Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 167 14 000013
Apply for RFA 167 14 000013
- The Kosovo USAID Pristina in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing Kosovo Together Local Solutions Program" 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 Jun 20, 2014 and posted on May 29, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 26, 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 $7,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $7,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Regional Contracting Office in Kosovo is seeking applications only from qualified locally registered Kosovo non government organizations (NGOs) for a Cooperative Agreement to fund new program entitled Advancing Kosovo Together Local Solutions (AKT LS.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Advancing Kosovo Together (AKT) Local Solutions Program was a USAID funding opportunity designed to channel a significant, single award directly to a qualified locally registered Kosovo non-governmental organization, with the larger goal of shifting more development responsibility and capability to local institutions. The program sits squarely within USAID Forward, an agency-wide reform effort aimed at strengthening partner-country capacity while improving the long-term impact of foreign assistance. In practical terms, AKT Local Solutions was structured to rely more heavily on credible Kosovo-based systems and institutions so that the work supported through the grant would be more sustainable after external support tapers off.
At its core, the opportunity focused on two linked outcomes. First, it aimed to strengthen local civil society and private sector capacity in Kosovo, recognizing that capable local organizations and businesses are essential for stable, inclusive development and for delivering services and advocacy that respond to real community needs. Second, it aimed to improve aid effectiveness and sustainability by increasing USAID reliance on reliable partner-country entities rather than routing implementation primarily through international intermediaries. The intent was not just to fund activities in Kosovo, but to invest in Kosovo organizations as implementers, helping them build the managerial, financial, and technical capacity needed to plan, execute, and sustain development solutions over time.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a mandatory competitive opportunity under a Request for Applications (RFA), identified as Funding Opportunity Number RFA 167-14-000013. USAID Pristina (Kosovo) issued it through the Regional Contracting Office in Kosovo, and the planned award type was a Cooperative Agreement. That matters because a Cooperative Agreement typically involves substantial involvement by the funding agency during implementation, meaning USAID would likely remain actively engaged through technical direction, monitoring, collaboration on key decisions, and oversight to ensure results align with program objectives and compliance requirements.
The funding scope was straightforward and sizable: USAID expected to make one award, with an estimated total funding amount of USD 7,000,000. The opportunity listed the award floor and the award ceiling both at USD 7,000,000, signaling an intention to fund one implementer at a fixed total amount rather than multiple smaller grants or a wide range of award sizes. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants were not required to contribute their own funds as a condition of eligibility or competitiveness. The activity category was listed as Community Development, and the CFDA reference was 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas), which is the broad assistance listing commonly used for USAID overseas programming.
Eligibility was restricted to locally registered Kosovo NGOs. While the opportunity used the general category label "Others" in the standardized eligibility field, the detailed eligibility statement clarified that only qualified Kosovo-based, locally registered non-governmental organizations could apply. This is consistent with the "Local Solutions" framing, which emphasizes direct partnerships with local entities to build durable, country-led capacity. In effect, international NGOs and non-Kosovo entities would not have been eligible as prime applicants under this announcement.
Key dates show that the opportunity moved on a relatively short application timeline. It was posted on May 29, 2014, with an original (and unchanged) closing date of June 26, 2014, and an archive date of July 26, 2014. For applicants, that would have implied a need to rapidly assemble a complete technical and cost application, demonstrate organizational capacity and compliance readiness, and propose an approach that clearly advanced local capacity-building and sustainable development outcomes.
For applicants who needed support accessing the full announcement, USAID provided a point of contact: Urime Abdyli, Acquisition and Assistant Specialist, reachable at mohahmed@usaid.gov. This contact was specifically offered for difficulties accessing the announcement electronically, which suggests the full solicitation package contained additional required details such as the program description, expected results, application instructions, evaluation criteria, and compliance requirements that applicants would need to follow closely.
In summary, AKT Local Solutions was a single-award, USD 7 million USAID Cooperative Agreement opportunity intended exclusively for a qualified, locally registered Kosovo NGO to implement a community development-oriented program that strengthens Kosovo civil society and private sector capacity and improves the effectiveness and sustainability of aid by expanding the use of reliable local systems and institutions.
FAQs: USAID Advancing Kosovo Together (AKT) Local Solutions Program (RFA 167-14-000013)
What is the AKT Local Solutions Program?
