TRN17005-OFR-RFA.pdf

Issuance Date: May 09, 2017

Closing Date: June 09, 2017 Closing Time: 1000 Eastern Daylight Time

Subject: Request for Applications (RFA) Number TRN17005-OFR-RFA Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program FY2018 and FY2019

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) represented by the Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Transportation Division, is seeking applications for the Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program. The authority for the RFA is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

The Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program is renewed and competed every two years. This application and grant process will cover both FY2018 and FY2019 funding periods. Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to provide approximately 15 to 25 grants with estimated funding between $5,000 and $150,000 for year one (awarded in FY 2018). FY2019 funding modifications will be made on the basis of USAID goals and objectives, funding pipeline analysis and available funds. New grants and second year funding decisions will evaluate current available funding as part of the USAID decision process. USAID reserves the right to fund or partially fund any or none of the applications submitted. USAID reserves the right to fund or partially fund modifications to our agreements. Please note that only requests for countries listed on the eligible country list (see page 33) will be accepted and reviewed.

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

Section I – Program Description

Section II –Award Information

Section III – Eligibility Information

Section IV – Application and Submission Information

Section V – Application Review Information

Section VI – Award and Administration Information

Section VII – Agency Contacts

TRN17005-OFR-RFA

Section VIII – Other Information

Please note the closing date and time (above). All applications must be received by this deadline. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.

Only email submissions are allowed. Applications and modifications shall be submitted via email with the following in the title “United States Agency for International Development-

TRN17005-OFR-RFA.

Email: OFR@usaid.gov Phone: (202) 567-4720

Please note the following dates:

May 09, 2017

Release of the RFA

May 19, 2017

RFA Questions Due

June 09, 2017

Applications Due

July 28, 2017

Notify Applicants and Agreements Signed

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 700, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of USAID, nor does it commit USAID to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. In addition, final award of any resultant grant(s) can be made only when funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal USAID procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant; should circumstances prevent award of a grant, all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's time, risk and expense.

The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the Internet.

This RFA and any future amendments can be downloaded from www.grants.gov or the Agency Web Site at www.usaid.gov USAID keyword: OFR. It is the responsibility of the recipient of the application document to ensure that it has been received from the INTERNET in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

In the event of an inconsistency between the documents comprising this RFA, it shall be resolved by the following descending order of precedence:

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.usaid.gov/

Section I – Program Description

Section II –Award Information

Section III – Eligibility Information

Section IV– Application and Submission Information

Section V – Application Review Information

Section VI – Award and Administration Information

Section VII – Agency Contacts

Section VIII – Other Information

USAID goals and objectives and adherence to the RFA guidelines will form the basis of the selection evaluation process managed by M/OAA/TC. An applicant conference will not take place this year. Questions regarding the RFA must be submitted in writing no later than May 19, 2017. E-mail questions to Mr. Boateng and Ms. Orji at OFR@usaid.gov and korji@usaid.gov (see Section II.A.1.b. “Questions”). Questions and answers will be published as an amendment to this solicitation. Applicants should retain one copy of their proposal and all enclosures for their records.

Sincerely, Prince Boateng

Prince Boateng Contracting Officer/Agreement Officer Transportation Division Office of Acquisition and Assistance mailto:OFR@usaid.gov mailto:korji@usaid.gov

UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FISCAL YEARS 2018/2019

FIRST GRANT PERIOD - OCTOBER 2017 TO SEPTEMBER 2018

SECOND GRANT PERIOD - OCTOBER 2018 TO SEPTEMBER 2019

OCEAN FREIGHT REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

(RFA)

APPLICATION SUBMISSION CLOSING DATE: June 09, 2017

Issuance Date: May 09, 2017

Solicitation No: TRN17005-OFR-RFA

RFA Web Address: www.grants.gov or www.usaid.gov USAID Keyword: OFR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF DEFINITIONS………………………………………………………………………….6

LIST OF ACRONYMS…………………………………………………………………………...7

SECTION I - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION……………………………………………………...8

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION………………………………………….9

SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION ………………………………………………10

SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION……………………..13

SECTION V – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION………………………………….28

SECTION VI – FEDERAL AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION………….29

SECTION VII – FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS…………………………..30

SECTION VIII - OTHER INFORMATION…………………………………………………….31

ANNEXES……….………………………………………………………………………………36

A. ELIGIBLE COUNTRY LIST

B. SAMPLE CONSIGNMENT AFFIDAVIT

LIST OF DEFINITIONS

Ancillary Costs are all direct or indirect costs associated with each shipment other than port-to-port ocean freight costs. Terminal Handling Charges, Bunker Surcharges, Wharfage, and Security Surcharges are allowable within the port to port ocean freight charges. Foreign inland transportation costs are allowable in the case of landlocked countries and when the conditions outlined in Section I.C.4 “Reimbursement Guidelines” are applicable. Ancillary costs include standard cargo insurance, warehousing, freight forwarding expenses, courier fees, the cost of the loading of the ocean containers, the clearance of domestic, in-transit and foreign customs, inland transportation in the United States and recipient countries that are not landlocked and do not meet the exceptions outlined in “Reimbursement Guidelines.” There may be other ancillary costs that are not listed, but which also are not part of the port to port ocean freight costs.

