USAID/Philippines, FP AP 96515 or USAID/Philippines, 1680 Roxas Boulevard, Manila Philippines

R -- GRANT FOR THE SAMAR ISLAND BIODIVERSITY STUDY (SAMBIO) SOL RFA 492-99-007 DUE 051499 POC Ma. Rosario Arenas, Acquisition Specialist, Office of Regional Procurement, USAID/Philippines. Tel: 632-522-4411, Ext.3460, Fax: 632-522-4337, E-mail: marenas@usaid.gov WEB: http://www.info.usaid.gov, http://www.info.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/announce/cbd. E-MAIL: http://www.info.usaid.gov, marenas@usaid.gov. USAID/Philippines invites qualified applicants, Philippine Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs), US-PVOs with established local presence, not-for-profit organizations and academic institutions to submit applications for a grant to conduct a Samar Island Biodiversity Study (SAMBIO). SAMBIO is an adjunct to the preparatory phase of UNDP's Samar Island Biodiversity Project (SIBP). By funding this activity, USAID joins a bilateral/multilateral donor effort to preserve and conserve the biodiversity of the samar island forest reserve (sifr) while assisting the upland population identify and develop alternative environmentally sustainable sources of income. For-profit organizations may also submit applications, however they will not be entitled to receive a fee for this activity. It is anticipated that one grant will be awarded, under a competition process to be described in the RFA, for a period of about twelve (12) months. USAID plans to provide a total amount of approximately $350,000 for the activity. The overall objective of the grant is to determine the costs and benefits of alternative options for managing the SIBP. It is expected that at the end of the study, there will be sufficient information to assist the Philippine Government's implementing agency to determine the appropriate management option(s) for SIBP to preserve and conserve the biodiversity of the SIFR. All questions related to this notice and requests for a copy of the rfa must be addressed in writing, by letter, fax or e-mail to the acquisition specialist at the address stated above. Specify the RFA requested, and include your complete firm name, street address, telephone and fax no. And email address. No telephone requests will be honored. The RFA is expected to be issued on or about May 14, 1999 with a closing date for the submission of applications about 30 days later (exact due date to be specified in the RFA). The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the internet or by request of a solicitation on a 3.5" diskette (ms word 97.2). Only in instances where internet access or utilization of diskettes are not possible will a hard copy of the RFA be distributed upon request. Applicants shall not request a diskette or hard copy of the rfa until confirmation that they are unable to access the document via the internet, and you have communicated with the acquisition specialist regarding this inability to achieve internet access. This cbd notice, and the RFA once issued, can be viewed and downloaded from the USAID external web site. The USAID 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 grant officer. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this rfa 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. The publication of this notice does not obligate THE U.S. Government to award a grant. Posted 04/27/99 (W-SN324608). (0117)

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