Deadline: 15-May-21
The Palladium is implementing a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded program and is seeking qualified sources to implement activities that will respond to the economic effects of the novel Coronavirus pandemic(COVID-19) in Sri Lanka.
The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Notice (FON) is to solicit applications/proposals from interested parties, wishing to receive funding from the CATALYZE Innovative Blended Finance (CATALYZE) program.
Objectives
CATALYZE seeks to:
- Identify new and innovative partners in Sri Lanka that have intimate familiarity with the economic challenges posed to firms and women-led businesses by COVID-19; and
- Support activities that increase economic growth, resilience and adaptation through the lens of CATALYZE’s priorities of enhancing SME competitiveness and women’s labor force participation.
Funding Information
- Palladium intends to provide up to US $1,000,000 in total funding for activities to begin implementation no later than July 31, 2021 with individual value of awards expected to be US $25,000-250,000 each.
Outcomes
CATALYZE encourages offerors to consider the following desired outcomes; however it welcomes any high potential ideas:
- Increased access to affordable finance, both debt and equity;
- Adoption of ICT to adapt SMEs business models to meet evolving demand, consumer preferences, and virtual modalities;
- Diversification of SME offered goods and services to adapt to new economic landscape and market opportunities;
- Interventions that include greater women’s labor force participation and entrepreneurship (including improvements to the commercial care industry and distance learning) in rural and urban areas of Sri Lanka across all ethnic and religious groups.
- More effective delivery of business support services and information to diverse communities (including those in the North and East of Sri Lanka) and SMEs to support the private sector’s response to COVID-19.
Eligibility Criteria
- This FON is issued as a public notice to ensure that all interested and qualified organizations have a fair opportunity to submit applications/proposals for funding. All offerors must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for consideration in Phase I:
- Submission of DUNS in the application/proposal unless exemption applies (awards less than $25,000 performed by foreign entities overseas, etc.).
- Offeror is legally registered as a non-for profit or for-profit organization in accordance with the laws of Sri Lanka and is in good standing, legally licensed and up to date on all applicable taxes
- Offeror has certified that it is not affiliated with any political party nor engaged in any partisan activities.
- Offeror submits all mandatory documents (including DUNS and Certifications of political affiliation) prior to the deadline for Concept Notes stipulated in the FON.
- Offeror has certified that it is receptive to participate in learning opportunities and commitment to participate in capacity building.
- The following types of entities may not apply for CATALYZE awards:
- Political parties, political party organizations, Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) parastatal institutions or GoSL owned institutions are not eligible for grants or subcontracts;
- Organizations that have controlling interest held by a government, government agency, or agent thereof;
- Offerors with active exclusions from the working with the US government (sam.gov), the UN (Sanctions List), or the US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control;
- Any entity affiliated with Palladium or any of its directors, officers, or employees; and
- Individuals.
For more information, visit https://thepalladiumgroup.com/tender/Funding-Opportunity-Notice-Innovative-Concepts-for-COVID-19-Economic-Relief-and-Adaptation-in-Sri-Lanka