REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Reviewed.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Subject: Request for Information and Expressions of Interest for USAID’s “building an enabling environment for resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods in the Mbomou-Uele Region”

RFI Number: 72060523RFI00004 Notice Type: Request for Information (RFI) Issuance Date: July 11, 2023 Closing Date/Time: August 10, 2023, 15:00 (3:00 PM) local time Kinshasa, DRC:

Response Email: ckashala@usaid.gov and gwang@usaid.gov

The United States Agency for International Development Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (USAID/DRC) is in the process of gathering information to develop an activity design in support of mitigating inter-communal conflict; building communities' resilience in the face of persistent insecurity and economic hardship; and strengthening community engagement and development. This activity in concert will address the threats and drivers to biodiversity conservation to promote a foundation for peace, stability, and development in the Mbomou- Uele region (northeastern DRC & southeastern Central African Republic (CAR)).

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit responses to the questions in the Attachment 2 as well as soliciti expressions of interest in the activity per Attachment 3. Any comments and input received will be used to inform USAID’s designs and planning for future programming in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic and is voluntary. Not responding to this request does not preclude participation in any future solicitation.

Issuance of this RFI does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procurement supplies or services or to issue a solicitation. Further, the RFI does not represent any award commitment on the part of the Government or obligate the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of any response.

Thank you for your interest and engagement in USAID/DRC programming.

Sincerely, Gregory Wang Contracting/Agreement Officer

Attachments:

1) Attachment 1: Activity Background mailto:ckashala@usaid.gov mailto:gwang@usaid.gov

2) Attachment 2: RFI Questions

3) Attachment 3: Expression of Interest

Attachment 1: Activity Background

I. PURPOSE AND STRATEGIC APPROACH

The overlapping challenges facing the Mbomou-Uele region - persistent insecurity, humanitarian crises, farmer/herder conflicts, and threats to the region’s rich biodiversity - has stimulated USAID to rethink its regional development intervention strategy. The purpose of this RFI is to seek input on the best sound and strategic approach to designing a complementary peacebuilding and biodiversity conservation program.

II. BACKGROUND

USAID is the principal U.S. Government agency providing development assistance around the world. Since Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) independence in 1960, USAID has partnered with the government and people to improve Congolese citizens’ quality of life, increase the effectiveness of national institutions and strengthen the foundation for durable peace. In 2003, USAID established the Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE) as the region’s sole program to provide significant new financial and technical resources to this international initiative to conserve the planet’s second largest tropical rainforest and its threatened biodiversity. USAID has supported programs to counter the violence perpetrated by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and other illicit armed groups, since the 1990s, with a focus on protecting civilians from mass atrocities and human rights abuses.

The Mbomou-Uele Border Region, which spans the border region between the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has endured decades of marginalization and cyclical conflict. Armed groups and poachers seeking ivory, gold, and diamonds, exploit the region's lack of governance and porous borders by attacking civilians.

Conflict stemming from intercommunal violence between civilians, sometimes sparked by conflict over access to land, is compounded by deeply rooted trauma and mistrust.

The overarching goal of USAID’s stabilization programming in this region is to mitigate key drivers of conflict by strengthening community capacity to prevent and respond to violent conflict and expanding licit economic opportunities. In so doing, USAID seeks to pave the way for long-term development in areas such as health, education, economic growth, and democratic governance.

By mitigating recurrent conflict in areas of relative stability, stabilization programming can enable humanitarian actors to focus their resources on more volatile hotspots.

For some years, USAID/DRC has focused on building community resilience in the Mbomou-Uele region due to the fact this region is marked by chronic instability because of the presence of several armed groups, repeated conflicts (especially the civil wars that broke out in CAR and South Sudan), and the absence of State structures in these remote areas.

The dynamic in the region is that armed groups and migrating pastoralists, along with the absence of effective good governance and security, have combined to form a deadly mixture of violent crime, land-based conflict, and displacement. In the recent past, the LRA has had a particularly devastating effect on communities, and particularly on women and youth largely because they were frequent targets for abduction. Those who managed to escape often struggle to reintegrate into their communities and must deal with the emotional trauma due to the violence they were exposed to.

In CAR, armed groups are part of a peace process yet continue to vie for control of natural resources and territory. They profit from illegal taxation and simultaneously are sought after as protectors of their own communities. Splintered throughout the region, the LRA is fighting for survival, mixing banditry, raids, kidnappings, and looting with the exploitation of natural resources. Despite LRA attacks diminishing drastically over the past 10 years, their reputation as barbaric fighters linger.

In contrast to CAR’s nascent and ineffective civil society, in the DRC, strong relationships between civil society and local authorities creates powerful movements rejecting foreign intrusion into their national territory. In DRC, religious and traditional authorities are respected and listened to by local communities. They provide balance and harmony for their people.

III. ACTIVITY CONCEPT

The objective of this activity is to: (1) increase resilience of the local communities in Mbomou- Uele region, (2) improve living conditions among the transhumant and sedentary population and

(3) secure conservation and management of ecosystems. With the emphasis on Transhumance, Livelihoods and Gender-Based Violence, this activity will be built on the past programs.

This activity will enable local communities’ members to (i) connect and adapt to security and reduce threats for biodiversity conservation (ii) increase and promote sustainable livelihoods activities and foster economic security; (iii) foster social cohesion and rebuilt their communities from trauma; (iv) reduce gender-based violence and strengthen resilience of survivors of sexual violence.

The dynamic in the region is that armed groups and uncontrolled pastoralists, and the absence of effective good governance and security have combined to form a deadly mixture of violent crime, land-based conflict and displacement. In the recent past, LRA has had a particularly devastating effect on communities and particularly on women and youth largely because they were frequent targets for abduction. Those who managed to escape, often struggle to reintegrate into their communities and must deal with the emotional trauma due to the violence they were exposed to. The Activity will address these challenges and pursue the above objective by partnering with other organizations operating in the regions.

Attachment 2: RFI Questions

1. What are the principal threats and their drivers to both peace and biodiversity, including synergies perceived and opportunities for designing a program that addresses both elements together?

2. Please describe current challenges resulting from the shifting political context and regional/border dynamics and how you would propose to design a regional approach in this environment.

3. What development priorities for this planned project should USAID consider to achieve the biggest impact?

4. How could telecommunications providers be engaged to expand access in the region?

5. What level of resources would be required to make a sustainable impact in the activity objectives?

6. Please share any other comments or input we should consider as we develop this project.

Attachment 3: Expression of Interest

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Name of the Organization:

Address:

Unique Entity Identifier:

CONTACT PERSON:

Name, Position, Email:

TYPE OF ORGANIZATION:

Please indicate your organization type:

● US Organization (other than small business)

● US Small Business

● Higher Education Institution

● Public International Organization (e.g. United Nations)

● Non-US Organization

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:

Please provide brief information that describes your organization’s capability and interest in implementing activities to achieve the objectives of USAID/DRC’s building an enabling environment for resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods in the Mbomou-Uele Region activity.

PAST PERFORMANCE:

● Past experience working in this subject area and working with relevant stakeholders.

● Types of relevant activities and programs your organization has experience with.

(Respondents are encouraged to provide hyperlinks to websites, activity documents, and/or evidence-based research and studies regarding the effectiveness of these activities.)

● Duration of past activities and scale of projects/budget

● Information on the populations reached in activities.