Deadline: 27 August 2019

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the West Africa Rapid Response Fund for Acute Humanitarian Needs Resulting from New Internal Displacement.

Program Scope and Objectives

The scope and objectives of the program to be funded under the award resulting from this NFO are to:

• Maintain a thirty-six month (three years) Rapid Response Fund (RRF) Program with standby capacity whereby international, and local organizations through sub-awards, will be supported to provide short-term, effective, and rapid interventions (maximum of 90 days from the start of the response) to meet acute emergency humanitarian needs related to the impacts of new internal displacement within the West Africa region (Niger, Cameroon, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Ghana) as they emerge over the duration of the Award; and
• As needed, depending on the local humanitarian capacity that currently exists in these countries, build and strengthen the humanitarian response capacity of national nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) across the region to respond effectively and efficiently to emergency needs of target IDP populations. By providing technical assistance on programmatic, administrative, and financial aspects of sub-award implementation, the applicant will be expected to provide response programs in such a way as to build capacity of local services and any national disaster entities, and not to undermine existing government Ministry activities.

Sectors

Activities to be supported under this RRF mechanism must fall within one or more of the following USAID/OFDA sectors; the awardee is expected to address all of these sectors in its proposal, though actual response activities may vary based on the specific needs of the affected population:

• Shelter and Settlements
• Logistics Support
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
• Nutrition

Funding Information

Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide US $5 million in total USAID funding over a 3-year period.

Geographic Scope

The geographic priorities for this APS are: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. Under this APS, USAID/OFDA will only consider applications for rapid response mechanisms that will support activities in all of the above countries.

Eligibility Criteria

• Type of Organization
  • Non-U.S. NGOs (Foreign Organizations)
    • Indigenous Local or Regional Non-Profit Organizations
    • Indigenous Local or Regional Commercial (For-Profit) Organizations
    • Indigenous Local or Regional Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)
    • Other Non-U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)
  • U.S. NGOs
    • U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)
    • U.S. Native American Tribal Organizations
  • Foreign Public Entities
    • Public International Organizations (PIOs)
    • Foreign Governmental Organizations
  • U.S. Governmental Organizations
    • Other USG Departments and Agencies
    • U.S. state and local governments
• USAID/OFDA will not accept applications from individuals. All applicants must be legally recognized organizational entities under applicable law. Prior to beginning program implementation, applicants must complete all required steps (if any) with the host government to legally operate their program.
• USAID welcomes applications from organizations which have not previously received financial assistance from USAID.
• Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.
• Applicants must have established financial management, monitoring and evaluation processes, internal control systems, and policies and procedures that comply with established U.S. Government standards, laws, and regulations. The successful applicant(s) will be subject to a responsibility determination assessment (Pre-award Survey) by the Agreement Officer (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.

Cost Sharing or Matching

Applicants are not required to include cost-share funding.

Other

The applicant may only submit one application under this notice of funding opportunity. This is limited to the submitting organization and to the individual investigator/program director.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted electronically at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=317930