San Salvador, Soyapango, Mejicanos, Ilopango, San Marcos, Santo Tomás, Santiago Texacuangos, Panchimalco, Rosario de Mora

3. Urban Hub: Eastern (28 municipalities)

Usulután: Berlín, San Agustín, San Francisco Javier, Jiquilisco, Puerto El Triunfo, Alegría, Santiago de María, Jucuapa, Tecapán, Ozatlán, Usulután, San Dionisio, Santa Elena, California, Jucuarán, Concepción Batres, Santa María, Ereguayquín

San Miguel: Chirilagua, San Miguel, Chinameca, San Jorge, San

Rafael Oriente, El Tránsito

La Unión: El Carmen, La Unión, Conchagua, Intipucá

15. Question:Given the USAID/El Salvador geographic focus on urban hubs, will USAID be considering investments in the agriculture sector?

Answer: USAID will be reviewing all applications under forthcoming addenda that addresses the CDCS objectives.

16. Question: Does the April 30 release of the Basic Education Quality

Advancement Addendum (No.72051921R00002 to Higher Education for

Leadership, Innovation, and Exchange (HELIX) New Partnerships Initiative

(NPI) Annual Program Statement Number (APS) No. 7200AA20APS00009) take the place of the Basic Education opportunity described as an addendum to come under this APS, or will this be a separate concurrent project?

Answer: USAID/El Salvador is considering a separate, complimentary project to the Basic Education Quality Advancement Addendum issued under the global HELIX APS. USAID/El Salvador intends to issue this education sector opportunity under the CDCS APS.

17. Question: Section A.1., Overview of Funding Opportunity (page 6): Under

DO2, USAID/El Salvador aims to “spur job creation and investment and develop the capacity of key populations, current and future, to fill formal jobs and place them in those jobs.” Since the majority of the El Salvador’ jobs are in the informal economy, will USAID fund and support activities improving likely migrants’ livelihoods in the informal sector?

Answer: USAID’s economic growth programming emphasizes growing the formal sector and formalizing informal businesses.

18. Question: Section B. 8., Cost Share and Leveraging (page 22) states that

“Addenda to this APS will establish the level of cost share and leverage required for the activities to be undertaken under the addendum.” Assuming each addendum may have a different level of cost share or leverage required to be specified by the individual solicitation, does

USAID anticipate that some minimum level of cost share and/or leverage will be required by all addenda? If so, what will that minimum threshold be?

Answer: Each addendum will determine the minimum threshold, depending on the nature of the activity.

19. Question: Section B. 8., Cost Share and Leveraging (page 22) states that

“USAID seeks the mobilization of resources of other actors on a partner to

USAID ratio of 1:2 or greater basis.” Is this an aspirational target, or a minimum requirement for all addenda?

Answer: This amendment hereby revises Section B.8, Leverage to read as follows:

“ Leverage: represents all of the non-US Government resources (excluding cost sharing) that are expected to be applied to a program. As instructed in each addendum, USAID may seek the mobilization of resources of other actors on a partner to USAID ratio of 1:2 or greater basis (“1” represents the applicant’s leverage, “2” represents USAID’s funding). USAID may consider a leverage ratio lower than 1:2 if the applicant proposes a compelling partnership that will appreciably contribute to the CDCS strategy and the lower ratio is due to Covid-19 and the resulting economy. In this case, the applicant will need to propose how it will attempt to increase its leverage amount throughout implementation and as the economy improves.

Leveraged resources may include grants/awards from non-U.S. Government organizations and other donor governments. Lower ratios may be considered, depending on the activity type or specific addendum.”

20. Question: Section C.2., New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) (page 25) describes Modality 3a as requiring prime awardees to “pass a minimum of

50 percent of the total funding of their awards to local sub-awardees.” Please confirm whether this funding percentage may be split between multiple local sub-awardees, or must go to a single local sub-awardee.

Answer: The applicant must determine how to distribute the funding depending on the nature of the proposed activity, the proposed technical approach, and its business arrangements with the proposed sub-awardee(s).

21. Question: Section C.2., New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) (page 24-25):

Please confirm that the four forms of engagement under NPI as described on page 24-25 will apply to all addenda issued under this APS.

Answer: Each addendum will identify the types of engagements, as may be applicable to the activity.

22. Question: Section D.2., Application and Submission Information (page

26): Can USAID provide any additional details on the co-creation process expected in Process One—Normal Process, Phase 2: Co-Creation, for example mechanisms of engagement between the applicant and USAID, duration of the process, etc?

Answer: The mechanisms for co-creation and the duration of the process will vary depending on the activity proposed.

23. Question: Can USAID please provide an updated link for the “US

Strategy for Central America” on page 19?

Answer:

Although the information may seem outdated, this is the most recent link:

https://www.state.gov/u-s-strategy-for-central-america/

In addition, there is an Executive Order regarding the Causes of Migration, the following is the Executive Order on that:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing/

24. Question: Does USAID anticipate multiple applicants moving to full application stage as outlined on pages 29 and 30, or will this be reserved for apparently successful applicants only?

Answer: At this point, it is not possible to determine the number of applicants that may move into the full application process because it will depend on the results of the evaluation of the concept notes, in accordance with the “merit review” criteria specified under each addendum.

B. Please take note of the following information for the first webinar on “how to work with USAID” as follows:

The webinar recording of May 25, 2021 has been posted to YouTube at the following link: https://youtu.be/GHu3QaUZlU4

The webinar resources are attached to this amendment.

Except as expressly herein amended, the APS terms and conditions remain the same. Additional questions may be made under each forthcoming addenda.

https://www.state.gov/u-s-strategy-for-central-america/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing/ https://youtu.be/GHu3QaUZlU4

Sincerely, Craig Riegler

Director

Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance

USAID/El Salvador