Deadline: 29 May 2020
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the Bridge Youth Connect (BYC) program.
USAID is supporting the five-year Bridget Youth Connect (BYC) Activity focused on creating improved skills and economic opportunities for young women and men in Niger and Burkina Faso. BYC is one of several activities supporting USAID’s Bridge Project devoted to addressing the development challenges that are drivers of recruitment for violent extremism in the Sahel.
The five-year BYC activity is focused on developing improved skills and economic opportunities for young women and men in Niger and Burkina Faso. The BYC activity is one of several activities supporting USAID’s Bridge Project, devoted to addressing the grievances that are the main drivers of VEO recruitment in the Sahel, which often stem from development issues, poor governance, lack of economic opportunity, and perceived exclusion from the benefits and services provided and facilitated by governments in the region. BYC therefore serves as one of several complementary activities that together form a comprehensive approach to addressing the multiple factors that impact these development challenges.
Within the framework of the Bridge Project and BYC’s theory of change, the goal of this activity is to increase strategic economic opportunities through improvements to the assets and agency of vulnerable young women and men in targeted communities. In order to implement this approach, the activity has the following three objectives:
- Equip youth with market-relevant skills to prepare them for livelihoods;
- Link youth and youth cooperatives to job information, networks, financing and business coaching; and
- Engage youth and youth groups in local governance that will support their own development needs.
- USAID intends to award one (1) Cooperative Agreement pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide $35,500,000.00 in total USAID funding over a five (5) year period.
- The expected Level of Effort will be seventy-five percent in Niger, and twenty-five percent in Burkina Faso.
Duration
The anticipated period of performance is five years. The estimated start date will be on/or about September 2020.
Geographic Coverage and Target Populations
- Based on the aforementioned collaborative implementation approach, the applicant will be required to work with RISE II, Bridge, and other USG partners and others to identify the most appropriate communes to implement the various components of these activities. The regions of consideration in Niger are Tillaberi, Maradi, and Diffa. In Burkina Faso, the applicant should expect most implementation to be in Centre Nord and Est. In both countries the geographic focus may need to shift based on security concerns and strategic priorities. The current expected level of effort will be seventy-five percent in Niger, and twenty-five percent in Burkina Faso. However this is subject to change based on crisis modification. Commune selection will happen in consultation with USAID during the refinement period. However, since the majority of the population is in rural areas, the applicant should expect most implementation to be serving those populations, including if they have migrated to more urban locations.
- Applicants should consider layering interventions from this activity on to effective interventions from other ongoing or recent USAID activities to deepen the impact of the programming on target communities. In particular, as relevant, the Applicant is to engage with and benefit populations and individuals supported under OTI’s NCCI programs in Diffa and Tillaberi and in Burkina Faso.
- This activity will focus on the most vulnerable young women and men. USAID defines the term vulnerable youth in Niger and Burkina Faso as 15-29 year olds who are insecure from an economic, political, socio-cultural or security perspective and who are disproportionately affected by shocks and ongoing stressors. Vulnerable youth also have very low literacy and numeracy skills, as well as few other market-relevant skills. USAID will work with the successful applicant to confirm the criteria for vulnerable youth to be targeted by the activity. USAID also encourages the implementing partner to leverage community entities, such as the community-government Project Oversight Committees (POCs) with which USAID/OTI works, and to employ a cocreation effort, co-led by youth to assist in the identification of vulnerable youth.
Eligibility Criteria
- Qualified U.S. and non-U.S. organizations (other than those from foreign policy restricted countries) are eligible to apply under this NOFO. Potential for-profit Applicants should note that, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.400(g), profit, which is any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs, is not an allowable cost for Recipients of USAID assistance awards, and cannot be part of the activity budget. However, the prohibition against profit does not apply to procurement contracts made under the assistance instrument when the Recipient procures goods and services in accordance with the Procurement Standards found in 2 CFR 200.317 to 326.
- USAID welcomes applications from organizations which have not previously received financial assistance from USAID. Applicants must have established financial management, monitoring and evaluation processes, internal control systems, and policies and procedures that comply with established U.S. Government standards, laws, and regulations. The successful Applicant(s) will be subject to a responsibility determination assessment (possibly including a pre-award survey) by the Agreement Officer (AO).
- The Recipient must be a responsible entity. The AO may determine a pre-award survey is required to conduct an examination that will determine whether the prospective Recipient has the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills – or ability to obtain them – in order to achieve the objectives of the program and comply with the terms and conditions of the award.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=326316