Request for Applications (RFA): Collaborative Partnerships - Albania
Increasing Institutional Capacity in Agricultural Economics
Date Issued: January 25, 2008
Closing Date: April 11, 2008
HED anticipates making one 3-year award, contingent on USAID funding, of up to $300,000 for a partnership with the Agricultural University of Tirana (AUT) to strengthen faculty capacity to provide graduate education in agricultural economics and to provide consulting and training services to the Ministry of Agriculture, extension agencies, and producer associations in Albania.
For further information regarding this RFA, please contact Charlie Koo at (202) 243-7680 or ckoo@hedprogram.org
Background
Introduction
Partnership Description
Eligibility
Application Review Criteria
Application Format, Submission, and Review
Terms of the Solicitation
Background
Collaborative Partnerships
Through the Collaborative Partnerships for economic and social development, USAID's Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade/Office of Education (EGAT/ED) is assisting USAID Missions to mobilize the expertise and resources of U.S. and local higher education institutions to address critical development challenges. The overall goal is to increase higher education institutions’ contribution to development by providing human and institutional capacity building needed for economic growth, good governance, and social prosperity.
Higher Education for Development
Higher Education for Development (HED) administers a cooperative agreement awarded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to engage higher education institutions in addressing global development challenges. The Leader with Associate Cooperative Agreement signed in September 2005 allows HED to manage competitive awards for USAID Bureaus and Missions. HED identifies expertise within the higher education community through the American Council on Education (ACE) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the Association of American Universities (AAU), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). The agreement (AEG-A-00-05-00007-00) is sponsored by USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade, Office of Education.
U.S. Agency for International Development
USAID’s historic partnership and collaboration with the higher education community has repeatedly demonstrated that institutions of higher education are important engines of development, economic growth, good governance, and healthy societies. The community’s contributions in the areas of training, applied research, program evaluation, policy analysis, and program implementation have been critical to USAID’s foreign assistance goals. USAID has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years. More information on USAID is available on our website.
Introduction
In Albania, agriculture is the primary source of income for 57% of the population and accounts for 22.8% of the country’s gross domestic product. Subsistence farming predominates and agricultural exports lag far behind imports. To achieve sustained growth, the agricultural sector needs to overcome obstacles to improve productivity, competitiveness and trade. Major challenges include: limited access to improved technologies for increasing productivity and production; lack of knowledge for viable commercial farm management; and, inability to respond effectively to domestic and foreign market demand. The country’s current agricultural extension system offers little support in addressing these problems. Further, the public sector and non-governmental organizations have limited capacity to collect and analyze data on agricultural production and exports and to formulate sound agricultural policy, thus hindering the establishment of a strong enabling growth environment for the agricultural sector. These factors adversely impact the sector’s domestic and international competitiveness.
Partnership Description
Partnership Objectives
USAID/Albania expects this higher education partnership to strengthen the Agricultural University of Tirana’s (AUT) capacity to: (1) offer quality courses in agricultural economics and policy and farm management; (2) provide expert advice and consultative services to the government of Albania on agricultural policy and international trade; and (3) conduct short-term training in farm management and market analysis for extension agents and producer associations.
Partnership Details
AUT (www.ubt.edu.al/aut.htm), established in 1951 as the Higher Agricultural Institute, is comprised of three faculties – Agriculture, Forestry Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine – and an Interfaculty Department. The current total enrollment is 7,000 students including 1,000 part-time students. USAID’s goal for the partnership is to establish a permanent and reliable capacity at the AUT to serve the Albanian agricultural sector. The primary language of instruction at AUT, a public institution, is Albanian.
The U.S.– Albanian partnership will enable AUT to become a credible center of research and analysis for agricultural economics, trade and farm management and to provide effective consultative and training services to the Ministry of Agriculture, extension agencies, agricultural producer associations and private agribusinesses. USAID/Albania will facilitate the identification of high priority crop industries to receive primary attention. The U.S. institution should address how their proposed program will accommodate the non-English speaking environment.
Expected Results:
1. The development of quality, credible courses in agricultural economics, trade policy and farm management will result in an upgraded graduate curriculum in agribusiness and agricultural economics at the Agricultural University of Tirana.
