Call for Africa Food Security & Resilience Partnerships

ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT (APS)*

USAID AFRICA TRADE & INVESTMENT (ATI) PROGRAM

Funding Opportunity Title:                              ATI Partnerships in Food Security and Resilience

Announcement Type:                                       Annual Program Statement

Funding Opportunity Number:                        APS-ATI-02

Issuance Date:                                                 July 18, 2022

Deadline for Questions:                                   N/A – accepted on rolling basis 

Closing Date Concept Papers:                        September 30, 2023 5:00PM EDT

APS Closing Date:                                            September 30, 2023 5:00PM EDT

Submit Questions on the following link:        APS ATI-02 Questions

Submit Concept Notes to:                               Concept Notes must be uploaded to USAID ATI Partnerships in Food Security and Resilience (Concept Note Submission)

This APS is issued as a public notice to ensure that all interested and qualified organizations have a fair opportunity to qualify for funding. To be considered for award, applicants must respond to all the requirements and instructions of this APS. DAI will review concepts on the basis of the criteria and instructions set forth in this APS. DAI anticipates reviewing and accepting concepts on a rolling basis starting in September 2022. Please note that the APS is subject to change, any of which will be updated and reposted.

Issuance of this APS does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of DAI, nor does it commit DAI to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a concept. DAI reserves the right to fund any or none of the concept papers or applications submitted. Further, DAI reserves the right to make no awards as a result of this APS.

* An Annual Program Statement is a type of solicitation used by USAID and USAID implementers to solicit grant concept papers for potential funding.

Eligible activities include novel and transformative ideas as described above. 

Eligible applicants:

• Applicants can include financial institutions, investors, businesses, business service organizations, industry/sector organizations, trade or other private sector associations. Applicants may also submit as a consortium that includes multiple institutions under one concept, but please clearly indicate who would be the lead partner ultimately responsible for implementation. ATI strongly encourages concepts from potential new partners. Should there be questions of whether your entity is eligible, please submit your inquiry at APS ATI-02 Food Security and Resilience Questions.
• Applicants must demonstrate that it falls into one of the grantee categories below: 
• Private Sector Companies – both local (within Africa) and international (outside of Africa) firms. 
• Foreign Organizations (referred to as non-U.S. NGOs): either nonprofit or for-profit organizations that meet the definition in 2 CFR 200.47. Please see FAQ for definitions.
• Non-profit Organizations: Organizations that meet the definition of 2 CFR 200.70.

• In addition, an applicant must be organized under the laws of the country in which it has its principal place of business or operations in. In lieu of official registration, an applicant may still be eligible for award if it shows proof of effort to secure registration, exemption from registration, or cause for why registration is not optional or practicable.

Prior experience with USAID or other US Government entities is not required. DAI encourages concepts from potential new partners.

Ineligible Applicants:

• Any organization not legally organized under the laws of the country in which it has its principal place of business or operations in;
• Any entity listed in the U.S. government Excluded Parties List;
• Any entity unable to obtain a Unique Entity ID (SAM)**; 
• Any entity excluded in the US Government System for Award Management;
• Any Government Entity; 
• Any Public International Organization (PIO);
• Any entity affiliated with DAI or ATI directors, officers, or employees;
• Any projects involving involuntary resettlement, child labor, significant environmental impacts;
• Any military organization;
• Any political party organization;
• Any entity focused solely on religious activities;
• Any labor unions; and,
• Any individuals.

DAI will apply a streamlined two-stage review and selection process that begins with registering online and submitting a concept paper with a high-level budget. Only shortlisted applicants will be sent a request for application to initiate Stage 2 of the selection process, the full application (technical & cost) development and submission. Submitted full applications will undergo a second round of reviews resulting in final award selection. 

Technical Selection Criteria - Concept papers and full applications will be evaluated on their responsiveness to the following equally-weighted criteria:

