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GRANTS SOLICITATION: CALL FOR APPLICATIONSUSAID Pacific-American Climate Fund ProjectSupported by: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Managed by: Partners for Global Research and Development, LLC (PGRD)

November15, 2016

Grants Solicitation: Call for Applications

USAID Pacific-American Climate Fund

Supported by:

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Managed by:

Partners for Global Research and Development, LLC (PGRD)

This publication was prepared by Partners for Global Research and Development, LLC (PGRD) for review by the United States Agency for International Development. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of PGRD and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

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ACRONYMS & DEFINITIONS

ADS Automated Directive System. USAID’s policies. ADS 303 are USAID’s policies for grants and cooperative agreements and are applicable to PACAM grants.

CFR Code of Federal Regulations. US Government wide regulations that apply to all agencies, including USAID and, when incorporated, USAID-funded grantees.

FAA Fixed Amount Award. One of the possible USAID grant types. Under an FAA payment is made to the grantee/awardee based on completion of pre-defined milestone, rather than actual costs incurred.

FBO Faith-based Organization. A religiously-oriented organization.

GRB Grants Review Board. A body made up of PACAM and USAID/US Embassy officials who recommend PACAM grant applications for funding.

IEE Initial Environmental Examination. USAID’s review of the potential environmental impact of PACAM activities, including its grants. All PACAM grants must fall within the approved activities of the PACAM IEE.

NGO Non-governmental Organization. An organization that operates independent from government control.

PACAM Pacific-American Climate Fund. The name of the USAID-funded program that is soliciting Grant Applications under this solicitation. PACAM’s main office is located in Manila, Philippines.

PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan. A plan developed by a grantee/awardee if it intends to use pesticides in its PACAM-funded activity. PERSUAPs should be approved by USAID.

PGRD Partners for Global Research and Development. The implementer of the USAID-funded PACAM program.

PIO Public International Organization. For purposes of PACAM, PIOs are defined by USAID’s ADS 308.

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SAM System for Award Management. The database used by the US Government to, among other things, document organizations that have been debarred from receiving US Government funding.

USAID United States Agency for International Development.

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Issuance Date: November 15, 2016

Closing Time:December 20, 2016, 12:00 Noon, Manila, Philippines

Questions Due:December 1, 2016, 5:00 PM, Manila, Philippines

Reference: Issued under USAID Pacific-American Climate Fund (PACAM)

Solicitation of Applications

SECTION I. DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

1. Introduction

Pursuant to the authority contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Contract AID-492-C-13-00017, Partners for Global Research and Development (PGRD), on behalf of the Pacific-American Climate Fund (PACAM) is seeking applications for activities aimed at enabling communities to adapt to climate change while conserving biodiversity in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Subject to availability of funds, the Pacific-American Climate Fund intends to award approximately 4 grants for projects not to exceed 21 months in duration under this call for applications.

This solicitation document will guide potential applicants through the application process.

2. Goals and Objectives of PACAM

The Pacific Island region is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to the negative impacts of climate change. Climate stressors, such as rising sea levels, ocean acidification, changing temperatures, and shifting rainfall and storm patterns, will impact human health, water resources, fisheries, agriculture, ecosystems, infrastructure and other sectors. Communities need support in building their resilience to the impacts of climate change and extreme events in order to achieve sustainable economic growth. Additionally, Papua New Guinea is a country with high levels of marine and terrestrial biodiversity. It features the largest rainforest in the Asia-Pacific region and is part of the Coral Triangle.

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The Pacific-American Climate Fund (PACAM) is a grant-making facility funded by USAID and implemented by PGRD that assists 12 Pacific Island countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change. PACAM awards grants to civil society organizations to support innovative projects that reduce long-term vulnerabilities associated with climate change and provide additional “co-benefits”, such as livelihoods enhancement, food security, improved health, better governance, or sustainable natural resources management.

The solicited grants will be supported through USAID biodiversity funding for Papua New Guinea. This cycle of funding can only support projects that focus on the conservation of biodiversity in biologically significant areas and climate resiliency in communities.

In addition to building climate resiliency and conserving biodiversity, the Pacific-American Climate Fund, through the awarded grants, will assist in strengthening the managerial and financial capacity of civil society organizations that are technically capable, but require additional financial, managerial, and organizational training. Building local managerial and financial capacity will be prioritized, so that local recipients develop a stronger capability for contributing to and sustaining the country’s climate-resilient development in the long term.

3. Eligible Countries

For purposes of this solicitation only activities implemented in or for the benefit of Papua New Guinea will be considered.

4. Eligible Organizations

Non-sovereign, civil society organizations and other entities are eligible to apply for grants. They must have the ability to legally operate in Papua New Guinea where the proposed activity will take place.

Civil Society Organizations eligible for PACAM grants include:

• Non-government organizations (NGOs);• Universities, academic institutions, advocacy groups, and umbrella organizations

that represent multiple NGO members1;• Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) operating nationally, or regionally, pursuant to

Executive Order 13279; and• Private sector entities such as companies, chambers of commerce, and

associations.

Applicants must demonstrate that the organization has the human resources and capacity to manage and implement the proposed project.

1 Please note: Private or parochial universities are eligible. Certain public universities (universities which receive government funding) may be deemed eligible, but they must demonstrate they have a different procurement system from the national or sub-national government. They must also demonstrate sufficient governance and management independence from the national or sub-national government. PACAM reserves the sole right to make a determination on any applicant’s eligibility and applications submitted by public universities or those applications that include funded public university partnerships may be deemed ineligible.