2. The partnership will strengthen faculty academic capacity in research and policy analysis resulting in the ability of the faculty to provide expert advice to the Ministry of Agriculture and private businesses, on agricultural policy and international trade.
3. Courses and course components on research and policy analysis will be incorporated into the AUT Master’s degree program.
4. The partnership will develop training modules and materials so that the institution will better serve the agricultural sector through short term training courses in farm management and market analysis for producer associations and extension agents.
Contact Information
The primary contact at AUT is:
Dr. Engjell Shkreli
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Economics
Mobile: + 355-68-403-8941
E-mail: ishpp@yahoo.com
The following USAID/Albania staff member may be contacted for further information on this collaborative partnership:
Dr. Kristaq Jorgji
Agriculture and Agribusiness Specialist, USAID
Tel: +355-4-247-285 ext. 3026
Mobile: +355-68-403-0186
E-mail: kjorgji@usaid.gov
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
The application must describe a monitoring and reporting plan outlining partnership activities and expected outcomes, including an initial baseline assessment of the curriculum needs in Albania. The monitoring and reporting plan should demonstrate how progress towards objectives will be tracked, and how results of partnership activities will be summarized.
An external evaluation of program impact at the conclusion of the funding period must be included in the M&E plan, and the qualifications of the designated external evaluator described in the application. The M&E plan must include a detailed description of how results will be communicated and reported to USAID/Albania through HED.
Eligibility
HED welcomes applications from institutional members of ACE, AACC, AASCU, AAU, NAICU, and NASULGC, and from other regionally accredited, degree granting, U.S. higher education institutions. U.S. colleges and universities may apply individually, or in partnership with other institutions. HED encourages applications from or with the participation of minority-serving institutions.
Application Review Guidelines
Peer reviewers will use the following criteria to evaluate the applications:
I. Alignment with the Goals of the RFA (20 points)
- The partnership design, activities, and outputs align with USAID/Albania’s goal to establish a permanent and reliable capacity at the AUT to help the agricultural sector overcome obstacles to growth and competitiveness; and
- The application provides evidence that the partnership will strengthen the government’s capacity to collect and analyze data and formulate agricultural policy and create an enabling growth environment for the agricultural sector.
II. Partnership Design (30 points)
- Evidence of quality and relevance of proposed graduate courses in agricultural economics, trade policy and commercial farm management;
- Strength of the proposed plan to increase AUT faculty skills in research and policy analysis related to agricultural policy and international trade;
- Evidence that content related to agricultural research and policy analysis will be incorporated into training for graduate students in AUT’s Master’s degree program;
- Strength of proposal for AUT to build capacity in government and non-governmental agencies to collect and analyze data on agricultural production and trade and formulate agricultural policy;
- Strength of the proposed plan to increase AUT’s institutional capacity to provide short-term training in farm management and market analysis for extension agents and producer associations; and,
- Quality of the proposed activities to strengthen AUT’s collaborative interactions and ties with the Ministry of Agriculture, extension services, and agribusinesses.
III. Key Personnel, Institutional Commitment, and Collaboration (25 points)
- Quality of key personnel, including relevant expertise in agricultural economics and policy related to primary agricultural industries in Albania;
- Feasibility of provisions to address the non-English speaking environment of the Albanian partner institution;
- Extent of institutional commitment (engagement of faculty, students, and/or administrators) among all partners in the United States and Albania;
- Degree of collaboration with AUT in design and implementation of partnership activities; and,
- Fit with existing strengths and mutual interests of the partnering institutions.
IV. Cost Sharing and Cost Effectiveness of Overall Budget (10 points)
- Cost sharing and leveraging of cash or in-kind contribution from all the partners and cooperating institutions; and
- Demonstrated cost-effectiveness in distribution of funds among activities and venues and equitable distribution of program funds to both partners.
V. Monitoring and Reporting Plan (15 points)
- Strength of the monitoring and reporting plan, including the effectiveness of the methodology for collecting baseline data and tracking partnership activities;
- Clearly articulated plan for an external evaluation to track the partnership's outcomes and achievement of objectives; and,
- End-of-partnership plan for assessing impact of activities.
