Capacity Building Activity (CBA) Request for Applications (RFA) Chemonics Afghanistan Limited Management & Implementation Services

Capacity Building Activity (CBA) Request for Applications (RFA) Chemonics Afghanistan Limited Management & Implementation Services RFA Number: CBA-2018-003 USAID Contract Number: AID-306-C-17-00005 Date of Issue: April 01, 2018 Orientation Workshop: April 15, 2018 Confirmation of Attendance: April 12, 2018 Questions Submission: April 12, 2018 Application Due Date: April 30, 2018 Dear Applicant: The Capacity Building Activity (CBA), funded by USAID and implemented by Chemonics International, is seeking grant applications for the identification of potential civil society organizations (CSOs) and the development and implementation of capacity building plans for enhancing the capacities of these CSOs, enabling them to perform oversight over the Ministry of Education s (MoE) activities at national level (Kabul). The majority of this oversight will be performed through activities related to MoE policy, management and leadership at MoE headquarters in Kabul. CBA anticipates awarding one grant to achieve the stated goals of this RFA. CBA will award and implement this grant in accordance with USAID and US Government regulations governing grants under contracts, and CBA s internal grant management policies. The project will hold a pre-application orientation workshop on April 15, 2018 at Chemonics CBA Office in Kabul City from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This workshop will provide eligible and interested applicants the opportunity to ask questions about the RFA and receive guidance on how to complete the application, budget forms, and required certifications. Only one person may attend from each organization. Interested applicants that meet the eligibility requirements defined in Section III below and would like to attend this workshop must confirm their attendance by sending the following information to grants@cba-af.com. Name of applying organization Name, father s name and copy of the participant/attendee Tazkira (National Identity Card) or Passport Number if the attendee is an expat. Vehicle color, type, model and plate number (if the attendee would like to get access to the compound). Driver s name, father s name and copy of the driver s Tazkira (NID) Applicants are required to provide confirmation of participation in the workshop by April 12, 2018 no later than 3:00 PM Kabul time. Names received after the above-specified date and time will not be able to attend the workshop. When confirming attendance, please note if the person has any special needs to access the workshop facilities. CBA will not reimburse any costs of attendance to the workshop. Organizations are encouraged to submit questions to be discussed at the workshop. Questions regarding the RFA are due by April 12, 2018 at 3:00 PM Kabul time and should be submitted to grants@cba-af.com. 1

Organizations unable to send a representative to attend the workshop, but still interested in applying for the grant, are encouraged to submit questions to CBA to be discussed at the workshop. Upon conclusion of the workshop, CBA will post the notes through www.acbar.org and any other website where this RFA is officially announced. CBA and Chemonics employees may not ask for, and applicants are prohibited from offering any money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, thing of value, or compensation to obtain or reward improper favorable treatment regarding this solicitation. Any improper request from a project employee should be reported to the chief of party at jramirezdearellano@cba-af.com or BusinessConduct@chemonics.com. SECTION I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION IA. OBJECTIVE CBA anticipates the award of one grant to an organization (CSO/NGO/Consultancy) or partnership of similar organizations registered to work in Afghanistan. The overall objective of this grant is to establish an oversight mechanism and build Kabul-based CSOs capacity to perform effective education oversight that will result in increased accountability and transparency in the MoE. CBA anticipates the award of one grant to achieve the following key objectives: 1. Develop comprehensive mechanisms for CSOs oversight of MoE activities; 2. Build capacity of local CSOs to perform effective oversight at national level; and, 3. Support development and implementation of the oversight action plan for national CSOs based in Kabul. IB. BACKGROUND CBA is a five-year activity financed by USAID and implemented by Chemonics International. CBA supports the Afghan Ministry of Education (MoE) to achieve the goals of its 2017-2021 third National Education Strategic Plan (NESP III) by helping build its capacity to deliver higher quality education services to the Afghan people. The CBA project has two key objectives: 1. Improve MoE systems and procedures that lead to better provision of education services; through an improved EMIS system, improved teacher recruitment, and an improved payroll system. 2. Greater transparency and accountability of national and subnational MoE systems through the use of regular, effective audit systems, strengthened resource planning, allocation, and execution in the education sector, and increased community and civil society oversight and accountability at national and subnational levels. CBA aims at strengthening the ministry s policies, procedures, and personnel capacity by specifically focusing on the following five areas: 1. Education management information system (EMIS) 2. Teacher recruitment system 3. Payroll system 4. Internal audit system 5. Resource planning, allocation and execution The CBA grants program will support CSOs at national (Kabul) and subnational (Badghis, Balkh, Bamyan, Kandahar and Paktya) level, to strengthen their ability to hold MoE central and subnational offices accountable. 2

