Deadline: 25-Jan-24
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the USAID Governance Activity in Turkmenistan.
The activity will promote inclusivity and accessibility across a variety of sectors through providing methodology and expertise on inclusive services and facilities for individuals with special needs, including people with disabilities, elderly people, pregnant women, young parents, and others. In accordance with Turkmenistan’s National Action Plan for Gender Equality for 2021-2025, this activity will increase the capacity of civil servants, civil society and private sector to better understand and implement gender sensitive knowledge, attitudes, policies and practices with the aim to improving women’s economic opportunities, including participation in political and public spheres, and decreasing gender-based violence.
Goal and Objectives
- Goal: To strengthen the ability of Government and non-state actors’ to serve the people of Turkmenistan. USAID Governance Activity in Turkmenistan (GAT) will work in partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan’s (GoTM) to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery through hands-on technical assistance to government agencies.
- Objective 1: Strengthened implementation of laws and delivery of services
- The activity will provide support to GoTM officials and civil society to identify and address issues that inhibit effective implementation of laws and provision of services. Interventions will focus on GoTM civil servants’ ability to implement existing and updated laws and to constructively engage with civil society organizations (CSO).
- Proposed interventions:
- Proposed intervention(s) should aim to change the way government institutions execute their responsibilities, rather than increasing capacity (though increased capacity may be a necessary intermediate step).
- Objective 2: Strengthened e-governance to facilitate efficient and accessible service delivery
- Digitalization will propel economic growth and inclusion and improve the quality of data and statistics available to the Turkmen government when making decisions, as well as businesses seeking to invest in Turkmenistan.
- Proposed Interventions:
- The applicant should propose interventions that will lead to the digitization of one or more services or other e-governance systems in practice, for example, the creation of an electronic hepatitis tracking system with the Ministry of Health.
- Objective 3: Improved policy development and lawmaking processes
- The activity will encourage participatory consultations with local municipalities and executing agencies for national strategic programs implementation. The activity will conduct Tec comparative analysis of existing laws and regulations in e-governance, business and investment environment, social protection, women’s empowerment, youth engagement, and other priority areas to suggest synchronization with the recently adopted national strategies.
- Proposed Interventions:
- Proposed interventions should identify specific proposed legislation or policies the activity would seek to support, including what reforms are underway and what role the activity might play. Interventions might also include changes to procedures, for example, committees seeking academic or public associations’ evidence-based input into legislation, or public consultation on proposed legislation, if said procedures are supported by the GoTM and likely to be institutionalized and lead to changes in legislation or policy.
- Objective 4: Empowered civil society and improved legal environment for CSOs
- The activity will support civil society organizations to improve their long-term sustainability and help them build the needed skills to establish broader constituencies and expand the base of civic participation.
- Proposed Interventions:
- The applicant should be as specific as possible in proposing interventions and their expected impact for the public good, including identifying CSOs that the applicant would seek to partner with, what public benefit they provide, and how the project would facilitate enhancing those public benefits.
Opportunity Statement
- Opportunity 1: Advancing the skills and effectiveness of civil servants to deliver high quality services for citizens. Turkmenistan continues to develop the human and institutional capacity for public administration and strengthen intergovernmental linkages to improve government functioning. The GoTM has emphasized applying good international practices such as a “single window” concept for all utility services.
- Opportunity 2: Leverage e-governance to improve access to public services and communication between government and citizens. The GoTM has prioritized digital transformation and e-governance as a key to making public services more accessible, cost-effective, and fully compliant with laws and formal processes. USAID has partnered with the government to develop digital platforms in the health sector, and to build information communication technologies (ICT) capacity for civil servants.
- Opportunity 3: Evidence-based, inclusive and harmonized policy and legislation to advance GoTM priorities. USAID has positive relationships with the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and a number of Ministries with whom it has supported the development or amendment of legislation. There is an excellent opportunity to advance GoTM priorities by increasing the evidence-base for developing legislation and soliciting greater input from across public institutions to inform policy.
- Opportunity 4: Increased influence and long-term sustainability of civil society. Turkmenistan has a number of public associations working on various issues such as disability rights, environmental causes, and women’s empowerment. With adequate support and an enabling environment, these organizations have the potential to advance shared priorities with the GoTM, and to benefit citizens of Turkmenistan.
Funding Information
- USAID intends to provide $6,500,000 in total USAID funding over a five-year period.
- The anticipated period of performance is 5 (five) years. The estimated start date is anticipated to be April 29, 2024. However, the actual start date will be determined at the time of the award.
Activities
- GAT will work closely with the following USAID Central Asia Mission’s regional and bilateral activities.
- USAID/Central Asia’s Kazakhstan Local Governance activity brings together stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, and local government to support locally led development and partnership initiatives. The activity focuses on working with local governments, the private sector, and civil society to help them identify priorities, better manage national and local resources, private sector productivity, and mobilize citizens to work towards common objectives.
- The Safe Migration in Central Asia activity, implemented in five countries of Central Asia. This activity uses evidence-based practices and cross-border connections to strengthen the mutual accountability and effectiveness of governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to prevent trafficking in persons, protect survivors, and promote safe migration, as part of USAID’s Asia-wide suite of counter-trafficking interventions.
- The Social Innovation in Central Asia program. This activity cultivates a vibrant and responsive civil society throughout the region, including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and builds a new generation of forward-looking civil society leaders (2019-2024). Social Innovation in Central Asia centers on four interrelated objectives: foster a cohort of civically responsible young leaders; strengthen civil society’s role in promoting greater public transparency and accountability; enhance civil society’s ability to quickly respond to emerging opportunities; and build the capacity of civil society organizations to be financially viable and responsive to constituents.
- USAID’s Future Growth Initiative. This activity generates economic opportunities across Central Asia to increase local competitiveness, create new jobs, and improve incomes for Central Asia’s growing workforce.
- The Central Asia Media Program. This activity is active only in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. If the situation changes, the new governance activity will take full advantage of this program to develop a more balanced information environment to increase openness among youth and adults for differing ideas, opinions, and perspectives and in turn increase their engagement in civic participation.
- The Central Asia Support for Stable Societies activity. This activity is active in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and is focused on identifying and testing new methods for the prevention of violent extremism (PVE) in Central Asia.
Targeted Stakeholders
- The program’s target audiences include, but are not limited to, GoTM agencies, lawmaking institutions, civil servants, people and institutions who influence public opinion, including: civil society, think tanks, research groups, governmental and quasi-governmental institutions and their representatives, media outlets and journalists, bloggers, opinion leaders, academia, the private sector, youth, community and women led organizations, and leaders.
Geographic Focus
- The focus of this activity is Turkmenistan, including Ashgabat and the five regions of Akhal, Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap, and Mary.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted. Qualified U.S. and Non-U.S. organizations may participate under this NOFO.
- USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID.
- Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for federal financial assistance on the same basis as any other organization and are subject to the protections and requirements of Federal law.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.