Duty-Free means exempt from all cargo customs duties and other customs service charges, duties, tolls, and taxes of any kind.

Funding Period means the period of time when eligible costs for reimbursement may be accrued by the recipient. Federal funding is available for obligation by the recipient. The funding period begins on the date the funds are obligated by USAID and usually ends twelve to twenty-four months later. The exact start and end dates for each OFR grantee’s funding period are listed under “Delivery Period” on the OFR Procurement Authorization.

Point of Origin means the point or city in the U.S., or in the case of excess property in a foreign country, from which the commodity shipment originates.

Port of Embarkation means the port in the U.S., or in the case of excess property in a foreign country, from which the commodity shipment embarks.

Point of Entry means the first customs point for a recipient country which receives imported commodities via an ocean port not located in the recipient country, or an ocean port in the recipient country which receives imported commodities.

Recipient means an organization receiving a grant or cooperative agreement directly from USAID to carry out a project or program.

Recipient Country means any country or area receiving commodities from a private voluntary organization.

LIST OF ACRONYMS

FY Fiscal Year

OFR Ocean Freight Reimbursement

NGO Non-Government Organization

OAA Office of Acquisition and Assistance

PVO Private Voluntary Organization

RFA Request for Application

SO Strategic Objective

TA Technical Assistance

USAID United States Agency for International Development

VOCC Vessel Operating Common Carrier

SECTION I - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. PURPOSE

The Transportation Division within the Office of Acquisition and Assistance supports the USAID DCHA Bureau’s Office of Food for Peace and Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance programs by providing ocean and air logistics program management and contracting services.

The division has experience in all aspects of commodity logistics, ocean freight services, commodity storage, and commodity handling around the world.

B. BACKGROUND

The Ocean Freight Reimbursement (OFR) Program is USAID’s oldest ongoing Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) support program. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, Section123 (b), authorized the creation of the program and, as amended, allows USAID to reimburse eligible transportation charges for shipments of privately donated goods and U.S.

excess property for U.S. PVOs. The OFR Program provides small, competitive grants to approximately 20 to 40 U.S. PVOs each year. Funds are used to reimburse PVO's ocean transport costs to transport donated commodities, such as medical supplies, agricultural equipment, educational supplies, and building equipment to responsible consignees in developing countries.

While USAID reimburses the direct costs of ocean freight, participating PVOs are responsible for all associated indirect costs and ancillary costs, such as commodity acquisition, warehousing, insurance, local transportation, and distribution. Additional background information on the OFR Program can be found at www.usaid.gov USAID Keyword: OFR.

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) represented by the Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Transportation Division, is seeking applications for the Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program. The authority for the RFA is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

The Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program is renewed and competed every two years. This application and grant process will cover both FY2018 and FY2019 funding periods. Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to provide approximately 15 to 25 grants with estimated funding between $5,000 and $150,000 for year one (awarded in FY 2018). FY2019 funding modifications will be made on the basis of USAID goals and objectives, funding pipeline analysis and available funds. New grants and second year funding decisions will evaluate current available funding as part of the USAID decision process. USAID reserves the right to fund or partially fund any or none of the applications submitted. USAID reserves the right to fund or partially fund modifications to our agreements. Please note that only requests for countries listed on the eligible country list (see page 33) will be accepted and reviewed.

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

Section I – Program Description

Section II –Award Information

Section III – Eligibility Information

Section IV – Application and Submission Information

Section V – Application Review Information

Section VI – Award and Administration Information

Section VII – Agency Contacts Section VIII – Other Information

Please note the closing date and time (above). All applications must be received by this deadline. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.

Only email submissions are allowed. Applications and modifications shall be submitted via email with the following in the title “United States Agency for International Development -

TRN17005-OFR-RFA.

Email: OFR@usaid.gov

Phone: (202) 567-4720

Please note the following dates:

May 09, 2017

Release of the RFA

May 19, 2017

RFA Questions Due

June 09, 2017

Applications Due

July 28, 2017

Notify Applicants and Agreements Signed

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 700, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of USAID, nor does it commit USAID to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. In addition, final award of any resultant grant(s) can be made only when funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal USAID procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant; should circumstances prevent award of a grant, all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's time, risk and expense.

