REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA)

SECTION 1: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION          

1.1 Purpose and Background

Winrock International (Winrock) is a non-profit organization that works around the world to increase economic opportunity, sustain natural resources, and protect the environment. The USDA-funded Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN) project is a five-year, $16 million project implemented by Winrock. Winrock implements RAIN in 11 provinces in Thailand and supports smallholder farmers and many other agricultural actors in Thailand’s public and private sectors. RAIN identifies emerging climate smart innovations (CSi), promotes CSi to farmers, and ensures sustainability by facilitating market access to CSi in 6 agriculture value chains. To facilitate market access to CSi, RAIN is developing business models for 30 CSi to scale to a total of 30,000 farmers. 

The Agriculture Drone Program, as part of RAIN, aims to enhance agricultural practices through the integration of drone technology. This program seeks to address key challenges in the agriculture sector, including labor shortages, health risks, and inefficiencies in resource usage. By leveraging drone technology, the program promotes sustainability and resilience in farming communities, ultimately enhancing productivity and fostering a market-driven system for Climate-Smart Innovation (CSi) in rice, cassava, durian, longan, coconut, and mangosteen farming.

1.2 Objective and Program Description

Main Objectives:

The Agriculture Drone Program is designed to foster market-driven innovation by creating an ecosystem that encourages the adoption of drone services, such as drone seeding, drone spraying, and other drone functions. To accelerate agriculture drone technology adoption, the Agriculture Drone Program seeks to expand the number of qualified, trained, professional, and skilled Drone Service Providers. RAIN seeks to engage and support drone companies to expand the number of Drone Service Providers, making drone services accessible and affordable for farmers.

The Agriculture Drone Programs is divided into two stages:

• Stage 1: Pilot potential business models
• Stage 2: Scale proven business models

This Request for Application is focused on Stage 1 (Pilot). RAIN seeks to identify successful business models that can later be expanded to more farmers in more regions under Stage 2 (Scale). Stage 1 (Pilot) will generate data and recommendations to inform the business models and drone companies that will be offered an opportunity to participate in Stage 2 (Scale). Applications in Stage 1 (Pilot) should focus on proving effective business models that can later be extented to a larger number of farmers adopting services in Stage 2 (Scale). RAIN is focused on rice, cassava, durian, longan, coconut, and mangosteen. RAIN is seeking effective business models with inclusion of at least one of these crops.

Tasks:

RAIN is seeking drone companies with creative and cost-effective methods for identifying, developing, and supporting Drone Service Providers. RAIN is seeking sustainable business models by which drone companies and Drone Service Providers can continue to provide drone services beyond support from RAIN. RAIN seeks to support the business plans of drone companies not to create one-time initiatives that end after support RAIN ends.

Drone companies will submit an application a clear business model, proposed activities, required budget, intended number of Drone Service Providers to be developed, and – ultimately – the number of farmers who will pay for services from Drone Service Providers.

Drone companies who submit an application that is accepted by RAIN will then implement their activities in three phases.

Phase 1: Engagement and Development of Drone Service Providers.

1. Identify, screen, and select Drone Service Providers.
2. Conduct capacity building of Drone Service Providers.
3. Link Drone Service Providers to potential paying customers (farmers).

Deliverable: List of Qualified Drone Service Providers

Phase 2: Monitor Performance of Drone Service Providers

1. Assess the technical and financial performance of Drone Service Providers.
2. Collect customer (farmer) information and feedback.
3. Collect data on usage and sales of drone services.

Deliverable: Report on Drone Service Provider performance, customer feedback, and sales data.

Phase 3: Generate Learnings and Recommendations

1. Conduct debrief interviews with Drone Service Providers.
2. Provide lessons learned through the activities of Stage 1 (Pilot).
3. Provide recommendations to adjust or strengthen the business model for Stage 2 (Scale).

Deliverable: List of lessons learned and recommendations.

SECTION 2: GRANT INFORMATION

2.1 Anticipated Start Date and Duration of Grant

The anticipated period of performance is September 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025.

SECTION 3: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

3.1 Eligible Applican

To be minimally eligible for funding, applicants must comply with the following conditions:

• Be legally registered in Thailand
• Agree to be subject to a pre-award assessment to examine that the applicant has sound management in the form of financial, administrative, and technical policies and procedures.
• Provide a documentable, measurable minimum cost-share requirement, if applicable.
• Provide a Unique Entity ID (UEI) at the time of award. If the applicant already has a UEI number, it should be included in their application. Otherwise, applicants will be expected to get a UEI number before an award is issued. UEI numbers can be obtained online at https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei. 

