Lars Volz

On 7/30/24, USAID will release the solicitation for the Integrated Health Services Delivery Accelerator (IHSDA) activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a transformative $750M - $999.99M opportunity. This 5-year initiative aims to enhance the health of Congolese women & children by improving operational capacity, service quality, equitable access, & community engagement in four provinces. CRG Client Opportunities & SME Advice: 1. Advanced Health Information Systems: Develop & implement innovative health information systems (HIS) for real-time data collection, analysis, & reporting to enhance decision-making processes at all levels.   - Differentiator: Improves transparency & accountability, enabling timely interventions & resource allocation, ultimately improving health outcomes. 2. Mobile Health (mHealth) Solutions: Integrate mHealth solutions to extend the reach of healthcare services, offering remote consultations, health education, & monitoring through mobile platforms.   - Differentiator: Increases accessibility & provide cost-effective healthcare delivery, especially in remote & underserved areas. 3. Innovative PPPs: Foster partnerships with private sector entities to co-develop & implement scalable health interventions, leveraging their expertise & resources.   - Differentiator: Brings innovation & sustainable financing, enhancing the impact & reach of health programs. 4. Community-Driven Health Initiatives: Catalyze community-driven health initiatives that empower local communities to identify & solve their health challenges, promoting ownership & sustainability.   - Differentiator: Ensures culturally relevant & sustainable health interventions, improving long-term health outcomes. 5. Capacity Building through E-Learning: Implement e-learning platforms for continuous professional development of healthcare workers, focusing on family planning, maternal & child health, & infectious disease management.   - Differentiator: Offers scalable & flexible training solutions, ensuring healthcare workers are well-equipped with the latest knowledge & skills. 6. Integrated Health Service Delivery Models: Develop integrated service delivery models that combine TB, malaria, maternal, & child health services to maximize resource utilization & patient care.   - Differentiator: Improves service efficiency & patient satisfaction, addressing multiple health needs in a single visit. CRG's expertise in health systems strengthening, innovative technology solutions, & community engagement ensures clients are well-positioned to secure & excel in the IHSDA initiative. Connect with CRG today for strategic positioning & increased chances of securing critical health projects. Visit http://crgroupinc.com or contact us at [email protected] for more information. #USAID #GlobalHealth #IHSDA #HealthSystems #CommunityHealth #mHealth #PPP #Healthcare #DRC #HealthEquity #MaternalHealth #ChildHealth #GEWE #Outreach

2

USAID's BHA will drop an RFP for the Uganda Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA), w/ a total est. value up to $99.99M. This 5-year cooperative agreement focuses on improving & sustaining food & nutrition security for vulnerable populations through resilience-building initiatives. CRG offers unparalleled expertise in supporting clients in designing & implementing integrated food & nutrition security solutions. Our innovative approaches & comprehensive support services ensure that clients can effectively address the multifaceted challenges of food insecurity & malnutrition. CRG Client Opportunities & SME Advice: 1. Integrated Food & Nutrition Security Programs: Develop & implement comprehensive food & nutrition security programs that address the root causes of malnutrition & food insecurity at all levels.   - Differentiator: Holistic programs ensure sustainable food & nutrition security, reducing dependency on emergency food aid & enhancing community resilience. 2. Climate-Smart Agriculture: Promote climate-smart agricultural practices that enhance food production while mitigating the impacts of climate change. Focus on drought-resistant crops & sustainable water management.   - Differentiator: Climate-smart agriculture increases food production resilience, ensuring food security despite environmental challenges. 3. Community Capacity Building: Implement robust capacity-building initiatives for local communities, including training in sustainable agriculture, nutrition education, & financial literacy.   - Differentiator: Empowered communities are better equipped to manage food security challenges & sustain project outcomes long-term. 4. Tech-Enhanced M&E: Utilize advanced technologies, such as remote sensing & mobile data collection, for real-time monitoring & evaluation of food security programs.   - Differentiator: Tech-driven M&E provides accurate, timely data, enhancing program effectiveness & accountability. 5. PPPs: Foster public-private partnerships to leverage additional resources & expertise, enhancing the scale & impact of food security activities.   - Differentiator: Partnerships with the private sector bring innovation & financial resources, ensuring the sustainability & scalability of initiatives. 6. Gender & Social Inclusion: Integrate gender & social inclusion strategies to ensure equitable access to food security resources & opportunities for all community members.   - Differentiator: Inclusive approaches promote social cohesion & ensure that the benefits of food security programs reach the most vulnerable populations. Do not miss your seat at the table—leverage CRG's expertise to win & manage critical RFSA projects. Visit http://crgroupinc.com or contact us at [email protected] for more information. #CRG #USAID #BHA #FoodSecurity #Nutrition #Resilience #HumanitarianAid #CommunityDevelopment #Agriculture #ClimateSmart #PPP #Uganda #FoodInsecurity #Malnutrition #CapacityBuilding #GEWE #FoodSupply

