Opportunity Information: Apply for SOL 538 16 000001
Apply for SOL 538 16 000001
- The USAID-DOM in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Increasing Local Capacity Activity in the Eastern and Souther Caribbean" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 22, 2016 and posted on Jan 22, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 12, 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 $16,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
USAID's Mission to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean (based in Barbados) issued this opportunity as a sources sought/market survey to find local or regional organizations that could serve as the Implementing Partner (IP) for a multi-year activity focused on strengthening local development capacity across the CARICOM Eastern and Southern Caribbean. The activity is tied to USAID/ESC's broader regional priorities: reducing youth involvement in crime and violence, improving resilience and adaptation to climate change, and achieving epidemic control of HIV/AIDS. The geographic scope covers the countries USAID/ESC serves, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago (the notice also references Grenada separately in places, but the intent is a regionwide platform).
At the center of the grant concept is the Local Capacity for Local Solutions Activity (LC4LS). The basic idea is that USAID would not only fund a set of smaller development grants to local and regional organizations, but would do so through a capable regional IP that can run a full grants program and simultaneously build the long-term institutional strength of participating organizations. USAID is looking for an IP that can identify promising "emerging" NGOs (defined here as organizations that already show some ability to implement programs aligned to USAID's strategy, but still need stronger administrative, financial, and managerial systems to be sustainable), help them compete for and manage grant funding, and leave them with stronger systems and diversified funding options after USAID support ends. A key emphasis is that the grant-funded projects should complement, not duplicate, USAID/ESC's major "signature" projects in youth, climate, and health, and should be coordinated with the lead activity in each thematic area.
The IP's responsibilities are described in three main workstreams. First is grants management: running competitive processes, selecting awards, issuing and administering grants, and monitoring performance so each grant delivers measurable development results aligned to Mission priorities. Second is capacity building for grant recipients: conducting institutional needs assessments and designing tailored capacity-strengthening plans with milestones, using a mix of formal training, informal coaching, and on-the-job support. The capacity themes USAID highlights include individual capacities (leadership and staff development), organizational capacities (systems, policies, governance), resource mobilization (fundraising and diversification), and external relations (partnerships, advocacy, stakeholder engagement). Third is capacity strengthening for non-grant recipients as well, meaning the IP is also expected to offer training and support opportunities to other NGOs in the region working in USAID/ESC's priority sectors, with the goal of improving their project design and management, planning and budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, and long-term sustainability.
Operationally, USAID lays out a fairly detailed life cycle for how the activity would run. In the solicitation phase, the IP would help set the methodology and selection criteria, identify organizations with potential, formalize how proposals are solicited across a geographically dispersed region, and identify additional non-grant participants for capacity building. In the award phase, the IP would manage proposal screening and shortlisting, conduct initial and full due diligence (including administrative and financial management assessments), finalize award documents and reporting requirements, coordinate final selections with USAID/ESC, process awards, and ensure environmental compliance reviews are completed as required. In the implementation phase, the IP would oversee the technical and financial performance of all grants, provide frequent reporting to USAID, deliver high-quality and "innovative" capacity-building support aimed at sustainability, and open relevant training to other USAID grantees beyond the core LC4LS cohort. The IP would also develop and run the activity's monitoring and evaluation plan in coordination with USAID/ESC and ensure alignment with the Mission's Performance Management Plan, with clear indicators, benchmarks, and time-phased reporting.
Another explicit deliverable is learning and replication. Because USAID/ESC already has principal projects in youth development, health, and climate change, the IP is expected to document lessons learned about what actually works to build organizational sustainability and institutional capacity, so those approaches can be adapted by other Mission activities. The IP must also produce beneficiary-focused success stories suitable for publication and identify organizations that have become stronger and more sustainable, potentially positioning them as future partners for other donors, development banks, regional institutions, or private sector actors operating in the Caribbean.
