NOFO 72038820RFA00001 MPDS Support Activity.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

NOFO Number: 72038820RFA00001

Issuance Date: March 31, 2020

Questions due by: April 15, 2020, 1400 Bangladesh Time

Application Deadline: May 30, 2020, 1400 Bangladesh Time

Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number: 72038820RFA00001

Program Title: Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Support (MPDS) Activity

Dear Prospective Applicant:

The United States Agency for International Development in Bangladesh (USAID/Bangladesh) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified US and non-US organizations to fund an activity titled Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Support (MPDS) Activity. As detailed in SECTION-C

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION of this NOFO, Eligibility for this award is not restricted. The authority for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Please be aware that this NOFO is non-traditional and contains four procurement phases of which there are three merit review phases:

Merit Review Phase 1: Applicants will submit an Initial Application, which will inc1ude a limited page concept paper. Based on USAID's evaluation of the Initial Applications, only the top-rated applicants will be invited to participate in Phase 2.

Merit Review Phase 2: Selected applicants from Phase 1 will be invited to participate in oral presentations of their proposed technical approach either in Dhaka, Bangladesh, other location and/or virtually.

Merit Review Phase 3: One applicant, whose application best meets the objectives of this funding opportunity based on the selection criteria contained herein, will be selected to co-develop through a collaboration workshop with USAID/Bangladesh the program description, as described in

Section-A, which will be incorporated into the resulting Cooperative Agreement. USAID will review the final documents and accompanying cost application to determine whether acceptable or not acceptable.

The result of this NOFO is expected to be one (1) award, although USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.

For purposes of this NOFO, the term "Grant" is synonymous with "Cooperative Agreement", "Grantee" is synonymous with "Recipient", and " Grant Officer" is synonymous with "Agreement Officer".

Eligible organizations interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this funding opportunity thoroughly to understand the type of program sought, application submission requirements and evaluation process

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number: 72038820RFA00001

To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this NOFO and meet eligibility standards in SECTION-C, ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION of this NOFO. This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, and may be amended. Potential applicants should regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this notice of funding opportunity. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the entire NOFO has been received from the internet in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion process. If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the NOFO, please contact the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance.

The successful Applicant will be responsible for ensuring the achievement of the program objectives.

Please read each section of the NOFO.

Please send any questions to the point(s) of contact identified in section D. The deadline for questions is shown above. Responses to appropriate questions received prior to the deadline will be furnished to all potential applicants through an amendment to this RFA posted in www.grants.gov.

While for-profit firms may participate, pursuant to 2 CFR 700.1.(A).(1), it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments such as cooperative agreements. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2 CFR 230, OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organizations, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part

31 for-profit organizations), may be paid under the Cooperative Agreement.

Applicants are required to submit their applications electronically via e-mail to the given address under

SECTION D – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion process associated with electronic submissions via e-mail.

Issuance of this notice of funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission of comments/suggestions or an application. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

Award will be made to the responsible applicant whose application best meets the requirements of this

NOFO and the merit review criteria contained herein.

Thank you for your interest in USAID’s programs.

Sincerely, Andrew Holland

Supervisory Agreement Officer

Director, Office of Acquisition and Assistance http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/

Table of Contents

SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A.1 Summary

A.2 Authorizing Legislation A.3 Relationship to the USAID/Bangladesh 2020-2025 Country Development

Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) A.4 Context and Background A.5 Results Framework A.6 Scope

A.7 Inclusive Development

A.8 Climate Risk Management

A.9 Project Monitoring

A.10 Coordination and Collaboration A.11 Resilience and Sustainability A.12 Conflict Sensitivity

A.13 Management, Organizational Structure, and Key Personnel .... Error! Bookmark not defined.

SECTION B: FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

B.1 Estimate of Funds Available and Number of Awards Contemplated

B.2 Start Date and Period of Performance for Federal Awards

B.3 Substantial Involvement

B.4 Title to Property

B.5 Authorized Geographic Code

B.6 Purpose of the Award

B.7 Preventing Terrorist Financing

B.8 External Evaluation

B.9 Internal Evaluation

SECTION C: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1 Eligible Applicants

C.2 Cost Sharing or Matching

C.3 Local Registration Requirement

C.4 Number of Applications

C.5 Other

SECTION D: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

D.1 Agency Point of Contact

D.2 Overall Selection Process

D.3 General Instructions of Application Submission

D.4 Content and Form of Application Submission

D.5 Other administrative documentation

SECTION E: APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E.1 General

E.2 Phase 1 – Initial Application

E.3 Phase 2 – Oral Presentation

E.4 Phase 4 – Final Technical and Cost/Business Applications

SECTION F: FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

F.1 Federal Award Notices

F.2 Administrative & National Policy Requirements

F.3 Pre‐Award Surveys

F.4 Reporting Requirements

F.5 Program Income

F.6 Environmental Compliance

F.7 Electronic Payments System

F.8 Prohibition on providing Federal Assistance to entities that require certain internal confidentiality agreements - Representation (April 2015)

