Request for Application (RFA) -...

Request for Application (RFA)

Issuance Date: July 23, 2016

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: August 12, 2016

Closing Date/Time

for Submission of Applications: September 15, 2016, by 16:00 hours

SUBJECT: Request for Application (RFA) Number: RFA - 001- 2016

Improving Competitiveness and Market Access of Producer Organizations (POs)

from the Berry Sector.

USAID/Sweden Fostering Agricultural Markets Activity II (the Activity), a United States

Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Sweden-funded

activity, is seeking applications from qualified, legally registered BiH non-profit, for-profit, and

non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for a grant award to implement activities on Improving

Competitiveness and Market Access of Producer Organizations (POs) from the Berry Sector.

The applications must be received no later than September 15, 2016. Applicants must meet the

requirements of eligibility for this Request for Applications (RFA). This RFA solicits grant

applications to support sustainable economic growth, employment expansion, increased sales and

exports, increased household incomes in Bosnia & Herzegovina and increased potential to meet

EU standard requirements.

The Project invites eligible producer organizations to submit applications for the Improving

Competitiveness and Market Access of Producer Organizations (POs) from the Berry Sector.

The Project invites eligible producer organizations to attend an information session for this RFA

which will be organized on August 16, 2016 at 11:00 in the Project Office, Sarajevo, Fra Andjela

Zvizdovica 1, Tower B, 18th floor. If interested to participate, please RSVP no later than 11:00

AM on August 10, 2016. Attendance at this session is strongly recommended.

You are invited to submit an application for the Improving Competitiveness and Market Access

of Producer Organizations (POs) from the Berry Sector. The grants will be awarded and

implemented in accordance with U.S. government regulations governing grants under contracts

and the Activity’s internal grant management policies.

The Successful Applicant will be responsible for ensuring achievement of specified grant

objectives. Please refer to Section 1 – Funding Opportunity Description for a complete statement

of goals and expected results.

USAID/Sweden FARMA II

Request for Applications (RFA) 001 2016 – Improving Competitiveness of Berry Sector Page 2

This RFA consists of the following sections:

1. Section 1 – Funding Opportunity Description

2. Section 2 – Award Information

3. Section 3 – Eligibility Information

4. Section 4 – Application and Submission Information

5. Section 5 – Application Review Information

6. Section 6 – Award and Administration Information

7. Section 7 – Authority/Governing Regulations

8. Section 8 – Annexes

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200 Subpart E and 2 CFR 700.13, it is USAID policy not to award profit

under assistance instruments. However, all reasonable, allocable and allowable expenses, both

direct and indirect, which are related to the grant activity and are in accordance with applicable

cost standards 2 CFR 200 Subpart E for non-profit organizations and educational institutions,

and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for for-profit organizations), may be paid

under the Award.

The Activity reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Issuance of this

RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Activity, nor does it commit the

Activity to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Further,

the Activity reserves the right to reject any or all applications received if such action is

considered to be in the best interest of the U.S. Government. Applications are submitted at the

risk of the Applicant; should circumstances prevent making an award, all preparation and

submission costs are at the Applicant’s expense.

Applicants should submit any questions concerning this RFA in writing via email at

[email protected]. The deadline for receipt of requests for clarifications / explanations is

August 12, 2016. No questions will be accepted after this date.

Applicants should submit applications in writing to the one of following addresses:


71000 Sarajevo

Fra Andjela Zvizdovica 1B/18


78000 Banjaluka

Prvog Krajiskog korpusa bb


75000 Tuzla,

Marsala Tita 34A/III


88000 Mostar

Kneza M. Viševića Humskog 11

In addition applicants should submit applications electronically, via email at

[email protected]. The Closing Date for Submission of Applications is September 15, 2016

and the Closing Time for Submission of Applications is 04:00 PM local BiH Time. Late

applications will not be considered.