Total Points: 100 points
Application Format, Submission and Review
Application Format
How to Submit an Application
Peer Review
Application Format
Please provide the contents of the application in the following order:
1. Title Page (Please complete HED form in full and obtain signatures of authorized officials.)
2. Table of Contents.
3. Abstract (not to exceed 3 typed, double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1-inch margins). The abstract should contain a summary of the narrative, workplan and budget.
4. Narrative (not to exceed 20 typed, double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1-inch margins) Address the criteria listed in Application Review Guidelines I-V (see above).
5. The 20-page application must describe a monitoring and reporting plan for the partnership, including an initial baseline assessment, that shows how progress and results will be communicated and reported to USAID through HED.
6. Appendices (Attachments beyond the stated appendices will not be read nor taken into consideration):
* Annual workplan for the funding period (Use HED form).
* Budget forms (Use HED form. Complete all tabs).
* Résumés of the proposed U.S. institution director(s) and host institution personnel, not to exceed 2 one- sided pages per person.
* Signed letters of support from the presidents, chancellors, or other chief executive officers of the cooperating institution in the United States.
* Signed letters of support from appropriate university leaders of the overseas partner institution as well as partnership directors. University leaders from the overseas partner may include deans, rectors, or university presidents.
* Signed letter from appropriate official at applicant institution verifying that all costs cited conform to established institutional policies and practices.
How to Submit an Application
Applications must be received at HED by 5:00 PM, Eastern Time (ET), April 11, 2008. Faxed or electronically transmitted applications will not be accepted. All elements of the application must be received by the deadline. HED recognizes that original, signed cover letters and letters of support from overseas partners may be subject to delays due to factors beyond the applicant’s control. Only in these exceptional cases, faxed or scanned copies of the application title page and letters that include all necessary signatures may be submitted in the application, provided signed originals are received at HED within seven (7) calendar days of the deadline.
Applicants should submit the original application plus seven (7) hard copies of the complete application package containing title page, table of contents, abstract, narrative, and appendices (all on loose-leaf paper, clipped together — no three-ring binders, staples, or plastic bindings), and a diskette or CD (with files saved as Microsoft Word/Excel for PC) containing the entire application, including all budget forms, budget narrative, and other appendices.
Applications should be sent to: (*NOTE: This is a NEW address)
Collaborative Partnership: Albania
Higher Education for Development
1 Dupont Circle NW, Room1B30
Washington, D.C. 20036-1193
Once an application has been received, there is to be no contact with the HED program office until the completion of the peer review process in order to ensure fairness to all parties concerned.
Peer Review
Applications will be reviewed by expert panelists, which include representatives from higher education, international development, and USAID. Awards will be made on the basis of reviewers’ recommendations of merit, and USAID. Peer review of applications is slated for the end of April.
Letters of communication from members of the U.S. Congress in support of an application are discouraged as these may be thought to prejudice the peer-review process. Such letters will not be forwarded to peer reviewers.
Notification about awards is expected following the completion of peer review. Upon final announcement of awards, the person named in the application as partnership director may submit a written request for copies of the peer reviewers’ scores for the application. No personal reviews will be granted, and no comparative score tabulations will be shared.
Terms of the Solicitation
Cost Share
Execution of Awards
Post Award Briefings
TraiNet Requirements
Health and Accident Insurance
Reporting
Cost Share
The minimum suggested cost share from all U.S. partners is 25 percent of the award amount. Reported cost share must be auditable. Non-auditable contributions may not be used to meet the minimum, but can be indicated separately and attached to the budget detail form.
Higher education institutions are expected to leverage support from the private sector or other sources in addition to the cost sharing provided by their institutions. Since HED partnership funding is not intended for infrastructure development, in-kind donations of library materials, computers, software, textbooks, journals, and other resources for the U.S. partners are encouraged. Applicants should itemize all cost sharing and in-kind contributions.
