Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 388 12 000006
Apply for RFA 388 12 000006
- The Bangladesh USAID Dhaka in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agricultural Extension Capacity Building Activity" 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 Feb 26, 2012 and posted on Feb 26, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000,000.00 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).
- To be eligible to receive this Cooperative Agreement, applicants must be legally recognized local Bangladeshi entities under applicable law such as private, non profit organizations (or for profit companies willing to forego profits), including private voluntary organizations (PVOs), universities, research organizations, professional associations, and relevant special interest associations.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Agricultural Extension Capacity Building Activity is a USAID/Bangladesh grant opportunity that funds a five year project aimed at strengthening Bangladesh's agricultural extension system so it responds more directly to farmers and market realities. The central idea is to move extension toward a demand driven and commercially oriented model, where farmers are not just passive recipients of advice but are tightly connected to both extension providers and agricultural research through a stronger, faster feedback loop. In practical terms, the opportunity is focused on improving how extension services listen to farmers, adapt recommendations based on farmer needs and local conditions, and help farmers engage more effectively with commercial agriculture opportunities.
This opportunity is issued as a Request for Applications (RFA) under Funding Opportunity Number RFA 388 12 000006, and the funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement. A cooperative agreement typically means USAID expects to be more actively involved than it would be under a standard grant, with substantial involvement during implementation such as technical engagement, coordination on key decisions, and ongoing collaboration to ensure results align with project goals. The activity area is categorized under Agriculture, and it falls under CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas).
USAID expects to make one award, with a total award size in the approximate range of $22,000,000 to $25,000,000. The award ceiling is $25 million and the floor is $22 million, signaling that USAID is looking for a full scale national level program rather than a small pilot. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants must contribute resources toward the project, whether in cash or allowable in kind contributions, consistent with the RFA rules. Applicants would need to plan for and clearly document how they will meet the cost share requirement as part of their application strategy and budget design.
Eligibility is limited to legally recognized local Bangladeshi entities. USAID specifies that eligible applicants include private non profit organizations (and for profit companies if they are willing to forego profits), including private voluntary organizations, as well as universities, research organizations, professional associations, and relevant special interest associations. In other words, the competition is designed to be led by Bangladeshi institutions rather than international organizations, emphasizing local ownership and local capacity to run and sustain an upgraded extension approach.
The announcement was posted on February 26, 2012, and the application deadline (original and current) is April 30, 2012, with the opportunity archived on May 30, 2012. USAID/Bangladesh also planned a pre application conference to walk potential applicants through the RFA requirements and answer questions, with registration instructions referenced in Section IV of the full solicitation. For applicants needing help accessing the full announcement, the listed contact is Maychin Ho, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist at USAID/Bangladesh, reachable by phone at 0088 885 5500 or by email at AgExtRFADhaka@usaid.gov.
Overall, this is a high value, single award, multi year cooperative agreement intended to modernize and professionalize extension services in Bangladesh by making them more responsive to farmer demand and more connected to research and market opportunities, while building the capacity of Bangladeshi organizations to lead and sustain that system over time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Agricultural Extension Capacity Building Activity (USAID/Bangladesh)
1) What is the Agricultural Extension Capacity Building Activity?
It is a USAID/Bangladesh grant opportunity to fund a five-year project focused on strengthening Bangladesh's agricultural extension system so it responds more directly to farmers and market realities. The activity emphasizes making extension more demand-driven and commercially oriented, with faster feedback between farmers, extension providers, and agricultural research.
2) What is the main goal of this opportunity?
The main goal is to modernize and professionalize agricultural extension services in Bangladesh by improving how extension services listen to farmers, adapt recommendations based on farmer needs and local conditions, and help farmers engage more effectively with commercial agriculture opportunities.
3) What does "demand-driven and commercially oriented extension" mean in this RFA?
Based on the description provided, it means farmers should not be passive recipients of advice. Instead, extension should be shaped by farmer demand and market realities, with stronger linkages to research and more rapid feedback loops so recommendations can be updated based on what farmers actually need and what local conditions allow.
4) What funding mechanism is being used?
The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement issued under a Request for Applications (RFA).
5) What is a Cooperative Agreement, and why does it matter?
A cooperative agreement typically means USAID expects to be more actively involved than under a standard grant. The opportunity notes substantial USAID involvement during implementation, such as technical engagement, coordination on key decisions, and ongoing collaboration to ensure results align with project goals.
6) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this RFA?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA 388 12 000006.
7) What sector or activity area does this opportunity fall under?
The activity area is categorized under Agriculture.
8) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity falls under CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas).
9) How many awards does USAID expect to make?
USAID expects to make one award.
10) What is the expected total funding amount for the award?
USAID anticipates an award in the approximate range of $22,000,000 to $25,000,000.
11) What are the award ceiling and award floor?
The award ceiling is $25 million and the award floor is $22 million.
12) What does the large award range suggest about the size of the program?
The ceiling and floor indicate USAID is looking for a full-scale, national-level program rather than a small pilot project.
13) Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants must contribute resources toward the project in cash or allowable in-kind contributions, consistent with the RFA rules.
14) What should applicants consider when planning for cost share?
Applicants would need to plan for and clearly document how they will meet the cost share requirement as part of their application strategy and budget design, following the RFA requirements.
15) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to legally recognized local Bangladeshi entities.
16) What types of Bangladeshi organizations are eligible?
USAID specifies eligible applicants may include private non-profit organizations (and for-profit companies if they are willing to forego profits), including private voluntary organizations, as well as universities, research organizations, professional associations, and relevant special interest associations.
17) Can a for-profit company apply?
Yes, for-profit companies may be eligible if they are willing to forego profits, as stated in the opportunity description.
18) Are international organizations eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
Based on the information provided, the competition is designed to be led by local Bangladeshi institutions, and eligibility is limited to legally recognized local Bangladeshi entities.
19) How long is the project period?
The project is intended to run for five years.
20) When was the opportunity posted?
The announcement was posted on February 26, 2012.
21) What is the application deadline?
The application deadline (original and current) is April 30, 2012.
22) When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on May 30, 2012.
23) Was there a pre-application conference?
Yes. USAID/Bangladesh planned a pre-application conference to walk potential applicants through the RFA requirements and answer questions.
24) Where are the pre-application conference registration instructions located?
The registration instructions were referenced in Section IV of the full solicitation.
25) Who is the contact person for questions or access to the full announcement?
The listed contact is Maychin Ho, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist at USAID/Bangladesh.
26) What phone number is provided for the contact person?
The phone number listed is 0088 885 5500.
27) What email address is provided for the opportunity?
The email address provided is AgExtRFADhaka@usaid.gov.
28) What kind of changes to extension services does USAID want to support through this activity?
The activity focuses on improving how extension services listen to farmers, adapt recommendations to farmer needs and local conditions, and connect farmers more effectively to commercial agriculture opportunities, with a stronger, faster feedback loop linking farmers, extension providers, and agricultural research.
29) What is the overall purpose of limiting eligibility to Bangladeshi entities?
The opportunity emphasizes local ownership and local capacity to run and sustain an upgraded extension approach over time, indicating the activity is intended to build the capacity of Bangladeshi organizations to lead and sustain the improved system.
30) What is the overall summary of this funding opportunity?
It is a high-value, single-award, multi-year cooperative agreement intended to strengthen Bangladesh's agricultural extension system so it becomes more demand-driven, more commercially oriented, more responsive to farmer needs, and more connected to research and market opportunities, while building the capacity of Bangladeshi institutions to sustain those improvements.
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