RFA-517-11-000003_am03 final.docx

Issuance Date:

August 10th, 2011

The United States Agency for International Development Mission in The Dominican Republic (USAID/DR) is hereby issuing a Request for Full Application entitled “Dominican Republic (DR) At-Risk Youth Initiative”. In that regard, we are requesting an application based on the attached Program Description. The Authority for the RFA is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

The Recipient will be responsible for ensuring achievement of the program objectives. Please refer to Section I, the Funding Opportunity Description for a complete program description.

Pursuant to 22 CFR 226.81, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (22 CFR 226, OMB Circular A- 122 for non-profit organizations), may be paid under the grant.

Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to award an incrementally-funded five (5) year Cooperative Agreement, not to exceed US$20,000,000 over the five-year period. USAID reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase application budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements and substantial involvement by USAID. Final authority for assistance awards resides with the USAID/DR Regional Agreement Officer.

For the purposes of this program, this RFA is being issued and consists of this cover letter and the following:

I – Funding Opportunity Description II – Award Information III – Eligibility Information IV – Application and Submission Information V – Application Review Information VI – Award and Administration Information VII – Agency Contacts VIII – Other information IX – Attachments

For the purposes of this RFA, the term "Grant" is synonymous with "Cooperative Agreement"; "Grantee" is synonymous with "Recipient"; and "Grant Officer" is synonymous with "Agreement Officer".

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government, nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

In addition, final award of any resultant agreement cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal USAID procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, the applicant is hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award.

Application is submitted at the risk of the applicant; should circumstances prevent award of an agreement, all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

If you have any questions regarding this request for application, please direct them to Ayana Angulo, Acquisition & Assistance Specialist via e-mail to (aangulo@usaid.gov) before August 22, 2011.

We look forward to reviewing the application and ask that you please submit the application via e-mail to (drrco@usaid.gov) no later than October 20, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. Dominican Republic time.

Thank you for your consideration to this USAID initiative.

Sincerely, Luis F. García Regional Agreement Officer USAID/Santo Domingo Dominican Republic

Contents

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has embarked on an ambitious reform effort, USAID FORWARD[footnoteRef:1], to change the way the Agency does business — with new partnerships, an emphasis on innovation, and a relentless focus on results. It aims to modernize and strengthen USAID so that it can meet the most pressing development challenges and work more efficiently towards its ultimate goal—creating the conditions where its work is no longer needed. [1: http://forward.usaid.gov/about/overview]

USAID is requesting applications from qualified organizations to implement the Dominican Republic (DR) At-Risk Youth Initiative, as described fully below. At the end of the agreement(s), USAID/DR expects the implementer(s) to have created a sustainable, multidisciplinary safety net for at-risk youth, implemented to prevent crime, and achieve the following results:

1) Youth protection policy improved in practice;

2) Youth opportunities to be productive citizens improved; and

3) Integrated at-risk youth system developed.

The program is designed to support the Dominican government and civil society to develop an integrated and coordinated system of interventions. These interventions will ensure that at-risk youth have access to health, education, employment opportunities and a safe environment free of crime and violence. At the end of the agreement(s), this activity will have increased the institutional capacity of local youth-service providers and provider networks/consortia, while simultaneously increasing youth engagement to craft solutions that will help their own generation, resulting in a cost effective model that can be replicated and scaled up in the Santo Domingo/Puerto Plata corridor. Finally, in the spirit of USAID FORWARD, the program will commit to sustainability, scale, and partner country leadership of development efforts by promoting collaborative partnerships among government entities, civil society, youth, the private sector, and donors.

BACKGROUND

Dominican Youth Context Youth,[footnoteRef:2] which constitute approximately 30% of the total Dominican population, are the future leaders, workers and citizens of their nation. A large portion of this population is vulnerable to crime, low levels of education, unemployment, and poor health: [2: USAID generally considers youth as the populace between the ages of 15 to 24, and considers them to be an important and highly vulnerable part of the human resource base in developing countries. The same age bracket is also applied by the United Nations and World Bank, but some data from other sources may extend to a younger population.]

