Global Entrepreneurship Initiative

Transcription

1 Global Entrepreneurship Initiative REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA) FOR PROJECT AWARDS PROJECT TITLE: Global Entrepreneurship Initiative APPLICATION DUE DATE: May 25, 2012 ESTIMATED TIME PERIOD FOR SUB-GRANT: June 2012 November 2012 UNCFSP reserves the right to extend the sub-grant for additional periods. APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY: Accredited two- and four-year U.S. postsecondary institutions that are classified as Minority Serving Institutions are eligible to submit proposals. To be eligible, institutions must meet the statutory criteria for identification as Minority Serving Institutions listed at falling into one of the categories below: Alaska Native-Serving Institution Hispanic Serving Institution Historically Black College or University Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution Tribal College or University/Tribally Controlled College or University AWARD: UNCFSP anticipates awards to range from $25,000 to $75,000; however, budgets exceeding $75,000 will be considered for those proposals that demonstrate an exceptional approach toward the goal of the RFA. CONTENTS OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: 1. Introduction 2. General Information for Applicants 3. Proposal Contents 4. Evaluation and Award

2 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION Purpose and Background Objectives and Scope of Work Minimum Qualifications Place of Performance Period of Performance Funding GENERAL INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS RFA Coordinator Application Process Revisions to the RFA Rejection of Proposals APPLICATION CONTENTS Letter of Submittal (Mandatory) Technical Proposal Cost Proposal EVALUATION AND AWARD Evaluation Procedure Evaluation Rubric Notification to Applicants... 9 APPENDIX A: Application Form

3 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Purpose and Background For the past 12 years, UNCF Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP) has collaborated with its Federal partner, the U.S. Department of Education, to administer the Institute for International Public Policy, through grant # P269A Through the Institute, UNCFSP has produced a remarkable cadre of over 350 International Policy Fellows who are the best of what our nation has to offer. These exemplars are thought leaders, pathfinders and practitioners in global policy ranging from political systems, science and technology, health, economic studies, etc. UNCFSP intends to award multiple sub-grant(s) to provide the services described in this RFA Objectives and Scope of Work UNCFSP seeks strategic partners in developing a Global Entrepreneurship Initiative designed to create a nexus of study and practice between policy, social entrepreneurship and business enterprise, yielding economic growth, with particular emphasis upon a diverse constituency. Successful responses to this request for applications will demonstrate an ability to assist UNCFSP in connecting minority institutions, small disadvantaged businesses, nonprofit organizations, venture capitalists, social philanthropists, the cadre of International Policy Fellows, and other stakeholders in seizing overlooked opportunities to improve systems, invent new approaches and create sustainable solutions with economic outcomes to transform society for the better. UNCFSP maintains a directory of International Policy Fellow profiles, including their areas of interest and expertise, background and experience. Each response must include the participation of at least one Fellow, as demonstrated via a letter of commitment. UNCFSP will facilitate contact with Fellows. The proposed project should demonstrate a connection to international affairs, international business, and/or foreign language studies in the areas of practice listed below. Global Entrepreneurship Training o Financial Systems/Financial Literacy o Business and leadership training o Microfinance and microenterprise o Community development Global Science, Technology, Engineering and Math o Technology transfer o STEM education o Renewable energy o Climate change o Agriculture Global Health o Nutrition o HIV/AIDS o Communicable diseases o Access to health services o ehealth o Health literacy Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 3 of 12