F.9 Training Results and Information Network (TRAINET)

F.10 Non-Federal Audits

F.11 Lending Limitations

F.12 Salary Supplementation

F.13 Reporting Subawards and Executive Compensation (December 2014)

F.14 Trafficking in Persons (April 2016)

F.15 Equal Participation by Faith-Based Organizations (June 2016)

F.16 Security Language

F.17 Conflict of Interest Pre-Award Term (August 2018)

F.18 Gender Analysis and Gender Reporting:

F.19 Reporting Host Government Taxes (December 2014):

F.20 Value Added Tax Procedures:

F.21 Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC):

F.22 Interest earned:

SECTION G: FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT(S)

SECTION H: OTHER INFORMATION

H.1 Application with Proprietary Data

H.2 Funding Applicants

H.3 Award

H.4 Authority to Obligate the Government

H.5 Pre-award Risk Assessment

SECTION I: ATTACHMENTS

I.1 Attachment – 1: Sample Format for Initial Security Plan

I.2 Attachment – 2: Geographic Information System (GIS) Data Submission

Guidelines

I.3 Attachment – 3: Salary Supplement Guidance

I.4 Attachment – 4: Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)

I.5 Attachment – 5: Certifications, Assurances, Other Statement of the Recipient and

Solicitations Standard Provisions

List of Acronyms ADB Asia Development Bank

ADS Automated Directive System

A-E Architecture-Engineering

AO Agreement Officer

AO Agreement Officer

AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative

APS Annual Program Statement

ASA Apparently Successful Applicant

BDT Bangladeshi Taka

BEO Bureau Environmental Officer

CDC Disease Control and Prevention

CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy

CFR Code of Federal Regulation

CHT Chittagong Hill Tracts

CLA Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting

COP Chief of Party

CPA Certified Public Accountant

CPP Cyclone Preparedness Program

CRM Climate risk management

CTIP Countering Trafficking in Persons

DEC Development Experience Clearinghouse

DoD Department of Defense

DQA Data Quality Assessments

DUNS Data Universal Numbering System

EA Environmental Assessment

EMMP Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan

EMMP Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan

ERF Environmental Review Form

EXO Executive Office

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization

GAAS Generally Accepted Auditing Standards

GBV Gender Based Violence

GIS Geographic Information Systems

GoB Government of Bangladesh

IEE Initial Environmental Examination

IP Implementing Partner

IR Incident Report (IR)

ISCD Inter-Sector Coordination Group

LGBTI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex

LOC Letter of Credit

M&M Mitigation and Monitoring

MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning http://www.bdrcs.org/cyclone-preparedness-programme-cpp

MEO Mission Environmental Officer

MPDS Multi-Purpose Disaster Shelter Support

MTDC Modified Total Direct Costs

NCAGE NATO Commercial and Government Entity

NGO Nongovernmental Organizations

NICRA Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity

O&M Operation and Maintenance

OFAC Office of Foreign Assets Control

OFDA Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance

OMB Office of Management and Budget

PD Program Description

PEDP Primary Education Development Program

PMP Performance Management Plan

PRM Population, Refugees, and Migration

PSLU Partner Security Liaison Unit

R&R Refurbishment and Repair

RCE Request for Categorical Exclusion

SAM System for Award Management

SAPLING

Sustainable Agriculture and Production Linked to Improved Nutrition Status, Resilience, and Gender Equity

SC Selection Committee

SIR Serious Incident Report

SITREP Situation Report (SITREP)

SOD Standing Orders on Disaster

UN United Nation

UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund

USAID United States Agency for International Development

USG United States Government

WASH Water and Sanitary Hygiene

SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A.1 Summary

The purpose of this activity is to support communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban to anticipate and be resilient to natural hazards and disasters; thereby mitigating the magnitude of future humanitarian crises. By increasing access to multi-purpose disaster shelters (MPDS) and improving other basic services and protection measures, communities will have safe, accessible shelters and resilient infrastructure that is adapted to natural hazards. MPDS will double as primary schools or community centers when not in use as a shelter, providing safe classrooms that are essential for effective learning or community centers that serve as a gathering place to foster social cohesion, support training on disaster risk reduction, and meet other demand-based community needs. In addition, through complementary local capacity building, communities will be more resilient and better prepared for disasters.

Activities will support the following objectives:

Mitigate the impacts of natural disaster through construction of shelters and resilient community infrastructures, Increase access to spaces conducive to learning and cohesive communities, and

Strengthen disaster preparedness.