· Poverty, youth unemployment, drug trafficking, a weak education system, drug and alcohol abuse, and the presence of organized gangs are some of the risk factors that contribute to the recent increase of youth violence in the DR. Currently, violent crimes in the DR are being committed at increasingly younger ages,[footnoteRef:3] and children as young as six years of age have been found delivering narcotics. [3: Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends, Costs, and Policy Options in the Caribbean, March 2007]

· At-risk youth have reduced access to education, leaving them ill-prepared for employment and more prone to crime and violence. The Government of the Dominican Republic (GoDR) spends less than 2% of its Gross Domestic Product on public education and the quality of basic education suffers – primary school achievement rates are among the lowest in the region. Further, roughly 22,000 youth ages10-14 and over 250,000 ages 15-19 are out of school.[footnoteRef:4] [4: DR 2010 Cross Sectorial Youth Assessment]

· Basic education and vocational training in the DR fail to respond adequately to the demands of the labor market and thus young job seekers cannot offer the skills that employers require. Further, job creation for youth is concentrated in the informal sector, in which the wages are reportedly 44% less than in the formal sector.[footnoteRef:5] [5: Central Bank, National Labor Force Survey database, 2nd semester 2008]

· Limited access to quality health services results in youth experiencing early sexual activity, increased risk of HIV infection, and an increased probability of unplanned pregnancy – which contributes to a greater likelihood of neonatal or maternal mortality.[footnoteRef:6] [6: Conde-Agudelo, A. et al. (2005). Maternal-perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with adolescent pregnancy in Latin America: Cross-sectional study. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 192, Iss. 2, pp 342-349.

· Additionally, many poor youth lack legal documentation,[footnoteRef:7] which poses a barrier to receiving health services, education, and social assistance, and puts youth at a greater risk for abuse, exploitation, and crime. [7: 2007 DHS]

These vulnerabilities, affecting a substantial proportion of Dominican youth, contribute to the potential for limited economic growth, citizen insecurity, and a public health crisis within the Dominican Republic.

In response to this challenge, the GoDR has enacted multiple laws to protect youth and to provide for their rights, including a youth protection policy framework. Further, the GoDR has 17 different governmental entities whose responsibilities in whole or in part include providing services to the vulnerable youth population. Further, civil society entities, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), donors, and the private sector, have also created and/or supported programs targeting this population. Thus there exists some infrastructure by which a more comprehensive youth program may be established, but the current degree and quality of implementation of the different laws and programs varies considerably. There are also opportunities – and a mutual desire – for better coordination within and amongst the GoDR and civil society organizations, but the guidance on how to do so is lacking.

USAID/DR’s Response to Date USAID/DR has played an important role in supporting the DR’s at-risk youth since the 1990s. In collaboration with other United States Government (USG) agencies, donors, and international organizations, USAID has provided support to NGOs and GoDR institutions to fund youth program interventions in the areas of education, economic growth, health (especially HIV prevention), and democracy and governance.

In 2008, USAID/DR awarded small grants to organizations that tutored in math and reading, taught life skills, and provided employment and vocational training to youth in Cabarete, Santiago, Boca Chica, Santo Domingo, Cotui, and La Romana. In 2009, USAID/DR trained service providers and instructors to enhance the Dominican tourist workforce, especially in the local tourist cluster regions. By improving the sustainable tourism training programs in universities, public and private vocational schools, and the public school system, USAID addressed the need to establish viable tourism training courses to meet the growing demand for qualified workers in the competitive global tourism industry. During the years 2006-2008, in the area of HIV prevention and care, approximately eighteen NGOs/faith-based organizations (FBOs) received USAID support to establish twenty Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programs in eighty-seven communities; since 2010, 10 NGOs providing HIV/AIDS care have integrated an OVC component into their activities. USAID/DR also supports the U.S. Peace Corps in implementing the extensive “Yo Escojo Mi Vida” (I Choose My Life) program for poor youth in rural communities. This program supports public and private organizations in their effort to teach youth healthy decision-making, prevent HIV infections /sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and reduce teen pregnancy.

In July 2010, USAID/DR commissioned a cross-sectorial assessment of the youth sector. The assessment analyzed existing studies, and solicited input from government, civil society, and youth focus groups. The conclusion drawn from this extensive research is that while the policies and services exist, it is the lack of coordination between the different stakeholders, the lack of information, and the limits of the services provided that are the core causes of at-risk youth not receiving those services that will reduce their level of vulnerability. To address these issues, the primary recommendation of the assessment was to design a comprehensive program that would support the most vulnerable children and youths in successful school completion, vocational skill development, connection to income-generating opportunities, access to STI/HIV/AIDS and reproductive health services, and active community participation.