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Preference will be given to applications from organizations which have not previously received a grant from the Pacific-American Climate Fund.

All applicants should be prepared, when requested by PACAM, to review and sign mandatory USAID certifications, which can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303mav. These certifications will be provided by PACAM to the applicant, as and when needed.

Please note that sovereign, or entities otherwise controlled by a government, political parties, organizations that engage in illegal or anti-democratic activities, and Public International Organizations (PIOs) are not eligible to receive PACAM grants as a prime recipient. Sovereign, or entities otherwise controlled by a government may be proposed as partners, but these partnerships must not involve the transfer of cash to the sovereign/government entity. PIOs may partner with prime recipients so long as the total share of the grant budgeted to the PIO does not exceed 50%.

Applicants must obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the Central Contractor Registration through the System for Award Management (SAM) in order to be eligible for a PACAM award. Obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is free of charge and can be accomplished at www.sam.gov.

5. Eligible Activities

The activities which are eligible for funding will work to reduce threats to biodiversity, and at the same time reduce long-term vulnerabilities associated with climate change impacts. Activities need to work to protect the natural systems supporting human wellbeing and to ensure long‐term resilience of local communities, and to sustain the investments of economic development. Anticipated outcomes will contribute to greater environmental and climate resilience of communities in Papua New Guinea.

The categories below, drawn from USAID’s Integrating Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation in Activity Design (available at pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KKNX.pdf) provide guidance to applicants as to what types of activities meet these requirements.

Ecosystem Valuation for Decision-Making:As ecosystem services have become a more recognized concept, there has been a growing interest in how to demonstrate their value to policy-makers and planners. Quantifying the ecosystem values at risk, due to increased weather variability and projected climate change, can serve as a sound integrated adaptation and biodiversity intervention. A related undertaking is building understanding among decision-makers of the role that healthy ecosystems can play in human adaptation efforts, and promoting consideration of ecosystem-based adaptation options alongside more typical responses, such as the construction of hard infrastructure.

Integrated Planning and Management: Another activity which combines biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation is using capacity building and technical assistance to promote the adoption of systems approaches in local planning, management and decision-making processes. In this way, biodiversity and adaptation considerations are incorporated

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into initial prioritization processes and can be “mainstreamed” into any future actions. An example of such an approach is integrated water resources management.

Governance: Supporting the capacity of governments and communities to manage biodiversity and natural resources may have direct benefits in terms of their ability to address climate threats. Better coordination between resource management and economic development institutions, for instance, can lead to more effective long-term planning and flexible approaches for future droughts or floods. Addressing disputes over rights to natural resources can improve conservation outcomes and reduce the vulnerability of local communities who depend on those resources.

Biodiversity and Climate Monitoring: Adaptation requires understanding how changes in climate variables, for example shifts in seasonality or water temperature, impact natural and human systems relative to other, non-climate stressors. Climate-related data collection and monitoring may dovetail nicely with species monitoring to assess conservation impacts. The effects of climate change are often more tangible for local communities when they become involved in monitoring climate stressors and their impact on key species and can begin identifying adaptation responses themselves. Furthermore, climate data collected by local communities can contribute to larger datasets being maintained by national governments, universities, or research initiatives.

Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Helping farmers to adopt methods that reduce their impact on natural systems can offer a number of co-benefit opportunities, especially when agricultural encroachment is a threat to neighboring biodiversity areas. Reducing land conversion contributes to improved watershed management around critical habitats while also potentially providing a buffer for people against storms and/or floods. This and other practices, captured under the rubric of ‘climate-smart agriculture,’ can provide an opportunity for adaptation, sustainable landscapes, biodiversity, and/or food security benefits.

Ecosystem Management and Restoration: Activities in this area might include interventions such as restoring corridor connectivity, removal of invasive species, reforestation on degraded lands or fire line maintenance. While reducing threats to biodiversity, these activities can also maintain ecosystem services, improve livelihoods and increase ecosystem resilience so they can serve as a buffer against climate-related impacts for nearby communities.

Mangrove Forest Conservation and Restoration: Mangroves are often cited as a high-potential ecosystem for programmatic integration. They can serve as a buffer against extreme storms, which may increase in frequency and intensity with climate change. In addition, mangrove habitats are often high in biodiversity value, support food security, and provide other ecosystem services that underpin local livelihoods. Assuming that storm surge, flooding, sea level rise and/or food insecurity due to shifting fish stocks are identified as significant climate change stressors, and mangroves are identified as priority areas for biodiversity, activities in mangrove areas could provide a good intersection of biodiversity, livelihoods, sustainable landscapes and adaptation opportunities. However, not all mangrove areas are biodiverse, or viable in the face of sea level rise and other climate change impacts, so activity designers should not assume that any mangrove-related activity is inherently biodiverse or ‘climate smart.’

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Note the Pacific-American Climate Fund as reflected in USAID’s Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) discourages certain activities including those related to logging and livestock management. Other activities that may pose environmental risks will require the development of appropriate mitigation and monitoring plans to prevent adverse effects.

If partnering with a government entity, the partnership cannot include the transfer of funds to the government entity. In kind (non-cash) transfers to government entities can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Construction-related activities are not permitted by USAID to be funded by the PACAM program. USAID’s definition of construction can be found at the following web link: http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303maw.pdf.

Note that activities requiring the use of pesticides are discouraged and, if approved, will require a Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan (PERSUAP) approved by USAID. PACAM also does not fund inherently religious activities or other activities prohibited by USAID, such as involuntary sterilization, abortion-related and biomedical research, the promotion of the legalization of prostitution or sex trafficking, and/or travel expenses for foreign government delegations to attend an international conference sponsored by a PIO.

