District Inclusive Education Support Project (DIESP) | RFI 674 17 DIESP 001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - District Inclusive Education Support Project (DIESP) (RFI 674 17 DIESP 001)

1) What is the District Inclusive Education Support Project (DIESP)?

The District Inclusive Education Support Project (DIESP) is a planned USAID/Southern Africa education initiative focused on strengthening inclusive education at the district level in South Africa.

2) Is this posting a funding opportunity I can apply to right now?

No. The notice described is a Request for Information (RFI), not a full solicitation or application for funding. Its purpose is to gather feedback, ideas, and practical input to help USAID shape the eventual project design.

3) What is an RFI and why is USAID issuing it for DIESP?

An RFI (Request for Information) is used to collect information from organizations and stakeholders. USAID is using this RFI to inform its project design, validate assumptions in its draft concept, and learn what approaches, partnerships, and implementation models are likely to work best in the South African context.

4) Who is issuing this RFI?

This RFI is issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under USAID/Southern Africa.

5) What sector and funding category does DIESP fall under?

The opportunity is categorized in the education sector, with Funding Activity Category listed as Education.

6) What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for this opportunity?

The CFDA/Assistance Listing number provided is 98.001.

7) What is the opportunity title and number?

The funding opportunity title is "District Inclusive Education Support Project (DIESP)" and the opportunity number is "RFI 674 17 DIESP 001."

8) Who can respond to the RFI?

Responses to the RFI are unrestricted. Any type of organization may submit comments and input at the RFI stage, including local or international entities, nonprofit or for-profit organizations, academic institutions, or community-based organizations.

9) Who would be eligible to receive an award if USAID later issues a NOFO?

USAID signals that if it later releases a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) based on this concept, eligibility for that eventual competition will be limited to South African local organizations.

10) Why does USAID allow anyone to respond to the RFI but limit eligibility later?

Based on the notice, the RFI is intended to gather broad input to strengthen project design. The anticipated future competition is expected to align with a localization approach, emphasizing South African local organizations for implementation to strengthen local ownership and capacity.

11) What award instrument does USAID anticipate using for DIESP?

The planned award instrument referenced is a Cooperative Agreement.

12) What does a Cooperative Agreement imply about USAID's role?

A Cooperative Agreement typically means USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation. The notice references examples such as close coordination on work planning, monitoring, learning, and adaptive management, rather than providing funds with minimal engagement.

13) How many awards does USAID expect to make?

The posting indicates an expected number of awards of one, suggesting USAID anticipates selecting a single primary implementing partner under the eventual cooperative agreement.

14) Is there an award ceiling or funding amount listed?

No award ceiling amount is listed in the RFI. This is common at the RFI stage because budgeting and the final scope may still be under development and may depend partly on what USAID learns from stakeholder input.

15) What are the key topics USAID is seeking input on through this RFI?

The RFI is intended to solicit substantive comments on the enclosed concept paper (not included in the provided excerpt). Examples of the types of input mentioned include recommendations on district-level support structures, feasible implementation strategies, coordination with government systems, approaches to supporting learners with diverse needs, and suggestions for monitoring outcomes related to inclusive education.

16) What geographic focus is implied for this initiative?

The initiative is focused on strengthening inclusive education at the district level in South Africa.

17) What is the status and timeline information provided for the RFI?

The RFI was created on April 13, 2017, and had an original closing date of May 5, 2017. This indicates the RFI comment window was time-limited and tied to early-stage planning.

18) Does the notice include the concept paper itself?

The description references an enclosed concept paper, but the concept paper is not included in the excerpt provided here.

19) What is the main purpose of DIESP as described in the notice?

DIESP is presented as a USAID-led planning effort aimed at improving how inclusive education is supported and delivered through district education systems in South Africa.

20) Does the RFI confirm that a NOFO will definitely be released?

The notice signals an intention to proceed to a formal funding opportunity later, but the information provided describes it as a planned initiative and an RFI used to inform design, rather than a confirmed solicitation with final competition details.