USAID indicates the IP can be a local or regional entity, for-profit or nonprofit, and may also be a consortium or joint venture capable of operating regionally. The anticipated period of performance is five years (listed as 2016-2020) with a total estimated amount up to USD 16,000,000, subject to funding availability. That ceiling is intended to cover the full package: overall program management, the sub-grants themselves, technical assistance and training, and monitoring and reporting. While grants could be implemented across all eligible countries, the activity is not required to operate everywhere; instead, USAID emphasizes selecting a set of organizations with the potential to become strong, sustainable civil society institutions at national and regional levels.
Because this posting is a sources sought notice rather than a full solicitation, USAID was primarily requesting capability statements and practical implementation ideas from potential IPs. Responses were required to explain the respondent's understanding of the local NGO capacity landscape and constraints, propose how the respondent would carry out the illustrative tasks (and suggest improvements or alternative strategies), lay out an organizational structure with relevant skill sets and locations, and describe innovative or cutting-edge approaches the respondent has used, especially for managing work across multiple islands/countries. Submissions were limited to six pages (11-point font minimum) and had to include basic organizational details and tailored evidence-backed capability claims, including how any subcontracting or teaming would be managed. The stated deadline for submission was February 12, 2016 at 5:00 p.m., sent electronically to the listed USAID contact. USAID also makes standard disclaimers that the notice does not commit the Agency to fund anything, responses are not proposals, and proprietary or sensitive information should not be submitted.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this USAID opportunity?
This notice is a sources sought/market survey issued by USAID's Mission to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean (USAID/ESC), based in Barbados. Its purpose is to identify local or regional organizations that could serve as the Implementing Partner (IP) for a multi-year activity focused on strengthening local development capacity across the CARICOM Eastern and Southern Caribbean.
2) Is this a full solicitation or a request for proposals?
No. It is a sources sought notice rather than a full solicitation. USAID is requesting capability statements and practical implementation ideas, not full technical or cost proposals.
3) What is the name of the activity being explored?
The concept is centered on the Local Capacity for Local Solutions Activity (LC4LS).
4) What is the main goal of LC4LS?
The goal is to strengthen long-term institutional capacity and sustainability of local and regional organizations by pairing a sub-grants program with structured capacity building. The idea is that organizations supported through grants and capacity strengthening would exit with stronger administrative, financial, and managerial systems and improved prospects for diversified funding after USAID support ends.
5) What are USAID/ESC's broader regional priorities tied to this activity?
The activity is linked to USAID/ESC priorities of: (1) reducing youth involvement in crime and violence, (2) improving resilience and adaptation to climate change, and (3) achieving epidemic control of HIV/AIDS.
6) What geographic area does this cover?
The scope covers countries served by USAID/ESC, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The intent is a regionwide platform, even if some references list Grenada separately in places.
7) Does the activity have to operate in every listed country?
No. The notice indicates the activity is not required to operate everywhere. USAID emphasizes selecting organizations with strong potential to become sustainable civil society institutions at national and regional levels, even if not all countries are covered.
8) Who is USAID trying to identify as the Implementing Partner (IP)?
USAID is seeking a capable local or regional entity that can operate regionally and run a full grants program while also delivering capacity strengthening. The IP may be for-profit or nonprofit and may be a consortium or joint venture.
9) What kinds of local organizations are expected to benefit from sub-grants?
The concept focuses on "emerging" NGOs, defined here as organizations that already demonstrate some ability to implement programs aligned to USAID's strategy but still need stronger administrative, financial, and managerial systems to become sustainable.
10) How should LC4LS-funded projects relate to USAID's existing work?
Grant-funded projects are expected to complement, not duplicate, USAID/ESC's major "signature" projects in youth, climate, and health, and to coordinate with the lead activity in each thematic area.
11) What are the IP's main responsibilities under this concept?
The responsibilities are described in three core workstreams: (1) grants management, (2) capacity building for grant recipients, and (3) capacity strengthening opportunities for non-grant recipients in the region working in USAID/ESC priority sectors.
12) What does "grants management" involve for the IP?