6. Grant Size and Period of Performance

Subject to availability of funds, solicitations will be open to fund grants with a recommended ceiling amount of United States’ Dollars (USD) $250,000 in value, and with PACAM reserving the right to negotiate final grant amounts with selected applicants after the submission of full applications. The period of performance for each grant may vary but the maximum is 21 months. Cost share is not required.

7. Theory of Change

In accordance with US government regulations, all successful grantees will be required to participate in a workshop on Theory of Change, which is a model that lays out the steps needed to achieve the project or program’s desired results.

8. Overview of Grant Selection Process

The Pacific-American Climate Fund will use a single-tiered application process. Applicants must submit full applications that include detailed Technical and Financial applications, following a format included in Attachment 1.

A Grants Review Committee (GRC) of US Government representatives, PACAM, and/or independent climate change and biodiversity experts, evaluate and rank these full applications against the selection criteria. A Grants Review Board (GRB) comprised of USAID and PACAM officials reviews the outcomes of the Grants Review Committee and makes the final recommendation for approval of full applications. Final approval of all awards will be made by USAID following completion of pre-award risk assessments to determine that the organization has the capacity to manage the funds effectively.

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SECTION II. APPLICATION CONTENT

The templates and instructions that should be used for the applications can be found in Attachment 1.

Applicants should submit applications by December 20, 2016, 12 Noon Manila time according to the submission requirements identified in the submission instructions.

Successful applications will propose projects that explicitly address both climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation. Successful Applications will address and answer the following questions:

a) What are the main climate risks or hazards in your project area (e.g., sea level rise, changing rainfall and temperature patterns, greater frequency of storms or floods, ocean acidification, etc.);

b) What are the direct threats to biodiversity in your project area?

c) How will your proposed project: reduce exposure and sensitivity to climate impacts at the project site(s); increase the capacity of communities to adapt to these impacts; conserve biodiversity

To be deemed complete, all applicants must submit all materials listed in the Applicant Checklist, found in Attachment 4. Materials should be submitted in one submission prior to the application deadline.

SECTION III. QUESTIONSApplicants with questions on the contents of this solicitation may submit questions in writing to [email protected] no later than December 1, 2016 5:00 PM Manila time. Responses to questions and clarifications will be made available through www.pgrd.org and applicants are also invited to visit this website for updates on this solicitation, schedules for succeeding grant application processing, additional announcements, guidelines, and instructions.

The Pacific-American Climate Fund reserves the right to not respond to or post questions that are duplicates of other questions or questions that are deemed not relevant.

SECTION IV. APPLICATION FORMATThe following provides instructions for the format of application.

a) Applications must be submitted in the format provided in Attachment 1.b) All applications must be in English, single-spaced, Times New Roman size 11

font, sized to print on A4 size bond paper, with each page numbered consecutively. All application documents must be submitted in Microsoft Word or PDF format. The budget should be submitted in Microsoft Excel format and recorded in USD.

c) Applicants should strictly observe the maximum number of pages allowed according to the table below:

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Section/Description Maximum Page Number / Text Limits

I. Full Application Cover Page 1 pageII. Table of Contents 1 pageIII. Introduction/Overview/Goals and Objectives

2 pages

IV. Technical Approach 10 pagesV. Management Approach and Key Personnel

3 pages

VI. Performance and Institutional Capacity

3 pages

VII. Technical Application Annexes No page limitVIII. Budget and Budget Narrative No page limit

Total Number of Pages 20 pages + Annexes, Budget and Budget Narrative

d) Each applicant must sign the form (SF-424B) and print or type its name on the Cover Page of the technical and cost applications. Erasures or other changes must be initialed by the person signing the application. Applications signed by an agent shall be accompanied by evidence of that agent's authority, unless that evidence has been previously furnished to PACAM.

e) Applicants who include data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the U.S. Government except for evaluation purpose, must:

Mark the title page with the following legend:“This application includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the U.S. Government or PACAM and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed - in whole or in part - for any purpose other than to evaluate this application. If, however, a grant is awarded to this applicant as a result of - or in connection with - the submission of this data, the U.S. Government and/or PACAM shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting grant. This restriction does not limit the U.S. Government's and/or PACAM’s right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in pages [X] [Y] and [Z].” and

Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend:"Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this application."

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f) Please provide proof of legal registration, along with evidence of the ability to operate legally in the country where the proposed grant activities will take place (if different).

SECTION V. APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The following provides application submission information and instructions.a) Applications are due by December 20, 2016 12 Noon Manila time. b) Applications should be submitted in the format contained in Attachment 1.c) Electronic submissions are required. Applications must be transmitted as

an attached document to [email protected]. The subject line of the email should read as follows: “PACAM Cycle 4 Application.”

d) Printed hard copy submissions are not permitted.e) Incomplete submission may mean non-processing, significant delay in

processing of the application, or rejection. f) All applicants should retain, for their records, a copy of their application and all

accompanying enclosures.g) Applicants are kindly requested to only submit one application per

organization. If a single organization submits multiple applications, the first application submitted by the organization will be evaluated.

SECTION VI. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS

The criteria presented below have been tailored to the requirements of this RFA. The applicant should note that these criteria serve to identify the significant issues that applicants should address in their applications, and to set standards against which all applications will be evaluated.

