Request for Information (RFI) - Female Empowerment Activity (Fempow).pdf

Subject: Request for Information (RFI) Issue Date: April 24, 2020 Deadline to submit feedback: May 18, 2020 Anticipated Activity Title: Female Empowerment/Mujeres Poderosas (FEMPOW) Anticipated mechanism type: To be determined (TBD) Anticipated timeframe: 5 five years, 2021 - 2026 Anticipated total budget: $32-35 million USAID investment. The Activity will seek a $1 to $1 partnership with the private sector for a total investment of $64-70 million.

To All Interested Parties:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking feedback through this Request for Information (RFI) from entities interested in the attached Concept Paper for the USAID/Colombia Female Empowerment/Mujeres Poderosas (FEMPOW) Activity.

This is NOT a Request for Proposals/Applications and is NOT to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation/notice of funding opportunity or to pay for any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of comments/answers on this RFI.

Responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any firm or organization in any subsequent procurement and will not lead to an organizational conflict of interest. Responses will strictly be held confidential. Potential offerors/applicants must not expect a direct response from the U.S.

Government to any of the comments/suggestions.

Please strictly limit the response to the questions included in this RFI and to comments /suggestions to the document. To expedite our review and be considerate of your time, please keep the response to no more than 3 pages in length. Please note not all questions must be answered.

Responses to the notice must be written in English and use 11 pt. font.

Responses to this RFI must be sent by the closing date and time to:

• Heather Wirick, Agreement Officer at hwirick@usaid.gov

• Paula Cubillos Olano, Senior Acquisition & Assistance Specialist at pcubillos@usaid.gov

• Angela Garcia, Acquisition & Assistance Specialist at anggarcia@usaid.gov mailto:hwirick@usaid.gov mailto:pcubillos@usaid.gov mailto:anggarcia@usaid.gov

Section I

USAID/Colombia Female Empowerment/Mujeres Poderosas (FEMPOW) Activity Concept Paper

Introduction: Data show that the best predictor of a country’s peacefulness is how well it treats its women.1 According to the World Bank, Colombia has the highest female unemployment rates in Latin America; a gender wage gap of 20 percent; a strong legislative framework for women hampered by weak implementation; and concerningly high levels of gender based violence (GBV).2 Colombia’s high GBV incidence is exacerbated by the low response level from authorities responsible for providing security, judicial remedy, and other response services for GBV survivors and their families (health, psychosocial support, etc.). Moreover, Colombian women in rural, conflict-affected areas have even fewer economic opportunities than urban women due to constraints on their economic participation such as the pressure women to engage in unremunerated work in the home. To address these issues, USAID/Colombia will support the Colombian government in its transition to a sustainable and inclusive peace by promoting the socioeconomic empowerment of women and girls in the conflict and violence-affected PDET municipalities.3 Addressing issues that marginalize women - inequality, disempowerment, and violence - will pay dividends and strengthen the impact of USAID’s significant development investment in Colombia.

An activity supporting women’s economic empowerment (WEE) and combating GBV aligns with key USAID policies and initiatives, including: the United States Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security (2019); the Gender Equality & Female Empowerment Policy (2012); the United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally (2012); the Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act (2018); and the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative (2019). The proposed activity aligns with the Colombian Government’s 2018-2022 National Development Plan’s guiding principle to “leave no one behind.” The National Development Plan also includes a set of cross-cutting agreements, including the “Pact for the Equality of Women,” that serve as coordination mechanisms to foster opportunities for all Colombians.

Justification: Various USAID programs are working to promote WEE and combat GBV.

USAID/Colombia’s Producers to Markets Activity has integrated female workers into value chains

- like coffee and cocoa value chains - building women’s capacity and skills to improve production quality and quantity, and creating opportunities for female farm workers to display their products in international showrooms. The Overcoming Gender-based Violence Activity and the Justice for Sustainable Peace Activity address GBV through data collection and cultural transformation campaigns, and mobile justice units and public officials’ training, respectively.