This new youth activity will also be aligned with USAID, USG and GoDR priorities and policies. Two key goals of the USG in the DR are to improve the health, educational and employment status of poor Dominicans and to increase citizen safety throughout the Caribbean. The activity is also distinctly aligned with Goal 2 of the USAID 2011 Education Strategy, to improve the ability of tertiary and workforce development programs to produce workforce with relevant skills to support country development goals. In addition, the new youth activity will further the goals of two Presidential Initiatives, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). CBSI stems from President Obama’s announcement at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April 2009 of an investment in and partnership with the countries of the Caribbean toward strengthening regional security. Under CBSI, the United States and the nations of the Caribbean are working together on substantially reducing illicit drug trafficking, increasing public safety and security, and promoting social justice. Under PEPFAR/DR, the USG and GoDR signed a Partnership Framework (PF) on November 9, 2010. This partnership agreement outlines a five-year strategic plan to support the implementation of the Dominican National Strategic AIDS Plan 2007-2015 (the “National Response”) and the Ten-Year Health Sector Development Plan within the context and under the “umbrella” of the National Development Strategy, 2009-2030. The PF places emphasis on joint planning, financing, programming, implementation, and evaluation of the National Response in four areas: (1) public policy for a sustainable national response; (2) broad civil society participation (social mobilization); (3) prevention and promotion; and (4) universal access to integrated care and treatment.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This new youth activity will innovatively support Dominican government and civil society to strengthen or develop systems to ensure youths’ health, safety, and success in school, work, family, and community, especially for out-of-school and at-risk youth aged 10-17, the core intervention group. The program will also take into consideration different age groups depending on the type of intervention to be implemented to address identified needs. For example, health activities will also include children in the 0-9 age group, education activities may also incorporate a small percentage of 7-9 years, and workforce development will also include the youth in the age group 18-24. Targeting school drop-outs, youth associated with delinquent activities, and those living in difficult family situations, youth will be selected based on their need for and their potential in responding to interventions such as school-reintegration, life-skills and vocational training, STI and HIV/AIDS prevention and screening services, and income generating activities.

The interventions will be focused in the corridor between Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata, where 70% of the population and the majority of the at-risk youth population live.

A. Assistance Objective

The Assistance Objective of the Dominican Republic At-Risk Youth Initiative is to create a sustainable multidisciplinary safety net for at-risk youth implemented to prevent crime (Figure 1). The goal is to build institutional capacity of local youth-service providers and provider networks/consortia, while simultaneously increasing youth engagement to craft solutions that will help their own generation. While doing so, USAID will deepen its commitment to sustainability, scale, and partner country leadership of development efforts by promoting collaborative partnerships among government entities, civil society, youth, the private sector, and donors. This will be achieved through three intermediate results (IRs):

1) Youth protection policy improved in practice;

2) Youth opportunities to be productive citizens improved; and

3) Integrated at-risk youth system developed.

The long-term benefits of this youth program will result in more positive youth participation in society. Poverty and lack of employment opportunities will be reduced with a resultant decrease in rates of crime and delinquency. In turn the program will address the additional barriers such as lack of proper identification documents and corruption that limit youth involvement. Recent studies indicate that youth want a sense of purposefulness, an opportunity to be involved in the processes that affect them. This youth program will inspire youth and equip them with the ability to influence policy and prevent crime not only in “youth issues” but also in areas that are broader in scope and include societal concerns.

Figure 1: USAID/DR At-Risk Youth Initiative Results Framework

a) Expected Outcomes and Illustrative Activities

IR1: Youth protection policy improved in practice The program will focus on strengthening DR capacity to manage the policy environment for youth. In order to achieve this outcome, the program will support GoDR entities relevant to youth, in order to better understand their roles and responsibilities in the effective execution of the laws and policies pertaining to youth protection. So as to meet the needs and expectations of youth, efforts will be made to empower stakeholders such as communities, families, and youth to influence policy decisions across sectors. Through civil society and community based initiatives, targeted undocumented Dominican youth will be assisted in the registration process to obtain identification documents. Special attention will be paid to engaging youth in the identification and solution of their issues, including promoting policies and practices to facilitate youth participation. Establishing this fundamental right for youth will allow them to be part of the society and gain access to formal and alternative education opportunities and services.

Illustrative activities:

· Develop, model and disseminate best practices in youth engagement and leadership.

