RFI 72011524RFI00003 Water and Environment Activity in Central Asia.pdf

Request for Information (RFI): Water/environment in Central Asia Reference Number: 72011524RFI00003 Release Date: February 21, 2024 Response Due Date: March 28, 2024, 10AM Almaty time

The United States Agency for International Development, Central Asia (USAID/Central Asia) is in the process of gathering information to inform anticipated project design in support of the U.S.

Government’s efforts to:

● increase regional transboundary water and environment cooperation

● promote and increase water and environment security

● catalyze investment in water efficiency

● increase transparency in water markets throughout Central Asia.

For additional general information refer to the USAID Central Asia Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS) (please see Attachment to this RFI).

This is a Request for Information (RFI) and the Government does not presently intend to issue an award. This RFI expresses the government‘s interest in recommendations on how USAID should approach regional support to the Central Asian countries to reform and modernize their water sectors.

Release of this RFI neither obligates the USAID to release a funding opportunity or solicitation for this proposed activity, nor obligates the USAID for any costs incurred in preparing responses to this RFI.

Background

USAID has partnered with the Central Asian countries in the water and environment sectors for well over 10 years, which has led to marked progress. But there are still barriers to achieving water and environment security, regional connectivity and water independence, increasing water efficiency, and building political will, mutual trust, and sufficient water and environment sector investment. USAID is preparing to launch a new water activity that will succeed USAID’s current flagship Water and Vulnerable Environment (WAVE) activity.

Questions & Submission Instructions

USAID is requesting information to help to prioritize its focus areas within the design of a potential new activity.

1. Respondents are free to answer any or all of the questions below [4 pages total max, Calibri, 12 font size]. In your responses, please provide any relevant sources for the information, including peer‐reviewed or gray literature, expert opinion(s), project evaluation reports, and other documents.

Questions:

a. What are the biggest barriers to USAID’s goal of regional water and environment connectivity? And what are the opportunities that USAID should prioritize to overcome these barriers?

b. What are the biggest barriers related to promoting water efficiency across Central Asia? And what are the opportunities that USAID should prioritize to overcome these barriers?

c. What existing or emerging regional and/or technical trends do you envision will be central to water and environment sector transformation over the next few years?

d. What impedes effective water and environment sector reforms in Central Asia?

What is required to better address regional challenges for climate change, food security, and environmental conservation?

e. What technical capacity challenges can this mechanism address? What education and training gaps exist and how can they be addressed?

f. How can this mechanism promote locally led development (communities, private entities, NGOs, women‐led and youth‐led organizations, etc.)? Propose an illustrative activity(s) that you and your partner organization(s) could implement.

g. How can USAID spur both public and private investment in water efficiency and water security throughout the region? Noting that currently, subsidized water tariffs limit cost recovery of many investments.

h. What transformative impacts can realistically be achieved in the regional water and environment sectors within the given time frame (five years)? Propose illustrative activities that can be implemented to achieve these goals.

i. Are there other areas of interventions that USAID should be considering for future water sector programming?

j. Any results, best practices, or lessons learned of the past and current programs of other partners USAID may need to look at during the design of its new activity?

2. Organizational Capabilities relative to the planned Central Asia regional water activity [1 page max, Calibri, 12 font size]:

Please provide your relevant organizational capabilities in this sector and region.

Respondents may include organizational information such as: past experience working in any of the noted technical areas in Central Asia or elsewhere; core capabilities;

experience working with other stakeholders; experience with implementing pilot projects that has led to wide adoption without further donor funding; or other information relevant to an organization’s ability to successfully undertake this activity.

Requested Action:

Please note USAID is not seeking technical or cost proposals/applications at this time.

Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract/assistance award. Responses to this RFI are voluntary and USAID will not pay respondents for any information provided in response to this RFI. If a future solicitation is issued, it will be announced at www.sam.gov or at www.grants.gov at a later date.

Please send all responses to this RFI via email to AlmatyAASolicitations@usaid.gov with the copy to Jannat Koksalova, Administrative Contracting Officer, at zkoxalova@usaid.gov and Serik Dossaliyev, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, at sdossaliyev@usaid.gov by the date and time indicated in the cover letter with the subject line “RFI No.72011524RFI00003 ‐ USAID/Central Asia New Water activity”

Respondents will only receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of response and will not receive individualized feedback on any suggestions. Specific questions about this RFI should be directed only to the email address identified above.

Thank you for your assistance and interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, Raphael Metzger, Supervisory Regional Contracting Officer

[End of RFI No.72011524RFI00003 ]