Opportunity Information: Apply for 72038820RFA00001
Apply for 72038820RFA00001
- The Agency for International Development, Bangladesh USAID-Dhaka in the disaster prevention and relief sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Support (MPDS) Activity" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 24, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 30, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $13,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Support (MPDS) Activity is a USAID Bangladesh grant opportunity designed to help disaster-prone communities in Cox's Bazar and Bandarban better withstand and recover from natural hazards. The central idea is to reduce the severity of future humanitarian crises by expanding access to safe, accessible shelters and by improving related community infrastructure and protection measures. Rather than building facilities that sit idle most of the year, the activity emphasizes multipurpose structures that serve everyday community needs and then convert quickly into shelters when emergencies occur.
A key feature of the activity is the construction and support of multipurpose disaster shelters (MPDS) that are adapted to local hazard conditions. These shelters are intended to be resilient infrastructure that can protect people during events such as cyclones, severe storms, flooding, and other disasters common to the region. When not operating as emergency shelters, the same buildings are meant to function as primary schools or community centers. As schools, they provide safer, more reliable classroom space that supports effective learning, particularly important in areas where infrastructure can be damaged or disrupted by seasonal hazards. As community centers, they create a central, trusted gathering place that can strengthen social cohesion and be used for training and awareness activities, including practical disaster risk reduction education and other community-identified needs.
The opportunity is organized around three main objectives. First, it aims to mitigate the impact of natural disasters through the construction of shelters and other resilient community infrastructure, lowering the risk of injury, displacement, and loss during emergencies. Second, it seeks to increase access to spaces that support learning and cohesive communities by ensuring MPDS facilities are useful in daily life as schools or communal venues. Third, it focuses on strengthening disaster preparedness, not only through physical infrastructure but also through complementary local capacity building so communities can plan, practice, and respond more effectively when hazards occur.
The activity is also framed as direct support to the Government of Bangladesh and relevant public institutions, particularly the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, along with local governments. This signals an intent to align investments with government systems and priorities, improve coordination, and ensure that facilities and preparedness measures are integrated into local disaster management and education planning, operations, and maintenance.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a continuation opportunity administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), specifically USAID-Dhaka. The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically means USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation, such as collaboration on planning, oversight, and technical direction compared to a more hands-off grant. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 98.001 (foreign assistance). Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of entity types, subject to any additional eligibility conditions that may be detailed in the full announcement. The funding opportunity number is 72038820RFA00001, it was created on April 24, 2020, and the original closing date was May 30, 2020. The award ceiling is listed as USD 13,000,000, and the notice indicates an expectation of up to 20 awards, suggesting potential for multiple implementing partners or awards across different locations or components. The listing also references "Amendment 1," indicating at least one formal modification to the original solicitation.
Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Support (MPDS) Activity - FAQs
What is the Multipurpose Disaster Shelter Support (MPDS) Activity?
The MPDS Activity is a USAID Bangladesh grant opportunity focused on helping disaster-prone communities better withstand and recover from natural hazards by expanding access to safe, accessible shelters and improving related community infrastructure and protection measures.
Where will the MPDS Activity take place?
The activity is designed for communities in Cox's Bazar and Bandarban in Bangladesh.
What problem is the MPDS Activity trying to solve?
The activity aims to reduce the severity of future humanitarian crises by lowering risks of injury, displacement, and loss during disasters, while also providing community facilities that are useful during normal times.
What is meant by a "multipurpose" disaster shelter in this opportunity?
Instead of building facilities that remain unused most of the year, the MPDS approach emphasizes structures that serve everyday community needs and can quickly convert into emergency shelters when disasters occur.
What types of disasters are these shelters meant to protect against?
The shelters are intended to be adapted to local hazard conditions and protect people during events such as cyclones, severe storms, flooding, and other disasters common to the region.
What will MPDS buildings be used for when there is no emergency?
When not operating as emergency shelters, MPDS buildings are intended to function as primary schools or as community centers.
How does using MPDS buildings as schools support communities?
As primary schools, the shelters provide safer, more reliable classroom space, which is especially important in areas where existing infrastructure can be damaged or disrupted by seasonal hazards.
How does using MPDS buildings as community centers support communities?
As community centers, MPDS facilities can serve as central and trusted gathering places, helping strengthen social cohesion and providing venues for training, awareness activities, and community-identified needs.
Does the opportunity include activities beyond construction?
Yes. In addition to resilient infrastructure, the activity emphasizes strengthening disaster preparedness through complementary local capacity building so communities can plan, practice, and respond more effectively.
What are the main objectives of the MPDS Activity?
The opportunity is organized around three main objectives: (1) mitigate the impact of natural disasters through construction of shelters and other resilient infrastructure; (2) increase access to spaces that support learning and cohesive communities by ensuring the facilities are useful in daily life; and (3) strengthen disaster preparedness through infrastructure plus local capacity building.
Which government institutions are associated with this activity?
The activity is framed as direct support to the Government of Bangladesh and relevant public institutions, particularly the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, along with local governments.
What does "direct support" to the Government of Bangladesh imply for implementation?
Based on the description, it signals an intent to align investments with government systems and priorities, improve coordination, and integrate facilities and preparedness measures into local disaster management and education planning, operations, and maintenance.
Which USAID office is administering the opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), specifically USAID-Dhaka.
Is this a new opportunity or a continuation?
This is described as a continuation opportunity.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement.
What does a cooperative agreement generally mean in this context?
A cooperative agreement typically means USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation, such as collaboration on planning, oversight, and technical direction, compared to a more hands-off grant.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The listing references CFDA 98.001 (foreign assistance).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of entity types, subject to any additional eligibility conditions that may be detailed in the full announcement.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is 72038820RFA00001.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on April 24, 2020, and the original closing date was May 30, 2020.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is listed as USD 13,000,000.
How many awards does USAID expect to make?
The notice indicates an expectation of up to 20 awards, suggesting multiple implementing partners and/or awards across different locations or components.
What does "Amendment 1" mean for this solicitation?
The listing references "Amendment 1," indicating there was at least one formal modification to the original solicitation.
Is the activity only about building shelters that are used during disasters?
No. The central design emphasizes facilities that are valuable in daily life (as schools or community centers) and that can be converted quickly into shelters during emergencies.
How does the MPDS approach aim to reduce future humanitarian crises?
By expanding access to safe, accessible shelters, improving resilient community infrastructure, and strengthening preparedness and local capacity, the activity aims to reduce the severity of impacts when hazards occur.
What geographic or sector planning is this activity intended to integrate with?
It is intended to be integrated into local disaster management and education planning, operations, and maintenance, aligning with Government of Bangladesh systems and priorities.
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