The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is continuing a public campaign to share an important change that will occur in April 2022 and will affect federal awardees of all kinds. At a session on January 12, a repeat of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLCuPo2cQ4U&amp;t=3s">previous session in November 2021</a>, GSA representatives described the background of the shift and provided information for stakeholders.&nbsp;As of April 4, 2022, the nine-digit so-called “<a href="https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/dunsnumber.jsp">DUNS number</a>,” or Data Universal Numbering System number, will no longer be used in federal systems, and a new 12-digit alphanumeric code will take its place: the <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update">Unique Entity Identifier (SAM)</a>, or UEI (SAM).&nbsp;“It is important for all partners—potential and current—to understand the changes that will be happening and what actions they may need to take in response,” says Giorgi Baghishvili, Director of Finance &amp; Operations for USAID’s Partnerships Incubator.Most partners who have worked on USAID projects as subs or primes are familiar with the DUNS number, a code that has been assigned, owned, and managed by the firm <a href="https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/">Dun &amp; Bradstreet</a>. For those who are new to USAID and other federal systems, the DUNS number is the authoritative code that is unique to each organization and has been a required field in most of the registration and administrative processes associated with federal awards.&nbsp;The UEI (SAM) will replace the DUNS number. That transition has already begun and registered partners already have a UEI (SAM) assigned to them in <a href="https://sam.gov/">SAM.gov</a>, although the DUNS number remains the official identifier until April 4, 2022.&nbsp;<h4>Why Is This Change Occurring?</h4>The GSA is replacing the DUNS number (nine-digit code) with the new UEI (SAM) (12-character alphanumeric) in order to help streamline the process for organizations wishing to do business with the federal government. The new UEI (SAM) will be part of the <a href="http://www.sam.gov">SAM.gov</a> registration and validation process, and beginning April 4, 2022, registrants will no longer have to go to the third-party Dun &amp; Bradstreet website to obtain their identifier, but would be prompted to start registration at <a href="http://www.sam.gov">SAM.gov</a>.“It’s a positive step that these systems are being consolidated,” says Baghishvili. “Once the transition is complete, I believe this process will be easier for everyone. It will streamline and expedite the process of registration.”<h4>What Does This Change Mean for USAID Partners?</h4>This change will mean different things to different partners, and various paths were described at the session, depending on whether the organization is a sub or prime, and whether it is currently registered in <a href="https://sam.gov/">SAM.gov</a> or not. All organizations currently registered in SAM.gov have already been assigned their UEI (SAM) within the system. Please review the <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update">GSA’s website on the transition</a> for more information.For those not registered yet, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hqs_L0B5kI">this GSA video</a> explains which organizations should undertake the full SAM.gov registration process and which may just need to obtain their UEI (SAM). The GSA notes that questions can be emailed to <a href="mailto:entityvalidation@gsa.gov">entityvalidation@gsa.gov</a>.The transition from DUNS to UEI (SAM) will not be complete until April 4, 2022. Before then, the most important thing current and potential partners can do is to educate themselves about the change and understand the steps their organization will need to take before April 4 to be ready. The good news is that extensive information is available on the <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update">GSA website</a> and on <a href="https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei">SAM.gov</a>, including an <a href="https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=af05f8fb1b44851006b09796bc4bcb6d">interactive decision tree</a>.&nbsp;By putting in time now to learn about this important change, you will minimize disruptions to transactions related to your federal awards.

