Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OAA 11 000002
Apply for RFA OAA 11 000002
- The Agency for International Development in the business and commerce energy environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Renewable Energy Microfinance and Microenterprise Program (REMMP)" 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 Nov 29, 2010 and posted on Nov 9, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 20, 2010 Closing date has been extended to December 20th, 2010. Please review amendment 1 for full details of extension and responses to questions from applicants.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,400,000.00 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 Renewable Energy Microfinance and Microenterprise Program (REMMP) is a USAID funding opportunity designed to expand access to modern energy services in underserved communities overseas. The program focuses on practical, smaller-scale renewable energy solutions at the household and community level, and it emphasizes an enterprise-based approach rather than purely grant-funded distribution. In other words, REMMP is meant to help renewable energy reach people who are currently poorly served by conventional energy markets by supporting business models, microenterprises, and microfinance mechanisms that can sell, finance, maintain, and scale clean energy technologies over time. The overall intent is to move beyond one-off installations and instead build local capacity and market systems that keep energy services available and affordable.
The opportunity was released by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-OAA-11-000002, with the activity areas listed under Business and Commerce, Energy, and Environment. The award instrument is a Cooperative Agreement, which generally means USAID expects a higher level of involvement during implementation than it would under a standard grant, such as collaboration on technical direction, monitoring, or coordination. The announcement indicates that the program anticipates making a single award, suggesting a lead implementer model rather than multiple parallel awards.
Funding for the opportunity is substantial. The estimated total funding amount is $5,600,000, and the listed award ceiling is $1,400,000, with an award floor of $0. This implies USAID may structure funding in phases, increments, or through a design in which the primary awardee manages and allocates resources across activities, while the formal ceiling communicates the maximum amount for an individual award action under the solicitation. The opportunity also includes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are expected to contribute their own resources (cash or in-kind, depending on the solicitation terms) to help support the project and demonstrate commitment and leverage.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional clarifications in the full text of the solicitation. That typically can include U.S. and non-U.S. nonprofits, for-profits, universities, and other qualified organizations, provided they meet USAID’s requirements and any specific conditions laid out in the announcement.
Key dates and administrative details are important in this notice because the closing date was extended. The posting date is November 9, 2010, with a creation date of November 29, 2010. The original closing date was December 8, 2010, but the current closing date was extended to December 20, 2010. The notice specifically instructs applicants to review Amendment 1 for the full details of the extension and for responses to questions submitted by applicants. The archive date is February 7, 2011, indicating when the opportunity would be removed from active listings after the competition period.
For submission and questions, the announcement directs applicants to follow the instructions in the Request for Applications (RFA) and explicitly notes that applications should not be submitted through Grants.gov for this opportunity. Instead, applicants are directed to USAID’s Office of Acquisition and Assistance, and a dedicated email address is provided for REMMP: REMMP@usaid.gov. This suggests the application process likely relies on USAID’s specified submission channels and formatting requirements detailed in the RFA, which can include strict rules on technical proposals, budgets, cost share documentation, and required certifications.
In practical terms, an applicant responding to REMMP would be expected to propose a coherent strategy for expanding renewable energy access through market-oriented methods. That could include partnering with microfinance institutions to offer consumer financing for solar home systems or efficient appliances, supporting local entrepreneurs who can sell and service renewable products, developing community-scale renewable solutions that can be operated sustainably, and building supply chains and after-sales service networks. Because USAID framed REMMP around microfinance and microenterprise, successful approaches would typically show how households and communities can obtain technologies through affordable payment mechanisms, how businesses can earn revenue to stay viable, and how the model can grow beyond the life of the award.
REMMP (Renewable Energy Microfinance and Microenterprise Program) - FAQs
What is the Renewable Energy Microfinance and Microenterprise Program (REMMP)?
REMMP is a USAID funding opportunity intended to expand access to modern energy services in underserved communities overseas by supporting practical, smaller-scale renewable energy solutions at the household and community level.
What is the main goal of REMMP?
