USAID RFP: Strengthening Public Health Supply Chains for Pandemic Preparedness in Southeast Asia

The USAID RFP 'Strengthening Public Health Supply Chains for Pandemic Preparedness in Southeast Asia' is a comprehensive funding opportunity designed to fortify the region's ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. With a total funding envelope of $50 million over five years, this RFP aims to address critical weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as fragmented data systems, inadequate cold chain infrastructure, and insufficient trained workforce. The initiative targets at least three Southeast Asian countries, focusing on strengthening logistics management information systems (LMIS), enhancing the capacity of supply chain personnel, improving warehousing and distribution networks, and fostering regional cooperation mechanisms like cross-border logistics hubs. Applicants are expected to propose activities that align with national pandemic preparedness plans and contribute to Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) targets. The cooperative agreement structure emphasizes collaboration with USAID and local stakeholders, requiring regular reporting and adaptive management. The deadline is July 30, 2026, which adds a sense of urgency for organizations to form consortia, conduct preliminary assessments, and develop robust proposals. Successful awardees will demonstrate a deep understanding of the geopolitical landscape, including navigating diverse regulatory environments and building trust with local ministries of health. The RFP also encourages innovation through digital tools such as artificial intelligence for demand forecasting, blockchain for traceability, and cold chain technologies for last-mile delivery. Sustainability is a core requirement, with plans for transitioning activities to local ownership by project end. Organizations with prior experience in USAID-funded supply chain projects, especially those under the Global Health Supply Chain Program (GHSC-PSM), will have a competitive edge. Furthermore, the RFP prioritizes gender equality and social inclusion, requiring that interventions address the needs of women and marginalized populations both as beneficiaries and as part of the supply chain workforce. This opportunity is not merely a funding call but a strategic investment in regional health security. The U.S. government, through USAID, recognizes that pandemics respect no borders and that a resilient supply chain in one country strengthens the entire region. The RFP aligns with the broader U.S. National Biodefense Strategy and the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing future ones. It also supports the ASEAN Regional Framework for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. The five-year timeframe allows for deep systemic changes, but the high urgency suggests that deliverables in the first year should focus on low-hanging fruit like assessments and training while laying groundwork for infrastructure. Potential applicants must be ready to mobilize quickly, with pre-existing relationships in target countries and access to technical expertise in epidemiology, supply chain management, and financial compliance. The GSLI can play a pivotal role by providing just-in-time training to bridge capacity gaps, particularly through courses in Procurement & Supply Chain, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Financial Management. These courses not only prepare an organization's staff but also demonstrate a commitment to capacity building, a key evaluation criterion. Finally, the RFP emphasizes collaboration with local partners, so forming consortia that include indigenous organizations with deep community ties will be crucial for success.

Strategic Overview

The USAID RFP 'Strengthening Public Health Supply Chains for Pandemic Preparedness in Southeast Asia' is a comprehensive funding opportunity designed to fortify the region's ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. With a total funding envelope of $50 million over five years, this RFP aims to address critical weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as fragmented data systems, inadequate cold chain infrastructure, and insufficient trained workforce. The initiative targets at least three Southeast Asian countries, focusing on strengthening logistics management information systems (LMIS), enhancing the capacity of supply chain personnel, improving warehousing and distribution networks, and fostering regional cooperation mechanisms like cross-border logistics hubs. Applicants are expected to propose activities that align with national pandemic preparedness plans and contribute to Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) targets. The cooperative agreement structure emphasizes collaboration with USAID and local stakeholders, requiring regular reporting and adaptive management. The deadline is July 30, 2026, which adds a sense of urgency for organizations to form consortia, conduct preliminary assessments, and develop robust proposals. Successful awardees will demonstrate a deep understanding of the geopolitical landscape, including navigating diverse regulatory environments and building trust with local ministries of health. The RFP also encourages innovation through digital tools such as artificial intelligence for demand forecasting, blockchain for traceability, and cold chain technologies for last-mile delivery. Sustainability is a core requirement, with plans for transitioning activities to local ownership by project end. Organizations with prior experience in USAID-funded supply chain projects, especially those under the Global Health Supply Chain Program (GHSC-PSM), will have a competitive edge. Furthermore, the RFP prioritizes gender equality and social inclusion, requiring that interventions address the needs of women and marginalized populations both as beneficiaries and as part of the supply chain workforce. This opportunity is not merely a funding call but a strategic investment in regional health security. The U.S. government, through USAID, recognizes that pandemics respect no borders and that a resilient supply chain in one country strengthens the entire region. The RFP aligns with the broader U.S. National Biodefense Strategy and the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing future ones. It also supports the ASEAN Regional Framework for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. The five-year timeframe allows for deep systemic changes, but the high urgency suggests that deliverables in the first year should focus on low-hanging fruit like assessments and training while laying groundwork for infrastructure. Potential applicants must be ready to mobilize quickly, with pre-existing relationships in target countries and access to technical expertise in epidemiology, supply chain management, and financial compliance. The GSLI can play a pivotal role by providing just-in-time training to bridge capacity gaps, particularly through courses in Procurement & Supply Chain, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Financial Management. These courses not only prepare an organization's staff but also demonstrate a commitment to capacity building, a key evaluation criterion. Finally, the RFP emphasizes collaboration with local partners, so forming consortia that include indigenous organizations with deep community ties will be crucial for success.

Who is it For?

