USAID/Bangladesh and the Private Sector: Partnering to Fight COVID-19 | 72038820APS00001

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72038820APS00001

USAID/Bangladesh and the Private Sector: Partnering to Fight COVID-19 is a discretionary government funding opportunity designed to bring USAID, private companies, and other organizations together under a Global Development Alliance (GDA) model to address the COVID-19 crisis in Bangladesh. The core idea is to create a practical pathway for collaboration where private sector capabilities and incentives align with USAID development priorities. Projects supported under this opportunity are expected to do three things at once: respond to the immediate COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh, advance real business interests and operational objectives for private sector partners, and contribute to USAID/Bangladesh strategic goals, including longer-term economic growth and poverty reduction that help sustain business success over time.

The program emphasizes the value of partnership as a two-way leverage model. On one side, private sector partners gain access to USAID expertise, on-the-ground relationships, and operational assets that can make a COVID-19 response more effective and scalable, while also supporting business continuity and resilience. On the other side, USAID seeks to leverage private sector markets, technical know-how, distribution channels, innovation capacity, and resources to address urgent development challenges more efficiently, with a strong focus on market-led approaches. The broader development framing is tied to Bangladesh's "Journey to Self-Reliance," meaning the activities are expected not only to provide immediate relief but also to strengthen systems and capacities that reduce long-term dependence and improve resilience even as COVID-19 creates ongoing negative impacts.

In terms of what can be funded, the opportunity allows for both immediate pandemic response interventions and activities that deal with longer-term or secondary impacts of the pandemic. Immediate response efforts may align with priorities in the COVID-19 Country Preparedness and Response Plan (CPRP), which was jointly prepared by the Government of Bangladesh and the international community. At the same time, USAID signals openness to alliances that address knock-on economic effects such as disruptions to food security and shocks to key industries like the garments sector. Beyond health and economics, proposed alliances may also incorporate cross-cutting social priorities, including peace and stability, human rights, and gender equity, recognizing that pandemics often intensify social vulnerabilities and inequalities.

The award instrument types listed for this opportunity are cooperative agreements and grants, which typically involve a collaborative relationship with the agency during implementation, especially under a cooperative agreement structure. The program sits within activity categories that include agriculture and business and commerce, reflecting the combined public health and economic stabilization intent. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full announcement text. While the solicitation anticipates a limited number of awards, the structure highlights that final results and performance targets are expected to be jointly agreed upon by the selected participants and USAID/Bangladesh during implementation, which fits the alliance nature of a GDA where partners negotiate shared goals, contributions, and measurable outcomes.

Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number 72038820APS00001, issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development mission in Bangladesh (USAID-Dhaka). The opportunity was created on April 30, 2020, with an original closing date of April 29, 2021. The stated award ceiling is $10,000,000, indicating the maximum anticipated funding level for an award under this announcement. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a partnership platform for blended public-private solutions that tackle COVID-19 in Bangladesh while also strengthening economic resilience, supporting critical sectors, and advancing inclusive development priorities.

• The Agency for International Development, Bangladesh USAID-Dhaka in the agriculture, business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USAID/Bangladesh and the Private Sector: Partnering to Fight COVID-19" 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 30, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 29, 2021. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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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