Deadline: 19-Dec-21
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications from qualified entities to implement Strengthening Parliament’s Role in Malawi’s Development Activity (The Activity).
The goal of the activity is to support the effectiveness and independence of Parliament by providing technical support to selected constitutional and standing committees, coordination between parliament and statutory oversight institutions around public integrity issues, and facilitating alignment between Parliament, CSOs and the media on legislative and oversight issues in the public interest.
Objectives
The proposed activity is aligned to key USAID’s development objectives and the Malawi government development objectives as outlined below:
- CDCS: The proposed activity will support the Development Objective 1 of the current Mission Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS: 2020 – 2025) which seeks to improve public sector effectiveness and accountability at the national and decentralized levels.
- USAID’s Positive Youth Development framework: This activity is rooted in a Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach, which is based on the belief that, “given guidance and support from caring adults, all youth can grow up healthy and productive, making positive contributions to their families, schools, and communities.”
- Health, Population and Nutrition: Various Parliamentary committees and the Cabinet committee on Health in collaboration with CSOs provide checks and balances to the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies.
- Education Governance: This activity is linked to existing USAID’s support to the GOM in improving education. The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III (2017-2022) highlights Education and Skills Development as one of its Key Priority Areas and specifically calls for the need to improve the transition rate from primary to secondary and tertiary in order to address the skills gap.
- Economic Growth: This activity aligns with USAID’s efforts in supporting the role of the private sector in Malawi’s development. Parliament needs to enact enabling pieces of legislation to facilitate the ease of doing business in Malawi.
- Anti-Corruption (Tackling Serious and Organized Corruption-TSOC (2020-2024): This Activity is directly linked to USAID’s contribution to the UK/FCDO anti-corruption program.
- Malawi Electoral Integrity Program-MEIP (2018-2021): Over the past years, USAID/Malawi has supported the electoral process and Parliament through the Malawi Electoral Integrity Program implemented by Consortium for Elections and Political Processes Strengthening (CEPPS).
- Sustainability: The sustainability of this activity is based on the premise that with additional expertise and resources, Parliament will be able to legislate, provide oversight, and represent citizens more effectively.
Funding Information
Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID anticipates one award at a total estimated amount of $11.7 million over 5 years as stipulated.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted, applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID are welcome if the Applicant determines that it has necessary capacity to implement activities of the magnitude such as this one.
- Any U.S.-based or regional/internationally based organizations submitting applications are required to include local organizations as sub-awardee implementing partners.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=336474