REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL MARKET CATALYST FOR HEALTH GRANTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Purpose & Background

South Africa is experiencing a prolonged electricity crisis where challenges in power supply cannot meet demand across the country. To manage this, South Africa’s national electrical utility Eskom has enacted planned rolling black-outs, known as “load shedding.” During load shedding, Eskom shuts down electricity flowing into a certain geographic area, and to almost all of its infrastructure, including hospitals and health facilities that have not received exemption. Only a selection of tertiary hospitals and other critical infrastructure in each province currently are exempted from load shedding. This severely and negatively impacts access to health services, especially for vulnerable populations who rely on smaller Primary and Community Health Centers for care. These periods of load shedding increased in frequency and duration in 2022 and 2023 and have become a major source of concern for many stakeholders, including the South African National Department of Health (NDoH), the USAID/Southern Africa Regional Mission’s Bilateral Health Office (BHO), and South African non-profit organizations (NPOs) that support healthcare delivery, many of which implement health programs funded by USAID. Planned and unplanned power cuts to health facilities that are otherwise connected to the electrical grid and reliant on electricity to operate computer systems, diagnostics, treatment, refrigeration, etc. result in health clinic delays and closures, which reduces client health outcomes. This also reduces the effectiveness of public health investments, including those made by USAID.

Renewable energy solutions already exist in the South African private market. Existing market actors offer a growing variety of technologies and solutions that could help to mitigate or eliminate the impact of power outages on public health facilities owned and operated by NDoH.  Currently many health facilities rely on government-provided generators and diesel for alternative power supplies, however this coverage cannot support all health facilities simultaneously.

The purpose of this RFA is to solicit proposals for innovative energy solutions to mitigate or eliminate the impact of power outages at five public health clinics in Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga Province. This pilot will test private sector-led approaches to alternative and innovative energy solutions for health clinics.

Activity Synopsis

The Local Market Catalyst for Health (LMC4H) activity aims to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors in South Africa to address electricity shortages at health clinics. The activity will test market-based, innovative energy solutions to meet local health clinics’ power requirements, inform a business/financing model for scaling solutions, and ultimately lead to improved patient care and health outcomes.

LMC4H Stakeholders

This activity is being conducted with the approval and guidance of the South African National Department of Health and the Mpumalanga Department of Health (DoH), who will assume ultimate ownership of and responsibility for the installed solutions. A Steering Committee is guiding the implementation of this activity, and is composed of representatives from the Mpumalanga DoH, USAID/Southern Africa Regional Mission’s Bilateral Health Office (BHO), the ATI program, and selected health non-profit organizations. ATI is implementing this RFA and the activity on behalf of this Steering Committee.

All grantee work will be overseen by a Project Management Team (PMT) from USAID’s Africa Trade and Investment activity, along with representation from both USAID’s Bilateral Health Office (BHO) in South Africa and USAID’s Center for Innovation and Impact (CII) based in Washington, D.C. The USAID BHO will maintain regular engagement with the selected partner and facilitate ongoing engagement between the selected partner and the Government of South Africa partners, including but not limited to, National, Provincial, and District Departments of Health.

Objectives and Activities

ATI seeks South Africa-based private sector energy solution providers (“Applicant” or “Applicants”) to submit technical and cost applications to achieve the following three objectives: (1) Analyze the energy ecosystems at five Mpumalanga-based public health clinics^[1]; (2) Use results from those analyses to inform the procurement and installation of on-site technical solutions that mitigate the negative impacts of power outages; and (3) Implement thorough, sustainable systems for operations and maintenance (O&M) of the technical solutions. In all cases, ATI will give preference to applicants that demonstrate prior experience successfully delivering activities similar to those described below.

Objective 1: Technical analysis. The Applicant will conduct a rapid assessment of the energy ecosystems at each of the five clinics to ensure that technical solutions (e.g. solar PV[2], battery storage) are designed per clinic-specific needs. This rapid assessment should build on the information provided in Attachment 1 and any information gathered during site visits as part of this RFA process. Areas of inquiry could include but should not be limited to clinic utility bills, interviews with facility personnel, historic load shedding schedules, energy consumption patterns of clinic personnel and patients, the current states of clinic internal wiring, energy-consuming clinic equipment (e.g. autoclaves, computers, fluid pumps, etc.); and factors that could indirectly impact power system operation and general clinic energy security (e.g. road access, clinic security protocols, connectivity, the structural integrity of clinic buildings, etc.). Applicants should work with stakeholders to differentiate between energy consuming equipment / infrastructure that is more critical to clinic patient service delivery and that which is deemed less critical to patient service delivery. ATI, USAID, and the Mpumalanga Department of Health and Ehlanzeni District Department of Health intend to facilitate technical analysis at the five clinics.