The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the Internet.

This RFA and any future amendments can be downloaded from www.grants.gov or the Agency Web Site at www.usaid.gov USAID keyword: OFR. It is the responsibility of the recipient of the application document to ensure that it has been received from the INTERNET in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

In the event of an inconsistency between the documents comprising this RFA, it shall be resolved by the following descending order of precedence:

Section I – Program Description

Section II –Award Information

Section III – Eligibility Information

Section IV– Application and Submission Information

Section V – Application Review Information

Section VI – Award and Administration Information

Section VII – Agency Contacts

Section VIII – Other Information

USAID goals and objectives and adherence to the RFA guidelines will form the basis of the selection evaluation process managed by M/OAA/TC. An applicant conference will not take place this year. Questions regarding the RFA must be submitted in writing no later than May 19, 2017. E-mail questions to Mr. Boateng and Ms. Orji at OFR@usaid.gov and korji@usaid.gov (see Section II.A.1.b. “Questions”). Questions and answers will be published as an amendment to this solicitation. Applicants should retain one copy of their proposal and all enclosures for their records.

AUTHORIZED GEOGRAPHIC CODE

The authorized geographic code for this program is 937. In accordance with ADS 310.3.1.1 3), revised February 6, 2012, code 937 includes the United States, the recipient country, and developing countries, but excluding any country that is a prohibited source. Please see ADS 310 for further details.

SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

In order to be properly evaluated, applications must adhere to the requirements and restrictions outlined below - for conformity and consistency with the specifications stated in these guidelines.

1. Applicant Eligibility Requirements

This competition is open to U.S. PVOs Proposal must follow formatting guidelines (see pages 11-12).

2. Program Requirements

Programs must be in an eligible country or countries (Annex A);

Programs must be configured to further the efficient use of voluntary commodity and service contributions for development, relief, and rehabilitation of friendly peoples.

Programs must involve partnership(s) with local government, a nongovernmental organization (including your affiliates), community partner, or other in-country organization (page 21) that will act as a responsible consignee;

Applicants must demonstrate that they have staff or responsible consignees in-country to ensure proper pick-up and distribution of commodities by submitting a Consignment Affidavit (Annex B) for each consignee; and

Applicants must provide a letter from each destination country government stating that their OFR-supported shipments will be received duty-free. All letters not written in English must be accompanied by English translations, and all duty-free waivers must be current and valid for the timeframe in which the PVO will be shipping to each particular country. If the applicant cannot secure a letter from the destination country government, the PVO may submit a letter with their application stating that its organization will take full responsibility for all duties, taxes, tolls, etc. incurred on each shipment.

3. Program Restrictions

The OFR program cannot be used under the following circumstances:

In countries where the PVO does not have staff or responsible consignees to ensure proper pick-up and distribution of commodities;

In countries that are not listed on the approved Procurement Authorization;

Where the PVO or local partner charges the beneficiary or consumer a fee for the supplies or commodities proposed to be shipped under the OFR program (unless prior written approval is given by the USAID grant officer). Exceptions may be considered in special cases, following a request to M/OAA/T and based on M/OAA/T approval, such as the sale to recipients at nominal cost or as payment for work performed to promote projects of self-help and economic development. However, in no case shall supplies be withheld from needy persons because of their inability to pay or to work;

To support commodities already funded by the U.S. Government or supported by other USAID-funded programs, including P.L. 480 or Food For Peace food commodities; or

To ship religious or proselytizing materials.

4. Reimbursement Guidelines

Indirect support costs and ancillary costs are not reimbursable. Recipients are required to absorb all indirect costs and ancillary costs associated with each shipment, such as freight forwarding expenses, insurance, container stuffing, warehousing, courier fees, and inland transportation in the United States and recipient countries that are not landlocked and do not meet the exceptions outlined below. In these ways, this program leverages many times the value of commodities shipped to USAID dollars spent and encourages grant recipients to contribute their own resources to a successful completion of their program.

Reimbursement requests for indirect costs, U.S. inland transportation, other ancillary costs, or any costs other than those outlined below will not be considered. Please do not include these in your OFR application or subsequent invoices.

Total amount of Ocean Freight funds requested for the FY 2018 and FY 2019 funding periods must not exceed $150,000 per year.

The following ocean freight costs ARE eligible for reimbursement under the OFR program:

The ocean freight cost of transporting donated or purchased supplies from a U.S. port to a foreign port serving the recipient country. Those costs eligible for reimbursement include ocean freight, Terminal Handling Charges (THC), Bunker Surcharge, Wharfage, and Security Surcharge. All other costs associated with the shipment are considered ancillary costs and are not eligible for reimbursement. The eligible expenses will normally be determined by a review of the actual ocean carrier’s rated or priced bill of lading.

