[Strategic-Cities] IREX Grants Competition
Baker, Susie
strategic-cities@friends-partners.org
Mon, 17 Jun 2002 07:28:33 -0400
International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX)
and
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Announce
Round II of a Grants Competition for the Program
Partnerships, Networking, Empowering and Roll-Out (PartNER)
Date Issued: June 14, 2002
Closing Date: September 16, 2002
Closing Time: 6 PM (Moscow time)
Subject: Request for Applications
*NOTE: A Russian-language version of this RFA can be found at
www.irex.ru/programs/partner
Notice: This Request for Applications (RFA) contains 13 sections and
covers three types of grants: Existing Partnership grants, New Partnership
grants, and Roll-Out Partnership grants. Sections I through III apply to
all applicants and should be reviewed thoroughly to ensure that proposal
applications are completed correctly. Sections IV, V and VI provide
descriptions of Existing Partnerships, New Partnerships, and Roll-Out
Partnerships respectively, and should be referenced to determine the type
of partnership grant you are eligible to apply for. US organizations may
disregard Section VI (Roll-Out Partnerships) as Roll-Out partnerships are
limited to Russian organizations. All applicants should carefully read and
follow Section VII (Proposal Outline and Selection Criteria).
SECTION I: Summary
IREX and USAID are pleased to announce Round II of a grants competition in
support of strengthening existing, new and roll-out partnerships between US
and Russian organizations as part of the Partnerships, Networking,
Empowering and Roll-Out (PartNER) program. The PartNER program provides
technical assistance in the sphere of social and economic development in
the Volga Federal District (VFD) through support for partnerships in that
region. USAID/Russia provides full funding for the PartNER program, which
is administered by IREX.
The program goal is to spark grassroots initiatives and enable partner
organizations to sustain positive changes that will contribute to the
strengthening of a democratic society and improving the economic
environment in the VFD facilitate the future integration of the VFD into
the international community.
Strategic priority areas for the project include: Social Reform; Local
Governance and Economic Development; and Rule of Law. While partner
organizations themselves will determine the scope of project activities,
PartNER projects should benefit the most vulnerable groups of society-
women, youth, elderly, unemployed, and people with different abilities, who
need assistance to reintegrate successfully into their communities.
During the course of the PartNER program, three types of partnership
activity will be supported: existing partnerships between US and Russian
organizations; new partnerships between US and Russian organizations; and
Roll-Out partnerships between Russian organizations. (See Section VI for a
description of Roll-Out partnerships). IREX recently completed the first
round of competitions and three additional rounds are planned during the
course of the 36-month project:
Round I (completed): Existing partnership projects
Round II (pending): Existing, New and Roll-Out partnership projects
Round III (pending): New partnership projects and Roll-Out partnership
projects
Round IV (pending): Roll-out partnership projects
As noted above, IREX plans to award up to a total of $780,000 to existing,
new and roll-out partnerships under the Round II competition. Existing
partnership applicants may request up to a maximum sum of $100,000, new
partnership applicants may request up to a maximum of $70,000 and roll-out
partnership applicants may apply for a maximum of $30,000 in USAID
funding. All projects must be at least six (6) months and not more than
twelve (12) months long. In order to ensure that there is a strong
commitment to partnership activities and to increase the likelihood of
sustainability, successful applicants must provide a minimum in matching
contributions of 25% of requested funding. Applicants who are able to
provide more than 25% in match will be more favorably considered.
Partnerships that propose to allocate at least 60% of grant funds to the
Russian partner will also be given priority consideration.
The deadline for Round II submissions is 6 PM (Moscow time) September 16,
2002. Please note that proposals will be accepted at the IREX/Nizhniy
Novgorod office only. Proposals that are submitted late or are incomplete
will not be considered in the review process. Successful applicants will be
expected to begin their projects in early November 2002, and all projects
must be completed by the end of October 2003.
SECTION II: PartNER Goals
The PartNER program is targeted at the Volga Federal District (VFD), which
includes: Bashkortostan, Marii-El, Mordovia, Tatarstan, Udmurtia,
Chuvashia; Kirov, Nizhniy Novgorod, Orenburg, Penza, Samara, Saratov, and
Ulyanovsk oblast; and Komi-Permyak autonomous area.
The PartNER program will fund small, targeted, and innovative activities
that can best contribute to the achievement of one or more of the following
strategic areas:
1) Social Reform
2) Local Governance and Economic Development
3) Rule of Law
Partnership activities should address one or more of the defined strategic
sectors (below) and projects that show collaboration in more than one
sector are highly encouraged. Sample activities under each strategic area
include:
Social Reform:
1) Support approaches that provide expanded services to the most
vulnerable, such as disabled or multiple-children families;
2) Strengthen relationships between NGOs and governmental
organizations that promote more effective representation of citizens'
interests;
3) Facilitate cross-sectoral projects that create civic education
programs for youth;
4) Promote programs that eliminate social and economic disparity;
5) Facilitate partnerships between grassroots groups, advocating
change and reform in social services;
6) Develop relationships that advocate for improved preventive health
and primary health care services, while advocating for health care change.
