Dear Offerors,

USAID Afghanistan is pleased to release the attached Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Promoting Gender Equity in National Priority Programs (PROMOTE) project.  This anchor program demonstrates the strong commitment of USAID to a brighter future for Afghan women and for Afghanistan's economic development.

The PROMOTE program is designed to be implemented through an indefinite quantity contract mechanism (IQC) for five years.  The ceiling limit is set at $416 million to allow for possible contributions of up to $200 million from other interested international donors.  Subject to the availability of funds, the PROMOTE program implementation is divided into the following major components and a notional percentage of effort assigned:
 
Women in the Economy (56%)
Women's Rights Groups and Coalitions (14%)
Women in Government (11%)
Women's Leadership Development (19%)

PROMOTE will invest in opportunities that enable educated women (i.e., women between 18 and 30 years of age who have at least a secondary education) to enter and advance into decision-making positions in Afghanistan's public, private and civil society sectors.  This cohort is estimated at over 200,000 strong--and growing fast, with approximately 164,000 girls attending secondary school nationwide.  These women represent a valuable source of talent and expertise for the country.  Focused on these groups, PROMOTE will activate a sustainable process leading to a critical mass of new and upcoming generations of Afghan women assuming decision making and leadership roles in mainstream social, political and economic spheres.  PROMOTE will directly benefit a minimum of 75,000 women within the targeted cohort.