USAID/Colombia’s portfolio has made significant strides in addressing gender equality and female empowerment issues, however the majority of the Mission’s work remains piecemeal, with

1 Woman Stats Database & Valerie Hudson 2http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/665381560750095549/pdf/Gender-Equality-in-Colombia-Country- Gender-Assessment.pdf 2019 3 Programa de Desarrollo con Enfoque Territorial - PDET http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/665381560750095549/pdf/Gender-Equality-in-Colombia-Country-Gender-Assessment.pdf http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/665381560750095549/pdf/Gender-Equality-in-Colombia-Country-Gender-Assessment.pdf most activities registering advances only at the sub-activity level. Moreover, the majority of USAID/Colombia activities that address GBV and WEE end in 2020, leaving a gap in programming and a limited capacity to respond to calls from the Colombian government to address WEE through private sector engagement. The Female Empowerment Activity (FEMPOW) will promote the socio-economic empowerment of women and girls in PDET municipalities4, transform cultural norms that normalize gender inequality and violence against women, and provide an overarching women’s empowerment framework that fills the Mission’s programmatic gaps. USAID/Colombia understands that women and girls are not a homogeneous group, and will tailor programs to meet the specific needs of lesbian, bisexual, transgender women, and those who are intersex, as well as those who are Afro, indigenous, women and girls with disabilities, survivors of GBV, trafficking, conflict-related trauma or other mental health and psychosocial considerations; additionally, we understand that an individual may fall into two or more of these groups and that an activity must account for this intersectionality. Moreover, the activity will focus heavily on engaging men and boys as partners in achieving the theory of change.

Purpose: To empower women and girls by reducing GBV, positively transforming gender norms and attitudes, engaging the private sector to create economic opportunities for women, and supporting USAID programming in PDET municipalities.

Theory of change: If women’s economic participation increases, men and boys are engaged to transform gender norms and attitudes, and the awareness and implementation of gender-related policies improves, then violence against women will decrease and women will be more empowered in Colombia.

Target 1: Women’s economic participation increased by 30% in targeted regions by year 5.

Objective 1. Increased women’s economic empowerment. This objective will directly support the W-GDP initiative by increasing women’s economic opportunities, reducing obstacles to their participation and incentivizing the private sector to address gendered issues. A complete analysis of current USAID programming contributing towards WEE is envisioned and will inform gaps in current activities that can be addressed by course corrections or interventions from this activity for improved impact. Programming under this objective should address: limited youth employment options; the increasing percentage of female-headed households; potential to bring current USAID activities to scale; and new opportunities in natural resource management like eco-tourism, agroforestry, and conservation. Several large-scale partnerships with the private sector are envisioned under this objective. Particular attention should be paid to the role of men and boys in supporting WEE and workforce development initiatives (supported further by work in IR 2.3).

Intermediate Result IR 1.1: Increased employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for women, through private sector investment incentives. This IR will support a large-scale analysis of current USAID activities that promote WEE in order to identify gaps and bring to scale activities with potential to employ or build the capacity of women, especially GBV victims, in

4 Programa de Desarrollo con Enfoque Territorial - PDET

PDET municipalities. USAID will engage current private sector partnerships in this analysis, as well as jointly identify new areas for economic and entrepreneurial opportunities, especially for female youth. USAID will also encourage private sector investment by acting as a guarantor for new and scaled-up private sector activities that support women’s economic opportunities, thereby reducing the private sector’s investment risk. Additional analyses of current job demands and skill gaps in the PDET municipalities may help this IR to develop dedicated training programs for women and youth, taking into account that women’s economic activities in these zones are mainly subsistence micro-business. A key component may be increasing the quality and value of products through specialized business development services to help women transform informal business into formal, thriving enterprises.

Illustrative interventions:

● Gap analysis/best practice and/or pilot identification of current USAID programming for WEE completed.

● Interventions to address areas of additional impact designed and implemented.

● Awareness raising with local private sector entities on their role implementing Ley 1257.

● Private sector partnerships identified for women’s employment.

Intermediate Result IR 1.2: Reduced barriers to women’s economic participation. This IR will increase female labor force participation by addressing a major factor for poor women’s inclusion in the labor market: the imbalance of domestic and household-related work. According to the World Bank, the gender gap in domestic and household-related work is a fundamental factor that keeps women out of the labor force, especially in rural areas. More women than men cite family reasons as the motivation for not looking for a job. For example, in 2017, 28.6 percent of women and only 1.1 percent of men said that family reasons prevented them from looking for a job.5 Soft skills development under IR 2.3 below will encourage men and boys to better balance unremunerated work in the home - freeing up time for women to participate in the workforce, employment, and training opportunities. Private sector partnerships strengthened through IR 1.1 will be further supported under this IR with gender-supportive initiatives such as child care options, flexible work hours, and the use of technology for telework (in light of learnings from Covid-19). The activity will also help strengthen and implement policies that increase WEE;

eliminate gender gaps in labor markets; coordinate family care systems; and recognize rural women as pillars of development.

Illustrative interventions:

● Partnerships with the private sector formed to use technology to bring jobs to women in their homes.

● Mapping of community-level family care needs and resources completed.

● WEE policy development and implementation supported.

Target 2: National tolerance toward GBV halved by year 5.

