Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)- Creating a network of standard fish retail outlets (Kiosks) for improved food safety in Mogadishu and Kismayo.

The Inclusive Resilience in Somalia (IRiS) program funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) seeks to accelerate economic development for marginalized groups in the target areas of Somalia by increasing individual, household, business, and community, and system-wide resilience through rural and urban livelihood diversification and promoting inclusive economic market systems to combat real perceived grievances that contribute to violent extremism and conflict.  

The project will pursue two main objectives:                 

1)     Strengthen and diversity in rural and urban livelihoods for marginalized groups; and   

2)     Promote economic agency of marginalized groups.   

 Implemented by a consortium partners Mercy Corps (MC), Save the Children (SC), Somali Agriculture Technical Group (SATG), and Itad and led by DT Global, an international development contractor, IRiS is seeking applications from companies and cooperatives involved in fish retail businesses that are legally registered in Somalia for grant applications to support IRiS’s activity of creating a network of standard fish retail outlets (kiosks) for improved food safety in Mogadishu and Kismayo. The purpose of this NOFO is to solicit applications from fishing companies and fishing cooperatives interested in improving their fish retail practices through a new business model. The new model is to establish a network of standard hygienic fish retail outlets across Mogadishu and Kismayo, ensuring better quality fish products and fostering increased consumption among the local population. The estimated budget to set up one shop: is $5,000, and the total estimated grant for all grantees for this NOFO is up to $100,000 for 20 shops *$5,000 = $100,000. Cooperatives or companies must apply for at least three branches.

The grant(s) will be awarded and implemented in accordance with U.S. government regulations governing grants and the Project’s internal grant management policies.  The successful applicant(s) will be responsible for ensuring achievement of specified grant objectives, deliverables, and outputs/ results.

Please refer to Section 1 – Description of the Funding Opportunity for a complete statement of goals and expected results.

This NOFO consists of the following sections:

• Section 1 – Description of the Funding Opportunity

• Section 2 – Application Questions and pre-application conference

• Section 3 – Application Format and Submission Information

• Section 4 – Evaluation of Applications

• Section 5 – Award Information and Administration

• Section 6 – Annexes   

Program Description:

This activity targets cooperatives and companies engaged in fresh and cooked fish retail. Cooperatives (including FAO cooperatives in Kismayo) and local private companies involved in fishing, fish export, or fish processing and interested in entering fish retail or expanding their branches to different districts of Mogadishu and Kismayo are eligible to apply. However, cooperatives and companies applying for this grant must apply for three or more existing or new locations. The cooperatives and companies are allowed to develop their branding, but all the branches run by each respective cooperative/company should be the same in branding to keep uniformity between their branches. The space of the sales outlet should also match the minimum standard set by the project.

The activity intends to support the project in establishing standard hygienic fish retail outlets through private companies or cooperatives to improve domestic consumption through improving hygiene, accessibility, affordability, and post-harvest loss. This grant aims to support the establishment of a standard last-mile fresh and fried fish sales outlets where domestic consumers can access fresh fish throughout the day and year—addressing the challenge of lack of cold chain, hygiene, accessibility, price volatility, and seasonality. In doing so, IRiS will subsidize the establishment of 20 standard fish retail outlets, promotional activities, quality certification, and youth training engaged in fish filleting, cooking, and marketing. are expected to serve an average of 300 customers daily and create 40 permanent and 120 temporary employment opportunities across all kiosks/ grantees.

Grant Activity Objective:

The objective of this activity is to strengthen connectivity between private sector companies/cooperatives and urban fish retailers while simultaneously diversifying the fish retail channels within the domestic market. Through a reduction in post-harvest losses, increased household incomes, and increased fish availability in urban areas, target households will be able to better meet their consumption needs despite shocks (drought and price volatility).

This intervention aims to enhance domestic fish consumption, minimize post-harvest losses, generate employment opportunities, and boost the income of women and youth who will be receiving wage employment from standardized fish outlets in Mogadishu.

 Grant activity Outputs and outcome:

·       20 standard retail outlets established and operationalized, across grantees.

·       Up to six (6) companies/cooperatives were onboarded to set up standard retail kiosks.

·       At least 40 new FTE jobs (sales agents, cleaners) and 120 temporary jobs (for instance, painters, transport service providers, marketing)

·       USD 50,000 private sector investment leveraged.

·       At least 20 marketing events/campaigns undertaken, one per kiosk.