4 Proposing institutions are encouraged to partner with outside organizations to support the goals of the proposed projects. Preference will be given to institutions that partner with outside organizations that include foundations, U.S. and non-u.s. non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based organizations, U.S. and non-u.s. private businesses, business and trade associations, international organizations, U.S. and non-u.s. colleges and universities (public and private), civic groups, regional organizations, etc. Though this is not a requirement at the time of application, applicants should anticipate working with such organizations upon receipt of the award. Projects should propose actionable and entrepreneurial projects with measurable outcomes. Though successful projects will function independent of other awarded projects initially, UNCFSP will use the products of each award to contribute to the overall Global Entrepreneurship Initiative. Successful projects will be designed to be sustainable and scalable and include a plan to pursue additional funding after the initial award. Funded applications may include a range of activities that may include the implementation of an existing project related to the abovementioned areas of practice or the development and implementation of strategic plans. Below are project descriptions that provide examples of what funded activities may be proposed. These cases are only intended to provide guidance and should not be used to limit innovative concepts that may not be reflected in these descriptions. EXAMPLE PROJECTS Global Entrepreneurship: Creation of mobile phone apps around International Business. Development of a social business model to empower marginalized populations through economic means. Global STEM: Developing internationally focused cybersecurity curricula for minority institutions. Applications of technology in renewable energy, environmental conservation, etc. Global Health: Cyber infrastructure protection of health information systems, water treatment facilities, etc. for foreign governments. Applications of telemedicine technology in remote regions Minimum Qualifications 1. Accredited two- and four-year U.S. postsecondary institutions that are classified as Minority Serving Institutions are eligible to submit proposals. To be eligible, institutions must meet the statutory criteria for identification as Minority Serving Institutions listed at falling into one of the categories below: o Alaska Native-Serving Institution o Hispanic Serving Institution o Historically Black College or University o Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution o Tribal College or University/Tribally Controlled College or University Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 4 of 12

5 2. Successful proposals will be able to provide documentation of a minimum 50% match (of non-federal funding or in-kind support) for all funds awarded by UNCFSP. 3. Applicants must agree to cap the indirect costs rate at the U.S. Department of Educationmandated eight percent (8%) for this project Place of Performance Because the primary purpose of the awarded projects will be to assist UNCFSP in establishing a Global Entrepreneurship Initiative, it is anticipated that each award will maintain residency at the UNCFSP headquarters in Falls Church, VA for a minimum of 12 weeks for the duration of the project. The awarded projects will establish residency by way of the assigned International Policy Fellows Period of Performance The period of performance of any sub-grant resulting from this RFA is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about June 2012 and to end November Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of UNCFSP Funding UNCFSP anticipates awards to range from $25,000 to $75,000; however, budgets exceeding $75,000 will be considered for those proposals that demonstrate an exceptional approach toward the goal of the RFA. Any sub-grant awarded as a result of this procurement is contingent upon the availability of funding. 2. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS 2.1. RFA Coordinator The RFA Coordinator is the point of contact in UNCFSP for this award. All communication between applicants and UNCFSP upon release of this RFA shall be with the RFA Coordinator, as follows: Name: Lily Lopez-McGee, Acting Project Director Lily.Lopez@uncfsp.org Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on UNCFSP. Applicants are to rely on written statements issued by the RFA Coordinator. Communication directed to parties other than the RFA Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Applicant Application Process The application process consists of two steps. Applicants must first submit an online application form (included in Appendix A) that outlines a strong concept of the project being proposed. After a competitive review process, UNCFSP will work closely with successful applicants to develop a comprehensive project plan that fits into the larger goal to develop a comprehensive Global Entrepreneurship Initiative. Phase I: Initial Application Interested applicants must first submit a completed application form online at As requested by the RFA, applicants should describe the purpose of the project, summarize the project s goals and include financial information for the project among other Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 5 of 12

6 criteria in the application. If UNCFSP finds the project proposed in the application to be responsive to the selection criteria, then the applicant will be invited to submit a more comprehensive project plan. The application outline is provided in APPENDIX A for informational purposes only. The application must be received no later than 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time, in Washington, DC, on May 25, Proposals must be submitted electronically via the UNCFSP online application system found at Uploaded proposal documents shall be in Microsoft Word format or PDF. Applicants should allow sufficient time to ensure timely receipt of the proposal. UNCFSP reserves the right to refuse receipt of late proposals and may automatically disqualify those proposals from further consideration. As part of the proposal package, applicants must submit a letter of endorsement signed by the institution s president, (or other official with authority to bind the institution, e.g. provost, vice provost, vice president, etc.), that addresses the institution s commitment to internationalization through the UNCFSP Global Entrepreneurship Initiative and the institution s ability and agreement to meet the financial requirements outlined in the eligibility section above. The project narrative, budget and endorsement letter must be uploaded as one document. Phase II: Comprehensive Project Plan UNCFSP will advise applicants on the final design of the proposed project for the purposes of ensuring the integration into the overall Global Entrepreneurship Initiative. Only invited applicants will be asked to submit a comprehensive project plan. Not all applicants submitting an application will be invited to submit a Project Plan. The Project Plan will include additional and more in-depth information than the online application. Word limits beyond the specified limits listed on the application may not be considered. UNCFSP may accept applications past the deadline due to transmission difficulties that are not the fault of, or within the control of the applicant with the approval of UNCFSP. UNCFSP is not responsible for any costs incurred in preparing the application or otherwise participating in the Global Entrepreneurship competition for funding Revisions to the RFA In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFA, addenda will be published via the UNCFSP website/online system, in the same manner as the original RFA announcement. For this purpose, the published questions and answers and any other pertinent information shall be provided as an addendum to the RFA and will be placed on the website. UNCFSP also reserves the right to cancel or to reissue the RFA in whole or in part, prior to execution of a sub-award Rejection of Proposals UNCFSP reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any proposals received for nonresponsiveness. UNCFSP also reserves the right to cancel this RFA without awarding any sub-grants. Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 6 of 12

