Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 615 17 000004
The FTF Crops and Dairy Market Systems Development Activity is a USAID/Kenya pre-funding notice for a planned competitive opportunity focused on strengthening agricultural market systems in Kenya, with an emphasis on crops and dairy. This announcement is informational only: USAID is not requesting applications yet, will not respond to questions until the full Request for Applications (RFA) is released, and is not committing to issue a solicitation or make an award. Any future award depends on internal USAID approvals and the availability of funds. Unsolicited submissions will not be considered; organizations will only be able to apply once the RFA is formally posted.
USAID anticipates awarding one five-year cooperative agreement to a single organization or a consortium, as long as there is one legal entity serving as the primary lead. The overall development purpose is to sustainably reduce hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in Kenya by advancing three linked outcomes: inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led growth, stronger resilience among people and systems, and improved nutrition leading to a well-nourished population. The activity is framed as a market systems development effort, meaning it is designed to improve how markets function (including incentives, relationships, services, and policies) so benefits can continue after donor support ends.
Geographically, the initial priority scope covers 22 counties, with 16 counties in western Kenya and 6 counties in eastern Kenya. USAID notes some flexibility to expand or shift to additional areas if evidence shows strong market opportunities. The targeted areas are described as having high levels of poverty and malnutrition, vulnerability to shocks, and in some cases risks related to conflict or violent extremism. At the same time, these areas are seen as having potential to address those challenges through more inclusive agricultural market development that brings in marginalized groups and improves local economic prospects.
Program design is organized around seven priority areas. First, the activity aims to build competitive, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural market systems, which typically includes improving value chain performance, strengthening private-sector participation, and ensuring smallholders can profitably engage. Second, it prioritizes more diverse agricultural production and higher productivity, pointing to improved farming practices, better inputs, and approaches that broaden what is produced beyond a narrow set of staples. Third, it includes shaping a stronger policy environment for agricultural market systems development, which can involve addressing regulatory barriers, improving standards, or supporting reforms that enable trade, investment, and fair competition. Fourth, it explicitly targets the integration of youth and women into agricultural market systems, signaling a focus on access to opportunities, services, finance, skills, and decision-making for groups that are often excluded. Fifth, it emphasizes collaborative action and learning for market systems change, suggesting coordination among stakeholders and adaptive learning to refine interventions based on what works. Sixth, it focuses on resilience to economic, social, and climatic shocks, which commonly includes risk management, climate-smart approaches, and strengthening systems that help households and markets absorb and recover from disruptions. Seventh, it seeks to improve access to and consumption of diverse, safe, and nutritious foods, linking agricultural market outcomes to nutrition and food safety results rather than production alone.
In terms of funding details provided in the notice, the opportunity is associated with USAID (Agency for International Development), Kenya USAID-Nairobi, under CFDA 98.001, with an anticipated single award. The listed funding opportunity number is RFA 615 17 000004. The announcement includes an award ceiling of USD 50,000,000. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full RFA.
For administrative readiness, the notice highlights standard U.S. government registration requirements. Prospective applicants are expected to have a Dun and Bradstreet number (DUNS) and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application, and to keep SAM registration active and up to date throughout the period when an application is under consideration and during any resulting award. USAID also notes it cannot make an award until these requirements are satisfied.
Finally, USAID invites comments on the draft program description and provides points of contact for submitting those comments: Charity Igweta (cigweta@usaid.gov) and Caroline Bertolin Hillas (cbertolin@usaid.gov). The notice also references an attached Draft Program Description as the place to find full details, while reinforcing that the formal application process will only begin once the full RFA is issued.Apply for RFA 615 17 000004
- The Agency for International Development, Kenya USAID-Nairobi in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FTF CROPS AND DAIRY MARKET SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY" 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 May 31, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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FAQs: FTF Crops and Dairy Market Systems Development Activity (USAID/Kenya) - Pre-Funding Notice
1) What is the FTF Crops and Dairy Market Systems Development Activity?
It is a USAID/Kenya pre-funding notice describing a planned competitive opportunity focused on strengthening agricultural market systems in Kenya, with an emphasis on crops and dairy. The notice is informational and is meant to share a draft program direction before a formal Request for Applications (RFA) is released.
2) Is USAID accepting applications right now?
No. USAID is not requesting applications at this stage. Organizations will only be able to apply once the full RFA is formally posted.
3) Can we submit an unsolicited proposal or concept note now?
No. The notice states that unsolicited submissions will not be considered. The formal application process will start only after the RFA is issued.
4) Will USAID answer questions about this opportunity now?