Section 1 – Funding Opportunity Description

Background: The USAID/Sweden Fostering Agricultural Markets Activity II (FARMA II) in

BiH is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the

Government of Sweden. The purpose of the USAID/Sweden FARMA II is to create agricultural

and agribusiness opportunities by assisting producer organizations to adopt EU and international

standards to produce new products and expand market access and to assist BiH to implement

food and agricultural regulations that meet international requirements. The Activity will create

agricultural and agribusiness economic opportunities for BiH citizens by assisting agricultural

producer organizations in adopting the European Union (EU) and international food standards

and new production techniques, producing new high value products, and expanding market

access. USAID/Sweden FARMA II’s methodology of working with private and public sector

stakeholders to identify market failures will ensure that the Activity team remains focused on

addressing the root problems inhibiting competitiveness. The project team will collaborate with

numerous partners and business development service providers (BDSPs) to build their capacity

to introduce ownership and provide sustainability within an indigenous ecosystem of BiH

organizations.

Program Description:

I. Background on the specific grant activity

Considering small and fragmented landholdings in BiH, viable agricultural development in BiH

largely depends on the production of high value, labor-intensive crops (such as berries) using

modern production technologies that will maximize yields and produce crops of a high standard

demanded by the market. During the past several years, production of berries has significantly

increased, raspberries in particular. This was expected keeping in mind that previous USAID

funded projects LAMP, LAMP I, and later the USAID/Sida funded FARMA project, have

intensively supported the development of raspberry production in BiH. In addition to this, many

other donors in BiH such as CRS, Swiss Caritas, UNDP, JICA, GIZ, etc. provided intensive

support to this type of production. Besides the activities targeting expansion of primary

production such as trainings and education on proper growing technology, development of berry

technical manuals, introduction of new cultivars and varieties, there were also new investments

in sorting and grading equipment, cold storages and freezing capacities.

As a result of all of these interventions, primary production of raspberries has been increased

from 916 hectares (ha) in 2006 to 1,682 ha in 2015 and, with around 13 thousand tons and value

of 51 million KM’s, raspberries are the leading fruit exported from BiH. Other than raspberries, a

lot has been done in promoting and increasing productions of blackberries, American Highbush

Blueberries, ever bearing and wild strawberries and Aronia (chokeberries). Therefore, berry

production is a leading production in fruit and vegetable sector in BiH. Berry sector is

completely export oriented and it represents almost 50% of total BiH exports of fruit and

vegetables. Although the potential returns for berries are very attractive, the costs of establishing

plantations are relatively high and are estimated to be between 2,000 – 3,000 KM’s per dunum

(1,000 m2). Investments in primary production were followed by large private investments in

construction and/or expansion of cold storages, quick freezing capacities and accompanying

equipment as well as berry seedling nurseries.



In order to continue and keep the existing development momentum, it is necessary to facilitate

additional investments in the berry value chain to make it more productive and profitable, both at

the farm and producer organization level. At the farm level, there is a great potential to increase

production quantities simply through the increased yield which with minimal investments and

interventions can be doubled. Production of plants, seedlings and improvements of plant material

also needs special attention since proper plant material is a key precondition for establishing

successful berry plantation.

Berries, if not sold as fresh, where limited quantities can be offered both at the local and

international markets, need to be immediately quick frozen and stored in cold storages under the

required temperature regime. Therefore, appropriate capacities need to be in place in order to

preserve fruits and provide enough storage capacities. In addition, fruits requires appropriate

sorting and grading later in the process in order to satisfy market and buyers requirements

demand. Hence, additional improvements and investments are necessary throughout the value

chain from primary production towards the cold storages and capacity improvements throughout

the BiH.

