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

R -- AWARD OF MULTIPLE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS TO US AND/OR BOLIVIAN NGOS AND/OR FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SOL RFA Bolivia 99-002 DUE 011599 POC Contact Point: Jose Zenteno, International Acquisition Specialist, Tel: 591-2-786445 or 591-2-430631, Fax: 591-2-785689, Internet: atrujillo@usaid.gov Award of multiple Cooperative Agreements to US and/or Bolivian NGOs and/or For-Profit Organizations to provide funds for the implementation of equity investments in regulated Bolivian microfinance institutions including FFPs and other licensed financial institutions operating in Bolivia. The purpose of the proposal activity is to strengthen regulated microfinance institutions in Bolivia by increasing the equity base of existing microfinance providers and bringing on board strong NGOs and/or For-Profit Organizations who will assist in providing strategic and operational guidance to existing Bolivian microfinance institutions. The US$3.5 million will be used exclusively to capitalize several microfinance institutions in amounts ranging from $500,000 up to $ 1,000,000 per Cooperative Agreement and further expand access to financial services by the poor in Bolivia. USAID funds will be provided to US or Bolivian NGOs and/or For-Profit Organizations to purchase shares in microfinance institutions in Bolivia and it is expected that, in turn, these NGOs and/or For-Profit Organizations will also provide institutional strategic and operational guidance to existing Bolivian microfinance institutions as active shareholders. It is also anticipated that these funds will be used to encourage greater private investment in microfinance institutions by increasing public deposits, accessing a greater amount of inter-bank loans, and encouraging private investors to purchase shares in the microfinance providers. It is expected that the Cooperative Agreements awarded will further expand the ability of existing Bolivian microfinance institutions to: A. Reach a greater number of Bolivian households with access to financial services; B. Increase the loan portfolio of assisted microfinance providers; C. Increase the amount of private capital mobilized by the microfinance providers to expand microcredit lending; and D. Increase the availability of savings facilities for the poor in Bolivia. 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 99/002 for applicants and the evaluation criteria for this competitive process. USAID/Bolivia expects to complete this competitive process on or about April 1, 1999. The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the Internet or by request of a solicitation 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 home page, then "USAID Procurements." On the following screen, select "Download Available USAID Solicitations." Receipt of this RFA through INTERNET must be confirmed by written notification to the contact person noted above. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this solicitation document to ensure that it has been received from INTERNET in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Posted 12/04/98 (I-SN277398). (0338)

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