Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 391 14 000009
Apply for RFA 391 14 000009
- The Pakistan USAID Islamabad in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS)" 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 May 19, 2014 and posted on Apr 3, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 27, 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 $38,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $18,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- Qualified U.S. colleges and universities (including minority serving institutions, community colleges, and women s colleges) may apply for USAID funding under this RFA. USG and USAID regulations generally treat colleges and universities as NGOs, rather than governmental organizations hence, both public and private colleges and universities are eligible. Non U.S. colleges and universities in countries that are ineligible for assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act or related appropriations acts are ineligible.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS) opportunity is a USAID-funded higher education and applied research initiative developed with Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) to support Pakistan's economic development. The central idea is to strengthen Pakistani universities so they can better meet evolving public- and private-sector demand for practical, solutions-oriented research and for graduates with job-ready skills. The project focuses on three priority sectors that are closely tied to economic growth and national resilience: water, food security and agriculture, and energy. USAID planned to establish Centers for Advanced Studies in each of these areas, using university partnerships to create stronger academic programs, more relevant research pipelines, and tighter links between universities, government, and industry.
Funding is structured as three cooperative agreements, subject to funds being available, with an anticipated five-year period of performance for each award. Two sector awards (water and food security/agriculture) were expected to be in the range of roughly USD 9 to 10 million each. The energy award was larger, roughly USD 16 to 18 million, and notably includes the establishment of two separate Centers for Advanced Studies in Energy at Pakistani universities. Across the opportunity, the estimated total funding was USD 38 million, with an award ceiling of USD 18 million. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning USAID expects substantial involvement in implementation compared with a standard grant. The listing also indicates a cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants should expect to contribute or leverage additional resources as part of the proposed partnership.
Programmatically, each CAS is expected to function as more than a traditional university department or research center. The project emphasizes public-private partnerships and sector-specific networks that bring together academia, government stakeholders, and the business community. The intent is to concentrate expertise and decision-making around real-world constraints in these sectors, generate applied research that can inform policy and practice, and support innovation and competitiveness. In practical terms, the centers are meant to act as convening hubs and problem-solving engines, aligning curriculum and research agendas with workforce needs, industry priorities, and public policy goals in water management, agricultural productivity and food systems, and energy generation and efficiency.
Eligibility is aimed at qualified U.S. colleges and universities, including minority-serving institutions, community colleges, and women's colleges. USAID and U.S. government regulations generally treat higher education institutions as non-governmental organizations for these purposes, so both public and private U.S. institutions are eligible to apply. The notice also clarifies that non-U.S. colleges and universities located in countries ineligible for assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act (or related appropriations) are not eligible. The implementing approach is partnership-based, with U.S. institutions expected to collaborate with Pakistani universities that will host and benefit from the centers, but applicants are required to follow strict communication rules regarding those partnerships.
A major compliance point in the notice is the restriction on contacting Pakistani universities before the RFA is officially released. Prospective applicants were explicitly instructed not to reach out to Pakistani universities to discuss partnerships ahead of the RFA release, and doing so could result in exclusion from the competition. Similarly, applicants were told not to contact USAID technical staff directly; all communications must go through the designated Agreement Officer or the Assistance Specialist until awards are made. This is standard in competitive federal assistance processes and is intended to keep the playing field fair and ensure all applicants have access to the same information.
In terms of timeline and process, USAID indicated the full Request for Applications would be posted on Grants.gov (the notice references an intended release date and later provides key posted and closing dates). The opportunity was posted April 3, 2014. The original closing date was May 6, 2014, and the current closing date was extended to June 27, 2014, with an archive date of July 27, 2014. USAID also planned a pre-application conference on May 6, 2014 in Washington, DC (venue to be determined based on attendance). The purpose of that conference was to provide background on CAS, walk through the RFA requirements in detail, explain important aspects of working with USAID, and address questions about both the technical narrative and the cost proposal. Interested attendees needed to RSVP to Mr. Juan Esteban Proano (jproano@usaid.gov) by April 17, 2014 at 9:00 am Pakistan Standard Time, and USAID reserved the right to limit attendance due to space constraints.
Finally, the key administrative identifiers and contacts are as follows: Funding Opportunity Number RFA-391-14-000009; CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas); awarding office Pakistan USAID/Islamabad. Questions were directed to Ryan Weddle, Agreement Officer (rweddle@usaid.gov), with a copy to Juan Esteban Proano, Assistance Specialist (jproano@usaid.gov). The Assistance Specialist contact also included a phone number: +92 51 2081634. Substantive questions about the RFA were not to be answered until the RFA was released, reinforcing the controlled communication rules that governed the competition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS) - USAID / Pakistan HEC
1) What is the Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS) opportunity?
The Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS) opportunity is a USAID-funded higher education and applied research initiative developed with Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC). Its goal is to support Pakistan's economic development by strengthening Pakistani universities so they can deliver practical, solutions-oriented research and produce graduates with job-ready skills.
