Creating Economic Opportunities

This is a Pre Solicitation Notice requesting comments to a draft Scope of Work. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP)and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation or ultimately award a contract on the basis of this notice, or to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in www.fbo.gov. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Please note that responding to this notice will not give any advantage to any firm or organization in the subsequent competition. Responses will be held confidential. Proprietary information should not be sent. Responses may be considered in preparation of a future solicitation.


CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Guatemala intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an anticipated five-year, cost plus fixed fee contract.

The Creating Economic Opportunities Project aims to reduce poverty and improve living conditions, closing gaps between Guatemala and migrant destination countries, in order to decrease unaccompanied child and irregular migration. To achieve this objective, CEO will grow businesses, and increase employment and income generating opportunities for Guatemalans through a multi-pronged approach utilizing four levers of economic development - expanding access to markets, improving workforce capacity, increasing access to financial services, and strengthening the policy and enabling environment. CEO will work to benefit the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable Guatemalans, particularly youth and indigenous persons, in select geographic areas with high levels of out migration (the Western Highlands and the Department of Guatemala). As CEO will partner with local communities to develop market-led local solutions, "economic opportunity" will be defined by CEO's beneficiaries. To ensure sustainability and scalability, CEO will then work to contextualize and respond to these definitions of "economic opportunity" within the scope of USAID/Guatemala's CDCS long-term development goals and Guatemala's many plans.

This project will have the following four components:
· Component 1: Access to Market Expanded
· Component 2: Workforce Capacity Improved
· Component 3: Access to Financial Services Increased
· Component 4: Policy and Enabling Environment Strengthened