Opportunity Information: Apply for GRIP RFI
The Green Recovery Investment Platform (GRIP) is a USAID market research notice issued by the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) to gather feedback from organizations ahead of a potential future award. The notice is structured as a Sources Sought Notification and Request for Information (RFI), meaning USAID is not yet soliciting bids or full applications, but is instead trying to understand what capable partners exist in the market and how they might approach the work. While it is posted in a way that is visible to the grants community, USAID indicates the most likely primary funding instrument would be a procurement contract, with substantial subcontracting and potential grants under the contract as part of implementation. In practice, that means organizations could potentially engage as the prime contractor, as subcontractors, as grantees under a prime contract, or as resource partners whose work complements USAID support.
GRIP is framed around mobilizing finance in support of climate and environmental priorities that also reinforce broader development outcomes. The activity is intended to help drive climate change mitigation and adaptation, support the clean energy transition, and scale nature-based solutions. The underlying development rationale is resilience: USAID is looking for approaches that reduce vulnerability and strengthen the durability of results across the sectors where USAID operates. The opportunity is also explicitly tied to environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth, positioned as part of a broader COVID-19 recovery effort. In other words, the platform is meant to help direct and unlock capital toward green recovery pathways that create economic benefits while also advancing climate and environmental goals.
The purpose of the RFI is twofold. First, USAID is seeking information on the capacity of potential organizations to carry out the tasks and objectives described in the activity summary (referenced as being in an attached PDF). Second, USAID is requesting specific input in response to a set of questions that relate to the proposed technical approach, again outlined in the attachment. This is classic acquisition planning: the Agency uses the responses to shape how the eventual activity might be designed, what requirements are realistic, how risk can be managed, and what acquisition strategy (for example, the contract type, scope, and partnering structure) makes the most sense given the capabilities in the field.
Several important administrative points define what this notice is and is not. The RFI is issued strictly for information and planning purposes; respondents must cover their own costs to respond; USAID will not return submissions; and respondents should not expect notification of how their submission was reviewed. Critically, USAID emphasizes that RFI responses are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract under FAR 15.201(e). As a result, USAID is not requesting technical proposals or cost proposals at this stage, and it explicitly instructs organizations not to submit full proposals because they will not be reviewed and will be discarded.
From the listing details, the opportunity is categorized under Environment, with CFDA number 98.001. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any clarifications in the notice text. The anticipated scale is large: an award ceiling is listed at up to USD 250,000,000, with an expectation of a single award (Expected Awards: 1), consistent with a platform-style mechanism that then works through partners, subawards, and other deal structures to mobilize finance.
The notice was posted on September 8, 2021, with responses due by email on September 30, 2021 at 12:00 pm EDT. Submissions were to be sent to the designated USAID contact, Kelly Miskowski, at kmiskowski@usaid.gov.Apply for GRIP RFI
- The Agency for International Development in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Green Recovery Investment Platform (GRIP)" 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 Sep 08, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2021. (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 $250,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Green Recovery Investment Platform (GRIP) USAID Market Research Notice
1) What is the Green Recovery Investment Platform (GRIP)?
GRIP is a USAID market research notice issued by the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) to gather feedback from organizations ahead of a potential future award. It is intended to help mobilize finance to support climate and environmental priorities that also reinforce broader development outcomes, with an emphasis on resilience and green recovery.
2) Is GRIP an open funding opportunity or a request for full applications right now?
No. GRIP is structured as a Sources Sought Notification and Request for Information (RFI). USAID is not soliciting bids or full applications at this stage and is instead collecting information for planning and acquisition strategy purposes.
3) What is the purpose of the RFI for GRIP?
USAID states the RFI has two main purposes: (1) to gather information about the capacity of potential organizations to carry out the tasks and objectives described in the activity summary (referenced as being in an attached PDF), and (2) to collect specific input responding to USAID questions related to the proposed technical approach (also outlined in the attachment).
4) What does it mean that the notice is a "Sources Sought" and an "RFI"?
It means USAID is conducting market research to understand what capable partners exist and how they might approach the work. This information can be used to shape the eventual design of the activity, determine realistic requirements, manage risk, and inform acquisition strategy (such as contract type, scope, and partnering structure).
5) What funding instrument is USAID most likely to use for GRIP?
USAID indicates the most likely primary funding instrument would be a procurement contract. The notice also anticipates substantial subcontracting and potential grants under the contract as part of implementation.
6) If the primary instrument is a procurement contract, how could organizations participate?
Based on the notice, organizations could potentially engage in multiple ways: as the prime contractor, as subcontractors, as grantees under a prime contract (where the prime issues grants as part of implementation), or as resource partners whose work complements USAID support.
7) What is GRIP trying to achieve technically?
GRIP is framed around mobilizing finance in support of climate and environmental priorities that also reinforce broader development outcomes. The activity is intended to help drive climate change mitigation and adaptation, support the clean energy transition, and scale nature-based solutions. It is also positioned as supporting environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth as part of a broader COVID-19 recovery effort.
8) What is the underlying development rationale for GRIP?
The notice explains that the underlying rationale is resilience. USAID is looking for approaches that reduce vulnerability and strengthen the durability of results across the sectors where USAID operates.
9) What sector/category is this opportunity listed under?
The listing categorizes the opportunity under Environment.
10) What is the CFDA number associated with this notice?
The CFDA number listed is 98.001.
11) Who is eligible to respond to this notice?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any clarifications contained in the notice text.
12) What is the anticipated award size for GRIP?
The listing shows an award ceiling of up to USD 250,000,000.
13) How many awards does USAID expect to make?
The listing indicates an expectation of a single award (Expected Awards: 1), which is consistent with a platform-style mechanism that then works through partners, subawards, and other deal structures to mobilize finance.
14) Does this notice mean USAID is definitely issuing a future solicitation or award?
The notice is presented as market research for planning purposes ahead of a potential future award. Based on the information provided, it does not state that an award or solicitation is guaranteed.
15) Are RFI responses considered offers or proposals that USAID can accept?
No. USAID emphasizes that RFI responses are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract under FAR 15.201(e).
16) Should organizations submit technical proposals or cost proposals in response to this RFI?
No. USAID is not requesting technical proposals or cost proposals at this stage. The agency explicitly instructs organizations not to submit full proposals because they will not be reviewed and will be discarded.
17) Will USAID pay for the costs of preparing and submitting an RFI response?
No. Respondents must cover their own costs to respond.
18) Will USAID return submissions or provide feedback on how submissions were reviewed?
No. USAID states it will not return submissions, and respondents should not expect notification of how their submission was reviewed.
19) When was the GRIP market research notice posted?
The notice was posted on September 8, 2021.
20) What was the deadline to submit responses, and what time zone applied?
Responses were due by email on September 30, 2021 at 12:00 pm EDT.
21) How were responses supposed to be submitted?
Submissions were to be sent by email.
22) Who was the designated USAID contact for submissions?
The designated contact listed is Kelly Miskowski.
23) What email address was provided for submitting the response?
Responses were to be emailed to kmiskowski@usaid.gov.
24) What information was USAID specifically looking for in responses?
USAID sought information on organizational capacity to carry out the tasks and objectives in the activity summary, as well as direct input responding to USAID questions related to the proposed technical approach (both referenced as being in an attached PDF).
25) Why does USAID issue an RFI like this?
According to the notice description, the RFI supports acquisition planning by helping USAID shape how an eventual activity might be designed, assess what requirements are realistic, understand how risks can be managed, and determine an appropriate acquisition strategy.
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