Opportunity Information: Apply for APS OFDA 14 000007
Apply for APS OFDA 14 000007
- The Agency for International Development in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "IMPROVING POST HARVEST LOSS THROUGH HOUSHOLD SEED STORAGE MODELS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN JAMAICA" 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 2, 2014 and posted on May 2, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 4, 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 $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 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:
This grant opportunity, titled "Improving Post Harvest Loss Through Household Seed Storage Models for Vulnerable Populations in Jamaica" (Funding Opportunity Number: APS OFDA 14 000007), was issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA). The program sits within USAID/OFDA's broader humanitarian mandate to save lives, reduce human suffering, and lessen the economic impacts of disasters. In this case, the focus is on a practical but often overlooked problem that can directly affect household food security and resilience: post-harvest losses of grain and seed caused by poor storage, pests, moisture, spoilage, and related factors.
The core goal of the solicitation is to identify and support innovative, replicable, and sustainable seed storage systems that can be built and maintained at either the household or community level in Jamaica, with a clear preference for household-level solutions. USAID/OFDA is looking for approaches that reduce post-harvest losses by improving how families store seeds and grains so they remain viable for planting and usable for food over longer periods. The emphasis on household storage reflects an interest in solutions that remain functional even when communities face disruptions, market instability, or disaster-related constraints that can make centralized storage harder to access or maintain.
A key requirement is that proposed storage methods should ideally build on traditional or locally familiar practices, with the idea that culturally accepted methods are more likely to be adopted and sustained. The solicitation explicitly signals that USAID/OFDA does not want models that depend on long-term outside inputs, specialized supplies that cannot be sourced locally, or ongoing external management. Proposals that involve research programs or the testing and refinement of storage technologies are encouraged, especially when they are grounded in local context and can be scaled or copied by other households and communities without heavy donor support.
While community-level storage ideas may be considered, the announcement makes it clear that conventional seed banks are generally not of interest under this APS. This suggests the funding is aimed more at decentralized, low-dependency storage models than at institution-style facilities that require continuous administration, strict controls, or centralized governance. The desired outcome is a storage approach that households can realistically maintain themselves and that can persist after the grant period ends, improving resilience for vulnerable populations in Jamaica.
Administratively, this was a discretionary grant opportunity under the Agriculture funding activity category, with CFDA number 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas). The estimated total funding available was USD 500,000, with an award ceiling of USD 500,000 and an award floor of USD 0. USAID/OFDA anticipated making up to two awards, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could apply, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement.
Important dates and submission rules were highlighted prominently. The opportunity was posted on May 2, 2014. Applications were required to be submitted no later than June 6, 2014 at 1600 hours, and questions had to be emailed to OFDAAPSFY14007@ofda.gov no later than May 12, 2014 at 1600 hours. Late applications submitted after the June 6 deadline would not be evaluated unless USAID/OFDA issued a second call for applications before the overall closing date of October 4, 2014. The listed original and current closing date for the opportunity was October 4, 2014, and the archive date was November 3, 2014. The point of contact for accessing the full announcement or resolving access issues was also OFDAAPSFY14007@ofda.gov.
In practical terms, the solicitation is seeking implementers and researchers who can help Jamaican households protect seed stocks and stored grains from loss using storage designs and practices that are affordable, locally maintainable, and easy to replicate. The strongest proposals would likely be those that combine technical effectiveness (reducing spoilage and pest damage while preserving seed viability) with real-world feasibility (local materials, local skills, minimal ongoing external support), along with a plan for adoption and scale at the household level rather than reliance on centralized seed banking systems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Improving Post Harvest Loss Through Household Seed Storage Models for Vulnerable Populations in Jamaica."
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is APS OFDA 14 000007.
3) Which U.S. government office issued this opportunity?
This opportunity was issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA).
4) What is the main purpose of this solicitation?
The solicitation aims to identify and support innovative, replicable, and sustainable seed storage systems in Jamaica that reduce post-harvest losses and help households keep seeds viable for planting and grains usable for food over longer periods.