Limited inland transportation costs in a foreign country under one or more of the following circumstances: 1) if the destination country is landlocked; 2) where ports in the destination country cannot be used effectively because of natural or other disturbances; 3) where carriers to a specified country are unavailable, or 4) where a substantial savings in cost or time can be affected by the utilization of points of entry other than recipient country ports. Under these circumstances, the limited inland transportation costs that may be reimbursed under the OFR Program include the actual cost of transportation of the supplies from pick-up point in the initial port of discharge to a designated point of entry in the recipient country.

Where inland costs are eligible for reimbursement, expenses incurred in transferring supplies from ocean carrier to inland carrier are also eligible for reimbursement.

Ocean Freight transportation costs for the shipment of United States excess property from the exit port of the country in which the excess property originates to the destination country. In the case of excess property, the excess property can originate in a foreign country; however all other restrictions regarding reimbursement apply.

SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. PREPARATION GUIDELINES

1. General Guidelines

All applications received by the deadline will be evaluated for responsiveness to the USAID program goals and specifications outlined in these guidelines and in the application format guideline. Section III addresses the review process and selection criteria for the applications.

Applications that are submitted late or are incomplete run the risk of not being considered, or evaluated to be poor applications, in the review and evaluation process.

The application should be prepared according to the guidelines set forth below. Please see the application checklist on page 13 for the complete list of required documents. Applications must be submitted no later than the date and time indicated on the cover page of this RFA via email address indicated on page 2 of the cover letter accompanying this RFA.

Applications should be specific, complete, and with information presented concisely. They should demonstrate the PVO's capabilities and expertise in the technical area in which the PVO is working (ex. agriculture, health, education, etc.). The applications should take into account the selection criteria found in Section III. Applicants are expected to review, understand, and comply with all aspects of this RFA.

Applications and modifications thereof shall be via email. Applicants should retain for their records a copy of the application and all enclosures which accompany their application.

a. Private Information

Applicants who include data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the U.S. Government except for evaluation purposes, should:

(1) Mark the title page with the following disclaimer:

"This application includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the U.S. Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed – in whole or in part - for any purpose other than to evaluate this application. If, however, a grant is awarded to this applicant as a result of - or in connection with - the submission of this data, the U.S. Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting grant. This restriction does not limit the U.S. Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained on pages (List Page #s); and

(2) Mark each page of data it wishes to restrict with the following disclaimer:

"Use or disclosure of data contained on this page is subject to the restriction on the title page of this application."

b. Questions

Any prospective applicant desiring an explanation or interpretation of this RFA must e-mail their request to OFR@usaid.gov and korji@usaid.gov by May 19, 2017 to allow a reply to reach all prospective applicants before the submission of their applications. All responses will be published at www.grants.gov and on the OFR website at www.usaid.gov USAID Keyword:

OFR. Oral explanations or instructions given before award of a grant will not be binding. Any information given to a prospective applicant concerning this RFA will be furnished promptly to all other prospective applicants as an amendment to this RFA, if that information is necessary in submitting applications or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to any other prospective applicants.

2. Formatting Guidelines

Applications must be typed legibly on standard letter-size 8 1/2” X 11” paper and conform to the electronic and other format requirements prescribed below:

The body of the application (see Application Content Checklist on page 13) is not to exceed 25 numbered pages. Due to the likelihood that the number of duty-free and consignment affidavit attachments will vary depending upon the number of countries for which a PVO applies, there is no page limit for these attachments.

The text of the application should be single-spaced and cast in a font similar to Times New Roman font, 12-point size. However, budgets and tables may be in a slightly smaller font (10 point). No typeface or characters should be smaller than 10 characters per inch.

All attachments and supplemental documents (such as Duty-Free Certifications and Letters) must be in English. Foreign documents accompanied by an English translation are acceptable.

All requests for Ocean Freight Reimbursement funding for FY 2018 and 2019 must be made by completing a single application packet. Separate applications are not required for each fiscal year.

The applicant shall sign the application and print or type his/her name on the Cover Page.

Erasures or other changes must be initialed by the person signing the application and representing their organization.

3. Application Content Checklist

Please provide a table of contents based on the checklist below, identifying the page number(s) for each section listed. You must include all of these items, in the order provided below, in your application.

Cover Letter, with contact names and email addresses.

Budget – Use the budget format in Section IIB.