A. Technical Evaluation:

EVALUATION CRITERIA MAXIMUM SCORE

i. Technical Approach 40

ii. Management Approach and Key Personnel 30

iii. Institutional Capacity and Past Performance 20

iv. Budget/Cost 10

TOTAL SCORE 100

The technical evaluation criteria will be evaluated as follows:

i. Technical Approach (40 points) The extent to which the proposed project clearly articulates the climate

change risks and direct threats to biodiversity and puts forward appropriate and effective climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation measures to address them.

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The overall quality of the technical approach, including inclusiveness, innovativeness, flexibility, appropriate partner organizations, community ownership and government coordination.

The extent to which the project assists communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change, helps build climate resiliency, and promotes biodiversity conservation.

The extent to which the application describes the project in a clear and concise manner and presents specific focused objectives with corresponding activities.

The extent to which the application shows the logical connections between problem statement, objectives and activities, and how the activities will lead to the achievement of expected outcomes.

The extent to which the application describes how project sustainability will be maintained.

The extent to which the proposed project addresses gender issues.

ii. Management Approach and Key Personnel (30 points) The extent to which the application describes a clear plan for project

implementation, including the timeline for its major activities and milestones over the life of the project.

The extent to which the application shows how personnel and resources are reasonably organized to implement and track project activities, account for funds, and manage relationships with relevant stakeholders.

The demonstrated skills and qualifications, including technical and program management experience, of the project staff to implement the project.

The extent to which the application presents strategies that respond to any issues or concerns that might arise during project implementation, such as the extent to which the proposed project may result in unintended negative consequences.

iii. Institutional Capacity and Past Performance (20 points) The extent to which the organization has the necessary resources –

human, technical, financial – or access to these resources to be able to successfully implement the project within the proposed time frame and cost.

The organization has undertaken and successfully completed similar projects in the past three years.

iv. Budget/Cost (10 points) The extent to which the proposed budget proposes an efficient use of

resources. The extent to which budgeted costs are reasonable and realistic in terms

of achieving the objectives of the application.

Applications not selected for funding will be notified. Due to limited resources, unsuccessful applicants may not be provided detail on the perceived strengths and weaknesses of their applications.

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SECTION VII. AWARD INFORMATION AND ADMINISTRATION

Potential awardees will be subject to a pre-award risk assessment that will be conducted by the Pacific-American Climate Fund and may include a pre-award visit to the applicant’s place of establishment. A positive risk assessment will confirm that the awardee possesses, or has the ability to obtain, the necessary management competence in planning and carrying out project activities and that it will practice mutually agreed upon methods of accountability for funds provided by PACAM. Risk assessments generally entail a detailed analysis of the applicant’s financial, administrative, and programmatic capacity and are generally performed over a one- to four-day period at the applicant’s place of establishment. In some cases the Awardee may receive an award with conditions, such as administrative and capacity building assistance.

Potential awardees will also be subject to an environmental review, which will assess the awardee’s proposed activities in terms of potential environmental impact. Depending on the results of the review, potential awardees may be required to take specific environmental risk mitigation measures, including changing programmatic approach.

The Pacific-American Climate Fund will select the appropriate grant instrument to be used based on the organization’s institutional capacity, the amount of the grant award, and other relevant factors. It is expected that most awardees will receive a Fixed Amount Award (FAA), whereby funds are transferred to the awardee as pre-determined milestones are completed, though other grant types will be considered. An initial financing milestone provides liquidity to get started. A FAA provides a means for PACAM to assist the awardee in building institutional capacity as the project activities are completed. During the period of a FAA, the awardee has the opportunity to strengthen and improve its internal procedures, systems, and policies. By doing so, the awardee can improve its ability to access and manage resources from USAID and other donors.

Awards shall be made and administered in accordance with all pertinent USAID policies and regulations. For U.S. organizations 2 CFR 200 and the ADS 303maa, Standard Provisions for U.S. Non-governmental Organizations are applicable. For non-U.S. organizations, the ADS 303mab, Standard Provisions for Non-U.S. Non-governmental Organizations and 2 CFR 200, where incorporated, will apply.

SECTION VIII. Other Information

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the PACAM, nor does it commit PACAM to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Further, PACAM reserves the right to reject any or all applications received. In addition, final award of any resultant Grant Agreement will be subject to the availability of funds. All application preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's own expense.

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ATTACHMENT 1 – TECHNICAL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND TEMPLATETechnical applications should be specific, complete and presented concisely. Applications should demonstrate the applicant's capabilities and expertise with respect to achieving the stated project objectives in line with PACAM’s overall goal to reduce long-term vulnerabilities associated with climate change and conserve biodiversity. The required outline for the technical application is:

I. Full Application Cover Page (template provided on page 19)II. Table of Contents, listing all page numbers and annexesIII. Introduction/Overview/Goals and ObjectivesIV. Technical ApproachV. Management Approach and Key PersonnelVI. Past Performance and Institutional Capacity

Annexes:a. Work Plan (including Communications and Outreach)b. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan c. Environmental Screening Formd. Gender e. Sustainability

A. Introduction/Overview/Goal and Objectives

The Introduction/Overview should summarize the main elements of the proposed project, including the problem statement, project objectives, expected results, project activities and location, any partner organizations, and the capabilities of the organization and key staff to implement the project. Most importantly, the problem statement and project objectives should be structured as a climate change adaptation project.

Applicants should identify the relevant climate stressor(s) such as sea level rise, ocean acidification, changes in rainfall or temperature, and greater frequency of extreme events. They should also identify the relevant direct threats (and indirect threats if applicable) to biodiversity. Moreover, applicants should briefly address how these climate stressor(s) affects ecosystems, livelihoods, water resources, health, food security or other systems.

