Ukrainian American organizations encouraged to apply for funds (05/17/98)

Ukrainian American organizations encouraged to apply for funds

KYIV - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will issue a request for proposals (RFP) for a public education program in Ukraine. Competition for this contract is limited to Ukrainian American organizations. "Ukrainian American organizations" are defined for this purpose as U.S. organizations run by individuals of Ukrainian descent that have the purpose of fostering ties and improving relations with, and, in general, developing or assisting Ukraine in its transition to a democratic and economically sustainable country. Additional information concerning eligibility may be included in the solicitation.

A three-year, cost-reimbursement contract is planned, including any options. The contract will be a follow-on to the current USAID Ukrainian Market Reform Education Program (UMREP). The goals of the program remain the same: to promote awareness and support among Ukrainian citizens for economic/market reforms that can help affect the transition from a command to a free market economy and thereby foster a secure, transparent and enabling foreign and domestic business environment. It is anticipated the public education campaign will continue to support a number of economic/market reform issues such as:

1. the Ukrainian government's overall economic reform program, including new tax legislation, deregulation and business development;

2. post-privatization initiatives, including enterprise restructuring and corporate governance;

3. social sector restructuring, including privatization of housing;

4. agricultural reform, including market restructuring and land titling;

5. integration of women into the economy.

The organization selected for the award will also assist and advise various Ukrainian counterparts, USAID and/or USAID contractors on effective information campaigns in a variety of economic and social reform areas and on the most effective information channels; it will identify and facilitate access to local design and production firms, train media and public relations staff, and provide technical assistance in other areas as will be detailed in the solicitation.

The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the Internet or by request of a solicitation on a 3.5 floppy disk (WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 format). The Commerce Business Daily pre-solicitation notice can be viewed and downloaded using the USAID website. [http://www.usaid.gov. From the home page, select business and procurement opportunities/procurements/CBD notices]. The RFP, once issued, can be downloaded from the USAID website. [http://www.info.usaid.gov. From the home page, select business and procurement opportunities/USAID procurements/download available USAID solicitations].

Receipt of this RFP via the Internet must be confirmed by written notification to the contact person, Cathy Mallay, at e-mail: cmallay@usaid.gov. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this solicitation document to ensure that it has been received from the Internet in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

Any interested party requesting a hard copy or diskette of the solicitation must submit a written reqeust (fax or e-mail is acceptable) to the contracting officer (Ms. Mallay) and must make arragements with the contracting officer to get the solicitation; USAID/Kyiv will not bear the cost for this purpose of courier service or other special pick-up or delivery services.

The Commerce Business Daily (CBD) notice was released May 6. The full public education RFP will be posted on the USAID website after May 21. The contact person for this RFP is Catherine A. Mallay, Contracting Officer, USAID/Kyiv, who may be reached at: fax, 44-462-58-34; telephone, 44-462-56-78; e-mail, cmallay@usaid.gov.