II. The purpose, goals and objectives of the activity

The purpose of this RFA is to solicit applications to support the Activity in the achievement of

its program objectives. Specifically, the purpose of this activity is to strengthen berry value chain

that is the most promising fruit and vegetable (F&V) subsector in BiH, and is mainly oriented for

export markets. Also, the purpose of this activity is to support interventions in berry sector which

will lead to improved production efficiency and profitability both for producer organizations and

farmers, implementation of good agricultural practices and EU food safety standards and

improved overall competitiveness of all participants of value chain. The objectives of this

activity are listed below:

Promotion of environmentally sustainable and more productive berry production in

compliance with the Code of Good Agricultural Practices in order to ensure safe product for

the human consumption;

Promotion of sustainable berry production to include new farmers creating new employment

opportunities and production;

Initiated activities to incorporate climate change adaptation and risk reduction strategies into

appropriate actions and promote environmental best practices;

Increased competitiveness of the berry sector in BiH by improving yields, production and

processing of good quality produce and in accordance to the EU standards;

Improvement of marketing, packaging and branding of final products;

Facilitation of export of fresh produce and value added products to the EU and other

international markets;

Introduction of new technologies to increase quality and improve productivity of existing and

new farmers and producer organizations;

Improvement of current berry production by introducing better and more productive varieties

of fruit that are required by the foreign markets and have more potential for export.



III. Expected results

It is expected that applicants will increase productivity and profitability at the farm level and

further throughout the value chain. Therefore, further increase in production of berries in BiH is

expected and in parallel new market opportunities explored in order to secure safe placement of

produced goods. However, ultimate results will encompass:

New investment in the berry value chain in BiH;

Applied new technologies that improve quality of fruits;

Fulfillment of market requirements through the increased number of implemented

standards and obtained certificates that it proves;

Improved berry product qualities;

Involvement of large number of women and increased number of full time jobs created;

Enhanced agricultural infrastructure in the berry value chain;

IV. Illustrative activities

Target activities that will be supported with this RFA are described in the section below.

USAID/Sweden FARMA II will support funding of the activities that will strengthen the berry

sector in BiH by facilitating domestic production of high quality produce and in accordance to

good agricultural practices and EU food safety standards. Applicants may submit proposals that

address one or several of the target activities proposed below:

Using new, modern methods to improve berry production such as using of cover nettings

and foil in berry plantations to increase quality of fruit and to extend harvesting period

outside of current parameters;

Assisting producer organization to access clean water for irrigation and in acquiring and

installation of proper irrigation system to mitigate potential adverse impact of climate

change;

Increase of current level of production of berries for the fresh market and improvement

of post-harvest handling which is more demanding process than for industrial

raspberries;

Support to producer organization in introduction of new berry varieties which have

increased yields and extended harvesting period;

Support to new production and/or processing technologies which lead to import

substitution and/or increased exports;

Improved post-harvest handling at the farm level to improve product quality;

Improvement in quality of seedling/plant material;

Improvement in cold storage and processing facility management;

Strengthening of Business Development Service Providers to improve their knowledge

on technical aspects of berry production by enabling them to access training

opportunities thus improving access to continuous technical assistance for farmers in

orchards establishment and innovative production techniques to ensure strong yields and

quality products;

Application of innovative and new management practices both in the primary production

and processing facilities;



Support farmers and producer organizations to implement international food safety

standards and obtain relevant certification as well as promote activities related to the

farm record keeping

Support activities that provide on-farm employment for large number of people

especially women and youth;

In addition, USAID/Sweden FARMA II encourages applicants to consider and address in the

application necessary measures that proposes mitigation against environment and climate related

risks, as well as to pay attention to gender aspects and that higher number of total direct and

indirect beneficiaries are women and youth where possible. Also, as a minimum of quality

standards implementation requirements, the farm record keeping at the level of potential

beneficiaries needs to be promoted and implemented.

V. Performance Monitoring Plan

To track achievements of these grant awards, the Activity will measure progress against total

number of jobs created in assisted producer organizations in berry value chain, annual percent

change in sales and exports, number of farmers and POs who have applied new technologies or

management practices as a result of this grant award. In addition, the Activity will measure

improvement in management practices, farmers’ holdings implementing at least one strategy to

mitigate against climate-related risks as a result of this grant award. It is expected that applicants

will include the same set of indicators in their project to measure achievements that will be result

of this grant award. The participation of woman in the proposed activities is strongly encouraged,

it will be evaluated and tracked separately.

