Broad Agency Announcement for Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa | BAA AFR SD 2019

Opportunity Information: Apply for BAA AFR SD 2019

The "Broad Agency Announcement for Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa" (Funding Opportunity Number: BAA AFR SD 2019) is a USAID notice that sets up an umbrella framework for potential future funding tied to science, technology, and other research and development activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than being a traditional open grant competition, the announcement functions as a standing mechanism USAID can use to release topic-specific solicitations over time. Its core purpose is to signal that USAID may fund innovative applied research aimed at tackling development challenges across the region, especially work that can lead to practical, sustainable outcomes.

A key point is that the BAA itself is not requesting submissions, ideas, or outreach from interested organizations. Instead, USAID plans to issue periodic addenda under this BAA. Those addenda are where actual opportunities would appear, including the specific problem statements USAID wants addressed and the type of effort it is looking for. The announcement indicates that addenda may focus on areas such as sustainable solutions, scalability and scale-up opportunities, feasibility studies, and other research and development initiatives connected to clearly defined development challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. In practice, this means that any real call for concept papers, expressions of interest, or full proposals would come later through an addendum, not through the baseline BAA notice.

Each addendum, when released, can include its own instructions and rules. That can cover evaluation criteria, administrative requirements, required submission formats (for example, whether USAID wants an expression of interest first or a concept paper), and deadlines. While the general BAA terms would apply across the board, the addendum would control the specifics of that particular funding opportunity, including what USAID is prioritizing and how responses will be assessed. Any funding or partnering arrangements would also be announced through those addenda rather than through the initial BAA posting.

From an applicant standpoint, eligibility is listed as "Unrestricted," meaning there is no blanket limitation stated in the announcement on who may ultimately be able to compete, although any future addendum could still impose narrower eligibility or partnership conditions depending on the topic and program design. The opportunity is issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and is categorized as discretionary funding, with the activity category identified as science and technology and other research and development. The CFDA number associated with the announcement is 98.001. The funding instrument type is labeled "Other," which is common for BAAs that can support a range of award arrangements depending on the addendum and the nature of the work.

Timing and availability are especially important here. The notice states there are no open addenda at present and provides no additional information on when or whether future addenda will be issued. Although an original closing date of 2019-12-31 appears in the record, the practical takeaway from the description is that there is nothing currently open to apply to unless and until USAID releases a specific addendum under the BAA. In other words, the BAA is best understood as a standing announcement that establishes a pathway for future, targeted research solicitations related to sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa, rather than an active solicitation accepting applications right now.

• The Agency for International Development in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Broad Agency Announcement for Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa" 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 2019-02-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-12-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

Apply for BAA AFR SD 2019

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