· Map current Dominican youth legal frameworks and hold strategy planning meeting with all the system actors to determine and define roles and responsibilities. Develop effective forums bringing together government, donors, civil society, youth, and private sector to coordinate, evaluate and increase support and opportunities for youth development.

· Design and implement a system in coordination with government, donors, civil society, youth and private sector to facilitate the adolescent and youth documentation process.

· Facilitate synergies and collaboration between implementing agencies to better coordinate the legal framework.

· Support innovative policy development for youth within and across sectors.

· Financially support organizations that assist undocumented youth in obtaining birth certificates or other identity documents to remove this barrier to enrolling in secondary education and post-secondary courses.

IR2: Youth opportunities to be productive citizens improved The program aims to strengthen and integrate systems in three focal areas, education, health and job opportunities, which are key for youth to become productive citizens.

First, the program will support increasing education opportunities for youth under the premise that access to education reduces the likelihood that youth will become involved in violent activities. It is expected that by the end of this program youth in the targeted geographic areas will have the opportunity to receive formal or alternative education. For youth currently in the education system, the program will work with those who may potentially abandon school and provide them with programs specific to their circumstances (e.g. a below-average student will receive accelerated training to be promoted to his/her age grade). Those already out of school will be provided with assistance aimed at re-integrating them into the education system or bringing them to an educational level that will provide the skills needed to prepare them for the workforce.

Second, activities under health are aimed to improve the health and well-being of children and youth at-risk, reduce risky sexual behavior, promote behavior change and provide support to children and adolescents under 18 years who may be at risk of becoming infected with an STI and HIV/AIDS and/or have a parent who is living with HIV/AIDS. Evidence-based behavior change communication to stimulate community and group dialogue on the factors that contribute to contracting an STI and/or HIV, will be implemented through NGOs, FBOs, CBOs and youth adolescent groups. The small group sessions must seek to modify individual behavior by promoting attitudes and actions that favor prevention, including the delay of sexual initiation, reduction of adolescent pregnancies, reduction of multiple partners, and the increased use of condoms. The program will also provide technical support and training to NGOs, FBOs, community-based organizations (CBOs) and youth groups to identify and work with children and youth at risk of becoming infected with HIV in the areas of counseling, emotional and nutritional support and referral to social and health services.

Third, referrals under the program may include training for income generation in order to reduce the impact of HIV in the family and the community. Demand-based technical and vocational training will be complemented by a mentorship and placement program for the youth. There will also be components of micro-financing and entrepreneurship trainings through established micro-enterprise programs.

Illustrative activities:

· Provide accelerated basic education services to reduce over age population in the education system.

· Provide special education services to reintegrate at-risk children and youth back to formal education.

· Design and carry out an evaluation that addresses knowledge gaps and causes for dropping out of school.

· Provide education, vocational training, and/or microcredit programs focused on first offenders to provide opportunities for their reintegration into main stream society.

· Strengthen NGOs, FBOs, CBOs and youth groups to implement evidence-based behavior change activities and provide counseling and emotional support to at-risk children and adolescents.

· Strengthen NGOs, FBOs, CBOs and youth groups to identify children and youth at risk of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

· Support the establishment of a safety network to refer victims of abuse.

· Promote public-private partnerships to support education, health, and economic growth opportunities.

· Provide vulnerable children and youth with basic health services and referrals to youth-friendly services for family planning, STIs and HIV screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

· Increase the use of condoms in sexually active youth.

· Increase the availability of psycho-social and family counselling.

· Provide access to and increase knowledge of immunizations.

· Research out-of-street children behaviour (STIs and prevalence of HIV included), and update the estimate on the number of OVC in the Dominican Republic.

· Create opportunities for families and communities to engage with school officials and employers.

· Provide basic employment and vocational skills training, mentorship, and placement services to participating youth in multiple sectors, to include those of tourism, agriculture, and computer science.

IR3: Integrated host country youth system developed The interventions needed for at-risk youth to live socially productive lives are complex and multi-dimensional. Currently, civil society, the GoDR, and youth operate independently, with little communication and coordination between them, rendering them unable to fully confront the challenges facing at-risk youth. The Youth Program will identify complementary civil society, government, and youth entities that will partner in order to form a “safety net” of services for at-risk youth. The partnerships will be focused on preventing youth from pursuing detrimental activities and re-engaging youth who have been poorly served by the current lack of coordination. As the ultimate goal is to better serve youth so they can be socially productive, it will be important for them to be involved at every level, and the program will leverage their knowledge and enthusiasm to help recognize and create opportunities for relationships between the stakeholders.

