Section 1 – General Information

Section 2 – Program Description

2.1. Introduction: The Haranira Ubuziranenge project is a five-year activity funded by USDA in Rwanda and implemented by CNFA. CNFA is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives.

The overall objective of Haranira Ubuziranenge is to increase productivity and food security through improving supply chains by increasing farmer adoption of good agricultural technologies and practices that contribute to improved food safety. The Project will increase agricultural trade through supporting the Government of Rwanda to integrate international food safety standards and support farmers, cooperatives, and other private sector actors to adhere to these standards and increase the value of target commodities.

2.2. Grant Program Purpose: Haranira Ubuziranenge is implementing its Co-Investment Fund (CIF) to improve food safety outcomes in the horticulture sector. The CIF will provide grants to mitigate high-risk areas of the horticulture value chain identified by a food hygiene and safety survey. The grants will support cooperatives (including those investing in cold chain), agribusinesses, Farm Service Centers (FSC), associations, agrodealers, and larger farmers who aggregate smallholder production with grants to procure equipment to mitigate food safety risks or improve post-harvest handling (e.g., solar driers), storage, and cold chain, as well as related food safety training.

2.3. RFA Purpose: This RFA seeks grant applicants to improve overall food hygiene and safety in Rwanda. Illustrative activities eligible for funding under this RFA include:

• To expand its customer base in Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a tomato exporter needs to ensure the safety and quality of product sourced from smallholder farmers prior to processing. The exporter partners with Haranira Ubuziranenge to train 200 new smallholder farmers on food safety and post harvesting handling practices to meet the regulatory import requirements. The exporter will expand its cold storage capacity to properly store the additional produce purchased from the new smallholder farmers. Thanks to this partnership, each new farmers would earn an additional 700,000 RWF/year in revenues and the exporter anticipates an additional 400 million RWF/year in exports in Year 2 of the grant.
• A processor wishes to meet export standards to reach EU markets. To meet these standards, the processor will need to invest in quality processing equipment, upgrade the facility food safety program and train its staff on the appropriate food safety and hygiene practices.  The processor expects that this investment and training would generate an additional 20 million RWF/year in mango sales. Under this partnership, Haranira Ubuziranenge would co-invest with the processor to procure high-quality equipment and identify and train 10 staff members.
• A macadamia nut processor would like to expand its market to the United States with its macadamia nut spreads. To attract more U.S. buyers, the company would like to obtain ISO 9000 certification. Haranira Ubuziranenge would provide technical assistance to ensure that all production and processing processes were standardized prior to audit. The processor has already identified potential buyers in the United States of the macadamia nut spread. The processor would also participate in a food festival in New York to promote its product to more potential buyers. Once ISO 9000 certification is obtained, the company forecasts to export 200 million RWF/year to U.S. buyers.
• An FSC would like to expand food hygiene and safety training to 300 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the horticulture value chain. The FSC would train participants in food safety and post-harvest handling practices as well as introduce new packaging and package produce effectively to increase sales. Under the partnership, Haranira Ubuziranenge would partially support costs associated with the training program.
• A cooperative would like to increase its sales of carrots to a local wholesaler supplying high-end hotels. The hotel requires the carrots to meet certain quality and food safety standards. To meet these standards the cooperative would like to co-invest with Haranira Ubuziranenge to train its farmer members on food safety and hygiene practices to increase the productivity and safety of its carrots. The cooperative would also like to provide seeds and other inputs on credit to its members. Though the CIF, the cooperative is able to share the costs of the training and inputs with the project and increase its sales by 5 million RWF per year.
• A producer or exporter requires co-investment to change production methods to meet regulatory requirements of the importing country.

Grants awarded under this partnership are expected to contribute to the following  Haranira Ubuziranange indicators :

• Value of annual sales of farms and firms receiving USDA assistance
• Volume of commodities sold by farms and firms receiving USDA assistance
• Number of jobs attributed to USDA assistance
• Number of individuals participating in USDA food security programs (People reached through training, technical assistance and grants)
• Yield of targeted agricultural commodities among program participants with USG assistance
• Number of hectares under improved management practices or technologies with USDA assistance
• Number of farmers using cold storage infrastructure as a result of USDA assistance
• Number of farmers reflecting mastery of material presented on productivity-enhanced CSA and loss-reducing practices as a result of USDA assistance
• Number of firms and cooperatives providing improved services to suppliers for adoption of food safety and hygiene practices as result of USDA assistance
• Number of farmers receiving improved market information via extension as a result of USDA assistance
• Value of new USD commitments and new public and private sector investment leveraged by USDA to support food security and nutrition (USD)
• Value of product meeting food safety standards sold by firms as result of USDA assistance (USD)
• Number of firms and cooperatives that achieved a reduced rate of loss targeted agricultural products as result of USDA assistance
• Number of farmers and market actors applying new practices to meet food safety standards as a result of USDA assistance
• Number of individuals from firms and cooperatives trained in post-production practices and technology
• Number of firms and cooperatives with improved capacity to market food safe products to high end markets
• Number of supported firms with increased sales to high end markets as a result of USDA assistance
• Number of farmers who have increased volume of sales to a buyer as a result of USDA assistance