Grants management includes running competitive processes, selecting awards, issuing and administering grants, and monitoring performance to ensure each grant achieves measurable development results aligned to Mission priorities.
13) What capacity-building topics does USAID highlight for grant recipients?
USAID highlights capacity strengthening across: individual capacities (leadership and staff development), organizational capacities (systems, policies, governance), resource mobilization (fundraising and diversification), and external relations (partnerships, advocacy, stakeholder engagement).
14) Is the IP expected to support organizations that do not receive sub-grants?
Yes. The notice describes a third workstream requiring the IP to offer training and support opportunities to other NGOs in the region working in USAID/ESC priority sectors, aimed at improving their project design and management, planning and budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, and long-term sustainability.
15) What does the activity life cycle look like (high-level phases)?
USAID describes an operational life cycle with three phases: solicitation, award, and implementation.
16) What is expected of the IP during the solicitation phase?
During solicitation, the IP would help set methodology and selection criteria, identify organizations with potential, formalize how proposals are solicited across a geographically dispersed region, and identify additional non-grant participants for capacity building.
17) What is expected of the IP during the award phase?
During award, the IP would manage proposal screening and shortlisting, conduct initial and full due diligence (including administrative and financial management assessments), finalize award documents and reporting requirements, coordinate final selections with USAID/ESC, process awards, and ensure required environmental compliance reviews are completed.
18) What is expected of the IP during the implementation phase?
During implementation, the IP would oversee technical and financial performance of all grants, provide frequent reporting to USAID, deliver high-quality and innovative capacity-building support aimed at sustainability, and open relevant training to other USAID grantees beyond the core LC4LS cohort.
19) What monitoring and evaluation (M&E) responsibilities are described?
The IP is expected to develop and run the activity's monitoring and evaluation plan in coordination with USAID/ESC, align it with the Mission's Performance Management Plan, and report using clear indicators, benchmarks, and time-phased reporting.
20) Are learning and knowledge-sharing deliverables included?
Yes. The IP is expected to document lessons learned about what works to build organizational sustainability and institutional capacity so approaches can be adapted by other Mission activities.
21) Are success stories or communications products expected?
Yes. The notice calls for beneficiary-focused success stories suitable for publication and for identifying organizations that become stronger and more sustainable, potentially positioning them as future partners for other donors, development banks, regional institutions, or private sector actors.
22) What is the anticipated period of performance?
The anticipated period of performance is five years, listed as 2016-2020.
23) What is the estimated total funding amount?
The notice lists a total estimated amount up to USD 16,000,000, subject to funding availability.
24) What does the USD 16,000,000 ceiling cover?
The ceiling is intended to cover the full package: overall program management, the sub-grants, technical assistance and training, and monitoring and reporting.
25) Who can respond to this sources sought notice?
Local or regional entities may respond, including for-profit or nonprofit organizations. USAID also indicates a consortium or joint venture may respond if it can operate regionally.
26) What was USAID requesting from respondents?
USAID requested capability statements and practical implementation ideas. Responses were expected to explain understanding of the local NGO capacity landscape and constraints, propose how illustrative tasks would be carried out (including improvements or alternatives), provide an organizational structure with relevant skill sets and locations, and describe innovative approaches used to manage work across multiple islands/countries.
27) Were there requirements about describing teaming or subcontracting?
Yes. Submissions had to include evidence-backed capability claims and describe how any subcontracting or teaming would be managed.
28) What were the submission format limits?
Submissions were limited to six pages with a minimum 11-point font and had to include basic organizational details along with tailored, evidence-backed capability claims.
29) What was the deadline and submission method?
The stated deadline was February 12, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Submissions were to be sent electronically to the listed USAID contact.
30) Does this notice commit USAID to make an award or provide funding?
No. USAID included standard disclaimers that the notice does not commit the Agency to fund anything and that responses are not proposals.
31) Should respondents include proprietary or sensitive information?
No. USAID stated that proprietary or sensitive information should not be submitted.
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