SECTION 4: INSTRUCTION TO APPLICANT AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

4.1 Technical Application

Interested applicants must submit a technical application to carry out the activities and the objectives of the activity. Submissions must clearly state the objectives and the expected results of the activity within the life of the funding period and define an implementation plan with a proposed timeframe and budget. On-going monitoring and reporting of the funded activities will be the responsibility of the applicant.  The interested applicant must fill out the Application Form template as provided in Attachment B to this RFA.

4.2 Cost Application

Cost applications shall be submitted separately from the technical application. Please submit a summary and detailed budget in Microsoft Excel as detailed on Attachment C with budget notes identifying how the applicant would allocate any grant funds received during the term of the potential agreement. The budget narrative as detailed should explain and justify the need for the costs proposed in the budget. The narrative should help the reviewer understand why an item of cost is necessary and how it will be used to support the activity for which it will be incurred. The budget narrative should demonstrate the relationship between the proposed activities and the budget. Just as the technical application should reflect the applicant’s understanding of the objectives and the proposed approach to achieve those objectives, the budget and the accompanying narrative should be realistic and show a similar understanding of the financial requirements of the proposed activities.

4.3 Submission Guidelines

A complete submission, at a minimum, will include the following:

• A copy of the applicant’s valid legal registration (company registration certificate)
• A completed and signed Grant Application Form with a clear business model, proposed activities, intended number of Drone Service Providers to be developed, and the number of farmers who will pay for services from Drone Service Providers.

• CVs for project personnel (if necessary)
• A completed and signed budget application
• Budget supporting documents, including the budget narrative, as applicable.

Merit Review

All applications are reviewed according to the merit review criteria listed below.

• Technical: Technical knowledge and experience on implementing activities
• Organizational Activity: Extent of applicant’s capacity to address management capability and skills and experience of proposed staff
• Cost effectiveness of the proposed budget

4.4  Basic Award Information

Winrock expects to award multiple grants under this RFA but reserves the right to award fewer or none based on the quality of applications received and availability of funding. It is expected that an individual grant amount will not exceed THB 150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand Thai Baht). The final amount awarded will depend on award activities and final negotiations.

4.4.1 Instructions to Applicants

Applicants must propose strategies and activities that are in line with the program description provided above. Proposed strategies and activities should also reflect their organizational strengths and capabilities. Instructions and a template for the grant application, budget and implementation plans are attached in Annex B and C. Applicants that submit grant applications that meet or exceed the evaluation criteria will be notified of next steps in the application process.

4.4.2 Grant Application

Templates to be utilized when developing the grant application are provided in Annex B and C Applicants shall present their technical application, budget and implementation plans in the formats provided and shall follow the instructions and guidelines listed in these annexes. All grant activity costs must be within the normal operating practices of the Applicant and in accordance with its written policies and procedures. Only grant applications that are filled out in the entirety will be considered. The application must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant organization.

SECTION 5: OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

5.1 Disclaimer

• The issuance of this solicitation does not commit Winrock to make an award to any prospective grantee responding to this solicitation. Prospective grantees will not be reimbursed for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Winrock reserves the right to reject any and all applications, or to make an award without further discussion or negotiation. 

• All awards will be negotiated, denominated and funded in Thai Baht.  All costs funded under the grant must be allowable, allocable and reasonable.  

5.2 Other Conditions

• Applicants must agree and be willing to sign and submit required certifications before a grant is issued.
• Winrock may conduct a pre-award risk assessment.
• Application forms should be signed by an authorized agent of the applicant’s organization.

Additionally, the following items cannot be purchased under the potential resultant grants:

• Any purchases or activities deemed unnecessary to accomplish grant purposes as determined by Winrock, including any grantee headquarters expenses that are not directly linked to the implementation of the proposed activities
• Private ceremonies, parties, celebrations or "representation" expenses
• Previous obligations and/or bad debts
• Expenses related to overtly religious purposes
• Expenses intended to influence the outcome of elections or other political processes
• Fines and/or penalties
• Creation of endowments
• Alcoholic beverages
• Real property (land, including land improvements, and structures thereto)

SECTION 6: ANNEXES

• Attachment B: Grant Application Form
• Attachment C: Detailed Budget Template

For any inquiries or additional information, please contact Grants and Operations Specialist, Khem Suksathit, at email address: khem.suksathit@winrock.org or mobile phone number +66 88 491 6361