In an effort to create an integrated youth system that responds to the needs of youth, the program will support the gathering of accurate and contextualized information for decision-making and dialogue. The Recipient will be responsible in the facilitation of an integrated social information web-based platform (database)[footnoteRef:8] in coordination with the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Health (MOH), other Ministries and Government Agencies related to youth, and NGOs who work with youth. This tool will connect databases from various social service institutions across multiple sectors, and provide a flexible interface for intuitive data visualization and management. By offering public access to the information the partner country allows all stakeholders to share information on the available services and supports rendered to youth and organizations that support youth, and will enable both governmental and non-governmental youth serving organizations to track progress of its implemented programs and results and avoid duplicating efforts. The goals of the integrated youth-serving platform are anticipated to extend beyond technology, to facilitate the formation of multi-sectorial working groups, public-private partnerships, effective use of data for decision-making, and the active, meaningful engagement of youth. [8: For further information consult http://www.usaid.gov/dr/papers.htm#health

Efficient collaboration among ministries, civil society, private sector, community and youth will provide a multi-pronged solution to youth issues. Multidisciplinary working groups will promote the replication of best practices in national and local agencies and collaborate with education and social service partners to develop performance measures and targets and create stronger links between programs. Public-private partnerships will be also promoted as a key element for leveraging funds and advocating for at-risk youth and children.

Through the project it may be found that some essential services are unavailable or entities are unable to deliver these essential services due to a lack of capacity. Such organizations will be evaluated and the capacity to deliver these essential services will be created.

Services deemed essential include:

· An information sharing service that will help to track at-risk youth as they take advantage of the different services provided

· Documentation services

· Access to health services

· Access to traditional and non-traditional education opportunities

· Life/work skills training

· Counseling Services

· Youth councils/organizations/groups

Services deemed essential for those of an appropriate age include:

· Demand-driven vocational training

· Job placement services

Illustrative activities:

· Develop a database to be used by government, donors, civil society, faith based organizations, youth and private sector entities working with youth issues.

· Develop an effective Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system that captures youth development outcomes.

· Public outreach and behavior change communication (involving sport leaders).

· Engage community by creating new opportunities, spaces and support in community sites for youth to discuss their issues.

· Support a national level youth development data collection analysis and dissemination.

· Create a web-based youth portal for information sharing.

· Develop an inter-sectoral table to coordinate youth development actions.

· Facilitate scale-up of success models developed under existing or finalized programs.[footnoteRef:9] [9: For further information consult http://www.usaid.gov/dr/papers.htm#health]

· Design a capacity building program especially for GoDR and communities for them to better fulfill their roles.

· Design a strategy to ensure community and family participation in youth programs.

PRINCIPLES AND PARAMETERS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

In addition to the requirements and illustrative interventions elaborated in the previous section, the following principles and parameters will guide the Recipient in crafting an effective and responsive approach.

A. Partner Country Ownership and Leadership

The responsibility for providing education services lies with the MOE; it and other relevant Dominican institutions and leaders should be at the forefront of activities for maximum sustainability. In addition to GoDR participation, and as appropriate, the Recipient should propose to work with Dominican or other NGOs and private sector entities in partnerships for implementation of the project, in order to leverage already existing resources and to create ownership within the community.

The ultimate responsibility for providing opportunities to youth and for including them in decisions that affect their own lives lies with parents, communities, institutions and the private sector. Therefore, USAID intends to make every effort to ensure that this program is participatory, and that Dominican capacities at all levels are strengthened to deliver quality services and to provide opportunities to at-risk youth. Specific strategies to ensure participation and Dominican ownership should be reflected in the proposal.

B. Involving and Empowering Beneficiaries

The Recipient shall propose a mechanism where the beneficiaries will be involved in planning, implementation, and decision making, at both the national and community levels. A key aim is for the beneficiaries to “own” the program. The project will ensure that youth are involved in all stages and will provide guidance through a youth advisory committee. Members of the youth advisory committee will also be encouraged to develop and participate in the mandated National Youth Council in order to develop an inter-sectorial committee/commission to coordinate youth development actions and monitor progress.