Changes Coming Soon to DUNS

Please join USAID’s<a href="https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization/bureaus/bureau-management"> Office of Acquisition and Assistance</a> (M/OAA) and the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/local-faith-and-transformative-partnerships">Local, Faith, and Transformative Partnerships Hub</a> (DDI/LFT) for a learning event on Tuesday, January 25, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. In this event, representatives from USAID Missions and implementing partners will share lessons learned from working with new and local partners, and how these experiences will inform future localization efforts and acquisition and assistance approaches at USAID.&nbsp;Please register and join the event <a href="https://usaid.webex.com/usaid/onstage/g.php?MTID=ea99bb8f674f610c0fcebe264cb1d294d">here</a>. Questions? Reach out to <a href="mailto:IndustryLiaison@usaid.gov">IndustryLiaison@usaid.gov</a>.<a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/strapi-media-dev/Lessons_Learned_from_USAID_New_and_Local_Partnerships_Participant_Agenda_fe9e4bcf15/Lessons_Learned_from_USAID_New_and_Local_Partnerships_Participant_Agenda_fe9e4bcf15.pdf">View the participant agenda here.</a><h4>Additional Background on the Event&nbsp;</h4>In January 2021, USAID Office of Acquisition and Assistance (M/OAA) launched a stocktaking review of the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/AA-Strategy-02-04-19.pdf">2018 Acquisition &amp; Assistance Strategy</a> (A&amp;A Strategy). The purpose of this stocktaking review was to assess:<ul><li>How Agency staff have understood and applied the A&amp;A Strategy to their work;</li><li>Key enablers and constraints to implementation of the A&amp;A Strategy; and&nbsp;</li><li>Shifts needed to align USAID’s A&amp;A approaches with current and emerging Agency priorities.</li></ul>As part of this stocktaking exercise, M/OAA and the New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) conducted a review, analysis, and synthesis of selected case studies on how the Agency has implemented the A&amp;A Strategy with regard to two of its five guiding principles: (1) diversifying the partner base to include new, underutilized, locally established, and local partners; and (2) changing how we partner to promote equitable and innovative partnerships that foster sustainability.&nbsp;In addition to compiling evidence on the select cases that were already available online, M/OAA and NPI conducted over 15 key informant interviews with USAID Mission staff and implementing partners to understand best practices and lessons learned from the case studies. To ensure a diversity of experiences and perspectives on working with local partners, selected informants differed across roles, were based in various regions, and used a range of funding mechanisms in their activities. Through these interviews and the accompanying case study analysis, USAID was able to better understand the degree to which improved equity, sustainability, or innovation can be attributed to efforts made to implement the A&amp;A Strategy guiding principles.&nbsp;The sharing event will bring together interviewees who informed the case study analysis to discuss lessons learned from their experiences, and how USAID can use these findings to partner more effectively with new and local partners.<a href="https://usaid.webex.com/usaid/onstage/g.php?MTID=ea99bb8f674f610c0fcebe264cb1d294d">Register for the event.</a>

