USAID_Lebanon_RFI_ARE_10.18.2019.pdf

Request for Information Number: RFI-268-19-EG-01

Date of Issue: October 18, 2019

Closing Date and Time for Submissions: November 4, 2019 at 5:00pm Lebanon Local Time

Notice Type: Request for Information

Subject: Input into Planning for USAID/Lebanon Office of Economic Growth on

Agriculture and Rural Empowerment Programming

To: All Interested Respondents/Parties:

The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International

Development (USAID) through the Mission in Lebanon, is publishing this Request for

Information (RFI) in order to obtain information and input from all interested entities on agriculture and rural empowerment in Lebanon. The information will be used to help make planning decisions and influence activity design to improve future development outcomes, and is published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and FAR 15.201(e).

This announcement is a Request for Information (RFI), issued solely for information and planning purposes, and does not constitute a Request for Applications (RFA) or a Request for

Proposals (RFP). Responses to this RFI are not applications or official proposals and will in no way be deemed to form any binding agreement with the RFI issuing authority. Please do not submit applications, proposals, or resumes as they will be discarded. Proprietary information should not be sent. USAID may use any information provided without incurring any obligation.

USAID reserves the right to, or not to, incorporate any, some, or none of the comments received from this RFI into any subsequent solicitations or design documents.

This RFI will not be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation, award any grant, or pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. Responders are solely responsible for bearing all expenses associated with preparation and submission of the response to this RFI.

It is the potential applicant's responsibility to monitor the site for the release of any further information. It should be noted that responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement. All types of organizations and firms are strongly encouraged to provide information/comments. Any information submitted in response to this notice is voluntary.

All responses must be submitted electronically in Annex 1 in English to Contracting Officer

Amy McQuade at amcquade@usaid.gov and a copy to Rana El Jordi at reljordi@usaid.gov.

Responses to this RFI will be accepted through November 4, 2019 at 5:00 PM Lebanon local time. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or from the U.S. Government’s use of such information. FAR Clause

52.215-3 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR SOLICITATION FOR PLANNING

PURPOSES (OCT 1997) is attached and made part of this RFI. USAID is not responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this RFI.

mailto:amcquade@usaid.gov mailto:reljordi@usaid.gov

Thank you for your interest in USAID/Lebanon agriculture and rural empowerment programs and we look forward to your comments.

Sincerely, Amy McQuade

Contracting/Agreement Officer

52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997)

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(b) Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of: “Requesting Comments” to the concept for a new program.

Appendix 1 USAID/Lebanon/Economic Growth (EG)

Request for Information (RFI) Response Template

The total length of the RFI submission cannot exceed five (5) pages and must be submitted using

12 point Arial font, 8.5 x 11-inch paper (letter-sized), single-spaced, with one-inch margins, no graphics, with each page numbered consecutively. If the submitter has produced relevant reports, those reports may be included, but only as embedded links.

Name:

Title:

Organization:

Email:

A. USAID/Lebanon is interested in responses to the following specific questions. (Respondents are encouraged to review the questions and include responses to the most relevant questions in their submissions. Respondents do not need to respond to all the questions listed below.)

1. USAID/Lebanon has been supporting Lebanese rural communities for more than a decade, during which Lebanon supported a thriving private. However, starting in 2018, the country is in the midst of an ongoing economic recession and faced with international concern over public reforms needed to boost the economy. Taking into account the current political and economic situation of the country, over the next five years, how can USAID strategically move forward to involve private sector partners and support rural economic actors to create productive employment and income generating interventions?

2. Based on the outcomes of recent Lebanese Government initiatives to support productive sectors, several developmental challenges remain in the agricultural and industrial sectors.

How do you think USAID should strategize and prioritize its upcoming activities to support

Lebanon’s productive sectors?

3. Taking into account current market and economic conditions, on which sectors should

USAID focus its interventions in order to create the biggest impact in terms of job creation, income generation, livelihoods improvement and private sector competitiveness in rural areas? Where are the key entry points and sectoral opportunities USAID should consider for the most impact? Please provide your summary analysis of the local market in Lebanon and a strategic vision of how USAID can apply a market- and export-led approach to economic growth. Relatedly, do you think USAID should consider supporting specific Lebanese commodities? If yes, which ones?

4. Taking into account the current recession in Lebanon do you think USAID should promote financial inclusion in rural communities and unlock private sector investment? If yes, why and how would you propose doing that?

5. In your opinion and based on your answers to question 3 above, how would you recommend

USAID introduce innovative gender and youth integration activities while simultaneously improving the business enabling environment in specified sectors? Furthermore, who are the key local partners to be considered? What roles would you suggest they play? And how can

USAID incentivize them to participate in future programming?

B. In addition to the specific questions, requested above, please outline below any general program recommendations, relevant context, existing capacities, or other information pertinent to the design of future USAID/Lebanon rural development programming relevant to its objectives and programming areas as noted in the RFI that you would like to share here.