Artisanal gold mining - environmental impact reduction program

Please see the amended Q&A document dated 20150203.

Issuance Date: December 19, 2014
Questions Due: January 16, 2015/ 3:00P.M. (Local Colombian Time)
Closing Date & Time: February 17, 2015/ 3:00 P.M. (Local Colombian Time)
Please consider these dates and times as the only valid information.

ARTISANAL GOLD MINING - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REDUCTION PROGRAM

The United States Agency for International Development in Colombia (USAID/Colombia) is soliciting responses to a Request for Proposals to support the Government of Colombia (GOC) in reducing the environmental impacts of small scale gold mining, with special emphasis on eliminating the use of mercury, and recuperating degraded areas left by gold mining. The successful implementation of the program will result in improved, law-abiding mining operations in the target geographies.

This five-year project is estimated at approximately $20 million and includes an activity (sub-awards) fund of $10,500,000 of the total budget. The program will build on the results and processes initiated under the mining component of the USAID/BIOREDD+ program. Strong participation of the private sector is expected, as well as involvement of the relevant counterparts in the GOC at local, regional and national levels. Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASM) in selected municipalities of Antioquia and Choco are the main target communities for this program.

ARTISANAL GOLD MINING - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REDUCTION PROGRAM

The United States Agency for International Development in Colombia (USAID/Colombia) is soliciting responses to a Request for Proposals to support the Government of Colombia (GOC) in reducing the environmental impacts of small scale gold mining, with special emphasis on eliminating the use of mercury, and recuperating degraded areas left by gold mining. The successful implementation of the program will result in improved, law-abiding mining operations in the target geographies.

This five-year project is estimated at approximately $20 million and includes an activity (sub-awards) fund of $10,500,000 of the total budget. The program will build on the results and processes initiated under the mining component of the USAID/BIOREDD+ program. Strong participation of the private sector is expected, as well as involvement of the relevant counterparts in the GOC at local, regional and national levels. Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASM) in selected municipalities of Antioquia and Choco are the main target communities for this program.

ARTISANAL GOLD MINING - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REDUCTION PROGRAM

The United States Agency for International Development in Colombia (USAID/Colombia) is soliciting responses to a Request for Proposals to support the Government of Colombia (GOC) in reducing the environmental impacts of small scale gold mining, with special emphasis on eliminating the use of mercury and recuperating degraded areas left by gold mining. The successful implementation of the program will result in a)improved, law-abiding mining operations in the target geographies, b) miners with legal, additional economic opportunities and c) degraded areas turned into productive uses with focus on commercial forestry plantations.
This five-year project is estimated at approximately $20 million which includes an activity (sub-awards) fund of 65% of the total budget. Strong participation of the private sector is expected, as well as involvement of the relevant counterparts in the GOC at local, regional and national levels. Artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) in selected municipalities of Antioquia and Choco are the main target communities for this program.
The U.S. Government contemplates the award of a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) completion contract resulting from this solicitation. The period of performance is five (5) years.

OBJECTIVES, THEORY OF CHANGE

The USAID/Mining project will pursue two objectives:
(1) to build effective governance capacity for gold mining activities in target municipalities by strengthening public management functions and capacity building of local organizations with a stake in gold mining operations; and
(2) to increase GOC capacity to address environmental degradation by gold ASM operations, delivering improved water and air quality, and re-incorporating degraded areas to productive uses with a value chain approach.

USAID/Colombia's theory of change linking this project to these two objectives is that if regional and local authorities are more effective in enforcing mining-related legislation and the right instruments (education, rule-of-law, economic tools) are set to support environmental recuperation of degraded areas with participation of land owners, private sector and local communities, then regional and municipal authorities will gain legitimacy and support, improving social, environmental and economic performance of ASM operations and advancing Colombia's peace-building goals.

GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS

The program is expected to perform its major number of activities in two departments: Antioquia and Choco, since they account for almost 75% of the gold produced in Colombia. At the discretion of USAID, the program could work in additional geographies.