USAID CHAMP Grants-in-Aid Informational session happens at ACCI

Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee, ACCI deputy for Policy & Technical Affairs; Mr. Abuzar Sultani, ACCI TIR Manager; Mr. Max FE, CHAMP Export Specialist, Mr. Wahab Quriashi, CHAMP Grants-in-Aid Manager; and dozens of fresh and dry fruit traders and transporters participated in the event.

Mr. Atayee welcomed CHAMP officials and other participants, and appreciated CHAMP for its Grants-in-Aid to ACCI and traders. He also suggested that such grants should continue for the cause of business development.

Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee talked about the details of CHAMP USAID Grants-in-Aid to traders and transportation companies, and asked companies to get best of such grants for the improvement of their businesses.

Then Mr.Max FE offered some information on CHAMP Grants-in-Aid and encouraged the traders to promote agriculture products and boost export.

Wahab Quriashi also had a presentation on the objectives of the program and Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI).

According to Mr. Quraishi, the program's objectives are as below:

• High –value corps
• Promote sells through exports
• Investment
• Create employment
• Profit capability
• Innovation
• Use of technology
• Improvement of Supply chain
• Obedience of international standards in packing

Mr. Quraishi added that the Grants-in-aid covers the following areas:

• Storage and warehousing (including cold storage)
• Post harvesting handling
• Processing
• Quality assurance & certification

He added that interested traders and companies are supposed to consider the following roles:

• CHAMP grants are typically up to 150,000.
• Applicant must be willing to contribute 50% or more of the total investment required.
• Business function area should be in fresh and dry fruit, agriculture, saffron and medical plants.
• Promote agriculture products and boost export.
• Request must be for technical and equipment supports.

He listed the proposal conditions as bellow:

• The Proposal must be short, clear and accurate.
• The proposal plan should be consistent.
• The proposal plan must be measurable, accessible and clear.
• The proposal timeline should continue after the Grants.
• The Proposal must cause some changes in supply chain.
• The proposal must contain facts and figures.
• The interested companies and traders must provide their proposal according to their financial plans.
• The deadline for responding to this RFEI is 31 December 2018.
• Companies need to  provide a copy of their AISA/MOCI license company registration number, tax identification number (TIN), and DUNS number (if available)

At the end of the program Abuzan sultani requested fresh and dry fruit traders to use the opportunity and enhance their businesses with CHAMP grants.

He asked them to provide their proposal on time, and added that a company can offer different proposals.

There is no limit for the number of traders and companies who will provide proposals. Any interested company can send a proposal to USAID-CHAMP up to 31 December 2018, in order to acquire grants for fresh and dry fruit, saffron and medical herbs businesses.