Objective 2: Procurement and installation The Applicant will be responsible for designing, procuring, installing, and commissioning on-site energy solutions at each of the five clinics and per clinic-specific contexts. Applicants must propose solutions rooted in renewable energy-based generation and, where necessary, renewable energy-based storage (e.g. solar PV[3] and solar PV-fed batteries). ATI encourages the successful applicant to propose extensible solutions that can accommodate different portfolios of energy-consuming clinic equipment and clinic infrastructure based on different power outage scenarios (e.g. critical vs non-critical clinic equipment and infrastructure; various outage scenarios). Whereas the cost of the energy solutions will be covered by this grant, the cost of installation will not be covered by this grant. Applicants must cover the cost of installation as leverage or a contribution toward the activity’s overall success. ATI, USAID, and the Mpumalanga Department of Health and Ehlanzeni District Department of Health intend to facilitate system installation at the five clinics.

Objective 3: Operation and maintenance (O&M). The Applicant will be responsible for developing and implementing – prior to system commissioning – holistic O&M plans covering all five health facilities. And while ATI recognizes that Applicants will need to gather information during the Technical Analysis and Installation Phases to finalize O&M plans, ATI will give strong preference to applicants that demonstrate in their applications a preexisting and nuanced understanding of relevant O&M activities and associated costs. To that end, Applicants should include in their submission packages a preliminary structure for O&M inclusive of two key tenets: (1) Qualitative descriptions of key O&M design principles (e.g. community engagement, security considerations, clinic staff training) as well as (2) incorporating O&M activities in the budget including both fixed costs (e.g. labor, maintenance, insurance, etc.) and variable costs (e.g. repair, replacement, consumables, etc). Applicants should explore but should not feel limited to exploring the following topic areas in their O&M proposal:

• Separation of O&M responsibilities by stakeholder (Applicant^[4], clinic staff, Department of Health, etc.)
• Security and safety plans that reduce risk of equipment theft and prioritize clinician and patient well-being
• Remote monitoring support costs
• Community engagement and awareness activities that increase the extent to which local community members are invested in system continuity^[5]
• Public sector engagement (e.g. training officials at the District and/or Provincial DoH to ensure knowledge transfer on standard operations, use, and maintenance of remote monitoring the alternative power solutions)
• A preliminary framework for technical Key Performance Indicators (e.g. yield, degradation, performance ratio, etc.) and for health-focused impact indicators (e.g., improved service delivery).

Objective 4: Recommendations for scaling. A central goal of this project is to extract learnings – operational, financial, social – that private sector service providers can draw on, alongside public sector stakeholders, to develop province- and national-level public clinic electrification programs. To that end, between six and twelve months post-commissioning, the successful Applicant will be responsible for delivering a report on pilot-derived insights that can contribute to a “pathway to scale.” Topic areas for the report should include but not be limited to:

1. Between 6-12-month retrospective: General analysis of system performance and description of community impact of the 5-clinic pilot solutions and insights on the viability of equipment typologies for further use in public health facilities to overcome power outages
2. Business/financing model: Overview of business and financing models that can expand uptake of private sector-led renewable power solutions at public health facilities including:
1. Recommendation of which costs could reasonably be borne by the public sector
2. Estimated costs (CAPEX and OPEX) required to support different expansion scenarios (e.g. provincial, national)
3. Preliminary thoughts on additional geographies well-suited for similar activities
4. Suggestions for procurement structures and contract types that have the potential to accelerate uptake of private sector-led clinic electrification solutions
3. Partnerships: Identification of organizations that have the potential to enhance similar clinic electrification activities (e.g., development banks, finance institutions, trade organizations, etc.)
4. Risks and mitigations: Identification of risks associated with private sector-led scale-up along with required mitigations to ensure long-term success

[1] The current list of public health clinics for this proposal includes Cathyville, Figtree, Cottondale, Manzini, and Elandsfontein. Attachment 1 includes 1-page profiles for each clinic based on preliminary on-site reviews conducted in November and December 2023. This list of clinics is subject to change based on input from the Government of South Africa counterparts

[2] If proposing solar PV, preference will be given to a PVGreenCard certified installer or an equivalent accredited installer. Installer must have structural integrity assessments done by a certified structural engineer (Engineering Council of South Africa Professional Registered Engineer/Technologist).

