This is a pre-funding opportunity announcement only. No applications are requested at this time. Please hold all questions/requests for information as they will not be responded to until the full announcement (RFA) is issued. This notice in no way obligates USAID to release a solicitation or award. Issuance of a RFA will be subject to internal USAID approvals and the availability of funds. The request is expected to be available for the public in the next few weeks. Due to the competitive nature of the procurement, unsolicited applications will not be considered. All applications have to be submitted in response to the RFA. USAID/KEA anticipates awarding a five-year cooperative agreement (CA) whose purpose is to sustainably reduce hunger, malnutrition and poverty in Kenya by focusing on (i) inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led growth; (ii) strengthened resilience among people and systems and (iii) a well-nourished population. The CA will support an organization, or consortium of organizations with one legal entity as primary lead, the geographic priorities will include 22 counties (16 counties in western and 6 counties in eastern Kenya). However, based on evidence of market opportunities there is flexibility to expand/re-orient into additional areas. Focus areas have high levels of poverty and malnutrition; are vulnerable to shocks; may face periods of conflict or violent extremism—and all have potential for mitigating these problems through inclusive development of agricultural market systems. To achieve its objectives, the program will focus on seven priority areas: Priority area 1: Competitive, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural market systems Priority area 2: Diverse agricultural production and improved productivity Priority area 3: Policy environment for agricultural market systems development Priority area 4: Integration of youth and women into agriculture market systems Priority area 5: Collaborative Action and Learning for Market Systems Change Priority area 6: Resilience to economic, social, and climatic shocks Priority area 7: Access and consumption of diverse, safe, and nutritious foods Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and System for Award Management (SAM): Please be advised that each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or Federal awarding agency that is excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR §25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR §25.110(d)) is required to: be registered in SAM before submitting its application; provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. The Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award. Please submit comments to Charity Igweta at
[email protected] and Caroline Bertolin Hillas at
[email protected] . See the attached Draft Program Description for full details.