NPI GH APS (7200AA19APS00013) Round 2:

Expanding Health Partnerships (Modality 3)

Questions and Answers

1. The Concept Note template requires applicants to already specify the amount of funding
requested from USAID. Considering there is a co-creation process that will inform and
influence the proposed project strategy, shape of consortiums etc, how does USAID
propose applicants come up with an estimate of the funding request at this stage?

During the Concept Paper phase, applicants are asked to propose an estimated funding
request associated with the type of program they are proposing in response to the Round
2 Program Description. Subject to the availability of funds, USAID anticipates making
up to three (3) awards, which will not exceed a cumulative ceiling of $100,000,000 over
the course of five (5) years. A significant portion of the ceiling is anticipated to be
funded by USAID Missions in various countries. There are no maximum or minimum
amounts established by USAID per Concept Paper.

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take
place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

2. The Concept Note template requires applicants to specify ‘ Total Program Amount (in
USDs)’, as well as ‘Total Amount of Funding Requested from USAID’. However, in the
Round 2 document, there has been no reference made to match funding. Also, the global
APS states ‘there is no requirement for cost sharing or matching in this NPI GH APS as
it is not a funding opportunity itself’. Is it therefore safe to assume that match funding is
not required for Round 2 and does not affect the competitiveness of a Concept Note?

There is no request for matching funding for awards under the NPI GH APS Round 2 in
the Concept Paper phase. However, USAID reserves the right to request a cost-share at
the Request for Full Application (RFA) phase of the selected applicants.

3. Where in the Concept Note template, applicants are supposed to specify if they are
applying as a prime or sub applicant?

Given that Round 2 will be awarded to a prime recipient, there is no separate line item for
indicating whether an applicant is applying as a prime or a sub awardee. As noted in the
Concept Paper template in Annex A, in line item number 9, applicants must include other
members of a proposed consortium. Also, in Section F of the Concept Paper template,
 applicants are asked to describe and define the role of other entities in the
partnership/consortium.

On page 11, first paragraph, please delete “or sub-partner” from the sentence. The revised
sentence will read, “To be considered as a potential prime on a full application, an
organization must submit a concept paper (as a prime) to the relevant Round.”

4. Is there a preference for already firmed up consortiums at this stage or is the preference
to allow for Primes and subs to identify complementarities and firm up partnerships at
the co-creation stage?

There is no preference that consortiums be firmed up or a preference that primes and subs
firm up before or during co-creation phase, if conducted. In Annex A of Round 2,
Section F states that applicants describe and define the role of other entities in the
partnership/consortium and their expected relationship with the sub-award program.

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take
place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

5. Can footnotes/ endnotes be in smaller font than Times New Roman 12? Is there a
preference for footnotes or endnotes?

Footnotes and/or endnotes can be in 10-point Times New Roman. There is no preference
between footnotes versus endnotes; however applicants are reminded of the five page
limit for Concept Papers.

6. When is the expected date for co-creation workshop for Round 2?

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take
place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

7. Do applicants need to name in the concept note who they nominate to attend co-creation?
(I didn’t see this)

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. At that time, applicants will need to submit the name
 of any attendee. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take place after the initial
review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

8. Whereas the call states that this particular round will be utilizing modality 3, it is not
clear if Local entities that have a solid financial relationship with USAID above the
threshold established in the APS of $25M for the past 5 years can apply as a prime.

Any organization, U.S., international or local, that has a financial relationship with
USAID above the $25M threshold over the previous five (5) years to date, can apply as a
prime for Round 2. Applicants will be reviewed based on the Merit Review Criteria.

9. Is Paraguay an eligible country?

Paraguay is not one of the USAID Global Health Priority Countries.

10. Can the same organization submit concept papers for both rounds?

If an organization meets the eligibility requirements of each round, it could apply for both
rounds.

11. For round 2, could you clarify if it refers to a call that involves a consolidated
organization through which resources and capacities are transferred to incipient
organizations?

Round 2 will be awarded to a prime(s) organization that could work through a group of
partners, referred to as a consortium. The financial arrangement between the prime and
the consortium members is not in the purview of a USAID determination. However,
Round 2 will be utilizing Modality 3 of the NPI GH APS whereby the prime awardee will
issue sub-awards, with between 50-75 percent of total funds obligated to the prime used
for such sub-awards.

