U.S. Higher Education Community: Doing Business with USAID
USAID has long recognized the U.S. higher education community (U.S. HEC) as a national asset and a valued partner in international development. The community fosters creative new approaches to development problems which USAID is working on through out the developing world in support of U.S. national interests. Most USAID business with the U.S. HEC is conducted through competitive processes which ensure consistency with USAID development strategies, objectives and quality while eliciting the best ideas. At the same time, we welcome unsolicited concepts and proposals (that support USAID goals and objectives) with the recognition that funding for these is limited.
Below is basic guidance for the U.S. higher education community for preparing both solicited and unsolicited proposals. Specific questions on this guidance and HEC partnerships with USAID in general should be directed to Gary Bittner, USAID's Higher Education Community Liaison.
DOING BUSINESS WITH USAID
The majority of USAID funding is competitively awarded through specific requests or invitations. USAID/Washington and field missions through out the world regularly seek organizations to support Agency strategies goals and objectives. These opportunities are advertised to the public at USAID's procurement web site: http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/.
USAID encourages interested institutions to visit this web site regularly to identify new opportunities. You may wish to review the entire web site, paying particular attention to: USAID Procurements: Requests for Proposals, Requests for Applications, Invitations for Bids, and Annual Program Statements.
If your institution is just beginning international development assistance, or is generally interested in USAID development programs, the Agency suggests that you explore the following informational web sites. It is essential that you become familiar with the Agency's overall goal and strategies with specific attention to the various sector strategies (Economic Growth, Agriculture, Health, Democracy Governance, etc.). It is also essential that you become familiar with Agency Country or Mission strategies, especially if you are planning to submit a proposal to a specific country. Please note that the partnership and research opportunities do not apply to Europe and Eurasia countries. Some opportunities are geared to the higher education community; others are useful to any prospective USAID partner:
General (including sector strategies, country and regional strategies)
http://www.usaid.gov
Annual Partnership Awards (Solicited)
http://www.aascu.org/alo
Annual Research Awards (Solicited)
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/DSC/USAID_Research_Support_Project.html
Fellowship and Internship Opportunities
http://www.sph.umich.edu/pfps/
http://www.msi.pop@umich.edu
http://www.fellowships.aaas.org
UNSOLICITED CONCEPT PAPERS AND PROPOSALS
If your institution has a good idea which is linked to an Agency sector or specific country strategy, for which there are no competitive opportunities, USAID accepts, for review, well-conceived, innovative unsolicited concept papers and proposals that advance U.S. foreign assistance objectives (as these are articulated in the Agency websites). Interested parties should explore the Agency's web page (http://www.usaid.gov) to review and determine the joint interests of your institution as these relate to USAID's strategic objectives in the sectors (for thematic programs) and countries where you wish to operate. After you have determined the programs or countries of common interest, you are encouraged to contact the appropriate USAID Regional and Central Bureau Officials listed below. These officers can guide you to items of mutual interest and identify USAID personnel in that country to contact.
USAID will not support proposals that operate only in the U.S. and will not fund infrastructure development in the U.S. Concept papers and proposals that apply the understanding of USAID development goals and objectives (specifically sector, country strategies) will be more competitive than those do not.
See guidelines for submitting unsolicited concept papers and proposals and the related review criteria.
REGIONAL AND CENTRAL BUREAU CONTACTS
Bureau for Economic Growth Agriculture and Trade
Gary Bittner, e-mail: Gbittner@USAID.GOV phone 202-712-1556
Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance
Susan Parks, e-mail: Sparks@USAID.GOV phone: 202-712-4874
Bureau for Global Health
Richard Whitaker, e-mail: Rwhitaker@USAID.GOV phone: 202-712-4097
Estelle Quain, e-mail: Equain@USAID.GOV phone: 202-712-4463
Bureau for Europe and Eurasia
Michael Hathaway, e-mail: Mhathaway@USAID.GOV phone: 202-712-0463
Bureau for Africa
Fenton Sands, e-mail: Fsands@USAID.GOV phone: 202-712-0307
Bureau for Asia and the Near East
None.
Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean
Charisse Adamson, e-mail: Cadamson@USAID.GOV phone: 202-712-0366
Annette Weichlein, e-mail: Aweichlein@USAID.GOV phone: 202-712-1615
If you have any questions concerning the information on this web site please contact Gary Bittner, USAID's Higher Education Community Liaison, at the following address.
Gary Bittner, Higher Education Liaison Officer
Higher Education and Workforce Development
U.S. Agency for International Development
EGAT/ED/HEW, Rm. 3.9-101, RRB
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington D.C. 20523
Phone: 202-712-1556
Fax: 202-216-3229
E-mail: hliaison@usaid.gov
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