5 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/665381560750095549/pdf/Gender-Equality-in-Colombia-Country- Gender-Assessment.pdf 2019 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/665381560750095549/pdf/Gender-Equality-in-Colombia-Country-Gender-Assessment.pdf http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/665381560750095549/pdf/Gender-Equality-in-Colombia-Country-Gender-Assessment.pdf

Objective 2. Positively transform behaviors based on new gender norms and attitudes. This objective will address high GBV incidence in Colombia, including femicide, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, trafficking in persons, and economic violence. Activities will prompt positive change in social norms over the long term through concerted efforts across multiple audiences, media, and regions, as well as through new actors from the private sector. Behavior change campaigns explaining GBV and gender equality, why they are important and detrimental (respectively), and their societal and economic impacts, could be used to promote positive cultural change. Private sector engagement (PSE), mobile applications, and social media - to name a few -could be used to engage youth and rural populations, and to promote new images of women as leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, and valued homemakers. Particular attention and resources will be committed to working with men and boys to construct positive masculinity references and discourses. Successful campaigns such the “Coexist Initiative” in Kenya, UN Women Brazil’s “Brave is not Violent”, the UN’s “HeforShe” campaign, and the U.S.-originated #MeToo Movement have all worked directly with men and boys to end GBV and stimulate changes in attitudes and beliefs. Post Covid-19, the world and Colombia will be at a cultural tipping point -as gendered roles in the home and workplace shift. Space for new ideas surrounding roles and responsibilities must be capitalized upon in order to permanently and positively transform cultures.

It is envisioned that specific IRs under this objective will work in complementarity with the new Youth Resilience Activity, as well as contribute to the Colombian government’s plan to prevent violence against youth.

Intermediate Result (IR) 2.1: Increased positive behavior change for reduced GBV. This IR will collect baseline data on Colombian citizens’ tolerance of GBV nationally and in PDET areas, in order to understand the GBV phenomenon to be addressed through behavior change campaigns.

These campaigns will be a call to action to address underlying cultural norms and stereotypes that persist, particularly in rural areas, around the roles and responsibilities of men and women. PSE will be used to co-create and scale campaigns, optimize reach and leverage resources. For example, if data collected show that the public views GBV as more tolerable when perpetrators are thought to be under the influence of alcohol, then potentially working with beverage companies to counter GBV in their marketing may be one potential alliance. This IR will build on best practices from the Overcoming Gender-based Violence program on: 1) the role media plays in addressing or even perpetuating gender inequality; 2) improving the image of men and women as co-responsible and equal members of society; and 3) work with advertising associations to implement adequate gender representation in commercial communication.

Illustrative interventions:

● National and localized opinion (baseline) GBV tolerance surveys executed.

● Behavior change campaigns and messaging designed based on survey input.

● Three private sector and local partners identified.

● Roll out of behavioral change campaigns executed.

● National and localized opinion (endline) surveys on tolerance of GBV executed, and tolerance reduced.

Result IR 2.2: Promoted gender equality in educational curriculums. This IR will work with the Ministry of Education and the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Women’s Equity to begin implementing long-term measures to improve gender equitable educational materials. Through new curriculums and/or additional modules that include gender equality, GBV prevention and response, and co-responsible masculinities may be executed and piloted in PDET municipalities.

These activities will be the first step in increasing the number of girls in STEM careers, while also working with girls and boys to address stereotypes regarding gendered roles, responsibilities, and expectations. This activity will connect to the larger behavior change campaigns executed under objective one by engaging at the family and community level. Findings from the baseline GBV tolerance surveys will be used to develop the targeted PDET geography for implementation based on prevalence of GBV, attitudes towards GBV, and socioeconomic disparity between men and women. This IR will build off the work of USAID’s Ser+Maestro program, particularly the inclusion and respect for diversity portions of the curriculum developed and piloted with ProAntioquia, as well as their training of teachers methodology.

Illustrative interventions:

● Geography determined based on the results of baseline GBV tolerance survey.

● Curriculum developed based on stakeholder input, gap analysis of current curriculum.

● Training of trainers/teachers (Ser+Maestro) methodology implemented in targeted geography.

● Randomized control trials of attitudes/perceptions of students in target/control zones implemented.

● Curriculum implemented in targeted pilot municipalities.

● Municipality level campaigns deployed that promote role models, champions, and mentors in public spheres and relevant sectors (perhaps through private sector partnership) in alignment with new imageries from updated curriculum.

● End program randomized control trials of attitudes and perceptions of boys and girls in target and control zones implemented, perceptions towards the roles of men and women positively changed.

