[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3920-3921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1921]
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY
Agency for International Development
Environmental Partnership Program in Central and Eastern Europe
(CEE) and the New Independent States (NIS) of the Former Soviet Union
ACTION: Availability of applications.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks
applications from qualified U.S. organizations or consortia of
organizations for award of a three to five-year Cooperative Agreement
in support of a program to promote market-oriented solutions to
environmental problems facing local governments and industries in
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the New Independent States (NIS)
of the former Soviet Union. The successful applicant will coordinate a
partnership grants program that will facilitate linkages among
organizations within the CEE and the NIS and between U.S. entities and
partners within the region, and promote CEE/NIS business opportunities
for U.S. firms in the environmental sector. USAID seeks an organization
with demonstrated capability to identify opportunities for partnering,
as well as the capacity to nurture and facilitate such partnerships.
Applicants must be prepared to contribute non-USAID resources toward
meeting the overall cost of the program; all partnership grants within
the program will also be made on a cost-sharing basis. This competitive
RFA will be awarded as a component of a new initiative, entitled
``Environmental Partnership Program (EPP),'' which is a result of a
year-long series of discussions on appropriate transition strategies
for environmentally sound economic improvements by the U.S. in CEE/NIS.
The goal of the overall EPP is to forge relationships with new
partners, particularly private partners, to expand and accelerate
environmental trade, investment and policy reform in this region. In
addition to market-oriented solutions to environmental problems facing
localities and industry in these countries, the purpose of the EPP is
to stimulate sustainable environmental trade and investment linkages
between the U.S. and the ENI region. It will complement, and be
supported by, existing and future USAID programs to meet the continued
need for strengthening environmental policies and regulatory frameworks
within CEE/NIS nations. In some cases, it is expected, within the
context of the overall EPP, limited technical assistance will be
provided to ensure that policies exist and are implemented to support
the investments stimulated by the program's primary work. USAID
anticipates that the Program will serve as a catalyst across the region
to increase public/private participation in environmentally sound
economic development by: (1) Stimulating dialogue between these sectors
and action on policies that encourage private participation in
environmental projects; and (2) assisting ENI-based environmental
decision-makers in accessing information on environmental technologies,
approaches and services or locating partners who can help them solve
priority environmental problems that are predominantly transboundary or
regional in nature (air and water pollution, climate-change mitigation,
solid and toxic waste cleanup, etc.). The RFA will fully describe the
competitive application process, as well as the overall EPP and the
Program Description for the proposed cooperative agreement. The RFA
will outline what information is to be submitted for review by USAID.
As stated above, the successful applicant will be expected to
contribute to the proposed Program's cost in cash and/or in kind, in
order to demonstrate commitment to the principles of the EPP and
maximize its potential impact. The Agreement will be incrementally
funded by USAID, subject to availability of funds.
DATES: The RFA will be available o/a January 12, 1998.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access: The preferred method of distribution of USAID
procurement information is via the Internet or by request of a
solicitation of a 3.5'' floppy disk (WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 format). The
RFA, once issued, may be downloaded from the Agency Website at: http//
www.info.usaid.gov. From this homepage, select ``Business and
Procurement Opportunities,'' then ``USAID Procurements,'' then
``Download Available USAID Solicitations.'' Receipt of this RFA through
the Internet must be confirmed by written notification to the contact
person listed above. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this
RFA to ensure that it has been received
[[Page 3921]]
from the Internet in its entirety as USAID bears no responsibility for
data errors resulting from the transmission on conversion processes.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Smialek, fax (202) 216-3396;
esmialek@usaid.gov.
Dated: January 15, 1998.
Judith D. Johnson,
Division Chief, M/OP/ENI
[FR Doc. 98-1921 Filed 1-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116-01-M