12. Please clarify the outline of the 5-page concept paper that USAID would like for Round 2
submissions.
a. The required sections on page 42 of the APS differ from the sections outlined in
the instructions for the Round 2 concept paper (APS includes Geographic
Location and Intervention Approach while Round 2 requests information on the
“Technical Approach).
 As noted on p. 22 of the APS, NOTE: Round documents can revise the Concept
Paper Template as needed. Please follow the instructions for the Concept Paper
provided in the Round 2 documentation.

b. The page allocations in the instructions on page 13 of the Round 2 document add
up to 4 ½ pages. Please confirm that applicants can include another ½ page on
the Intervention Approach, as described in the APS.

The page allocations are suggested lengths for each section and should total five
(5) pages. The sections can be adjusted according to an organization's needs. The
total page limit for the Concept Paper is five (5) pages.

13. Please confirm that applicants can include both local entities (Modality 3a) and locally
established partners (LEP-Modality 3b) in their concept papers.
a. On page 15, the overall APS states that the prime will support either local entities
or LEP, but Annex A (page 13) of the Round 2 document instructs applicants to
“select all that apply” regarding Modality 3a and 3b. Please confirm that Round
2 Annex A supersedes the APS instructions.

Awardee(s) for Round 2 can use either modality 3a working with local partners,
or modality 3b working with locally established partners, or both.

14. In the general concept paper instructions (APS page 24-25), USAID asks applicants to
describe the baselines that will be measured “before the project begins.” Please confirm
that these baselines will be measured before activity implementation rather than before
the project start date.

For the purposes of the Concept Paper, Section E. under the Concept Paper template is
seeking a description of the type of baseline data that your project would measure before
implementing a project activity. No activities, including baseline data collection, are
required before the start of or issuance of a USAID award. Detailed budgeting estimates
for baseline data collection and/or any other project activities may be part of the full
Request for Applications.

15. Page 4 states that: “Round 1 will focus on enhancing the organizational and technical
capacity of local new and underutilized partners, including those organizations and
partners that are owned, managed by and/or represent the needs of diverse
constituencies such as minority or women-owned businesses or youth-serving
organizations.”
 It is presumed that USAID is referring to “Round 2”. In this context, can USAID please
confirm it considers “diverse constituencies” to include disabled persons or
disabled-serving organizations.

Yes, Round 2 document should only refer to Round 2 so any reference to Round 1 is a
typo. The list of diverse constituencies was illustrative but not limited to the constituents
listed. Diverse constituencies may include disabled-serving organizations.

16. Can USAID please confirm if mental health and psycho-social support fall under the
Agency’s definition of MCH quality health services?

Some elements of mental health are included in the USAID maternal and child health
(MCH) program definitions; however, such activities should be within broader MCH
programs for the direct benefit of mothers, newborns and children. Women's mental
health is included along with other intermediate determinants for thriving mothers and
newborns such as family planning care, infectious diseases, women's nutrition, lifestyle
behaviors and underlying health conditions.

17. Can USAID please share a list of prioritized neglected tropical diseases, ideally by
country as per the matrix in Annex C of the APS?

USAID targets five neglected tropical diseases: lymphatic filariasis; onchocerciasis; soil
transmitted helminthiasis; schistosomiasis; and trachoma. More information is available
at: ​https://www.neglecteddiseases.gov/

18. If health products/commodities are to be distributed, should costs be included in the

prime’s core budget or rather in sub-awardee budgets?

Limited health products or commodities to be distributed may be included in either prime

or sub-awardee budgets as it will depend on the program intervention in a given country.

19. Please confirm if it is necessary for local partners to register for a DUNS if they are
sub-award recipients.

Yes, a DUNS is required. Each applicant (unless the applicant is excepted from the
requirements under 2 CFR §25.110(b), (c), (d)) must:
● be registered in SAM before submitting its application;
● provide a valid DUNS number along with its application;
 ● and 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 DUNS requirement also applies to first-tier subawards. Organizations can receive a
DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at
1-866-705-5711.