IC. DETAILED PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 1. Problem Statement: Civil society oversight is a crucial form of social accountability whereby civil society conducts government monitoring to improve accountability and transparency of the government service delivery. USAID s Capacity Building Activity (CBA) carried out CSOs assessment between November 2017 and January 2018 in Kabul, as part of the requirement to assess current practices of CSOs oversight in Kabul and identify CSOs capacity building needs. The assessment findings cited that Government oversight by CSOs is fairly a new area for civil society actors in Kabul. Solely a small number of CSOs conduct ad hoc oversight of ministry of education in Kabul and many other CSOs do not have any oversight activity. For these CSOs, major challenges such as lack of resources, nonexistent formal mechanisms for CSO oversight, low capacity, limited knowledge of oversight techniques, and limited access to oversight information were common reasons for not conducting oversight of MoE. However, all the CSOs who took part in the assessment had a profound interest in oversight of education service delivery and expressed their keen desire to participate in a systematic oversight initiative of MoE service by CSOs. 2. Solution Statement: Building CSOs oversight capacity at the national level and providing CSOs technical support for mobilization to become more organized and capable, will drastically improve the enabling environment for CSOs oversight of MoE. Through the establishment of national mechanisms that will make MoE services more transparent and responsive, and improving CSOs access to education information are the key overarching instruments to support a sustainable system of education oversight by CSOs of the MoE at the national level. Indeed, the oversight assessment of Kabul based CSOs conducted by USAID/CBA recommends strengthening social accountability in the education sector through CSOs participation. Technical assistance and activities should be aligned and implemented in all five-aforementioned areas. The oversight assessment of Kabul based CSOs is attached to this RFA as Annex F. 3. Activities to Achieve Objectives: The successful awardee will demonstrate a clear ability to complete the following activities within the specified timeframe by detailing their capabilities in achieving each deliverable, the resources they have to achieve the deliverables, their proposed plan for how and when they will achieve each deliverable, and by providing examples of similar work they have previously completed. The successful applicant will clearly link their past experience in performing oversight and capacity building to the below targeted activities. 3.1. Develop comprehensive mechanisms for CSOs oversight; Having an inclusive and formal oversight mechanism will make the education institutions more open and responsive to CSOs and community oversight. To achieve this the grantee will have to recruit subject matter experts who will closely work with the responsible MoE departments and relevant MoE employees to develop mechanisms for CSOs oversight. The grantee will specifically engage in the following activities under this objective: 3.1.1. Develop CSOs Oversight Guideline The grantee will closely work with CSOs and develop a guideline/policy for civil society education oversight. The grantee will organize meetings with CSOs and MoE leadership to identify areas where CSOs can sustainably conduct oversight of MoE activities. This will be done in collaboration with the MoE, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) human resources working group, and the national OGP forum. 3

