South Africa Power to the People Design Services | 72067423RFA00008

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72067423RFA00008

The USAID/South Africa "South Africa Power to the People Design Services" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 72067423RFA00008) is a discretionary USAID funding call focused on securing specialized program design support for a new energy-related initiative called "Power to the People." The work is centered on helping USAID-Pretoria shape the program before full implementation by generating practical, on-the-ground evidence and stakeholder input that can guide what the program should do, how it should do it, and how it should respond to real political, economic, and community conditions in the places where activities may be carried out.

At the core of the requested support is a field-based political economy analysis aimed at the Independent Power Producer (IPP) Socio-Economic Development (SED) investment landscape. In practice, this means the selected organization would examine who holds influence and decision-making power, how relationships and incentives shape SED investments, and what formal and informal dynamics affect outcomes in specific project sites. USAID indicates this analysis is meant to strengthen understanding of underlying power structures and relationships so the agency and the IPP Office (IPPO) can better anticipate and manage challenges, identify opportunities that can be leveraged, and adapt to shifting political and economic realities or social conditions. The intent is not a one-time report that sits on a shelf; the political economy findings are expected to directly inform both the design and later implementation choices for current and future Power to the People activities.

Beyond the political economy component, USAID is also seeking community listening sessions to ensure the program design is grounded in local perspectives and lived experience, rather than being driven only by national-level assumptions or institutional viewpoints. Alongside this, the opportunity calls for a gender and youth analysis, signaling that the program design is expected to explicitly consider how energy access, energy-related investments, and related community benefits or burdens may affect different groups differently, particularly women and young people. Taken together, these inputs are meant to improve the program's relevance, equity, and feasibility by capturing how community priorities, barriers, and opportunities vary across groups and locations.

The opportunity also includes support for design workshops, which typically means facilitating or technically supporting structured sessions where USAID and key stakeholders translate research and listening findings into a coherent program approach. This often involves refining the program's theory of change, identifying workable activity options, clarifying roles and partnerships, and aligning the design with realistic constraints and risks identified through the political economy and social analyses. The overall package of services is therefore a mix of analytical work, participatory engagement, and hands-on design facilitation to help USAID finalize a strong program architecture.

Eligibility is restricted to South African Local Organizations, meaning only locally based South African entities are permitted to apply. The opportunity is listed under the Energy activity category and carries a CFDA/Assistance Listing reference of 98.001. The award ceiling is $625,000, and the original closing date was May 1, 2023. The funding instrument type is listed as "Other," which usually indicates a mechanism outside the most common grant or cooperative agreement labels, but still within USAID's assistance framework. Overall, this call is best understood as a targeted, time-bound design-phase award intended to produce actionable analysis and structured stakeholder input that USAID can use to build a responsive and politically informed Power to the People energy program in South Africa.

• The South Africa USAID-Pretoria in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "South Africa Power to the People Design Services" 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 2023-04-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-01. (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 $625,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 72067423RFA00008

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