This section has no page limit, and it will be requested once your application passes the innovation screening. The three past performance references represent the three people who know well about your qualities and your passed experiences related to the proposed project over the past three years, and the USAID will use the contact information you submit to contact the references to learn about your capabilities and qualifications, in order to determine if you are qualified for the project duty. The qualities of the references and their responses to the USAID will be important because there will be competitions between applicants, and thus choosing good and professional references are critical for getting funding.
A professional reference could be a former partner or collaborator, a colleague, a client, an employer or someone who can recommend you professionally, and should be carefully chosen. The better choices will be those partners and contractors who have been involved in your previous or current programs and grants or any other projects, and who will show their positive attitudes to your capabilities and qualifications. The reference information you will be required to submit include their names, job titles, companies, addresses and contact information. And the contract/grant name and number, the period of contract/grant performance, annual funding for each of the last three years, beginning and end dates, brief description of the project and key project accomplishments will be required if available.
Once the three references are selected, it is recommended that you ask for permission before you give out the references’ information, verify that their contact information are correct and up to date, and ask the references the ways they prefer to be contacted, e.g., by phone or email, etc. They should be informed that they are authorized to provide past performance information when requested. In addition, the Partners of the USAID reserve the right to obtain past performance information from other sources including those not named by the applicant.