The contemplated activity will support the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), particularly the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, and local governments, to provide infrastructure that is essential to the disaster preparedness and resilience of communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban.

A.2 Authorizing Legislation

The authority for this Notice of Funding opportunity is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. For U.S. organizations, 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 700, OMB Circulars, and USAID Standard

Provisions for U.S. Nongovernmental recipients will be applicable. For non-U.S. organizations, the

Standard Provisions for Non-U.S., Nongovernmental recipients and the applicable cost principles

(OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organizations and OMB Circular A-21 for universities) will apply. The OMB circulars are available in the following link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/index.html.

For both U.S. and non-U.S. for-profit organizations Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 will be applicable. While 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 700 do not apply directly to non-U.S. Applicants, the

Agreement Officer (AO) will use the standards of 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 700 in the administration of the award. Further information including the referenced documents may be obtained via our agency website http://www.usaid.gov directly or via links in USAID Automated Directive System (ADS)

Chapter303: http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/303.pdf.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/index.html http://www.usaid.gov/ http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/303.pdf

A.3 Relationship to the USAID/Bangladesh 2020-2025 Country Development

Cooperation Strategy (CDCS)

This activity is designed to support the Mission’s draft Country Development and Cooperation Strategy

(CDCS)1 (2020-2025) goal of making Bangladesh better able to mitigate, adapt and recover from shocks and stresses. In order to achieve this objective, USAID has developed activities that reduce the risks of disaster and conflict caused by the Rohingya displacement and increase opportunity in impacted communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban. By investing in targeted sectors benefiting host and impacted communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts, vulnerabilities stemming from the

Rohingya displacement will be reduced, thereby resulting in more prosperous, gender-equitable, healthier, more stable and more resilient communities in one of Bangladesh’s poorest regions. The construction of shelters, capacity building for disaster preparedness, and improvements to community infrastructure contemplated under this activity support the Mission’s District Development Project2 purposes of “improved adaptation to shocks and stressors” and “improved disaster management” in order to achieve Intermediate Result 1.1: “Risk of natural and man-made disasters reduced in Cox’s

Bazar and Bandarban” and Intermediate Result 1.3: “Prosperity, opportunity, and resilience in Cox’s

Bazar and Bandarban increased.”

Any shelters constructed under this activity are expected to serve dual roles. Those that serve as primary schools will provide safe, quality, and accessible classrooms that result in an increase in student access to schooling and support an enabling environment for quality learning, thereby supporting the draft

CDCS’s cross-cutting goal of basic education. Those that serve as community centers will provide space for training, community gathering, and other services that foster social cohesion and support other Development Objectives depending on their planned use. In both cases, the provision of WASH blocks and safe water sources supports other aspects of the Mission’s draft strategy by improving access to water and sanitation, including for people and children with disabilities.

A.4 Context and Background

The Rohingya Displacement

More than 744,000 Rohingya are officially reported to have fled violence in Burma’s Rakhine State since August 2017, bringing the total Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh to more than 914,000 people as of September 2019.3 The majority of those recently displaced reside in refugee settlements and host communities of the Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas (sub-districts) in Cox’s Bazar District, but

Bandarban District and other upazilas in Cox’s Bazar have also been impacted by the nearby conflicts in Burma’s Rakhine State. The Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG)—a humanitarian response coordinating body composed of UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders—has mobilized a robust response to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to meet the basic needs of the refugees in Cox’s Bazar.

1 DRAFT CDCS in the process of approval. This strategy has not yet been approved by USAID.

2USAID/Bangladesh. “Strengthening Communities Impacted by the Rohingya Crisis” Project Appraisal Document, approving the

Mission’s District Development Project, is in final stage for approval.

3UNHCR. “Refugee Response in Bangladesh” Operational Portal. Accessed 9 February 2020.

https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/myanmar_refugees https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/iscg_situation_report_13_december

_final.pdf https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/myanmar_refugees https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/myanmar_refugees https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/iscg_situation_report_13_december_final.pdf https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/iscg_situation_report_13_december_final.pdf

The presence of nearly one million Rohingya refugees had a dramatic effect on host communities surrounding the camps, especially in Ukhiya and Teknaf. Accounts from the field describe a deterioration of the situation, such as increases in crime and security-related threats, loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, poor nutrition, increased risk of drug and human trafficking, inflated prices for basic goods and services, increased resentment and insecurity in the area, community concerns about overcrowding, the rapid deforestation in the area, and the impact of closing the Naf River fishery. The magnitude of the aid reaching the Rohingya camps has also created a sense of deprivation among the local population, who are also disadvantaged and struggling. Host communities’ perceived disparity in resources going to refugees is increasing social cohesion tensions. Moreover, the response to the

Rohingya crisis has created unintended consequences in the host and impacted communities that promote harmful gender norms e.g., increased stresses due to loss of livelihoods, child marriage, polygamy, GBV, girls and boys dropping out of school, increased insecurity, growing stigma and stereotyping of Rohingyas by some members of the host community leading to reduced mobility for young girls and women.4

While host communities in Ukhiya and Teknaf are acutely affected, other upazilas in Cox’s Bazar and

Bandarban are also severely impacted by the influx of refugees and are in urgent need of attention in order to mitigate rising tensions and vulnerability due to economic and environmental disruptions resulting from the displacement. Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar are also acutely vulnerable to natural disasters based on their proximity to the Bay of Bengal and rivers flowing north to south into the sea.