2

💻 85% of women worldwide have faced online harassment. Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence is a growing global phenomenon affecting women, particularly those in public life. Harassment and threats online often lead to offline harm, silencing women and limiting their participation in digital spaces. #DigitalSafety #GenderEquality

14

USAID  – During Q1, USAID intensified its procurement activities in anticipation of the upcoming US elections. There’s a perception that the agency has been slow in implementing its agenda under the Biden-Harris administration, leading to a rush to expedite procurements for the remainder of FY24 despite a shortage of contracting personnel. This has resulted in increased task orders and compressed timelines for awards. Notable developments include USAID launching a $100M CARICOM fund to bolster climate resilience  in the Caribbean. However, Congress’s FY24 budget deal reduced the International Affairs budget by 6%, with significant cuts in accounts like Global Health Security. Nevertheless, initiatives related to climate and trade received comparatively better funding. The Countering China Influence Fund saw a notable 23% increase. The agency is facing challenges in procurement planning due to budget cuts, including a likely reduction in hiring contracting staff. The FY25 Congressional Budget Justification seeks only a 1% increase to the International Affairs budget over FY23. Key awards in Q1 include contracts to Tetra Tech and Chemonics for various projects in Ukraine, NORC for a project in Uganda, and DAI for a project in Jordan. Deloitte and TetraTech expanded their capabilities through acquisitions, while DAI focused on strengthening its private capital teams. Abt Associates rebranded as Abt Global to strengthen connections across its entities. USAID is reconsidering the practice of naming key personnel for prospective awards well in advance, aligning with other parts of the U.S. Government. This shift places greater emphasis on bidders’ management approach and organizational structure, with a focus on post-award recruitment, including local hires. Additionally, USAID may have specific individuals in mind for certain programs, and the agency provides support for rapid talent searches and recruiting through the Project Team Support (PTS) mechanism. PTS has extensive experience supporting USAID and aid & development sector from C-Suite, Chiefs of Party, GHSC supply chain talent, and medical personnel. In February, USAID released the RFP for NextGen Global Health Supply Chain Procurement Service Agent (PSA), HIV/AIDS, with proposals due April 26th.

19

1 Comment

Since 2022, the USAID Uthabiti Activity has impacted over 26,000 people and supported over 3,500 people, including 2,190 refugees, in starting new livelihood activities, and helped over 1,000 micro and small enterprises to enhance their businesses.  Save the Children Uganda, in partnership with the Grameen Foundation, Swisscontact and Response Innovation Lab are implementing the Uthabiti Activity which is a humanitarian-development nexus program designed to build economic resilience in refugee and host communities in Uganda. Through market-led approaches, Uthabiti promotes inclusive economic growth by linking refugees and vulnerable populations to livelihood opportunities, financial services, and essential productive assets. By working closely with private sector partners and community groups, the initiative empowers women, youth, and marginalized communities to foster self-reliance and long-term economic sustainability. Read more about the Uthabiti Activity below from this release by the U.S. Ambassador William Popp. https://lnkd.in/d2mVM8rW

15

Aspiring to Senior Executive Service (#SES) Leadership in the Federal system? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗦𝗘𝗦) 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗼𝗽-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀. The SES bridges the gap between the political leadership and the civil service, ensuring the government runs efficiently and effectively. If you’re looking to join this elite corps, here are the key takeaways: 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗘𝗖𝗤𝘀): Leadership is evaluated across five areas – Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁: SES emphasizes broad, strategic leadership over technical skills. The goal? Lead initiatives that impact government-wide objectives. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗖𝗔𝗥 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: When sharing your accomplishments, use the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) framework to showcase your impact. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀: The selection process is based on competencies derived from research in both the public and private sectors. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁: The SES selection process is competitive, with evaluations conducted by panels and independent Qualifications Review Boards (QRB). To explore SES opportunities, head to USAJobs In the search bar: 1. Type “Senior Executive Service”, " Candidate Development Program", or “SES” in the keywords field. 2. Select “Senior Executives” under the Job Category filter. 3. You’ll find current SES vacancies across federal agencies and candidate development programs. If you’re aiming for SES, focus on building strong leadership capabilities and remember to quantify your results. #Leadership #ExecutiveDevelopment #SES #PublicService #CareerGrowth #FederalJobs #USAJobs https://lnkd.in/e_Erqge3

2

🌏 Join USAID Climate Adaptation Support Activity (CASA) and USAID Zambia and Kenya on Tuesday, August 27 for “Locally Led Adaptation: Learnings and Best Practices at USAID.” ✔️ Register here for the virtual event: https://hubs.la/Q02Ll5qG0 Despite living at the forefront of climate change and its impacts, local people often can’t access the resources needed to effectively implement needed solutions. USAID and its partners are working to advance locally led adaptation, in line with the Climate Strategy 2022-2030. This work involves:  🔹 USAID Climate Adaptation Support Activity (CASA)-developed guidance and tools to implement LLA, including a Primer and Guidance Note 🔹 USAID Kuza in Kenya working to create economic opportunities and build country-level capacity for resilience 🔹 USAID/Zambia implementing Local Climate Action Innovation Program Statement (APS) to engage local actors in adaptation #ClimateLinks #CASA #climate #ClimateChange #events #VirtualEvents #USAID 