Children in the classroom with their teacher in Uganda

Webinar: Lessons Learned from USAID New and Local Partnerships 

Justin DiVenanzo is Director of the Office of Acquisitions and Assistance and Supervisory Contracting Officer with USAID/Rwanda. He joined USAID in 2010 and has served in Liberia, Pakistan, South Africa, and on the Power Africa Initiative during its expansion. He recently shared <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/resource-library/usaid-rwanda-instructions-for-submitting-requests-for-contracting-agreement-officer-action">guidance for implementing partners</a> on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12491152/">LinkedIn</a> that was received with great enthusiasm among members of the partner community. We spoke with him to further understand the context of this guidance and to gather more insights from his extensive experience as a USAID Contracting Officer.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h4>Q: What do Contracting and Agreement Officers do at USAID?</h4><figure class="image image-style-align-right"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/strapi-media-dev/Justin_speaking_c71096e845/Justin_speaking_c71096e845.jpg"><figcaption>Justin DiVenanzo, USAID</figcaption></figure>A: Contracting Officers have the authority to bind the federal government by executing, administering, or terminating contracts, cooperative agreements, or grants. At USAID, and especially with the cohorts with whom I started, we are business advisors. We are the folks that I think every Mission Director would want in the room to talk about the quality of implementation, cost, schedule, and most importantly, the effectiveness of our development interventions. We can help shape the design of a project and the procurement so we can engage industry in the best possible way to get the best possible technical solutions. And then we work with our technical representatives, the Contracting Officer's Representatives (CORs), if we’re talking acquisition, or the Agreement Officer's Representatives (AORs), if we're talking assistance, to make sure that we work with the contractor or recipient to be successful.&nbsp;<h4>Q: How do you engage with implementing partners in Rwanda?</h4>A: We know with newer or local implementers, we need to be patient. The onus is on us, USAID, to ensure that these implementers are successful. And although this takes time and level of effort, it's ultimately more rewarding. In Rwanda, nearly 30 percent of our bilateral award portfolio is already implemented by local organizations largely in the health space, and they’ve achieved some incredible results. And I honestly believe it's because we communicate as a team. We leverage the implementers’ deep knowledge of local context and stakeholders—and by we, I mean technical, financial management, acquisition, program, and our implementers. We identify issues very early on, and we troubleshoot them together.&nbsp;<h4>Q: What guidance do you have for partners when they submit requests? &nbsp;</h4>A: Essentially the guidance I would have for implementers when submitting requests is to tell me a story: who, what, where, when, and especially why and how. Tell me why I need to approve it. Because if I don't need to approve it, then why are we using resources and just adding administrative burden? Walk me through how you complied with the authorities that require the approval. But, most importantly, just tell me how this advances effective implementation.<h4>Q: What are some common issues that you see when you receive requests?</h4>A: It seems to me that the most common issue with requests boils down to one thing: insufficiency. A Contracting Officer can expeditiously approve a request if they understand it and could explain it to a theoretical third party.&nbsp;I think what people often forget about the contracting function is that it's stressful. From time to time, we engage with the Inspector General and Government Accountability Office (GAO), and our work is reviewed by our wonderful colleagues back in Washington—all extraordinarily important functions from a public procurement perspective.&nbsp;At the end of the day, we want to ensure our decisions can withstand external scrutiny. So without a compelling justification, right from the outset, we'll face the suboptimal result of a myriad back-and-forths between the Mission and the implementer, which no one wants.<h4>Q: Why do you think the <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/resource-library/usaid-rwanda-instructions-for-submitting-requests-for-contracting-agreement-officer-action">guidance you shared on LinkedIn</a> was so popular?</h4>A: I think implementers responded positively, especially local organizations, because they have viewed the Contracting Officer as the figure behind some mysterious black curtain. And they did not like the guessing game of what it takes to get to yes on a request. I should note that I did not drum up that guidance in a single day. I actually collected all of my typical questions for major categories of requests from over the years.&nbsp;I shared it because I fundamentally believe that USAID—especially the Contracting Officer—needs to spend less time with these administrative actions, although they are important, and more time focused on deeper questions related to design, innovative procurement strategies, and, again, effective implementation. So if we can reduce the time necessary on those types of requests, then I can spend more time with our AORs/CORs, technical office directors, and implementer key personnel on how to build capacity, amplify results, minimize risk, or collaborate with other implementers in a more meaningful way.<h4>Q: What advice do you have for partners working with USAID? How can they effectively engage with their Contracting Officer or Agreement Officer?</h4>A: It just so happens I delivered this message last week when our amazing health team hosted their implementers. Do not be afraid of your Contracting Officer—engage! Of course, each individual Contracting Officer may frame that engagement differently based on their unique circumstances. The Contracting Officer, the Contracting Officer’s Representative, and activity managers and technical office structures exist to facilitate successful implementation. So don't wait if an issue surfaces, because it could become difficult to remedy at a later date.<h4>Q: What do you wish partners knew about USAID Contracting and/or Agreement Officers or USAID in general?</h4>A: I would say that Contracting Officers at USAID are not just bureaucrats. I would bet most of them envision themselves as development entrepreneurs who want to implement the next big idea, you know, whether that is co-design or co-creation, to potentially using other transaction authorities to redefine transformative partnerships like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) does or the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).&nbsp;I think Contracting Officers at USAID see themselves as enablers. We want to open the doors to effective development. But again, this is a team sport that requires collaboration, transparency, and hard conversations if we want to achieve what's truly important.&nbsp;USAID, to me, is one of those agencies where you can actually get a human being on the other side of an email or a phone call. And we're here to make the system work for new and underutilized partners, local organizations, U.S. small businesses, and others because we really do want the best possible technical solutions, and we do need to broaden our partner base in order to get those. We're not talking just the incremental movements and advancements in development—we're really looking for those game-changing exponential ones.