• The concept & the objectives it will cover: Describe the challenge the applicant seeks to address, the proposed partnership focal area or areas (as described on page 1), and the novel idea to address food insecurity and resilience through trade and investment in Africa. Explain what the applicant proposes to fund, what they are requesting ATI to fund, and how it will make a notable impact on addressing recent food security and resilience challenges. Note the timeline and whether the pace of the work will directly align with food security and resilience risk mitigation. Describe the expected outcome(s) and alignment with one or more of the three objectives stated on page 1, including any relevant estimates for quantitative targets. 
• Additionality & the value of the partnership: Explain how the proposed concept is a departure from the status quo and how the ATI grant will produce demonstrated additionality. Additionality is defined as: The net positive difference expected to result from a donor-business partnership, (i.e., the positive change that otherwise would not happen without public support). It signifies the extent to which activities (and associated results) are larger in scale, are at a higher quality, take place more quickly, take place at a different location, or take place at all as a result of a donor intervention. (Source: Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED)). For example, a concept may outline the accelerated speed at which they can achieve their objectives with the grant funding as opposed to the absence of it. Concepts that demonstrate co-investment by the applicant company are encouraged.
• Current capacity and the future of the organization: Demonstrated institutional capacity to manage (technically, administratively, and financially) the proposed activity. Describe how the ​proposed idea can be ​sustained and expanded​ ​beyond the life of the partnership’s period of performance. Explain how the proposed partnership will attract additional private sector investment/resources, if relevant. 
• The business, community and wider ecosystem impact: Describe how this concept will create positive change at the business, industry, community, local/national/regional/continental ecosystem levels, what the benefits to the applicants will be, and what additional benefits will be created externally (e.g. new financing for farmers, sped up production and exports of nutritional crops, eased export processes, other social welfare). If possible, estimate how many individuals will benefit, by how much, and any available demographic information for those individuals (e.g. men, women, youth, etc.). Concepts that demonstrate broader food security and/or resilience impacts outside of a single entity or market are preferred. This may include (but are not limited to) concepts that: incorporate multiple countries for regional benefits,  reach large vulnerable populations, can quickly ramp up production of a key value chain, or otherwise present a significant opportunity to accelerate food security and resilience. In summary, concepts that demonstrate the potential for large scale impact on vulnerable populations are preferred. Applicants should note how they plan to capture and report on the development impact.

Cost Evaluation Proposed partnership costs will be reviewed based on cost effectiveness, reasonableness, allocability, and allowability. Costs that do not meet the criteria below will be deemed non-responsive.

• Are costs effective? Will proposed costs provide a good value in achieving desired outcomes at a relatively low cost or becoming more cost-effective over time?
• Are costs reasonable? Are proposed costs generally recognized as ordinary and necessary and would they be incurred by a prudent person in the conduct of normal business?
• Are costs allocable? Do proposed costs have a legitimate justification for the funding amount requested and is the cost clearly captured in the budget and concept paper?
• Are costs allowable? Are proposed costs strictly for the achievement of the partnership and are they free of any restrictions or limitations, such as vehicles, alcohol, luxury goods, etc.?
• Applicant contribution: Applicants may contribute a cash investment to the proposed activity equal to or greater than the value of ATI’s grant. A cash contribution is a transfer of funding from the private sector entity to pay for goods and services that will specifically and exclusively be used to implement activities under the partnership, or a transfer of funding to be used in making loans or equity investments under the partnership. Please note that neither the “Investment from Applicant” nor the “Investment requested from ATI” can cover business-as-usual operating costs.
• ATI prefers that grant funding used for loans or equity investments should mobilize private capital greater than the value of the ATI grant. Applicants should clearly note the anticipated leverage ratio if proposing this type of support (e.g. $1 of grant funding will mobilize $4 of private sector funding). Small leverage ratios may be considered in the event of certain market contexts or other high “returns” elsewhere, such as the ability to trigger growth in the value of exports. For clarity, leverage beyond the initial inputs of funding may be considered so as to account for the value of outputs such as additional trade finance, exports, jobs, etc. An equity investment is defined as the purchase of shares of a company and a loan investment is defined as the use of funds to provide credit to stakeholders. An example of a loan investment in this context could be a multi-national company (MNC) providing credit for inputs or other services to agricultural producers who are suppliers to that supply chain. The MNC would need to contribute or raise credit greater than the USAID contribution to those suppliers if proposing this type of engagement. 
• Ineligible cost items include: profit or fee; application preparation costs; payment of debts; political elections; fees for public and elected government officials; fines and penalties; creation of endowments; military equipment, surveillance equipment; commodities and services for support of police and other law enforcement activities; abortion equipment and services; luxury goods and gambling equipment; alcohol; purchases of restricted goods without prior USAID prior approval, such as: agricultural commodities, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, used equipment, and fertilizer, and purchases of goods or services from any firm or individual whose name appears on the list of ineligible applicants.
• ATI funds will not support construction. All construction activities will be resourced through grantee leverage.

STAGE 1: CONCEPT PAPER SUBMISSION

Concept Paper Instructions: Applicants are required to submit a technical concept paper describing the proposed activities addressing each of the technical selection criteria listed above. Concept papers must address all criteria to be considered for partnership. The concept paper must meet the following requirements, or it will not be reviewed: 

• Be written in English
• Be prepared in Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft Word, minimum font size 10
• Should not exceed a total of 6 slides or pages in length (cover slide/page is non-counting)
• The APS number and name
• Address of organization 
• Type of organization (e.g., for-profit, non-profit, association, etc.)
• Contact point (lead contact name, relevant telephone, e-mail information)
• Names of other organizations (federal and non-federal as well as any other USAID offices) to whom you are submitting and/or have submitted the concept and/or who are funding the proposed activity
• Technical Approach:
• Concise title and objectives of proposed activity
• Discussion of the objectives & the method of approach 
• The amount of effort, funding, resources to be employed
• The anticipated results (e.g. scaled production of key inputs, trade of food crops critical to food security increased, investment mobilized in support of resilience efforts)
• The ability to measure/capture results and how the work will help accomplish ATI’s goals as outlined above
• Estimated Funding Request 
• Type of support the applicant requests from USAID (e.g., funds, equipment, materials, etc.), as well as the anticipated leverage ratio (e.g. $ value of private capital raised) and/or commitment of grantee resources to the activity (e.g. 1:1 match of USAID funding)

The funding request must clearly distinguish between the proposed funding to be committed by the applicant, the funding/resources requested from ATI, and any third-party investment to be mobilized in the proposed partnership activity. 

