The Bureau for Resilience, Environment and Food Security (REFS) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking feedback, information, and recommendations on approaches for the implementation of programming to transform local food processing to sustainably and equitably increase the access and affordability of safe, nutritious foods for women and children. USAID is exploring climate-smart investments that seek to achieve this aim by supporting and working beside, with, and through local micro-, small- and medium-size enterprise (MSME) food processors, especially women- and youth-owned and -led MSMEs. The associated Request For Information (RFI) questions are contained in Attachment 1. This RFI intends to:

1. Allow all stakeholders and interested parties to provide information, feedback, and recommendations on the upcoming activity and its results framework;


2. Understand how USAID can best continue investing in efforts for nutritious food processing and food safety; and,


3. Explore innovative approaches to food processing and food safety that support data-driven and context-specific solutions.


4. Gather insights into how work already being done by others (e.g., the private sector, other donors, national governments, and/or academic institutions) can be complemented or leveraged for greatest impact.


5. Solicit capability statements with information about organizations (for-profit and not-for-profit) that have the skills and capabilities necessary to perform the work sought. (Capability statements are an optional addition to responses to the RFI questions, and only organizations with capability to perform the work sought are encouraged to submit capability statements. Responses to the RFI questions are welcomed from all organizations with relevant knowledge and expertise, regardless of capability to perform the work sought.)