Opportunity Information: Apply for SOL OAA 14 000025
Apply for SOL OAA 14 000025
- The Agency for International Development in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Middle East North Africa Investment Initiative (MENA II)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 6, 2014 and posted on Nov 25, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 15, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This Notice can be viewed and downloaded from the Internet at FedBizOpps (www.fbo.gov). Further, be aware that amendments to this Notice may be issued and will be posted on the same Internet site from which you downloaded this notice.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Middle East North Africa Investment Initiative (MENA II) is a USAID Request for Information (RFI) seeking input from organizations with relevant experience in early-stage private sector investing and entrepreneurship support across the MENA region. The initiative is being designed to help early-stage businesses start, grow, and sustain jobs by strengthening the investment ecosystem and increasing the flow of equity investment into young companies. USAID signals that the eventual program (if pursued) would be implemented through partnerships with established actors in the early-stage investment community, including incubators and accelerators, angel networks, and venture capital funds. A central theme is aligning development outcomes with market-based incentives, meaning partners are expected to invest with a real expectation of return and to actively support portfolio companies through governance improvements, strategic guidance, market connections, and ongoing mentorship.
MENA II is structured around three main tools that USAID is considering using together. First, the program would provide matching investment capital alongside private investors, with the intent of making it easier for qualified investors to raise and deploy funds into early-stage businesses. By sharing part of the investment exposure, USAID aims to reduce risk for private investors, narrow the early-stage financing gap, and help successful investors scale strategies that are already working in the region. Second, the program would offer "100% cash collateralized insurances" (described as partial insurance on investments), designed to mitigate some of the downside risk of investing in early-stage companies and thereby encourage more private capital to enter the space. Third, MENA II would include technical assistance for both investors and the businesses receiving investment. The technical assistance topics listed are broad and practical, including investment management support, business development services, operational processes, marketing and branding, product design, research and development, and help navigating regulatory requirements.
A notable design feature is sustainability through "reflows" or program income. The notice indicates that these program components could generate returns or repayments over time, allowing the initiative to continue supporting early-stage businesses beyond the initial funding period. This reflects an intent to build a revolving, market-linked support mechanism rather than a one-time grant-only model, while still pursuing USAID development goals like job creation and ecosystem growth.
Because this is an RFI rather than a solicitation for funding, USAID is not requesting proposals, applications, or resumes, and explicitly states that any such submissions will be discarded. Submissions will not be acknowledged, and USAID will not provide answers to questions submitted in response to the RFI. The agency also states that responding to the RFI does not provide any competitive advantage in any later procurement or assistance process, and that the government is not committing to issue a future solicitation or to pay any costs incurred in preparing RFI responses. Responses are intended to inform the design of the initiative, which USAID emphasizes is not finalized and needs substantive feedback from the broader community. USAID notes responses will be held confidential, but advises not to send proprietary information, and reserves the right to reject any or all comments.
To respond, organizations were instructed to email their comments to cpowers@usaid.gov with the subject line "MENA II Initiative RFI" by the closing date listed in the notice (current closing date shown as January 15, 2014; original closing date January 3, 2014). Responses could be provided in the body of an email or as an attachment, and needed to include basic organizational details: the organization name and address; a point of contact with phone number and email; and a descriptive, current list of the organization’s country presence across the MENA region. Beyond general suggestions, USAID specifically requested feedback on three questions: how best to employ the three tools (matching capital, cash-collateralized insurance, and technical assistance) to build an effective support ecosystem for early-stage businesses; the organization’s familiarity with current market dynamics from either the capital supply side or the business demand side; and the organization’s current capacity to facilitate and manage all three components of MENA II.
The notice metadata lists the opportunity as Funding Opportunity Number SOL-OAA-14-000025 under the U.S. Agency for International Development, categorized as "Other" rather than a standard grant competition, with no award ceiling or floor stated (both listed as 0), reflecting that this posting is informational and preparatory rather than an award announcement. USAID directs interested parties to monitor Grants.gov and FedBizOpps (FBO) for the referenced letter from the USAID Administrator and for any amendments, emphasizing that updates would be posted to the same sites and that organizations should subscribe for notifications. A secondary contact is provided for access issues (sfugate@usaid.gov), and the notice repeats that no phone calls or hand-delivered submissions should be made.
FAQs: USAID Middle East North Africa Investment Initiative (MENA II) - Request for Information (RFI)
1) What is the MENA II initiative?
MENA II (Middle East North Africa Investment Initiative) is a USAID Request for Information (RFI) seeking input from organizations with experience in early-stage private sector investing and entrepreneurship support across the MENA region. USAID is using responses to shape a potential future initiative intended to help early-stage businesses start, grow, and sustain jobs by strengthening the investment ecosystem and increasing equity investment into young companies.
2) Is MENA II a grant competition or a solicitation for funding?
No. The notice is an RFI, not a solicitation. USAID is not requesting proposals, applications, or resumes under this posting, and states that any such submissions will be discarded.
3) What is USAID trying to achieve through MENA II?
Based on the description, USAID is considering a market-linked approach that supports early-stage businesses and job creation by (a) strengthening the early-stage investment ecosystem and (b) increasing the flow of equity capital into young companies, while aligning development outcomes with market-based incentives.