3.1.2. Create Civil Society National Education Oversight Committee In line with the OGP action plan 1, the grantee should work with CSOs and relevant civil society education networks and coordination bodies in Kabul and create the Civil Society National Education Oversight Committee. The creation of an effective civil society education oversight committee will require: 1) CSOs mapping and identification; 2) close collaboration with the MoE and OGP national forum; 3) discussion meetings and workshops with CSOs and the MoE about the formation of the oversight committee; 4) draft terms of reference (ToR) for the national civil society education oversight committee. The ToR should define the roles and responsibilities of the CSOs national education oversight committee. In addition, the ToR should also detail the relationship and collaboration of CSOs national education oversight committee with the provincial CSOs education oversight committees. 3.1.3. Revamp the MoE Website and its Compliance Page The use of modern social accountability tools in education, such as engaging modern technology to monitor education service delivery and school performance or functions launched through volunteer citizens engagement, has proved an effective mechanism for increasing accountability in other countries. Checkmyschool.org is a good example from Philippines. In coordination with the MoE and its IT and communications departments, the grantee will improve the MoE website in three languages (Dari, Pashto and English). The grantee will review the MoE website and its contents and prepare a plan to improve the MoE entire website through measures such as making the layout dynamic and user friendly and adding more contents about education programs and development projects. The grantee will work with the MoE planning department to simplify the procedures that will help MoE to update its website on regular basis. In addition, the grantee will also work on the improvement of the MoE website complaint page through measures such as installing an easy mechanism for submitting complaints and/or suggestions and defining a transparent complaint redress mechanism. The MoE s improved website should serve as a constructive online platform. All education stakeholders at national and subnational level should be able to use the website to increase transparency and accountability in education service delivery. After completion of this activity, the grantee will launch a promotion campaign for the MoE s revised website and the complaint redressal mechanism, providing information on how communities and CSOs can use the online platform. 3.2. Build CSOs Capacity to Perform Effective Oversight at National Level; The capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) is a key factor of successful oversight of public service delivery. CSOs ability to effectively use different methods of oversight and work together with like-minded organizations and networks to have collective voice are central to a successful and sustainable oversight approach. To achieve this, the grantee will specifically engage in the following activities under this objective: 3.2.1. Develop Training Manual and Materials The grantee will conduct a rapid training needs assessment (TNA) of selected CSOs to identify specific training topics and conduct a desk review of CSOs oversight experiences in at least two other countries similar to Afghanistan context. 1 The national action plan of open government partnership (OGP) recently approved by the Afghan president, also includes commitments by the MoE about improving transparency and accountably through engagement with CSOs and CSO oversight. For more details see the following: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/documents/afghanistan-action-plan-2017-2019 4

Based on the result of the TNA and desk review, the grantee will develop a training manual, reading materials, and two case studies about relevant and effective oversight methods used by CSOs in other countries. 3.2.2. Conduct Trainings and Capacity Building Workshops for CSOs For the capacity building of CSOs and CSOs education networks, the grantee will use a combination of interactive workshops, trainings, follow-up mentoring/coaching sessions, and oversight materials tailored to the needs of identified CSOs. 3.3. Facilitate Development of Oversight Action Plan and Support CSOs in the Implementation. Development of a long-term oversight plan is crucial for CSOs to conduct systematic oversight. The CSOs oversight plan should be aligned to support the MoE aims for transparency and accountability outlined in the National Education Strategic Plan (NESP III), the MoE Social Mobilization Strategy (SMS), and GIRoA Open Government Partnership (OGP) Action Plan. To achieve this, the grantee will specifically engage in the following activities under this objective: 3.3.1. Facilitate Development of Oversight Action Plan for CSOs The grantee will work with the established national education oversight committee and other interested CSOs and education networks in Kabul and facilitate development of a two-year achievable oversight action plan. This can be achieved through holding meetings and workshops with CSOs and MoE officials to discuss areas and the methods through which CSOs are able to perform oversight. 3.3.2. Support Implementation of CSOs Oversight Action Plan The grantee will provide coaching and mentoring to the national civil society education oversight committee and other interested CSOs and civil society education networks to implement the developed education oversight action plan. The specific support will include 1) facilitating joint oversight meetings between the MoE and CSOs, 2) organizing a national conference and workshop to review education policies and conduct oversight, 3) supporting operationalization of an online platform to monitor the MoE performance and functions through volunteer citizens engagement and organizing oversight events for CSOs as needed. 4. Expected Outputs/Outcomes 4.1. A comprehensive guideline/policy on CSOs oversight developed in coordination and collaboration with the CSOs. 4.2. An active Civil Society National Education Oversight Committee is formed in Kabul in coordination and collaboration with the MoE and the committee enjoys full support of MoE in performing its oversight function. 4.3. The website of MoE is revamped and the compliance page is functional and in use after refurbishment. An online platform exists where communities, civil society and the MoE can interact and contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the MoE. 4.4. A comprehensive training manual and materials are developed for enhancing national CSOs oversight skills and capacity. 4.5. Selected Kabul-based CSOs are trained based on the developed training manual and using the developed training materials. 4.6. CSOs have an oversight action plan and conduct systematic education oversight at national level. Civil society and citizens access to education information is improved at national level. 4.7. The Civil Society National Education Oversight Committee received regular and planned mentoring and coaching support, at least, for one year. 5