The Concept must be submitted via the online grants platform no later than September 30, 2023. No other forms of submission will be accepted. If an applicant is unable to submit using the online platform, they should email ATI_Grants@ATIProgram.com for help before the deadline. At the discretion of DAI, concept papers received past the deadline may be considered for review. Further attachments to the concept paper are not permitted. 

STAGE 2: FULL APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION

Applicants whose concept papers have been shortlisted will receive the full RFA and will begin co-development and due diligence with the ATI team. The RFA will provide detailed templates, instructions, and the requirements for the full technical and budget applications. 

Co-Development: ATI will meet virtually with applicants to provide feedback and input to support applicants in their development of the full application, to identify appropriate concrete results (milestones), to further define and develop the specifics of the partnership budget, to define the respective roles of each partner that align with the shared objectives of the partner firm and USAID and identify and share risk and responsibility. Milestone reporting and verifiable metrics will be discussed and agreed upon during the co-development phase.  This process empowers the parties involved to design more transformational partnerships that maximize the value of ATI grant funding while supporting firms to reach their business goals. It is not unusual for the ideas offered in the original concept paper to evolve significantly as the applicant determines the best ways to achieve the greatest impact. 

Financial and organizational due diligence: All applicants in the RFA process will be subject to a pre-award financial and management questionnaire and review, as well as environmental and social due diligence. All applicants must demonstrate that they have adequate financial and monitoring systems in place that ensure auditable systems and records. The review – which may be conducted remotely and on-site – will also ensure applicants have the ability to comply with the award conditions, including measuring and reporting on selected milestones, the ability to contribute the required cash investment, and a demonstrated good record of performance on the management and implementation of partnership activities and grants. 

Full Application: Only applicants that complete the co-development process and the due diligence without significant negative findings will be eligible to submit a full application. Full applications will be due no later than the date outlined in the RFA at the time of issuance. ATI requires all applicants to have a current Unique Entity ID (SAM) and register in the U.S. government’s System for Award Management at sam.gov. (DAI is available to assist applicants with this process, but it is the applicant’s sole responsibility to fulfill and keep updated this requirement). NOTE: Not all full applications will be recommended for award and USAID must approve all award recommendations. 

The points of contact for this APS and any questions during the APS process is APS ATI-02 Food Security and Resilience Questions. For general inquiries about ATI please email Partners@ATIProgram.com.

Any information given to an applicant concerning this APS will be furnished promptly to all other applicants as an amendment of this APS, if that information is necessary in submitting applications or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to any other applicants.

DAI reserves the right to modify by written notice the terms of this APS at any time or to withdraw this APS at any time—with or without a statement of cause—prior to any funding award.

Applicants that receive award funds will be required to comply with USAID required rules and regulations, including:

• Environmental Procedures: https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/204 In addition, the partner must comply with host country environmental regulations unless otherwise directed in writing by USAID. In case of conflict between host country and USAID regulations, the latter will govern.
• Branding: https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/320 All USAID-sponsored assistance awards are required to adhere to branding policies and revised marking requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in accordance with ADS 320.
• Combatting Trafficking in Persons (TIP): acquisition.gov For work performed outside the United States, FAR clause 52.222-50, shall be incorporated into grant award agreements with awards above $500,000 requiring a TIP compliance and training plan.
• Certifications, Assurances, Other Statements of the Recipient and Solicitation Standard Provisions: CERTIFICATIONS, ASSURANCES, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF THE RECIPIENT (usaid.gov) In accordance with ADS 303.3.8, DAI will require awarded grant partners to submit signed copies of required certifications and assurances.
  • Standard Provisions for U.S. Nongovernmental Organizations: ADS Mandatory Reference 303maa - Mandatory Standard Provisions for U.S. Nongovernmental Organizations (usaid.gov)
  • Standard Provisions for Non-U.S. Nongovernmental Organizations: Standard Provisions for Non-U.S. Nongovernmental Organizations - A Mandatory Reference for ADS Chapter 303 (usaid.gov)
  • Standard Provisions for Fixed Amount Awards to Nongovernmental Organizations: Standard Provisions for Fixed Amount Awards to Nongovernmental Organizations - A Mandatory Reference for ADS Chapter 303 (usaid.gov)