CNFA expects grants awarded under this RFA to meet the following parameters:

2.4. Award Mechanism: CNFA anticipates awarding in-kind and fixed amount award-type grants to selected applicants. Other grant mechanisms may be considered depending on the results of a specific applicant’s application, value of proposed project, pre-award assessment to determine applicant’s administrative and financial systems are adequate to meet USDA accountability and reporting requirements, and site visit, as applicable. Award mechanism(s) are defined as:

• In-Kind Grant: CNFA acts as the direct payer of grant costs and is responsible for procurement of all goods and/or services stipulated in the grant budget. Funds are not provided directly to the grantee. All expenses must adhere to CNFA Procurement Policy and USDA regulations. The grantee will work closely with CNFA to plan procurement needs to support grant achievement.
• Fixed Amount Award: Intended to reduce administrative burden and record-keeping requirements for the grantee, grant payments are based on completion of milestones (activities) that demonstrate performance for results. Goals and activities must be measurable, and there must be adequate cost, historical, or pricing data available to establish an award value. Real property cannot be purchased (i.e. land, land improvements, structures, and appurtenances thereto – excluding moveable machinery and equipment). A memorandum of understanding (MOU) would be established separately to properly monitor cost share contributions from the grantee.

Section 3 – Applicant Eligibility

3.1. Eligibility Requirements: To be considered eligible for grant receipt, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:  

3.2. Ineligible Applicants: The following entities are ineligible for grant funds:  

• Government Ministry, Agency, or another public agency
• Entities with a conflict of interest or appearance of conflict of interest with CNFA, Haranira Ubuziranenge, USDA, or CNFA’s implementing partners (University of California-Davis and Global Cold Chain Foundation)
• Entities with key staff who are direct relatives (spouse, child, parent, sibling) of CNFA, Haranira Ubuziranenge staff, USDA staff, or CNFA’s implementing partners’ staff (University of California-Davis and Global Cold Chain Foundation)
• Entities or members that appear on the US Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons list, the UN Security Council consolidated list, or in the System for Award Management (SAM) database
• Entities or members engaged in any activities related to Trafficking in Persons
• Entities or members engaged, transacting with, or providing resources to individuals or organizations associated with terrorism
• Entities which have been debarred, suspended, or otherwise considered ineligible for an award by the US Government

3.3. Unallowable Costs: Applicants may not use grant funds for any of the following:  

• Private ceremonies, parties, celebrations, or “representation” expenses 
• Purchases or activities deemed unnecessary to accomplish grant purposes, including any applicant headquarters’ expenses that are not directly linked to the implementation of the proposed project
• Profit
• Previous obligations and/or bad debts
• Fines and/or penalties
• Creation of endowments
• Indirect costs – such as overhead or indirect fringe – unless the applicant has documented proof of such rates through audits, USG-issued NICRA, or is claiming the de minimis rate[1] 
• Any other costs unallowable per the applicable Cost Principles[2]

Section 4 – Application Evaluation 

4.1. Evaluation Criteria: All applications submitted in response to this solicitation will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:   

4.2. Evaluation and Pre-Selection:

Members of the Haranira Ubuziranenge Grant Selection Committee will evaluate applications in accordance with the above selection criteria. Applicants will be notified in writing whether their application was considered acceptable or not.

If the application is considered acceptable for pre-selection, CNFA will contact the applicant to engage in further discussions. A decision to engage in a more in-depth and specific discussion following initial selection is not a commitment to funding; it is simply a decision to move forward in the collaborative and joint effort to develop an impactful grant project.

• If discussions do not – in Haranira Ubuziranenge’s sole opinion – result in the development of a grant activity worthy of further pursuit, CNFA will inform the applicant that it is no longer interested in advancing the grant application.

If the discussions result in a promising design and concept, CNFA will inform the applicant of that determination. Pre-selected applicants will be required to complete additional due diligence checks, which may include but are not limited to:

• Pre-Award Assessment: to assess the operational, administrative, financial, and governance structures of the applicant
• Site Visit: to verify the information asserted in the application
• Vetting: to ensure the applicant and its principals are not excluded from receipt of funding

If the due diligence uncovers no major issues, CNFA will provide the necessary instructions, technical requirements, and next steps of grant award.   

4.3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

Although not required to be submitted with the application, successful applicants under this grant and subsequent full application/RFA will be required to provide their UEI number before a grant award is issued. If the applicant already has a UEI number, it should be included in the application. Guidance and instruction to request and obtain UEI can be found on sam.gov (Click HERE). Otherwise, Haranira Ubuziranenge will provide instructions to obtain a UEI during the full application/RFA stage prior to grant award.