ID. AUTHORITY/GOVERNING REGULATIONS CBA administers its grant awards under the authority of the U.S. Foreign Affairs Act and USAID s Advanced Directive System (ADS) 302.3.5.6, Grants under Contracts. Awards made to non-u.s. organizations will adhere to guidance provided under ADS Chapter 303, Grants, and Cooperative Agreements to Non-Governmental Organizations and will be within the terms of the USAID Standard Provisions as linked in the annexes, as well as the CBA grants procedures mentioned in the Grants Manual. ADS 303 references two additional regulatory documents issued by the U.S. Government s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Agency for International Development: - 2 CFR 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, Subpart E (U.S. applicants are subject to 2 CFR 200 in its entirety) - 2 CFR 700, USAID s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (only applicable to U.S. Applicants) Full text of 2 CFR 200 can be found at: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl and 2 CFR 700 at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?sid=531ffcc47b660d86ca8bbc5a64eed128&mc=true&node=pt2.1.700&rgn=div5. CBA is required to ensure that all organizations receiving USAID grant funds comply with the guidance found in the regulations referenced above, as applicable to the respective terms and conditions of their grant awards. Under the CBA grant program, USAID retains the right at all times to terminate, in whole or in part, CBA grant-making authorities. SECTION II. AWARD INFORMATION CBA anticipates awarding up to AFA 14,700,000 through one potential award, however, the final amount will be dependent upon grant activities and final negotiation and may be lower or higher than this range. The duration of the anticipated grant award under this solicitation is expected to be no more than 24 months. The estimated start date of the grant awarded under this solicitation is May 20, 2018. The type of grant to be awarded under this RFA may be a fixed amount award, however the final determination will be made during the award stage. SECTION III. ELIGIBILITY IIIA ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS Applicants must be registered entities formally constituted, recognized by and in good standing with appropriate Afghanistan authorities, and compliant with all applicable civil and fiscal regulations. AISA (Afghanistan Investment Support Agency) or valid license from the Ministry of Economy or Ministry of Commerce and Industries or any other government entity is required. Applicants will provide information about their organization, outlining their internal structure and capabilities to manage the grant activities. Additionally, applicants shall indicate how grant activities and personnel will be incorporated into the organizations structure and how grant activities relate to the mission or objectives of the organization. Applicant organizations must be specializing and have experience in conducting assessments, developing action plans, and capacity building of CSOs. Applicants must also indicate their capabilities in working with national and local government entities. 6

Applicants will also provide a one-page organizational chart (diagram) in their application. Applicants may only submit one application per prime organization under this RFA. Applicants must have established capabilities to build the capacity of CSOs and enable them to perform oversight over the activities of MoE. When applicable, grantees must provide an environmental assessment and mitigation report to comply with USAID environmental regulations. Applicants must display sound management in the form of financial, administrative, and technical policies and procedures and present a system of internal controls that safeguard assets; protect against fraud, waste, and abuse; and support the achievement of program goals and objectives. CBA will assess this capability prior to awarding a grant. The following certifications are required to be submitted as part of the application package in response to this RFA: o Certification of Representation by Organization Regarding a Delinquent Tax Liability or o a Felony Criminal Conviction (AAPD 14-03, August 2014) Prohibition on Providing Federal Assistance to Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements Representation (April 2015) Note: Applicants are encouraged to sign and submit to CBA the full package of certifications attached to this RFA as Annex E. For any grant award(s) resulting from this solicitation that is other than in-kind and equivalent to $25,000 USD or more, grantees will be required to provide a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number at the time of award. If the applicant already has a DUNS number, it should be included in their application. Otherwise, CBA will expect applicants to get a DUNS number before awarding a grant. The CBA will assist successful applicants with this process. DUNS numbers can be obtained online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/ccrsearch.jsp CBA will work with the successful grantee to draft a marking and branding plan, which will be annexed to the grant agreement. Faith-based and community groups will receive equal opportunity for funding in accordance with the mandated guidelines laid out in ADS 303.3.28, except for faith-based organizations whose objectives are for discriminatory and religious purposes, and whose main objective of the grant is of a religious nature. Grantees must not be debarred, otherwise be ineligible for US government funding, and must pass the vetting requirements under Mission Order 201-05 if applicable. The proposed activity must respond to the goals and objectives of CBA described in Section I. CBA encourages applications from new organizations who meet the above eligibility criteria. SECTION IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION IVA. INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS Applicants must propose strategies for the implementation of the program description mentioned above, introducing innovations that are appropriate to their organizational strengths. 7