Special focus will be made on programs that involve youth-generated solutions to the challenges facing at-risk youth. For example, youth-created community mapping websites, showing the location of available services; text messaging (Frontline SMS), providing information about programs or job opportunities; or organizations forming the government-mandated local and national youth councils, who will bring youth issues to the local and national officials will be of special interest.

C. Cost-effectiveness and Leveraging

The Recipient will seek ways to design cost-effective activities appropriate for the local economic and social contexts, and generate public-private partnerships. The project interventions must be tailored to the local economy to ensure that activities are within the budget realities of the host country, and can be continued once USAID assistance is completed. To strengthen local capacity, local resources and talent must be employed to the greatest extent possible, utilizing an excellent pool of already trained local talent.

A rigorous monitoring and evaluation process will result in the identification of models, programs, and services that are having a positive effect on the plight of at-risk youth. Networks that are seen as successful will be evaluated, amplified, and replicated. Best practices and cost-benefit analysis will be part of the product to help local organizations and government entities buy into the successful models, to promote sustainability and local ownership of the networks.

The implementer must also take advantage of the DR’s large local and multi-national firms to attract resources to contribute to meaningful reforms. Leveraging and building synergies with existing reform efforts are ways to maximize the impact of USAID’s limited resources. Youth-serving organizations and government institutions need to partner with the private sector for financial support and technical collaboration, so the implementer is expected to pursue these intentional links with the private sector and foster entrepreneurial thinking in the NGO sector.

D. Learn from Past Experiences and Existing Models of Success

While USAID is open to new and innovative youth programming, many materials and best practices have already been developed. Since there is a history of promising youth programs in the DR, this program will focus on identifying these and expanding the visibility and capacity of existing programs. Development of any new curricula in program areas should not be necessary, though adaptation may be required. The Recipient shall work with the Agreement Officer’s Technical Representative (AOTR) to ensure USAID is aware of such adaptations. No new direct service activities will be implemented with program funds unless they are model programs that have proved to have specific policy learning structured into them and have a clearly identified avenue of local sustainable funding.

E. Evidence-based Programming

The implementer must ensure that programming decisions are based on solid data and concrete results. A mix of interventions should be supported by evidence-based research and the implementer’s own field experience related to how independent interventions or a combination of interventions contribute to addressing issues of particular impact on at-risk youth. Further, the implementer should remain cognizant at all times that the demonstration of concrete results at all levels is important in building critical support for at-risk youth programs.

F. Strengthening Systems to Create Sustainability

Through an approach that will replicate established innovative models, the program will focus on the development of partner country and local NGO capacity to build sustainable youth development systems through multi-sectoral, public/private partnerships, effective use of data for decision-making and the active, meaningful engagement of youth. Building the capacity of local organizations to provide effective education, health, and social services to vulnerable youth is imperative to ensure a sustainable, comprehensive response to the needs of at-risk youth beyond the life of the activity.

As such, the program should involve the GoDR at both central and local levels, as well as community organizations in the process to identify expansion possibilities. At the community level, community members, including youth themselves, will mobilize around identifying needs for support and opportunities for linkage at the national level, including the education, health, and justice systems, which in turn will need to mobilize resources in order to respond appropriately. The private sector should be involved not only as fund providers, but also to provide opportunities for difficult to place youth in mentorship and job placement programs. As the national level systems are strengthened through improved monitoring and evaluation, professional development, cross-sectorial collaboration, outreach and management of information, youth in communities will be better served. Similarly, grass-roots innovations and successes achieved at the community level will be shared with national level stakeholders for dissemination of promising practices to other communities. Furthermore, activities must be institutionalized as early on in the project as possible to ensure that reforms are incorporated within the MOE, and provincial and local governments, and solidify ownership and sustainability.

G. Ensure Flexibility, Creativity, and Innovation

Innovative approaches to engage youth are needed at both the local and national levels. For example, the ubiquitous use of cellular phones and the internet by Dominican youth of all income levels may create additional opportunities for creative approaches to communication and training. Additionally, 2012 is an election year in the DR, and the emphases and plans of the new Administration could differ from those of the current Administration. The implementer, therefore, is expected to structure the Implementation Strategy such that it is flexible enough to accommodate opportunities for innovation, respond to a changing environment, and employ creative responses and approaches to achieve desired results.