Section 2 – Award Information

Subject to the availability of funds, the Activity intends to provide grant funds to support

Improving Competitiveness and Market Access of Producer Organizations (POs) from the Berry

Sector.

It is expected that grants for Improving Competitiveness and Market Access of Producer

Organizations (POs) from the Berry Sector will be allocated over a one-year period. The

anticipated period of performance of the grant is expected to be October 15, 2016 – October 15,

2017. The Activity anticipates awarding standard grants under this RFA. The Activity’s grants

shall not exceed 50,000 $ for a single award.

Section 3 – Eligibility Information

Eligible organizations shall be able to comply with and achieve the proposed Program

Description, Tasks, and Results and have a satisfactory performance record and record of

integrity and business ethics.

Legally registered Bosnia & Herzegovina Organizations;

Non-profit/NGO, regional development agencies, public educational institutions (agricultural

faculties, institutes, extension services)

Commercial and/or for-profit organizations that understand that no profit or fee will be

allowed under the grant agreement;



Any legal entity which is registered in the Farm Registry established within the entity or

cantonal ministries of agriculture, either as a company or at a minimum as an agricultural

crafts organization;

In some cases, BiH public educational entities may be eligible for grants. Grants to

educational entities will be used to provide in-kind assistance only. Under any grants

awarded to public educational entities, USAID/Sweden FARMA II will conduct all

procurement on behalf of the grantee and transfer the equipment as an in-kind donation. The

government organizations eligible would include agricultural institutes and university

faculties.

Eligible organizations must also adhere to the following requirements:

Demonstrate an ability to contribute to the objectives of the USAID/Sweden FARMA II

project and perform the activities proposed in accordance with USAID policies and practices;

Display sound financial, administrative, and technical management in the form of a system

of controls that safeguards assets, protects against fraud and waste, and supports the

achievement of the award’s objectives;

Representatives of the organization must sign all mandatory certifications.

Prior to the award of grant under this RFA, successful Applicants will be required to sign a

Certification Regarding Terrorist Financing certifying that the Applicant’s organization does not

provide and has never provided assistance to terrorists for terrorist activities. Successful

Applicants may also be required to sign other Certifications as applicable to the award. The

Certifications are attached as Annex A of this RFA.

Ineligible organizations include:

Entities that have misused USAID or the Government of Sweden funds in the past;

Organizations that advocate, promote or espouse anti-democratic policies or illegal

activities;

Political parties or institutions;

Organizations that intend to use the grant for religious objectives;

Public International Organizations;

Government organizations and institutions;

Individuals.

Ineligible Expenses:

FARMA II grant funds may not be utilized for the following:

Profit

Military equipment

Surveillance equipment

Commodities and services for support of police and other law enforcement activities

Abortion equipment and services

Luxury goods and gambling equipment

Weather modification equipment



Private ceremonies, parties, celebrations, or "representation" expenses (entertainment

costs)

Purchases of restricted goods, such as certain agricultural commodities, motor vehicles,

pharmaceuticals, contraceptive products, pesticides, used equipment and fertilizers

without USAID’s Contracting Officer advance approval.

Purchases of goods or services from countries or suppliers as may be identified by

USAID's consolidated list of debarred, suspended, or ineligible subcontractors, System

for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov / or the U.S. Department of

Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Controls (OFAC)at

http://sdnsearch.ofac.treas.gov/Default.aspx

Prior obligations of and/or, debts, fines, and penalties imposed on the Grantee.

Alcoholic beverages

Purchases or activities unnecessary to accomplish grant purposes as determined by the

FARMA Project.

Second hand equipment

Section 4 – Application and Submission Information

Applicants should submit written applications in hard copy to one of the addresses listed above

and electronically via email at [email protected]. The Closing Date for Submission of

Applications is September 15, 2016 and the Closing Time for Submission of Applications is

04:00 PM Local BiH Time. Late applications will not be considered.