IVA1. APPLICANT SELF-ASSESSMENT All organizations selected for award are subject to a pre-award risk assessment to be conducted by CBA, to ascertain whether the organization has the minimum management capabilities required to handle US government funds. The applicant self-assessment is the first step in the pre-award risk assessment process. The Applicant Self-Assessment Form is attached as Annex D. Instructions and a template for the full grant application are in Annex A. Applicants that submit full grant applications that meet or exceed the merit review criteria will be notified of next steps in the application process. IVA2. GRANT APPLICATION This is a one-stage application process. The applicants are required to submit full applications only using the attached template of Annex A. CBA will evaluate the applications against the merit review criteria listed in Section V below. CBA will contact the applicant for negotiating awards if it successfully meets or exceeds the merit review criteria. Templates to be utilized when developing the application are provided as annexes. Applicants shall present their technical application and budget in the formats provided and shall follow the instructions and guidelines listed in these annexes. All grant activity costs must be within the normal operating practices of the applicant and in accordance with its written policies and procedures. For applicants without an audited indirect cost rate, the budget may include direct costs that will be incurred by the applicant to provide identifiable administrative and management costs that can be directly attributable to supporting the grant objectives. The applicants must use Annex B for preparing their budgets. And finally, an authorized agent of the Applicant must sign the application. IVA3 INELIGIBLE EXPENSES CBA grant funds may not be utilized for the following: Construction or infrastructure activities of any kind. Ceremonies, parties, celebrations, or representation expenses. Purchases of restricted goods, such as: restricted agricultural commodities, motor vehicles including motorcycles, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, contraceptive products, used equipment; without the previous approval of CBA, Purchases of prohibited goods under USAID regulations, including but not limited to: abortion equipment and services, luxury goods, etc. Alcoholic beverages. Purchases of goods or services restricted or prohibited under the prevailing USAID source/ nationality (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria). Any purchase or activity, which has already been made. Purchases or activities unnecessary to accomplish grant purposes as determined by CBA. Prior obligations of and/or, debts, fines, and penalties imposed on the Grantee. Creation of endowments. IVB APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION Applications shall be submitted in English and may not be more than 10 pages. Applications (Technical and budget proposals and supporting documentation) should be submitted in electronic copy to grants@cba-af.com and the subject line should reference RFA Number: CBA-2018/003. 8

Applicants should submit their applications no later than 03:00PM Kabul time, on April 30, 2018. CBA will not consider late or unresponsive applications. Applicants should submit to CBA in a sealed packet at least one hard copy of the full package in the below address no later than April 30, 2018; 03:00PM Kabul time: Baron Camp, Hawa Shenasi Road, Hamid Karzai (Khwaja Rawash) International Airport, Kabul- Afghanistan Grants Management Unit Capacity Building Activity (CBA) Chemonics International Inc. The following are the essential elements of the full application package to be submitted to CBA: 1. Grant Application (Annex A) 2. Grant Application Budget (Annex B) with Budget Notes (Across each budget line item). 3. Grant Implementation Plan (Annex C). 4. Applicant Self-Assessment Form (Annex D). 5. Signed and dated Required Certifications (Annex E). 6. Organization by-laws or charter. 7. A copy of the Applicant s valid legal registration document (AISA/ MoEc/ MoCI, etc. license). 8. A copy of the applicant s latest audited financial statements (if any). SECTION V. APPLICATION MERIT REVIEW CRITERIA CBA will review all applications by an internal review panel comprised of CBA technical implementation staff, and a larger group may vet recommendations. CBA will evaluate the applications against the criteria mentioned in the table below: Merit Review Category Item Rating Points Total Rating Points Feasibility of Design & Technical Approach a. Approach to Civil Society National Education Oversight Committee formation 5 35 b. Approach for developing guideline on CSOs oversight 5 c. Approach to revamping MoE website 5 d. Approach for developing training manual and materials for enhancing CSOs 5 oversight skills and capacity e. Approach to CSOs capacity building 5 f. Approach to CSOs mentoring and coaching to perform oversight 5 g. Efficiency of proposed timeline 5 Management & Programmatic Capacity a. System competency 5 15 a. Management and leadership of the organization 5 b. Project staff qualifications 5 Cost effectiveness, realism and reasonability a. Cost Effectiveness 5 20 b. Cost Realism and Reasonability 10 c. Cost Efficiency 5 Past performance experience in conducting assessments, capacity building, performing oversight and working with CSOs and MoE a. Number of relevant projects implemented with similar scope 10 20 b. Number of projects implemented at national level 5 c. Number of projects implemented with MoE and CSOs 5 9