H. Coordinate Closely with USAID, and Encourage Cross-Sectorial Collaboration

The Recipient will closely coordinate with USAID during the life of this program. It is essential that the implementer collaborate actively and collegially with the other USAID partners and programs, to the extent that each partner brings its own set of strengths and assets to a shared process. This includes cross-sectorial coordination, across the education, health, economic growth, and democracy and governance sectors, as well as other sectors as deemed applicable. Project activities will actively seek to unite diverse stakeholders around the issue of youth development while recognizing the value and validity of each actor’s unique perspectives and contributions. Coordination could include participating in round-tables on or leveraging materials for specific cross-cutting topics such as health/life skills or income generation.

I. Other USAID, USG, and Donor Coordination

Establishing a social safety net in a given geography will require coordination amongst donors. The GoDR has taken steps to strengthen the social safety net over the past decade, with significant support from the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, but much still remains to be done. Increased dialogue among multi-lateral organizations and partner country actors is needed to ensure integrated programming at the local level. Donors must engage community stakeholders, such as schools, district attorneys and police, municipal governments, public health facilities, the private sector and social service providers, to increase linkages, including outreach and referral for core and specialized services, coordination and monitoring of service provision, awareness-raising on youth rights and other areas.

The GoDR MOY, MOE, Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEPyD), CONANI, and MOH are consulted on project designs and planning in order to ensure that projects such as this respond to Dominican as well as to USAID priorities, and that the successful interventions are sustained and replicated. Project objectives will require close coordination with the GoDR and other donors and development partners supporting youth program development.

It is essential that the Recipient work in close coordination with other USG agencies as relevant, to leverage and expand existing opportunities for greater coordination, impact, and cost-effectiveness. The recipient must also support the USAID/DR Education and Public Health teams’ commitment to the proactive coordination of the international development partners in education and health, and its lead role in ensuring donor and host country efforts are not duplicative but complementary. Following USAID’s lead, the implementer will thus complete a quick diagnosis of all key actors working in project areas and establish an effective coordination plan.

GENDER CONSIDERATIONS

Youth in the Dominican Republic face issues of gender discrimination in the labor market due to perceived cultural and gender role ideations, and teenage pregnancy is one of the main factors restricting access to productive and decent jobs, particularly among women with little education.[footnoteRef:10] In spite of women performing at higher levels of educational achievement, they continue to be marginalized with low labor force participation rates and higher unemployment rates.[footnoteRef:11] Women are often limited to traditional career options or work within the home. Men continue to dominate the political structures and decision-making in the government and the private sector. These current practices are reinforced through a culture of “machismo,”[footnoteRef:12] which stratifies gender relations in the country. [10: ILO, 2008 “Decent Work and Youth: Latin America.”] [11: Final Report: DR Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment] [12: “Machismo” A strong or exaggerated sense of masculinity stressing attributes such as physical courage, virility, and domination of women.]

The DR At-Risk Youth Initiative will promote gender integration strategies for youth development in education, health, and democracy and governance to develop youth into self-assured individuals who contribute to the society, and will ensure that this process benefits potential youth participants whatever their sex, color, nationality, culture, or income.

USAID strives to promote gender equality, in which both men and women have equal opportunity to benefit from and contribute to economic, social, cultural, and political development; enjoy socially valued resources and rewards; and realize their human rights. Accordingly, USAID policy (Automated Directives System [ADS] 201.3.9.3 and 201.3.11.6) requires the consideration of gender roles and relationships in all stages: planning, implementation and assessing and learning[footnoteRef:13]. Consequently, the Recipient must at a minimum: [13: http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/]

· Complete gender assessments as an aid to planning and addressing gender issues (this can be completed following award);

· Ensure opportunity for equitable participation in planning of and access to program benefits by both women and men;

· Incorporate gender-equity targets for participation and benefit in all activities and indicators;

· Collect sex-disaggregated data and monitor gender impacts to ensure that inequalities are addressed; and

· Integrate gender in all aspects of program development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, Section 117 requires that the impact of USAID’s activities on the environment be considered and that USAID include environmental sustainability as a central consideration in designing and carrying out its development programs. This mandate is codified in Federal Regulations (22 CFR §216) and in USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS) Parts 201.5.10g and 204 (http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ADS/200/), which, in part, require that the potential environmental impacts of USAID-financed activities are identified prior to a final decision to proceed and that appropriate environmental safeguards are adopted for all activities. Recipient environmental compliance obligations under these regulations and procedures are specified in the following paragraphs of this RFA.

In addition, the recipient must comply with host country environmental regulations unless otherwise directed in writing by USAID. In the case of conflict between host country and USAID regulations, the latter shall govern.