[3] If proposing solar PV, preference will be given to a PVGreenCard certified installer or an equivalent accredited installer. Installer must have structural integrity assessments done by a certified structural engineer (Engineering Council of South Africa Professional Registered Engineer/Technologist).

[4] The grant is designed to cover O&M activities for the first year of system operation.

[5] Applicants are encouraged to include in their application their relevant experience helping build local ownership of energy solutions and an outline of how they will support the Government and clinics in such efforts.

The LMC4H activity will provide grant funding to a local private sector energy company to identify the best ways that private energy providers could supply public health facilities with better energy solutions to meet critical energy needs. ATI’s financial assistance will enable a South African private sector partner to pilot energy solutions at five government-run health clinics in rural Mpumalanga and present learning and recommendations on how best to unlock private sector-led solutions at health clinics at scale, leading to improved patient care, health-worker satisfaction, and public health outcomes as well as new energy markets for the private sector.

The LMC4H activity will focus on two workstreams: 1) Identifying and testing energy solutions that are best-suited for public Primary and Community Health Centers, and 2) Identifying a business model that would support greater take-up of these solutions at more clinics across South Africa. LMC4H will provide an estimated $500,000 (approximately ZAR 9.3 million) in grant funding to a local private sector partner to test their proposed solutions and develop proposed business models through a grant agreement. Testing of solutions may involve the procurement, installation, and securitization of various pieces of energy hardware at clinics, to be incurred through a combination of grant funding and matched funding from the grant awardee. The selected grantee(s) can execute activities during the grant period which will conclude by June 2026.

Grant Size and Type: The total funding ceiling for this activity is US$ 500,000 (approximately ZAR 9.3 million). ATI recommends that the proposed solutions remain within the $300,000-$500,000 range. Applicants are however encouraged to propose the budget that best fits their proposed projects.

Performance-Based Grants: The preferred performance-based grant will be a Fixed Amount Award (FAA) agreement under USAID rules. Payment under FAA grants are made upon accomplishment of predetermined results, referred to as milestones. Milestones are agreed upon between ATI and the partner prior to the grant being awarded.

 ATI will conduct capacity assessments of all potential grantees. If ATI’s assessment identifies weaknesses or deficiencies that call into question the applicant’s ability to manage the award, ATI may elect to remove the applicant from consideration under this funding opportunity. The applicant will agree to the metrics and verification methods of awards during the development of the full application, giving latitude to the partner on how it will accomplish the agreed objectives. DAI reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.

Implementation Period: Activities under this grant will be phased, beginning with a short confirmation phase (e.g., 4 weeks) when the successful applicant will confirm assumptions and specifications for its proposed solutions. Applicants should assume Phase 1 starts o/a October 1, 2024.  The activities outlined above are estimated to take place over a 23 month period but must be completed by June 2026. Applicants may propose deviations from this timeline as they see fit in accordance with their proposed approach to achieve the four objectives stated above.

• Phase 1: Technical analysis
• Phase 2: Procurement and Installation
• Phase 3: Operations and maintenance
• Phase 4: Recommendations for scale, first draft due no later than April 1, 2026.

Phase 3 should commence upon installation of the solution, span twelve months, and conclude no later than February 28, 2026. The Local Market Catalyst for Health Steering Committee will provide input on the draft business model for future scale (Phase 4) and request revisions before the grant period concludes no later than June 30, 2026.

Geographical Coverage: The geographical coverage for this RFA and proposed applications the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The selected firm(s) will report to the ATI team based in Washington, DC, in coordination and collaboration with the Steering Committee described above.

Applications submitted in response to this RFA must include the following information.

1. Organization Information/Description (Annex A): The applicant must provide the following general information in Annex A #1 and #2:

• Full title of the applicant according to official registration documents and date of establishment. If the applicant is working closely or relying on a third-party entity for the proposed project, the same information should be included for those entities.
• Indicate the name, position, and contact details (email, telephone number) of the person responsible for the project.
• The applicant should include an organizational overview and identify any partnerships for the implementation of this project.