Cyclones, landslides and flooding are the primary natural disasters affecting the area.

Disaster Risk

Bangladesh is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and Cox’s Bazar is one of the most disaster-affected districts in Bangladesh. Flooding, deforestation, mudslides, and the potential for increased frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones make this region vulnerable to natural hazards.

For example, the infamous cyclone of 1991 resulted in a death toll of more than 138,000 people.

Cyclone Sidr in November 2007 and Cyclone Aila in May 2009 have also demonstrated the devastating effects of tropical cyclones and storm surges in Bangladesh. It is estimated that Cyclone Sidr caused total damages of US$ 1.7 billion. Cyclone Aila killed 190 people, injured more than 7,000, and damaged or destroyed more than 500,000 houses, embankments, and crop lands.5 The 2017 cyclone

Mora displaced 500,000 people and damaged 20,000 homes in refugee camps.6 In recent years, Bangladesh has also experienced landslides caused by heavy rains in the southeastern part of the country, including Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban, resulting in numerous deaths. Cox’s Bazar and

Bandarban districts also regularly experience flash flooding due to heavy rainfall on the hilly areas, causing loss of life and destruction of homes, farms, and livelihoods. Given the lack of functioning shelters before the influx, the addition of nearly one million refugees to this battered and vulnerable region vastly increases the risks of a severe humanitarian emergency should a significant weather episode, such as a tropical cyclone, occur. In all of these natural disasters, women have been impacted in greater numbers than men, because of Bangladesh's male-dominated social structure and social and cultural norms, underpinned by religious traditions, which restricts the mobility of women.7 Levels of physical, emotional and sexual violence often rise in the aftermath of a disaster. Increased harassment

4 CDCS Gender Analysis, July 2019 5 Cyclone Aila Factsheet, Reliefweb, 2009 6 Bangladesh Climate Risk Profile, USAID 2018 7 Women in Environmental Disasters: The 1991 Cyclone in Bangladesh Author(s): Rasheda Begum. Focus on Gender, Vol. 1, No. 1, [The Environment] (Feb., 1993), pp. 34-39 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Oxfam GB and abuse both in the home and relief shelters have been widely reported. Moreover, health care and proper hygiene are often inadequate in shelters, particularly for pregnant, lactating and menstruating women.

Equitable Education Access through Infrastructure Improvements

In order to provide communities with learning environments that support the participation of all children, ensure continuity of education during emergencies, and enable quality education, the GoB’s

Fourth Primary Education Development Program (PEDP4) includes a targeted initiative to improve school/shelter infrastructure, increase access to safe potable water and sanitation disposal systems, and to improve/enable local/national disaster preparedness. This US$19 billion, five-year government plan

(2018-2023) is supported by six development partners (including USAID), and it includes the following sub-components:

Needs-based Infrastructure: The physical environment for teaching and learning will be improved through the construction of 114,801 new classrooms and other infrastructure to meet national standards for safety and to be accessible for teachers and children with disabilities.

Needs-based furniture: Schools will be supplied with furniture that is child-friendly and age-appropriate for participatory teaching and learning to improve the quality of the physical learning environment (including the provision of benches and chalkboards).

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): Schools, teachers, and students will have the full complement of functioning, accessible (including for those with disabilities) and clean WASH-related facilities, including the creation of safe and potable water sources for drinking, toilets, hand washing blocks, and foot washing blocks. The Government of Bangladesh intends to construct 80,000 WASH blocks and install 15,000 safe water sources.

Education in Emergencies: The primary education sector will have strengthened institutional capacity and enhanced coordination mechanisms to ensure continuity of education and disaster risk reduction. This includes the provision of protective equipment (such as fire extinguishers and first aid boxes) and the capacity building of field personnel, school leaders, and School

Management Committees to plan and implement physical risk reduction, maintenance of safe facilities, and standard operating procedures for disaster response.

Through these sub-components, the PEDP4 aims to increase access to a safe and quality education for all children, including children with disabilities.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)

Communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban lack sanitation and public access to clean drinking water.