20

1 Comment

USAID's Measuring Impact I & II helped biodiversity programs create a culture rooted in learning. Learn, Adapt, Repeat shares learnings from conservation practitioners, including local implementing partners, on applying adaptive management practices across the Program Cycle. An important takeaway: local community input is key to ensuring strategic frameworks contain an accurate depiction of local context. #EarthDay https://hubs.la/Q02t08lr0

24

1 Comment

Looking at the achievements from the DRC Integrated Health Program, I'm heartened to see parallels with the work we're championing at Abt Global. Much like the efforts highlighted in the DRC, Abt-led IHP program focus on improving health outcomes by harnessing local resources. This approach empowers communities and provide sustainability. For example, our advocacy partnerships with local health divisions echo the collaborative efforts in DRC to allocate more funding to healthcare from mining revenues. It's essential that these models not only provide immediate health services but also build the foundation for enduring health infrastructure. This is the change that truly transforms communities. #AbtGlobal #SustainableDevelopment #CommunityHealth

9

Through USAID, EDC and IDEA are thrilled to kickoff a new Activity on trauma-informed approaches in South Africa, in partnership with Centre for Mental Wellness and Leadership (CMWL) and Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR). On South Africa's National Day of Reconciliation, which focuses on "healing historical wounds and forging new futures," Nomfundo Mogapi, with CMWL, gave a powerful interview with Newzroom Afrika on the importance of trauma-informed work and addressing/healing the wounds of trauma. If you would like to learn more about this work and Activity, please reach out! #traumainformed #intergenerationaltrauma #mentalhealth #traumahealing #mentalhealthawareness #reconciliationday

11

Reproductive health program resilience and preparedness remain underfunded, under appreciated, and misunderstood. ALL RH programs need to evaluate their vulnerability to disruption, not just those working in fragile settings. And yet this work continues to fall into the gap between development and humanitarian programs. Kudos to those who continue to address this persistent challenge. Fabulous work FP2030, PROPEL Adapt, Alex Omari , and Ashley Wolfington! And ICYMI, check out PROPEL Adapt’s FP/RH Resilience Advocacy Toolkit launched in May, adaptable for different countries and contexts. Another great resource! https://lnkd.in/ezJNHutH MSI Reproductive Choices, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), USAID - Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, USAID

12

2 Comments

Elijah T.oirai, Conservation International Senior Director of IPLC Regional Engagement and NCS Partnerships for Africa, explains how the formal inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in the COP process helps ensure negotiations, critical decisions and funds benefit Indigenous Peoples and local communities. #COP29

79

*USAID*: Financial transactions using USAID funding to UNRWA are prohibited. USAID contractors and recipients cannot use USAID funds for subawards, subcontracts, or vendor agreements, at any tier, with UNRWA. *Human being*: Why does USAID prohibit support given to people under genocide?

4

🤝 At RTI International and Planet Partnerships we’ve found that effective public-private dialogue (PPD) is crucial for fostering impactful partnerships and driving sustainable development. But what makes PPD truly effective?   Our new Marketlinks blog explores four critical elements for successful PPD:   ✅ Be Curious: Strive for mutual understanding and foster a learning culture.   ✅ Demonstrate Value: Clearly communicate the mutual benefits of the dialogue.   ✅ Foster Relationships: Include diverse voices and support under-represented groups.   ✅ Plan for Transition: Ensure sustainability beyond donor support.   Learn how investing in these elements upfront can create a flywheel effect, building trust and interest. ⬇️   https://bit.ly/4awA9a4

31

Did you know that access to safe #sanitation remains a challenge for many communities in Liberia? Through the USAID-funded Countywide Sanitation Activity (CWSA), a consortium led by Population Services International, in partnership with Concern Worldwide, Gusceman Inc., and Athena Infonomics, is working to change this. We focus on creating #sustainable, community-driven solutions that improve access to sanitation services. By strengthening #governance and empowering local leaders, we're supporting a future where safe sanitation is within everyone's reach. Learn more about our efforts and the impact we're making: https://lnkd.in/gmsJg4_N Abraham Nyorkor Peter Wisdom Fayiah, Sr, CFE #TransformativeTuesday #CWSAinLiberia #WaSH #SanitationTransformation #CommunityPartnership #WASHLiberia #SanitationforAll #WaterforAll #SDG6 #ToiletsforAll #SafeToilets #InnovationForGood #DataForGood #DataForDevelopment #SocialImpact

13