Middle East Water Security Initiative (MWSI) | Apply Online

Middle East Water Security Initiative (MWSI) - FAQs

What is the Middle East Water Security Initiative (MWSI)?

MWSI is a USAID Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) focused on strengthening water security across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by supporting practical, solution-oriented partnerships and applied innovations.

What type of funding opportunity is this?

This opportunity is a USAID Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Unlike a traditional solicitation that funds a single predefined project, a BAA is designed to attract a wide range of ideas and collaborators, with USAID working with partners to co-create and co-design interventions.

What is the main goal of the MWSI BAA?

The main goal is to generate real-world progress on water security in MENA by supporting innovations that can be developed, piloted/tested in relevant environments, and scaled if proven effective.

What region does this opportunity focus on?

The focus is the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), particularly water-stressed contexts within the region.

What kinds of projects or ideas is USAID looking for?

USAID is looking for "water smart" technologies and approaches that are cost-effective, implementable, and able to measurably improve water management outcomes. The emphasis is on applied innovations that move beyond paper concepts into development, testing, and scalable deployment.

What does "water smart" mean in this context?

In this announcement, "water smart" can be understood as applied science, engineering, and operational innovations that help communities, utilities, agriculture, industry, and governments make better use of scarce water resources.

Which water security outcomes are especially relevant to this BAA?

The announcement prioritizes interventions that can measurably improve how water is managed, conserved, treated, allocated, monitored, or otherwise secured in water-stressed environments.

Is this opportunity more focused on research or implementation?

It is focused on applied innovation with real-world deployment: research and development, piloting and testing in relevant environments, and scaling approaches that prove they work in practice.

Does USAID expect to co-design projects with applicants?

Yes. The BAA model described emphasizes USAID working side-by-side with partners to co-create and co-design interventions rather than simply funding a fixed, pre-specified project.

Who is encouraged to participate?

USAID explicitly highlights collaboration with dynamic researchers and entrepreneurs, indicating interest in innovators beyond traditional development implementers.

What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes public and private entities, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, universities and other higher-education institutions, public international organizations, non-governmental organizations, U.S. and non-U.S. government organizations, and multilateral or international donor organizations.

Can non-U.S. organizations apply?

Yes. The listing indicates that both U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including non-U.S. government organizations, may be eligible as long as they are responsive to the BAA objectives and capable of carrying out the work or playing a meaningful role in the award arrangement.

Do applicants need to form a consortium or partnership to apply?

The language is designed to encourage cross-sector teams, but it also allows single entities to apply if they can credibly cover the needed elements (such as R&D capability, product development, field access, implementation experience, and pathways to adoption).

Is cost sharing required?

No. While the announcement discusses partnership structures that may include co-investment and shared effort, the listing notes that cost sharing is not required.

What does co-investment or shared effort mean for this BAA?

It suggests USAID may support projects where multiple parties contribute resources such as expertise, facilities, data, or deployment pathways, even though formal cost sharing is not mandatory.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 98.001, USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.

How is this opportunity categorized?

It is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What is the funding instrument type?

The funding instrument type is listed as "Other," which is consistent with BAA-style solicitations that can result in different types of awards or agreements depending on the proposed collaboration and what USAID determines appropriate.

Are award amounts specified?

No specific funding amounts are set in the public synopsis. The listing shows an award ceiling and floor of 0, which typically indicates funding levels are not pre-set and may be determined through the proposal process, negotiation, or based on the scope and maturity of proposed activities.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The posting date is July 16, 2015. The original and current closing date is September 18, 2015. The archive date is October 18, 2015.

Where was the announcement posted?

The notice states the announcement was posted on FedBizOpps, which was a primary federal contracting and assistance portal at that time.

Who is the contact for accessing the full announcement?

The contact listed for support accessing the full announcement is Kamal Ouda.

What is USAID trying to avoid with this opportunity?

The announcement emphasizes moving beyond concepts on paper and avoiding one-off demonstrations, with a preference for interventions that can be tested in realistic conditions and scaled sustainably for impact.

What makes a proposed intervention a good fit based on the description?

A strong fit would be an innovation that is practical, cost-effective, implementable, able to show measurable improvements in water security, and positioned to move from development to piloting/testing and then scaling in MENA.

Does this BAA suggest USAID will only work with traditional development implementers?

No. The announcement signals interest in a broader set of partners, including researchers and entrepreneurs, alongside other eligible entities.

What does it mean that applicants must be "responsible" and responsive to objectives?

Based on the language provided, it means applicants must align with the BAA goals and be capable of carrying out the work or playing a meaningful role in whatever final award arrangement USAID selects.