Cash and in-kind contributions will be accepted as part of the applicant’s cost sharing when such contributions are: (a) verifiable from the applicant’s records; (b) not included as contributions for any other federally-assisted program; (c) reasonable for the accomplishment of partnership objectives; and (d) not paid by the federal government under another grant.
In-kind contributions may include, but are not limited to: waivers of tuition and fees for students participating in academic exchanges; donation of classroom materials to the partner; ICT infrastructure and Internet Service Provider subscription subsidy for the partner and exchange students; faculty salaries; travel and/or per diem for faculty and administrators to participate in professional exchange and development programs; and indirect costs.
Execution of Awards
Awards will be executed as sub-agreements between the designated U.S. university, college, community college, or consortium, and the American Council on Education (ACE), through the Higher Education for Development (HED) office, under USAID Cooperative Agreement AEG-A-00-05-00007-00. The institution recommended for award will receive a draft version of the sub-agreements to review. The Awardee will be expected to submit a marking plan as part of the sub-agreement that clearly indicates the support provided by USAID for activities conducted under the award.
Please note that no award nor cost share funds may be expended prior to a fully executed (i.e., signed by both parties) sub-agreement between ACE and the designated U.S. institution unless pre-award expenses have been approved as a part of the negotiation of the sub-award. Activities are expected to commence immediately after the sub-agreement is executed.
Award funds will be disbursed to the designated U.S. university, college, community college, or consortium, based on the applicant’s implementation of the work plan, stated budget, and submission to HED of financial, tax, and narrative progress reports. It is the designated U.S. institution’s responsibility to provide disbursements (reimbursements) for its collaborating partner(s) in accordance with the agreed-upon activity schedule and budget.
Post Award Briefings
Partnership directors, and/or their designees, are required to participate in two post-award briefings. The first briefing, conducted in a virtual format, will review reporting, monitoring and evaluation requirements. The second briefing via a conference call will address general requirements of the award.
TraiNet Requirements
To comply with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of State, and USAID regulations regarding tracking and monitoring of Exchange Visitors, foreign nationals whose costs are paid, fully or partially, directly or indirectly using USAID program funds for training, non-training, and invitational travel, must enter the U.S. on a J-1 visa (non-immigrant Exchange Visitor visa) processed under one of USAID’s two program numbers, unless otherwise waived according to the procedure in ADS 252.3. J-2 visa applications for family members are not supported per USAID policy. USAID expects that all DS-2019 documents (paperwork needed for J visas) and in-country or third country training be processed through the USAID Training, Results and Information Network (TraiNet) system. Institutions may not directly access the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to issue DS-2019 documents internally.
Information regarding USAID’s J-1 visa requirements may be found online at the Participant Training website. Administrators must adhere to the regulations detailed under TraiNet, Visa Compliance System (VCS), the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), and USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS) 252-Visa Compliance for Exchange Visitors, and 253-Training for Development. U.S. institutions should allow up to 12 weeks for the processing of visas when planning activities in the United States.
TraiNet management requires a significant commitment of staff time and applicants are encouraged to take this into consideration when developing the program budget.
USAID Health and Accident Coverage (HAC) Insurance Program
The U.S. institution is responsible for enrolling each participant traveling to the United States or a third country in the official USAID Health and Accident Coverage (HAC) insurance program. Participants entering the United States on J-1 visas are required to obtain HAC from the official USAID vendor. Institutions may not use award funds to cover their own institutional HAC insurance. More information on the USAID HAC insurance program is available online. The cost of HAC for participants must be included in the budget.
Reporting
Awardees will be required to submit to HED:
* Financial reports are due quarterly to record expenditures for the following periods: Jan. 1-March 31, April 1-June 30, July 1-Sept. 30, and Oct. 1-Dec. 31;
* Semi-annual narrative progress reports for the following reporting periods may be sent via e-mail: April 1-September 30 and Oct. 1-March 31;
* Both financial reports and semi-annual progress reports are due within one-month after the corresponding reporting period closes: Jan. 31, April 30, July 31, and Oct. 31;
* A final narrative report (due 30 days after the conclusion of program activities); and,
* Final financial reports (due no later than 90 days after the sub-agreement closing date).