·       Improved domestic consumption.

·       Reduced post-harvest loss and improved hygiene and sanitation.

·       Improved sales and income for the targeted retail outlets.

 Anticipated key tasks and activities:

The successful applicants undertake the following tasks and activities:

1.     Rent or build fish retail spaces in an appropriate and strategic location within Mogadishu or Kismayo.

2.     Renovate the kiosk with standard branding provided by IRiS or approved during the selection process.

3.     Equip the retail kiosk with standard utensils (such as chopping board, cold chain, overcoat, gloves, filleting kits)

4.     Certify the retail shop business at company/ cooperative level from the local administration where the kiosk will be operational or from the Federal level and obtain tax clearance.

5.     Undertake a marketing campaign to attract customers from these new locations.

6.     Recruit and train sales agents running the sales outlet on hygienic management practices, filleting, fish-based cuisine making, and marketing skills.

7.     Set standards for financial record keeping e.g. digital record keeping.

8.     Make customer segmentation and start supplying varying fish products to different clients (for example, supermarkets and households).

9.     Provide regular reports and information to IRiS.

 Eligible Organizations:

·       Only cooperatives and companies engaged in fresh and cooked fish retail are eligible to apply.  Eligible applicants shall be able to comply with and achieve the proposed outputs, outcomes, and results and have a satisfactory performance record and record of integrity and business ethics. These applicants must have the ability to operate a in Somalia.

·       Applicants must have registration issued by the applicable state where your kiosk will be operational or federal government authority and a valid Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC) - (attach a copy of the Applicant’s valid registration and TCC. Cooperatives / companies without valid registration and TCC will be disqualified at the initial review stage and will not have their proposal evaluated.

·       Applicants must demonstrate that the organization has the human resources and capacity to manage and implement the proposed project.

·       Co-investment of 40% of the cost of setting up and working capital for running the fish retail outlet.

·       Must have been operational for at least six months.

·       Must be willing to work in Mogadishu and Kismayo.

·       Not be identified in the System for Award Management (SAM) as ineligible to receive U.S. government funds. 

·       Not appear on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons List maintained by the U.S. Treasury for the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or “OFAC List.” 

·       Not listed in the United Nations Security designation list. 

·       Be willing to sign and submit required certifications before awarding the grant.

·       All selected grantees are required to obtain a unique entity identifier (UEI) number before an award is made. UEI numbers may be obtained online at SAM.gov | Home.

·       Applicants must display sound management in the form of financial, administrative, and technical policies and procedures and present a system of internal controls that safeguard assets; protect against fraud, waste, and abuse; and support the achievement of program goals and objectives. IRiS will assess this capability prior to awarding a grant. Any falsification of proposal information may result in rejection/cancellation of the award.

·        Submit business plan for opening new and / or renovating existing fish retail outlets.

Grant mechanism, size and period of performance:

Subject to the availability of funds, the IRiS Program intends to provide approximately $5,000 per kiosk, and a minimum of three kiosks ($5,000 x 3) per grantee totaling $15,000, up to a maximum ceiling of $100,000 USD over a 12-month period. The award amount per grantee depends on the number of grantees selected for this intervention and the number of branches they are applying for. IRiS anticipates awarding Fixed Amount Award (FAA) grants to successful applicants. Under the FAA all payments will be a fixed sum payable upon completion of milestones, which will be defined in detail during grant agreement negotiations.  

The applications must be received no later than May 1st, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EAT. Applicants must submit applications electronically to the Grants Management Unit (GMU), via email at [email protected]. Late applications will not be considered.  Applicants must meet the requirements of eligibility for this NOFO, those who do not will be disqualified.

Application Questions and pre-application conference 

To be deemed complete, all applicants must submit all materials listed in the Applicant Checklist, found in Annex C of the NOFO. Materials should be submitted in one submission prior to the application deadline. 

IRiS will engage virtually in public discussions to answer questions from potential applicants and to provide an overview of the overall grant process from application to award. The virtual pre-conference is scheduled on April 17th, 2024, from 9:00-10 a.m. EAT.

Therefore, if an applicant is interested in attending such a session, they should send their intention to participate and questions that they would like addressed in writing to: [email protected] not later than April 15th, 2024, 11:59 p.m. EAT.

The IRiS activity and DT Global reserve the right to not respond to or post questions that are duplicates of other questions or questions that are deemed not relevant.

If you are interested in applying, please download the application templates below.