No activity funded under the resultant Cooperative Agreement will be implemented unless an environmental threshold determination, as defined by 22 CFR §216, has been reached for that activity, as documented in a Request for Categorical Exclusion (RCE), Initial Environmental Examination (IEE), or Environmental Assessment (EA) duly signed by the Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO). (Hereinafter, such documents are described as “approved Regulation 216 environmental documentation).

An Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) LAC-IEE-11-58 has been approved for DR At-Risk Youth Initiative Program funding this RFA. The IEE covers activities expected to be implemented under this Cooperative Agreement. USAID has determined that a Negative Determination with conditions applies to one or more of the proposed activities. This indicates that if these activities are implemented subject to the specified conditions, they are expected to have no significant adverse effect on the environment. The recipient shall be responsible for implementing all IEE conditions pertaining to activities to be funded under this RFA.

As part of its initial Work Plan, and all Annual Work Plans thereafter, the recipient, in collaboration with the USAID Agreement Officer Technical Representative and Mission Environmental Officer or Bureau Environmental Officer, as appropriate, shall review all ongoing and planned activities under this Cooperative Agreement to determine if they are within the scope of the approved Regulation 216 environmental documentation.

If the recipient plans any new activities outside the scope of the approved Regulation 216 environmental documentation, it shall prepare an amendment to the documentation for USAID review and approval. No such new activities shall be undertaken prior to receiving written USAID approval of environmental documentation amendments.

Any ongoing activities found to be outside the scope of the approved Regulation 216 environmental documentation shall be halted until an amendment to the documentation is submitted and written approval is received from USAID.

When the approved Regulation 216 documentation is (1) an IEE that contains one or more Negative Determinations with conditions and/or (2) an EA, the recipient shall:

a) Unless the approved Regulation 216 documentation contains a complete environmental mitigation and monitoring plan (EMMP) or a project mitigation and monitoring (M&M) plan, the recipient shall prepare an EMMP or M&M Plan describing how the recipient will, in specific terms, implement all IEE and/or EA conditions that apply to proposed project activities within the scope of the award. The EMMP or M&M Plan shall include monitoring the implementation of the conditions and their effectiveness.

b) Integrate a completed EMMP or M&M Plan into the initial work plan.

c) Integrate an EMMP or M&M Plan into subsequent Annual Work Plans, making any necessary adjustments to activity implementation in order to minimize adverse impacts to the environment.

A provision for sub-grants is included under this award; therefore, the recipient will be required to use an Environmental Review Form (ERF) or Environmental Review (ER) checklist using impact assessment tools to screen grant proposals to ensure the funded proposals will result in no adverse environmental impact, to develop mitigation measures, as necessary, and to specify monitoring and reporting. Use of the ERF or ER checklist is called for when the nature of the grant proposals to be funded is not well enough known to make an informed decision about their potential environmental impacts, yet due to the type and extent of activities to be funded, any adverse impacts are expected to be easily mitigated. Implementation of sub-grant activities cannot go forward until the ERF or ER checklist is completed and approved by USAID. The recipient is responsible for ensuring that mitigation measures specified by the ERF or ER checklist process are implemented.

The recipient will be responsible for periodic reporting to the USAID Agreement Officer’s Technical Representative, as specified in the Schedule/Program Description of this solicitation/award.

The environmental impact potential of the interventions under the program lies in the management and disposition of hospital/medical waste. The management and disposal of hazardous medical waste could cause an adverse impact on the physical and social environment if the waste is not properly disposed of, as per the World Health Organization Guidelines and USAID Latin America & the Caribbean Regional Environmental Guidelines.

It is expected that during the implementation of this activity the implementer will develop a micro-credit program for youth and fund income generation activities. The implementer shall work with USAID to review all planned activities to determine if they are within the scope of the approved 22 CFR §216 environmental documentation, and update the IEE as appropriate. Further, should any future activity be found to have a negative impact on the environment at any point during the implementation of the program, the IEE must be amended and submitted for the activity.

USAID anticipates that environmental compliance and achieving optimal development outcomes for the proposed activities will require environmental management expertise. Respondents to the RFA should therefore include as part of their Application their approach to achieving environmental compliance and management, to include:

· The respondent’s approach to developing and implementing an IEE or EA or environmental review process for the grant fund.

· The respondent’s approach to providing necessary environmental management expertise,…