For each proposed activity, the applicant will also propose target indicators from the following

areas:

Increased sales and/or exports and potential for income generation;

Increased access to international and/or domestic markets;

Increased number of on-farm-employment and /or direct and seasonal employees as a

result of activity implementation;

Increased number of women participating in this program;

Introduction of new products and/or implementation of the new production technology;

Increased yields and profitability due to the introduction of new crop varieties;

Introduction of international food safety standards or management systems;

Introduction of new crop or equipment insurance schemes;

Import substitution and/or increased export potential;

Implementation of measures to mitigate risk of climate change.

For the project to be funded by USAID/Sida FARMA II it should include the following

elements, as relevant:

Readiness to introduce new production technologies and to demonstrate its advantages (if

any) to selected value chain participants;

http://sdnsearch.ofac.treas.gov/Default.aspx



Readiness to provide assistance to young farmers and/or women (for example, in the

form of training) to increase the production of target produce. This activity will

contribute to mitigation of market distortion.

Openness to show others in the industry new practices that have been implemented as a

result of the project. This activity will contribute to mitigation of market distortion.

All applications in response to this RFA shall consist of a technical proposal and a budget

proposal. The technical proposal must be no longer than 25 pages in length. The applicant is

expected to demonstrate the following in the application:

Consistency with Project’s objectives: The applicant’s proposed results clearly feed into the

Activity’s performance management plan. The proposed indicators are objectively measurable,

clear and relevant to the Activity and the methodology for measuring results of the program is

appropriate and efficient. The proposed activities are consistent with and will contribute to

achieving the objectives stated in the RFA.

Feasibility of design. The proposed methodology reflects an understanding of the RFA’s

program description and scope of work. The designed interventions are appropriate and the

results/milestones are concrete and achievable. The implementation plan includes tasks/activities

that are clearly described and organized in a sequential and logical order; the proposed timelines

allow for the maximization of resources and time, and they are clearly assigned to personnel

Market Distortion. The proposed activity clearly defines how the potential market distortion will

be mitigated. The applicant is expected to demonstrate their readiness to mitigate the potential

market distortion which may occur because of financial assistance paid to the business giving the

business a competitive advantage over the similar businesses within the value chain. FARMA II

ensures clear, transparent and competitive procedures for grants and one of the key

considerations includes market distortion. Applications will be assessed and approved with a

goal to avoid market distortion or favoring one producer, business group or interest over another.

In improving the competitiveness of a berry producing and processing sector, grants will foster a

level playing field for competing and complementary producer organizations in the same value

chain.

Sustainability/financial self-reliance. Proposals will be evaluated regarding the extent to which

the funded activity will result in building and strengthening the capacity of the local

organizations, and whether the activity itself is sustainable or will stimulate the economic

sustainability of the organization. The required cost share is minimum 50% of the total

investment costs. The proposed cost share elements are relevant to the objectives of the program

and demonstrate the organization’s commitment in investing resources in the program. The

application includes a logical and feasible proposal describing how the cost share commitments

will be met. If program income is expected: The proposal for collecting program income is

efficient and realistic.

Gender Equality. Proposals will be evaluated regarding the extent to which the funded activity

will result in improving gender inequality within USAID/Sweden FARMA II supported sub

sectors and components. In line with USAID’s Gender Equality and Female Empowerment

Policy and the Swedish Government’s Policy for Gender Equality and the Rights and Role of



Women in Sweden’s International Development Cooperation, FARMA II small grants will

support opportunities to empower, motivate and activate men and women to mitigate gender

inequalities within the USAID/Sweden FARMA II supported value chains. Given that the

situation differs in different value chains and local contexts, the small grants fund will serve as a

tool for substantial women’s empowerment and mitigation of gender inequality.

