Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 388 16 000001
Apply for RFA 388 16 000001
- The USAID in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops Activity" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 13, 2016 and posted on Jan 13, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 17, 2016. (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 $24,500,000.00 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).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops Activity (RDC) was a USAID/Bangladesh Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) released on January 13, 2016 (NFO number RFA-388-16-000001) to identify one organization to implement a large, five-year Cooperative Agreement under the US Government's Feed the Future (FTF) initiative. USAID requested concept notes as the first step in its competitive selection process and allowed both US and non-US organizations to compete, with eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. Questions were due by January 26, 2016 at 1400 Bangladesh time, and the application deadline was February 17, 2016 at 1400 Bangladesh time.
The activity was designed as a major agriculture and market systems program with a total funding ceiling not to exceed $24.5 million, contingent on the availability of funds, and USAID expected to make one award. Its central aim was to improve food security and rural incomes in Bangladesh by raising smallholder productivity in rice and rotation crops while also making the broader market system more competitive and efficient. Rather than relying only on direct service delivery, the NFO emphasized facilitation and market systems approaches, meaning the implementer would be expected to catalyze lasting, systemic change by working through partnerships with private-sector actors and local institutions.
On the production side, RDC focused on improving smallholder performance by strengthening input and seed systems and accelerating adoption of improved technologies for rice and rotational crops. This included helping farmers access better seed, more reliable inputs, and more effective crop technologies and practices that can lift yields and reduce production risks. The program also explicitly promoted crop diversification through rotation and value-added options, naming value-added rice varieties and several rotational crops such as lentils, mustard, mung beans, sunflowers, and other crops suitable for Bangladesh. The underlying logic was that better crop choices and rotations can improve farm profitability and resilience, reduce overreliance on a single staple, and contribute to improved household nutrition and income stability.
On the market systems side, RDC aimed to increase competitiveness by improving value chain efficiencies, expanding access to finance, and strengthening post-harvest services. In practical terms, this meant tackling constraints that limit farmer earnings beyond the farm gate, such as weak aggregation and marketing channels, limited or costly credit, and losses or quality deterioration due to inadequate handling, storage, or other post-harvest gaps. By addressing these constraints through partnerships and system-level improvements, USAID intended that farmers and other value chain actors would be better positioned to respond to market demand, capture more value, and sustain gains after project support ends.
Programmatically, RDC was structured in two phases. The first phase was meant to test, refine, and demonstrate the core strategies at a broad level, generating evidence about what works in the Bangladesh context. The second phase was intended to scale up the approaches that proved successful, expanding them to additional partnerships, markets, and beneficiaries. This two-step design signaled that adaptive implementation and learning would be central, with scaling tied to demonstrated results and viable models.
Strategically, the NFO framed RDC as closely aligned with both Bangladesh government priorities and USAID's broader development agenda. It was positioned to support the Government of Bangladesh's Seventh Five-Year Plan Agricultural Development Strategy and align with the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan (CIP), which guides public investment intended to strengthen sustainable food security through agriculture, food security, and nutrition initiatives. It was also aligned with USAID/Bangladesh's Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and the Feed the Future multi-year strategy, and it was presented as contributing to the newer CDCS framework for 2016 to 2021. At a higher level, the activity was presented as contributing to Feed the Future's global goal of sustainably reducing poverty and improving food security, while also supporting Bangladesh's national ambitions for poverty reduction through accelerated agricultural investment and growth and progress toward middle-income status by 2021, with the Government of Bangladesh described as an active partner in planning and implementation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops Activity (RDC)?
The Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops Activity (RDC) is a USAID/Bangladesh funding opportunity under the U.S. Government's Feed the Future (FTF) initiative. It was designed as a major agriculture and market systems program to improve food security and rural incomes in Bangladesh by increasing smallholder productivity in rice and rotational crops and by strengthening the broader market system.
Who issued this funding opportunity?
This opportunity was issued by USAID/Bangladesh as a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO).
When was the NFO released?
The NFO was released on January 13, 2016.
What is the NFO number for this opportunity?
The NFO number is RFA-388-16-000001.
What type of award was USAID planning to make?
USAID planned to make one Cooperative Agreement award.
How long was the intended period of performance?
The activity was planned as a large, five-year program.