No. USAID indicates it will not respond to questions until the full RFA is released.
5) Does this notice guarantee that USAID will release an RFA or make an award?
No. USAID is not committing to issue a solicitation or make an award. Any future award depends on internal USAID approvals and the availability of funds.
6) What type of award does USAID anticipate for this activity?
USAID anticipates awarding one five-year cooperative agreement.
7) How many awards does USAID expect to make?
The notice anticipates a single award.
8) Can a consortium apply?
Yes. USAID anticipates making an award to a single organization or a consortium, as long as there is one legal entity serving as the primary lead.
9) What is the development purpose of the activity?
The overall development purpose is to sustainably reduce hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in Kenya by advancing three linked outcomes: (1) inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led growth, (2) stronger resilience among people and systems, and (3) improved nutrition leading to a well-nourished population.
10) What does "market systems development" mean in this notice?
The activity is framed as a market systems development effort, meaning it is designed to improve how markets function (including incentives, relationships, services, and policies) so that benefits can continue after donor support ends.
11) Which geographic areas are included?
The initial priority scope covers 22 counties: 16 counties in western Kenya and 6 counties in eastern Kenya.
12) Can the activity expand beyond the initial counties?
Yes. USAID notes flexibility to expand or shift to additional areas if evidence shows strong market opportunities.
13) Why were these target areas selected?
The targeted areas are described as having high levels of poverty and malnutrition, vulnerability to shocks, and in some cases risks related to conflict or violent extremism. They are also seen as having potential for more inclusive agricultural market development that brings in marginalized groups and improves local economic prospects.
14) What are the main program priority areas?
The program design is organized around seven priority areas:
- Building competitive, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural market systems
- Promoting more diverse agricultural production and higher productivity
- Shaping a stronger policy environment for agricultural market systems development
- Integrating youth and women into agricultural market systems
- Supporting collaborative action and learning for market systems change
- Strengthening resilience to economic, social, and climatic shocks
- Improving access to and consumption of diverse, safe, and nutritious foods
15) What kinds of changes might be included under "competitive, inclusive, and sustainable market systems"?
The notice describes this as typically including improving value chain performance, strengthening private-sector participation, and ensuring smallholders can profitably engage.
16) What does the notice emphasize under agricultural diversification and productivity?
It points to improved farming practices, better inputs, and approaches that broaden what is produced beyond a narrow set of staples.
17) What does "policy environment" work refer to in this activity?
The notice indicates it can involve addressing regulatory barriers, improving standards, or supporting reforms that enable trade, investment, and fair competition.
18) How are youth and women expected to be included?
The activity explicitly targets integration of youth and women into agricultural market systems, signaling a focus on access to opportunities, services, finance, skills, and decision-making for groups that are often excluded.
19) What does "collaborative action and learning" mean here?
It suggests coordination among stakeholders and adaptive learning to refine interventions based on what works.
20) How does the activity address resilience?
The notice highlights resilience to economic, social, and climatic shocks, commonly including risk management, climate-smart approaches, and strengthening systems that help households and markets absorb and recover from disruptions.
21) How does the activity connect agriculture to nutrition?
It seeks to improve access to and consumption of diverse, safe, and nutritious foods, linking agricultural market outcomes to nutrition and food safety results rather than focusing on production alone.
22) What is the funding opportunity number and who is the issuing office?
The listed funding opportunity number is RFA 615 17 000004. The agency is USAID (Agency for International Development), and the office referenced is Kenya USAID-Nairobi.
23) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The notice associates the opportunity with CFDA 98.001.
24) What is the award ceiling?
The announcement includes an award ceiling of USD 50,000,000.
25) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full RFA.
26) What registrations are expected before applying?
Prospective applicants are expected to have a Dun and Bradstreet number (DUNS) and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application.
27) Do we need to keep SAM active after registration?
Yes. The notice states SAM registration must be kept active and up to date throughout the period when an application is under consideration and during any resulting award.
28) Can USAID make an award if an applicant is not registered in SAM or lacks a DUNS number?
No. USAID notes it cannot make an award until these requirements are satisfied.
29) Can we provide feedback on the draft program description?
Yes. USAID invites comments on the draft program description.
30) Who should comments be sent to?
Comments can be submitted to the points of contact listed in the notice: Charity Igweta (cigweta@usaid.gov) and Caroline Bertolin Hillas (cbertolin@usaid.gov).
31) Where can we find the most complete details right now?
The notice references an attached Draft Program Description as the place to find full details, while emphasizing that the formal application process will begin only once the full RFA is issued.
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