Deadline: 1 January 2020
The Goldozi Project (Goldozi), implemented by Family Health International (FHI 360) and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from interested local organizations or firms to implement Goldozi Support Grants to carry out trainings, workshops, market linkage development, and other related project interventions for predominantly women entrepreneurs and their families in the embroidered products value chain.
The Goldozi Project (“Goldozi,” or “embroidery,” in Dari) aims to create 15,500 new and better jobs in the embroidered products value chain, primarily for women, in Afghanistan over the life of project. Goldozi will create jobs for 500 lead entrepreneurs (LEs), each of whom will promote, facilitate, maintain, and coach networks of at least 30 women embroiderers (WEs) in targeted provinces, on technical, business, financial, and sales matters. LEs will be supported through participation in a three-phase training program (The Goldozi Certificate Program [GCP]), refresher trainings, an innovative mobile application, and family forums to sensitize family members to the value of supporting a female wage earner. As a result, Les should be able to earn a living through this work, and the WEs they support should earn an increased income.
Grant Objectives
Goldozi grants aim to achieve four (4) objectives:
- Identify beneficiaries and implement the Goldozi Certificate Program (GCP);
- Manage producer groups;
- Provide continuous support to LEs; and
- Facilitate market linkages for LEs.
Award Information
Goldozi expects to reach the anticipated 290 LEs and 8,700 WEs through this solicitation.
Start Date and Period of Performance
The period of performance anticipated herein is approximately 22 months. The estimated award date is on/about April 1, 2020, through an estimated end date of January 2022.
Beneficiaries
- Women Embroiderers (WEs): Women Embroiderers (WEs) are the primary beneficiaries on the production side. WEs will produce goods of consistent quality and quantity that continuously fulfill the evolving local, regional, and international market demand for the purpose of increased incomes. At least 30 WEs will form a producer group, who will be supported and facilitated by the Lead Entrepreneurs (LEs).
- Lead Entrepreneurs (LEs): Lead Entrepreneurs (LEs) will enroll in and complete the six-month Goldozi Certificate Program (GCP) and lead producer groups. They provide leadership and guidance to a group of women embroiderers (WEs) to help them to produce better-quality products and identify and access markets. LEs should have a minimum of a 10th grade education, be able to read and use a mobile phone. Each LE will be given a transportation stipend to enable them to participate in the GCP course as well as provided with refreshment during the GCP theoretical sessions.
Target Areas
Goldozi expects to award grants to Applicants based in and operating primarily in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Bamiyan, Nangarhar, and Balkh, Afghanistan.
Eligible Applicants
- Applicants must be local Afghan community-based organizations (CBOs), local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); or local private sector entities.
- Applicants must be registered as a legal entity in Afghanistan and have a valid business registration license/certificate from the relevant government entity (i.e. Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Justice, or the Ministry of Commerce and Industries).
- Applicants must agree with and accept the terms and conditions of USAID funding.
- Applicants must have an established office or be willing to establish offices in the provincial areas targeted by this RFA.
- Applicants must have sound financial and administrative management systems established in the form of written financial and administrative policies and procedures that are in written form and present a system of controls that guard assets, protect against fraud, waste, and abuse, and technical capabilities that support the achievement of project goals and objectives. Goldozi will conduct a financial Pre-Award Assessment (PAT) of each eligible applicant prior to awarding the grant. Applicants that score very low in the PAT assessment may have their applications disqualified.
- Applicants must have prior experience implementing similar projects related to one or a combination of the following: the embroidered products value chain, technical vocational training, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, activities pertaining to women’s economic participation, engagement in formal and informal educational training activities, or a similar activity. Applicants must submit their successfully implemented project completion certificates and signed agreement.
Ineligible Applicants
- Individuals
- Any organization that has misused USAID funds in the past
- Political parties, groupings, or institutions or their subsidiaries and affiliates
- Organizations that advocate, promote, or espouse anti-democratic policies or illegal activities
- Any entity included in any supplementary information concerning prohibited individuals or entities that may be prohibited by USAID
- Any entity whose name appears as debarred in the System of Award Management (SAM)
- Any organization that does not pass the USAID vetting requirement if the grant award amount is above $25,000. And any organization who is not willing to submit the required information for USAID vetting.
For more information, visit http://www.acbar.org/rfq/10533.jsp