20. Please confirm that local partners may apply the 10% di minimus indirect cost rate to all
direct costs.

Local partners that have never received a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
(NICRA) from a United States Federal Government agency may apply a de minimis rate
of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See 2 CFR 200.414(f) and related sections
for more information.

21. If a university affiliated NGO has its own unique DUNS and Tax ID number, would they
be considered an eligible organization to submit a concept paper, in addition to a
separate university submission?

A single organization may not submit more than one concept paper to Round 2 as a
prime.

22. On page 9 of the Round 2: EHP, it states that “established partners (defined in this APS
as those organizations that already have a financial relationship with USAID above the
threshold established in the APS of $25M in USAID funds in the past five years)…” Are
organizations with financial relationships with other USG funders (ie. CDC, PEPFAR)
above $25M eligible? If not, would USAID consider revising this requirement?

No, the $25M must be from USAID funding in the past five years. Established partners
do not have funding limits and may have resources from other US government partners
beyond the $25 million from USAID in the past five years.

23. The APS reads like a central-level mechanism whereby individual Missions buy-into the
mechanism to establish and strengthen local organizations, is this correct? Is there room
for proposing specific countries or local organizations with which we would like to work
at the proposal stage?
 USAID assumes the question is in reference to Round 2 rather than the APS. Round 2 is
intended to serve as a central USAID/Washington-based award(s) that will be managed
by the USAID Global Health Bureau, in partnership with Mission counterparts. Concept
papers can include proposed countries in which an organization might work as an
illustration of the proposed project. The final country selection will be determined only
after an award is made and pursuant to discussions with USAID Missions and the Global
Health Bureau project management team. Concept papers may include proposed local
organizations through which the project might conceivably work as part of an established
sub-award program but would also need to be responsive to the need for a broad, global
approach that may work in multiple Global Health priority countries and seek new and
interested local partners beyond an organization's current network.

24. F​or NPI R2, can a local sub-recipient be included in more than one Consortium led by a
US/International Organization?

Yes, sub-recipient organizations may be part of a consortium on up to two different

Concept Papers.

25. W​ould USAID please clarify if organizations submitting a concept paper as a sub can
respond to a specific result instead of responding to all three results?

USAID is not seeking Concept Papers from sub-partners during this Round due to the
Round’s focus on Modality 3 that will be an award(s) to a prime (with the potential for a
consortium) to respond to all three (3) intermediate results in this Round.

26. Would USAID please clarify the difference between sub-awardee organizations and
partners for concept paper submission?

There are two types of sub-awardees in this Round 2. First, the award will be issued to a
prime organization under modality 3 (a or b or both) of the APS. A prime may submit a
concept paper as part of a consortium of partners. Only one organization can be the
prime and all other members of the consortium are considered sub-partners. These
entities would be included and described in the concept paper.

Second, Round 2 is focused on the prime (and consortium as appropriate) establishing a

sub-award program to local or locally established partners. These are the sub-awardee
partners as well.
27. Given that co-creation is the next step after the concept paper stage, would USAID
clarify if forming consortiums at the concept paper stage is the preferred route?

Consortiums can be formed at any time during the process.

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take
place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

28. Given the global geographic focus, would USAID please clarify if organizations need to
identify specific countries in Appendix C which it will work with at the concept paper
stage?

Applicants do not need to specify which countries they would work in as part of their
concept paper; however, as noted in the Concept Paper template and Merit Review
Criteria, applicants should be sure to include information describing how their
organization will identify and work with sub-awards in multiple countries. Also, section
G of the Concept Paper template asks the applicant to describe how its organization
would plan to work on a global program.

29. Would USAID please clarify if the concept paper under Round 2 could focus on one
specific country?

Round 2 is seeking an awardee(s) to establish a program in multiple countries. Please

refer to the Concept Paper template that asks organizations to describe a multi-country
approach.

30. Page 4 of round 2 states, “Round 1 will focus on enhancing the organizational and
technical capacity of local new and underutilized partners, including those organizations
and partners that are owned, managed by and/or represent the needs of diverse
constituencies such as minority or women-owned businesses or youth-serving
organizations.” Can USAID clarify if “Round 1” is a typo and whether “Round 2” was
meant instead?

