Opportunity Information: Apply for APS 538 14 000001
Apply for APS 538 14 000001
- The USAID Barbados and Eastern Caribbean in the employment, labor and training health natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Addendum to Call for Public Private Alliance Proposals from USAID/BEC" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001 USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 30, 2013 and posted on Oct 29, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
USAID/Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (USAID/BEC) issued this addendum to its Call for Public Private Alliance Proposals as a discretionary funding opportunity (APS 538-14-000001) focused on partnering with the private sector and other stakeholders to address three priority development objectives in the Eastern Caribbean. Awards were to be made as grants or cooperative agreements, with an estimated total of $5,000,000 available across an expected four awards. Individual awards could be as large as $1,250,000, with no required cost share or matching, and eligibility was broadly unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full notice). The opportunity was posted in late October 2013 and closed January 31, 2014.
The first objective targets citizen security by expanding economic and educational pathways for at-risk youth, based on the idea that stronger skills, better schooling, and credible second-chance options reduce vulnerability to crime and violence. USAID/BEC signaled interest in private-sector-led or private-sector-originated solutions that build practical life skills (communication, leadership, conflict resolution) alongside wraparound supports such as sports-for-development, tutoring, workforce readiness, and other youth development services. The scope also includes market-driven training aligned with real employment demand, such as ICT, foreign language skills, niche agriculture, and technical competencies tied to emerging industries, including green technology installation and maintenance. Other illustrative activities include creating high-quality early grade teaching and learning materials to boost literacy and numeracy (kindergarten through the first three primary years), using mobile or web-based tools to identify and track criminal activity in high-crime communities, enabling companies to hire trained youth and integrate them into value chains, expanding second-chance education and vocational options for reintegration (including juvenile offenders), and testing innovative psychosocial approaches that strengthen support systems for vulnerable youth.
The second objective focuses on climate change adaptation and resilience, with an emphasis on growing a regional green economy and improving energy efficiency. USAID/BEC framed climate change as an existential risk for Caribbean societies due to sea level rise, warmer seas, saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers, more frequent severe weather events, and heavy dependence on imported petroleum. The opportunity encourages private-sector proposals that translate climate risk into practical preparedness and economic opportunity, including the development of financial products that help households and small businesses recover from disasters (for example, affordable disaster risk insurance for low-income communities, small farmers, and small hotels). USAID/BEC also highlighted support for green economy development through investment in new technologies or technical assistance that strengthens value chains and accelerates adoption of green approaches. Additional examples include expanding renewable energy and other green technologies (solar, wind, and related solutions) to cut external energy dependence, partnering with education institutions from primary schools through postgraduate programs to build in-demand green skills and adaptation tools, collaborating with governments, donors, and international financial institutions to replicate proven adaptation projects and best practices, and engaging youth directly in advocacy and implementation of adaptation solutions.
The third objective addresses HIV awareness, prevention, and care, recognizing that the Caribbean has the highest HIV rates outside sub-Saharan Africa and that progress in the general population still leaves major gaps for key populations. USAID/BEC emphasized persistent stigma and discrimination affecting people living with HIV/AIDS and those most vulnerable to infection, alongside the need to reduce homophobia and strengthen enabling environments. Private-sector-responsive activities of interest include innovative multimedia and social media campaigns (with the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership cited as a possible vehicle), workplace-based training programs, and efforts that build NGO capacity to advocate effectively for human-rights-protective laws and policies and to translate advocacy into shifts in harmful gender norms. The announcement also calls for technology-enabled improvements in patient-centered prevention, care, and support, such as mobile apps for patients and health professionals, and for the creation of virtual platforms that connect public, private, and non-governmental health actors into a more coordinated, multi-sectoral response. Finally, it highlights tourism as a strategic channel for prevention programming, encouraging partnerships with hotel chains, cruise lines, airlines, and tourism authorities to integrate HIV prevention into the region’s travel and hospitality ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is an addendum issued by USAID/Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (USAID/BEC) to its Call for Public Private Alliance Proposals, offered as a discretionary funding opportunity under APS 538-14-000001. It focused on partnerships with the private sector and other stakeholders to address priority development objectives in the Eastern Caribbean.
2) What are the priority objectives supported by this opportunity?
The opportunity focused on three priority development objectives in the Eastern Caribbean:
- Citizen security (with a strong emphasis on expanding economic and educational pathways for at-risk youth)
- Climate change adaptation and resilience (including growing a regional green economy and improving energy efficiency)
- HIV awareness, prevention, and care (including stigma reduction and technology-enabled, multi-sectoral responses)
3) Who issued the opportunity?
USAID/Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (USAID/BEC) issued the addendum.
4) What is the total estimated amount of funding available?
The estimated total amount available was $5,000,000 across all awards.
5) How many awards were expected?
USAID/BEC expected to make four awards.
6) What was the maximum size of an individual award?
Individual awards could be as large as $1,250,000.