Local Governance and Economic Development:
1) Increase the effectiveness and equity in the delivery of goods and
services;
2) Develop a strategic planning tool for local economic growth that
includes NGOs, businesses, and citizen advocates;
3) Improve information exchange between local governments;
4) Facilitate partnerships that provide business-related training for
young entrepreneurs;
5) Reinforce associations that encourage public participation in
budget and resource allocation within the community.
Rule of Law:
1) Promote citizen's rights advocacy;
2) Support for juvenile crime prevention;
3) Expand sister-bar partnerships;
4) Provide legal services to the less privileged and most vulnerable
groups in society;
5) Promote greater awareness of legal rights among the indigent.
Within the three strategic priority areas, partnership activities should
build on and be integrated with other related initiatives in the region. It
is expected that the PartNER project as a whole will benefit men and women
equally. Applicants must clearly state in their proposals the strategic
sector(s) under which they are applying for PartNER funding and, where
applicable, demonstrate how their projects will benefit women.
Section III directly below contains a description of Eligibility
Requirements for all three types of partnerships - Existing, New and Roll-
Out - and should be read by all applicants. Sections IV, V, and VI outline
additional descriptions for Existing partnerships, New partnerships and
Roll-out partnerships respectively, and each section should be referenced
to determine which type of partnership grant you are eligible to apply
for. All applicants should review section VII. US organizations are not
eligible to apply for Roll-Out grants.
SECTION III: Eligibility Requirements for Existing, New and Roll-Out
Partnerships
All Partnerships may include a diverse group of organizations, such as:
NGOs, local governmental organizations, businesses, advocacy groups, and
professional associations. Applicants are also encouraged to involve other
multilateral institutions, such as European organizations, agencies, and
donors. There is no limit to the number of organizations involved, as long
as clear plans for communication, coordination, and roles are defined, and
only one organization is identified as the lead grant recipient for
contractual purposes.
The partners should identify on the cover page of their proposals which
organization will be the actual grant recipient by designating that partner
as the Lead Applicant. While both or all organizations involved in a
partnership project are expected to be meaningfully engaged in the planning
and implementation of PartNER project activities, the lead partner is
responsible for financial and technical oversight and for program and
financial reporting to IREX. For Existing and Roll-Out partnerships, one
Russian organization must serve as the actual grant recipient (lead
partner) on behalf of the partnership. For New partnerships, either the
Russian or US organization may serve as the grant recipient or lead
partner. All partners must be officially registered organizations with
their own bank accounts. PartNER funds cannot be wired to personal bank
accounts.
The PartNER program is expected to facilitate partnership development and
sustainability through funding joint activities and the provision of
technical assistance and training designed to strengthen partners'
capacities in project evaluation, grants management, sharing of lessons
learned, and cross-sectoral collaboration. PartNER activities will also
foster the development of partnership networks and promote information and
product dissemination. Projects under PartNER will be demand-driven,
originate from grassroots initiatives, and quickly show visible results.
Project activities should not include the following:
· Support of activities engaging governmental institutions at the
national level;
· Profit-making or commercial gain;
· Direct assistance to government institutions and officials at all
levels (salaries, rent, other operational expenses). Government
institutions include hospitals and universities.
· Academic research or survey research.
· Training programs (training may be a component but should
contribute to an operational program rather than be the exclusive activity).
· Direct assistance to European and/or Pacific Rim counterpart
organizations (although USAID encourages multilateral partnerships,
organizations from other countries would not be responsible for the project
as a whole and would not be accountable for grant money).
Special Note for University Partnership Applicants: The Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the US Department of State
administers the NIS College and University Partnership Program (NISCUPP),
which supports partnerships between US colleges and universities and
Russian universities in the following academic fields: social, political,
and economic sciences; business, accounting, and trade; journalism and
media studies; law; public administration and public policy analysis; and
education, continuing education, and educational administration.
In order to effectively distribute assistance funding and avoid duplication
of your efforts, we ask that American universities and colleges interested
in partnerships with Russian universities in the above fields apply for
funding under the Department of State program. The next Request for Grant
Proposals (RFGP) for the NISCUPP program will be released in Summer 2002,
at which point it will be possible to download all solicitation materials
from the following URL:
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm
Any questions regarding the NISCUPP program should be directed to:
ECA Program Officer Michelle Johnson:
Phone: (202) 205-8434
Fax: (202) 401-1433
E-mail: johnsonmi@pd.state.gov
Russian and American university partnerships with results-oriented project
activities in at least one of the strategic sectors outlined previously and
all other relevant partnerships should apply to the PartNER program
administered by IREX and USAID. The Public Affairs Section of the US
Embassy in Moscow and the USAID mission will consult during the review of
proposals received under the PartNER and NISCUPP programs in order to
ensure the effective distribution of assistance funding. We hope this
clarification will help as you apply for these programs.
SECTION IV: Description of Existing Partnerships
Existing U.S.-Russian partnerships with a proven record of collaboration in
the three aforementioned sectors (social reform, local governance and
economic development, and rule of law) are eligible to expand their
activities to the cities of the Volga Federal District. Existing partners
are considered to be those that have an established relationship and a
demonstrable history of at least one year of joint project activities. This
may be evidenced by memorandums of understanding, contracts, previous
grants, activity reports, etc.
