United States Agency for International Development, American Embassy Santo Domingo, Unit 5541, APO AA 34041

U -- TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO USAID/SANTO DOMINGO PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE WELL POC Fanny M. Jorge, Regional Acquisition Specialist, Tel: (809) 221-1100, Fax: (809) 221-0704, E-mail: aterio@usaid.gov; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic WEB: http://www.info.usaid.gov/procurement_opp_bus/procurement/announce/cbd, http://www.info.usaid.gov. E-MAIL: http://www.info.usaid.gov, aterio@usaid.gov. Subject to the availability of funds, and pursuant to AIDAR 706.302.70, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/Santo Domingo) intends to award a non-competitive modification to Contract No. 517-C-00-96-00148-00 with Entrena, S.A., C/Rafael F. Bonelly No. 26, Ensanche Evaristo Morales, P.O. Box 20369, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to continue with Entrena for a period of 28 moths (i.e. December 31, 2001) of services under the original contract to improve the well being of geographically and economically isolated lower income groups in the Dominican Republic and the Implementation of the SPO for the mitigation of damages caused by Hurricane Georges, Phase I and II. The current ENTRENA long-term technical assistance contract which was awarded in May 14, 1996 has increased the capacity of PVOs and NGOs to deliver selected services and other resources to the poor. The project increases the quantity and quality of PVO activities by funding subprojects that focus on a number of different areas, e.g., employment generation, vocational and technical training, natural resources development, water and sanitation, hillside agriculture, community and urban development, democratic initiatives, health care, microenterprise development, housing and renewable energy. Entrena reviews the concept papers, screens grant applicants, assists the PVOs in preparing grant applications, monitors their implementation and provides technical assistance and training to strengthen participating NGOs. Under the project, a separate entity acts as fiduciary agent and is responsible for managing the payment and advance process for all NGO grants. USAID directly awards the grants to the pre-screened NGOs. On September 22, 1999 Hurricane Georges, with winds of up to 120 miles per hour, entered the Dominican Republic from the southeast and over a twelve hour period wreaked havoc across. Heavy winds severely damaged the eastern region, with extensive flood damage in the southwest. More than 300 people were confirmed dead, and nearly 1,000 are officially missing. The Government of the Dominican Republic (GODR) estimates total direct losses at $1.4 billion and total economic losses at $3.3 billion. All socio-economic areas suffered: approximately $474 million in agricultural infrastructure and production losses; $380 million in destroyed and damaged homes; $46 million in electricity losses; $34 million lost in education infrastructure; rural health care centers damaged and destroyed; hospitals suffered major damages; water systems became inoperable; communicable and water borne diseases are increasing; and thousands are in shelters without any means of supporting themselves. There is clearly an urgent need for reconstruction assistance. Immediate action is needed to mitigate health risks, as many refugee centers and damaged homes lack clean water and sanitary facilities. Disease and infections are easily passed under such conditions. USAID/Santo Domingo will continue working closely with ENTRENA to minimize the management burden in executing the grants. The upper dollar limit of the grants has been raised from $500,000 to $2,000,000 and integrated activities are encouraged to reduce the overall number of grants. Approximately twenty additional grants are expected to be awarded to NGOs within the extended time period. Funding for the new grant awards could reach a total of $21 million in the areas of primary health care, water and sanitation, housing, soil conservation and agroforestry, energy, agriculture, and microenterprises. Posted 05/31/00 (W-SN460125). (0152)

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