Opportunity Information: Apply for 72060822RFA00001
The Bridge to Middle School Activity is a USAID/Morocco education funding opportunity designed to support implementation of a program focused on helping students successfully transition into and through the middle school level. USAID is requesting concept papers (not full proposals at the outset) from eligible applicants and expects to make a single cooperative agreement award to the applicant that best aligns with the opportunity objectives and performs strongest against the published merit review criteria, with the final decision also subject to a USAID risk assessment. Although USAID anticipates one award, it explicitly reserves the right to fund one, multiple, or none of the submissions depending on results and funding considerations, and the final authority to make an award rests with the USAID/Morocco Agreement Officer.
The anticipated total funding level is up to $25,000,000 over a five-year period, contingent on funds availability. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates that USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation (for example, through collaboration, technical direction, or shared planning), compared with a more hands-off grant structure. The program is categorized under Education, with CFDA number 98.001, and it is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development, Morocco (USAID-Rabat). The opportunity was posted to Grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Number 72060822RFA00001, with an original closing date of November 15, 2021.
A central feature of this solicitation is its three-phase merit review process, which is designed to narrow the competition in stages and develop the final project design collaboratively. Phase 1 consists of submitting a written concept paper that USAID reviews and evaluates. Based on that initial review, USAID will identify an Apparently Successful Applicant (ASA). Only that ASA moves forward, while all other applicants are notified that they were not selected. Phase 2 is a co-creation step in which USAID convenes an event with the ASA and other stakeholders to jointly refine the approach. If that co-creation process is considered successful, the ASA is then invited to Phase 3, where it must submit a full application package, including a detailed cost application, for USAID to evaluate before making a final award decision. The solicitation notes that the detailed instructions for Phases 2 and 3 are not provided up front and will only be shared with the ASA after Phase 1 concludes.
The notice emphasizes several compliance and administrative requirements. Applicants must meet the eligibility standards in the NOFO (specifically referenced as Section C) and provide all required information in the format and manner described. The opportunity is hosted on Grants.gov and may be amended, so applicants are expected to monitor the posting to ensure they are using the most current version and have received the entire NOFO correctly. Applicants also need to be registered and compliant with unique entity identifier requirements and the System for Award Management (SAM), and USAID highlights that registration can take weeks, so organizations should start early. Questions must be submitted to the point(s) of contact listed in Section D by the stated question deadline; USAID will share responses to timely questions via an amendment on Grants.gov so all potential applicants receive the same information.
Finally, the notice includes standard federal disclaimers that are important for planning purposes. Posting the NOFO does not obligate the U.S. Government to make an award, and it does not commit the Government to reimburse any costs associated with preparing or submitting a concept paper or related materials. In practical terms, organizations considering applying should treat Phase 1 as a competitive gate and budget their bid and design effort accordingly, since only one applicant is expected to be invited into co-creation and ultimately into the full application stage.Apply for 72060822RFA00001
- The Agency for International Development, Morocco USAID-Rabat in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bridge to Middle School Activity" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 15, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 15, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): USAID/Morocco Bridge to Middle School Activity
1) What is the Bridge to Middle School Activity?
The Bridge to Middle School Activity is a USAID/Morocco education funding opportunity intended to support implementation of a program focused on helping students successfully transition into and through the middle school level.
2) Which USAID office is administering this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development, Morocco (USAID-Rabat).
3) What type of funding instrument will be used?
USAID expects to make an award using a cooperative agreement.
4) What does it mean that the award instrument is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement generally indicates USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation compared with a more hands-off grant structure. The notice describes this involvement as potentially including collaboration, technical direction, or shared planning.
5) How much funding is available and over what period?
The anticipated total funding level is up to $25,000,000 over a five-year period, contingent on funds availability.
6) Is USAID planning to make one award or multiple awards?
USAID expects to make a single cooperative agreement award to the applicant that best aligns with the opportunity objectives and performs strongest against the published merit review criteria, with the final decision also subject to a USAID risk assessment.
7) Can USAID decide to fund more than one award (or none at all)?