In Cox’s Bazar, a recent needs assessment highlighted, “thousands of poorly installed shallow tube wells have contaminated shallow aquifers with major impacts on health and nutrition.” 8 Prior to the influx of refugees, only 33% of households in Cox’s Bazar had access to water sources less than 15 minutes away.9 In Bandarban, the situation is even worse. Only 45 percent of the population has access to safe drinking water, compared to the national average of over 90 percent.10 The lack of public access to water necessitates community members, usually women and children, to walk long distances in

8 Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). Rohingya Crisis 2017-2018. Draft Impact, Vulnerability and Needs

Assessment. Spring 2018.

9 Ibid.

10 UNDP.

search of water, increasing their vulnerability to gender based violence.11

A.5 Results Framework

Goal

The goal of the activity is to reduce disaster risk for vulnerable communities in Cox’s Bazar and

Bandarban and increase resilience through infrastructure improvements and complementary interventions. At least twenty communities will benefit from this activity.

Results Framework

The chart below diagrams the objectives of the activity.

Disaster Shelter Support Results Framework

Goal: Risk of natural disasters reduced, and community resilience increased.

Objective 1

Mitigate the impacts of natural disaster

Objective 2

Increase access to spaces conducive to learning and cohesive communities

Objective 3

Strengthen disaster preparedness

Cross-Cutting: Accessibility for and Inclusion of Ethnic Minorities, WASH, Basic Education, People with

Disabilities, Gender, Resilience

Objective 1: Mitigate the impacts of natural disaster through construction of shelters and resilient community infrastructure

Shelters provide a safe space during natural disasters such as cyclones, landslides, flooding, etc. People seek shelter in these locations for a short period of time during an emergency, but some households may need to remain longer if it is unsafe to return home.

In addition to shelter access, many vulnerable communities are in need of other mitigation measures to reduce risks to vulnerable people and property posed by natural hazards. Expressed and observed needs include construction of embankments to protect existing structures from flooding, slope protection to prevent erosion and landslides, roads to existing shelters to improve access, and water supply/sanitation for the community.

Expected Results:

Improved access to shelters in areas most vulnerable to disaster;

Reduced disaster risk for vulnerable communities through resilient infrastructure;

Illustrative Activities:

Analyze and prioritize communities for intervention, determine most urgent needs and assess demand for shelter;

Construct multi-purpose disaster shelters that serve as primary schools or community centers, including; ancillary infrastructure such as access ramps, signage, latrines with proper lighting and running water, water stations, external lighting, electrical connections and/or solar power;

11 Ibid.

Improvements to existing shelters in target communities to encourage use during emergency, such as repairing access roads and adding external lighting;

In coastal areas, construct or reinforce embankments or raise plinths to reduce the risk of flooding in critical areas;

In hillside areas, provide slope stabilization or other physical improvements to mitigate flash floods and landslides;

Improve drainage to prevent flooding;

Capacity building or technical assistance to communities to facilitate household level physical improvements for disaster resilience;

Training for responsible parties on operation and maintenance of any provided infrastructure, as well as features critical to gender sensitivity such as running water and lighting;

Facilitate capacity building of local businesses, which provide construction materials or services.

Objective 2: Increase access to spaces conducive to learning and cohesive communities

MPDS will double as primary schools or community centers when not in use as a shelter, providing safe classrooms that are essential for effective learning and/or community centers that serve as a gathering place to meet demand-based community needs. Under Objective 2, the Recipient will support interventions that contribute to community resilience, and improved social cohesion and quality of life for the community to complement the infrastructure interventions under Objective 1.

The majority of previous donor and GoB efforts have been focused on multi-purpose shelters as primary schools. When not in use as shelters, the constructed facilities provide safe classrooms that are essential for effective learning. However, feedback from local stakeholders and observations by USAID staff indicate that the need for additional primary schools may be minimal, though the need for additional shelters still exists. A number of local leaders have also expressed a need for more community spaces.

Smaller multi-purpose shelters that double as community centers can serve as gathering places, support training on disaster risk reduction, provide community WASH stations, and meet other needs. Other potential examples of community center use are fire response (water and basic equipment), classrooms for preschool, local language instruction, and immunizations.

Expected Results:

Increased access to quality learning environments;

Improved access to community spaces;

Improved access to government services;

Improved access to sanitation facilities;

Improved access to safe water sources;

Effective utilization of multi-purpose community center spaces;

Improved social cohesion or reduced tensions between Bangladeshis, indigenous groups and refugees.

Technical assistance and capacity building for community leaders and school management to ensure effective utilization of community spaces and provision of services based on prioritized needs;

Technical assistance and capacity building must incorporate gender specific efforts such as addressing harmful gender norms and attitudes, engaging men and boys, ensuring women’s and girls’ voices are heard and their meaningful participation in planning for the needs of the facility and the services to be provided;

Provide climate-smart gender responsive interventions to enhance energy efficiency (such as solar panels), water access (such as rainwater harvesting), and food security (through the creation of school or community gardens);

Formation of inclusive community-based organization/leadership.