Environmental consideration. For assistance provided under this SOW sub-contractor will

comply with USAID environmental requirements in accordance with CFR 216, namely the

FARMA II-approved Initial Environmental Examination and the approved Programmatic

Environmental Assessment (PEA) and the Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action

Plan (PERSUAP), as directed by USAID/Sweden FARMA II. Specifically, any technical

assistance (TA) must comply with the following:

1. FARMA II Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA), Section 7.3.1. (b), where all

TA must promote Good Agricultural Practices (GAP’s),

2. All pest management advices must comply with FARMA’s II approved Pesticide

Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan (PERSUAP). Only pesticides approved in

the PERSUAP may be used and recommended during training events, including any

written material prepared by the implementer. It is USAID policy that all pest

management advices must follow the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

The approved pesticide list, in addition to the full PERSUAP, will be provided to the

selected implementer prior to the signing of the contract and shall be fully complied with.

Desired Results. Grants will be awarded for activities that will have the greatest contribution to

increased competitiveness of the berry sector through implementation of new technologies, Good

Agricultural Practices, introduction of new products to the market, increased sales and exports,

increased on-farm and direct employment, climate change adaptation and risk reduction and

promote environmental best practices. Grant applications will specify activity outputs and

explain how and to what degree they are expected to generate these overall business results

objectives.

Application Process

All interested parties can apply for possible support from USAID/Sweden FARMA II’s Grant

Fund for above mentioned activities. In addition to the above project specific criteria, all

applicants must meet the following conditions:

1. Maximum amount requested from Project should not exceed 50,000 $.

2. USAID/Sweden FARMA II participation should be 50% or less of the cost of the

entire project

3. Used equipment CANNOT be financed.

4. The PO must also submit balance sheets and income statements (or other relevant

financial data) for the last 2 years, with evidence of successful business operation

5. USAID/Sweden FARMA II funds will be reimbursed to the applicant only after the

purchase and installation of equipment and after the submission of all required

documentation such as invoices, receipts etc. For the fixed amount awards FARMA II

funds will be reimbursed only after specific deliverable/milestone has been achieved.



The budget proposal shall be submitted as a separate file from the technical proposal. The

required format for applications is included as Annex B - Full Application Format and Budget

Format.

Section 5 – Application Review Information

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth below. The criteria have

been tailored to the requirements of this RFA. Applications should note that these criteria serve

to: (a) identify the significant matters which Applicants should address in their applications; and

(b) set the standard against which all applications will be evaluated.

To the extent necessary, the Activity may request clarification and supplemental materials from

Applicants whose applications have a reasonable chance of being selected for Award. The entry

into discussion is to be viewed as part of the evaluation process and shall not be deemed as

indicative of a decision or commitment upon the part of the Project to make an award to the

Applicants with whom discussions are being held.

The following evaluation criteria will be used in this RFA will:

1. Consistency with USAID/Sweden FARMA II objectives and overall project goals: especially

introducing new technologies to increase client sales and jobs.

2. Activity’s contribution to increased sales, exports, employment, and investment.

3. Sector-specific technical criteria

4. Results to be achieved: Are the results to be achieved linked to the grant objective

5. Compatibility with EU accession requirements. Compatibility with Section 613 of the US FY

08 Appropriations Act. USAID/Sweden FARMA II aims to increase exports in targeted

agriculture and food sub-sectors and facilitate partnerships with existing and new foreign

investors, it is not expected that investments and export promotion assistance under the

Project will adversely impact US companies or jobs since the majority of BiH agricultural

and food exporters and investors are regional and EU-based, a negligible share of their

products are exported to the US, and no US jobs loss is anticipated as a result of

USAID/Sweden FARMA II activities.

6. Feasibility of design and approach: the quality and feasibility of the application in terms of

the appropriateness of the proposed technology and innovativeness; proposed mechanisms

for monitoring and evaluation with objectively measurable indicators will also be appraised.

7. Management and programmatic capacity: evidence of the capability to undertake and

accomplish the proposed activities. The appraisal will be based on the background,

qualifications, reputation, appropriateness and skills of its key personnel, and the reputation,

and achievements of the organization in the past.