The main goal is to move beyond one-off, grant-funded installations and instead build local capacity and market systems that keep clean energy services available, affordable, maintainable, and scalable over time.
What kind of approach does REMMP emphasize?
REMMP emphasizes an enterprise-based, market-oriented approach. It is designed to support business models, microenterprises, and microfinance mechanisms that can sell, finance, maintain, and scale clean energy technologies.
Does REMMP focus on large infrastructure projects?
No. The program description emphasizes practical, smaller-scale renewable energy solutions at the household and community level rather than large-scale infrastructure.
Who is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for REMMP?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-OAA-11-000002.
What activity areas are associated with this opportunity?
The notice lists the activity areas as Business and Commerce, Energy, and Environment.
What type of award instrument is REMMP using?
REMMP uses a Cooperative Agreement.
What does it mean that the award instrument is a Cooperative Agreement?
A Cooperative Agreement generally indicates USAID expects a higher level of involvement during implementation than under a standard grant. This can include collaboration on technical direction, monitoring, or coordination.
How many awards does USAID expect to make under this opportunity?
The announcement indicates the program anticipates making a single award, which suggests a lead implementer model rather than multiple parallel awards.
How much funding is available under REMMP?
The estimated total funding amount is $5,600,000.
What is the award ceiling?
The listed award ceiling is $1,400,000.
What is the award floor?
The listed award floor is $0.
How should applicants interpret the difference between the estimated total funding and the award ceiling?
Based on the notice, this may imply USAID could structure funding in phases or increments, or use a design where the primary awardee manages and allocates resources across activities, while the stated ceiling reflects the maximum amount for an individual award action under the solicitation.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The opportunity includes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are expected to contribute their own resources (cash and/or in-kind, depending on the solicitation terms).
Why does REMMP require cost sharing or matching?
The notice explains that cost sharing helps demonstrate applicant commitment and leverage additional resources to support the project.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional clarifications in the full solicitation.
What kinds of organizations might be included under "unrestricted" eligibility?
The notice indicates this typically can include U.S. and non-U.S. nonprofits, for-profits, universities, and other qualified organizations, provided they meet USAID requirements and any specific conditions in the announcement.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posting date is November 9, 2010.
What is the creation date listed for the opportunity?
The creation date is November 29, 2010.
What was the original closing date and what is the extended closing date?
The original closing date was December 8, 2010, and the closing date was extended to December 20, 2010.
Where can applicants find details about the closing date extension and answers to submitted questions?
The notice instructs applicants to review Amendment 1 for full details of the extension and for responses to questions submitted by applicants.
What is the archive date for the opportunity?
The archive date is February 7, 2011, indicating when the opportunity would be removed from active listings after the competition period.
Should applications be submitted through Grants.gov?
No. The announcement explicitly notes that applications should not be submitted through Grants.gov for this opportunity.
How should applicants submit and follow instructions for applying?
Applicants are directed to follow the instructions in the Request for Applications (RFA) and to use USAID's specified submission channels and formatting requirements described in the RFA.
Where is the opportunity administered within USAID?
The announcement directs applicants to USAID's Office of Acquisition and Assistance.
How can applicants ask questions about REMMP?
The notice provides a dedicated email address for REMMP questions: REMMP@usaid.gov.
What kinds of solutions or activities might a REMMP application propose?
Based on the notice, proposed strategies could include partnering with microfinance institutions to offer consumer financing for renewable energy products (such as solar home systems or efficient appliances), supporting local entrepreneurs who can sell and service renewable products, developing community-scale renewable solutions that can be operated sustainably, and building supply chains and after-sales service networks.
What does REMMP mean by an enterprise-based approach in practice?
In practice, the program framing suggests applicants should show how households and communities can obtain technologies through affordable payment mechanisms, how businesses can earn revenue to remain viable, and how the overall model can grow beyond the life of the award.
Is REMMP intended for communities that are already well served by conventional energy markets?
No. The notice states REMMP is meant to help renewable energy reach people who are currently poorly served by conventional energy markets.
What is the geographic focus of REMMP?
The notice describes the focus as underserved communities overseas.
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