Objective 3: Strengthen disaster preparedness

Strengthening preparedness of the community to manage disaster is key to reducing its impact. Better preparedness lowers the risk to lives, property and livelihoods. In support of Objective 3, the Recipient will build the capacity of the community including Ward Disaster Management Committee, School

Management Committee, local GoB personnel, volunteers and representatives of community-based organizations through training, equipping with protective equipment, sensitization, and other support.

Disaster preparedness must use and reference national materials and training curricula, including material from the newly revised Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD), the leadership of the CPP program, Fire Service and Civil Protection, and any other applicable guidelines.

The frequent use of schools as emergency shelters impacts children’s access to education, especially in the disaster-prone region of Cox’s Bazar. Prolonged school closures, including when schools become shelters, disrupt student learning and erase already modest gains. One UNICEF study found that disasters increased the dropout rate of affected schools by 3%. Therefore, disaster preparedness should also incorporate best practices for continuity of access to education in the case of natural emergencies and hazards.

Expected Results:

Target communities have a clear understanding of disaster risk and an emergency response plan;

Increased capacity for emergency response with a clear understanding of the different needs of men and women;

New shelters and centers are integrated with local emergency response plans;

Beneficiaries are not fearful of GBV in supported shelters;

Community spaces available for recurrent disaster management training and committee meetings;

Improved linkages between gender-responsive community-level disaster management and ward/district level.

Capacity building of field-level personnel, Ward Disaster Management Committees, and communities on disaster resilience and preparedness. This includes an analysis of risk and planning for physical risk reduction, maintenance of safe facilities, and the creation of standard operating procedures for disaster response with a clear understanding of gender and cultural norms, with special focus on GBV;

Capacity building for school leaders and School Management Committees to include best practices for continuity of access to education in the case of natural emergencies and hazards;

Training/capacity development of field level personnel (such as from the Local Government

Engineering Department, the Department of Public Health Engineering, and the Directorate of

Primary Education) on hazard awareness, gender dimension of disaster and preparedness, risk reduction, and safety requirements of building codes;

Training of community volunteers to attend to special needs individuals as well as the specific needs of men and women during an emergency evacuation;

Development of gender and persons with special-needs-sensitive, community-specific emergency response plans;

The provision of protective equipment, such as basic firefighting materials and supplies, fire boards, and first aid boxes.

A.6 Scope

Geographic

The geographic focus of this activity will be host and impacted communities of Cox’s Bazar and

Bandarban Districts of Bangladesh. Based on discussion with GOB officials and development partners, Maheshkhali, Pekua, Chakoria and Kutubdia upazilas of Cox’s Bazar district and Naikhongchori, Lama and Bandarban Sadar upazilas of Bandarban district are considered priority areas for intervention.

Site Selection

A list of potential schools will be provided by the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, but the

Recipient will consult and coordinate with the relevant regional and local authorities, the School

Management Committees, USAID, and other development partners to analyze and prioritize communities for intervention. Considerations for site selection include:

Communities most vulnerable to disaster;

Land availability;

Condition/availability of existing shelter;

Availability of existing community infrastructure such as safe water and latrines;

Community buy-in and commitment to maintain;

Number of beneficiaries;

Communities where infrastructure would complement other USAID activities;

Environmental impact; and

Sustainability of USAID’s investments.

Site selection in Cox’s Bazar should also consider the prioritized districts and interventions in the forthcoming Cox’s Bazar District Development Plan once it is released.

For the community disaster shelters there is currently no designated GoB-owned land to situate the facilities. Communities or the Government of Bangladesh will need to provide land for the construction of new facilities. Therefore, site selection for the community disaster shelters must be completed carefully, engaging and garnering the support of the community, local leadership and other stakeholders.

Technical Requirements for Design and Construction

The Recipient will be fully responsible for implementation of any agreed infrastructure scope, including sub-contracts for Architecture-Engineering (A-E) Designs and construction as needed. This includes any site-specific surveys, studies, and investigations necessary to support design development.

The Recipient is also responsible for securing all land use agreements and permits for executing work requirements, as well as ensuring that construction is implemented in accordance with the approved design documents, Quality Management Plan, Health and Safety Plan, Environmental Mitigation and

Monitoring Plan (EMMP), and the conditions of this award. USAID Sector Environmental Guidelines for Construction include guidance on key requirements for mandatory environmental compliance procedures specific to construction activities.12

Where shelters serve as schools, they will be designed to meet or exceed the standards outlined in the

Ministry of Primary and Mass Education’s PEDP4 program document,13 including those for furniture.