Ask a USAID Contracting Officer: Q&A with Justin DiVenanzo

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration, USAID is sponsoring the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/mujer-prospera-challenge">MujerProspera (WomanProsper) Challenge</a>, a regional challenge to advance gender equality in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.&nbsp;The challenge is seeking holistic and impactful solutions that advance women’s economic security, employment, and/or entrepreneurship. MujerProspera is looking for both innovative new approaches, as well as those that scale-up successful existing efforts to promote women’s agency, safety, access to economic power, resources, fair and stable long-term income, and advances in labor protections in the formal and informal sectors.<h4>How Can My Organization Apply?</h4>To apply to the challenge, submit your application through the <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEl64gwbU2NSD_By-l58Q8-t3xa6cFKSg7UFd4-tmehAalfg/viewform">application platform</a> by February 14, 2022, at 12 p.m. Eastern Time. To fill out an application, please sign in with an existing Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one using an existing non-Google email address <a href="https://accounts.google.com/signup/v2/webcreateaccount?flowName=GlifWebSignIn&amp;flowEntry=SignUp&amp;nogm=true">here</a>. There is no cost to setting up an account. To learn more about the challenge and how to apply, read the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/mujer-prospera-challenge/documents/mujer-prospera-challenge-english">Request for Applications</a>.&nbsp;<h4>What Are the Objectives of the Challenge?</h4>The MujerProspera Challenge is seeking innovative and impactful proposals that:<ul><li>Advance Women’s Economic Security by improving working conditions and labor protections, recruitment, retention, promotion, and the advancement of women in dignified, stable work that results in increased access, productivity, and a fair and stable income in the workforce.</li><li>Address Harmful Gender Norms and Enable Safe Work Environments through promoting positive gender norms, egalitarian attitudes and behaviors, a holistic safe working environment, and safe transportation to and from work, supportive of women’s economic security and agency.</li></ul>For more information on the objectives of the challenge, please see the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/mujer-prospera-challenge/documents/mujer-prospera-challenge-english">Request for Applications</a>.<h4>Who Is Eligible to Apply?</h4>Prospective applicants for the MujerProspera Challenge must meet the following requirements. All applications will undergo an initial screening to ensure they comply with the eligibility criteria.<ul><li>Organization Type: The challenge is open to U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, and all registered organization types around the world, including but not limited to nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, business associations, women’s associations, foundations, national, regional, community, and Indigenous peoples organizations, etc.</li><li>Local Presence: All applicants must use the funds to implement interventions in El Salvador, Guatemala, and/or Honduras. Applicants must already have a presence in that country, or be a local entity or have a local partner. The Challenge will require supporting documentation to demonstrate legal status to operate where the intervention is taking place.</li><li>Topical: Applicants should present interventions that address the objectives of the challenge outlined in the Overview, Section A: The Problem, and Section B: Challenge Statement and Goals sections of the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/mujer-prospera-challenge/documents/mujer-prospera-challenge-english">Request for Applications</a>.</li><li>Language: Applicants must submit their entries in English or Spanish.</li><li>Completeness and Timeliness: Applications will not be assessed if all required fields of the application have not been completed. This applies to any stage of submission and relates to missing documentation that may have been requested. Late entries will not be accepted.</li><li>Eligibility to Receive USAID Funds: Catalyst will conduct pre-award due diligence prior to award to ensure that the applicant has the organizational and technical capacity to manage a USAID-funded sub-award activity. Applicants must pass this process to receive a grant (which is a sub-award) under the challenge.</li><li>Gender Analysis: All awards are required to complete a gender analysis. We strongly encourage all applicants to complete a gender analysis (identifying major gender gaps that the activity will address) prior to applying, but this is not mandatory. Successful awards who have yet to complete a gender analysis will be required to do so as one of their initial activities under the grant.</li></ul>For more information on eligibility, please see the full criteria in the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/mujer-prospera-challenge/documents/mujer-prospera-challenge-english">Request for Applications</a>.&nbsp;<h4>How Can I Learn More?</h4>To learn more about the challenge, read the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/mujer-prospera-challenge/documents/mujer-prospera-challenge-english">Request for Applications</a>. Information is also available in <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/mujer-prospera-challenge">Español</a>.

A Guatemalan woman driving a delivery van.