Section 5 – Authority and Governing Regulations

Any grant awards by Haranira Ubuziranenge under this Solicitation are made under the authority of the US Foreign Affairs Act and 2 CFR 200. Grants administered by CNFA will adhere to the terms of the applicable USDA regulations, as well as the Haranira Ubuziranenge grants procedures. Haranira Ubuziranenge is required to ensure that all applicants receiving USDA grant funds comply with the requirements found in these regulations, as applicable to the respective terms and conditions of individual grant awards.

Applicants are made aware that USDA retains the right, at all times, to terminate, in whole or in part, the Haranira Ubuziranenge’s grant-making authorities or any grants in progress. 

ATTACHMENT A – GRANT APPLICATION FORM

General Information  

Submission of this grant application is FREE OF CHARGE. Applicants are solely responsible for submitting applications. Haranira Ubuziranenge will not reimburse expenses associated with the preparation and submission of application materials. CNFA and USDA reserve the right to decline any application received. Incomplete applications will not be considered for evaluation.

PART 1 – APPLICANT CERTIFICATION

 The following letter must be placed on letterhead and completed/signed/stamped by a representative authorized to sign on behalf of the applicant:   

 To: Haranira Ubuziranenge

mailto: grantsHU@cnfa-rwanda.org

Reference: RFA-RWA-HU-001

To Whom It May Concern:   

We, the undersigned, hereby provide the attached application to perform all work required to complete the activities and requirements as described in the above-referenced RFA. Please find our application attached.   

We hereby acknowledge and agree to all terms, conditions, special provisions, and instructions included in the above-referenced RFA. We further certify that the below-named firm—as well as the firm’s principal officers, and all commodities and services offered in response to this RFA —are eligible to participate in this procurement under the terms of this solicitation and under USDA regulations.   

Furthermore, we hereby certify that, to the best of our knowledge and belief:   

• We have no close, familial, or financial relationships with any USDA, CNFA, CNFA implementing partners, or Haranira Ubuziranenge staff members;   
• We have no close, familial, or financial relationships with any other applicants submitting proposals in response to the above-referenced RFA;
• The prices in our offer have been arrived at independently, without any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other applicant or competitor for the purpose of restricting competition;  
• All information in our application and all supporting documentation is authentic and accurate;   
• We understand and agree to CNFA’s prohibitions against fraud, bribery, and kickbacks; 
• We understand and agree to CNFA’s prohibitions against funding or associating with individuals or organizations engaged in terrorism or trafficking in persons activities.    

 We hereby certify that the enclosed representations, certifications, and other statements are accurate, current, and complete:   

PART 2 – GRANT APPLICATION 

Company/Organization History:

Overview: Please provide a brief overview of your company/organization’s mission, values, and purpose.

Past Performance: Please provide a brief description of your company/organization’s impact, history of operations, and years of experience specifically related to the proposed grant activity.

Key Personnel: Please provide information about the qualifications and professional backgrounds of your organization’s ownership and key staff members who will be directly working on the proposed grant. Please also provide any information pertaining to partners.

Project Goal & Activities: 

1. Describe in detail the proposed project goal. Explain the expected impact the proposed grant activity on overall food safety and quality will have in alignment with the project objectives. Please provide any best practices, traceability systems, and/or food safety certifications obtained/renewed, if applicable.

Please provide the anticipated implementation plan with the required activities for the proposed project. Please also provide a realistic timeline to complete the activities.

Explain how the proposed business model will be sustainable, and how you plan to leverage this model to improve market access and establish strong market linkages. Additionally, describe the skills, capacity, and experience within your team that will enable you to implement and scale this sustainable approach successfully.

Please describe the strategies your business will use to empower different members or groups within the local population, both qualitatively and quantitatively. How will you address the specific constraints faced by these populations in benefiting from your proposed activity?

Please use the table below to highlight the expected impact of this proposed co-investment over the course of three years. Please also add any other targets or expected impact unique to your business model.

ATTACHMENT B – BUDGET TEMPLATE

All applicants must use the Excel spreadsheet template embedded below to detail the costs of the grant activity. All costs must be explained in detail under budget notes of the template to better understand how the applicant has estimated each line item. Successful applicants will be required to justify all costs when requested by Haranira Ubuziranenge.

ATTACHMENT C – GRANTEE CHECKLIST

Grantees must ensure they submit the following documentation in order to be considered eligible for grant award:

Cover Letter (Attachment A, Part 1 – Applicant Certification) on Company/Organizational Letterhead, signed by an authorized representative of the Applicant

Grant Application (Attachment A, Part 2) with all questions answered. The following may be included as separate attachments if necessary:

Grant activity plan timeline

CVs of proposed key personnel

Activity Budget (Attachment B)

Must propose a cost share of 25% of the overall value of the activity

Copy of Applicant’s registration or business license

Three contacts for references from organizations or individuals for which the applicant has successfully worked with/for before.

[1] See 2 CFR 200.414(f)

[2] For non-profits, see 2 CFR 200 Subpart E; for for-profits, see FAR 31.2