5) What problem is USAID/OFDA trying to address through this funding?
The focus is on post-harvest losses of grain and seed caused by poor storage conditions, including pests, moisture, spoilage, and related factors that can directly undermine household food security and resilience.
6) Where will the funded activities take place?
The opportunity is focused on Jamaica, with an emphasis on improving storage models for vulnerable populations.
7) What kinds of storage models are preferred: household or community?
There is a clear preference for household-level storage solutions. Community-level storage ideas may be considered, but the emphasis is on approaches that households can build, use, and maintain themselves.
8) Are traditional or locally familiar practices encouraged?
Yes. Proposed storage methods should ideally build on traditional or locally familiar practices, since culturally accepted methods are more likely to be adopted and sustained.
9) What does "innovative, replicable, and sustainable" mean in the context of this APS?
Based on the information provided, USAID/OFDA is looking for solutions that (a) effectively reduce seed and grain losses, (b) can be copied by other households or communities, and (c) can continue functioning after the grant ends without requiring ongoing donor inputs or external management.
10) Are proposals that include research or testing allowed?
Yes. Proposals that involve research programs or the testing and refinement of storage technologies are encouraged, particularly when they are grounded in local context and can be scaled without heavy donor support.
11) Are conventional seed banks eligible or desired under this opportunity?
The announcement indicates that conventional seed banks are generally not of interest under this APS. The funding is oriented toward decentralized storage models rather than centralized, institution-style seed banking systems that require continuous administration.
12) What kinds of approaches are discouraged?
The solicitation explicitly signals it does not want models that depend on long-term outside inputs, specialized supplies that cannot be sourced locally, or ongoing external management.
13) What outcomes is USAID/OFDA looking for?
The desired outcome is a storage approach that households can realistically maintain on their own and that remains viable after the grant period ends, strengthening resilience and improving food security for vulnerable populations in Jamaica.
14) What is the funding activity category and CFDA number?
The funding activity category is Agriculture, and the CFDA number is 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas).
15) How much funding was available?
The estimated total funding available was USD 500,000.
16) What were the award ceiling and floor?
The award ceiling was USD 500,000 and the award floor was USD 0.
17) How many awards did USAID/OFDA expect to make?
USAID/OFDA anticipated making up to two awards.
18) Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement listed.
19) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could apply, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement.
20) When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 2, 2014.
21) What was the deadline to submit questions, and where were questions sent?
Questions had to be emailed to OFDAAPSFY14007@ofda.gov no later than May 12, 2014 at 1600 hours.
22) What was the application deadline?
Applications were required to be submitted no later than June 6, 2014 at 1600 hours.
23) What happened if an application was submitted late?
Late applications submitted after the June 6, 2014 deadline would not be evaluated unless USAID/OFDA issued a second call for applications before the overall closing date of October 4, 2014.
24) What were the listed closing date, archive date, and overall timeline markers?
The listed original and current closing date was October 4, 2014. The archive date was November 3, 2014.
25) If someone had trouble accessing the full announcement, who was the point of contact?
The point of contact for accessing the full announcement or resolving access issues was OFDAAPSFY14007@ofda.gov.
26) What would a strong proposal likely include based on the APS description?
Based on the information provided, strong proposals would likely combine technical effectiveness (reducing spoilage and pest damage while preserving seed viability) with practical feasibility (local materials, local skills, and minimal ongoing external support), along with a clear plan for adoption and replication at the household level.
27) Why is the APS emphasizing household-level storage?
The APS highlights that household solutions can remain functional even during disruptions such as market instability or disaster-related constraints that can make centralized storage harder to access or maintain.
28) Does this opportunity fit within a broader humanitarian objective?
Yes. The program sits within USAID/OFDA's humanitarian mandate to save lives, reduce human suffering, and lessen the economic impacts of disasters, with this particular APS focused on a food security and resilience issue tied to post-harvest losses.
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