In view of the above, the applicant should state the objectives of the proposed project with the dual primary objectives focusing on conserving biodiversity and reducing exposure and sensitivity to climate impacts and/or increase adaptive capacity to cope with climate impacts. The secondary objective will address related development challenges, such as livelihoods enhancement, food security, natural resource management, water security, and health.

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B. Technical Approach

The overall technical approach should reflect the Applicant’s understanding of the context, challenges, and opportunities in implementing the climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation project. The technical approach should include a clear description of the conceptual approach and the general strategy (i.e., methodology and techniques) to assist communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change and to conserve biodiversity. The technical approach should describe beneficiary/partner communities in detail, and provide information on why and how they were selected.

The application should outline specific, focused activities; identify how and where those activities will be implemented; explain how the approach is expected to achieve the proposed objectives; and describe a plan that will enable the activities to continue after the program is completed. Applicants should demonstrate how they will integrate gender issues into the design and implementation of all project activities.

The technical approach should describe how communities or other partners will be engaged and how best practices learned, successes and proven technologies will be reported and shared with others. It should also describe how progress of project activities will be monitored and results measured.

The application should show the logical connections between the various components, such as problem statement, objectives and activities, and how they will lead to the achievement of expected outcomes. In preparing the technical approach, please ensure that the application reflects and addresses the application evaluation criteria.

C. Management Approach and Key Personnel

The management approach should describe the technical resources and expertise that the applicant and its proposed partners will utilize in implementing the proposed project and how these resources will be organized to deliver the desired outcomes and meet expectations for reporting and communications. The management approach should specify the composition and organizational structure of the project team and briefly describe each proposed staff member’s role and technical expertise. The application should also briefly describe the experience, role, and location of any partner organizations and describe their added value in implementing the proposed activities. Applicants are reminded that government entity partners cannot be provided funding.

Applicants are expected to propose at least one key personnel that will serve as the technical or program staff to oversee the project and ensure the reporting requirements are met. Applicants must discuss the qualifications and abilities of proposed key personnel by including a brief bio as part of their management approach.

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The applicants should also include a section on Risk Assumptions, and identify strategies that respond to any issues or concerns that might arise during project implementation.

D. Past Performance and Institutional Capacity

Applicants should provide evidence of relevant past performance and clearly describe examples of successful development and implementation of similar projects. Applicants should also describe their organization’s resources and expertise in project management and financial/grants management.

E. Annexes

i. Draft Work Plan (including Communications and Outreach)

The Draft Work Plan should describe activities for the proposed project for the entire project period, including a summary of project outcomes/results and an implementation schedule for implementing planned activities. The applicant is encouraged to propose a realistic schedule of performance milestones as steps toward achieving proposed results. The Draft Work Plan must clearly outline links between the proposed results, conceptual approach, and performance milestones, and must reflect a realistic timeline for achieving the end-of-project results.

In the Draft Work Plan, the applicant should address communications and outreach priorities, including identification of key objectives; audiences; anticipated outreach approaches (e.g., live events; written materials such as fact sheets/brochures; social media; broadcast media, etc.) and results. These activities should also be included in the work plan where appropriate. The applicant’s approach to identifying and sharing Best Practices should be addressed as well.

ii. Monitoring and Evaluation

Include a description of the Applicant’s approach to monitoring and evaluation which the project will utilize and why this approach is appropriate. Indicate the process by which the indicators will be developed and how monitoring processes and results will be used to inform project management decisions. Indicate ways in which outcomes or outputs will be monitored or evaluated at the end of the activity.

The Application will include the following required performance indicator: Number of stakeholders [individuals] with increased capacity to adapt

to impacts of variability and change as a result of U.S. Government assistance. (sex-disaggregated).

Tracking against additional PACAM identified indicators should be anticipated.

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iii. Environmental Screening Form

Because the proposed project may have environmental implications, applicants are required to submit an initial Environmental Screening Form (ESF) form as part of the application package. The ESF, which can be found in Attachment 3, will be used to determine if there are detrimental environmental issues which may require the applicant to develop an environmental mitigation plan and require additional authorization, review and approval prior to implementation. Applicants must also incorporate environmental considerations into relevant technical and cost proposal sections of their submissions. Additional guidance is provided as part of Attachment 3.

iv. Gender The applicant should describe its planned approach for addressing gender, including undertaking a Gender Assessment and how it would develop a Gender Action Plan as part of project implementation, if the proposal were approved. Guidance can be found in the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines for Project Development, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation located at:

http://www.pcw.gov.ph/sites/default/files/documents/resources/harmonized-gad-guidelines-2nd_ed_0.pdf

The application should ensure that activities will be implemented in a manner that promotes fair, equitable and meaningful inclusion of both men and women. The project should include women among its implementing staff and among target groups, and ensure increased participation of women and men stakeholders in project implementation. To provide greater focus on gender equality the applicant should be prepared upon award to undertake a Gender Assessment and develop a Gender Action Plan that will consider the following options:

1. Conduct training for project staff, partners, and cooperators on gender awareness, gender analysis and gender responsive planning.