7 3. APPLICATION CONTENTS 3.1. Letter of Submittal (Mandatory) A Letter of Submittal must be signed and dated by a person authorized to legally bind the institution to a contractual relationship, e.g., the President, Provost, Vice Provost, Vice President. The letter should be scanned and uploaded in the appropriate section on the online application Technical Proposal The Technical Proposal must contain a comprehensive description of services including the following elements: A. Project Description Include a complete description of the proposed approach and methodology for the project. This section should convey the applicant s understanding of the goals of this RFA. B. Objectives and Anticipated Results - Include all project requirements and the proposed tasks, services, activities, etc. necessary to accomplish the scope of the project defined in this RFA. This section of the application must contain sufficient detail to convey to members of the source selection team the applicant s knowledge of the subjects and skills necessary to complete the project successfully. Include any required involvement of UNCFSP staff and outside partners. The applicant may also present any creative approaches that might be appropriate and may provide any pertinent supporting documentation. C. Impact/Outcomes and Sustainability Describe the impacts/outcomes the applicant propose to achieve as a result of the delivery of these services including how these outcomes would be monitored, measured and reported to UNCFSP. Also indicate the strategy for sustaining the project in some form beyond the initial funding. D. Project Schedule - Include a project schedule indicating when the elements of the work will be completed. Project schedule must ensure that any deliverables requested are met. E. Project Team Structure/Internal Controls - Provide a description of the proposed project team structure and internal controls to be used during the course of the project, including any subcontractors/partners. F. Staff Qualifications/Experience - Identify staff, including partner organization(s), who will be assigned to the potential contract, indicating the responsibilities and qualifications of such personnel. Provide information on the individual s particular skills related to this project, education, experience, significant accomplishments and any other pertinent information. The applicant must commit that staff identified in its proposal will actually perform the assigned work. Any staff substitution must have the prior approval of UNCFSP Cost Proposal The maximum project cost is $75,000 to be considered responsive to this RFA; however, UNCFSP will consider cost proposals that exceed the maximum amount for those projects that demonstrate significant promise, sustainability and contribution to the goals of the GEI. 4. EVALUATION AND AWARD 4.1. Evaluation Procedure Responsive proposals will be evaluated strictly in accordance with the requirements stated in this RFA and any addenda issued. The evaluation of proposals shall be accomplished by a source selection team, to be designated by UNCFSP, which will determine the ranking of the proposals. Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 7 of 12

8 The RFA Coordinator may contact the applicant for clarification of any portion of the applicant s proposal Evaluation Rubric 1. Project description Missing, unclear, or irrelevant to the RFA. 2. Objectives and anticipated results 3. Impact/Outcomes and Sustainability Poor Fair Strong Description demonstrates weak relevance of the project to assessment efforts. efforts. Missing, unclear, or irrelevant to the RFA. Missing, unclear, or incomplete. 4. Project schedule Missing, unclear, or incomplete. 5. Project team structure/internal controls 6. Staffing qualifications/experience Missing, unclear, or irrelevant to the proposed project. Missing, unclear, or irrelevant to the proposed project. 7. Budget Missing, unclear, or misaligned with the proposed project. Objectives and/or results are included, but they are stated vaguely/inconclusively and/or their correlation is weak. Plans are included, but insufficient details are mentioned and/or are poorly described and/or weakly matched to project goals and outcomes. A project schedule is included, but loosely matches the project description and proposed outcomes Project team structure and internal controls are show little relevance to the project plan. Staffing qualifications and experience little relevance to the proposed project. Budget lacks details and/or contains minimal alignment with the project plan. Description demonstrates strong relevance of the project to assessment Objectives and results are clearly stated, and their correlation is evident/strong. Plans are clearly stated, detailed, and relevance to target audience is strong. Plans match project goals and outcomes; supporting details are included. Schedule is clear, and it matches both project description and proposed outcomes. Project team structure and internal controls are clearly outlined and relevant to the project plan. Staffing qualifications and experience are clearly detailed and relevant to project. Budget is clearly detailed, with clear alignment of the project plan. UNCFSP reserves the right to award sub-grants to applicants whose proposals are deemed to be in the best interest of UNCFSP and the intended purpose of the federal grant #P269A Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 8 of 12

