Community Rehabilitation Infrastructure Support Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Community Rehabilitation Infrastructure Support Program (USAID Pakistan)

1) What is the Community Rehabilitation Infrastructure Support Program?

The Community Rehabilitation Infrastructure Support Program is a USAID Pakistan Mission funding opportunity focused on improving living conditions and accelerating development in Pakistan's rural areas, villages, and smaller towns by constructing and rehabilitating targeted infrastructure.

2) What is the main purpose of this opportunity?

The purpose is to finance and manage medium- and small-scale infrastructure projects that remove bottlenecks to service delivery, reconnect communities to markets and public services, and improve basic quality of life. The program is meant to strengthen and support USAID Pakistan's broader development agenda by providing practical facilities that help other USAID programs operate more effectively and reach more people.

3) How long is the program expected to run?

The program is designed as a five-year effort.

4) What kinds of locations are prioritized?

The opportunity emphasizes rural areas, villages, and smaller towns in Pakistan, reflecting a focus on places that often have limited public infrastructure and where targeted investments can have an outsized impact.

5) Is this opportunity limited to one sector (for example, only health or only education)?

No. The opportunity is structured to support multiple USAID Strategic Objective (SO) areas rather than a single narrow sector. The description references areas such as democratic governance, more functional health and education systems, economic growth, and essential water and related infrastructure.

6) What types of infrastructure activities are supported?

The announcement implies support for new construction as well as rehabilitation, reconstruction, and repair of infrastructure. The intent is to deliver facilities and related infrastructure improvements that strengthen service delivery and access.

7) How are infrastructure projects selected under this program?

The program is described as demand-driven: medium- and small-scale infrastructure projects are identified by USAID Strategic Objective (SO) Teams as priorities. This indicates that infrastructure investments would be selected based on what USAID sector teams need to improve the effectiveness of their programs.

8) Is USAID expecting one large construction project or multiple projects?

The opportunity is framed as a platform that can design and deliver many separate infrastructure activities over several years, not as a single construction project.

9) What is the award instrument type?

The award is offered as a cooperative agreement.

10) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

Based on the description provided, a cooperative agreement generally indicates that USAID anticipates substantial involvement in guiding or collaborating on implementation compared to a standard grant. The opportunity suggests the implementing partner will coordinate closely with USAID teams and remain responsive to evolving mission needs.

11) How much funding is available?

The estimated total funding is $150,000,000. The award ceiling is $150,000,000 and the award floor is $28,000,000.

12) How many awards does USAID expect to make?

USAID anticipated making one award.

13) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost-sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the source data provided.

14) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may have been included in the full announcement text.

15) Does USAID expect applicants to work alone or in partnership?

USAID expects the recipient organization to form a consortium to carry out the work. This suggests the awardee would lead a multi-organization partnership capable of handling planning, engineering design, procurement, construction management, and quality assurance across multiple sites.

16) What capabilities would a consortium likely need for this program?

The description indicates the consortium would need strong technical capacity in civil works and the systems to manage repeated project cycles across multiple locations. It also implies the need for rigorous project management, coordination across disciplines and sites, and the ability to meet USAID compliance and reporting requirements.

17) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under the Community Development activity category.

18) What is the CFDA number associated with this funding opportunity?

The CFDA number is 98.001, labeled as USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.

19) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is 391-08-032.

20) Which USAID office issued this opportunity?

The opportunity was issued by USAID Pakistan in Islamabad.

21) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on July 7, 2008.

22) What was the application closing date?

The closing date was August 21, 2008.

23) When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was September 20, 2008.

24) Who should be contacted if there are issues accessing the full announcement electronically?

The contact point listed for applicants who had difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically is Sandra M. Byrnes (phone: 92 51 2082044).

25) What is the relationship between this infrastructure program and other USAID programs in Pakistan?

The program is described as a backstop that strengthens USAID Pakistan's broader development agenda. Its infrastructure investments are intended to help other USAID programs work better by delivering practical, on-the-ground facilities that support service delivery and development outcomes across multiple Strategic Objective areas.