Priority for funding under this grant round will be given to VFD-US
partnerships, but IREX will also consider partnership projects involving a
Russian partner outside the VFD, so long as the Russian organization can
demonstrate extensive experience working in the Volga Region and/or
collaboration with VFD-based organizations.
Since the PartNER objective is not unilateral technical assistance to
Russia, but support for mutually beneficial and existing relations between
US and Russian organizations, the partners must present a joint project,
which would lead to the strengthening of existing cooperative activities in
order to be eligible for funding. The proposal must demonstrate how these
activities will benefit both the US and the Russian organizations. The
eligibility requirements for existing partnerships, outlined in this RFA,
are relevant for the Round II competition only. Separate eligibility
requirements will be announced for each round of competition and fully
detailed in separate RFAs to be released at later dates.
SECTION V: Description of New Partnerships
New U.S.-Russian partnerships comprising of organizations with a proven
record of work in the three aforementioned strategic sectors (social
reform, local governance & economic development, and Rule of law), a proven
capacity for effective project management, and a shared vision for
implementing activities to enhance the economic or social development of
the Volga Federal District, are eligible to conduct joint project
activities in the cities of the VFD. To qualify for new partnership
grants, Russian partners must be based in the Volga Federal District.
Additionally, new partnerships may consist of:
1. US and Russian organizations with no prior partnership history that
wish to cooperate on a new project that effectively addresses the needs of
the VFD.
2. US and Russian organizations with a previous relationship and a
history working together in a consortium or other informal forum, and that
wish to establish a more extensive partnership. The new project proposed
should be programmatically and financially discrete from all previous
collaborative activities.
Since the PartNER objective is not unilateral technical assistance to
Russia, but support for mutually beneficial and existing relations between
US and Russian organizations, the partners must present a joint project,
which would lead to the implementation of new cooperative activities in
order to be eligible for funding. The proposal must demonstrate how these
activities will benefit both the US and the Russian organizations. The
eligibility requirements for new partnerships, outlined in this RFA, are
relevant for the Round II competition only. Separate eligibility
requirements for new partnerships will be announced for each round of
competition and fully detailed in separate RFAs to be released at later
dates.
SECTION VI: Description of Roll-Out Partnerships
The PartNER program will support projects between and among Russian
organizations, which are aimed at promoting activities, replicable results
and successful experience gained under a previous Russian-American project
funded by the US Government, US private funds and/or other US
organizations. Russian organizations that have successfully implemented a
project on the territory of the VFD jointly with a US partner are eligible
to apply for Roll-out grants. Additionally, Russian organizations that
have successful experience through previous cooperation with a US partner
in other regions of Russia are also invited to apply for Roll-Out grants.
Only Russian organizations may apply for Roll-Out partnership grants. Roll-
Out partnerships should meet the following eligibility requirements:
1. The project proposed by the partnership should clearly show intent
to replicate innovative practices and effective models of successful
projects developed through previous partnership experiences. Innovative
practices and effective models might include those that promote the
application of participatory models for the management of community
services in targeted communities; practices that involve a comprehensive
and systematic approach to improving citizen and government relations;
models that build consensus for change and undertake concrete, sustainable
activities to improve citizen-government and government-business relations;
projects that seek to facilitate the reform process and improve the overall
effectiveness of local government or delivery of services generally
preformed by government; innovative practices that develop integrated
management systems with NGOs playing a key role; or other reform measures
that can be replicated in other regions of the Volga Federal District.
2. At least one partner must have demonstrated experience partnering
with a US organization and/or have received US government or private US
funding to implement project activities in Russia.
3. The partnership may be existing or new. More specifically, this
means that:
- The partners may have a current or prior partnership experience,
and wish to either continue an existing project or develop and implement a
new one, or;
- The partners have no prior working relationship, but wish to work
together on a new project that aims to replicate best practices and
innovative models of a previous project.
4. At least one organization of the partnership must be from the VFD
while others (from the same partnership) may be from anywhere else within
Russia.
The partners must present a joint project, which would lead to the
implementation and replication of previously successful cooperative
activities in order to be eligible for funding. The proposal must
demonstrate how these activities will benefit all organizations comprising
the partnership, and the specific VFD community the project is intended to
serve. The eligibility requirements for roll-out partnerships, outlined in
this RFA, are relevant for the Round II competition only. Separate
eligibility requirements for roll-out partnerships will be announced in
each round of competition and fully detailed in separate RFAs to be
released at later dates.
SECTION VII: Proposal Outline and Selection Criteria for All Partnerships
Applicants should submit separate program and cost proposals in English and
Russian. The program proposal should include:
· Cover sheet
· Short summary of the project (no more than two [2] pages)
· Technical application (twelve [12] pages of text, excluding
attachments).
· Attachments are limited to a total of fifteen (15) pages, not
counting personnel resumes or organizational charters.
· All partners should include documentation providing proof of their
legal registration status as an attachment to the proposal. This
documentation will not count towards the attachment limit of 15 pages, and
only one copy is required.