Seeking Applicants for the USAID MujerProspera (WomanProsper) Challenge

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That wisdom holds true for the <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/directory">WorkwithUSAID.org Partner Directory</a> too. Your Partner Directory profile may be the first glimpse that USAID—or a potential “prime” or “sub” partner—has of your organization. You will want to make sure that it reflects key aspects of your organization and its work.Follow the tips below to make sure that your organization’s Partner Directory profile shines!&nbsp;<h4>1. Image is everything.&nbsp;</h4>Sometimes a picture speaks louder than words. If your organization has a logo, using this as your profile image can communicate professionalism and can help you maintain consistent organizational branding.&nbsp;If you don’t have a logo, that’s OK! Just use a strong, high-quality photograph (&lt;10MB, PNG or JPG) that represents the type of work your organization does. For example, if your organization supports maternal health, you might use a photo of a mother holding her baby. Your organization may have photos like these that were taken at a project site. Whatever image you choose, make sure you have <a href="https://www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-tos/finding-and-using-images-for-your-nonprofit">appropriate permissions</a> to use the image.&nbsp;Tip: We recommend that you do not use photos of individual team members or photos of meetings, conferences, award ceremonies, etc.<h4>2. Tell us a story.&nbsp;</h4>The “About Us” section is your chance to communicate why your organization’s work is valuable, including your mission, vision, and, most importantly, impact. Our editors recommend using at least 70-150 words for your “About Us” narrative. If you have lots of valuable information to share, you can go up to a maximum of 750 words.&nbsp;A good technique is to draft your narrative in Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Then use the “Word Count” feature to assess the length of your statement, and run a spelling/grammar check on the text to avoid typos and misspellings. Ask key members of your organization to review the narrative to make sure it tells the story that you want to share with the world. Your “About Us” narrative is your introduction to other organizations—take time to get it right.Tip: Do not include registration numbers or information about specific personnel, such as founders or chief executive officers.<h4>3. Get social.&nbsp;</h4>The Partner Directory does not currently have an email link as part of the organization profile (we’re working on it though!). In the meantime, if you want others to be able to contact you, you need to include a website address and/or social media links.&nbsp;For some organizations, a website may be too labor-intensive to maintain, but organizational social media profiles can be created relatively easily. Consider creating a LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account for your organization and then add the link to your profile. For professional networking, we recommend that you start by creating a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/710/create-a-linkedin-page?lang=en">LinkedIn Company Page</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tip: We strongly recommend that you do not add links to personal social media profiles in your Partner Directory profile.<h4>4. Complete all fields.&nbsp;</h4>Anytime you neglect to complete a field, it could be a missed opportunity. Don’t forget to select your type of organization, any relevant socio-economic factors, and your partnership status, and to enter your headquarters city/country and all of the countries and sectors in which your organization operates.<h4>5. Revise and update.&nbsp;</h4>After you submit your profile, it will be reviewed by the Partnerships Incubator editorial team. If it is complete and meets our editorial requirements, your profile will be posted to <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/">WorkwithUSAID.org</a>. If corrections are needed, our editors will return the profile with suggestions for further revisions. We are here to help if you have problems or need support with your Partner Directory profile. Just email us at <a href="mailto:askzara@partnershipsincubator.com">askzara@partnershipsincubator.com</a>. You can also <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/faq/search?category=website-features&amp;themes=partner-directory&amp;questions=">review our FAQ</a>.Remember, your Partner Directory profile is a live tool for connecting with others, not a static one. Review it periodically, and update it if there are changes in your work. You can <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/login">log into your WorkwithUSAID.org account</a> and make changes to your profile anytime. Make sure several people in your organization know how to log in and update your profile.&nbsp;Since the Partner Directory launched, we have heard from USAID Missions and implementing partners around the world that the directory is a useful tool to know which partners are operating alongside them in a particular country and/or sector.&nbsp;Your profile can showcase your work and your country- or sector-specific expertise and raise your organization’s profile globally. Make the most of it!<a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/registration/company?redirectTo=%2Forganization-registration">Sign up for the Partner Directory here.</a>

A woman smiling as she updates her Partner Directory profile on a laptop.

5 Ways to Make Your Partner Directory Profile Stand Out—and Why It Matters

The USAID Office of Acquisition and Assistance's Industry Liaison Team will be hosting a number of webinars to help guide you through all that the new <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/">WorkwithUSAID.org</a> platform has to offer as well as to share information on how to partner with USAID.&nbsp;The content of these sessions will be identical, so please join the one that is most convenient for you. You can register at the links below:<ul><li><a href="https://usaid.webex.com/usaid/onstage/g.php?MTID=e45f10dd45f90ac03ae4a4788a68484e0">November 18, 2021, at 9:00 p.m. ET</a></li><li><a href="https://usaid.webex.com/usaid/onstage/g.php?MTID=e8ed5fd1b37d8fc894e7482d7a8ea7d06">November 19, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. ET</a></li><li><a href="https://usaid.webex.com/usaid/onstage/g.php?MTID=e00f1c6658bb7fb5fa1c3eb29832b93a3">November 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. ET</a></li><li><a href="https://usaid.webex.com/usaid/onstage/g.php?MTID=e82fd8bd3fe0187d35c258941025cb6fc">December 2, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. ET</a></li></ul>The sessions will walk you through how to:<ul><li><a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/directory">Create a profile</a> in the Partner Directory for your organization;</li><li>Take the <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/pre-engagement">Pre-Engagement Assessment</a> to understand your organization’s capabilities and receive a customized report on how to address capacity gaps; and</li><li>Review resources in the <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/resource-library">library</a> that will help you better understand how to work with USAID.</li></ul>We hope you will join us for one of these upcoming webinars. If you have any questions, you may contact <a href="mailto:IndustryLiaison@usaid.gov">IndustryLiaison@usaid.gov</a>. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ReasonableAccommodations@usaid.gov">ReasonableAccommodations@usaid.gov</a>.&nbsp;

