U.S. Agency for International Development, (USAID), (G/EG/MD), RRB Room 2.10.024, Washington, D.C. 20523

R -- IMPLEMENTATION GRANT PROGRAM, THE MICROENTERPRISE INNOVATION PROJECT SOL RFA GMD-98-A-001 POC Contact Point: Barbara Adams, Tel: (202) 712-0030, Fax: (202) 216- 3593. On or about October 20, 1997, Request for Applications (RFA) RFA G/EG/MD-98-A-001 will be issued by the Office of Microenterprise Development in the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID's) Bureau for Global Affairs (G/EG/MD). The RFA will request cooperative agreement proposals from a wide range of organizations including U.S. PVOs, cooperatives, credit unions, commercial banks, international organizations, developing country organizations capable of working in more than one country, and for-profit firms. Applicants must have demonstrated capacity to implement microenterprise development programs. While for-profit firms may submit applications, it is USAID's policy not to award fees/profits under assistance instruments. Agreements will finance expansion of service provision to microenterprises by local institutions, particularly by means of increasing the financial viability of those institutions that provide financial services and the cost effectiveness of those that provide other inputs. Types of financial service programs eligible include poverty lending, village banking, solidarity group lending, individual lending, savings mobilization and other program methodologies that demonstrate a capability to serve the poor. A wide variety of non-financial services are potentially eligible, including client services, training, market systems activities, and policy reform activities specific to microenterprises in the country proposed. Agreements will be fully or incrementally funded, depending on the availability of funds. Satisfactory progress will be measured in terms of achievement of specific program targets set for the local implementing organization(s). The progress will be verified by assessments conducted by G/EG/MD. Approximately 5 to 9 agreements will be awarded. Proposed programs must: 1) receive USAID Mission concurrence for each proposed country, 2) contribute at least 25% of the proposed program's cost in cash or in kind, 3) cover a period of 3 to 5 years, and 4) be generally within a range of $250,000 to $700,000 of USAID funding per year, and total no more than $3.5 million ($1,000,000 for start-up programs). Proposals may be for one or multiple countries chosen from among those countries world-wide currently eligible for USAID funding. Interested applicants should request the RFA in writing by faxing 202-216-3593 or writing via the U.S. Postal Service to the Office of Microenterprise Development, Economic Growth Center, Bureau for Global Affairs, United States Agency for International Development, RRB Room 2.10.024, Washington, D.C. 20523. Attention: Barbara Adams. Any mail sent by courier should be sent to Barbara Adams at the Office of Microenterprise Development, Economic Growth Center, Bureau for Global Affairs, United States Agency for International Development, RRB Room 2.10.024, Washington, D.C. 20523. The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the Internet or by request of a application on a 3.5" floppy disk (WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 format.) This CBD notice can be viewed and downloaded using the Agency Web Site. The RFA, once issued, can be downloaded from the Agency web site. The Worldwide Web address is http://www.info.usaid.gov. Select Business and Procurement Opportunities from the homepage, then "USAID Procurements." On the following screen, select "Download Available USAID Solicitations." The RFA text can also be downloaded via Anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP). The FTP address is FTP.INFO.USAID.GOV. Logon on using the user identification of anonymous and the password is your e-mail address. Look under the following directory for the RFA: pub/OP/RFA/GMD98A001/gmd98a001.rfa. Receipt of this RFA through the internet must be confirmed by written notification to the contact person noted above. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this application document to ensure that it has been received from the INTERNET in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. (0279)

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