The Advancing Kosovo Together (AKT) Local Solutions Program was a USAID funding opportunity designed to make a significant, single direct award to a qualified locally registered Kosovo non-governmental organization (NGO). Its broader purpose was to shift more development responsibility and capability to local institutions in Kosovo and support solutions that remain sustainable after external support decreases.
What was the main goal of this USAID opportunity?
The opportunity aimed to strengthen partner-country capacity and improve the long-term impact of foreign assistance by relying more on credible Kosovo-based systems and institutions. It focused on investing in Kosovo organizations as implementers, not only funding activities in Kosovo.
What outcomes did the program focus on?
The opportunity emphasized two linked outcomes: (1) strengthening local civil society and private sector capacity in Kosovo, and (2) improving aid effectiveness and sustainability by increasing USAID reliance on reliable partner-country entities rather than primarily using international intermediaries.
How does this opportunity relate to USAID Forward?
The program sat within USAID Forward, an agency-wide reform effort intended to strengthen partner-country capacity while improving the long-term impact of foreign assistance. AKT Local Solutions reflected this approach by channeling funding directly to a qualified local Kosovo organization and relying more heavily on local systems.
What type of funding opportunity was this?
This was a mandatory competitive funding opportunity issued under a Request for Applications (RFA).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number was RFA 167-14-000013.
Who issued the opportunity?
USAID Pristina (Kosovo) issued the opportunity through the Regional Contracting Office in Kosovo.
What was the planned award type?
The planned award type was a Cooperative Agreement.
What does it mean that the award was a Cooperative Agreement?
A Cooperative Agreement typically involves substantial involvement by the funding agency during implementation. Based on the information provided, this would likely mean USAID would remain actively engaged through technical direction, monitoring, collaboration on key decisions, and oversight to ensure alignment with objectives and compliance requirements.
How many awards did USAID expect to make?
USAID expected to make one award.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was USD 7,000,000.
What were the award floor and award ceiling?
Both the award floor and the award ceiling were USD 7,000,000, signaling an intent to fund a single implementer at a fixed total amount rather than multiple awards or a range of award sizes.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute their own funds as a condition of eligibility or competitiveness.
What was the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category was Community Development.
What CFDA reference was listed?
The CFDA reference was 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas).
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was restricted to qualified, locally registered Kosovo non-governmental organizations (NGOs). While the standardized eligibility label used the category "Others," the detailed eligibility statement clarified that only qualified Kosovo-based, locally registered NGOs could apply.
Were international NGOs eligible as prime applicants?
No. Based on the stated eligibility restriction to locally registered Kosovo NGOs, international NGOs and non-Kosovo entities would not have been eligible as prime applicants under this announcement.
Why was eligibility restricted to locally registered Kosovo NGOs?
This restriction aligned with the "Local Solutions" framing, which emphasized direct partnerships with local entities to build durable, country-led capacity and increase reliance on reliable local systems and institutions.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 29, 2014.
What was the application closing date?
The closing date was June 26, 2014, and it was not changed from the original closing date.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was July 26, 2014.
What did the timeline imply for applicants?
The timeline implied a relatively short period to prepare and submit a complete technical and cost application, demonstrate organizational capacity and compliance readiness, and propose an approach that clearly advanced local capacity-building and sustainable development outcomes.
What kind of work was USAID trying to support through this grant?
The work supported through the grant was intended to strengthen Kosovo civil society and private sector capacity and to improve the sustainability of results by relying more heavily on credible Kosovo-based systems and institutions.
Was the intent only to fund activities in Kosovo?
No. The intent was also to invest in Kosovo organizations as implementers, supporting them in building managerial, financial, and technical capacity to plan, execute, and sustain development solutions over time.
Who was the point of contact for issues accessing the announcement?
The point of contact was Urime Abdyli, Acquisition and Assistant Specialist.
What email address was provided for the point of contact?
The contact email provided was mohahmed@usaid.gov.
What kind of help was the point of contact specifically offered for?
The contact was specifically offered for applicants who had difficulties accessing the full announcement electronically.
Where would applicants typically find more detailed requirements and instructions?
The full solicitation package (referenced as the full announcement) would typically contain additional required details such as the program description, expected results, application instructions, evaluation criteria, and compliance requirements that applicants would need to follow.
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