USAID/Ethiopia Grand Challenge Grant: Partnering with Private Sector for Health in Ethiopia

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), represented by USAID/Ethiopia, seeks information to help improve this planned “Grand Challenge: Partnering with Private Sector for Health in Ethiopia” notice/opportunity. The RFI generally:

●     Seeks comments and recommendations on the draft Grand Challenge;

●     Assess interest and capacity of potential local and locally registered private sector organizations in submitting applications in response to the Grand Challenge; and

●     Explores potential barriers in partnering with the private sector through this Grand Challenge. 

This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation, or ultimately award a contract or assistance agreement on the basis of this RFI, or to pay for any information voluntarily submitted as a result of this request. USAID is not obligated to procure any of the services described herein, nor in no way be committed to utilize submitted information or issue a solicitation as a result of this request. The issuance of this request will not restrict the Government’s ultimate approach, if any.

Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. It should be noted that responding to or providing comments on this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement (if any).

USAID posts its competitive business opportunities on beta.SAM.gov or www.grants.gov. It is the potential offeror’s/applicant’s responsibility to monitor these sites for announcements of new opportunities.

You will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response. Hard copy responses are not required and are discouraged.

Comments should be concise and specific to the question. Responding to each question is not required. Please give consideration and respond to the following questions or sub-questions in maximum 300 words or less per response.

Responses to this RFI should be submitted to USAID via email to mendris@usaid.gov with a copy to caddis@usaid.gov with the subject line “RFI # 72066323RFI00001-Grand Challenge”, no later than the date and time stated above.

Questions:

1. Is the Grand Challenge clear and specific enough? It is intended to support any private sector generated solutions that would improve health demand of services, introduce new technology or innovation to improve how health services are or can be delivered in Ethiopia, and finally support any ideas or solutions on how current business delivery services or support services for health (i.e. lab, etc) can be improved with a new private sector generated solution. Is that clear in the language?

2. If you are a local or locally registered private sector organization (for profit and not for profit) and interested in this potential funding opportunity (Grand Challenge), please provide concise and specific responses to the following questions.

a. What is the name of your organization and where is its headquarters located?

b. In which regions have you ever operated?

c. What is your organization’s mission?

d. In what area(s) do you consider your organization to be an expert in?

e. Has your organization ever tried to partner with USAID or another donor? If so, please provide a short description of the program and challenges proved to be barriers or limitations during performance and how they were mitigated?

f. How many beneficiaries/clients did you reach in the last year?

g. How many full-time staff members and/or volunteers does your organization currently have?

h. How is your organization funded? Did your organization generate any revenue in the past year?

i. Please list current and previous donors from which you have received funding from and how much they have contributed, when, and for what purposes.

3. If you are a local or locally registered private sector organization (for profit and not-for-profit) and not interested in this potential future funding opportunity (Grand Challenge), please provide concise and specific responses to the following questions.

1. Why would you not consider bidding on this opportunity?
2. What could be improved in this Grand Challenge to better attract private sector actors to bid on this Grand Challenge opportunity?

4. We are looking to support innovation and solutions through this Grand Challenge that can be scaled and absorbed by the health system in Ethiopia. Is the private sector (including enabling environments) developed sufficiently enough to scale solutions? What might be the barriers to scale? How can other donors support/address barriers to scale?

//Signed (Original Signature on File)//

Alula Abera

Contracting/Agreement Officer