R -- IMPLEMENTATION GRANT PROGRAM, THE MICROENTERPRISE INNOVATION PROJECT

Notice Date

October 30, 2000

Contracting Office

Mark Walther, Contracting Officer, U.S. Agency for International Development, M/OP/B/PCE, RRB Room 7.09-132, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20523-7100

ZIP Code

20523-7100

Solicitation Number

RFA-FS: RFA G/EGAD/MD-01-A-001

Point of Contact

Janell Mobley, Tel: 202-712-0030, Fax: 202-216-3228, E-mail: jmobley@usaid.gov

E-Mail Address

http://www.info.usaid.gov (jmobley@usaid.gov)

Description

On or about October 31, 2000, Request for Applications (RFA) RFA-G/EGAD/MD-01-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/EGAD/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 in more than one country. While for-profit firms may submit applications, it is USAID's policy not to award fees/profits under assistance instruments. Grants 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, as well as innovations in service delivery or products and services. 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. Cooperative 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. The progress will be verified by financial assessments conducted by G/EGAD/MD. During FY 01, a new "market linkages" window has been added to the RFA for activities that have a broad benefit to the microfinance industry as a whole and facilitate access to financial markets. Approximately 5 to 10 grants will be awarded for expansion of and innovation in financial services. 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 $3.0 million. Proposals may be for one or more countries chosen from among those countries world-wide currently eligible for USAID funding. Interested applicants should request the RFA in writing by faxing 202-216-3228 or writing via the U.S. Postal Service to the Office of Microenterprise Development, Economic Growth and Agricultural Development Center, Bureau for Global Affairs, United States Agency for International Development, RRB Room 2.10.024, Washington, D.C. 20523. Attention: Janell Mobley. E-mail address is jmobley@usaid.gov. Any mail sent by courier should be sent to Mona Swain at the Office of Microenterprise Development, Economic Growth and Agricultural Development 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 form the Agency web site. The Worldwide Web address is http://www.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 application document to ensure that it has been received from INTERNET in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from mission or conversion processes."

Web Link

http://www.info.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/announce/cbd (http://www.info.usaid.gov)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001101/RSOL010.HTM (W-304 SN5054H9)