RFI GoLD Plus.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Date Issued: December 21, 2022

Closing Date/Time: January 20, 2023, at 1 PM Senegal Time (GMT)

Subject: Request for Information Notice Number - 72068523RFI000001

Activity Name: Governance for Local Development Plus ( GoLD+)

Email: DRGPsolicitations@usaid.gov

The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the Republic of Senegal is currently designing a follow-on activityGovernance for Local Development Plus ( GoLD+).The purpose of the Senegal GoLD+ (herein referred to as “the Program”) is to increase local government effectiveness and accountability in resource mobilization and delivering good, equitable services for its citizens. The activity will improve local governments effectiveness and citizen participation through: (1) Improved Resource Mobilization and Management Capacity; (2) Increased participatory and inclusive local governance; (3) Strengthened ability of local entities to support service delivery.

This USAID/Senegal RFI is issued to offer the opportunity for interested organizations and individuals to provide information, opinions, and recommendations on approaches for the implementation of the GoLD+ activity and to solicit capability statements.

Any individual and any entity i.e., foundations, for profit and not-for-profit institutions, governmental bodies, agencies of the United Nations etc. may provide comments, critiques and/or participate in a future virtual conference.

Interested parties should consider the following key dates:

● RFI closing date : January 20, 2023

● Confirmation to conference attendance: January 20, 2023

● Pre-solicitation conference date: TBD

Thank you for your interest in USAID/Senegal programs.

Sincerely, Robert Trimble Agreement Officer mailto:DRGPsolicitations@usaid.gov

Request for Information USAID/Senegal Governance for Local Development Plus ( GoLD+)

TABLE OF CONTENT

I. INSTRUCTIONS

A. Program Objectives Questions

B. Capability Statements

II. ACTIVITY INFORMATION

III. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

1. Background

2. Development Hypothesis

3. Program Objectives

4. Gender and Social Inclusion

IV. DISCLAIMER

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I. INSTRUCTIONS

Responses to this RFI should be addressed to Mrs. Dos Santos via DRGPsolicitations@usaid.gov. The subject line should be “RESPONSE TO RFI NO. 72068523RFI000001 - NAME OF THE RESPONING ENTITY”and submitted by the closing deadline. Electronic submission is preferred. You will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive feedback. USAID/Senegal will not provide responses to the comments.

Respondents can answer any or all of the questions below. In your responses, please provide any sources for the information, including peer-review or gray literature, expert opinion, project evaluation reports, or any relevant documents.

Responses should be in Microsoft Word, in English or French, not to exceed five (5) pages and must be submitted using 12-point Arial font, single-line spacing, one-inch margins, no graphics, and pages numbered consecutively. The five-page limitation is structured as follow:

➢ Three pages addressing the program objectives questions, and

➢ Two pages addressing the Capability Statements, ONLY for primary responding entities.

In the body of the email, respondents should state their interest in attending a virtual conference in the future.

A. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES QUESTIONS:

1. Are the proposed objectives clear and relevant to achieving the stated development objective?

2. Are there specific objectives or sub-objectives that should be revised, removed, or added?

3. Is there a specific lesson, or lessons learned that you think is relevant to GoLD+?

4. Are there specific risks or opportunities that USAID/Senegal should consider for GoLD+?

B. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS:

1. Include the contact Name, title and email address.

2. Describe the organization's capacity to receive and manage bilateral/multilateral or other donor funding and the amounts (if any).

3. Briefly describe past, present, and future activities/projects managed in the democratic development and governance sector providing technical assistance in accountability systems and public financing management; and strengthening of civil society, and private entities. Include experiences delivering technical assistance on public financial management systems, planning and result-based management strategies, citizen engagement in decision making processes, promoting accountability, transparency, and anti-corruption measures at any level of government. A brief description of the results and impact achieved is welcome.

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4. Describe the financial framework of the organization. This section should cover the last five years and describe the overall budget, list independently conducted financial audits, and provide any other relevant information such as funding sources, etc.

5. Describe the overall management capability and leadership structure.

6. Describe the organization's overall implementation capacity, i.e., technical expertise, relationships, certifications, presence or capacity to deploy or establish operations in targeted geographies.

7. Indicate whether the entity has an active registration in System for Awards Management (SAM), registration in SAM is desirable but not required to respond to this RFI. A registration in this system is mandatory to respond to future solicitations.

