Supporting Digital Transformation in the Peruvian Amazon | 72052724RFI00004

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72052724RFI00004

The opportunity titled "Supporting Digital Transformation in the Peruvian Amazon" (Funding Opportunity Number 72052724RFI00004) is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by USAID/Peru in Lima on April 5, 2024, with responses due by April 29, 2024 at 5:00 pm Lima local time. It is not a grant solicitation or an award announcement by itself; instead, it is part of USAID's early design process for a new activity and is meant to collect input from organizations and stakeholders before USAID finalizes the program and any future competitive procurement or assistance process.

The concept behind the planned activity is to strengthen the conditions for economic growth in rural Amazonian areas of Peru by supporting digital transformation. The framing explicitly highlights Amazon territories where alternative development activities have been implemented and where many people have shifted away from illicit economies toward legal livelihoods. In practical terms, USAID is signaling interest in approaches that use digital tools, systems, services, skills, and enabling infrastructure to help rural communities and local economies become more productive, connected, and competitive, particularly in places undergoing transitions toward licit economic development.

USAID lays out three main reasons for issuing the RFI. First, the agency is asking for comments and critiques on a draft activity description referenced as being provided in Section III of the RFI document, meaning respondents are expected to react to USAID's preliminary program logic and suggest improvements, identify gaps, and flag risks. Second, USAID is seeking concrete ideas, strategies, and approaches for how to facilitate digital transformation in Amazonian territories connected to alternative development, with the stated intent that these ideas should contribute to economic development in those areas. Third, USAID is requesting capability statements from interested entities, which typically means a concise but credible description of an organization's relevant experience, technical competencies, geographic presence, partnerships, staffing, past performance, and the ability to implement similar work in Peru's Amazon context.

Even though the RFI is described as "not restricted to any organization category" and lists eligible applicants as "unrestricted," USAID also states an intention to restrict any eventual opportunity to local entities as defined in USAID policy (ADS 303.6). USAID further reserves the right to limit competition to only those entities that submit strong capability statements in response to this RFI. That combination is important: it suggests that responding to the RFI could be consequential for being considered in a later, more formal competitive process, and that USAID is actively screening for credible local capacity and implementation readiness.

Administrative details included in the notice indicate the opportunity category and instrument type are both labeled "Other," with an activity category of community development and a CFDA number of 98.001. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0 and expected awards of 1, which is consistent with an RFI posting rather than a funded award at this stage. A Spanish courtesy version is available in an annex, but the English version controls in the event of discrepancies. The RFI is signed by the Regional Contracting and Agreement Officer for USAID/Peru, Andre-Guy Soh, which underscores that it is part of an official pre-solicitation market research and program design process.

Overall, this RFI is best understood as an invitation to help shape a forthcoming USAID activity focused on digitally enabled economic development in Peru's Amazon, especially in areas tied to alternative development and transitions away from illicit activity. Organizations that can offer grounded recommendations, locally informed digital transformation strategies, and strong evidence of capability in rural Amazon contexts are the primary audience, particularly those that qualify as local entities under USAID rules and can demonstrate they are positioned to implement at scale if and when USAID launches the formal competition.

• The Peru USAID-Lima in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Supporting Digital Transformation in the Peruvian Amazon" 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 2024-04-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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