This RFP is designed for a wide array of entities, including international NGOs, local non-governmental organizations (LNGOs), private sector consulting firms, academic institutions, and research organizations with proven expertise in public health supply chain strengthening. Joint ventures or consortia are encouraged, especially those combining international best practices with deep local knowledge. Specifically, organizations with demonstrable experience in at least two Southeast Asian countries (e.g., Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia) will have a competitive advantage. Applicants must have a physical presence or a well-defined plan to establish operations in target countries. Key personnel should include supply chain experts, epidemiologists, M&E specialists, and financial compliance officers. Past performance in USAID-funded projects, especially cooperative agreements, is highly valued. Additionally, organizations that have implemented the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program (GHSC-PSM) or similar large-scale logistics efforts will be considered preferred bidders. The donor expects awardees to have robust financial systems capable of managing federal funds, including adherence to 2 CFR 200. Proposals should also demonstrate collaboration with local ministries of health, national logistics coordinating bodies, and regional entities like the ASEAN Emergency Operations Center. For-profit entities are eligible but must comply with USAID's policies on profit and fee limitations. Startups or organizations with weak institutional memory are advised to partner with established players. Overall, the target audience for this RFP includes entities positioned to deliver technical assistance, capacity building, and system strengthening interventions at both strategic and operational levels.

Priorities

USAID's global priorities align with the U.S. National Biodefense Strategy and the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). For this RFP, specific investment KPIs include: 1) Strengthening logistics management information systems (LMIS) to provide real-time visibility of stock levels, expiries, and consumption across all storage points. 2) Enhancing the capacity of supply chain workforce through training and mentorship, targeting at least 500 participants. 3) Reduce stockouts of essential pandemic-related supplies (PPE, diagnostics, treatments, vaccines) by 30% in target regions. 4) Establish regional logistics hubs or cross-border mechanisms to enable rapid redistribution of supplies during surges. 5) Improve infrastructure: cold chain capacity, warehousing, and transport management. Performance milestones include quarterly progress reports with defined deliverables like number of supply chain assessments conducted, training completion rates, and percent reduction in product wastage. The donor emphasizes sustainability; thus, interventions must be integrated into national health systems, with costed transition plans. The RFP also prioritizes gender-sensitive approaches, ensuring women have equal access to training and leadership roles. Innovation is encouraged through proposals involving digital tools like AI-driven forecasting or blockchain for traceability. Environmental sustainability, such as eco-friendly packaging for medical supplies, is an added value. The RFP explicitly calls for collaboration with national disease surveillance systems to integrate supply chain data. Finally, USAID values adaptive management, where feedback loops allow real-time course corrections. Successful proposals will clearly articulate how activities align with national pandemic preparedness plans and contribute to International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities.

Eligibility

Eligibility for this USAID RFP is defined by a comprehensive set of financial, spatial, and corporate legal requirements. Financially, applicants must undergo a pre-award survey to demonstrate adequate accounting systems, internal controls, and audit history. Entities must have a DUNS number (or Unique Entity ID) and be registered in SAM.gov. The annual budget of the organization should be at least $5 million, with audited financial statements for the past three years showing liquidity ratios above 1.0. The organization must not be debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from federal contracts. Spatially, the applicant must have or commit to establishing in-country offices in at least three target Southeast Asian countries before the project's first year. They must also demonstrate access to transportation infrastructure—airports, seaports, and road networks—for logistics activities. Legally, the organization must be incorporated or registered as a non-profit in its home country, with legal standing to operate internationally. For private sector firms, proof of business license and export/import permits might be required. Consortia must have a signed memorandum of understanding outlining roles, financial flow, and conflict resolution mechanisms. Additionally, the organization must comply with USAID's policies on terrorism financing, trafficking in persons, and child labor. Environmental compliance documents (e.g., Initial Environmental Examination) may be needed if infrastructure upgrades are proposed. The RFP also requires a minimum of five years of operating history in supply chain related work, with at least three successfully completed projects of similar scope. Organizations that have received negative audit findings or unresolved compliance issues may be deemed ineligible. Full eligibility details are outlined in USAID's Standard Provisions and the specific RFP terms.

Path to Success

To secure this USAID RFP, GSLI recommends a strategic roadmap integrating our training to fortify institutional capacity. Step 1: Immediate Organizational Readiness Assessment (0-2 weeks). Conduct a gap analysis comparing your organization's capabilities against USAID's eligibility criteria: financial audits, SAM registration, and prior supply chain project experience. Enroll key staff in GSLI's 'Financial Management for NGOs' course to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200, reducing risk of audit findings. Step 2: Consortium Building and Partner Vetting (2-4 weeks). Identify local partners in target countries with strong ties to ministries of health. Use GSLI's 'Project Management for Development' framework to establish a clear governance structure, roles, and communication protocols. Step 3: Technical Design and Logframe Development (4-8 weeks). Develop a results framework with SMART indicators aligned to USAID's KPIs (e.g., reduce stockouts by 30%). Leverage GSLI's 'Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)' course to design robust data collection and adaptive management systems. Step 4: Proposal Writing and Budgeting (8-12 weeks). Craft a compelling narrative linking your experience to the RFP's priorities, emphasizing gender, innovation, and sustainability. Use GSLI's 'Writing Winning Proposals' course and 'Grants Management' course to ensure budget aligns with allowable costs and includes proper indirect rates. Cross-cut: Throughout, integrate GSLI's 'Procurement & Supply Chain' course into technical training plans for local staff, demonstrating immediate capacity building. Also, incorporate 'Public Health & Epidemiology' context to show expertise in pandemic disease dynamics. Finally, submit the proposal at least two weeks before deadline to allow for internal reviews. Post-submission, prepare for potential site visits by training in-country teams using GSLI's 'WASH' course if water and sanitation are part of integrated approach (e.g., for PPE reuse). This roadmap ensures your organization stands out as a prepared, capable, and compliant bidder.

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Deadline: 2026-07-30

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal