Deadline: 23 August 2019

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID/Nigeria) is seeking applications for four (4) Cooperative Agreements from qualified entities to implement the Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA) activity.

The purpose of USAID/Nigeria’s Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA), (hereinafter referred to as the Activity), is to reduce the impact of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) on orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). ICHSSA will ensure that OVCs are cared for and protected by their households, communities, local and state governments. This includes helping to build and safeguard:

• Household capacity to access basic services for OVC
• Community capacity to secure the rights of OVC, and
• Local and state government capacity to deliver services and to prevent and mitigate rights violations.

The ICHSSA Activity will initially target OVCs in seven states, with one award for each of the following:

• Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers;
• Lagos;
• Kano;
• Adamawa and Bauchi.

However, based on data-driven PEPFAR priorities over time, USAID/Nigeria will maintain flexibility to change geographic focus, at short notice, throughout implementation of the Activity. Therefore, the Applicant is required to demonstrate ability to accommodate potential changes to place of performance beyond the states identified.

Award Information

USAID intends to provide approximately US$67 million in total USAID funding over a five-year period to cover the four awards.

Expected Results

Specifically, the ICHSSA Activity will seek to achieve the following Results and Intermediate Results (IRs).

• Result 1: Households have increased access to basic services and care for OVC
  • Households are economically stable and have food security
  • Caregivers adopt appropriate parenting practices
  • Caregivers support OVC to access age-appropriate educational, development, health and protection services
• Result 2: Communities ensure that OVC secure their rights
  • Communities promote child and family friendly, gender and HIV sensitive cultural norms and practices
  • Communities advocate for child and family friendly, gender and HIV sensitive government protection and support
  • Social service providers and health service providers coordinate child and familyfriendly OVC, gender and HIV services and support
• Result 3: Local and State Governments deliver basic services and detect and respond to child rights violations
  • Local and state governments plan for, finance, and deliver and monitor high-quality services to protect and care for OVC
  • Local and state governments collect, analyze, and use data to improve services and to protect and care for OVC
  • Local and state governments have sufficient, high-performing human resources to protect and care for OVC
• Result 4: Prioritized targeted services for specific OVC subpopulations utilized
  • Evidence-based OVC services are available for children and adolescents infected by or exposed to HIV
  • Evidence-based OVC services are available for adolescent girls at high risk of HIV infection and Sexual Violence in high burden areas
  • Evidence-based OVC service models are available for other sub-populations of children at a high risk of HIV infection

Eligible Applicants

• Eligibility for this NOFO is restricted to local Nigerian organizations.
• According to PEPFAR COP19 Guidance, the following is definition of local partner. Definition of a Local Partner: Under PEPFAR, a “local partner” may be an individual, a sole proprietorship, or an entity. However, to be considered a local partner, the Applicant must submit supporting documentation demonstrating their organization meets at least one of the three criteria listed below.
  • an individual must be a citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident of and have his/her principal place of business in the country served by the PEPFAR program with which the individual is or may become involved, and a sole proprietorship must be owned by such an individual; or
  • an entity (e.g., a corporation or partnership):
    • must be incorporated or legally organized under the laws of, and have its principal place of business in, the country served by the PEPFAR program with which the entity is or may become involved;
    • must be at 75% for FY 2018 beneficially owned by individuals who are citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of that same country, per sub-paragraph (2)(a);
    • at least 75% for FY 2018 of the entity’s staff (senior, mid-level, support) must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of that same country, per subparagraph (2)(a), and at least 75% for FY 2018 of the entity’s senior staff (i.e., managerial and professional personnel) must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of such country; and,
    • where an entity has a Board of Directors, at least 51% of the members of the Board must also be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of such country; or
  • Partner government ministries (e.g., Ministry of Health), sub-units of government ministries, and parastatal organizations in the country served by the PEPFAR program are considered local partners. A parastatal organization is defined as a fully or partially government-owned or government-funded organization. Such enterprises may function through a board of directors, similar to private corporations. However, ultimate control over the organization rests with the government.
• Note: To be considered a local partner, the Applicant must submit supporting documentation demonstrating they/their organization meets at least one of the three criteria listed above. Supporting documentation could include, but is not limited to, individual proof of citizenship or residence, registration documents as required by the relevant jurisdiction where the entity is incorporated, or other relevant documentation as dictated by jurisdictional context. The application of the definition applies throughout the COP19 guidance including areas of planning, budgeting, and SRE/pilots.
• These eligibility requirements apply to only the principal Applicant.
• USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID.
• Applicants must have established financial management, M&E processes, internal control systems, and policies and procedures that comply with established USG Government standards, laws, and regulations. The successful Applicant(s) will be subject to a responsibility determination assessment (possibly including a pre-award survey) by the AO.
• The Recipient must be a responsible entity. The AO may determine a pre-award survey is required to conduct an examination that will determine whether the prospective Recipient has the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills – or ability to obtain them – in order to achieve the objectives of the program and comply with the terms and conditions of the award.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted by email at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=318143