Yes. Although USAID anticipates one award, it reserves the right to fund one, multiple, or none of the submissions depending on results and funding considerations.
8) Who has final authority to make the award decision?
The final authority to make an award rests with the USAID/Morocco Agreement Officer.
9) What is being requested at the outset: a concept paper or a full proposal?
USAID is requesting concept papers at the outset, not full proposals.
10) What is the overall application approach described in the notice?
The solicitation uses a staged process designed to narrow the competition in phases and to develop the final project design collaboratively with the selected applicant.
11) How does the three-phase merit review process work?
Phase 1 involves submission and USAID evaluation of a written concept paper. Based on that review, USAID identifies an Apparently Successful Applicant (ASA). Phase 2 is a co-creation step where USAID convenes an event with the ASA and other stakeholders to jointly refine the approach. If co-creation is considered successful, the ASA is invited to Phase 3 to submit a full application package, including a detailed cost application, for USAID evaluation prior to a final award decision.
12) What is an Apparently Successful Applicant (ASA)?
An Apparently Successful Applicant (ASA) is the applicant that USAID identifies after evaluating Phase 1 concept papers. Only the ASA advances to the subsequent phases described in the notice.
13) Will all concept paper submitters be invited to co-creation?
No. Only the ASA moves forward to the co-creation step, and all other applicants are notified that they were not selected.
14) What happens during Phase 2 (co-creation)?
USAID convenes a co-creation event with the ASA and other stakeholders to jointly refine the program approach. Advancement depends on USAID determining that the co-creation process is successful.
15) What is required in Phase 3?
If invited to Phase 3, the ASA must submit a full application package, including a detailed cost application, for USAID to evaluate before making a final award decision.
16) Are the detailed instructions for Phases 2 and 3 available to everyone now?
No. The notice states that detailed instructions for Phases 2 and 3 are not provided up front and will only be shared with the ASA after Phase 1 concludes.
17) What program area/category does this opportunity fall under?
The program is categorized under Education.
18) What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 98.001.
19) Where was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted to Grants.gov.
20) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 72060822RFA00001.
21) What closing date is referenced in the notice?
The notice references an original closing date of November 15, 2021.
22) Where are eligibility requirements described?
The notice indicates applicants must meet the eligibility standards in the NOFO, specifically referenced as Section C.
23) What are applicants expected to submit and how should they format it?
Applicants must provide all required information in the format and manner described in the NOFO.
24) Can the NOFO be amended after it is posted?
Yes. The opportunity may be amended, and applicants are expected to monitor the Grants.gov posting to ensure they are using the most current version.
25) Why does USAID advise applicants to monitor Grants.gov?
USAID notes that the opportunity may be amended and applicants should ensure they have received the entire NOFO correctly and are working from the latest version available on Grants.gov.
26) What registrations or identifiers are mentioned as required?
Applicants need to be registered and compliant with unique entity identifier requirements and the System for Award Management (SAM).
27) How long can registration take?
USAID highlights that registration can take weeks and advises organizations to start early.
28) How and when should questions be submitted?
Questions must be submitted to the point(s) of contact listed in Section D by the stated question deadline.
29) How will USAID share answers to applicant questions?
USAID will share responses to timely questions via an amendment on Grants.gov so all potential applicants receive the same information.
30) Does posting the NOFO obligate the U.S. Government to make an award?
No. The notice states that posting the NOFO does not obligate the U.S. Government to make an award.
31) Will the Government reimburse the cost of preparing or submitting a concept paper?
No. The notice states the Government does not commit to reimburse any costs associated with preparing or submitting a concept paper or related materials.
32) What practical implication does the Phase 1 structure have for applicants?
The notice emphasizes that Phase 1 is a competitive gate. Organizations should plan and budget their bid and design effort accordingly since only one applicant is expected to be invited into co-creation and ultimately into the full application stage.
33) What factors does USAID consider when selecting the expected awardee?
USAID expects to award to the applicant that best aligns with the opportunity objectives and performs strongest against the published merit review criteria, with the final decision also subject to a USAID risk assessment.
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