The cost proposal should include:
· Budget
· Budget narrative. The narrative may vary in length and is not
counted towards the total number of allowable submission pages.
The proposal will be reviewed by a technical review panel composed of
independent experts and by IREX, using the point system indicated in the
proposal outline below. The total number of possible points for the program
and cost proposals is 100. Proposals must be compiled in the recommended
format and include all required attachments. Proposals that are submitted
late or are incomplete will not be considered in the review process.
A. Cover Sheet
· Name and contact information (address, telephone, fax number, and e-
mail, plus name and title of primary contact person) for all expected
partnership institutions, including specific department/division, as
appropriate. Applicants must also specify the "type of partnership grant"
requested (whether existing, new or roll-out) and provide bank account
coordinates for transferring or wiring project funds. Please refer to the
sample cover sheet attached to this Request for Proposals in Appendix 1.
· USAID and IREX require that all partners comprising the partnership
develop all program and cost proposals jointly. The following statement, in
English and Russian, must be included on all proposal cover sheets:
The attached program and cost proposals were jointly developed and
have been closely reviewed by the staff of [name of all partners, whether
Russian or US]. As signatories for these institutions we are in full
agreement on all aspects of these proposals, including the proposed
activities, outcomes, timeline, and budget as described herein.
The legal administrator of each of the partner organizations listed
in the proposal must sign this statement. No proposal will be reviewed
without this accompanying statement. IREX staff may be in contact with all
project finalists to verify that both partners have indeed played an equal
role in developing program and cost proposals.
B. Proposal Summary
This section should not exceed two pages and should include a brief
description of each of the major sections of the proposal, including:
Partnership History (for existing and, if applicable, Roll-out
partnerships) or Institutional History (for New partnerships and, if
applicable, Roll-Out partnerships); Needs to be Addressed in the VFD; Goals
and Objectives; Proposed Activities; Evaluating the Results of the Project;
Plans for Sustainability; and Project Management.
C. Technical Proposal
The technical proposal must address each of the sections noted below.
Proposals that exclude any of these categories or do not provide complete
information will be penalized during the review process. Please note
however that item 1 contains three separate sections, each specifically
tailored to gather information about either: 1) existing, 2) new, or 3)
roll-out partnerships, respectively. Therefore, provide information only
for the section that is relevant to the type of grant for which your
partnership is applying.
1. Partnership Track Record and Institutional
Capability (15 points)
Existing Partnerships Only:
· Provide a brief description of the partnership institutions to be
involved in this project and their existing relationship with one another.
Include a history of your partnership such as: major activities and
achievements of previous collaborative projects and previous sources of
funding (from the US government or foundations, Russian sources, European
organizations, etc.).
· Particular attention should be paid to the partnerships' or
partners' contacts with other VFD organizations and experience working in
the Volga Federal District.
· Describe what mechanisms exist in your current relationship that
contributes to equality and transparency in management. Include information
on which modes of communication (phone, fax, Internet) your partnership
currently employs and how often.
New Partnerships Only:
· Provide a brief description of the partnership institutions to be
involved in this project. For each organization discuss major activities
and achievements of previous projects and previous sources of funding (from
US organizations, Russian sources, European organizations, etc.) that
reflects management and collaborative experience relevant to the realm of
work you propose to do in this project.
· Particular attention should be paid to the partnerships' or
partners' contacts with other VFD organizations and experience working in
the Volga Federal District.
· Describe what mechanisms exist in each partner organization that
may contribute to equality and transparency in management of the proposed
project. Include information on which modes of communication (phone, fax,
Internet) each organization currently employs and how often.
Roll-out Partnerships (Russian Applicants) Only:
Roll-out partnerships may be comprised of organizations that currently
collaborate on an existing project that they wish to continue, or they may
be comprised of new organizations that wish to collaborate on an entirely
new project that replicates best practices and successful models of a
previous project. Regardless of whether you are seeking funding for a new
or existing project, please provide the following information:
· As Roll-out partnerships are intended to replicate best practices
and innovative models developed through previous US-Russian partnership
projects funded by a US organization, please provide information about
previous sources of US funding and/or collaboration with US organizations.
· Include a description of the partnership institutions to be
involved in this project, and discuss major activities and achievements of
previous projects.
Additionally:
· Particular attention should be paid to the partnerships' or
partners' contacts with other VFD organizations and experience working in
the Volga Federal District.
· Describe what mechanisms exist in each partner organization that
may contribute to equality and transparency in management of the proposed
project. Include information on which modes of communication (phone, fax,
Internet) your organization currently employs and how often.
2. Need(s) to be addressed in the VFD (10 points)
· Describe the specific needs of the VFD region that are relevant to
the implementation of your project and why they are important.
· Explain how your project will meet these needs and how the project
relates to the three strategic sectors mentioned in Section II of this RFA.
Be sure to provide a concrete problem or set of problems to be addressed by
the project activities.
3. Goal and Objectives (10 points)
· Describe the overall goal of your project and key project
objectives that will help reach that goal. A goal is the overall purpose of
your project. Objectives represent steps that will be taken to obtain the
goal and include individual results expected from the project. These
results should be measurable and reflect the proposed changes that will
occur during the implementation of the project.