Shelters that serve as community centers will be sized based on assessed needs of the community and will be designed in accordance with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief’s Cyclone Shelter

Construction, Maintenance, and Management Policy. Regardless of the type, all shelters will follow the Bangladesh National Building Code, will be designed considering gender sensitivities, and will be made accessible for people with mobility disabilities. Multi-purpose disaster shelters should include the following at a minimum:

Sanitation facilities with septic system, including gender segregated and disability-friendly

WASH blocks meeting national standards, safe drinking water sources, group hand washing facilities, and accessible toilets;

Separate room for lactating women to shelter during times of emergencies;

Space for livestock of people taking emergency shelter during disaster periods;

Safe source of drinking water located above ground level;

Electric grid connection or small-scale solar energy systems;

Simple battery-powered basic emergency lighting;

Ramps or stair-based wheel ramps for wheelchairs to access WASH blocks and classrooms;

Boundary wall or fencing with gate;

Room or building for dry storage of commodities and supplies;

System for water harvesting.

All shelters must have sex-segregated toilet facilities with running water, with the number of toilets, urinals, and handwashing stations determined based on the design capacity of the shelter and applicable

GoB standards. Other considerations include:

Where feasible, male and female wash blocks must be positionally separate, or at a minimum have entrances which face in opposite directions.

Entrances to the WASH blocks must enable accessibility for people with mobility disabilities, including doorways of sufficient width to accommodate a wheelchair. At least one female toilet and one male toilet must be disability-accessible, including an appropriate toilet seat and handrail. If WASH blocks are not connected to a school or community center building, a ramp with a handrail must be provided to facilitate easy access.

At least one source of safe, potable water for each school or community center, which may include a tap water supply or tube well with an additional motor. All drinking water stations provided must be tested for microbiological and chemical contamination to ensure that they meet national water quality standards.

12 https://usaidgems.org/Documents/SectorGuidelines/2017USAIDConstructionSEG-FINAL_22Dec2017.pdf http://dpe.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/dpe.portal.gov.bd/publications/e145654c_7fba_4faf_97f1_d8f7dead3691/DraftCom_Infr

_planning%20Guideline_(PEDP4).pdf https://usaidgems.org/Documents/SectorGuidelines/2017USAIDConstructionSEG-FINAL_22Dec2017.pdf http://dpe.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/dpe.portal.gov.bd/publications/e145654c_7fba_4faf_97f1_d8f7dead3691/DraftCom_Infr_planning%20Guideline_(PEDP4).pdf http://dpe.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/dpe.portal.gov.bd/publications/e145654c_7fba_4faf_97f1_d8f7dead3691/DraftCom_Infr_planning%20Guideline_(PEDP4).pdf

A septic tank or soak away must be provided with the WASH blocks. Where there is a land constraint, septic tanks may be constructed under the WASH block structure. In low land areas, septic tanks must be constructed above the ground level to avoid ground and surface water contamination.

If there is no electricity supply, alternative sources of power must be provided to pump water into the WASH blocks (such as solar panels or other reliable alternative sources of power).

In all cases, end users must be engaged throughout planning, scoping and construction to ensure the infrastructure meets local needs, any adverse social or environmental impacts are mitigated, and they are prepared to effectively utilize the facility upon handover. Infrastructure designs should also consider durability, ease of operation and maintenance, availability of replacement parts, as well as any specialized expertise for repair. The Recipient is encouraged to incorporate innovations and materials that reduce construction cost, promote healthy learning environments, improve functionality, enhance the comfort of users, and consider local capability for operation and maintenance.

For activities in Cox’s Bazar, the coastal environment has a detrimental impact on the durability of physical infrastructure, and thus all construction materials must be compatible with the coastal environment.

Operation and Maintenance

For any infrastructure provided through this Agreement, the Recipient will identify local entities responsible for ongoing operation and maintenance (O&M) and will develop O&M manuals and training to ensure they are prepared to assume responsibilities upon handover. For schools, O&M will be coordinated with the School Infrastructure Development Committee and School Management

Committee. In the case of other infrastructure provided, the Recipient will identify appropriate local stakeholders for O&M early in the design process. Training for O&M should cover preventative maintenance schedules, responsive maintenance, anticipated costs, fee collection, other potential revenue streams, and logistics, as needed.

The Recipient should also consider the potential for private sector engagement in the O&M of the facilities and other provided infrastructure to ensure its sustainability. This could include provision of spare parts supplies, preventative maintenance and repair services, or contracts and public private partnerships for O&M.

A.7 Inclusive Development

An implementation process that is inclusive of women, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups is critical to achieve a broad impact. Facilities and infrastructure constructed under this activity will serve as community centers and schools for whole populations of the rural poor; therefore, accommodation will be made to make the centers open to all. The Recipient will ensure that inclusive development is integrated across activities, incorporating procedures into the work plans and appropriate indicators in Monitoring and Evaluation Plans to measure activity progress toward equality for women, people with disabilities, LGBTI persons, Hijra, youth, and people from other marginalized groups.