2. Collection of sex-disaggregated data for baselines monitoring of all people-level indicators;

3. Using sex disaggregated data, conduct gender analysis to identify gender gaps, address gender issues and constraints faced by project beneficiaries, particularly at the community level;

4. Conduct of gender-responsive consultations to encourage the active participation of women and ensure that the voices of women and men are heard and reflected in project plans and activities; and

5. Ensuring that there are no barriers to equal participation and access to resources and opportunities of men and women.

v. Sustainability

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The applicant should address the planned sustainability of the long term impacts expected from the project and the elements which are anticipated to continue beyond the project lifespan. The application should also outline any intentions or expectations the applicant has for continued engagement with beneficiary communities beyond the life of the project. The sustainability section should provide a brief explanation of how equipment and materials procured under the project are anticipated to be utilized after closeout and to whom they are expected to be allocated. Approaches to identifying elements for future scale-up or replication should be identified.

F. Cost Application Format

The following sections describe the Cost Application documentation that applicants must submit to the Pacific-American Climate Fund as a part of their full application. Applicants must submit a signed Standard Form 424B, a detailed budget, and a budget narrative that directly corresponds to their Technical Application. While there is no page limit for this portion, applicants are encouraged to be as concise as possible, but still provide the necessary detail to address the following:

i. Applicants should include Standard Form 424B in the cost application. In addition, a detailed budget with an accompanying budget narrative is required. Sample Standard Form 424B and sample budget template are included in Attachment 1A. The budget narrative should provide information regarding the basis of estimate for each line item, including reference to sources used to substantiate the cost estimate (e.g., organization’s policy, payroll document, vendor quotes, etc.).

ii. The detailed budget should contain the following categories:a. Direct Labor – Direct salaries, wages and annual increases for all

personnel proposed under the application shall be in accordance with the applicant’s established personnel policies. To be considered adequate, the policies must be in writing, applicable to all employees of the organization, subject to review and approval at a high enough organizational level to assure its uniform enforcement, and result in costs which are reasonable and allowable in accordance with applicable cost principles. The narrative should include a level of effort analysis specifying personnel, rate of compensation, and the amount of time proposed. Anticipated salary increases, generally not exceeding 5% annually, during the period of agreement should be included. Key staff should be identified using the term “Key Staff” next to their name in the budget. Staff who are identified should be named in the budget and in the narrative. Positions that are proposed, but where an individual is not yet identified, should be identified as “TBD” in the budget and in the narrative.

b. Fringe Benefits –These are any employment benefits that staff paid from this project will receive. The budget narrative should include a detailed breakdown comprised of all items of fringe benefits (e.g., workers compensation, social security payments, health and life insurance, retirement, etc.) and the costs of each, expressed in dollars and as a percentage of salaries. Benefits should be calculated based on the

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standard employment benefits offered by the organization where they will work and should follow the minimum requirements mandated by law.

c. Consultants – Information sufficient to determine the reasonableness of the cost of each consultant expected to be hired must be included. Similar information should be provided for all consultants provided under the category for personnel. Any costs for local organizations and local personnel must include a USD$ equivalent column. State the exchange rate used.

d. Travel and Transportation – The narrative should indicate the number of trips, domestic and international, if applicable, and the estimated unit cost of each travel in accordance with the technical application. Proposed per diem rates must be in accordance with the applicant’s established policies and practices that are uniformly applied to federally financed and other activities of the applicant. Per Diem rates cannot exceed the established U.S. Government rates. Department of State per diem rates can be found here: https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

e. Capacity Building, Training and Workshop Costs – This should include costs for programmatic workshops and trainings, including venue rental and other related expenses. Applicants should note that in accordance with US government regulations, all successful grantees will be required to participate in a workshop on Theory of Change, which is a model that lays out the steps needed to achieve the project or program’s desired results. Applicants should budget for attendance in at least one workshop, held in Papua New Guinea during the life of the grant.

f. Other Direct Costs – This could include any miscellaneous costs such as office rent, utilities, communications, transportation, report preparation costs, etc. The narrative, or supporting schedule should provide a complete breakdown and support for each item of other direct costs. Costs associated with a project launch event to take place during the first 3 months of implementation should also be included. Launch events are frequently high profile and include senior officials from the host government and the US Embassy. This section should also include the cost of marking equipment and public outreach materials with the USAID logo. Prices for USAID logo stickers can be found at http://www.usaid.gov/branding/suppliers. Note that all public outreach materials (posters, manuals, banners, leaflets, etc.) must be marked with the USAID logo, and logos may be downloaded free of charge for print and web materials at http://www.usaid.gov/branding. Organizations will not be required to design the USAID or logo identity. For equipment and supplies, differentiate between expendable supplies, expendable equipment and nonexpendable equipment. (NOTE: Non-expendable equipment is defined as tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of USD $5,000 or more per unit.). Each item of equipment should have its own budget line.

g. Proposed Sub-agreements – Applicants who intend to utilize sub-recipients should indicate the extent intended and a complete cost breakdown, as well as all the information required herein for the applicant. Sub-agreement cost applications should follow the same cost format as submitted by the applicant and should be detailed in a separate tab of the detailed budget that feeds into the main budget tab. Budget narratives for sub-agreements are also required.

