SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Sudan Agricultural Enterprise Finance Institution
- Notice Date
- 3/26/2002
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Overseas Missions, Kenya USAID-Nairobi, Unit #64102, APO, AE, 09831-4102
- ZIP Code
- 09831-4102
- Solicitation Number
- RFP-623-02-016
- Response Due
- 5/13/2002
- Archive Date
- 5/28/2002
- Point of Contact
- Yvette Feurtado, Regional Contracting Officer, Phone 011-254-2-862-400, Fax 011-254-02-860949, - Anne Busaka, Acquisition Specialist, Phone 011-254-862400/2 ext 2319, Fax 011-254-2-860949/860870/562,
- E-Mail Address
-
yvfeurtado@usaid.gov, abusaka@usaid.gov
- Description
- Regional Contracting Office in REDSO/ESA invites U.S. firms and organizations to submit proposals for a contract with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish an Agricultural Enterprise Finance Institution in Southern Sudan. This requirement is under the Southern Sudan Agriculture Revitalization Project that seeks to increase capacity for agricultural production and marketing. The project rationale is based on the premise that economic recovery has begun across large stable areas of southern Sudan that have not seen conflict for several years, and that viable investments can now be made. The Agricultural Enterprise Finance component will be implemented in two phases. Phase I is conceived of as a pilot activity expected to take no less than five years. Phase I is expected to consist of the creation of a sustainable microfinance institution, including: the elaboration of the charter; the establishment of a board of directors; the establishment of a headquarters and several offices; the recruitment and training of personnel; the identification of appropriate, demand-driven loan products; tests of the potential for sustainable microlending as a sustainable financial service; and examination of the need and potential for small business lending and venture capital investment. The total value of the proposed contract is expected to be $7,000,000, of which about $3,000,000 will be used to capitalize the microfinance institution. The Request for Proposals will identify some potential measures of the efficacy and efficiency of the microfinance institution, and offerors will be encouraged to propose their own measures. The microfinance institution will operate within a strict parameter of offering 50% of all loans to women or women's groups. This gender equity parameter must be a fundamental operating principle of the microfinance institution since women are 60% of the population in southern Sudan and produce 80% of the food. USAID generally expects the average value of loans to groups or individuals to be approximately $500, but will encourage offerors to propose an appropriate range of values for loan products. USAID also encourages bidders to propose competitive mechanisms to offer credit to two additional target groups: agribusiness entrepreneurs who have graduated from the agriculture and business skills training component to be implemented under the Southern Sudan Agricultural Revitalization Program (subject of RFA: 623-02-011, posted on 2/6/02); and IDPs/refugees who have already returned to their home areas. USAID estimates that approximately 50% of graduates should qualify for loans, and that approximately 10% of loans should go to IDPs/refugees already returned to their home areas, but USAID requests bidders to propose appropriate targeting percentages to ensure that these loans are a positive element for the microfinance institution's financial status, not a drag nor a set-aside. If a determination is made at the end of five years to continue with Phase 2, then another full and open competition will be done to select the implementing organization. All questions related to this notice must be addressed in writing by letter, fax or e-mail to the contact points, with reference to the RFP number and title and your complete organization name, street address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. The RFP is projected to be issued on or about mid-March. It is the responsibility of the party downloading the RFP to ensure that the RFP has been received in its entirety and (USAID) bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Any amendments to the RFP will also be posted on the (FBO) website and interested parties should check the website regularly. A list of organizations which express interest in this RFP will be made available upon request. The publication of this notice or the RFP does not obligate the U.S. Government to make an award. NAICS: 541611, Order of Magnitude Threshold: (Estimated) Not to Exceed $ 7 Million, Competition Level: Full and Open and Numbered/Non-Numbered Note(s): Are Not Applicable.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Southern Sudan
- Record
- SN00048394-W 20020328/020326213036 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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