3. Technical Approach (see Annex A): The offeror is expected to propose innovative energy solutions that mitigate or eliminate the impact of power outages at five public health clinics in Mpumalanga province and explain how they’ll use learning from the pilot to develop a business/financing model for future scale. Proposed solutions should include the purchase, installation, and testing of three or more innovative alternative energy solutions (one at each of five public health clinics) to evaluate which energy solutions are most appropriate for sustainable use within public health facilities. Applicants are expected to propose solutions that are grounded in the needs of the target customers and are realistic given the challenges outlined in the Program Description of this RFA. The technical approach should include:                                          

• Proposed energy solution per clinic, in accordance with information provided in Attachment 1. Include a justification why the Applicant proposed the specific solutions for each clinic, including the design suitability, the costs and benefits of procuring and installing the proposed solution, the costs and benefits of operating, maintaining and securing the proposed solution, safety considerations for clinic staff operating the energy solution, and the proposed schedule for delivery of the solution. 
• An Operations and Maintenance plan for each solution, including safety and security considerations. The Applicant’s experience helping build local ownership of energy solutions and its recommendation / contribution how it could support the Government and clinic staff in building community ownership of the solution.
• A Training plan outlining how the Applicant will train clinic staff for on-site operation, maintenance, and monitoring of the system, and if applicable, Provincial or District DoH staff for remote monitoring.
• An Evaluation Framework demonstrating how the Applicant will compare learnings and performance across five sites, including proposed indicators to be measured by the Applicant and the clinics.
• A short description of the Applicant’s approach to developing a business/financing model at the conclusion of the one year of maintenance support covered by this grant, reflecting the requirements for this model explained above.

Applicants will also complete the project background, objectives/goals, and expected outcomes, outputs for their proposed approach.

4. Personnel & Personnel Plan (see Annex A): The applicant should propose up to three key personnel, give a description of their roles and responsibilities, and provide their CVs. Provide a narrative personnel plan that describes how key personnel and additional team members (if relevant) will work together to perform the duties outlined in the program description/statement of work and in accordance with the applicant’s approach. ATI will evaluate CVs to determine the individual’s knowledge, skills and abilities. Key personnel are those critical of implementation only and do not include administrative or support staff.

5. Past Performance (see Annex A): Applicants should demonstrate their knowledge and experience implementing innovative alternative energy solutions. Applicants may include descriptions of at least two (projects or other similar activities). Applicants should include clients’ names and contact information.

6. Monitoring (Results and Benchmarks) (see Annex A): The applicant should define the proposed results and benchmarks for monitoring the performance towards attainment of program objectives, as well as the internal controls and audit related to the proposed project.

Please explain how your organization will monitor the implementation and performance of the project and achieve the expected results.

In addition to the indicators proposed by the Applicant, the ATI Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Team will work closely with the grantee to select a sub-set of ATI-required indicators relevant to this activity, which will be monitored quarterly throughout implementation. ATI will collect and review data against these indicators for requisite reporting to USAID throughout the life of the activity. The grantee will be required to reasonably maintain and report on relevant data, and ATI will conduct data quality assessments as necessary.

8. Sustainability (see Annex A): The applicant should describe how the project, or its benefits will continue after the agreement funding ends. What measures are being put in place to ensure sustainability

9. Workplan (see Annex B): The implementation plan should be detailed and include tasks, outputs, partners, and responsible persons. It may be no more than 23 months or extend past June 30, 2026. Monitoring and evaluation efforts must also be included.  

10. Budget (see Annex C): All proposals must include a completed budget in US dollars though grant payments will be made in South African Rand (ZAR) (see Annex C for the budget template). The budget ceiling for this activity is $500,000 USD (approximately ZAR 9.3 million). ATI recommends that the proposed solutions remain within the $300,000-$500,000 range. All costs of the pilot and developing the business model for future scale can be covered by this amount, less installation costs, which must be covered by the Applicant as leverage. The Applicant will need to include a financial proposal that demonstrates this coverage. The financial proposal cannot include a line item for profit or costs associated with preparing the application. The budget should incorporate O&M activities including both fixed costs (e.g. labor, maintenance, insurance, etc.) and variable costs (e.g. repair, replacement, consumables, etc).

Please note if additional funding becomes available during implementation, the successful applicant may have the opportunity to scale solutions to additional clinics to provide a broader evidence base to support the development of a business/financing model.