Cost Sheets from Freight Forwarder (considered an attachment)

Body of Application

1. PVO Contact Information

2. Executive Summary

3. Overview of the Applicant

4. Program Description

Situational Analysis and Rationale for OFR Support Program Objectives Commodities Partnership Formation

4. Program Management and Structure Organizational Structure Receiving and Distribution System Contingency and Security Planning

5. Pipeline Analysis

Consignee Affidavit (See Annex B) and Duty-Free Status: (considered an attachment) All applicants must attach a consignee affidavit and certification from the recipient government(s) that the applicant may import commodities duty-free for each country. Current and past OFR recipients who have previously supplied such documentation must refurnish the same documents if they are still valid. If past documentation is no longer current or legally accepted in the recipient country, the PVO must include new documentation which is current and valid. All letters not written in English must be accompanied by English translations, and all duty-free waivers must be valid for the timeframe in which the PVO will be shipping to each particular country. If the applicant cannot secure a letter from the destination country government, the PVO may write a letter stating that their organization will take full responsibility for all duties, taxes, tolls, etc. incurred on each shipment.

Signed Certifications, Assurances, and Statements

SF-424 - See Page 36 or http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424_2_1-V2.1.pdf

B. BUDGET

The charts on the following two pages are the estimated budgets for your program(s) for the FY 2018 OFR funding period (approximately October 2017– September 2018) and the FY 2019 OFR funding period (approximately October 2018 – September 2019).

Complete the budget sheets on the next two pages, total the last four columns, and attach cost sheets from a Freight Forwarder, or similar documentation that substantiates the estimates provided in your budgets (ex. Bills of Lading), verifying the rate and total cost (as necessary) of the following for each proposed shipment: domestic loading of the containers, domestic inland hauling, port-to-port freight charges, foreign customs clearance service, and foreign inland delivery transport. These cost sheets can be obtained by contacting your freight forwarder by phone, and they are also frequently available on the internet. Applications submitted without valid Freight Forwarder cost estimate sheets or similar may not receive full credit for this section. Previous recipients of OFR program funds are to asterisk the countries that are new for them under the OFR program. Total amount of Ocean Freight funds requested for the FY 2018 and FY 2019 funding periods must not exceed $150,000 per year. If additional space is needed please copy this format on another sheet of paper.

APPLICANT NAME: ________________________________________________________

OCEAN FREIGHT REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET SHEET

FY 2018 FUNDING PERIOD

(Program Term Approximately October 2017 – September 2018)

Point of Origin*

Recipient Country*

# and Size of

Containers

Types of Commodities

Value of Commodities**

Total Shipping Cost***

Total Ancillary

Cost*

OFR Funds Requested****

TOTALS:

*See list of definitions on page 6.

**PVOs are encouraged to use ACCORD NETWORK Gifts In Kind valuation methods as outlined in ACCORD NETWORK Interagency GIK Standards which can be downloaded at http://www.accordnetwork.org/gik/ If another method is used to determine the value of goods, please explain the method used.

***Total Shipping Cost means the total ancillary costs plus the total ocean freight costs eligible for reimbursement.

**** For ocean freight costs eligible for reimbursement please see Section I.C.4., “Reimbursement Guidelines” on pages 9-10.

APPLICANT NAME: ________________________________________________________

OCEAN FREIGHT REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET SHEET

FY 2019 FUNDING PERIOD

(Program Term Approximately October 2018– September 2019)

Point of Origin*

Recipient Country*

# and Size of

Containers

Types of Commodities

Value of Commodities**

Total Shipping Cost***

Total Ancillary

Cost*

OFR Funds Requested****

TOTALS:

*See list of definitions on page 6.

**PVOs are encouraged to use ACCORD NETWORK Gifts In Kind valuation methods as outlined in ACCORD NETWORK Interagency GIK Standards which can be downloaded at http://www.accordnetwork.org/gik/ If another method is used to determine the value of goods, please explain the method used.

http://www.accordnetwork.org/gik/

***Total Shipping Cost means the total ocean freight costs plus the total ancillary costs eligible for reimbursement.

**** For ocean freight costs eligible for reimbursement please see Section I.C.4., “Reimbursement Guidelines” on pages 9-10.

C. APPLICATION FORMAT

1. PVO Contact Information

Include a summary sheet with the following information:

Organization Name Contact Person Address Telephone Number Email Address Grant Program --- Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program

2. Executive Summary (1 page maximum)

The executive summary is a concise summary of the program description and key components of the application including number of shipments planned, amount of funding requested, proposed countries or regions, types of commodities to be shipped, and estimated value of commodities.

3. Overview of the Applicant (2 pages maximum)

The overview is meant to give the review committee an understanding of the PVO that will implement this program. Please bear in mind that not all reviewers will be familiar with every PVO and its capabilities. Briefly describe:

your organization’s mission, goals, objectives, and in particular, how they relate to the proposed program;

the major technical sectors in which the organization works and your history working in the sector(s); and the alternative sources of funds (donors, private funds, foundations, etc.) available to cover transportation costs in your programs. How much is provided annually from each source?

