Deadline: 10-May-21

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking Concept Papers from eligible entities for ‘Accelerating Control of the HIV Epidemic in Nigeria’.

The U. S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Global Health (USAID/GH) is pleased to have issued Rounds 1 – 7 under the New Partnerships Initiative Global Health (NPI GH) Annual Program Statement (APS). Under Round 8 entitled “Accelerating Control of the HIV Epidemic in Nigeria (ACE)”, USAID/GH is seeking Concept Papers focused on promoting new and underutilized partnerships to accelerate the achievement of HIV epidemic control in Nigeria through the delivery of high impact HIV prevention, care and support services to populations in Nigeria most at risk of acquiring HIV.

The program is intended to provide evidence-based services that will deliver measurable results. USAID is seeking concepts that demonstrate effective approaches to fulfill these objectives. The Recipient(s) will, at a minimum, be required to demonstrate the ability and capacity to address programmatic and systems barriers to epidemic control, to include but not limited to, the following areas:

• HIV Case Finding and Linkage (HTS)
• Adult Care and Treatment
• Pediatric/Adolescent Care and Treatment
• Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT)
• Cervical cancer screening
• TB/HIV Care
• Laboratory
• Health Systems Strengthening to Support Clinical Services
• Expertise with the Private Sector
• Operations and Implementation Research

 Focus Areas

• Prevalence of HIV infection and risk factors in Nigeria
• Tuberculosis prevalence and HIV/TB co-infection in Nigeria
• Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to make up to six (6) awards, which will not exceed a cumulative ceiling of $314,069,742.00 in total USAID funding over a five-year period of implementation.
• For Round 8, the anticipated start date for the award(s) is on or about 150 days after the issuance of this Round. The length of each award will be five (5) years from effective date of the award.

Outcomes

Specifically, USAID seeks to promote the UNAIDS 95-95-95 principle via interventions that help narrow gender gaps in Nigeria, focusing on three overarching outcomes:

• Reduce gender disparities in access to, control over, and benefit from resources, wealth, opportunities, and services in economic, social, political, and cultural arenas,
• Decrease gender-based violence and mitigate its harmful effects on individuals and communities,
• Increase the capability of women and girls to understand their civil rights, have control over life outcomes, and influence decision making in their household, community, and society.

Eligibility Criteria

• Through Round 8, the resulting ACE award(s) will work with new and underutilized partners as described in this funding opportunity, based on the belief that a larger and more diverse partner base will expand the available ideas, capabilities and networks needed to sustainably address shared development challenges. This opportunity directly responds to PEPFAR’s goal of transitioning to local organizations and USAID’s vision of a Journey to Self-Reliance by bolstering sustainable local capacity.
• Under Round 8, the organization must align with Partnership Approach 1a(i) and/or Ia(ii) to be considered eligible.
  • Partnership Approach 1a(i):
    • Direct awards are given to new and underutilized organizations that are local entities in the host country in which the applicant is applying. New and underutilized partners that are local entities in Nigeria may apply for direct funding in Round 8 issued under the NPI GH APS. An underutilized partner is defined by the Agency as an organization that has received less than $25 million in direct or indirect awards from USAID over the past five years. The five years is relative to when the organization is applying to USAID procurement/funding opportunity.
  • Partnership Approach 1a(ii):
    • Direct awards to new and underutilized organizations that are locally established partners (LEPs) in the host country in which the applicant is applying. U.S.-based or international partners are eligible if (1) they meet the definition of a LEP; (2) they have received less than $25 million cumulatively in USAID funding over the previous five (5) years to date; and (3) currently have additional, non-USAID funding streams that exceed total funding received worldwide from the USAID (e.g., if an applicant has implemented $5 million in USAID funding, it must demonstrate at least $5 million in funds worldwide from sources other than the USAID).
  • ACE uses the COP20 PEPFAR definition of a Local Partner. Under PEPFAR, a local partner may be an individual, a sole proprietorship, or an entity. However, under this phase, for the applicant to be considered for this activity as a local partner, the applicant must self-certify and submits supporting documentation demonstrating their organization meets the criteria listed below:
    • An entity (e.g., a corporation or partnership):
      • Must be incorporated or legally organized under the laws of, and have its principal place of business in the country served by the PEPFAR program with which the entity is or may become involved;
      • Must be at least 75% beneficially owned by individuals who are citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of that same country, per sub-paragraph (1)(a);
      • At least 75% of the entity’s staff (senior, mid-level, support) must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of that same country, per subparagraph (1)(a), and at least 75% of the entity’s senior staff (i.e., managerial and professional personnel) must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of such country; and
      • Where an entity has a Board of Directors, at least 51% of the members of the Board must also be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of such country.