11. Milestones (see Annex D): the application must contain a table with milestones that the private sector partner and ATI will track during the implementation of this program.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The following are requirements of all applications:

• Solutions are required to be proposed for all five clinics. It is preferred that different solution models be proposed across the five clinics.
• Both the Mpumalanga DoH and USAID value this opportunity to include women in this growing field. Applicants should indicate how they will include women in their business model, procurement, installation plan, and/or maintenance plan.
• Community led monitoring and evaluation can increase community buy-in, while offering context specific insights into the efficacy of different technologies, and impacts on different women and men. Applicants should indicate how they will include community led M&E in their activity.

Please note that the following activities are not allowed under this agreement:

• Installation costs will not be covered by the grant; installation costs will be considered the Applicant’s contribution or leverage towards the activity’s success (see Annex A).

Who Can Apply for the grant?

Eligible applicants:

• Applicants can be an individual firm or consortium of firms, which must demonstrate that they are registered in South Africa.
• Applicants can include businesses, industry/sector organizations, trade, or other private sector organizations.
• ATI encourages applications 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 state-owned companies
• Any entity listed in the U.S. government Excluded Parties List;
• Any entity unable to obtain a Unique Entity Identification Number (UEI); **
• 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, or significant environmental impacts;
• Any military organization;
• Any political party organization;
• Any entity focused solely on religious activities;
• Any labor unions; and,
• Any individuals.

Application Submission Instructions & Deadline

Application

• Application documents must include the following:

• Complete Annex A. Application Form. This annex includes the technical approach and asks for information on the project description, applicant leverage (as applicable), monitoring and results, and other activity information. Responses should be specific, complete, and presented concisely.

• Complete Annex B. Work Plan. The implementation plan should be detailed and include tasks, outputs, partners, and responsible persons. It may be no more than 23 months or extend past June 30, 2026. Monitoring and evaluation efforts must also be included.

• Complete Annex C. Budget and Budget Notes. In the budget, request and explain the key cost items required for the support. Full instructions on budgeting are found in the annex to the first tab called Budget Instructions. You must submit cost verification documents for each budget line item to demonstrate that the amount you budgeted is based on actual cost or market price.

• Complete Annex D. Milestone Table. The Activity will use a fixed amount award (FAA) as the grant mechanism per the anticipated program description. This means you will be paid an agreed-upon amount for completed milestones. This annex asks you to propose those milestones, means of verification, due dates, and amount per milestone.

• Applications must be submitted in English. Translation into English is the responsibility of the applicant.

• Page Limitation: Applications should be specific, complete, presented concisely and shall not exceed 15 pages (exclusive of annexes).

• In accordance with ADS303.6, DAI is required to establish the applicant organization’s nationality to determine its eligibility to receive the requested grant. Complete Appendix D. Grantee Nationality Self Certification Form.

 Submission Instructions:

To apply for funding interested applicants must submit all applications (including all annexes) via the RFA-16-USAID LMC4H South Africa (Application Submission). 

Late Applications 

All applications received by the deadline will be reviewed for responsiveness and programmatic merit according to the specifications outlined in these guidelines and the application format.  Applications which are submitted late or are incomplete run the risk of not being considered in the review process.

BIDDER’S CONFERENCE INFORMATION

ATI will hold a virtual bidder’s conference on June 20, 2024 to share information about this Request for Applications and answer questions. The following topics will be covered: 1) Overview of USAID Trade and Investment activity; 2) Opportunity Overview; 3) Process Overview; 4) Q&A. To join the bidders conference register your interest here by June 20, 2024 or join via this link. A recording or transcript will be made available for those with conflicts.

SITE VISIT INFORMATION

Applicants are invited to participate in clinic site visits while developing their application. Clinic site visits will be hosted by ATI in coordination with the Mpumalanga DoH according to the below schedule.

Site Visit Important Notes:

• Applicants intending to participant in the site visits are required to join the bidders conference.
• Site visit participants are required to register their participation here. Further critical details will be shared with those who register.
• Maximum of two participants per applicant are allowed to join.
• ATI recommends participants stay in Mbombela (Nelspruit) throughout the visits.
• Costs incurred for site visits are the responsibility of the applicant.
• Site visits are not required but encouraged.

LINK TO REGISTER FOR BIDDER’S CONFERENCE AND SITE VISITS: https://forms.gle/gj2Fz9HHzjqCSeks5

Applications will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria below. To the extent necessary (if the award is not made based on initial applications), negotiations may be conducted with each applicant whose application, after discussion and negotiation, has a reasonable chance of being selected for award.  Award will be made to responsible applicants whose applications offer the best value.

