[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3920-3921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1921]


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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY

Agency for International Development


Environmental Partnership Program in Central and Eastern Europe 
(CEE) and the New Independent States (NIS) of the Former Soviet Union

ACTION: Availability of applications.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks 
applications from qualified U.S. organizations or consortia of 
organizations for award of a three to five-year Cooperative Agreement 
in support of a program to promote market-oriented solutions to 
environmental problems facing local governments and industries in 
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the New Independent States (NIS) 
of the former Soviet Union. The successful applicant will coordinate a 
partnership grants program that will facilitate linkages among 
organizations within the CEE and the NIS and between U.S. entities and 
partners within the region, and promote CEE/NIS business opportunities 
for U.S. firms in the environmental sector. USAID seeks an organization 
with demonstrated capability to identify opportunities for partnering, 
as well as the capacity to nurture and facilitate such partnerships. 
Applicants must be prepared to contribute non-USAID resources toward 
meeting the overall cost of the program; all partnership grants within 
the program will also be made on a cost-sharing basis. This competitive 
RFA will be awarded as a component of a new initiative, entitled 
``Environmental Partnership Program (EPP),'' which is a result of a 
year-long series of discussions on appropriate transition strategies 
for environmentally sound economic improvements by the U.S. in CEE/NIS. 
The goal of the overall EPP is to forge relationships with new 
partners, particularly private partners, to expand and accelerate 
environmental trade, investment and policy reform in this region. In 
addition to market-oriented solutions to environmental problems facing 
localities and industry in these countries, the purpose of the EPP is 
to stimulate sustainable environmental trade and investment linkages 
between the U.S. and the ENI region. It will complement, and be 
supported by, existing and future USAID programs to meet the continued 
need for strengthening environmental policies and regulatory frameworks 
within CEE/NIS nations. In some cases, it is expected, within the 
context of the overall EPP, limited technical assistance will be 
provided to ensure that policies exist and are implemented to support 
the investments stimulated by the program's primary work. USAID 
anticipates that the Program will serve as a catalyst across the region 
to increase public/private participation in environmentally sound 
economic development by: (1) Stimulating dialogue between these sectors 
and action on policies that encourage private participation in 
environmental projects; and (2) assisting ENI-based environmental 
decision-makers in accessing information on environmental technologies, 
approaches and services or locating partners who can help them solve 
priority environmental problems that are predominantly transboundary or 
regional in nature (air and water pollution, climate-change mitigation, 
solid and toxic waste cleanup, etc.). The RFA will fully describe the 
competitive application process, as well as the overall EPP and the 
Program Description for the proposed cooperative agreement. The RFA 
will outline what information is to be submitted for review by USAID. 
As stated above, the successful applicant will be expected to 
contribute to the proposed Program's cost in cash and/or in kind, in 
order to demonstrate commitment to the principles of the EPP and 
maximize its potential impact. The Agreement will be incrementally 
funded by USAID, subject to availability of funds.

DATES: The RFA will be available o/a January 12, 1998.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Electronic Access: The preferred method of distribution of USAID 
procurement information is via the Internet or by request of a 
solicitation of a 3.5'' floppy disk (WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 format). The 
RFA, once issued, may be downloaded from the Agency Website at: http//
www.info.usaid.gov. From this homepage, select ``Business and 
Procurement Opportunities,'' then ``USAID Procurements,'' then 
``Download Available USAID Solicitations.'' Receipt of this RFA through 
the Internet must be confirmed by written notification to the contact 
person listed above. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this 
RFA to ensure that it has been received

[[Page 3921]]

from the Internet in its entirety as USAID bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from the transmission on conversion processes.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Smialek, fax (202) 216-3396; 
[email protected].

    Dated: January 15, 1998.
Judith D. Johnson,
Division Chief, M/OP/ENI
[FR Doc. 98-1921 Filed 1-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116-01-M