Opportunity Information: Apply for 72051421RFI00004
USAID/Colombia issued this notice as a Request for Information (RFI) tied to a draft concept paper for a future activity tentatively called Sustainable Economic and Territorial Transformation (SETT). The core idea behind SETT is to promote legal (licit) and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in a specific, targeted geography in Colombia, with the broader aim of supporting equitable growth, local development, and implementation of peace-related priorities in areas previously affected by conflict. The activity is framed around helping territories transition toward stable, inclusive economies by encouraging investment and strengthening rural and regional economic development pathways that reduce incentives for illicit activity and help consolidate peace.
What USAID is asking for at this stage is not project proposals or applications, but feedback on the draft concept and the overall design direction. The RFI is meant to test whether the proposed approach is sound and realistic, and to gather practical suggestions and innovative ideas from organizations that work in economic development, agriculture, rural development, private sector engagement, and community-based programming in conflict-affected contexts. USAID notes that an additional attachment provides guiding questions to help respondents structure their input, but respondents do not need to answer every question. In other words, the government is using this as a market and stakeholder sounding process to improve the concept before deciding whether, and how, to launch a formal funding opportunity later.
A key point in the notice is that the RFI is strictly informational. It is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and it should not be interpreted as a commitment that the U.S. Government will issue a solicitation, make an award, or reimburse any costs incurred in preparing a response. USAID also emphasizes process fairness: responding to the RFI does not provide any competitive advantage in a future procurement, and it will not create an organizational conflict of interest. Responses are to be treated as confidential, and organizations should not expect individualized replies to their suggestions.
On the administrative side, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number 72051421RFI00004 and is categorized as discretionary, with the funding instrument type labeled as “Other” and the activity category as Agriculture (CFDA 98.001). Eligibility is described as “unrestricted,” meaning any type of entity may respond, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice. While the RFI itself is not an award, the listing includes planning figures that signal the potential scale USAID is considering for the eventual activity: an estimated award ceiling of up to $50,000,000 and an expectation of one award, if the agency proceeds.
For submissions, USAID set basic formatting and length limits to streamline review: responses should be no more than five pages, in 11-point font, and may be submitted in English or Spanish. The original closing date listed is October 8, 2021. Responses were to be emailed to the USAID/Colombia acquisition and assistance contacts: Paula Cubillos (pcubillos@usaid.gov) and Alba Lucia Roncancio (aroncancio@usaid.gov). Overall, the notice is best understood as USAID/Colombia inviting informed stakeholders to help shape a major, place-based economic development and territorial transformation initiative before any formal solicitation is released.Apply for 72051421RFI00004
- The Agency for International Development, Colombia USAID-Bogota in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustainable Economic Territorial Transformation (SETT)" 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 Sep 22, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 08, 2021. (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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this USAID/Colombia notice about?
This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) from USAID/Colombia. It asks organizations and stakeholders to provide feedback on a draft concept paper for a potential future activity tentatively called Sustainable Economic and Territorial Transformation (SETT).
2) Is this an open funding opportunity I can apply to right now?
No. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). USAID is not requesting applications or project proposals at this stage. It is only requesting information and feedback to improve the draft concept and design direction.
3) What is the tentative name of the future activity?
The future activity is tentatively called Sustainable Economic and Territorial Transformation (SETT).
4) What is the core purpose of the SETT concept?
The concept focuses on promoting legal (licit) and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in a specific, targeted geography in Colombia. The broader intent is to support equitable growth, local development, and peace-related priorities in areas previously affected by conflict.
5) What kinds of outcomes is the concept trying to support in the targeted territories?
Based on the notice, the activity is framed around helping territories transition toward stable, inclusive economies by encouraging investment and strengthening rural and regional economic development pathways that reduce incentives for illicit activity and help consolidate peace.
6) What exactly does USAID want from respondents under this RFI?
USAID is asking for practical feedback on whether the proposed approach is sound and realistic, along with suggestions and innovative ideas to strengthen the concept and overall design direction.
7) Who is USAID hoping will respond to this RFI?
USAID is looking for input from organizations with relevant experience, including those working in economic development, agriculture, rural development, private sector engagement, and community-based programming in conflict-affected contexts.
8) Do respondents have to answer every guiding question provided by USAID?
No. The notice indicates there is an additional attachment with guiding questions to help structure responses, but respondents do not need to answer every question.
9) Why is USAID issuing an RFI instead of a solicitation?
The RFI is being used as a market and stakeholder sounding process to test and improve the concept before USAID decides whether, and how, to launch a formal funding opportunity later.
10) Does responding to this RFI guarantee that USAID will issue a future solicitation or make an award?
No. USAID explicitly states this RFI is strictly informational and should not be interpreted as a commitment that the U.S. Government will issue a solicitation, make an award, or take any particular action.
11) Will USAID reimburse costs associated with preparing an RFI response?
No. The notice states that the U.S. Government will not reimburse any costs incurred in preparing a response to this RFI.
12) Does submitting an RFI response provide a competitive advantage later?
No. USAID emphasizes fairness in its process and states that responding to the RFI does not provide any competitive advantage in a future procurement.
13) Will responding to the RFI create an organizational conflict of interest for future opportunities?
No. USAID states that responding to the RFI will not create an organizational conflict of interest.
14) Will my organization receive an individualized reply from USAID?
Organizations should not expect individualized replies to their suggestions, as stated in the notice.
15) How will USAID treat the information submitted in responses?
The notice states that responses are to be treated as confidential.
16) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this RFI?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 72051421RFI00004.
17) How is this opportunity categorized in the listing?
It is categorized as discretionary. The funding instrument type is labeled as "Other," and the activity category is Agriculture (CFDA 98.001).
18) Who is eligible to respond to this RFI?
Eligibility is described as "unrestricted," meaning any type of entity may respond, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice.
19) Is there an estimated budget or scale mentioned for the potential future activity?
While the RFI itself is not an award, the listing includes planning figures indicating an estimated award ceiling of up to $50,000,000 and an expectation of one award if USAID proceeds.
20) How many awards is USAID expecting if it moves forward later?
The notice indicates an expectation of one award, if the agency proceeds with a future opportunity.
21) What are the formatting and length requirements for RFI submissions?
Responses should be no more than five pages, use 11-point font, and may be submitted in English or Spanish.
22) What languages are accepted for responses?
Responses may be submitted in English or Spanish.
23) How should responses be submitted?
Responses were to be submitted by email to the USAID/Colombia acquisition and assistance contacts listed in the notice.
24) Which email addresses were provided for submitting responses?
Responses were to be emailed to Paula Cubillos at pcubillos@usaid.gov and Alba Lucia Roncancio at aroncancio@usaid.gov.
25) What was the closing date listed for this RFI?
The original closing date listed in the notice is October 8, 2021.
26) What geographic focus does the SETT concept target?
The notice describes the focus as a specific, targeted geography in Colombia, with emphasis on territories previously affected by conflict.
27) What does "licit" mean in the context of this concept?
In this notice, "licit" refers to legal economic opportunities (as opposed to illicit activity).
28) What is the main takeaway for organizations reading this notice?
This notice is best understood as an invitation for informed stakeholders to help shape a major, place-based economic development and territorial transformation initiative before any formal solicitation is released.
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