Thank you for the comment. The Round 2 document should refer to Round 2 and not
Round 1.

31. Page 5 of Round 2 states, “Information sharing and knowledge management activities
are an essential element of the Round 2: EHP award(s), which will contribute directly to
 each of the result areas, and ultimately to measurable progress in the achievement of the
Round 1 expected results.” Can USAID clarify whether this is a typo and whether this
instead means to refer to achievement of Round 2 expected results?

Thank you for the comment. The Round 2 document should refer to Round 2 and not
Round 1.

32. What is the estimated amount of core funding available for Round 2?

Subject to the availability of funds, USAID anticipates making up to three (3) awards,
which will not exceed a cumulative ceiling of $100 million over the course of the next
five (5) years. USAID has not determined the amount of core funding for Round 2;
however, USAID Mission funding will likely be the majority of the funding.

33. What does USAID expect organizations to submit for their certificate of incorporation?
May the certificate of organization exceed the two-page page limit?

In the United States, the required "certificate of incorporation" (or, for a Limited Liability
Company, articles of organization, which some states call a certificate of organization or
certificate of formation) is often just one or two pages. If, instead of issuing a one or two
page certificate, the state (or foreign government, if applicable) issued a longer
document, the applicant may submit it with the concept paper.

34. Will there be a co-creation phase in Washington, DC or will co-creation takes place in
the implementation country at the Mission buy-in stage?

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location.

35. When is the co-creation process anticipated to take place?

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take
place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

36. Will the concept papers be shared with the organizations invited to co-creation? If so, at
what point in the process will they be shared?
 If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take
place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

37. Can USAID please confirm that the “Total Program Amount” and “Total Amount of
Funding Requested from USAID” referenced in Annex A are budget estimates to be
finalized in the full proposal? 

The Total Program Amount and Funding Requested from USAID referenced in Annex A
are budget estimates only. A full program budget will be required only from applicants
selected to respond to a full Request for Application (RFA).

38. Considering the changes to financial reporting/tracking requirements and limitations

that are now being applied to obligated funds in the DHHS Payment Management System
(as announced in Implementing Partner Notice #7: LOC Payment of October 30, 2018),
it would be helpful to understand the anticipated distribution of funds across the
Operating Units (OU) and Program Areas (PA) for this award as we design the
programmatic approach. 
a. Can USAID provide the anticipated categories and amounts for each OU and PA
for the life of the program, and if available, per year? ​    

The project is intended to be funded by health resources from across

USAID/Washington’s Global Health Bureau and USAID Missions working in the
Global Health Priority countries listed in Annex B. While priority program areas
may include child and maternal health, reproductive health, and infectious
diseases, the project will be able to accept program area funds from across the
health sector.

b. If USAID is unable to project the OU/PA funding designations at this time, how
will USAID introduce this during implementation if proposed program
descriptions are already incorporated into the award document but differ from
available funding categories? 

Round 2 is intended to support and strengthen partnerships with local and locally
established partners that are new or underutilized by USAID in the health sector.
The technical area focus may include a broad health sector approach that could
include priority areas addressing child and maternal health priorities, infectious
diseases and HIV/AIDS. Proposed health programs will need to respond to the
needs of individual USAID Missions and may span the health sector.
39. How will the local new and underutilized partners be selected for participation in the
project? Will the grants be USAID-directed, or will the successful candidate be expected
to conduct a limited competition in each country? ​

The sub-awards are expected to be developed, managed, awarded and supported by the
prime awardee. Country selection will be based on USAID Mission interest and needs.
The approach taken to identify new and underutilized partners to participate in the
sub-award program will be developed by the prime and will likely include a process for
the final selection of sub-awardees based on criteria developed by the prime in
coordination with USAID.

40. Under the Technical Approach section on pg. 12 of the solicitation, it states that “The
concept paper must present a cohesive plan to identify innovative programs conducted by
these sub-awards and how they would be scaled up.” Does this mean that the successful
candidate will be expected to expand upon existing projects, or will the successful
candidate be allowed to award new projects designed under this award? Or both?

