R -- Agricultural Exports & Rural Incomes (AERI)

Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI) RFP Pre-Solicitation Notice Description: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to implement the program described below. The new, five-year Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI) project is designed to address three key socio-economic problems in Egypt: high unemployment, low rural income and underdeveloped agricultural export potential. The goal of AERI is to increase rural incomes and on-farm and agro-business jobs. Its purpose is to strengthen the competitiveness of Egypt?s agriculture in a global economy by expanding access of Egypt?s farmers and agribusiness firms to the knowledge, technology, markets and institutions that are key elements for success. Interventions under AERI will emphasize: 1. Increasing agricultural incomes to stimulate increased rural non-farm employment, especially in Upper Egypt; 2. Improving the productivity and competitiveness of smallholders to achieve increased incomes; 3. Broadening horticultural development efforts to diversify crops and markets, enhance the role of small growers as suppliers to exporters, integrate the fresh and processes segments of the industry, and expand the use of good agricultural practices in domestic horticulture; 4. Improving the smallholder livestock sector as a means to increase agricultural incomes, especially for women who dominate this sector; 5. Bringing about world-class research and training that is more responsive to private sector needs; and 6. Targeting policy reform and implementation linked to the achievements of points 1-5 AERI?s goal and purpose will be achieved through five activities. Activities three and four will be implemented through grants. The corresponding Request for Applications is posted in a separate notice. This RFP pertains specifically to three out of AERI?s five activities as follows: Activity One: Policy; Activity Two: Technical Support to Agriculture-based Trade Associations; Activity Five: Legacy Program Design. One direct contract will be awarded for implementation of these three activities. Implementation will occur over a five year period. Activities One and Five: The objectives of Activities one and five are to consolidate and build on gains made in Egypt?s agricultural competitiveness through past USAID programs, with support to Government of Egypt (GOE) agricultural policy reforms, coordination of all AERI project activities, and assurance of long-term sustainability for certain project elements. Activity Two: The objectives of Activity two are to consolidate and build on gains made in Egypt?s agricultural competitiveness through past USAID programs, with support to key technological elements of the marketing chain for strategically selected agricultural commodities promoted by trade associations. The work conducted under the Contract awarded through this RFP will be integrated with implementation mechanisms for other activities under AERI. USAID encourages qualified bidders to submit thoughtful and innovative approaches that have a high potential for achievement of project objectives. Bidders must propose an approach that carries out the project objectives and seeks to institutionalize the thrust of the objectives. We anticipate issuing the RFP o/a November 03, 2002. Please correct Fax number for Nihal Montasser to read: 011-202-5164739.