Awards will be made based on the ranking of applications by the review panel according to the evaluation criteria and scoring system identified below:

*Additionally, the selection committee will give preference to Applicants who include additional characteristics that offer value to the Mpumalanga DoH and USAID, such as:  

• Use of renewable energy, including to recharge batteries even while grid is operational;
• Ability of system to run even when grid is operational, to reduce electrical bills to the clinic;
• Ease of maintenance, interoperability with off-the-shelf products for future needs;
• Additional built-in features that the system provides to clinicians or patients, such as clean water, mobile connectivity, etc; 
• Remote monitoring capability for the provided solutions, such that officials at the District or Provincial MoH Offices could track when the system is online, at capacity, etc. 
• Security enhancements to reduce theft or address security concerns in other ways.

Please note that while the Grants Team will explain rules and requirements to each awardee, the
following award requirements will apply:

a) Administration of Award

Awards to U.S. organizations will be administered in accordance with 2 CFR 200 Subpart E, ADS 303 and
USAID Standard Provisions for U.S. non-governmental organizations. For non-U.S. organizations, USAID
Standard Provisions for non-U.S. non-governmental organizations apply. Applicants may obtain copies of
the referenced material at the following websites:

• 2 CFR 200 - https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=0a5b7fee6378930cce72564449dd8bb7&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.d&rgn=div6
• Standard Provisions for US Nongovernmental Recipients - https://www.globalhealthlearning.org/sites/default/files/page-files/french-PLGHA-Standard-Provisions-US-Nongovernment-Organizations.pdf
• Standard Provisions for Non-US Nongovernmental Recipients -                https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/303mab.pdf