· Describe how this project builds on previous initiatives or
projects, ongoing or already completed within the sector or priority area.
4. Proposed Activities (15 points)
· Describe in detail the proposed activities and discuss how they
will help meet your goal and objectives. Be sure to explain each partner's
role in carrying out the planned activities.
· Outline the human and material resources needed to implement the
activities and discuss any possible constraints you anticipate in
completing these activities.
· Describe how the partnership project will reach out to the most
vulnerable of society as well as insure that both men and women have equal
access to the project's stated benefits.
· If you plan to apply for additional funds from other resources to
supplement the PartNER grant, explain why this is important to the project,
the types of sources for this additional funding and how you plan to
attract these additional funds.
· Demonstrate support from organizations and other community
stakeholders in the VFD that will be key to implementation of the project.
In particular, participants should have support from local government
officials. Where appropriate, applicants should include letters of support
from local organizations, businesses, or governmental agencies.
5. Evaluating the Results of the Project (10 points)
· Outline the criteria for evaluating the project's effectiveness as
well as describe the procedures that will be used for monitoring and
evaluation of the project.
· Describe how your evaluation criteria will demonstrate visible
results under at least one of PartNER Program's strategic areas as outlined
in Section II of this RFA.
· The evaluation criteria should also demonstrate how well the
proposed activities address the situation in the VFD. Be sure to include
preliminary quantitative and qualitative benchmarks by which the project
results will be evaluated. These benchmarks should enable you to assess the
degree to which you have met project goals and objectives and achieved the
anticipated results. For example: # of disabled students who gain access to
higher education, or improved legal services for the indigent in the VFD.
6. Plans for Sustainability (10 points)
· Explain how you plan to continue the activities outlined for the
project and to further develop the partner relationship between your
organizations after the completion of the PartNER project. In particular,
describe how the project activities will help make your partnership more
stable and long-lasting.
· When major elements-like the opening of a new center or other
activities that will require substantial post-grant financing-are proposed,
a solid and persuasive business plan must be provided as an attachment to
the proposal. The business plan will not count towards the attachment limit
of 15 pages.
· Indicate what advantages the Russian as well as the American
organizations will receive from the joint activities. Roll-out
partnerships should indicate what advantages the Russian organizations will
receive from joint activities.
7. Project Management (5 points)
· Describe how the overall project will be managed. Include details
on the qualifications of the key individuals responsible for managing the
program and indicate the amount of time each will devote to the project.
· Attach resumes (no more than three pages each) for project
principals and consultants as appropriate. The resumes will not count
towards the attachment limit of 15 pages.
· Existing and New partnerships must state clearly (in both the
management and budget sections of their proposal) how the Russian and US
partners will communicate to achieve project objectives. IREX recommends
that at least one staff member on both the Russian and the American sides
of the partnership be bilingual and have experience working in and with
both cultures. If a qualified bilingual staff member is unfeasible,
describe how the partners plan to communicate throughout the project.
· Although it is preferable that both partners have a person with
financial training to manage project finances, it is required that the lead
partner include such a person on their project management team.
8. Work Plan (5 points)
All projects must submit a month-by-month activity work plan for the
duration of the project. The work plan must include the dates, locations
and partners responsible for all major events and activities.
D. Cost Proposal
The cost proposal portion must include a project budget and budget
narrative that provide detailed information on the total costs for program
implementation. In preparing your cost proposal budget, please refer to the
attached sample budget (Appendix II). The narrative should provide a
concise but detailed explanation for each line item, including how
estimates for both partners' funding requests and match were established.
Separate expenses and match for each partner should be itemized in both the
project budget and narrative.
The lead organization will be responsible for financial management and
reporting. The budget narrative should include a short introductory summary
demonstrating the lead organization's experience in managing grant funds,
and include a description of the structure and procedures that will be
employed to ensure effective accounting and funds management.
The cost proposal will be reviewed by an IREX technical review panel and by
USAID using a 30-point system. It may vary in length and will not be
counted towards the total allowable number of pages. Please note that all
cost proposals must be done in US dollars. The following criteria will be
used in evaluating the cost proposal:
1. Reasonableness and Completeness of Funding Request (10 points) -
The review panel will judge the following to determine whether:
§ the overall budget is reasonable and competitive;
§ cost estimates used in the budget are accurate and current; and
§ the overall level of requested funding seems to correspond to the
activities proposed. All significant program activities should be included.
2. Reasonableness of Proposed Match (5 points) - The proposal must
include the minimum 25% match contribution. For example, if $100,000 is
requested from USAID/IREX, a minimum of $25,000 must be provided. Extra
points will be assigned to proposals that can provide up to, or beyond, 50%
in matching funds. Examples of matching funds include direct cash
contributions, donated staff time, office rent and equipment, and donated
funds from other non-US government institutions. All match contributions
must be accurately and systematically documented. The institutions are
encouraged to provide innovative approaches to cost-sharing in their
applications. Partners are also encouraged to provide their matching
contributions early on in the project. IREX will judge the level and
appropriateness of match contributions in accordance with the institutional
capacity of each partner organization (i.e., commercial organizations will
be expected to contribute a higher percentage of match-50% or more-than not-
for-profit institutions).