2) What are the priority sectors covered by this opportunity?
The project focuses on three priority sectors tied to economic growth and national resilience: water; food security and agriculture; and energy.
3) What is USAID trying to achieve through the CAS model?
USAID intends to strengthen university programs and applied research so universities can better respond to public- and private-sector demand. The design emphasizes stronger academic programs, more relevant research pipelines, and tighter working relationships between universities, government, and industry.
4) How are the awards structured?
Funding is structured as three cooperative agreements (subject to availability of funds), with an anticipated five-year period of performance for each award.
5) What is a cooperative agreement, and why does it matter?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which means USAID expects substantial involvement in implementation compared with a standard grant. Applicants should plan for more active USAID engagement during the life of the award.
6) How much funding is expected for each sector award?
Two sector awards (water and food security/agriculture) were expected to be roughly USD 9 to 10 million each. The energy award was larger, roughly USD 16 to 18 million.
7) What is unique about the energy award?
The energy award includes the establishment of two separate Centers for Advanced Studies in Energy at Pakistani universities.
8) What is the estimated total funding for the overall opportunity?
The estimated total funding across the opportunity was USD 38 million.
9) What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed for the opportunity is USD 18 million.
10) Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?
Yes. The listing indicates a cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants should expect to contribute or leverage additional resources as part of the proposed partnership.
11) Are these centers meant to be typical university departments or research labs?
No. Each CAS is intended to function as more than a traditional department or research center. The centers are envisioned as convening hubs and problem-solving engines focused on applied research, policy-relevant solutions, and workforce-aligned education.
12) What kinds of partnerships does the opportunity emphasize?
The project emphasizes public-private partnerships and sector-specific networks that bring together academia, government stakeholders, and the business community.
13) What kinds of outcomes are expected from the centers?
The centers are intended to concentrate expertise around real-world constraints in the priority sectors, generate applied research that can inform policy and practice, and support innovation and competitiveness. They are also meant to align curriculum and research agendas with workforce needs, industry priorities, and public policy goals.
14) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at qualified U.S. colleges and universities, including minority-serving institutions, community colleges, and women's colleges. Both public and private U.S. higher education institutions are eligible.
15) How does USAID treat universities for eligibility purposes?
USAID and U.S. government regulations generally treat higher education institutions as non-governmental organizations for these purposes, which supports eligibility for both public and private U.S. institutions.
16) Are non-U.S. universities eligible to apply?
The notice clarifies that non-U.S. colleges and universities located in countries ineligible for assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act (or related appropriations) are not eligible.
17) What role do Pakistani universities play in the approach?
The implementing approach is partnership-based, with U.S. institutions expected to collaborate with Pakistani universities that will host and benefit from the centers.
18) Are there restrictions on contacting Pakistani universities before applying?
Yes. Prospective applicants were explicitly instructed not to contact Pakistani universities to discuss partnerships ahead of the official release of the Request for Applications (RFA). Doing so could result in exclusion from the competition.
19) Are there restrictions on contacting USAID staff?
Yes. Applicants were told not to contact USAID technical staff directly. Until awards are made, all communications must go through the designated Agreement Officer or the Assistance Specialist.
20) Where and when was the full Request for Applications expected to be posted?
USAID indicated the full RFA would be posted on Grants.gov.
21) What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted on April 3, 2014. The original closing date was May 6, 2014, and it was extended to June 27, 2014. The archive date was July 27, 2014.
22) Was there a pre-application conference?
Yes. USAID planned a pre-application conference on May 6, 2014 in Washington, DC (venue to be determined based on attendance).
23) What was the purpose of the pre-application conference?
The conference was intended to provide background on CAS, walk through the RFA requirements in detail, explain important aspects of working with USAID, and address questions related to both the technical narrative and the cost proposal.
24) How did attendees RSVP for the pre-application conference?
Interested attendees needed to RSVP to Mr. Juan Esteban Proano at jproano@usaid.gov by April 17, 2014 at 9:00 am Pakistan Standard Time. USAID also reserved the right to limit attendance due to space constraints.
25) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-391-14-000009.
26) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA is 98.001, identified as USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.
27) Which USAID office is the awarding office?
The awarding office is Pakistan USAID/Islamabad.
28) Who should applicants contact with questions, and how?
Questions were directed to Ryan Weddle, Agreement Officer, at rweddle@usaid.gov, with a copy to Juan Esteban Proano, Assistance Specialist, at jproano@usaid.gov.
29) Is there a phone number listed for the Assistance Specialist?
Yes. The Assistance Specialist contact included the phone number +92 51 2081634.
30) Will USAID answer substantive questions before the RFA is released?
No. The notice indicated that substantive questions about the RFA were not to be answered until the RFA was released, reinforcing controlled communication rules during the competition.
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