Intermediate Result IR 2.3: Reduced culture of “machismo.” This IR will teach co-responsible gender roles to men and boys in selected communities prioritized by GBV tolerance survey results through selected methodologies listed below. Introducing a new understanding of masculinity by promoting positive male role models and changing the imagery related to masculinity in Colombia, will deconstruct stereotypes and cultural beliefs that are harmful to women, girls, men and boys.

As noted by Colombian President Ivan Duque at the women’s economic development summit, working with men and boys is central to ending GBV and promoting WEE by addressing harmful gender norms and traditions, such as the machismo that pervades Latin America. This IR should build work to develop soft skills among male participants including dialogue, negotiation and trust, as well as build upon best practices from ProMundo, USAID’s Coaching Boys to be Men, and other promising methodologies detailed in USAID’s Essential Considerations for Engaging Men and Boys.

Illustrative interventions:

● Model and methodology selected for implementation in targeted zones.

● Trainers trained and model implemented.

● Model evaluated for scalability.

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/Engaging-men-boys-family-planning-508.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/Engaging-men-boys-family-planning-508.pdf

● Municipality level campaigns deployed that promote positive male role models and new imageries related to co-responsible masculinities (perhaps through private sector partnership).

● National and localized opinion (endline) surveys on tolerance of GBV executed, and tolerance reduced significantly among male target population.

Target 3a: A 30% increase in formal reporting of GBV by year 5.

Target 3b: A 50% improvement in customer perceptions of quality and availability of gender-related services by year 5.

Objective 3. Improved awareness and implementation of gender-related policies and services. This objective will increase awareness of the policies, services and legal framework that address GBV and promote WEE among society, public officials, and service providers. This objective will inform citizens on their rights, societal rules and access to services, and will educate service providers and public officials on their roles and responsibilities. Lack of awareness and unknowledgeable officials can prevent GBV victims from accessing basic services. Strengthening institutions that provide protection and assistance to women and girls is required, especially in rural areas of the country where access is difficult and GBV is high. It is also important to strengthen women’s institutions and civil society organizations’ capacities to plan, monitor and evaluate the impact of gender policies, and to provide effective oversight and accountability mechanisms. Special attention should be given to strengthening security and justice capacities at the local level to effectively enforce existing legislation on gender equality, particularly GBV, and in alignment with existing USAID mechanisms.

Intermediate Result IR 3.1: Improved government and civil society service implementation capacity. This IR will support the Colombian government’s implementation of gender related laws, policies and services at the local level in targeted PDET municipalities. This support will include implementation of Colombian Law 1257 guaranteeing women a life free of violence, and Law 731 in support of rural women’s economic inclusion. In order to improve implementation and enforcement of policies and services, this IR will work to build the capacity of public officials in relation to their roles and responsibilities, and may include training tailored to knowledge deficits based on the results of the GBV tolerance survey (which will sample a subpopulation of public officials in targeted areas). Civil society organizations will also take part in capacity building initiatives, implement policies, serve as entry points in attention routes, and act as oversight mechanisms for implementation. In the event that new policies are deemed necessary to support women’s economic empowerment and/or a reduction in GBV, this IR will work with the Colombian government to support new policy development. Special attention will be paid to working with INL, and other USAID programs such as HRA, on issues related to training and support to police enforcement.

Illustrative interventions:

● Assessment of current tools and training available for public officials on gender-related policies and services conducted.

● Mapping of local institutions responsible for implementation of gender-related policies, as well as civil society organizations in targeted communities completed.

● Capacity building training implemented with public officials and standardized as part of the onboarding process.

● Police training and material developed in collaboration with INL and HRA to enforce policy.

● New policies developed (if necessary) to support women’s economic empowerment and/or reduced GBV.

Intermediate Result IR 3.2: Increased citizen knowledge of gender-related policies and services. This IR will improve societal awareness of rights, gender policies, and services in targeted PDETs and at the national level. The GBV tolerance survey will include questions related to policy and legal rights awareness in order to identify knowledge gaps. Results will allow subsequent interventions, such as public service announcements, to be tailored to enhance understanding. This IR will build on successful technology innovations like the mobile application ELLAS and the Whatsapp line Cosas de la Mujer. Both of these tools have proved successful in providing target populations with vital information related to GBV attention routes and service providers, and have the potential to be brought to scale. Cosas de la Mujer, for example, mapped all service providers for GBV victims in Cucuta. In doing so, they identified large gaps in referral pathway access and operator hours to be avoided when directing women to services, and addressed in a secondary phase of programming. Special attention will be paid to improving the private sector’s knowledge on its roles in gender policy implementation, as well as policies related to economies of care as they develop.