b) Important USAID Compliance Information

• Certifications, Assurances, Other Statements of the Recipient and Solicitation Standard Provisions - In accordance with ADS 303.3.8, ATI will require awarded grant partners to submit signed copies of required certifications and assurances. ADS 303 may be found at the following website: https://www.usaid.gov/about-us/agency-policy/series-300/references-chapter/303mav
• Unique Entity ID (SAM) - Effective April 4, 2022, entities doing business with the federal government will use the Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in (sam.gov). The Unique Entity ID (SAM) is a 12-character alphanumeric value managed, granted, and owned by the U.S. government. This allows the government to streamline the entity identification and validation process, making it easier and less burdensome for entities to do business with the federal government. All foreign organizations which receive a grant with a value of USD 25,000 and above and all U.S. organizations which receive a grant of any value are required to obtain a Unique Entity ID (SAM) and complete full www.sam.gov registration. Organizations are exempt from this requirement if the gross income received from all sources in the previous tax year was under USD 300,000. DAI requires that grant applicants sign the self-certification statement if the applicant claims exemption for this reason.
• Branding and Marking - All USAID-sponsored assistance awards are required to adhere to branding and marking requirements in accordance with ADS 320. ADS 320 may be found at the following website: https://www.usaid.gov/about-us/agency-policy/series-300/320. ATI’s Branding and Marking Plan allows for co-branding with the grantee and USAID. The Activity must approve all communications materials produced under this grant before printing or publication. Grantees must follow the guidelines set forth in the USAID Graphic Standards Manual and accompanying Prosper Africa Graphic Standards Manual: USAID Graphic Standards Manual and Partner Co-Branding Guide | Branding | U.S. Agency for International Development.
• Environmental Procedures - The impact of USAID’s activities on the environment and environmental sustainability must be a central consideration when designing and implementing an activity. Potential environmental impacts of the grant must be identified prior to a final decision to proceed and appropriate environmental safeguards must be adopted for all activities The grantee must comply with host country environmental regulations unless otherwise directed in writing by USAID. In case of conflict between the host country and USAID regulations, the latter will govern. No activity funded under this grant will be implemented unless an environmental threshold determination, as defined by 22 CFR 216, has been reached for the grant, is properly documented, and signed by the Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO). ADS 200 may be found at the following website: https://www.usaid.gov/environmental-procedures/laws-regulations-policies/22-cfr-216
• Reporting Requirements - Project implementation reporting will be determined based on the planned activities and the delineation of roles and responsibilities. There will be milestone reporting, quarterly progress reports, environmental reporting, and a final grant report. A Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan with indicators and targets will also be agreed upon. Grant recipients will be expected to facilitate monitoring during and beyond the life of the grant through June 2026 by making relevant information available to ATI staff.
• Payments and Use of Funds - The Activity will make grant payments in local currency. The grant recipient must use the funds provided exclusively for activities specified in the Program Description. Diversion of grant funds to other uses will result in the cancellation of award and retrieval of funds disbursed to the grant recipient.ATI funds will not support construction. All construction activities will be resourced through grantee leverage. Under Chapter 12, Section 5.3g of USAID’s Automatic Directives System (ADS) on Eligibility of Commodities 2010, “With the exception of local procurement of fertilizer in the cooperating country: 1) Procurement of fertilizer is restricted to U.S. sources, unless there are, or are expected to be, significant U.S./offshore price differentials or any adverse impact on domestic availability or price; and 2) All contract awards for fertilizer and the related transportation must be approved by the Office of Procurement (M/OP), in consultation with GC/CCM and the appropriate geographic bureau”. 
• Permitted Uses of Program Income - The grantee will be expected to account for program income in accordance with 2 CFR 200.307. In accordance with 2 CFR 200.307 (e)(2), program income earned under this award will be added to funds committed by ATI and the recipient to the project or program and used to further eligible project or program objectives. Additionally, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.307(e)(3), program income may be used to finance the non-Federal share of the project or objectives.
• ATI funds will not support construction. All construction activities will be resourced through grantee leverage.
• Prohibited Countries - The US Government does not do business with, i.e., purchase goods or services from, prohibited source, nationality, and country of origin. The current list of countries under comprehensive sanctions include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria.
• Ineligible Goods, Restrictions, and Unallowable Costs - The grant funds provided under the terms of this agreement must not be used to finance any of the following:
  • Goods or services which are to be used primarily to meet military requirements or to support police or other law enforcement activities,
  • Surveillance equipment,
  • Equipment, research and/or services related to involuntary sterilization or the performance of abortion as a method of family planning,
  • Gambling equipment, supplies for gambling facilities or any hotels, casinos or accommodations in which gambling facilities are or are planned to be located,
  • Activities which significantly degrade national parks or similar protected areas or introduce exotic plants or animals into such areas, or
  • Establishment or development of any export processing zone or designated area where the labor, environmental, tax, tariff, and/or safety laws of the country in which such activity takes place would not apply.
  • Pharmaceuticals or pesticides (may be allowable with written approval)
  • Logging equipment,
  • Luxury goods (including alcoholic beverages and jewelry),
  • Establishing or expanding any enterprise that will export raw materials that are likely to be in surplus in world markets at the time such production becomes effective and that are likely to cause substantial injury to U.S. producers,
  • Activities which would result in the loss of forest lands due to livestock rearing, road construction or maintenance, colonization of forest lands or construction of dams or other water control structures,
  • Activities which are likely to have a significant adverse effect on the environment, including any of the following (to the extent such activities are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment):
    • Activities which may lead to degrading the quality or renewability of natural resources;
    • Activities which may lead to degrading the presence or health of threatened ecosystems or biodiversity;
    • Activities which may lead to degrading long-term viability of agricultural or forestry production (including through use of pesticides);
    • Activities which may lead to degrading community and social systems, including potable water supply, land administration, community health and well-being or social harmony.
  • Activities which are likely to involve the loss of jobs in the United States due to the relocation or expansion outside of the United States of an enterprise located in the United States, or
  • Activities which the Grantee is aware are reasonably likely to contribute to the violation of internationally or locally recognized rights of workers,
  • Bad debts
  • Contributions or donations
  • Deferred Research and Development Costs
  • Entertainment costs or lobbying costs
  • Fines or penalties
  • Goodwill
  • Interest (Interest on taxes, issuing stock rights, Cost of financing or refinancing capital)
  • Public Relations and Advertising Costs
  • Company holiday parties or picnics
  • Taxes (such as income/profit tax) and PROFIT
  • Bribes
  • Goods or services from vendors or individuals with active exclusions on SAM.gov
  • Goods or services with source, origin, transported through, or nationality from a Prohibited Country – currently Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Cuba.
  • Costs that are being paid for by another donor or funding source, including other US government funding, (i.e., disproportion allocation of costs amongst multiple donors)
  • Costs purchased from vendors, employees, or other sources with Conflicts of Interest.
  • Payments to government officials.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of ATI, nor does it commit ATI to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.  Further, ATI reserves the right to reject any or all applications received.  Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant.  All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.