Opportunity Information: Apply for 7200AA18RFA00007
USAID's Seed Systems Support Activity (S3A) is a competitive government grant opportunity focused on strengthening how seed sectors function in partner countries so farmers can reliably access a wider range of quality seed choices. The core idea is that when national seed systems work well, farmers have more options in what to plant, can respond better to market signals and climate variability, and can plan production with more confidence. The activity is designed to support countries that are part of Feed the Future as well as countries where USAID runs resilience and emergency seed security programs, meaning it is intended to be relevant both in long-term agricultural development settings and in contexts where shocks and crises disrupt seed availability.
USAID expects to make a single award under this notice, using a Cooperative Agreement. The award will be structured as a Leader with Associates (LWA) mechanism, which generally means there is a central "Leader" award that can be complemented by future "Associate" awards aligned to specific countries or needs. This structure signals that USAID is looking for an organization that can operate as a technical and management hub, provide consistent leadership, and deploy support across multiple contexts over time as additional country-level or program-specific activities come online.
The opportunity is open to essentially any type of applicant (unrestricted eligibility), as long as the applicant can demonstrate strong seed-system expertise and the organizational capacity to manage a broad suite of seed-related support services. USAID is explicitly looking for applicants that bring both technical depth and practical delivery ability, including innovative tools, approaches, information resources, and methods that can help develop and roll out critical support services for the seed sector. In practical terms, this points to work that could span topics like strengthening formal and informal seed channels, improving the availability and adoption of improved varieties, supporting quality assurance and certification approaches, enhancing market linkages, and building the enabling environment that lets private and public actors provide seed efficiently and sustainably. The emphasis on "a full range of seed choices and options" also suggests attention to farmers' differing needs across crops, agroecological zones, and risk conditions, rather than a one-size-fits-all seed distribution model.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in the agriculture category, listed under CFDA 98.001. The funding opportunity number is 7200AA18RFA00007 and the title is "Seed Systems Support Activity." The total potential funding is up to an award ceiling of $20,790,000, and USAID anticipates making one award.
The timeline in the notice indicates the opportunity was created on February 7, 2018. Questions were due by February 22, 2018 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time), and applications were due by April 23, 2018 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. A notable submission detail is that applications were required to be submitted electronically by email rather than through Grants.gov. Submissions were directed to named USAID contacts: Kimberly Tran (ktran@usaid.gov) and Paul Burford (Pburford@usaid.gov). This email-only submission requirement is important because it differs from many federal opportunities that route applications through centralized online portals, and it indicates that applicants needed to follow USAID's specific instructions for formatting, packaging, and emailing application materials.
Overall, S3A is aimed at improving the performance of national seed sectors so that farmers have dependable, diverse, and timely access to seed, and so that countries can better withstand and recover from disruptions that threaten seed security. USAID is seeking one strong implementing partner capable of both high-level coordination and hands-on deployment of seed-system support services, with a clear preference for organizations that can combine proven operational management with innovative technical approaches.Apply for 7200AA18RFA00007
- The Agency for International Development in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Seed Systems Support Activity" 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 Feb 07, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 23, 2018 Questions Closing Date 400 PM ET (Washington, D.C. Time) February 22, 2018 Application Closing Date 1000 AM ET (Washington, D.C. Time) April 23, 2018 Applications must be submitted electronically to Kimberly Tran via email at ktran@usaid.gov and Paul Burford at Pburford@usaid.gov. Applications must not be submitted through grants.gov.. (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 $20,790,000.00 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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