8. Identify any needs the organization has for organizational capacity building (management, strategic planning, etc.) support.

9. Provide the names and contact information of up to five international and/or local institutions you have partnered or collaborated with in the past, or that you can partner with to successfully implement this activity.

II. ACTIVITY INFORMATION

The U.S Agency for International Development (USAID)/Senegal may use feedback and comments from this RFI to refine a future solicitation. If a solicitation/funding opportunity is issued, USAID/Senegal intends to make a single award with an estimated duration of five years in length, and a Total Estimated Amount not to exceed $30M. The type of instrument (Acquisition or Assistance) to be utilized has not yet been determined.

Activity Name Governance for Local Development Plus ( GoLD+)

Award Number To Be Determined

Implementing Mechanism To Be Determined

Planned Funding $25M - $30M

Period of Performance 5 Years from award date

III. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

1. Background

USAID/Senegal five-year decentralization activity Governance for Local Development Plus ( GoLD+) will increase local government effectiveness and accountability in mobilizing resources and delivering quality, equitable services for citizens. This follow-on activity will have an estimated budget of $25-30

4/7 million and is expected to pick-up from where the USAID/GoLD (2016-2023) intervention ended.

Specifically, GoLD+ will increase the legitimacy, credibility, and quality of engagement between local populations and their government. This will be accomplished by increasing resource mobilization, inclusive development, reinforcing accountability, and strengthening service delivery. GoLD+ will facilitate the collaboration of subnational government entities among themselves, coordination with the central government, and partnerships with the civil society and private sector in the regions of Kolda, Sedhiou, Kedougou, Tambacounda, Ziguinchor, and Dakar.

This intervention is designed based on the success of the GoLD activity and is expected to benefit from the gains achieved under its predecessor. USAID believes an integrated governance program that includes results within the health, education, and the economic growth sectors is a key factor for success. Moreover, USAID believes integrated programming increases the coherence of interventions in the targeted regions, amplifies the impact of local development strategies initiatives, and leads to greater satisfaction in government services and socio-political stability in some of Senegal’s most vulnerable regions.

GoLD+ will focus on increasing domestic revenue with the hope that it will facilitate greater public investment in health, education, and WASH. Through improving good governance and intergovernmental collaboration, the new activity will foster greater inclusion, equity, transparency, and accountability at the local government level-the first and most significant point of contact between government and citizens.

Local government’s ability to respond positively to its citizens’ needs is one of the most important factors for promoting stability, transparency, democracy, and reinforcing resilience within vulnerable regions.

The activity will increase engagement at the national level by ensuring a more intentional approach in the coordination of relationships between specific national-level institutions, notably the ministries in charge of Decentralization, Economy and Finance, and the “Collectivités Territoriales” (CTs) for improvement of service delivery. USAID will continue to collaborate with other donors to support the development and implementation of decentralization-related reforms such as criteria and mechanisms used for transferring funds to CTs, regulations on the virtual collection of local taxes and building the capacity of elected officials, and in particular women and youth. The existing platforms at the local and national level will be used to engage the Government of Senegal (GOS) to increase fiscal transfers to the CTs. The Political Economy Analysis conducted by USAID/GoLD recommends efforts to streamline GOS entities involved in decentralization and fiscal transfers, as well as the development of criteria for the Fonds de Dotation de la Decentralization (FDD) and Fonds d'Equipement des Collectivites Locales (FECL) allocations.

Reinforcing coordination between the central government and CTs is also key to ensuring local governments have the tools, and resources to advocate effectively for their development priorities.

2. Development Hypothesis

IF resources of local governments are increased AND local governance becomes more inclusive, better linked to appropriate central government units, and better informed by active community engagement, THEN a more efficient, equitable management of public resources will result in improved service delivery in Education, Health, Natural Resource Management (NRM), and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), trust in governance will increase, and a citizen-centric approach to governance will empower citizens, reinforcing a democratic trajectory.

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GoLD+ will ensure the targeted subnational entities are engaged to strengthen good governance in resource mobilization and management, promote inclusive citizen participation in services delivery, and foster transparency and accountability in local affairs. At the same time, USAID anticipates that innovative approaches aligned with the decentralization reforms will be incorporated to address the cross-cutting issues of gender equality and female leadership, youth empowerment, and transparency in public financing.

