SFOP0005123 Questions and Answers.docx

SFOP0005123

1. Does MEPI have an expected dollar range for individual subawards under the mechanism described in Phase 1, Section 3?

· MEPI suggests the applicant should anticipate sub-awards up to $50,000 per project. However, final amounts will be determined in coordination with the NEA/AC team and based off of the solicitation process for the sub-awards.

· Applicants to this NOFO must propose a sub-award competition component to support projects with a minimum of $250,000 budgeted in order to provide management and capacity development experience to CSOs that have participated in this project.

1. Does MEPI have an expected minimum/maximum number of subawards to be distributed through this mechanism?

· MEPI suggests the applicant should anticipate at least 5-6 sub-awards to be distributed through this mechanism. The applicant is expected to work with 3-5 CSOs per country identified in the eligible countries listed on page 2 of the NOFO. Based on the competitive selection process designed by the applicant, MEPI does not expect all participating CSOs to receive funding through the sub-award mechanism.

1. If CSOs trained under this locally available funding opportunities, are they still able to apply to the awardee’s mechanism? In short, can one CSO receive both MEPI and awardee funding?

· Through this project, CSOs are eligible and encouraged to compete for both MEPI local grants and/or a sub award, however CSOs are only allowed to receive and manage one award. Funding of either form is not guaranteed. CSOs must be selected through either the MEPI local grants competition process or the proposed sub-award competition based on the merits of their project.

1. Must CSOs have previously/simultaneously submitted an application to either the MEPI Local Grants Program or other locally available opportunities in order to apply to the awardee’s subaward mechanism?

· No, CSOs are not required to have previously/simultaneously submitted an application to either the MEPI Local Grants Program or other locally available opportunities. CSOs are encouraged to seek out and compete for all available opportunities.

1. Would convening CSO members in one country as part of the requisite training series be defined as an exchange and thus unallowable under this project?

· No, convening CSO members either from among the nine eligible countries for this NOFO or from within one country to facilitate training is not defined as an exchange and is allowable under this project.

1. To ensure that the ultimately successful applicant provides optimal support to target CSOs, can NEA/AC please confirm that offerors should select the countries of implementation from the list of nine provided by NEA/AC on page two of the NOFO?

· Applicants should select countries of implementation from the list of Eligible Countries and Territories detailed on page 2 of the NOFO: Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than those listed will NOT be considered.

1. Can NEA/AC confirm that applicants must propose activities in all of the nine detailed countries, i.e. Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen, and that NEA/AC will not accept applications that propose activities in only a few of these countries?

· Applicants should propose activities in most of the nine listed countries. NEA/AC will accept applications that propose activities in some of the countries detailed in the Eligible Countries and Territories section on page 2 of the NOFO: Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.

1. Does this fund for other countries also or no? Please let us know if as a radio station in Afghanistan we can apply?

· No, this fund does not apply to other countries than those detailed in the Eligible Countries and Territories section on page 2 of the NOFO: Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than those listed will NOT be considered.

1. We would like to clarify the interpretation of the following guideline « we seek to support projects with local CSOs based in all of the following countries/territories ». Could you please confirm whether an organization must target all the mentioned countries (ie: Jordan, West Bank/Gaza, Yemen and Tunisia), or if we could target only one or some of them?

· Applicants should propose activities in most of the nine listed countries. NEA/AC will accept applications that propose activities in some of the countries detailed in the Eligible Countries and Territories section on page 2 of the NOFO: Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.