About LASER The United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) U.S. Global Development Lab seeks a five year cooperative agreement with a Higher Education Institution (HEI) to establish and leverage a strong international network to help solve pressing development challenges through research. The resulting Long-term Assistance and Services for Research (LASER) network will work in partnership with USAID to engage academics and stakeholders in identifying and refining critical development research questions. LASER will fund research projects that address those questions so that the entire research system - from universities to policy-makers and civil society - can engage, educate, and contribute to the success of the research projects towards achieving development impacts. Additionally, LASER will increase the human and institutional capacity of higher education institutions in low and middle-income countries to become global leaders in research. The resulting LASER network will not only generate new knowledge for USAID, but also initiate long term, sustainable collaborations between U.S. and developing country institutions that are characterized by equitable university partnerships. Through LASER, USAID strives to engage with global university partners, leading to a connected global research network focused on development challenges, and stakeholders that are better equipped to use research to further their country’s development. Eligibility Only HEIs are eligible to serve as the lead implementer, however consortium applications that include other organizations (eg, NGOs, private sector) are welcome as long as the lead applicant is an HEI. USAID specifically seeks to support a university whose operations includes the creation, engagement, and/or growth of a large, international network of university researchers, centers, and institutes across disciplines that can 1) independently identify and address new and impactful research questions with high relevance to the international development community, 2) partner with USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices to address unique research needs identified by USAID, and 3) provide opportunities to work with and build up individual and institutional capacity of HEIs and their communities in low and middle-income countries.
This Cooperative Agreement aims to support the discovery and uptake of universitysourced, evidence-based solutions to development challenges. The Period of Performance will be 5 years, subject to performance and availability of funds. The anticipated budget includes a ceiling of $70,000,000 (estimated up to $14,000,000 per year). Under that ceiling, and subject to the availability of funds, core funds from LAB/CDR are anticipated to be $10,000,000- $20,000,000 over five (5) years ($2,000,000 - $4,000,000 per year) with any additional funds beyond that coming from other Centers within the Lab as well as other USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices (M/B/IOs) based on their programmatic needs. Of the expected $2-4M in annual core funds, USAID estimates that approximately 30-40% of the yearly core funding will be dedicated to support recipient-directed identification of crucial development research questions and subsequent design, solicitation, and execution of research activities. USAID anticipates that the remainder of the core funds will cover operating, management, and implementation costs of the LASER Award, including the management and support of a broad international network of researchers and HEIs available to identify and respond to key research questions.
HEI applicants (organizational and/or proposed project director) are restricted to submitting one concept note as the lead applicant. If more than one application is received with the same lead HEI or has the same proposed project director, none of the applications submitted will be evaluated for consideration of award as they will be deemed non-compliant with the conditions of this RFA. HEI’s can serve as sub-awardees or consortium members on multiple applications, however.
Required for the downselect:
Cover page (not to exceed 1 page): Must include the following information (not included in 2 page limit):
a. Title of Proposed Program;
b. Institution Name and address of Prime HEI;
c. Lead point of contact & alternate point of contact for questions pertaining to the application (contact name, telephone number, and email information);
d. Other Organizations: Name and Country Location for any partners considered as Consortia Partners or official Subawardees to the Application.
2. Program Concept Note (not to exceed 2 pages): Please summarize the proposed technical approach and highlight how that approach will achieve the goals, purposes, and characteristics described in this RFA. Please pay particular attention to: a. How the applicant proposes to engage, partner with, and/or build the capacity of researchers or institutions in LMIC’s to participate in research problem identification, funding, and translation; and b. How the relevant strengths of the Prime and any partner institutions, including institutional resources, relationships, and past experience, will contribute to accomplishing the goals of this RFA.
3. Concept Note Budget Summary (not to exceed 1 page, not included in 5 page limit): Budget summary detailing major anticipated program expenses and stating the total funding requested from USAID as well as the total funding anticipated to be secured by the applicant from its own or other sources (state sources, amounts and type of additional support for the proposed program. Budget is to be in US dollars).