USAID/Kenya and East Africa Social Behavior Change Activity | 72061524RFI00001

FAQs: USAID/Kenya and East Africa Social Behavior Change Activity (RFI) - 72061524RFI00001

1) What is Funding Opportunity Number 72061524RFI00001?

72061524RFI00001 is a USAID Request for Information (RFI) issued by USAID's Mission in Nairobi under the USAID/Kenya and East Africa platform. It is a market-research style notice used to collect input from potential partners and other stakeholders.

2) Is this a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) or a solicitation?

No. The announcement is strictly for information-gathering purposes. It is not a NOFO, not a solicitation, and not a promise that USAID will fund anything as a result of responses it receives.

3) Does responding to this RFI result in an award or funding?

No. An RFI is used to gather information and does not, by itself, lead to an award. The notice explicitly states that USAID is not committing to fund anything based on submitted responses.

4) Why is USAID issuing this RFI?

USAID is using the RFI to learn from the market and from potential partners before deciding whether to design and release a future competitive funding opportunity. RFIs commonly help an agency understand available capabilities, approaches, partnership models, and practical considerations before selecting a funding instrument and drafting a formal solicitation.

5) What program area does this RFI relate to?

The activity is framed around social and behavior change (SBC) in the health sector. The listing includes an activity category of Health and references CFDA/Assistance Listing 98.001, which is commonly associated with USAID foreign assistance.

6) What is meant by "social and behavior change (SBC)" in this context?

SBC generally refers to work that aims to influence knowledge, attitudes, social norms, and everyday practices that affect health outcomes. The notice indicates that the activity is within this SBC health space, although detailed technical scope is referenced as being in an attachment that is not included here.

7) What geography does the RFI cover?

The title indicates a focus on Kenya and the broader East Africa region. This often implies a regional approach that may involve multi-country learning, coordination, or approaches that address shared behavioral drivers or cross-border health challenges.

8) Who is the issuing agency?

The issuing agency is USAID, specifically USAID Kenya USAID-Nairobi (USAID's Mission in Nairobi) under the USAID/Kenya and East Africa platform.

9) What type of funding instrument will be used?

The listing shows the funding instrument type as "Other," which signals that at the RFI stage USAID has not committed to a specific mechanism (such as a contract, cooperative agreement, or grant). RFIs often precede decisions about the acquisition vs. assistance approach and other design details.

10) What does it mean that the opportunity is listed as "discretionary"?

"Discretionary" indicates that the activity would be within an area where the agency has discretion in how and whether to proceed. In the context of an RFI, it reinforces that the announcement is exploratory and part of USAID's planning and market research rather than a guaranteed funding action.

11) Is there a budget or award ceiling associated with this RFI?

The record shows an award ceiling of $20,000,000. Because this is an RFI (not a funding opportunity), that figure should be treated as a planning reference rather than a committed or guaranteed budget for a future award.

12) How many awards does USAID expect to make?

The number of expected awards is not specified. That is typical for early-stage market research when the agency may still be considering whether to make one award, multiple awards, or use a different procurement strategy altogether.

13) Who was eligible to respond?

Eligibility is listed as "Unrestricted," meaning USAID was not limiting who could submit information in response to the RFI.

14) What kinds of organizations could submit information under an "Unrestricted" RFI?

Because eligibility is unrestricted, the RFI can invite input from a wide range of entities. Examples often include local and international nonprofits and NGOs, universities, consulting firms, private sector implementers, faith-based organizations, and potentially consortia or teaming arrangements.

15) What is the practical purpose of submitting a response to an RFI like this?

Organizations typically respond to an RFI to share capabilities and insights that could shape a later formal opportunity. The goal is often to help USAID understand what approaches are feasible, what models work, what innovations are available, and what realistic cost and operational drivers exist for SBC health programming in Kenya and East Africa.

16) What types of information do RFI responses usually include?

Based on the nature of RFIs described in the notice, responses usually include items such as capability statements, relevant past performance, potential technical approaches, innovative methods, staffing concepts, partnership or consortium ideas, cost drivers, and lessons learned from similar SBC work.

17) Where is the detailed technical scope described?

The notice indicates that detailed technical scope is referenced in an attachment. That attachment is not provided in the information here, so the detailed scope cannot be summarized beyond what the title and listing details suggest.

18) What are the key dates for this RFI?

The posting/creation date is October 30, 2023. The original closing date is November 10, 2023, which reflects a relatively short response window that is common for RFIs.

19) If the closing date has passed, does the RFI still matter?

The notice is still informative because it signals USAID's planning interests and potential future direction. However, the listed closing date indicates when information was originally due for this specific RFI process.

20) Does USAID have to release a future competitive opportunity after this RFI?

No. The notice explicitly states it is not a promise that USAID will fund anything or release a future Notice of Funding Opportunity. USAID may decide to proceed, modify its approach, or not move forward.

21) What does this RFI suggest about the potential scale of a future activity?

The listed award ceiling of $20,000,000 suggests USAID was exploring options for a potentially significant SBC health activity. Because it is an RFI, the figure is best interpreted as an indicative planning value rather than a final budget.

22) Is this opportunity limited to Kenya only?

No. The title references both Kenya and East Africa, suggesting regional coverage beyond Kenya. The exact country coverage and design details would depend on USAID's eventual program design and any future solicitation.

23) Is this RFI tied to a specific sector classification?

Yes. The listing identifies the activity category as Health and references Assistance Listing 98.001.

24) What should organizations take away from the "Other" instrument type at the RFI stage?

It signals flexibility and uncertainty at this early planning stage. USAID had not yet decided the final implementation mechanism, and the RFI is part of gathering information that can influence whether the final approach becomes a contract, a cooperative agreement, a grant, or another arrangement.