The West Africa Trade and Investment Hub Activity (herein referred to as “the Trade Hub”) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is accepting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from eligible applicants to fund a program entitled COVID-19 Rapid Response in Cabo Verde.

The USAID-funded Trade Hub activity is a five-year trade and investment facilitation intervention that seeks to improve private sector productivity, profitability, and competitiveness in West Africa. By co-investing with the private sector and other organizations through its grant fund, the Trade Hub will encourage additional private sector investment and growth in strategic sectors including but not limited to: agriculture, services, water/sanitation, clean renewable energy, and light manufacturing.

A current priority of the Trade Hub is supporting West African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19)—a public health crisis projected to have the largest economic impact since the Great Depression.

The purpose of the Trade Hub activity is to promote and expand employment, trade, and investment opportunities both within the West Africa sub-region and international markets. This APS focuses specifically on advancing this purpose in Cabo Verde within the context of Covid-19.

Objectives

The Trade Hub’s primary objectives for its Covid-19 response in Cabo Verde are to:

• Ensure access to finance during the Covid-19 crisis
• Retain employment during the Covid-19 crisis
• Leverage the private-sector in the response to Covid-19

Funding Information

• Subject to the availability of funds, the Trade Hub plans to issue up to 5 awards under this APS. The total estimated amount of funding available is USD1,080,000. The total value of each award is estimated to range from USD100,000 to USD500,000. As the amount of an award is subject to negotiation, a final negotiated award amount may or may not fall within this range. Furthermore, the Trade Hub is not obligated to issue awards up to the amount of funds available.

Eligible Applicants

To be eligible for award under this opportunity, an applicant must demonstrate that it falls into one of the grantee categories below:

• Private Sector Companies – both local and international firms.
• Foreign Organizations (referred to as non-U.S. NGOs): either nonprofit or for-profit organizations that meet the definition in 2 CFR 200.47.
• Non-profit Organizations: Organizations that meet the definition of 2 CFR 200.70.
• For-Profit Organizations
• Government entities are not eligible to apply.

In addition, an applicant must be officially registered and working in compliance with all applicable civil and fiscal regulations, including but not limited to pertinent local laws and status. In lieu of official registration, an applicant may still be eligible for award if it shows proof of effort to secure registration, exemption from registration, or cause for why registration is not optional or practicable.

For more information, visit Request for Expressions of Interest.