Nonpartisan Domestic Observation of the 2020 Parliamentary Elections in the Kyrgyz Republic | 72011519RFA00010

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72011519RFA00010

The USAID funding opportunity titled "Nonpartisan Domestic Observation of the 2020 Parliamentary Elections in the Kyrgyz Republic" (Funding Opportunity Number 72011519RFA00010) is a request for applications to support a civic engagement program focused on strengthening public participation and accountability around Kyrgyzstan's 2020 parliamentary elections. Administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development through USAID-Almaty (Kazakhstan), the opportunity is built around the idea that elections work best when citizens understand the process, feel empowered to take part, and have access to credible, nonpartisan information about how the election is run and whether it meets legal and procedural standards. The overall goal is to increase citizen involvement in, and a sense of responsibility for, the broader governance process, using election-related engagement as the entry point.

The program is designed around three connected components that reinforce one another. First, it supports voter education efforts aimed at informing voters and the general public about how the election process works and what the roles and responsibilities of voters are. This typically includes clear, accessible public information on voting procedures and timelines, why participation matters, and what citizens can expect from election authorities, while remaining strictly nonpartisan. Second, it funds domestic election observation, including both long-term and short-term observation. Long-term observation generally looks at the pre-election environment, such as campaign conditions, media space, administrative preparation, and potential systemic issues, while short-term observation focuses more on election-day activities like polling station procedures, vote counting, and tabulation. Third, it includes monitoring of electoral administration and legislation, meaning the activity should track how election bodies administer the election and how the legal framework is applied in practice, identifying issues that affect transparency, fairness, and public confidence.

From a funding and award structure standpoint, this is issued as a cooperative agreement, which usually means USAID expects a higher level of engagement during implementation compared with a standard grant, including collaboration on plans, deliverables, and coordination. The opportunity is categorized as "Other" for both the opportunity category and funding activity category, indicating it does not fit neatly into a single standard program label and that applicants would need to rely on the full notice for precise definitions and expectations. USAID anticipated making one award with an award ceiling of $1,200,000, suggesting a single lead implementer would likely be responsible for integrating the three components into one coherent nationwide effort or a strategically targeted set of activities.

Key administrative details include a posting/creation date of September 16, 2019, and an original closing date of November 1, 2019. The CFDA listing is 98.001, and the eligibility field is broadly labeled "Others," which commonly signals that eligibility may extend beyond a narrow category of applicants but is governed by additional eligibility language in the full announcement. In practical terms, the opportunity is meant to resource an organization (or a consortium led by one organization) capable of delivering credible, nonpartisan voter education, deploying and managing observation missions across the electoral cycle, and producing monitoring and analysis related to election administration and the legal framework, all aimed at bolstering citizen trust and participation in democratic processes in the Kyrgyz Republic.

• The Agency for International Development, Kazakhstan USAID-Almaty in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nonpartisan Domestic Observation of the 2020 Parliamentary Elections in the Kyrgyz Republic" 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 16, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 01, 2019. (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 $1,200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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