9 4.3. Notification to Applicants UNCFSP will notify the successful applicants of their selection in writing upon completion of the evaluation process. Institutions whose proposals were not selected for further negotiation or award will be notified separately by . Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 9 of 12

10 APPENDIX A: Application Form UNCFSP seeks strategic partners in developing a Global Entrepreneurship Initiative designed to create a nexus of study and practice between policy, social entrepreneurship and business enterprise, yielding economic growth, with particular emphasis upon a diverse constituency. Please complete an online application form at Completed application will undergo a competitive review and if successful, we will ask you to submit a full application. For additional information about example projects and application process and timeline, please visit the website at Eligibility Checklist 1. UNCFSP welcomes applications from accredited two- and four-year U.S. postsecondary institutions that are classified as Minority Serving Institutions are eligible to submit proposals. To be eligible, institutions must meet the statutory criteria for identification as Minority Serving Institutions listed at falling into one of the categories below: Alaska Native-Serving Institution Hispanic Serving Institution Historically Black College or University Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution Tribal College or University/Tribally Controlled College or University 2. Successful proposals will be able to provide documentation of a minimum 50% match (of funding or in-kind support) for all funds provided by UNCFSP 3. Applicants must agree to cap the indirect costs rate at the U.S. Department of Education-mandated eight percent (8%) for this project Institutional Information Institution Name: Institution Type: Institution Address: Contact Information: Primary Point of Contact Name: Title: Phone: Secondary Point of Contact Name: Title: Phone: Project Information Project Title: Primary Area of Practice: Partner Organizations: Total Funding Requested: Expected Duration of Activities: 1. Project Description Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 10 of 12

11 What issue(s) are addressed in the proposed project? To which area of practice does the project relate? What are the key entrepreneurial attributes of the proposed project? Describe the international scope of the project. If applicable, describe previous experiences implementing or testing the solution and any evidence of successful development impact. (500 word limit) 2. Objectives and Anticipated Results What are your objectives and the anticipated results for the proposed level of funding? How would support from the Global Entrepreneurship Initiative help meet the goals for the innovative solution? (500 word limit) 3. Impact/Outcomes and Sustainability What is the possible impact the proposed project could have on the stated international issue? Does the institution outline the capacity upon which it will build as it seeks to expand the reach and depth of its internationally relevant programming? Does the proposal outline how the institution will sustain an increased level of service delivery beyond the timeframe of the proposed UNCFSP grant? (500 word limit) 4. Project Schedule Include a project schedule indicating when the elements of the work will be completed. Project schedule must ensure that any deliverables requested are met. (500 word limit) 5. Project Team Structure/Internal Controls Provide a description of the proposed project team structure and internal controls to be used during the course of the project, including any subcontractors. Does the management plan demonstrate that the objectives will be met on time and within budget? Does the management plan include clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks? Does the management plan include a means for ensuring feedback and continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project? (500 word limit) 6. Staff Qualifications/Experience Identify staff, including partner organization, who will be assigned to the potential contract, indicating the responsibilities and qualifications of such personnel. Provide information on the individual s particular skills related to this project, education, experience, significant accomplishments and any other pertinent information. The applicant must commit that staff identified in its proposal will actually perform the assigned work. (500 word limit) Submission The application must be submitted online utilizing the UNCFSP online application system. Please do not send any additional attachments or information. Once the application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation that we have received it. All applications will undergo a competitive review and if successful, UNCFSP will work closely with the institution to develop a full project implementation plan. By submitting this application, your institution is certifying that the answers to the questions are accurate to the full extent of your institution s knowledge. Global Entrepreneurship Initiative Project Award RFA Page 11 of 12