4) Who is USAID looking to hear from in this RFI?
USAID is seeking input from organizations with relevant experience in early-stage private sector investing and entrepreneurship support across the MENA region, particularly established actors in the early-stage investment community such as incubators and accelerators, angel networks, and venture capital funds.
5) What types of partnerships does USAID anticipate (if a program is pursued)?
USAID signals that an eventual program (if pursued) would be implemented through partnerships with established early-stage investment ecosystem actors, including incubators/accelerators, angel networks, and venture capital funds, with partners expected to invest with a real expectation of return and to actively support portfolio companies.
6) What are the three main tools USAID is considering for MENA II?
USAID describes three tools to potentially use together:
- Matching investment capital alongside private investors to help qualified investors raise and deploy funds into early-stage businesses and reduce risk exposure.
- 100% cash collateralized insurances (described as partial insurance on investments) to mitigate some downside risk and encourage more private capital into early-stage investing.
- Technical assistance for both investors and investee businesses across practical topics (investment management support, business development, operations, marketing/branding, product design, R&D, and regulatory navigation).
7) How is “matching investment capital” intended to work in concept?
USAID indicates it may provide matching investment capital alongside private investors. The intent is to make it easier for qualified investors to raise and deploy funds into early-stage businesses by sharing part of the investment exposure, reducing risk for private investors, narrowing early-stage financing gaps, and helping successful investors scale strategies already working in the region.
8) What does “100% cash collateralized insurances” mean in this notice?
The notice describes this as partial insurance on investments and frames it as a risk-mitigation tool designed to reduce downside risk of investing in early-stage companies, with the goal of encouraging additional private capital to enter the space.
9) What kinds of technical assistance are contemplated?
The RFI lists broad, practical technical assistance topics for investors and investee businesses, including investment management support, business development services, operational processes, marketing and branding, product design, research and development, and assistance navigating regulatory requirements.
10) What does USAID mean by aligning development outcomes with market-based incentives?
USAID’s description suggests partners would be expected to invest with a real expectation of return (not purely grant-making) and to actively support portfolio companies through governance improvements, strategic guidance, market connections, and ongoing mentorship, while also pursuing development outcomes such as job creation and ecosystem growth.
11) What are “reflows” or program income, and why are they mentioned?
USAID notes that these program components could generate returns or repayments over time (reflows/program income), which could allow the initiative to continue supporting early-stage businesses beyond the initial funding period. This signals an intent to create a revolving, market-linked mechanism rather than a one-time grant-only model.
12) What feedback is USAID specifically asking for in the RFI?
Beyond general suggestions, USAID requests feedback on three areas:
- How best to employ the three tools (matching capital, cash-collateralized insurance, and technical assistance) to build an effective support ecosystem for early-stage businesses.
- The organization’s familiarity with current market dynamics from either the capital supply side or the business demand side.
- The organization’s current capacity to facilitate and manage all three components of MENA II.
13) What organizational details were requested in responses?
Responses needed to include:
- Organization name and address
- A point of contact with phone number and email
- A descriptive, current list of the organization’s country presence across the MENA region
14) How do organizations submit RFI comments?
Organizations were instructed to email comments to cpowers@usaid.gov with the subject line “MENA II Initiative RFI.” Responses could be provided in the body of the email or as an attachment.
15) What is the deadline to respond?
The notice shows a current closing date of January 15, 2014, and notes an original closing date of January 3, 2014.
16) Will USAID acknowledge receipt of RFI submissions?
No. USAID states that submissions will not be acknowledged.
17) Will USAID answer questions submitted in response to the RFI?
No. USAID states it will not provide answers to questions submitted in response to the RFI.
18) Does responding to the RFI provide any advantage for any future solicitation?
No. USAID explicitly states that responding to the RFI does not provide any competitive advantage in any later procurement or assistance process.
19) Is USAID committing to issue a future solicitation or award?
No. USAID states the government is not committing to issue a future solicitation and is not committing to pay any costs incurred in preparing RFI responses.
20) Should organizations send proposals, applications, or resumes?
No. USAID explicitly states it is not requesting proposals, applications, or resumes, and that any such submissions will be discarded.
21) Will USAID keep RFI responses confidential?
USAID notes responses will be held confidential, but also advises organizations not to send proprietary information and states it reserves the right to reject any or all comments.
22) Are there any stated award ceiling or floor amounts?
No. The notice metadata lists the award ceiling and award floor as 0, reflecting that the posting is informational and preparatory rather than an award announcement.
23) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The notice metadata lists Funding Opportunity Number SOL-OAA-14-000025.
24) Which agency is issuing the RFI?
The RFI is issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
25) Where should interested parties look for updates or amendments?
USAID directs interested parties to monitor Grants.gov and FedBizOpps (FBO) for the referenced letter from the USAID Administrator and for any amendments, noting that updates would be posted to the same sites and that organizations should subscribe for notifications.
26) Who is the contact for access issues?
A secondary contact for access issues is listed as sfugate@usaid.gov.
27) Are phone calls or hand-delivered submissions allowed?
No. The notice repeats that no phone calls or hand-delivered submissions should be made.
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