Upcoming Webinars: Learn More about WorkwithUSAID.org

A primary goal of USAID's New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) is to capitalize on good ideas, and the NPI team is working to make it easier for partners to present them to the Agency and apply for funding. In order to streamline the process, under NPI awards, applicants submit a three- to five-page “concept note” detailing the scope of the proposed concept and responding to questions in the solicitation. USAID uses these responses and the evaluation criteria outlined in solicitations in the selection process.&nbsp;<h4>Lowering Barriers</h4>Lowering barriers to entry puts the burden on applicants to <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid/how-work-usaid-effectively-responding">develop effective responses</a>. Here are three keys that apply to a two-page concept note, a 50-page proposal, and everything in between:<ol><li>Read the entire solicitation carefully. Solicitations—for a grant, a cooperative agreement, or a contract opportunity—give you not only the requirements but also the language and rhetoric you need to use in your response. Doing so will facilitate the evaluation process.&nbsp; “I feel bad that we tell partners that they have to speak our language, but that’s what it is. It’s a bias and behavior that we have internally,” said Arjun Tasker, NPI Portfolio Manager.&nbsp; “We are still working to make solicitations clearer and embed more links into solicitations to point potential partners to information that helps them learn what we are trying to achieve. It’s a work in progress.” Tasker advises to “sell the technical experts on what they will get out of working with you.” &nbsp;</li><li>Do the research and respond to the entire solicitation. “Please follow the directions,” Tasker said. “I cannot tell you how many concepts I’ve read that had a great idea but were missing a key component or requirement. If you don’t respond to everything the solicitation asks for, the technical review people won’t even get to read it. Your great idea will be out the window because we never even saw it.”&nbsp; Organizations that are new to USAID should take the time to understand Agency compliance requirements and guidance on such issues as gender, environment, and fraud prevention. USAID<a href="https://www.usaid.gov/results-and-data/planning/country-strategies-cdcs"> country development strategies</a>, policies, regulatory chapters, and internal regulations are all publicly available, Tasker said. “Research technical information, but also why we are doing the work at USAID. All that needs to go into your response—but be kept short and sweet, of course.”&nbsp; There are several places to learn about USAID solicitations. <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/trainings-how-work-usaid/how-work-usaid-effectively-responding">Start here.&nbsp;</a> &nbsp;</li><li>Talk about partnerships. Responses often omit positive factors, such as past performance and especially the organization’s approaches to learning and partnerships. NPI considers partnership an essential factor in deciding on awards—specifically because the team wants to support sub-partners and ensure that prime partners are treating their subs well and maintaining mutual transparency and accountability.&nbsp; Here’s the big picture: USAID wants to know what it will learn from doing this work with you that will improve future work: How do you interact with other organizations? What is your partnership philosophy, and do you hold yourself to that?</li></ol>If organizations take the time to follow these <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/partnership-opportunities/respond-solicitation">simple guidelines,</a> their chances for success will improve.&nbsp;<h4>USAID Solicitations</h4>Remember that USAID solicitations come in different forms—a request for proposal (RFP), a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), an Annual Program Statement (APS), and a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Find all USAID solicitations at:&nbsp;<ul><li>USAID’s <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/business-forecast">Business Forecast</a> (for all USAID opportunities);</li><li><a href="https://sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/index.jsf">SAM.gov</a> (for contracts and consultant opportunities); and</li><li><a href="https://www.grants.gov/">Grants.gov</a> (for grants and cooperative agreements).&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><a href="https://www.usaid.gov/npi/stories/concept-note-good-bad-and-utterly-ugly">More from Senior Contracting Officer Chuck Pope</a> <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/partnership-opportunities/respond-solicitation">Tips for Responding to a Solicitation</a> &nbsp;