The purpose of the tables on the next page is to assess whether or not the applicant has experience shipping the proposed commodities to the proposed programs and countries. Based on your experience over the past two years provide at least 3-5 examples each fiscal year of the types of shipments for which you are currently applying for funding. These shipments do not have to be shipments that were reimbursed by OFR. If your organization does not have any recent experience shipping the commodities proposed in your application and/or to the countries and programs for which you are requesting funding, please explain this in your situational analysis and provide 3-5 examples for each fiscal year of any commodity shipments completed by your organization during the last two years.

Funding FY 2018 (Program October 2017 – September 2018)

Program Description

Recipient Country

Type of Commodity and Number of

Containers Shipped

U.S. $ Commodity Value*

Total Ocean Freight Cost**

EXAMPLE

Medical/Health

Indonesia 1x40’ Container Med.

Supplies and Equip.

$500,000.00 $8,500.00

Funding FY 2019 (Program October 2018 – September 2019)

Description

Recipient Country

Type of Commodity and Number of

Containers Shipped

U.S. $ Value*

Total Ocean Freight Cost**

EXAMPLE Food Security

Niger 1x40’ Container Non-PL 480 Food - Meals

$100,000.00 $5,500.00

*PVOs are encouraged to use ACCORD NETWORK Gifts In Kind valuation methods as outlined in ACCORD NETWORK Interagency GIK Standards which can be downloaded at http://www.accordnetwork.org/gik/ . If another method is used to obtain value of goods, please explain method used.

**Includes both ancillary costs (see list of definitions on page 6) which are non-reimbursable and ocean freight costs which are eligible for reimbursement (see Section I.C.4 “Reimbursement Guidelines” on pages 9-10).

4. Program Description (17 pages maximum)

In this section, it is highly recommended that you provide a concise response for each program, up to three programs. If you have more than three programs for which you are requesting funding, provide a detailed response regarding at least one program in each region which exemplifies other programs in those regions.

a) Situational Analysis and Rationale for OFR support: Describe the current conditions in each country or region where your organization is proposing to work; discuss factors likely to affect proposed program outcomes and discuss the justification for providing support to your organization. Be sure to cite the resources for your data and include the following:

Identify the country (ies) in which you are proposing to work. Discuss prior experience working with the host country government(s) in the countries where this program will operate.

Describe the intended beneficiaries of the proposed OFR commodities for each shipment. Include an analysis of their needs, as well as an estimated number by gender and age. Discuss how you estimated the number of beneficiaries and the techniques used to determine their needs (e.g. surveys, census data, and needs assessment). Please note, information on age and gender differentiation of the intended beneficiaries is essential and will be scored.

Discuss why your organization has a comparative advantage in carrying out this work. Cite prior relevant experience using specific examples and data. Identify any opportunities for synergy with other programs, donors, or sectors, and discuss how the programs might work together and support one another.

b) Program Objectives: Describe in greater detail the major objectives of the program(s) for which you are seeking OFR funds.

Identify and describe in detail the objective(s) of the program(s) for which you are seeking OFR funds. Provide the program duration and timeframe.

Discuss how your shipments under the OFR program would support or enhance the humanitarian relief and/or long-term development objectives of the program or that of your partner(s) in the countries you have proposed.

c) Commodities: Describe and/or list in detail the commodities that will be shipped to each country program. Explain how these commodities support the objectives of these programs.

Discuss the type of commodities that will be shipped to each country (ies) and explain how each type of commodity will respond to the specific needs of the beneficiaries as outlined in your situational analysis. State in what way(s) shipping these commodities will improve program operations and/or increase access to, or the quality of, the program(s).

How does your organization address the issue of assuring that commodities will “do no harm?” For example, when large quantities of clothing are shipped during the first phase of a disaster, not only can these shipments potentially clog ports, delaying the entrance of much needed emergency items, they can also harm the local economy by taking away business from the local tailors and small business owners who make a living by selling clothing. Also, large amounts of donated clothing might be sold on the local black-market. How could each type of commodity your organization is proposing to send potentially harm, rather than help, the recipient country, and what steps does your organization take to ensure the commodities will not hurt the local people and/or economy?

Note: The point behind this question is for the applying organization to demonstrate to the evaluation panel that they have considered both the positive and negative ramifications of what they will be shipping.

Complete the following tables on the commodities that will be shipped:

Table 1: Provide a summary table under the OFR Program for the FY 2018 and FY 2019 funding periods that lists the countries, percent of OFR commodities being shipped, program focus, types of commodities, and if the commodities are either donated or purchased.

