USAID
USAID EFFECTIVE WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE SERVICES (E-WASH) PROGRAM
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI) FOR INNOVATION GRANTS
E-WASH is seeking to issue grants to local non-US organizations including:
1) Large youth-led women-led organizations.
2) Business development service providers and non-governmental organizations, and
3) Tertiary institutions for the purpose of implementing scalable innovative solutions to strengthen urban WASH governance and operations. E-WASH has a strong interest in leveraging the expertise of new and underutilized partners. This Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) will have multiple rounds in an ongoing basis through October 31, 2020
Background on USAID Effective Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services (E-WASH) Program
As part of the United States Government (efforts to address gaps in urban water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Services in Nigeria, USAID/Nigeria aims to improve urban water service delivery by strengthening the governance, financial and technical viability of six (6) State Water Boards (SWB) in Abia, Delta, Imo, Niger, Sokoto, and Taraba States (1-STAND) E-WASH will work towards achieving the following mutually reinforcing objectives
i. Creating professionally managed and commercially oriented WBS,
ii. Improving the financial and operational viability of SARS.
iii. Strengthening policy, institutional and regulatory frameworks for improved WASH services and
iv. Building national and state WASH advocacy, coordination, and communications for reform.
The E-WASH Program is part of USAID’s wider efforts to build closer coordination with the Government of Nigeria (GON), including the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR), select SWBs of Abia, Delta, Imo, Niger, Sokoto and Taraba allied stakeholders to advance broad-based economic growth and resilience through improved WASH services in urban areas
- REOI: Advocacy, Coordination and Strategic Communications Reform programs succeed when they are well understood and supported by stakeholders such programs are however often placed at risk when the institution steering the changes does not put in place adequate mechanisms to secure political and social support amongst stakeholders. Such mechanisms include adopting a strategic approach to communicating with key stakeholder and interest groups. The implementation of Urban WASH reform involves major changes in the provision of water services. These changes have the potential to generate resistance from politicians and the general public. The discomfort associated with commercialization, autonomy, negative media coverage, and apprehension regarding potential tariff increases and the transfer of assets to the State Water Boards (SWBs) are all factors that have the potential to create opposition against the type of reform E-WASH is advocating.
Therefore, advocacy, stakeholder coordination and strategic communications are required to build understanding and support for reforms because resistance to reform is expensive. When there is resistance, reforms take much longer to implement, or they may not proceed as planned Strategic communication in a reform period must be strategic and intensive in nature to build understanding and minimize resistance, E-WASH believes innovative technical solutions can deepen the consensus that is required for reforms to succeed. Hence, the program looks to partner with the private sector and non-governmental organizations through adoption of communications enhancing technologies and upgraded marketing infrastructure to improve SWB business processes.
Awards) will contribute to one or more of the results below:
Result 1: Innovative approaches to advocacy, coordination and strategic communications are developed and applied to promote citizen engagement in WASH sector reforms, accountability, and social transparency.
Result 2: Innovative approaches to community based WASH engagements targeting vulnerable groups such as women girls, boys and persons living with disabilities.
- REOI: Strengthen policy, institutional and regulatory frameworks for improved WASH services Policy and Institution)
E-WASH working to create a favorable enabling environment for urban WASH sector reforms in select states focused on policy, legal, institutional and regulatory frameworks.
As part of this, E-WASH is aiming to have select SWBs ready for investments (“finance-ready”), which requires not only utility-level reform but also transformation of the environment in which they exist. Sustained sector reform requires strengthened policy, legal, institutional and regulatory framework and shift in mindset of both politicians and the people they serve the consumers. E WASH is working to establish or deepen accountability mechanisms between the State government and the service providers through both supply and demand-side accountability measures.
Furthermore, interventions under this activity will include efforts to better understand how sanitation is addressed (or not addressed in the states. So far, under E-WASH support, all participating state water utilities are mandated to handle sanitation (i.e., sewage/wastewater). There may be opportunities to help utilities achieve economies of scale and incorporate urban sanitation into the regular operations of the State Water utilities
Award(s) will contribute to me or more of the results below
Result 1: A new or innovative approach to increasing or improving the policies, laws, agreements, regulations, or investments (public or private that promote access to improved water supply and sanitation
Result 2: There are increased numbers of private operators trained and are providing urban sanitation services as a result of E-WASH intervention.
Results 3: There is an increased percentage of the targeted population using safely managed sanitation services
- REOI: State Water Utility Commercial Operations
The USAID-EWASH Program is set to create professionally managed and commercially oriented SWBs and improve the financial and operational viability of State Water Boards of the urban utilities of the participating states. Innovative solutions are therefore required in water operations Water operations here is understood as the application of excellent technology and knowhow to distribute water to customers, account for water use, reduce non-revenue water, effectively invoice water users using justifiable tariffs undertake customer relations management satisfactorily. Another consideration is the ability of the utility to manage its finances and personnel effectively through innovative accountability mechanisms.