7) What types of awards were anticipated?
Awards were to be made as grants or cooperative agreements.
8) Was cost share or matching required?
No required cost share or matching was stated for this addendum.
9) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broadly unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full notice.
10) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted in late October 2013 and closed on January 31, 2014.
11) What is the citizen security objective trying to achieve?
The citizen security objective aimed to reduce vulnerability to crime and violence by expanding economic and educational pathways for at-risk youth. The underlying premise was that stronger skills, improved schooling, and credible second-chance options can reduce the likelihood that vulnerable youth are pulled into crime and violence.
12) What kinds of youth-focused activities were highlighted under the citizen security objective?
USAID/BEC signaled interest in private-sector-led or private-sector-originated solutions that build practical life skills and provide wraparound supports. Examples included:
- Life skills development (communication, leadership, conflict resolution)
- Sports-for-development, tutoring, workforce readiness, and other youth development services
- Market-driven training aligned with real labor demand (ICT, foreign language skills, niche agriculture, technical competencies)
- Training tied to emerging industries such as green technology installation and maintenance
- Second-chance education and vocational options for reintegration, including for juvenile offenders
- Innovative psychosocial approaches that strengthen support systems for vulnerable youth
- Using mobile or web-based tools to identify and track criminal activity in high-crime communities
- Helping companies hire trained youth and integrate them into value chains
13) Did the citizen security objective include early-grade education activities?
Yes. One illustrative activity was the creation of high-quality early grade teaching and learning materials to boost literacy and numeracy for kindergarten through the first three primary years.
14) What is meant by "market-driven" training in this opportunity?
Within the information provided, "market-driven" training refers to skills development aligned with real employment demand (for example ICT, foreign language skills, niche agriculture, and technical competencies linked to emerging industries such as green technology installation and maintenance).
15) What is the climate change adaptation and resilience objective trying to address?
This objective focused on climate change adaptation and resilience in the Eastern Caribbean, emphasizing the need to grow a regional green economy and improve energy efficiency. USAID/BEC framed climate change as an existential risk due to sea level rise, warmer seas, saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers, more frequent severe weather events, and high dependence on imported petroleum.
16) What types of private-sector climate proposals were encouraged?
USAID/BEC encouraged proposals that translate climate risk into practical preparedness and economic opportunity. Examples included:
- Developing financial products to help households and small businesses recover after disasters (such as affordable disaster risk insurance for low-income communities, small farmers, and small hotels)
- Investment in new technologies or technical assistance that strengthens value chains and accelerates adoption of green approaches
- Expanding renewable energy and other green technologies (including solar and wind) to reduce dependence on external energy sources
17) Did the climate objective include education and workforce development?
Yes. USAID/BEC cited partnerships with education institutions (from primary schools through postgraduate programs) to build in-demand green skills and adaptation tools.
18) Did the climate objective include coordination with governments and international institutions?
Yes. One example described collaboration with governments, donors, and international financial institutions to replicate proven adaptation projects and best practices.
19) Was youth engagement mentioned in climate change activities?
Yes. The opportunity referenced engaging youth directly in advocacy and implementation of adaptation solutions.
20) What is the HIV objective trying to address?
The HIV objective focused on awareness, prevention, and care, acknowledging that the Caribbean has the highest HIV rates outside sub-Saharan Africa. It also recognized that progress in the general population still leaves major gaps for key populations, and it emphasized persistent stigma and discrimination affecting people living with HIV/AIDS and those most vulnerable to infection.
21) What kinds of HIV-related activities were highlighted for private-sector engagement?
Examples of activities of interest included:
- Innovative multimedia and social media campaigns (with the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership mentioned as a possible vehicle)
- Workplace-based training programs
- Building NGO capacity to advocate for human-rights-protective laws and policies and to translate advocacy into shifts in harmful gender norms
- Technology-enabled improvements in patient-centered prevention, care, and support (including mobile apps for patients and health professionals)
- Virtual platforms that connect public, private, and non-governmental health actors into a coordinated, multi-sectoral response
22) How was stigma and discrimination addressed in the HIV objective?
Within the information provided, USAID/BEC emphasized reducing stigma and discrimination affecting people living with HIV/AIDS and those most vulnerable to infection, including the need to reduce homophobia and strengthen enabling environments.
23) Was the tourism sector considered a channel for HIV prevention?
Yes. Tourism was highlighted as a strategic channel for prevention programming. The opportunity encouraged partnerships with hotel chains, cruise lines, airlines, and tourism authorities to integrate HIV prevention into the travel and hospitality ecosystem.
24) Did the opportunity specifically prioritize private-sector-led approaches?
Yes. Across the objectives, the addendum repeatedly emphasized partnering with the private sector and signaled particular interest in private-sector-led or private-sector-originated solutions, especially for citizen security activities.
25) Are the listed activities mandatory, or are they examples?
They were presented as illustrative examples of activities of interest under each objective, based on the information provided.
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