Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 656 12 000002
Apply for RFA 656 12 000002
- The Mozambique USAID Maputo in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mozambique Health and Social Welfare Systems Stregthening (HSWSS)" 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 Mar 28, 2012 and posted on Mar 28, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $20,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $20,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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:
The Mozambique Health and Social Welfare Systems Strengthening (HSWSS) opportunity was a USAID/Mozambique cooperative agreement aimed at improving the performance and sustainability of Mozambique's health and social welfare systems, with a strong focus on governance and smarter technical assistance. Rather than treating capacity gaps as a staffing problem solved by embedding long-term advisors in government offices, the program concept pushed for a shift toward approaches that strengthen systems, build local capability, and improve how institutions function over time. The award was designed to help USAID by providing supportive assistance, skills building, brokering between actors, applied research, and information dissemination, all oriented toward practical improvements in how public-sector health and welfare functions are managed and delivered.
A central theme of the solicitation was a transition in technical assistance (TA) models. USAID signaled that it wanted alternatives to common arrangements where donor-funded advisors sit beside unfilled government posts or where external programs supplement salaries in ways that distort the workforce and create inequities with existing civil servants. Instead, applicants were expected to analyze current TA practices in Mozambique, develop new procedures and processes, and then apply those methods to implement a more performance-based model of TA delivery. In practical terms, this meant designing TA that is tied to measurable results, builds institutional processes, and relies more heavily on local and regional expertise and institutions, rather than importing solutions or creating parallel structures. The opportunity also highlighted alignment with ongoing Global Fund Unit support, suggesting the program should complement and improve how TA is delivered in contexts influenced by Global Fund-related systems and requirements.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this was an "Other" category opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning USAID expected substantial involvement during implementation rather than a hands-off grant. The activity category was Health, with one expected award and an estimated total funding level of $20,000,000. The ceiling was $20,000,000 and the floor was $3,350,000, indicating USAID was open to proposals of varying scale within that range. Cost sharing or matching was required, which typically means applicants needed to contribute a portion of project costs (cash or allowable in-kind support) in accordance with the announcement's rules. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, indicating that a broad range of organizations could apply, subject to any conditions described in the full notice.
Key dates show the notice was posted and created on March 28, 2012, with an original and current closing date of April 30, 2012, and an archive date of May 30, 2012. The funding opportunity number was RFA 656 12 000002, and it was associated with CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas). The issuing agency was USAID Maputo in Mozambique. For official details and full requirements, applicants were directed to the listing on Grants.gov, and the contact for access issues was Marianne Pinto Teixeira, Supervisory Acquisition Specialist (mteixeira@usaid.gov, phone 285 21352189).
Overall, HSWSS was framed less as a traditional service-delivery project and more as a systems-strengthening and governance initiative that would modernize how technical assistance supports government performance. The emphasis on performance-based TA, local and regional expertise, and institutional process improvements signals a deliberate attempt to reduce dependence on embedded advisors and to build durable capacity inside Mozambican institutions responsible for health and social welfare.
FAQs: Mozambique Health and Social Welfare Systems Strengthening (HSWSS) - USAID/Mozambique
1) What is the Mozambique Health and Social Welfare Systems Strengthening (HSWSS) opportunity?
HSWSS was a USAID/Mozambique cooperative agreement opportunity focused on improving the performance and sustainability of Mozambique's health and social welfare systems. It emphasized governance and "smarter" technical assistance designed to strengthen institutions and how systems function over time.
2) What was the main purpose of this award?
The award was designed to support practical improvements in how public-sector health and welfare functions are managed and delivered. The solicitation framed the work as systems strengthening rather than a traditional service-delivery project.
3) What kind of assistance was USAID looking to fund through HSWSS?
The solicitation described support such as supportive assistance, skills building, brokering between actors, applied research, and information dissemination, all oriented toward real-world improvements in public-sector management and delivery of health and social welfare functions.
4) What was the central technical assistance (TA) approach promoted by the solicitation?
A central theme was a transition in TA models away from long-term embedded advisors filling capacity gaps in government offices. Applicants were expected to propose approaches that strengthen systems, build local capability, and improve institutional processes in a durable way.
5) What TA practices was USAID signaling it wanted to avoid?
The opportunity highlighted concerns with common arrangements where donor-funded advisors sit beside unfilled government posts or where external programs supplement salaries in ways that can distort the workforce and create inequities with existing civil servants.
6) What does "performance-based" technical assistance mean in the context of this opportunity?
In the context described, performance-based TA meant technical assistance tied to measurable results, focused on building institutional processes, and designed to improve how institutions function over time rather than creating parallel structures or substituting for government staffing.
7) Were applicants expected to assess existing TA practices in Mozambique?
Yes. Applicants were expected to analyze current TA practices in Mozambique, develop new procedures and processes, and apply those methods to implement a more performance-based model of TA delivery.
8) How did the opportunity address the use of local and regional expertise?
The solicitation emphasized relying more heavily on local and regional expertise and institutions, rather than importing solutions. This was part of the shift toward strengthening local capability and reducing dependence on external, embedded advisors.
9) How was the opportunity expected to relate to Global Fund Unit support?
The opportunity highlighted alignment with ongoing Global Fund Unit support and suggested the program should complement and improve how TA is delivered in contexts influenced by Global Fund-related systems and requirements.
10) What type of funding mechanism was used for HSWSS?
The mechanism was a cooperative agreement. This indicates USAID expected substantial involvement during implementation rather than a hands-off approach.
11) What was the opportunity category and activity area?
The opportunity category was listed as "Other," and the activity category was Health.
12) How many awards were expected?
The notice indicated one expected award.
13) What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total program funding level was $20,000,000.
14) What were the award floor and ceiling amounts?
The ceiling was $20,000,000 and the floor was $3,350,000, meaning proposals of varying scale could be considered within that range, consistent with the announcement.
15) Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching was required, which generally means applicants needed to contribute a portion of project costs through cash or allowable in-kind support, following the announcement's rules.
16) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning a broad range of organizations could apply, subject to any conditions described in the full notice.
17) What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The notice was posted/created on March 28, 2012. The original and current closing date was April 30, 2012. The archive date was May 30, 2012.
18) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number was RFA 656 12 000002.
19) What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was associated with CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas).
20) Which USAID office issued the opportunity?
The issuing agency was USAID Maputo in Mozambique.
21) Where were applicants directed to find official details and full requirements?
Applicants were directed to the listing on Grants.gov for official details and full requirements.
22) Who was the listed contact for access issues related to the opportunity?
The contact for access issues was Marianne Pinto Teixeira, Supervisory Acquisition Specialist. Email: mteixeira@usaid.gov. Phone: 285 21352189.
23) How was HSWSS positioned compared to a typical project focused on delivering services?
HSWSS was framed less as a traditional service-delivery project and more as a systems-strengthening and governance initiative intended to modernize how technical assistance supports government performance.
24) What was the overarching long-term goal implied by the solicitation's emphasis?
The emphasis on performance-based TA, local and regional expertise, and institutional process improvements signaled a goal of reducing dependence on embedded advisors and building durable capacity within Mozambican institutions responsible for health and social welfare.
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