USAID/Malawi Local Capacity Development Initiative Grants

1.0 PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE OBJECTIVE:

This Pre-solicitation Notice seeks to provide information on an upcoming Annual Program Statement (APS) for planning purposes.

Please note that only local Organizations/firms/NGO will be eligible to apply/submit an application under the upcoming APS.

2.0 PROGRAMS UNDER CONSIDERATION:

PROGRAM AREA #1: MALAWI AGRICULTURE POLICY STRENGTHENING (MAPS)

The Malawi Agriculture Policy Strengthening (MAPS) program has the overall goal of contributing to sustainable food security in Malawi by increasing the participation of Non-State Actors (NSAs) in agriculture policy dialogue in Malawi. Through MAPS, USAID will work with NSAs, the GoM, other development partners and the ASWAp Secretariat to increase the profile, capacity and engagement of NSAs in agriculture policy development and implementation. This program will have two components.

Component 1 aims to strengthen the internal capacity of targeted NSAs to advocate effectively while Component 2 will work to build linkages among NSAs and with government to strengthen and institutionalize advocacy. These two components will account for the varying levels of development and readiness of organizations and associations in Malawi to take on advocacy activities. Furthermore, different organizations may have policy agendas more focused on local/regional issues than national level policy. Therefore, the project will tailor interventions dependent on the situation and constituency of each participant.

The goal of MAPS will be supported by two main components:

1. Building NSA institutional capacity; and
2. Effective participation in key networks that increase access to policy makers

PROGRAM AREA #2: STRENGTHENING EARLY GRADE READING FOR MALAWI CHILDREN PROGRAM

The USAID/Malawi Education Team is interested in funding innovations that will result in widespread improvements in literacy skills for Malawi students via (1) improved teaching and learning materials; (2); increased local capacity; (3) better trained teachers to develop literacy skills for students; and (4) better education data to support decision-making, transparency, incentives and accountability; all of which are essential to advance the goal of all children reading in the primary grades.

The primary objectives of the education program are:

1. Improve learning outcomes by building teacher effectiveness and strengthening classroom and school management
2. Building institutional capacity of local organizations to promote early grade literacy; and
3. Promote innovative low cost effective interventions that promote early grade literacy for students.

USAID does not have a single, prescribed approach on how to improve early grade reading, but recognizes that measurable gains can be achieved in a variety of ways including improvements in content knowledge, instructional practice, management capacity, accountability and/or morale.

2.1 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE:

Under the upcoming APS, the Mission plans to hold a Pre-Proposal Conference on May 15, 2012 at a venue to be advised. The Conference will have two sessions for each program area outlined above. Interested Applicants will need to register in advance and indicate which session they will attend by sending an e-mail to OAA-SOLICIT-LILONGWE@usaid.gov>. Attendance at this Pre-proposal conference shall be limited to two representatives. Applicants that are interested to attend the conference should be the names and positions of their representatives and full contact details.

Please note that this pre-proposal conference is for Round I Program Areas (Agriculture & Education). We anticipate a separate pre-proposal conference for the Health Program Area.

2.2 FULL APS ANNOUNCEMENT:

USAID/MALAWI anticipates that a full announcement will be made available no later than May 4, 2012.

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