How many awards did USAID expect to make?
USAID expected to make one award.
What was the total funding amount available?
The total funding ceiling was not to exceed $24.5 million, contingent on the availability of funds.
Was funding guaranteed?
No. The funding ceiling was contingent on the availability of funds.
Who was eligible to apply?
Both U.S. and non-U.S. organizations were allowed to compete. Eligibility details were referenced in the full announcement.
What was the first step in the application process?
USAID requested concept notes as the first step in its competitive selection process.
When were questions due, and in what time zone?
Questions were due by January 26, 2016 at 1400 Bangladesh time.
When was the application deadline, and in what time zone?
The application deadline was February 17, 2016 at 1400 Bangladesh time.
What were the primary goals of RDC?
The central goals were to improve food security and rural incomes in Bangladesh by (1) raising smallholder productivity in rice and rotation crops and (2) making the broader market system more competitive and efficient.
What does it mean that RDC was a "market systems" program?
The NFO emphasized facilitation and market systems approaches rather than relying only on direct service delivery. This means the implementer was expected to catalyze lasting, systemic change by working through partnerships with private-sector actors and local institutions.
Was the program focused only on on-farm production?
No. RDC covered both production-side improvements (such as seed, inputs, and technology adoption) and market systems improvements (such as value chain efficiency, finance, and post-harvest services).
What production-side areas did RDC prioritize?
RDC prioritized improving smallholder performance by strengthening input and seed systems and accelerating adoption of improved technologies for rice and rotational crops. It aimed to help farmers access better seed, more reliable inputs, and more effective crop technologies and practices to increase yields and reduce production risks.
How did RDC approach crop diversification?
RDC explicitly promoted crop diversification through rotation and value-added options, including value-added rice varieties and rotational crops suitable for Bangladesh.
Which rotational crops were specifically mentioned?
The NFO named lentils, mustard, mung beans, sunflowers, and other crops suitable for Bangladesh.
Why did RDC emphasize crop rotation and diversification?
The rationale described in the NFO was that improved crop choices and rotations can increase farm profitability and resilience, reduce overreliance on a single staple, and contribute to improved household nutrition and income stability.
What market systems outcomes did RDC aim to improve?
RDC aimed to increase competitiveness by improving value chain efficiencies, expanding access to finance, and strengthening post-harvest services.
What constraints beyond the farm gate was RDC trying to address?
Examples cited included weak aggregation and marketing channels, limited or costly credit, and losses or quality deterioration caused by inadequate handling, storage, or other post-harvest gaps.
How was RDC expected to achieve sustainable results?
The NFO emphasized partnerships and system-level improvements intended to help farmers and other value chain actors respond to market demand, capture more value, and sustain gains after project support ends.
How was the program structured?
RDC was structured in two phases: a first phase to test, refine, and demonstrate core strategies and generate evidence, followed by a second phase to scale up approaches that proved successful.
What was the purpose of Phase 1?
Phase 1 was intended to test, refine, and demonstrate the core strategies at a broad level and generate evidence about what works in the Bangladesh context.
What was the purpose of Phase 2?
Phase 2 was intended to scale up successful approaches to additional partnerships, markets, and beneficiaries, with scaling tied to demonstrated results and viable models.
Did the NFO emphasize learning and adaptation during implementation?
Yes. The two-phase design indicated that adaptive implementation and learning would be central, with scaling based on demonstrated results.
How did RDC align with Government of Bangladesh priorities?
The NFO framed RDC as supporting the Government of Bangladesh's Seventh Five-Year Plan Agricultural Development Strategy and aligning with the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan (CIP), which guides public investment to strengthen sustainable food security through agriculture, food security, and nutrition initiatives.
How did RDC align with USAID strategies?
RDC was described as aligned with USAID/Bangladesh's Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), the Feed the Future multi-year strategy, and as contributing to the newer CDCS framework for 2016 to 2021.
What broader development goals was RDC intended to support?
The NFO described RDC as contributing to Feed the Future's global goal of sustainably reducing poverty and improving food security, and supporting Bangladesh's ambitions for poverty reduction through accelerated agricultural investment and growth and progress toward middle-income status by 2021.
What role did the Government of Bangladesh have in the activity?
The Government of Bangladesh was described as an active partner in planning and implementation.
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