3. Financial Track Record (5 points) - Those organizations that can
show an effective history of funding management (grants from the US
Government, other international donors) as well as describe an effective
structure for financial management of their proposed PartNER project will
receive preference.
The budget should be prepared in accordance with the budget template
provided in Appendix II. Although the following line items for both the
USAID/IREX contributions and the matching contributions will not be scored
in and of themselves, they should be estimated according to the guidelines
listed below: Personnel, Benefits, Non-Expendable Costs, Other Direct
Costs, Indirect Costs, Travel and Per Diem, Other Program Costs, and
Contractual Costs.
1. Personnel - Applicant must provide information on full and part-
time project staff. The narrative should include a description of each
employee's role and project responsibilities, level-of-effort breakdown
specifying individual personnel, rate of compensation (both monthly and for
length of project), and amount of time proposed. For Russian participants,
gross salary figures must include income tax. The budget should allow for
anticipated salary increases during the period of the grant.
(b) Fringe Benefits (US applicants only) - If accounted for as a
separate line item, fringe benefits should be based on the applicant's
audited fringe benefit rate or historical cost data. If the latter is used,
the narrative should include a detailed breakdown comprised of all items of
fringe benefits, (e.g., unemployment insurance, workers compensation,
health and life insurance, retirement, FICA, etc.) and the costs of each,
expressed in dollars and as a percentage of salaries.
(c) Social Fund Payments (Russian applicants only) - In accordance with
Russian legislation, the project budget must include labor fund payments
(includes social fund payments and other payments) for all staff members
who hold labor agreements with the project management and whose labor is
covered by grant funds. In cases where consultant agreements are signed
with an organization, social fund payments for consultants do not need to
be included in the budget because the organization itself is responsible
for covering these costs. (See item 9 for more information on Consultant
costs).
2. Equipment valued at $5,000 or more (non-expendable property)-
Partners should list all equipment costing $5,000 or more per unit. The
narrative must list each piece of equipment, the quantity to be purchased
and estimated cost per item. The budget narrative must also include
substantiation for the acquisition of noted supplies and equipment.
3. Equipment valued at $5,000 or less (expendable property) - Partners
should list all equipment costing less than $5,000 per unit. The narrative
must list each piece of equipment, the quantity to be purchased and
estimated cost per item. The budget narrative must also include
substantiation for the acquisition of referenced supplies and equipment.
4. Supplies -Supplies refers to general office items such as paper,
writing utensils, report preparation costs and so on. The narrative must
include supplies and estimated cost per item where relevant. The budget
narrative must also include substantiation for the acquisition of noted
equipment.
5. Office Rent-Monthly costs for office rent should be stated in the
budget, as well as payment for utilities and other associated expenses. For
US partners, rent should not be included in this line if it is already
covered by your organization's indirect cost rate. The budget narrative
should include monthly rent payments as well as the total sum for the
duration of the project. The budget narrative should reference the legal
rental agreement that was used as the basis for the rent calculations.
6. Equipment rental-Each individual piece of equipment that will be
rented for the project must be included separately in the budget. The
budget narrative must include monthly calculations for the equipment rental
as well as a total sum of these payments for the duration of the grant. The
budget narrative should reference the legal agreement that will be used as
the basis for the equipment rental calculations.
7. Travel and Per Diem- This line item should include expenses for
staff travel, both domestic and international. The budget narrative should
provide detailed information on each planned trip, including: brief
itinerary, number of people traveling, airfare, hotel stay, per diem, and
any other expected expenses. Per Diem can be fixed at the applicant's
discretion, but it can not exceed USG rates. Standard US government Travel
Regulations and USAID Travel Policies should be applied. Information on
this subject can be found at: http://www.state.gov/www/perdiems
[Russian Applicants Only] Russian organizations should note that per diem
amounts exceeding the standards of Russian legislation are liable for
taxation under the unified social tax (both social fund taxes and local
taxes). Expenses thereby incurred may be included in the budget. For tax
purposes, commercial organizations must indicate per diem income within the
established norms.
8. Other Costs- Partners should include information on all other
expenses relating to the implementation of project activities such as:
seminars, conferences, roundtables, and so on. The budget narrative should
clearly describe these program costs in terms of project activities and
include all relevant calculations.
In addition, all partners, if they receive more than $300,000 per year in
USG funding, be they lead or non-lead, must undergo an annual audit in
accordance with OMB Circular A-133 for US partners and US Government
Auditing Standards and the "Guidelines for Financial Audits Contracted by
Foreign Recipients" for Russian partners. Partners may include costs for
this audit proportional to the percentage of the PartNER grant to their
overall USG funding. For example, if the PartNER award is $100,000, 33% of
the audit fees may be charged to the PartNER project. The narrative should
provide a breakdown and rationale for all other direct costs.
