The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) intends to issue a Request for Applications (RFA) on or about 11/30/2004, for the anticipated award of a Cooperative Agreement to support USAID/Colombia’s Strategic Objective No. 2, Promote Economic and Social Alternatives to Illicit Production, under the Colombia Alternative Development Program (USAID/Colombia/CAD). USAID funding for this effort will be at an estimated ceiling of $2,500,000. Strategies are sought to assist the Integrated Sustainable Development involving indigenous groups in National Parks Buffer Zones in Colombia. Among the objectives of the program are to achieve effective management of the National Parks buffer zones (zonas de amortiguacion), support sustainable productive activities in these areas, and achieve organizational strengthening of local indigenous communities. The primary means by which these requirements may be met, in achieving a sustainable development in buffer zones, is through an integrated development approach that focuses on, but is not exclusively limited to, areas that are carefully selected around the following National Parks: namely The Sierra Nevada National Park (Cesar, Magdalena and Guajira), The Purace (Huila and Cauca) NP, and the Alto Fragua (Caqueta). The development programs should consider and carry out the following types of activities: • Institutional/association development with a focus on indigenous communities (i.e., strengthen and consolidate organizational processes for project management; strengthen indigenous cabildo territorial councils) • Implementation of income-generating productive activities (i.e., eco-tourism, artisan products, coffee, cacao, agro-forestry, rubber…) • Development of social and human capital • Development of local capacity building for the management of natural resources in buffer zones and within protected areas. • Provide indigenous communities around the natural protected areas with new skills that promote an understanding of the management of buffer zones in which they live. • Support indigenous community investments in productive activities (i.e., capacity to mobilize resources from public and private sources at national, regional, and local levels) • Strengthen biocultural conservation initiatives • Support the consolidation and organizational strengthening of indigenous groups • Support/strengthen socio-economic dimensions of conservation in buffer zones including land tenure and titling, livelihoods, population migration, gender issues and appropriate stakeholder engagement. • Develop local community participation, education and communication Consistent with USAID/Colombia Mission priorities, the program will give priority to those geographic areas that are actively confronting illegal drug cultivation and narco-trafficking. Coca production usually occurs in buffer zones with intrusions in National Parks, as well. If illicit crops are to be eradicated or voluntarily substituted by licit crops, it is only natural that other productive activities for the land to be considered as viable long-term economic alternatives in these areas. Alternative economic development options in the buffer zones should be restricted to technically and sustainably appropriate productive activities such as agroforestry, coffee, cacao production, processing, and marketing. Colombia is among the countries considered “megadiverse”, both biologically and culturally. Among the factors contributing to this diversity are its geographic location within the tropical zone, the presence of the Andes mountain range, and the influence of two oceans. Based on the number of species found within its borders, Colombia ranks worldwide as first in the diversity of birds, second in amphibians, second in flowering plants, third in reptiles, and fourth in mammals. Colombia encompasses 10 percent of the world’s biodiversity. Culturally, Colombia recognizes 84 indigenous groups, with an estimated total population of 800,000, who inhabit lands characterized with the greatest biodiversity. In most instances, these traditional indigenous groups possess social organizations and living patterns that revolve around the use of natural resources, and therefore are directly affected by the existing management and conservation practices of Colombia’s unique environment. The program should seek to strengthen existing agreements with indigenous communities that promote shared resource management and support efforts leading to new agreements, as appropriate. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this procurement is 541990. The RFA will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FEDBIZOPPS) web page (www.fedbizopps.gov) not less than fifteen (15) days after this notice is issued. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 5.102, Availability of Solicitations, Paragraph (d), “AVAILABILITY OF THE RFA IS LIMITED TO THIS ELECTRONIC MEDIUM ONLY”. Please direct related questions to Ms. Yvette Feurtado, Contracting Officer, USAID/Columbia at 571 423-6880x107/voice or via electronic mail at
[email protected].