OpportunityTitle: New Alliance ICT Extension Challenge Fund Country Award in Mozambique
CategoryExplanation: Food Security/Information Technology
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Eligible applicants must be an NGO (not-for-profit organization); a private business, services or consulting firm; or a college, university or foundation.  For profit businesses must waive profits and/or fees to be eligible to submit a Concept Paper or Application. US and Non-US Organizations may participate under this NFO.  USAID strongly encourages applications from applicants that lead a group of organizations, to the extent a group is needed, that combines experience across types of ICT modes, such as mobile phone based services, Internet-based information portals, television, content delivery services, video, radio and GPS as well as those that have experience in ICT-enabled agriculture extension services as well as marketing (i.e., using mass and other marketing techniques to convince target users to change behavior similar to what has been used in the health sector to convince targeted audiences to change their health related habits).  Sub-grantees have the same eligibility requirements as an Applicant but they can also be government entities such as public agriculture extension or advisory service units or entities owned by a government (at least 50% of ownership is held by government).  USAID encourages local organizations as grant applicants or proposed sub-grantees).  Additionally, pursuant to 2 CFR 200.400(g) and 2 CFR 700.13, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.  However, all reasonable, allowable and allocable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the Agreement program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 700, Relevant OMB Circulars, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for for-profit organizations), may be paid under the agreement.  USAID strongly encourages applications from new partners.
Description: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) with its partners is considering an award of a Cooperative Agreement to provide Information and Communications Technology (ICT) enabled services to contribute to the success of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Mozambique. This Award, referred to as the Mozambique Country Award from the New Alliance ICT Extension Challenge Fund, is funded by New Alliance partners, including USAID and the UK&#8217;s Department for International Development (DFID). These organizations serve on the Fund Coordination Committee. Four cooperative agreements have already been awarded from the New Alliance ICT Extension Challenge Fund for Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi and Senegal. The ICT Extension Challenge Fund seeks creative, integrated ICT-based approaches that can scale not pilot projects or proofs of concept. The Fund Grantees, including the Grantee for Mozambique, will use these approaches to convince farmers of the merits of adopting the new technologies via social marketing techniques; to widely disseminate information; and support the exchange of information to and from farmers and other actors regarding the improved technologies. All of these activities will complement related non-ICT activities (such as agriculture extension services and marketing) being used as part of the New Alliance to contribute to its success. The purpose of this NFO is to identify and select one organization, likely but not necessarily with sub-grantees, that is results-oriented, can forge sets of scaled ICT-enabled services &#8211; and change them as needed depending on results and changing conditions &#8211; to increase the adoption rates of the targeted new technologies by smallholder farmers.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: ICT General Email
GrantorContactText: Agreement Officer
CloseDateExplanation: Competition under this notice of funding opportunity (NFO) has two phases.  Phase I: Questions are due on June 29, 2015 at 5:00PM EDT (Washington, DC local time); Concept Papers are due on July 17, 2015 at 5:00PM EDT (Washington, DC local time).  Upon our review of the Concept Papers, please note that only the most highly technically qualified applicants will be invited to submit a Phase II Full Application under this NFO.