Illustrative interventions:

● National and localized opinion (baseline) GBV tolerance surveys executed.

● Interventions, such as public service announcements, designed based on inputs from surveys.

● Innovations such as Ellas and Cosas de la Mujer elaborated and disseminated broadly.

● Economy of Care policies disseminated broadly.

● National and localized opinion (endline) GBV tolerance surveys executed, and tolerance reduced.

Geography: The activity will focus on field interventions in the PDET communities that are prioritized by the Duque administration to mobilize whole-of-government interventions to provide comprehensive security and development services (USAID prioritized zones include some urban areas). Work at the policy level will happen nationally and from Bogota. Baseline survey information will inform targeting among PDETs at the community and vereda level, as well as inform national level behavior change campaigns. This targeted approach aligns with the Mission’s critical geography for implementation of the CDCS and also aligns with areas of the country where we see significant gaps between men and women in terms of economic opportunities and high levels of GBV.

Assumptions/Risks: The Female Empowerment Activity assumes that the Colombian government will continue to address issues of insecurity while fostering peace and economic prosperity for all. However, the growth of criminal gangs in areas formerly controlled by the FARC, increased coca production, illegal mining, and trafficking in persons, as well as the long-term humanitarian crisis of migrants from Venezuela, pose risks to the success of this activity if mitigation measures are not implemented.

Adaptation Plan: This activity will provide flexible support to other USAID/Colombia activities in positive behavior change and increased economic empowerment. This includes overlapping the activity’s geography with the geography of other activities and advising activity leaders and implementing partners on best women’s empowerment practices. The activity also has several tools that will measure GBV and WEE issues and gauge lessons learned in the targeted municipalities. The Activity is also considering including an inception period to better understand the problem and local realities, as well as develop relationships needed for local ownership. These data and lessons will inform the activity’s ongoing implementation through collaboration, learning, and adapting.

Alliances and Journey to Self-Reliance/programming/CDCS: Providing economic empowerment activities for women and youth, while addressing empowerment barriers such as gender-based violence work to address the needs of half of Colombia’s population, while planning for a more equitable and prosperous future for all. In relation to the Journey to Self-Reliance, the activity addresses capacity building at the individual level, with civil society, with local and national governments, and through strengthening the economy. Moreover, the activity shows commitment to inclusive development by bringing women to the center of its initiatives. This will be the Mission’s premier activity to focus directly on women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, in line with the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018. Alliances with the private sector are expected and promoted heavily under objectives 1 and 3.

Section II USAID/Colombia Female Empowerment/Mujeres Poderosas (FEMPOW)

Request for Information

1. Would your organization be interested in applying to this upcoming opportunity or partnering with another organization to participate? If so, what does your organization do on this topic and what would be your value added?

2. How much has your organization/business worked/invested in female empowerment programming in the past (it can be all or some aspects of female empowerment highlighted in the concept note)? Explain your experience/investment on this topic.

3. What major gaps have you identified that are missing within the scope of this concept note?

4. While the targets are meant to be aspirational, are the objectives feasible?

5. What experience, positive or negative, does your organization have with large-scale behavior change campaigns? How were you able to measure impact?

6. What additional measures could be employed to address Gender-based violence that are not mentioned in the concept note?

7. Considering the implications of Covid-19, quarantine, and isolation, what measures for victims/survivors could be supported through this work?

8. Do you have any additional suggestions or comments?

Private Sector Specific6:

9. How realistic is the leverage requested in the Concept Paper overall (a US investment of $32-35 million USD to a private sector investment of the same amount or higher)? Cash, in-kind, or both?

10. Is the leverage ratio realistic considering the proposed geographical focus which are the PDET municipalities? (i.e. Los Programas de Desarrollo con Enfoque Territorial).

11. As the private sector, how have you measured the success of advertising campaigns for behavior change? What experience do you have with improving profits while addressing a social issue?

12. As the private sector, are there any lessons learned in past programs and investments?

Civil Society Specific:

13. Are there civil society organizations (CSOs) in Colombia with the capacity to undertake an award such as the one laid out in the concept note? If yes, who and how? If not, do you foresee CSOs partnering with other organizations to manage and implement an award of this size and nature? Please explain.

6 Private sector is defined as: For-profit, commercial entities and their affiliated foundations; Financial institutions, investors and intermediaries; Business associations and cooperatives; Micro, small, medium and large enterprises; American, local, regional, and multinational businesses; and For-profit approaches that generate sustainable income (e.g., a venture fund run by a non-governmental organization (NGO) or a social enterprise).

The private sector is large and diverse, and encompasses the part of the economy run by individuals and companies for profit and is not state-controlled.