Gender Considerations in organizational structure and in the technical approach a. Gender in the proposed grant management structure 5 10 b. Gender consideration in the proposed technical design 5 Overall Rating (out of 100 points) 100 Below is the full description of the elements of the merit review criteria: A. Feasibility of Design & Technical Approach: The quality and feasibility of the application in terms of: a. The viability of the proposed technical approach for achieving project objectives to form a national oversight committee of CSOs in coordination and collaboration with MoE. b. The viability of the proposed technical approach to develop guidelines on CSOs oversight. The roles and responsibilities of all involved parties and the processes and procedures to be followed. c. The plan and approach for refurbishing MoE website, especially the compliance page(s) to become the main interaction point for CSOs, MoE and other stakeholders to discuss MoE services, accountability and transparency. d. Method and approach for developing training manual and materials for CSOs capacity building. e. Methods and strategies for implementation of the CSOs capacity building training plans. f. Methods and approaches for how to mentor and coach the CSOs oversight function. g. The efficiency of the proposed timeline. (35 points) B. Management and Programmatic Capacity: Applicants will propose staff for the following key positions for funding under the grant funds: a. A Project Manager with proven experience in managing projects, developing assessment strategies, tools, and methods; designing capacity building activities in the area of education, and organizing, managing and leading a project management team, working with MoE, CSOs, and developing training materials and guidelines. b. A website developer to refurbish the MoE website who should have proven experience in developing sophisticated websites. c. Capacity Building Experts/Trainers with proven qualifications and experience in capacity building activities relevant to CSOs oversight role, developing oversight guidelines, mentoring and coaching. The Applicant may create additional grant funded positions as they see fit, including staff that are appropriate for the proposed activities. Excessive staff will not promote budget efficiency and budgets that do not consider cost realism, reasonableness and efficiency will not be considered. The Applicant must provide position descriptions (one paragraph for each position) for all created positions in the budget narratives. Additionally, Applicants will identify who will support the grant on a part time and/or regular basis. It is highly recommended that these staffs are already existing staff from the organization, who can contribute a portion of their time to the grant. Applicants must provide a short narrative in the management and staffing section that explains how each of the chosen candidate is qualified for their proposed position. Additionally, Applicants will provide résumés or curriculum vitas (CVs) for the key positions proposed in the application. Each CV will be a maximum of three pages. (15 points) C. Cost effectiveness, efficiency, realism and reasonableness: The degree to which budgeting is clear and reasonable, follows cost realism and allowability principles, and reflects best use of organizational and grant resources. (20 points) D. Past Performance: Applicants must detail their relevant previous or ongoing experience implementing similar activities related to: 10

a. CSOs capacity building; Developing training materials and developing actions plans; Developing guidelines, mentoring and coaching organizations; Developing or refurbishing or using websites for managerial purpose and or social studies. b. Number of projects implemented at national level. c. Number of projects implemented with MoE and CSOs. (20 points) E. Gender Consideration: The extent to which the application submitted in response to this RFA addresses gender concerns in the education system and activities at all levels. (10 points) Additionally, CBA will ensure environmental soundness and compliance in design and implementation as required by 22 CFR 216. SECTION VI. AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION CBA will negotiate, denominate, and fund all grants in Afghani (AFA) currency. All costs funded by the grant must be allowable, allocable, and reasonable. The applicants should provide detailed budgets and budget notes to support the grant applications. Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of CBA, nor does it commit CBA to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. In addition, CBA reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications received in response to this announcement and reserve the right to ask further clarifications from the applicants. Furthermore, selected applicants are not guaranteed funding, the final determination comes after a preaward risk assessment, Chemonics and USAID approvals. CBA will inform the applicants in writing of the decision made regarding their applications. SECTION VII. LIST OF ANNEXES Annex A: Grant Application Form Annex B: Grant Application Budget Form Annex C: Implementation Timeline Annex D: Applicant Self-Assessment Form Annex E: Required Certifications Annex F: Kabul Based CSOs Assessment Report 11