The aforementioned processes where they exist are currently completely rudimentary and ineffective. Considering that the State Water Boards are presently transitioning from government agencies operated using civil service rules into full corporations, there is the need to develop innovative mechanisms and processes that will seamlessly mitigate the attendant culture shock as they move from government agencies to corporations albeit owned by government. These reforms will only succeed when they are well understood and supported by stakeholders. The key stakeholders in these regards are the personnel of the corporation, the policy makers and the customers. This grant will specifically focus on the ability of the grantees to innovatively improve the Standard operating procedures of the utilities in the various operational units, reduce the unacceptable waste of finished products arising from poor inventory and finally add value to the utility service delivery.
Award(s) will contribute to one or more of the results below:
Result 1: Identify a new or innovative approach to optimize utility commercial operations of the targeted utility.
Result 2: Identity a new or innovative approach to implement financial viability of the targeted utility (attribute of Elective Utility Management for OCAT strength index)
Result 3: Identify a new or innovative approach to improve the targeted utilities customer satisfaction
- REOI: Utility Technical Assistance There is dear need to address the enormous challenges faced by the urban WASIH service delivery including particularly on the technical operations and related matters. The reform is intended at providing opportunity for increase in investment in infrastructure and expands access to water and sanitation to large unserved and underserved populations. This will help the SWBs perform better and will raise the quality of services for their customers, facilitate services-driven economic performance, improve state finances by increasing cost recovery, reducing subsidies, and increase the state’s capacity to sustainably serve all customers in selected urban areas, including the poor. Technical issues pertaining to physical and commercial losses quality of drinking water and shortage of supplies will be addressed and lead to improved technical and financial performance of the targeted water utility and will foster short, medium and long term investment planning that will allow for access of relevant funding as applicable.
The potential grantee is expected to acquaint the utility of the need, step up the supply capacity in order to meet the daily demand, and build and increase the active connections to reach the urban poor and/or the irregular urban settlements with the quality that meets the standard Urban water supply services are currently inadequate for the needs of the urban populace. Large numbers of households in cities do not have access to one of the most basic of human needs a safe and reliable supply of drinking water.
Award(s) will contribute to one or more of the results below
Result 1: The targeted state water board will have improved technical infrastructure and approach that will lead to better operational and financial viability. This should include how it will improve services to the urban poor
Result 2: The targeted utility will receive innovative support to optimize its technical operations such a reducing the physical & commercial loss in water delivery
Result 3: The targeted utility will improve the drinking water quality to deliver safe and reliable services
Minimum Eligibility Criteria.
Applicants must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements to qualify for funding under this REOI
• Be legally registered as a non US non-governmental organization or for-profit private entity and having capacity to operate in Nigeria.
• Have a physical office in Nigeria
• Have demonstrative success in the proposed area of intervention and other WASH related solutions.
• Preferred to have been active for at least 3 years operating within their sector and respective state.
• Have three (3) or more full time or part time staff.
• Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the project, not acting as an intermediary consultant.
• Be willing to comply with all technical and financial requirements for participation in the program, including reporting and documentation of project activities, communication strategy and capacity development opportunities.
• Be Eligible to receive funded awards from the United States government
Organizations that do not meet the criteria above will not be considered
Application Process
The application process for the E-WASH Innovation Grant will take place in two steps as described below.
1) Stage One Concept Note:
Applicants will submit a Concept Note using the template provided in the link below, following the instructions contained in this document RII will acknowledge the submission of Concept Papers within three (3) business days. RTI will review Concept Papers against the merit review criteria detailed in the link below Technical Evaluation Committee meet bi-monthly through the application open period. RII will provide individual results to each applicant within 30 working days following the meeting of the Technical Evaluation Committee. Applicants who do not meet the objectives, minimum eligibility requirements or receives inadequate rating will be rejected.
2) Stage Two-Full Application:
Successful applicants from Stage One will be invited to a Co-creation and ideation workshop, which will be facilitated by relevant technical advisors. The ideation workshop will provide successful concept note applicants with support to address weaknesses identified in their concept note and align concepts to E-WASH’s objectives. A technical advisor will support the applicant in expansion of the concept note to a program deception and grant application Applicants will submit a grant application in response to a Request for Application (RFA). Grant Applications will be evaluated based on the technical factors detailed in the RFA
This funding opportunity will be open until October 31, 2020 and concept notes will be accepted through the entire funding opportunity time. Concept notes will be reviewed by Technical Evaluation Committee on a monthly basis in accordance with the stated factors in the full REOL
Interested organizations should kindly send their indication of interest and request for the full REOI by email to grants@ewash.rti.org with the email subject clearly stating one of the technical areas listed above for which the organization would like to focus (Advocacy Policy and Institutions, Utility Commercial Operations, Utility Technical Assistance, or Private Sector Engagement). As an example, the subject should read as “E-WASH Innovation Grant Fund Advocacy” or “E-WASH Innovation Grand Fund: Policy and Institution” The first round of submissions of concept notes are due on or before 29th June, 2020. Kindly click: https://www.rti.org/current-opportunities for the full version.
