The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications from qualified entities to implement the Expanding Malawi HIV/AIDS Prevention with local Organizations Working for an Effective Epidemic Response (EMPOWER) program. There are no eligibility restrictions for this procurement.
The United States Agency for International Development in Malawi (USAID/Malawi) anticipates awarding one or multiple cooperative agreements (CA) to implement three components of a new HIV prevention effort. The EMPOWER Activity will support implementation of the larger President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the national HIV response in Malawi.
EMPOWER is a five-year program with the goal of preventing new Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections in targeted populations in PEPFAR priority districts in Malawi. EMPOWER will strive to increase use of proven, high impact, HIV prevention interventions by high-risk and underserved populations. A further objective is to identify undiagnosed HIVinfected persons (HIV case-finding) and link them to life-saving antiretroviral treatment (ART).
Through EMPOWER, USAID plans to award up to five cooperative agreements to implement four related HIV prevention components: (1) Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC); (2) DREAMS Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Services1 and HIV Case-Finding (3) Comprehensive Condom Programming (CCP). Up to two awards are anticipated to implement component 1 and one or more each to implement components 2, and 3. Multiple components could be combined under one larger award.
Deadline: Oct. 7, 2019
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.
Noting that this RFA contains a requirement for local partner transition, International Applicants are strongly encouraged to ensure that local sub awardees that are considered for implementation partnerships and capacity building, MUST meet the following criteria that qualifies what a local organization is. USAID/PEPFAR defines a “local entity” as an individual, a corporation, a nonprofit organization, or another body of persons that: (a) Is incorporated or legally organized under the laws of, and have its principal place of business in the country served by the PEPFAR program with which the entity is or may become involved (in this case Malawi); (b) It was at 75% for FY 2018 beneficially owned by individuals who are citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of that same country, per sub-paragraph (2)(a), or by other corporations, partnerships or other arrangements that are local partners under this paragraph; (c) At least 75% for FY 2018 of the entity's staff (senior, mid-level, support) must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of that same country, per sub-paragraph (2)(a), and at least 75% for FY 2018 of the entity's senior staff (i.e., managerial and professional personnel) must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of such country; and (d) Has a Board of Directors and that at least 51% of the members of the Board must also be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of the country.
