RFI_72051923RFI00001_English.pdf

Document Type: Request for Information (RFI) Number: 72051923RFI00001 Issuance Date: April 12, 2023 Closing Date: May 15, 2023 Closing Time: 17:00 Local El Salvador Time

This USAID/El Salvador Request for Information (RFI) is issued for the purpose of providing industry and stakeholders an opportunity to comment, suggest, and enhance areas related to our programming related to supporting local governance in El Salvador. As appropriate, USAID/El Salvador will incorporate responses to this RFI into the development of future activity designs that may lead to a formal solicitation or announcement.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Responses to this RFI shall not be portrayed as proposals or applications, and will not be accepted by the U.S.

Government (USG) to form a binding agreement. This RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the USG to issue any solicitation or to ultimately award a contract/agreement on the basis of this RFI, or to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request.

Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

If the requirement is released in the form of an RFP or NOFO, it may be synopsized in, but not limited to, the USG procurement information site sam.gov, grants.gov, and USAID websites. It is the potential responder’s responsibility to monitor the above forums for the release of any further information.

It should be noted that responding to or providing comment on this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement. USAID/El Salvador will not provide answers to any questions submitted in response to this request.

By issuing this RFI, USAID/El Salvador aims to consult with a broad range of actors involved or engaged in local governance development and strengthening in El Salvador, including but not limited to international organizations, private sector, civil society organizations, academic institutions, community groups, and social movements. We will be consulting with our public sector counterparts and stakeholders separately. In addition, the primary focus of this RFI is to obtain a better understanding of the Salvadoran local governance context and identify opportunities and challenges that local governments face within the current environment in order to enhance our activity planning and implementation processes.

Your comments are requested to help refine a potential intervention and to ensure maximum development impact, resolve a clear development challenge or need as expressed by the private or public sectors, facilitate sound coordination with existing activities, improve or promote relationships with key system enablers, share global best practices with the highest potential local impact, and align with local and central government priorities.

Your comments must include information that is publicly available. Please do not submit any proprietary or confidential information. While there are no limits on the length of submissions accepted, we value concise, issue-specific responses.

Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to:

1. To maximize USAID resources in support of local governments in El Salvador, what municipal areas should be prioritized to achieve municipal financial sustainability and /or improved service delivery?

2. How can Salvadoran municipalities better plan for future challenges including:

a. Climate change;

b. Inclusion of vulnerable populations including women and youth;

c. Income and social inequalities impacting marginalized urban communities; and

d. Potential urban population growth.

3. Has your organization provided technical assistance on municipal consolidation, resulting in a merger and reduction of municipalities, or has your organization been affected by municipal consolidation? Does your organization know of situations in other countries that involved municipal consolidation? Please cite experiences or knowledge garnered.

4. How can El Salvador’s private sector be approached and engaged to further accelerate municipal improvements and development?

5. How can Salvadoran local governments and communities better engage and communicate with each other to promote greater and more inclusive community participation and more responsive services?

6. According to USAID-supported observatory “El Salvador Como Vamos”, which monitors quality of life perceptions in the greater San Salvador area, community security perceptions improved by 10 to 20 percentage points in certain municipalities like Apopa in 2022 in comparison to 2021. How can USAID leverage these perceived increases in safety and security into future community programming?

Please address your responses, either in English or Spanish, to Alejandra Quiñónez and send them to aquinonez@usaid.gov, with a copy to Melissa Benedict at mbenedict@usaid.gov, no later than the closing date shown above. Please include the title: “Local Governance Support in El Salvador” in the subject of your email.

Sincerely, Melissa Benedict Contracting and Agreement Officer Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance USAID/El Salvador