Dec. 22, 2009
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) announced a request for proposals on Dec. 2, 2009 for nongovernmental organizations to apply to become its regional implementation team in the Caribbean Islands biodiversity hotspot. CEPF also invited questions about the request for proposals until Dec. 16, 2009, and provides both the questions and answers below to assist all potential applicants.
Questions & Answers
1. A separate Financial Questionnaire has been provided as an attachment, and the application kit provided by email also makes provision for submitting “supporting narrative” as a separate document. How should these be formatted &/or submitted as part of the total proposal package and response, to CI/CEPF?
There is no specific format for this “supporting narrative”. When completed, please e-mail these to cepfgrants@conservation.org
2. Regarding the two awards ($6.5M, $650,000) described in the RFP over the 5-year program. How, on what basis and over what frequency schedule will these awards each be disbursed to the selected RIT?
The $6.5 M is not a separate award. It is the entire investment allocation for the hotspot. All grant awards will come out of this total amount. The RIT grant for which $650,000 is proposed will be disbursed to the successful applicant quarterly on the basis of projected cash flow, following receipt and approval of quarterly financial reports. All CEPF grant funds are disbursed in this manner.
3. There is no indication that the “maximum funding available” ($650,000) for the grant has factored in the costs of working in and across the Caribbean, specifically airfares and accommodation. What provisions will the CEPF make for cost escalations over the 5 year period? Will there be an opportunity to negotiate such escalations with the CEPF on a minimum annual basis?
The total available funding for the RIT directly is $650,000 for all operational expenses of the RIT including travel. Cost escalations should be built into the proposal budget; there is no provision to receive additional funds over and above the $650,000.
4. For avoidance of any doubt, is it a certainty that these two awards can be used by the successful RIT as leverage for negotiating funding with other or the same CEPF donors? In respect of the latter, would there be any conflict?
Please be aware that the $6.5 M is the total allocation for the entire CEPF portfolio. The RIT will receive an award of $650,000 and an allocation of funds for small grants. All other remaining funds will be awarded as individual grants by CEPF over the five year grant-making program. The RIT may leverage additional funds in the region, including from other CEPF donors; this is not regarded as being a conflict.
5. It is not clear in the RFP whether, apart from during the application and proposal submission stage, the CEPF Grant Writer software will be the required software for use during the implementation stage of the program. Please confirm &/or clarify? In addition, if it is to be used throughout project implementation, would the software be web-based (CEPF or CI hosted) or as a locally installed facility? How will the costs of installation including the costs of staff training be covered?
The CEPF Grant Writer software will be used by the RIT and all large grant recipients during the implementation stage of the program, It is available in a web based format and it can be installed locally at no additional cost. CEPF staff provide RIT training and ongoing support for the software is performed out of the CEPF Secretariat.
6. From an evaluation of the RFP and CEPF Ecosystem profile, it is apparent that the selected RIT and the CEPF teams would need to meet as early as possible to agree on the following: harmonizing management and accounting and audit systems; M&E procedures, criteria, milestones and results; website linkages and use; defining communication and promotion strategies; agreeing on technical assistance outreach for grantees, among other grant administration items. How would these tasks be undertaken, and would the CEPF fund these initial start-up meetings?
After selection of the RIT the CEPF team will actively participate in the finalization of the RIT’s proposal including all of the issues listed here. If a pre-contract meeting is required, the CEPF will fund its own travel to the office of the RIT. Within 90 days of contracting of the RIT, CEPF staff will fund its travel to the RIT’s office for an extensive training and planning session.
7. Regarding the annual program and grant-making audits anticipated, who would pay for the costs of these?
The cost of the RIT grant audit should be included in the RIT grant proposal budget.
8. Regarding the CEPF Ecosystem profile: there are no maps provided for the BVI & USVI even though these countries have sites listed as “wholly irreplaceable”. Are maps available for these islands? If so, why are they not included in the Profile?
This oversight will be corrected and CEPF will make maps available for BVI and USVI in the final version of the profile.
9. Similarly the Cayman Islands also has a listed site categorized as “wholly irreplaceable”. What is the CEPF strategy for investing in other sites and islands not prioritized as “wholly irreplaceable” yet considered part of the Caribbean Hotspot?
The designation as wholly irreplaceable is just one of several criteria that CEPF used to identify site priorities for investment. The criteria and process employed to identify investment targets are presented on page 86. This process led to the identification of the 45 priority KBAs listed in tables 14 and 15, several of which are not wholly irreplaceable. Furthermore, CEPF’s adoption of six conservation corridors for investment goes beyond the wholly irreplaceable sites as well. Because the Cayman Islands are not eligible for CEPF funding, their wholly irreplaceable sites are not included in the CEPF investment strategy.
10. I've been looking over the CEPF Ecosystem profile and it seems highly unlikely that an application from us on Bonaire would be eligible never mind successful. However, I attended the SCSCB meeting in Antigua and there was mention of possible exceptions for "projects of strategic interest". I wonder if I can trouble you for your thoughts on whether we should even begin an application for a developing project like ours – briefly …
Thank you for your interest in CEPF's Regional Implementation Team for the Caribbean Islands Hotspot. We are only accepting applications at this time specifically for the Regional Implementation Team. Projects that fall outside of that may apply for implementation grants when the region announces a call for proposals. Please subscribe to the CEPF newsletter (http://cepf.net/news/e_news/Pages/default.aspx) to ensure that you receive notification of when the region will be open for other grants.
11. A Consortium of Consultants in Saint Lucia with the expertise and capacity to serve as the regional implementation team for the Caribbean Islands biodiversity hotspot project. We seek to find out whether Private Companies can apply to serve in this capacity.
The invitation to apply for the Regional Implementation Team is open only to nongovernmental organizations. Thank you for your interest and all the best in your conservation work.