EXAMPLE Table 1

Country % of OFR commodities being shipped

Type of Program Commodities Donated/ purchased

Peru

60% Refugee Programs Medical Supplies

- Vitamins

- ORS

P

Kenya

20% Primary Education Education Materials

- books

D

Liberi a

20% Food Security Agricultural Supplies-tractors

P & D

TOTAL 100%

Table 2: Indicate the percentage of the following categories of supplies to be shipped under the OFR program in FY 2018 and FY 2019 program periods:

EXAMPLE Table 2

Type of Commodity 2018 2019 Agricultural Supplies % % Clothing % % Disaster items % % Educational supplies % % Medical supplies % % Non-P.L. 480 food % % Vehicles % % Other % %

Total: 100% 100%

d) Partnership Formation: Identify your proposed program partners and provide a rationale for the selection of these partners.

Provide a description of the partner’s (s’) experience in the program and in the delivery of commodities. All partners must be listed and briefly discussed. However, it is recommended that if you have more than three partners you provide a detailed response regarding at least one partner in each region which exemplifies other partners in those regions, with a minimum of three examples total.

• List your partners for this program and indicate whether each partner is an independent NGO or an affiliate of the applicant;

• Discuss your organization’s relationship with in-country implementation partners and state whether the partners are new or continuing. Cite the success you have had with your approach;

• Discuss your partner’s (s’) involvement in developing this application;

• Describe any training your partners have had on the equipment or supplies you send and maintain; and

• Note whether you have a memorandum of understanding or other agreement with your host country partners.

e) Standards: We expect all OFR grantees and partners to adhere to “Best Practices.” OFR grantees and partners are encouraged to abide by the PVO Standards set forth on InterAction’s website at http://www.interaction.org/document/interactions-pvo-standards.

For example, it is recommended in InterAction’s PVO standards that NGOs involved in the provision of food aid are guided by “Representative Food Aid Standards” http://www.interaction.org/document/interactions-pvo-standards promulgated by Food Aid Management. Similarly, those involved with Gifts-In-Kind are guided by the “Interagency Gifts-In-Kind Standards Project” of the Accord Network

(ACCORD NETWORK).

Based on the activities in this proposal how does your organization ensure that it is abiding by the PVO accepted “best practices” specifically as this pertains to commodity shipping?

5. Program Management and Structure (5 pages maximum excluding tables)

This section provides an overview of the management of the proposed program. Please be sure to highlight those areas of program management, like receiving and distribution that were not discussed under the Program Description section. For sections b and c it is recommended that, if you have up to three programs, you give a detailed response regarding each program. If you have more than three programs, you may wish to provide a detailed response regarding at least one program in each region which exemplifies other programs in those regions, with a minimum of three examples. Note: The “example” program(s) should be one(s) for which your organization is requesting funding.

a) Organizational Structure:

Discuss how the PVO U.S. headquarters will ensure effective support to the field for this program. Include the number of personnel that manage the OFR program both in the field and at the headquarters.

Provide an organizational chart of the applicant PVO that clearly delineates the key personnel responsible for backstopping the program in the U.S. headquarters office and in the field.

b) Receiving and Distribution System:

Identify if your organization has a physical presence (direct employees or hired agents) in each country where the proposed program will operate. If the PVO does not have a physical presence in the country, then identify who is responsible for receiving and distributing the commodities and describe criteria for consignee selection.

Describe your entire process of receiving and distributing the OFR support commodities, i.e., clearing customs, warehousing, transportation and distribution of goods to final destination.

Describe in detail how your organization monitors the OFR shipment from shipping dock to the final distribution. Include a discussion of the following elements: reporting requirements, physical inspection, inventory control, distribution schedule, on-site inspection and beneficiaries' response.

Cite any experiences concerning lost and/or stolen goods (i.e., percent of loss to value of total goods shipped) and the steps taken to safeguard the logistics and distribution process.

c) Contingency and Security Planning: Natural and man-made disasters affect a substantial number of development programs at some time during the course of implementation.

Briefly outline plans to prevent and mitigate the effects of security problems or other emergencies on your organization’s staff and property to ensure the security and safety of program personnel.

6. Pipeline

Prior year OFR grantees with a significant residual pipeline will likely receive less funding during this OFR budget cycle.

PVOs with existing OFR procurement authorizations must provide the following information:

Outline the amount of OFR funds currently available for use from OFR awards in years prior to and including if applicable Program years 2016 (March 2016 to February 2017) and 2017 (March 2017 to September 2017).

Procurement Authorization No.

Amount of Award

Amount Spent

Amount Available

Describe the schedule/plan for expending any balance of OFR funds by the end of the funding period. The end of your funding period is located on your Procurement Authorization under “Delivery Period.”