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h. Indirect costs may be budgeted if the applicant has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) with the US Government. If the applicant has never received a NICRA, the applicant may apply a 10% de minimis indirect cost rate on all direct costs, except the portion of sub-awards exceeding USD $25,000, in lieu of budgeting for overhead costs, such as rent, utilities and other similar costs. See 2 CFR 200.414 for more information on the de minimis indirect cost rate option.

i. A note on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (M&E) Expenses – Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning expenses are expenses associated with staff development (organizational, managerial or financial management trainings and other learning opportunities) and costs for developing and maintaining an overall M&E system to track progress against grant performance indicators and targets, including labor required to track progress. The M&E System should also address any environmental impact monitoring and reporting requirements determined necessary post-award. Costs may include elements associated with: developing an M&E database and system; procuring materials for maintaining source documentation files; staffing time dedicated to M&E; mobilization of external resources for independent evaluations; ensuring data quality; etc.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning expenses should be budgeted throughout the budget (i.e. M&E Labor under Direct Labor, Financial Management Training under Capacity Building/Workshop costs, M&E System Development under Other Direct Costs, or Sub-Agreements, as appropriate, etc.). Costs for maintaining an M&E system, including monitoring-related labor, should not exceed 10 percent of the overall program budget.

iii. Required assurances, certifications and representations as found in Attachment 2.

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FULL APPLICATION COVER PAGE

I. General InformationName of Organization Office Address Location Where Founded/OrganizedWebsitePhone Number Date Established Brief Organizational Profile and Legal StatusOrganizational Size (Annual Revenue, in US Dollars)Board of Trustees/ Board of Directors and/or Owners

Please list names, nationalities and position of Board of Trustees or similar governing body.

Name Nationality/Contact No./Email Address

Contact Person/s Name Position in the organization Email

Name, Position and Signature of Authorized Representative

On behalf of the Applicant, I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge, this application in its entirety contains only true and current information:

_____________________________________ Signature over name and position title

Date: _____________

II. Project Information

Proposed Project TitleGeographic CoverageTarget BeneficiariesProposed PartnersProject TimeframeRequested Budget from PACAM

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ATTACHMENT 1A – COST FORMS AND BUDGET TEMPLATEATTACHMENT 1A – SF-424B

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ATTACHMENT 1B – BUDGET TEMPLATE

[End of Attachment 1]

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ATTACHMENT 2 – CERTIFICATIONS & ASSURANCES

NOTE: When these Certifications, Assurances, and Other Statements of Recipient are used for grant agreements, the term "Grant" means "Grant Agreement."

P ART I - CERT I F ICAT I O NS AND ASSURANC E S

1. ASSURANCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING NON DISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS

Note: This certification applies to Non-U.S. organizations if any part of the program will be undertaken in the United States.

A. The recipient hereby assures that no person in the United States shall, on the bases set forth below, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving financial assistance from USAID, and that with respect to the Grant Agreement for which application is being made, it will comply with the requirements of:

i. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Pub. L. 88-352, 42 U.S.C. 2000-d), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin, in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance;

ii. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance;

iii. The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (Pub. L. 95-478), which prohibits discrimination based on age in the delivery of services and benefits supported with Federal funds;

iv. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681, et seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance (whether or not the programs or activities are offered or sponsored by an educational institution); and

v. USAID regulations implementing the above nondiscrimination laws set forth in Chapter II of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

B. If the recipient is an institution of higher education, the Assurances given herein extend to admission practices and to all other practices relating to the treatment of students or clients of the institution, or relating to the opportunity to participate in the provision of services or other benefits to such individuals, and shall be applicable to the entire institution unless the recipient establishes to the satisfaction of the USAID Administrator that the institution's practices in designated parts or programs of the institution will in no way affect its practices in the program of the institution for which financial assistance is sought, or the beneficiaries of, or participants in, such programs.

C. This assurance is given in consideration of and for the purpose of obtaining any and all Federal grants, loans, contracts, property, discounts, or other Federal financial assistance extended after the date hereof to the recipient by the Agency, including installment payments after such date on account of applications for Federal financial assistance which was approved before such

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date. The recipient recognizes and agrees that such Federal financial assistance will be extended in reliance on the representations and agreements made in this Assurance, and that the United States shall have the right to seek judicial enforcement of this Assurance. This Assurance is binding on the recipient, its successors, transferees, and assignees, and the person or persons whose signatures appear below are authorized to sign this Assurance on behalf of the recipient.

2. CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

A. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any grant agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or grant agreement.

B. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or grant agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," in accordance with its instructions.

C. The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all sub-awards at all tiers (including subcontracts, sub-grants, and contracts under grants, loans, and grant agreements) and that all sub-recipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.

This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, United States Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

St a t e m ent f o r Loan G u a r an t ees and L o an I nsu r an c e

The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that: If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its

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instructions. Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

3. CERTIFICATION REGARDING TERRORIST FINANCING IMPLEMENTING E.O. 13224

By signing and submitting this application, the prospective recipient provides the certification set out below:

A. The Recipient, to the best of its current knowledge, did not provide, within the previous ten years, and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that it does not and will not knowingly provide, material support or resources to any individual or entity that commits, attempts to commit, advocates, facilitates, or participates in terrorist acts, or has committed, attempted to commit, facilitated, or participated in terrorist acts, as that term is defined in paragraph 3.

