Opportunity Information: Apply for AID RFI 263 18 00001
This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by USAID/Egypt (USAID-Cairo) related to a planned "Centers of Excellence Activity." It is not a funding solicitation or an award announcement by itself. Instead, it is a market research step the agency uses to collect input from potential partners and stakeholders before deciding whether, and how, to launch a future competitive funding opportunity. The RFI is tied to the education sector and is intended to inform USAID/Egypt's thinking about possible approaches, implementation options, and the types of organizations that might be capable of carrying out the work.
The central purpose described in the notice is to gather information that will help USAID/Egypt explore options for providing technical assistance and support to Egyptian public universities. In practical terms, this suggests USAID is considering an activity that would strengthen university capacity through advisory services, institutional support, and potentially programmatic enhancements associated with "Centers of Excellence." While the short summary provided does not list specific technical focus areas, Centers of Excellence programs commonly involve improving academic quality, research capacity, governance and management systems, industry and labor-market linkages, curriculum modernization, faculty development, quality assurance, and applied research or innovation platforms. The RFI signals that USAID wants feedback to shape the scope and design of such assistance, as well as to understand what types of entities are interested in and able to compete for a future award.
Several basic administrative details are included. The opportunity title is "Request for Information (RFI) for the Centers of Excellence Activity" and the funding opportunity number is AID RFI 263 18 00001. The agency is USAID/Egypt, based in Cairo. The opportunity category is listed as "Other," and the funding instrument type referenced is a Cooperative Agreement, which is a form of U.S. federal assistance where the agency expects to have substantial involvement during performance (for example, through collaboration on work planning, approvals, or technical direction). However, because this is only an RFI, these elements should be read as indicative of how a later opportunity might be structured rather than as final award terms.
The assistance area is categorized under Education, with CFDA number 98.001 (a broad USAID foreign assistance listing). Eligibility is shown as "Others," which is a broad label and typically means the agency is open to receiving input (and potentially later applications) from a wide variety of organization types rather than restricting participation to a narrow category. The notice does not specify an award ceiling or the number of expected awards, reinforcing that USAID had not yet defined the budget scale or award strategy at the time of issuing the RFI.
Key dates show the RFI was created on 2017-10-26 and had an original closing date of 2017-11-17. Interested parties would have been expected to review the full RFI document (referenced as "see RFI") for the specific questions USAID posed and for the required format and submission instructions. In general, responses to RFIs often include information about organizational capabilities, relevant past performance, technical approaches or models that could work in-country, partnerships and local engagement strategies, anticipated risks and constraints, rough cost considerations, and recommendations for how USAID could structure a future program for maximum impact and sustainability.
Overall, the notice signals USAID/Egypt's intent to consult the field before moving forward with a potential technical assistance program supporting Egyptian public universities through Centers of Excellence. The practical takeaway is that the agency was testing interest and gathering design input, with the possibility that a later formal solicitation could follow, likely using a cooperative agreement mechanism, but with details to be determined based on what USAID learned through the RFI process.Apply for AID RFI 263 18 00001
- The Egypt USAID-Cairo in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information (RFI) for the Centers of Excellence 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 2017-10-26.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-11-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this opportunity?
This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by USAID/Egypt (USAID-Cairo) for a planned "Centers of Excellence Activity." An RFI is a market research and information-gathering step. It is not a funding solicitation and it is not an award announcement.
2) Is this an application for funding?
No. Based on the notice, this is not a formal funding opportunity where you submit an application for an award. It is a request for input that may inform a future competitive funding opportunity.
3) What is USAID/Egypt trying to learn from the RFI?
The purpose described is to collect information to help USAID/Egypt explore options for providing technical assistance and support to Egyptian public universities, and to understand possible approaches, implementation options, and what types of organizations may be capable of carrying out the work if a future solicitation is issued.
4) What program or activity is this RFI related to?
The RFI is related to a planned "Centers of Excellence Activity" in the education sector, focused on support to Egyptian public universities.
5) What types of support is USAID considering under a Centers of Excellence Activity?
The short summary indicates technical assistance and support to public universities. While specific technical focus areas are not listed in the summary, it notes that Centers of Excellence programs commonly involve areas such as academic quality improvements, research capacity, governance and management systems, industry and labor-market linkages, curriculum modernization, faculty development, quality assurance, and applied research or innovation platforms.
6) Who is the issuing agency?
The issuing agency is USAID/Egypt (USAID-Cairo), based in Cairo.
7) What is the official title of the notice?
The opportunity title provided is "Request for Information (RFI) for the Centers of Excellence Activity."
8) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number listed is AID RFI 263 18 00001.
9) What is the opportunity category?
The opportunity category is listed as "Other."
10) What funding instrument is mentioned, and does it apply now?
The notice references a Cooperative Agreement as the funding instrument type. However, because this is an RFI (not a solicitation), this should be treated as indicative of how a later opportunity might be structured rather than final award terms.
11) What does it mean that a Cooperative Agreement is referenced?
In general, a Cooperative Agreement is a form of U.S. federal assistance where the agency expects substantial involvement during performance (for example, collaboration on work planning, approvals, or technical direction). The notice indicates this is a likely mechanism if a future opportunity is launched, but it is not confirmed in the RFI summary.
12) What is the assistance area and CFDA number?
The assistance area is categorized under Education. The CFDA number listed is 98.001 (a broad USAID foreign assistance listing).
13) Who is eligible to respond?
Eligibility is shown as "Others." The summary explains this is a broad label and typically suggests the agency is open to receiving input (and potentially later applications) from a wide variety of organization types rather than restricting participation to a narrow category.
14) Is there an award ceiling or an expected number of awards?
No. The notice does not specify an award ceiling or the number of expected awards, which reinforces that the budget scale and award strategy were not defined at the time of the RFI.
15) What are the key dates for this RFI?
The RFI was created on 2017-10-26 and had an original closing date of 2017-11-17.
16) Where are the detailed questions and submission instructions?
The summary indicates that interested parties were expected to consult the full RFI document ("see RFI") for the specific questions USAID posed, along with required format and submission instructions.
17) What kinds of information are typically included in an RFI response (based on the notice summary)?
The summary notes that responses to RFIs often include information such as organizational capabilities, relevant past performance, technical approaches or models that could work in-country, partnerships and local engagement strategies, anticipated risks and constraints, rough cost considerations, and recommendations on how USAID could structure a future program for maximum impact and sustainability.
18) Does responding to the RFI guarantee a future award?
No. The notice describes the RFI as a market research step used to collect input before deciding whether, and how, to launch a future competitive funding opportunity.
19) Will there be a future competitive opportunity?
The notice suggests the possibility that a later formal solicitation could follow, but it does not confirm that one will be issued. Details would be determined based on what USAID learned through the RFI process.
20) What is the main takeaway from this notice?
USAID/Egypt is consulting the field to shape the scope and design of a potential technical assistance activity supporting Egyptian public universities through Centers of Excellence, and is assessing interest and capacity among potential partners.
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