D. NEGOTIATION AND AWARD

Application(s) which are deemed to offer the greatest value and best meet USAID objectives will be selected for award. USAID may award one or more grants resulting from this RFA to the responsible applicant(s) whose application(s) conform to this RFA and are evaluated to be among the most highly rated. USAID may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, and (c) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

USAID may award one or more grant(s) on the basis of the initial applications received, without discussions. Therefore, each application should contain the applicant’s best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. Neither financial data submitted with an application nor representations concerning facilities or financing, will form a part of the resulting grant.

The Recipient is reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these U.S.

Executive Orders and laws. This provision must be included in all sub-awards issued under this agreement.

On October 20, 2004, USAID issued its final rule (the “Rule”) on participation by religious organizations in USAID programs (69 FR 61716). The Rule amends several USAID regulations in furtherance of Executive Order 13279 (67 FR 77141), which directs executive agencies to ensure equal protection of laws for faith-based and community organizations (“FBCOs”) that apply for federal funds. The Rule generally ensures that FBCOs are able to compete fairly for USAID funding, and that USAID programming decisions are based on the program eligibility criteria, without regard to the religious character or affiliation of applicants. Moreover, although faith-based organizations (FBOs) may not use direct USAID funds for inherently religious activities, FBOs may continue to engage in religious activities as long as they are privately-funded, separate in either time or location from USAID activities, and voluntary for beneficiaries of the USAID-funded activity.

Faith–based and/or religiously affiliated PVOs are eligible to participate in USAID programs on the same basis as any other organization without regard to their religious character or affiliation and may not be excluded from competition for USAID funding. USAID may not discriminate for or against a program applicant on the basis of religious character or affiliation. For further details regarding this rule, please see our USAID web pages at http://www.usaid.gov

The Agreement Officer will perform a pre-award risk assessment in accordance with the principles established by USAID and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (see 2 CFR 200.205). As per ADS 303.3.9 (dated 12/26/2014), a positive risk assessment means that the Applicant possesses or has the ability to obtain the necessary management competence to plan and carry out the assistance program to be funded, and that the Applicant will practice mutually agreed upon methods of accountability for funds and other assets provided by USAID.

If USAID's review of the full application results in a recommendation for funding, then the organization and USAID will enter final discussions to ensure all pre-award requirements are met and significant grant terms are negotiated and agreed. The exact details will vary according to the circumstances pertaining to each application; however, the following are common areas that require discussion and agreement prior to award:

● Payment terms;

● Procedures concerning administrative reporting and logistical requirements for the program including training components;

● Cost sharing terms, if applicable;

● Other award terms including audit, special provisions, and/or special award conditions.

The Cost Application will not be assigned a score but will be evaluated for cost reasonableness, allocability and allowability. While cost may be a determining factor in the final award(s) decision, the technical merit of applications is substantially more important under this NFO. Consideration will be given to the Applicant's understanding of the NFO requirements and consistency with the technical application.

1. Authority to Obligate

The USAID Agreement Officer is the only individual who may legally commit USAID to the expenditure of public funds. No costs chargeable to the proposed procurement authorization may be incurred before receipt of a signed and executed procurement authorization.

2. Program Funding

The number of applicants to the OFR Program has steadily risen, while funds available for the Program remain limited. In order to maximize the number of PVO recipients each year, awards will not exceed $150,000 per organization, per year.

3. Requirements for Funded Programs

a. USAID Responsibilities

USAID will be responsible for any changes to the Procurement Authorization, review of quarterly and annual reports, tracking of expenditures, and the review, authorizing and processing of all reimbursement requests. The agreement officer, or the cognizant technical officer, or the project officer will provide approval of changes in the program description. Grant recipients must request, in writing, approval to make changes in specific activities, countries, commodity categories, designated consignees, and procurement authorization extensions.

Any deviation from the terms of the procurement authorization requires written authorization by the USAID agreement officer (i.e. eligible countries, commodity categories and procurement authorization extensions).

b. PVO Recipient Responsibilities

The selected PVO recipients are responsible for implementing the program in accordance with USAID’s terms and conditions and all other applicable USAID regulations. As all commodities in the OFR program are privately donated and not purchased by USAID, the USAID Branding policy does not apply to OFR recipients. However, PVOs will be responsible for the following activities and documentation during the life of the program for which the PVO receives a grant:

Making all transportation arrangements;

Shipping all commodities on vessels registered under the flag of any free world country, flag vessels of developing countries or any free flag vessels. USAID Authorized Geographic Code 935 includes any area or country, including the recipient country, but excluding any country that is a prohibited source;

Shipping only the approved…