USAID's Trade Central Asia Activity

This USAID/Central Asia Request for Information (RFI) is issued for the purpose of providing stakeholders an opportunity to comment and suggest likely successful approaches to incorporate in a new USAID/CA activity: The Trade Central Asia Activity. USAID intends to issue a solicitation for a five-year activity. USAID's Trade Central Asia activity will serve as the central regional trade development mechanism for USAID's Central Asia regional mission under its Competitive Trade and Markets project. USAID's Trade Central Asia activity will support the following policy objectives from the United States Government's Strategy for Central Asia 2019-2025: ? Support and strengthen the sovereignty and independence of the Central Asian States, individually and as a region ? Promote United States investment in and development of Central Asia ? Encourage connectivity between Central Asia and Afghanistan The Trade Central Asia activity will support the following development objectives from USAID/CA's Regional Development Cooperation Strategy 2015-2020: DO #1: Expanded diverse and competitive trade and markets The Trade Central Asia activity has the following expected results: Result 1: Reduced tariff and nontariff barriers Result 2: Reduced cross-border impediments and procedures Result 3: Improved investment climate and business environment for trade USAID has revised its program cycle guidance to facilitate more adaptive, contextually driven programming approaches, and the choice of an outcomes-oriented design rather than a more prescriptive scope reflects this. USAID/CA may significantly revise this proposed new activity and planned solicitation resulting from the comments received, and from further stakeholder consultations. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Applications or Proposals (RFA/RFP). Responses to this RFI shall not be treated as proposals and will not be accepted by the U.S. Government (USG) to form a binding agreement. This RFI should not be construed as a commitment by the USG to issue any solicitation or ultimately award of an assistance agreement or contract based on this RFI, or to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. USAID reserves the right to modify the scope and scale of the RFI (following the pre-solicitation conference). Responding to or providing comment on this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement. USAID/CA will not provide answers to any question submitted in response to this request. By issuing the RFI, USAID/CA aims to consult with a broad community of public and private sector actors. Your comments are requested to help inform the draft design document to ensure clarity, maximum development impact, coordination with existing and planned USAID and other development partner programs, and alignment with the priorities of the region's governments. USAID seeks feedback on the following questions in particular: 1) What investments into reducing barriers to trade would yield the highest return on investment? 2) In what areas of trade facilitation are other donor agencies and international organizations working? 3) What are the most promising sectors that contribute to the diversification of Central Asian economies? 4) How can the countries in the region diversify their sources of imports? 5) What actions could be most effective for increasing trade between Central Asia and Afghanistan? 6) What would be the most effective way to do business-to-business matchmaking between Central Asian firms and those in other countries and regions given language barriers and the need to build trust? 7) How to achieve better enforcement of trade-related rights and obligations in the region? 8) How can the land-locked economies in the region become more connected to foreign markets? The submitted information must not exceed four (4) pages, including annexes/attachments no later than September 28, 2020, 09:00 AM Almaty Time via email to AlmatyAASolicitations@usaid.gov with a copy to Tatyana Timoshenkova, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, at ttimoshenkova@usaid.gov and Joshua Schramm, Contracting Officer at jschramm@usaid.gov the title: RFI No 72011519R00013 USAID's Trade Central Asia Activity. Submissions will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt. USAID will not provide feedback or responses to questions submitted in response to this RFI and no applications or resumes will be accepted or considered. Your responses will not be made public. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), release of this RFI in no way obligates the United States Government or USAID to release a funding opportunity or solicitation for this proposed activity, nor are either responsible for any costs incurred in preparing responses to this RFI. Thank you for your interest in this Request for Information. Sincerely, Joshua Schramm Contracting/Agreement Officer