James J. Dunlap, Regional Contracting Office, USAID/Bolivia, Calle 9 No. 104 -- Obrajes, La Paz, Bolivia, P.O. Box 4530; APO, AA 34032

R -- AWARD OF A GRANT OR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT TO A US NGO TO INCREASE USAGE OF ESSENTIAL FAMILY PLANNING, REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTH AND STI/AIDS PREVENTION GOODS AND SERVICES SOL RFA Bolivia 98-008 DUE 041098 POC Contact Point: Maria Elba Villegas, Acquisition Specialist, Regional Contracting Office, USAID/Bolivia Calle 9 No. 104 -- Obrajes, La Paz, Bolivia P.O. Box 4530; Fax: 591-2-785689, Tel: 591-2-786445 In support of its Strategic Objective No. 3 (SO3), "Improved Health of the Bolivian Population", USAID/Bolivia anticipates the award of a four and a half year $ 10,000,000 Grant or Cooperative Agreement to a U.S. NGO to support a program with the objective of increasing usage of essential Family Planning, Reproductive and Sexual Health (FPRSH) and STI/AIDS prevention goods and services. The decision as to whether this will be a Grant or a Cooperative Agreement will follow from the negotiation process. The primary purpose of the Bolivia Social Marketing Activity (BSMA) is to improve the reproductive health of low income families through two avenues -- 1) family planning and 2) STD/AIDS prevention activities. Family planning activities are intended to improve reproductive health by promoting the improvement of maternal and child health and family economic well being. STD/AIDS prevention activities are intended to improve reproductive health by reducing the transmission of STDs, including HIV, among sexually active populations. The USAID/Bolivia Results Framework includes one Strategic Objective (SO), three Intermediate Results (IR) indicators, and several sub-IR level indicators that are used by the USAID Mission to track progress made toward achieving the SO Health Results Framework. The current Bolivia social marketing activity, initiated on June 1, 1995, has achieved significant success in terms of increasing access to contraceptives. The continued goal of the social marketing activity in Bolivia is to expand access to products, through traditional and non-traditional outlets; to NGO and private sector FPRSH services, through active promotion and advertising; and to information, through broadcast and print media. The application for the proposed activity should demonstrate how the activity will build on the success to date of social marketing in Bolivia. Based on past experience in social marketing activities and current knowledge of the Bolivia context, USAID/Bolivia suggests the following outputs as reasonable and achievable goals for the proposed activity. A. Increased sales use of modern family planning methods through the reinforcement of a private sector network of distributors and retail outlets serving 311 municipalities of Bolivia, and B. Increased use of FPRSH services nationwide, but especially in rural areas. A reasonable and possible financial participation by the applicant is anticipated to use in approaching the design and negotiation of this activity. Interested parties should submit via APO mail, fax or courier their letters of interest to the Contracting Officer. Approximately ten days after the due date for reception of letters of interest USAID/Bolivia will release RFA-Bolivia 98/008 with complete and comprehensive program description, requirements for applicants and the evaluation criteria for this competitive process. USAID/Bolivia expects to complete this competitive process as soon as possible but not later than July 15, 1998. (0086)

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