8. Potential for scaling up/replication

9. Potential for mitigation of possible market distortion: evidence of the applicant’s capability

to craft solutions that make the value of the activity higher than the cost of the activity.

Provides reasonable explanation on how the benefit received from the project contributes to

the broader farmers’ community.



10. Budget: the degree to which budgeting is clear and reasonable and reflects best use of

organizational and grant resources; Provides reasonable cost share consistent with the nature

of the proposed activity and the applicant’s ability to contribute and leverage funds to the

greatest extent possible; All members of the TEC committee will review the budget in detail

making sure that the proposed costs make technical sense, are directly linked to an activity,

and are reasonable and necessary costs.

11. Gender and youth awareness: the extent to which the funded activity includes a gender and

youth component or represents a strong commitment to women and youth as beneficiaries.

12. Environmental Compliance: addressing climate change adaptation and risk reduction

strategies into appropriate activities and promotion environmental best practices

The selection of the Applicant for award will be made by the Activity’s Grant Selection

Committee (GSC). Prior to the award of any resultant grant agreement, the Project must obtain

prior approval from USAID.

Section 6 – Award and Administration Information

Successful applicant(s) will receive written notice from the DCOP/Grants Manager informing

the applicant(s) that the Activity either intends to award a grant to the applicant without

negotiation, or that the Activity intends to engage the applicant(s) in further negotiations with

respect to a potential grant award. Negotiations conducted after the receipt of an application do

not constitute an obligation on the part of the Project to award a grant. Unsuccessful applicants

will be notified in writing by the DCOP/Grants Manager.

Any resultant award will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Prime Contract for the

USAID/Sweden Fostering Agricultural Markets Activity II (FARMA II), 2 CFR 200 Standard

Provisions for Non-U.S. Non-governmental Recipients.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Activity or the

U.S. Government, nor does it commit the Activity or the U.S. Government to pay for costs

incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

Funding

All grants will be negotiated, denominated and funded in Bosnian Marks (BAM). Payments will

either be made on a reimbursement basis in tranches corresponding to achievement of agreed

upon milestones or directly to vendor’s account after the completion of services or upon delivery

of equipment. The decision will be made by USAID/Sweden FARMA II as part of an eventual

analysis of the Applicant’s organizational capability to manage grant funds.

All costs funded by the grant must be allowable, allocable and reasonable. A cost-sharing

element from the applicant and/or an approved third party must be contributed to the grant

activity.

Grant applications must be supported by a detailed and realistic budget as described in Annex B.

Section 7 – Authority/Governing Regulations

FARMA II grants to non-U.S. organizations adhere to guidance provided under USAID’s

Automated Directive System (ADS), Section 302.3.5.6, “Grants Under Contracts,” ADS Chapter



303, “Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Non-Governmental Organizations,” and within the

terms of the USAID Standard Provisions applicable to Non-U.S. Non-Governmental Recipients.

These provisions can also be accessed through the USAID external website at

http://transition.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/303.pdf.

ADS 303 references three additional regulatory documents:

A. 22 CFR 226 Administration of Assistance Awards to U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations

B. OMB Circular A-122: Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations

C. FAR 31.2 Cost principles for Commercial Organizations

D. OMB Circular A-133: Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations

Full text of these circulars can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/.

USAID/Sweden FARMA II is required to ensure that all organizations receiving USAID grant

funds comply with the guidance found in these circulars, as applicable to the respective terms

and conditions of their grant awards.

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of USAID/Sweden

FARMA II, nor does it commit the Project to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and

submission of an application. Further, the Project reserves the right to reject any or all

applications received. All application preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's

expense and risk. Awards are subject to availability of funds.

Section 8: Annexes

Annex A: Certifications

Annex B: Full Application Format and Budget Format

Annex C: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

Annex D: Environmental Self-Screening Form

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/


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