USAID Development Innovation Accelerator Broad Agency Announcement for Fighting Ebola

This BAA seeks opportunities to co-create, co-design, co-invest, and collaborate in the development, testing, and scaling of practical and cost-effective innovations that can help healthcare workers on the front lines provide better care and stop the spread of Ebola. USAID invites organizations and companies to participate with USAID, in cooperation with its partners, in response to Fighting Ebola Challenge Addenda issued under this BAA, to provide innovations and technologies that further the U.S. Government’s commitment to addressing the Ebola epidemic.

Problem and Challenge Statements.  USAID and its partners see a clear and urgent need for innovative ideas around improving the delivery of care and stemming the spread of disease.

• Problem.  On the front lines of the Ebola epidemic, health care workers face many obstacles in providing the timely care to patients that is required to prevent the virus from spreading—from heat stress caused by the personal protective equipment (PPE) they wear, to lengthy infection control measures that leave no room for error, to communities reluctant to seek care.
• Challenge.  Develop new practical and cost-effective solutions to improve infection treatment and control that can be rapidly deployed (1) to help health care workers provide better care and (2) transform our ability to combat Ebola.

The award process under this BAA generally has the following steps:

1. Expression of Interest. Potential partners will submit an expression of interest in response to an Ebola Challenge Addendum. Expressions of Interest are generally short (2-7 pages) and contain information as outlined in the Ebola Challenge Addendum, such as the specific focus area, the expected impact, any partner and resource relationships, and proposed funding from USAID and/or other partners. USAID will perform an initial review of the research and development idea presented in the expression of interest. Note that the Government may reach out to potential partners and request an expression of interest.
2. Development of the Concept Paper. USAID will issue invitations to collaborate to the potential partner. Working together, USAID and the potential partner will collaborate on a Concept Paper. It is during this phase of co-creation and co-design that the parties will begin to determine additional partners and resources to complement the project.
3. Review by the Ebola Scientific Review Board. The Board is comprised of scientists, and Ebola and development experts from USAID, partners, and outside parties. Using its technical expertise, the Ebola Scientific Review Board will suggest revisions/additions to the project, and potential partners and resources.
4. Contracting/Agreement Officer Determination. The Contracting/Agreement officer will review the Ebola Scientific Review Board’s recommendations and consider other information, such as resource availability, preliminary partner responsibility assessment, and Agency priorities, and will make a determination that the respondent is an Apparently Successful Partner. The Contracting/Agreement Officer may also identify or narrow down the anticipated instrument type to facilitate project design.
5. Request for Additional Information. USAID will work with partners identified by the Board and co-design the project and assist the partner to provide additional information with respect to the proposer’s technical approach, capacity, management and organization, past performance, and budget, as well as representations and certifications, as needed.
6. Additional Partners/Resources. During the project co-creation and co-design, both the Apparently Successful Partner and USAID will identify additional partners and resources, and whether additional mechanisms are necessary to implement the project.
7. Final Review and Negotiation. The USAID Contract/ Agreement Officer will engage in final review, negotiation, and determinations of instrument type, responsibility, cost reasonableness, etc., and will craft an award instrument with the Apparently Successful Partner. If the Apparently Successful Applicant and USAID cannot arrive at a mutually agreeable arrangement, the Contract/ Agreement Officer will cancel the project at no cost to the Government.
8. Award. The USAID Contract/ Agreement Officer will award the instrument.

Deadlines:  Proposals submitted by November 7, 2014 will be reviewed first, followed by those submitted by December 1, 2014.

URL:  http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/15396/baa.pdf

Filed Under: Funding Opportunities