Guidance

Africa Prosperity Fund: call for bids

This call for bids is now closed.

Documents

Africa Prosperity Fund: Strategy

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Guidance for potential implementers

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Standard grant contract

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Project full bid form

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Activity based budget

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Details

Africa Directorate has received additional funding for financial year 2015 to 2016 to support projects with a specific economic/prosperity focus and is seeking to fund approximately four multi-country/regional projects in sub-Saharan Africa, each with a value ranging between £120 K to £150 K. Each project should be eligible for Official Development Assistance.

We are pleased to announce the call for full bids for the Africa Prosperity Fund for financial year 2015 to 2016 – full project proposals are now invited.

How to apply

  • Detailed guidance on how to apply is contained below in the Guidance for Potential Implementers. Please read this document carefully.
  • Please also familiarise yourself at an early stage with the standard grant contract.
  • Bidding templates are provided below. The deadline for submitting full project bids, along with activity based budgets, is 15 July 2015.
  • We would expect each project to be in the region of £120-£150 K, with a range of activities covering the targeted sectors, as outlined below, across the region/countries selected. This reflects the strategic nature of the Africa Prosperity Fund and the need for high impact;
  • Projects should be planned so that they are implemented and completed by March 2016.

How Proposals are assessed and evaluated:

Bids will be assessed and evaluated against the following criteria:

  • Value for money
  • Strategic fit
  • Evidence of local demand or need
  • Project viability, including capacity of implementing organisation(s)
  • Project design, including clear achievable impact
  • Sustainability
  • Risk and stakeholder management
  • Feasibility to deliver the project in 8 months
  • Potential to partner with private sector
  • Potential to open up space for UK companies to compete and operate in sector that have previously been challenging
  • The increased market value to UK companies of an enhanced business environment

Deadline for full bids (with accompanying activity based budgets) is 15 July 2015.

  • Projects will have the overarching objective of improving the business environment.

  • We are seeking bids with multi-country/regional activities.

  • The activities carried out in each of the target countries must have a sectoral focus in one or more of the following sectors:

    • Agriculture/Agri-business

    • Extractives/Energy

    • Infrastructure

    • Education/Skills

  • Projects may look at one sector across countries it covers, or a different sector depending on the circumstances of each country.

  • Activities in each country will need to demonstrate alignment and complementarity with existing HMG programming by DFID or UKTI.

  • All project proposals will need to explain clearly how the project will deliver measurable benefit to the UK.

Bidding Timeline

The bidding timeline is as follows:

  • June 2015: bidding round opens
  • 15 July 2015: bidding round closes
  • w/b 27 July 2015: appraisal of full project proposals complete. Results issued to implementers

All bids should be submitted to Africa Directorate at the following e-mail address: sa.projects@fco.gov.uk

Implementers should direct any questions or queries to: sa.projects@fco.gov.uk

Key Documents

Full Proposal Documents

Published 22 June 2015