3. Program Objectives

GoLD+ will directly contribute to the Development Objective 3: Increasing Government of Senegal’s Effectiveness and Accountability in USAID/Senegal’s 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy. At the activity level, the three objectives envisioned under GoLD+ include 1) Improve Resource Mobilization and Management Capacity; 2) Increase Participatory and Inclusive Local Governance; and 3) Strengthen the Ability of Local Stakeholders to Support Key Service Delivery That Responds to Citizens’ Needs.

OBJECTIVE 1: IMPROVE RESOURCE MOBILIZATION AND MANAGEMENT CAPACITY

USAID/Senegal will improve local government resource mobilization, strengthen management and investment capacity, and foster fiscal decentralization policy reforms. The activity will build upon USAID's continuous efforts with its predecessor, to increase the resource mobilization and management capacity of the CTs to help them improve service delivery for their citizens. USAID's previous local governance activity (GoLD) has shown results in demonstrating the ability and potential of cities to generate more resources, invest them in service delivery, and respond to citizen priorities.

USAID/Senegal has initially identified three sub-objectives: 1) Increase local government resource mobilization; 2) Strengthen the management and investment capacity of local governments; and 3) Foster fiscal decentralization policy reforms.

OBJECTIVE 2: INCREASE PARTICIPATORY AND INCLUSIVE LOCAL GOVERNANCE

Local governance thrives in a context where the government is transparent, accountable, and inclusive of citizen participation. Transparency requires that governments share information on a range of issues impacting citizens, publicize plans and decisions, and seek public input. USAID/Senegal will apply diverse strategies and approaches to strengthen civil society’s capacity to hold the GoS accountable and support community engagement. Increasing women, youth, and persons with disabilities’ participation in local governance fosters inclusion and improves equity and stability. USAID/Senegal identified two preliminary sub-objectives to increase participatory and inclusive local governance: 1) Improve participatory and social accountability mechanisms; and 2) Increase women, youth, and persons with disabilities participation in local governance.

OBJECTIVE 3: STRENGTHEN ABILITY OF LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO SUPPORT KEY SERVICES DELIVERY THAT

RESPONDS TO CITIZENS’ NEEDS

USAID/Senegal will focus on strengthening the capacity of local stakeholders (local government, technical services, private sector, citizens, and civil society) to develop tools, processes, and other relevant and innovative instruments that could promote efficient management of public resources towards improved service delivery, trust, and a citizen-centric approach to governance. Proposed activities should identify

6/7 ways to leverage and strengthen existing community structures such as Health Management Committees, School Management Committees (CGE), Water Management operators, and livelihoods reliant on natural resources. The assistance should build on the significant efforts already made in the previous GoLD activity to increase support for basic organizational strengthening, outreach to communities, and engagement with locally elected councilors and technical deconcentrated services in planning and implementation processes.

USAID/Senegal identified three preliminary sub-objectives to strengthen local stakeholders’ ability to support key services: 1) Improve sectoral management bodies; and 2) Increase collaboration among local governments, stakeholders, and partners; and 3) Increase norms and standards of social services.

4. Gender and Social Inclusion

Promoting gender equality, social inclusion, and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world is vital to achieving U.S. foreign policy and development objectives. The GoLD+ activity awardee must comply with USAID Policy ADS 205 and explicitly state how illustrative activities contribute to gender equity and empowerment in the Senegalese context.

IV. DISCLAIMER

This is a Request for Information. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Request for Applications (RFA) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation or Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), or ultimately award a contract or assistance agreement on the basis of this RFI, or to pay for any information voluntarily submitted as a result of this request.

USAID posts its competitive business opportunities on www.sam.gov and www.grants.gov. It is the potential offeror’s/applicant’s responsibility to monitor these sites for announcements of new opportunities. Please note that responding to this Request for Information (RFI) will not give any advantage to any organization or individual in any subsequent competition. Responses may be used by USAID without restriction or limitation. The response to this “Request for Information” should not include any proprietary information; the responses will be taken into consideration in preparing the final version of the Program Objectives and solicitation.

If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized inwww.sam.gov and www.grants.gov . It is the potential applicant’s responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

[END OF RFI]

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