B. The following steps may enable the Recipient to comply with its obligations under paragraph 1:i. Before providing any material support or resources to an individual or

entity, the Recipient will verify that the individual or entity does not (i) appear on the master list of S p e c i a ll y D e si g na t e d N a t i on a l s and B l oc k ed Pe r son s , which list is maintained by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and is available online at OFAC's website: h tt p : / / www . t r eas. g ov / o f fi ce s / e o t f f c / o f ac / sd n /t 1 1 sdn. pd f , or (ii) is not included in any supplementary information concerning prohibited individuals or entities that may be provided by USAID to the Recipient.

ii. Before providing any material support or resources to an individual or entity, the Recipient also will verify that the individual or entity has not been designated by the United Nations Security (UNSC) sanctions committee established under UNSC Resolution 1267 (1999) (the "1267 Committee") [individuals and entities linked to the Taliban, Usama bin Laden, or the Al Qaida Organization]. To determine whether there has been a published designation of an individual or entity by the 1267 Committee, the Recipient should refer to the consolidated list available online at the Committee's website: h tt p : / / www .un.o r g / D o c s / s c / co m m itt ee s / 12 6 7 / 1 2 67L i s t En g .h t m .

iii. Before providing any material support or resources to an individual or entity, the Recipient will consider all information about that individual or entity of which it is aware and all public information that is reasonably available to it or of which it should be aware.

iv. The Recipient also will implement reasonable monitoring and oversight procedures to safeguard against assistance being diverted to support terrorist activity.

C. For purposes of this Certification-

i. "Material support and resources" means currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safehouses, false documentation or

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identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel, transportation, and other physical assets, except medicine or religious materials."

ii. "Terrorist act" means – An act prohibited pursuant to one of the 12 United Nations

Conventions and Protocols related to terrorism (see UN terrorism conventions Internet site: h tt p : // tr e a t i e s . un.o r g / Pa g e s /DB .a s px? p a t h= D B / s t ud i e s / pa g e2 en.x m l & m enu= M T D SG ); or

An act of premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents; or

Any other act intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to a civilian, or to any other person not taking an active part in hostilities in a situation of armed conflict, when the purpose of such act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act.

iii. "Entity" means a partnership, association, corporation, or other organization, group or subgroup.

iv. References in this Certification to the provision of material support and resources shall not be deemed to include the furnishing of USAID funds or USAID-financed commodities to the ultimate beneficiaries of USAID assistance, such as recipients of food, medical care, micro- enterprise loans, shelter, etc., unless the Recipient has reason to believe that one or more of these beneficiaries commits, attempts to commit, advocates, facilitates, or participates in terrorist acts, or has committed, attempted to commit, facilitated or participated in terrorist acts.

v. The Recipient's obligations under paragraph 1 are not applicable to the procurement of goods and/or services by the Recipient that are acquired in the ordinary course of business through contract or purchase, e.g., utilities, rents, office supplies, gasoline, etc., unless the Recipient has reason to believe that a vendor or supplier of such goods and services commits, attempts to commit, advocates, facilitates, or participates in terrorist acts, or has committed, attempted to commit, facilitated or participated in terrorist acts.

This Certification is an expressed term and condition of any agreement issued as a result of this application, and any violation of it shall be grounds for unilateral termination of the agreement by USAID prior to the end of its term.

4. CERTIFICATION OF RECIPIENT

By signing below the recipient provides certifications and assurances for (1) the Assurance of Compliance with Laws and Regulations Governing Non-Discrimination in Federally Assisted Programs, (2) the Certification Regarding Lobbying, and (3) the Certification Regarding Terrorist Financing Implementing Executive Order 13224 above.

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RFA Pacific-American Climate Fund, Cycle 4

Project Title __ ____________________________________

Name of Organization __________________ ____________________

Authorized Representative _______________ _______________________

Title/Position ______________ ________________________

Signature _______________________________________

Date _______________________________________

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P ART II – KEY INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATION NARCOTICS OFFENSES AND DRUG TRAFFICKING

I hereby certify that within the last ten years:

1. I have not been convicted of a violation of, or a conspiracy to violate, any law or regulation of the United States or any other country concerning narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances.

2. I am not and have not been an illicit trafficker in any such drug or controlled substance.

3. I am not and have not been a knowing assistor, abettor, conspirator, or colluder with others in the illicit trafficking in any such drug or substance.

Signature _______________________________________

Date _______________________________________

Name _______________________________________

Title/Position _______________________________________

Name of Organization _______________________________________

Address _______________________________________

_______________________________________

Date of Birth _______________________________________

NOTICE:

1. You are required to sign this Certification under the provisions of 22 CFR Part 140, Prohibition on Assistance to Drug Traffickers. These regulations were issued by the Department of State and require that certain key individuals of organizations must sign this Certification.

2. If you make a false Certification you are subject to U.S. criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. 1001.

[End of Attachment 2]

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ATTACHMENT 3 – ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING FORM

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[End of Attachment 3]

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ATTACHMENT 4 –APPLICANT CHECKLIST

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS Yes NoA. Application Cover SheetB. Table of Contents (listing all page numbers and annexes)C. Introduction/Overview/Goals and ObjectivesD. Technical ApproachE. Management Approach and Key PersonnelF. Past Performance and Institutional CapacityG. Annexes

a. Work Plan (including Communications and Outreach)b. Monitoring and Evaluation Planc. Environmental Screening Formd. Gender e. Sustainability

COST APPLICATION: (no page limit)A. Signed Standard 424 FormB. Detailed BudgetC. Budget Narrative

CERTIFICATIONS: A. Completed/Signed Copies of Certifications

Assurance of Compliance with Laws and Regulations Certification Regarding Lobbying Certification Regarding Terrorist Financing, Implementing

Executive Order 13224 Certification of Recipient Key Individual Certification Narcotics Offenses and Drug

TraffickingOTHERS:A. Past performance references, the letters of support from

partner organizationsB. The letters from relevant government ministriesC. Certificate of registration and proof to legally operate in-

country (if different)

Signature: _________________________________________

Name: _________________________________________

Date: _________________________________________

Applicant’s DUNS Number: _______________________

[End of Attachment 4]

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