Three Keys When Responding to USAID Solicitations 

USAID’s<a href="https://www.usaid.gov/local-faith-and-transformative-partnerships"> Local, Faith and Transformative Partnerships (LFT) Hub</a> invites you to join us for a demonstration of key features of the newly launched <a href="https://www.workwithusaid.org/">WorkwithUSAID.org</a> website. This site helps prospective and existing partners access innovative tools and resources so they can learn how to better compete for USAID funding and contribute to better development outcomes around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;Join us for one of our three webinars:&nbsp;<ul><li>Wednesday, January 19, 2022, 10 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. ET <a href="https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/register/zybypzke">Register Here</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Thursday, January 20, 2022, 8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. ET <a href="https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/register/jkxatpau">Register Here</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Thursday, January 27, 2022, 1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. ET <a href="https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/register/gcfjuqhz">Register Here</a></li></ul>Register and join the event using the corresponding link above.&nbsp;We hope to see you there! &nbsp;

Upcoming Webinars to Learn More about WorkwithUSAID.org

<h4>Join Us!</h4>On Thursday, December 16, at 8:30 a.m. ET, USAID will host our FY 2022 First Quarter Business Forecast and Partner Update webinar. In these webinars, we provide updates on what’s happening at USAID and address some of the broader questions that are submitted. More specific questions are answered in writing and posted online after the event.<a href="https://usaid.webex.com/mw3300/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&amp;siteurl=usaid&amp;service=6&amp;rnd=0.45932528334207323&amp;main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fusaid.webex.com%2Fec3300%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26%26%26EMK%3D4832534b0000000441e5a308a1410fc576d80bf8f9069899f30ff4c44c73f366d83a4c2bc9371a4d%26siteurl%3Dusaid%26confViewID%3D208262721200742121%26encryptTicket%3DSDJTSwAAAAR-1U4yU_sauQBbwB7K5C-ChPktpThAcyK9lOeq4zuukw2%26">Click here to register.&nbsp;</a><h4>How to Submit Business Forecast Questions</h4>In advance of the event, we invite organizations to send questions specifically related to opportunities on the <a href="http://www.usaid.gov/business-forecast">Business Forecast</a>. Questions must be submitted by December 1, 2021. There are two ways you can submit questions:<ul><li>Submit using the following Google Form: <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdq5DXf7oyLmUxoAaT3fhQhR2bq1hKaYrd9m1UbYMcMbPvnLQ/viewform?usp=sf_link">USAID Business Forecast Submission Form</a> (You may submit more than one.) OR</li><li>Send questions by email using <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/strapi-media-dev/DOWNLOAD_USAID_Business_Forecast_Submission_Template_3a50c2f584/DOWNLOAD_USAID_Business_Forecast_Submission_Template_3a50c2f584.xlsx">this Excel template</a> to <a href="mailto:BusinessForecast@usaid.gov">BusinessForecast@usaid.gov</a>.</li></ul>Please be sure to label each question with the project name as indicated on the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/business-forecast/search">Business Forecast</a>, as well as the Country/Mission/Bureau/Operating Unit, as applicable.Following the webinar, we will post responses to all of the Business Forecast-related questions on <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/business-forecast/business-forecast-archive">USAID.gov</a>, along with a transcript and recording of the event. If you have not participated in one of USAID's Business Forecast calls, you can access <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/get-grant-or-contract/business-forecast/business-forecast-archive">previous recordings and transcripts here</a>.NOTE: We are in the process of implementing USAID’s 2020 organizational transformation into our internal Acquisition and Assistance (A&amp;A) Plan, which feeds into our Business Forecast. We are expeditiously updating activities to ensure that they are labeled with the correct Bureau. Over the next few weeks, you will see activities added and/or moved on the Forecast. If you are interested in learning more about the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization">Agency’s organizational structure, click here</a>.&nbsp;

Webinar: Lessons Learned from USAID New and Local Partnerships

Upcoming Webinars to Learn More about WorkwithUSAID.org

Upcoming Webinar: First Quarter Business Forecast and Partner Update

Upcoming Webinars: Learn More about WorkwithUSAID.org