The Market Systems and Partnerships Activity (MSP) is looking for private sector partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to coinvest in agricultural, financial or renewable energy sectors on behalf of the USAID/DRC Mission.

Through the Partnership Facility in DRC, MSP seeks to channel business resources, expertise, technology and influence to contribute to one or more of the following objectives:

• Pilot innovative solutions that can help businesses to overcome the most problematic market constraints currently inhibiting agricultural-led growth.
• Increase and improve linkages, wherever possible, between companies and the following groups — smallholder farmers, especially female farmers; micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs); producer organizations; traders; aggregators; transporters; sellers; and/or consumers along underdeveloped value chains — to benefit the poor as producers and consumers and to strengthen supply chains.
• Strengthen DRC’s economic competitiveness and social inclusiveness.
• Improve DRC’s climate change resilience and risk management capacity.

Partners will be selected following a competitive application process, for which the request for applications can be found here. Priority will be given to applications that demonstrate positive impact for women and youth.

MSP will issue two-year grant agreements and require a 1:1 match (or 50%). This means that we are looking for partners who are willing to invest close to $250,000 over the course of two years, and we (USAID through DAI/MSP) will additionally invest $250,000, making the total project amount around $500,000 at a minimum.

Applications due by: October 10, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (GMT-4); 9:00 p.m. West African Standard Time (GMT+1).

Applicant’s conference (virtual): September 5, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. West African Standard Time (GMT+1). To register, click here.

Questions regarding this opportunity are accepted on a rolling basis between August 12, 2022, and September 30, 2022. Questions should be submitted to [email protected] before 11:59 p.m. West African Standard Time (GMT+1) on September 30, 2022. Answers will be posted weekly, every Tuesday from August 12, 2022, to September 30, 2022, on the opportunity page.

Contacts

Submit questions to: [email protected].

Issuance of this announcement does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of DAI, nor does it commit DAI to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of applications. Further, DAI reserves the right to reject or approve any or all submitted applications. The MSP Activity is advancing learning and good practice in market systems development and private sector engagement within USAID, USAID partners and market actors. For more information, access to technical resources and opportunities to engage, visit www.agrilinks.org/msp.