Deadline: 21 November 2020

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the East Africa Private Sector Engagement in Support of Prosper Africa Annual Program Statement (APS) (known hereafter as East Africa Prosper APS).

Under East Africa Prosper APS, USAID missions in East Africa seek to partner with the private sector, business associations and other interested organizations to facilitate increased two-way trade and investment between the U.S. and Africa in support of the Prosper Africa initiative.

This window of the APS seeks to support exceptional and innovative solutions to rapidly, transparently and sustainably grow two-way trade and investment between the United States and East Africa in support of the Prosper Africa initiative. Proposed activities should facilitate market driven solutions that lower risk, advance competitiveness, increase the availability of data analytics and actionable market intelligence, establish communications channels for timely market alerts, strengthen business networks and advocacy and enact policy changes that turn around near- term benefits to market players. Proposed activities may include USAID support for co-investments with private sector firms that demonstrate a catalytic impact. Additionally, proposed activities may target specific industry sectors or geographical areas in East Africa.

Purpose

USAID seeks to partner with the private sector, implementing partners, business associations and other interested organizations to facilitate increased two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa in support of the Prosper Africa initiative. This initiative aims to substantially increase two-way private sector trade transactions between the United States and Africa by:

• Increasing United States investments in Africa and increased African investments in the United States.
• Establishing new mechanisms that facilitate increased trade and investment.
• Reducing barriers to trade and investment.

Focus Areas

In general, the East Africa Prosper APS seeks to support exceptional and innovative solutions to rapidly, transparently and sustainably grow two-way trade and investment between the United States and East Africa in support of the Prosper Africa initiative. USAID welcomes, in addition to its traditional implementing partners, submissions from non-traditional partners who aim to fill the gap between trade and investment activities. Proposed activities should facilitate market-driven solutions that lower risk, advance competitiveness, increase the availability of data analytics and actionable market intelligence, establish communications channels for timely market alerts, strengthen business networks and advocacy and enact policy changes that turn around near-term benefits to market players. Furthermore, activities should support the Kenya and East Africa’s Journey to Self-Reliance, specifically the commitment and capacity targets such as the Business Environment and Trade Freedom (on the commitment side) and/or Diversification of Exports (on the capacity side). Individual windows, if issued, will provide more specific information about the types of activities and approaches supported under that window.

Concept notes submitted to USAID under the East Africa Prosper APS should complement and not duplicate current bilateral and/or regional activities in East Africa. Concept notes may also target specific industry sectors or geographical areas in East Africa.

Geographic Focus

The East Africa Prosper APS is focused on countries in the East African region. USAID will express specific geographic priorities in the individual window documents, issued on an as needed basis, which reflect the particular geographic focus of a USAID Mission.

Eligibility Criteria

• USAID welcomes concept papers from any type of organization that has the capability to carry out international development programs. While not an exhaustive list and provided for illustrative purposes only, the following types of organizations are encouraged to participate: U.S. and non-U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), faith-based organizations, foundations, cooperatives, international organizations, U.S. and non-U.S. colleges and universities, civic groups, regional organizations, U.S. and non-U.S. private businesses, and business/trade associations. USAID encourages applications from potential new partners. All applicants must be legally recognized organizational entities under applicable law. Please note the eligibility may be further restricted under each individual window.
• In addition, for the following group the criteria below also apply:
  • U.S. and Non-U.S. For-Profit Organizations: In accordance with 2 CFR 200.400, potential for-profit applicants should note that USAID policy prohibits the payment of fee/profit to the prime recipient under assistance instruments, and 2 CFR 200.101 states that, unless specifically excluded, all requirements applying to recipients also apply to sub-recipients if they meet the definition of “recipients”; therefore, fee/profit under assistance type awards is also prohibited for sub-recipients. Forgone profit does not qualify as cost-sharing or leveraging.
  • If a prime recipient has a subcontract with a for-profit organization for the acquisition of goods or services (i.e., if a buyer-seller relationship is created), fee/profit for the subcontractor may be allowable in accordance with ADS “Profit Under USAID Assistance Instruments”.
• There are no limits on the number of awards that may be made by missions under this APS to a single organization. However, if an applicant has submitted a concept paper which has not been successful they must consult with USAID prior to submitting a subsequent application under that window. If the USAID Mission declines to accept another concept paper they will provide an explanation of the reasons why an additional concept paper will not be considered at that time.

For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=322668