Gender. Bearing in mind that disaster shelters serve entire communities and require populations to cohabitate in extremely close quarters during potentially prolonged periods of time in the event of emergency and natural disasters, the Recipient must incorporate USAID’s gender consideration policy14 (including gender-based violence (GBV) and Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP)) in the design, application and evaluation of its interventions. For example, this means ensuring that facilities are appropriately designed considering gender sensitivities, ensuring privacy and separation between people with different gender identities, when appropriate to access safe spaces, providing doors locks and opaque window coverings for privacy, secure areas for changing clothes, bathing and breastfeeding. Insufficient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, including menstrual hygiene management and a lack of segregation of latrines for males and females put women and girls at risk of GBV. This should be a consideration when assessing existing and planned WASH infrastructure. In addition, access to services overall, including health services, is more restricted for women.15 Restricted mobility and access to health services, for example, may hinder women from using and making decisions about their health on their own. In planning for effective use of community spaces, the Recipient must consider which services and activities could be promoted to help address this and other identified gender gaps.

Focus group discussions and interviews with members of UN bodies and other humanitarian actors in

Cox’s Bazar district revealed that at the onset of the humanitarian response, little attention was paid to addressing gender differences in access to information, resources and decision-making. With almost

$2 billion already committed to the response, very little has been directed towards promoting gender equality and female empowerment in a systematic and coherent way. In implementing this activity, the

Recipient will also ensure that all minorities and ethnicities and men and women with disabilities, are meaningfully engaged and equally represented in decision making, such as community assessments, as well as monitoring and evaluation and capacity development interventions, such as facility and other infrastructure inspection and maintenance and disaster preparedness.

People with Disabilities. The USAID Disability Policy (1997) promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities both within USAID programs and in host countries where USAID has programs. People with disabilities and Disabled People’s Organizations must be included in the consultation and design of the multi-purpose disaster shelters so that facilities are accessible to and responsive to the special needs of people with disabilities. All building and WASH construction must be made accessible for people with mobility disabilities. For example, in line with the goals of the Fourth Primary Education and Development Program, one room in each female and male WASH block must be dedicated to students and teachers with disabilities, including equipping the room with the appropriate toilet seat and handrail for easy use.

Diversity and Indigenous Populations. The Recipient will ensure that no ethnic or religious group is excluded from interventions in the target areas, and the benefits resulting from the interventions. It is expected that disaster shelters will be open to all persons on a first-come, first-served and most vulnerable basis, and that no community will exclude persons seeking shelter on the basis of their ethnic, national or religious identity. Interventions will be designed to ensure adherence to this principle. For example, permanent signs or placards could be installed in local language(s) to convey this directive as well as the overall capacity of the shelter. Also, the Recipient must ensure that ethnic and religious groups have equal access to disaster shelters, and that they are meaningfully engaged and

14 See USAID’s Gender policy and related informational resources: https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment

15 Rohingya Refugee Response Gender Analysis: Recognizing and Responding to Gender Inequalities. (August, 2018). Joint Agency

Research Report by Oxfam, Save the Children and Action Against Hunger. DOI:10.21201/2018.3125 https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment equally represented in decision making (such as community assessments), monitoring and evaluation, and capacity development interventions (such as infrastructure maintenance, inspection and upkeep).

Youth. USAID’s vision is for educated, healthy, employed, and engaged young people who are empowered to advance their own livelihoods and the development of their countries. As this activity is designed to improve the prospects of Bangladesh’s youth by providing safe places during cyclones, youth must be engaged throughout the design, implementation and evaluation of interventions.

A.8 Climate Risk Management

In the last 30 years, Bangladesh has experienced nearly 200 climate-related disasters including droughts, extreme temperatures, floods, storms, and landslides. These events have had significant impacts including loss of life, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods. Climate change induced high intensity events pose huge threats to physical infrastructure, including buildings, roads, and embankments. Projections suggest an increase in the frequency of extreme events is likely for

Bangladesh.

Climate risk management (CRM) is required for all USAID-supported activities with limited exceptions. Climate risk is the potential for negative consequences on activity objectives and/or outcomes due to changing climatic conditions. The focus of climate risk management at USAID is on the risk to USAID development programming. The CRM process may also identify potential development opportunities associated with current and expected climatic and meteorological changes, including chances to achieve additional development objectives (including increasing climate resilience and reducing greenhouse gas emissions).

Climate risks can be manifested through potentially severe adverse consequences for development programs resulting from the interaction of climate-related hazards with the vulnerability of societies and systems. A climate risk may arise when an activity element, target, or beneficiary is exposed to a climate hazard such as higher temperatures, flooding or drought.