Prime awardee(s) will be expected to design sub-award program(s) through which they
will mentor and advise on capacity building as well as the technical focus as appropriate
to the country context. Based on such programs, as described in Intermediate Result 3,
the prime awardee(s) will be expected to develop an approach to identify and measure
innovative or promising programs that could be scaled up or shared as lessons learned. If
there are similar existing programs in-country, the awardee(s) should work with the
USAID mission and coordinate rather than duplicate.

41. On pg. 1 the solicitation states, “Round 2: EHP will be utilizing modality three (3) of the
NPI GH APS whereby prime award recipient(s) will issue sub-awards to advance health
programs at the country level . . . “.
a. Can USAID provide clarity on what is meant by ‘country level’? Does “country
level” mean that the expectation is for the selected local organizations to
implement on a national scale? Or, will the successful prime under this award be
expected to award grants to organizations implementing at local, regional, and/or
national levels? 

Sub-award programs do not need to be national in scale. The sub-awards would

most likely work in local, district or regional areas within a country, based on the
country needs and USAID Mission priorities. If there is a Mission seeking to
 support a national host government program, the prime awardee may be asked to
contribute to such a national effort.

b. Please clarify whether exclusion criteria on pg. 21 of full the APS will apply to
the successful applicant.

Yes, the exceptions to 2 CFR 25.110 (d) apply.

42. What are the criteria for being invited to respond to the RFA developed during
co-creation?

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected applicants
as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would have to take
place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on August 2.

43. Can USAID please confirm whether the expected award mechanism for Round 2 will be a
grant or cooperative agreement?​ 

The expected award mechanism for Round 2 will be a cooperative agreement.

44. Can USAID confirm whether LEPs selected as part of Round 1 are going to be excluded
from partnerships with primes for applications/concepts notes for Round 2?

USAID welcomes Concept Papers from all applicants for Round 2 that meet the
eligibility requirements. Applicants that apply to Round 1 and also meet the eligibility
requirements for Round 2 are welcome to submit Concept Papers for Round 2.

45. On page 19 of the APS instructions, under Phase 2: Co-Creation, it states that applicants
that have successful concept papers may be invited for co-creation, and will engage with
USAID or B/IO and/or possibly other successful concept paper applicants and that if an
applicant does not succeed at the co-creation phase, the process ends for that applicant.
It also states that until full applications are submitted, both the applicant and USAID
may identify and include potential additional technical partners and/or resource
partners.
a. Since the APS states that applicants may go through the co-creation process and
has a clearly defined process map, however, the Rounds do not, should we assume
that the co-creation process also applies to each of the Rounds?
 The co-creation process applies to each Round; however, USAID will determine
whether to proceed with co-creation after the concept papers have been received
and reviewed.

b. If a prime partner is removed at any point during the co-creation process, does
that also prohibit all sub-partners from moving forward through each Round’s
process on another potential prime’s bid?

Sub-partners can continue to explore opportunities and partnerships throughout

the process by either including their organization in up to two concept papers, i.e.,
with two different primes (or consortium) and/or continuing to explore with those
applicants that proceed to the full Request for Application process.

c. Would USAID provide an estimated time frame for when co-creation will take
place and how soon after USAID expects to issue an RFA?

If there is a co-creation opportunity for Round 2, USAID will notify selected

applicants as to the format, time and location. Any co-creation opportunity would
have to take place after the initial review of the concept papers that are due on
August 2.

46. May an organization focus on one or two of the Results rather than all three in their
submission of the concept note?

No, it is a requirement of the Concept Paper to respond to all three results.

47. The Round 2 Call makes references to Round 1 on pages 3, 4, 5, 10, and 14. Would
USAID clarify if these should be references to Round 2?

Thank you for the comment. These references to Round 1 should be changed to refer to
Round 2.

48. G​iven the broad scope of this APS and Addenda, does USAID have a preference for a
design that focuses on one or two service focus areas or a design that engages versatile
partners to contribute to multiple focus areas?

USAID envisioned a program that could work across the health sector(s). The
applicant(s) should reference the Concept Paper template and describe not only how the
applicant(s) will identify and work with a sub-award program in multiple countries but
also how they will support programs across the health sector.