9. Contractual
(a) Subcontractors or consultants- If the applicant intends to utilize
a third party or organization to implement a portion of the program through
a consultant arrangement (for Russians a civil legal agreement format) or
subcontract, the budget narrative should indicate the method of identifying
subcontractors and consultants, the extent to which their competitiveness
will be assessed, and a complete cost breakdown (hourly, daily, or other
rate). Indicate whether or not you have existing relationships with these
other organizations and substantiate the necessity of including the
specialist or organization in the implementation of the project. A complete
and current resume shall also be submitted for all professional (managerial
and technical) subcontractor or subgrantee personnel proposed to be
involved in project implementation. Resumes will not count towards the
attachment limit of 15 pages.
(b) Subgrantees- If the applicant intends to carry out a grants
competition under the project, the budget narrative must include a
description of the selection process and intended grant recipients as well
as define the technical resources and expertise the proposed subgrantees
will bring to the program.
10. Indirect Costs- (US applicants only) The applicant must support the
indirect cost rate with a letter from a cognizant US government audit
agency or with sufficient information for USAID to determine the
reasonableness of the rates (for example, a breakdown of labor bases and
overhead pools, the method of determining the rate, etc.). Indirect costs
are part of the total proposal amount (requested funding and partner
contributions) and should be reflected in the total sum of requested funds
in the budget. US partners should only charge indirect on costs that
pertain to their participation in the project (e.g. US salaries and US
participant travel). US indirect costs cannot be charged on Russian partner
direct costs (see below). Preference will be given to those proposals that
show indirect cost rates below 30%. IREX strongly encourages partners with
high indirect cost rates to count portions of that rate as match.
SECTION VIII: Where to Submit Proposals
The deadline for submitting proposals is 6 PM Moscow time, September 16,
2002. The participants must submit three English and three Russian hard
copies of the proposal and one English and one Russian electronic copy in
MS Word or Word Perfect on diskette. Applicants should retain for their
records one copy of any and all proposals, attachments, and other
submissions to IREX.
All participants must submit their proposals to the IREX/Nizhniy Novgorod
office. Proposals that arrive late or are incomplete may not be considered
for funding. Thus, it is very important that the partners, especially
American partners, give their submissions plenty of time to be delivered to
the IREX/Moscow office. Proposal applications will NOT be accepted via fax
or email.
ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO:
IREX/PartNER Program
3/a Teatralnaya Ploshad, office 13
Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia 603005
ATTN: Gennady Podolny, PartNER Program Manager
Tel: 7-8312-19-5011, 7-8312-19-5018
Questions pertaining to the PartNER project should be sent to
Gennady Podolny, PartNER Program Manager at partner@irex.ru or by fax at: 7-
8312-19-3329.
Questions regarding the PARTNER program may also be addressed to IREX in
the US:
IREX/Partnerships & Training Division
Attn: Nancy Coan, Senior Program Officer
2121 K St, 7th floor
Washington, DC, NW 20037
Tel. (202) 628-8188
Fax (202) 628-8189
E-mail: volgapartner@irex.org
SECTION IX: Disclaimer
Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. Issuance of this
RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of IREX and USAID,
nor does it commit IREX and USAID to pay for costs incurred in the
preparation and submission of applications. IREX and USAID reserve the
right to reject any or all applications received. Award of the grants
contemplated by this RFA cannot be made until funds have been appropriated,
allocated, and committed by IREX and USAID. Continued funding for all
projects throughout their duration will be dependent upon the grantee's
performance and availability of funds from USAID. While IREX and USAID
anticipate that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential
applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for the
award.
SECTION X: Additional Information Regarding the PartNER Competition
All questions must be submitted in writing to the addresses listed in
Section IV or by e-mail no later than two weeks prior to the closing
deadline of September 16 2002. Frequently Asked Questions will be posted to
the program website www.irex.ru/programs/partner (in Russian) and
http://www.irex.org/volgapartner (in English). Questions may also be posed
at any of the pre-award informational sessions to be held in the following
locations: Washington, DC; Nizhniy Novgorod; Kirov; Kudimkar; Izhevsk;
Kazan; Saratov; Penza; Perm; Samara; Saransk; Cheboksari; Ulianovsk; Ufa;
Orenburg; Yoshkar-Ola. The dates and locations for these sessions will also
be posted to the website and advertised via relevant list serves as soon as
arrangements are finalized.
SECTION XI: Introduction to USAID/Russia
Under the Freedom Support Act of 1992, the United States Government (USG)
provides concrete support to Russia's reform process. The US Agency for
International Development (USAID) program in Russia helps the Russian
people demand and create a more open democratic society and an equitable
market economy. The program seeks to promote prosperity and long-term peace
based upon openness and mutual respect between Russians and Americans.
USAID/Russia's initiatives support:
§ Greater citizen participation at the community, regional, and
national levels
§ Greater opportunities for private enterprise development
§ Rationalization of economic development with environmental concerns
§ Full partnership for Russia in the global economy
§ Rule of law to protect basic human rights and support commercial
activities
§ Provision of better health services
§ More links to the West through exchanges, partnerships, and the
Internet
USAID/Russia's approach focuses on people, institutions, and policy.
Recognizing Russian capability and culture, USAID works to develop and
strengthen Russian institutions that will continue long after USAID
assistance ends. USAID seeks to build sustainable partnerships between
Russian and American organizations. USAID supports the growth and
sustainability of Russian non-governmental organizations. USAID works in
reform-minded regions and coordinates its activities closely with other US
government agencies and international donors. USAID complements its use of
experienced American technical specialists with local Russian expertise
when and where possible. USAID's programs seek to make Russia a full
partner in the community of nations, thus promoting prosperity and peace.
SECTION XII: Introduction to IREX
IREX is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the
advancement of knowledge. Central to its mission is the empowering of
individuals and institutions to participate meaningfully in civil society.
IREX administers programs between the United States and the countries of
Eastern Europe, the New Independent States, Asia, and the Near East. In
collaboration with partners in the public, private and academic sectors,
IREX sponsors partnership and institutional development programs,
professional training, educational exchanges, and international seminars.
IREX has successfully managed a number of different USAID-funded
partnership projects in Russia including the Institutional Partnerships
Project (IPP), Partnerships for Civil Society & Economic Development
(PCSED) Project, and most recently, the Sustaining Partnerships into the
Next Century (SPAN) program. These projects helped to strengthen economic
growth and the development of democratic civil society through the support
of partnerships between Russian and US organizations and institutions.
Appendix I
Sample Cover Sheet
USAID/IREX Partnerships, Networking, Empowering and Roll-Out (PartNER)
Program
Round I Proposal
Lead Applicant Supporting Partner
(Partner to receive grant funds):
Name of organization: Name of
organization:
Full Address: Full Address:
Phone: Phone:
Fax: Fax:
E-mail: E-mail:
Project Director: Project
Director:
Bank: Bank:
Bank Account Number: Bank Account Number:
(Please note that project directors must be assigned for both the lead and
partner applicants. Do not include information here about your
organization's director unless this person will be expected to be
specifically responsible for PARTNER project oversight)
Type of Partnership Grant: (New, Existing, or Roll-Out)
Title of Project:
Sector:
Project Objectives: (Please insert here one or more of your proposed
project objectives)
Budgetary information:
Amount of USAID/IREX funds requested: $
Amount in Match (and %): $ (%)
Total Cost of project: $
The attached program and cost proposals were jointly developed and have
been closely reviewed by the staff [name of Russian and US institutions].
As signatories for these institutions we are in full agreement on all
aspects of these proposals, including the proposed activities, outcomes,
timeline, and budget as described herein.
Прилагаемые заявки с описанием программы и затрат на ее реализацию были
составлены и тщательно проверены персоналом [названия российского и
американского учреждений]. Выступая в качестве лиц, уполномоченных
указанными организациями на подписание настоящих заявок, мы полностью
согласны со всеми аспектами этих заявок, включая предлагаемые виды
деятельности, результаты, графики и сметы..
____________________ _______________________
Lead partner Supporting partner
Project director's signature Project director's
signature
Appendix II
SAMPLE 12 MONTH BUDGET
USAID/IREX GRANT FUNDS MATCHING FUNDS TOTAL
Russian partner US Partner Russian partner US Partner
I. PERSONNEL
a. U.S. Salaries and Wages
Project Coordinator @$$/month @% of time x12 months
2 social workers @$$/month each @% of time x 12 months
b. U.S. Fringe Benefits
@% of $$ total salaries for U.S. wages
Subtotal: U.S. personnel
c. Russian Salaries and Wages
Project Coordinator @$$/month @% of time x 12 months
Finance Manager @$$/month @% of time x 12 months
d. Russian Staff Taxes & Benefits
Russian Payroll Tax Rate (The payroll tax rate should be used for all
Russian salaries)
Subtotal: Russian personnel
II. Equipment costing $5,000 or more per unit
1 Color Laser Printer @ $$
Subtotal: Equipment costing $5,000 or more per unit
III. Equipment costing less than $5,000 per unit
Desktop supplies @$$/year/staff x 12 months
Subtotal: Equipment costing less $5,000 per unit
IV. Supplies
Educational materials @$$/month x 12 months
Subtotal: Supplies
V. Office Rent
XX square feet @$$/square foot/month x 12 months
Telephones @$$/month x 12 months
Utilities @$$/month x 12 months
Facility Insurance @$$/year
Subtotal: Rent
VI. Rental and Lease of Equipment
1 Copier @ $$
Subtotal: Rental and Lease of Equipment
VII. TRAVEL
a. International
# round-trip airfares US-Russia @$$/each (state city-to-city travel &
rate)
# days per diem (City) @$$/day
b. Domestic
# round-trip train tickets within Russia @$$/each (state cities and rates)
Subtotal: Travel
VIII. OTHER COSTS
Conference Tuition @$$/each x staff
Subtotal: Other costs
IX. CONTRACTUAL
A. Consultant/Subcontractor Fees and Services
Bookkeeping Services @$$/month x 12 of months
Trainer @$$/day x # of days
Annual Audit
Travel Insurance
Subtotal: Consultants
B. Sub-grants
12 grants @ $500 each
Subtotal: Subgrants
Subtotal: Contractual
X. INDIRECT COSTS (for US partners only)
(Preference given to indirect cost rates below 30%)
X% of Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate
Subtotal: Total Indirect Costs
TOTAL PROJECT COST: